Four-Star Cornerback Recruit Hayden Stepp Decides Between Oregon, Alabama

Four-star defensive back Hayden Stepp revealed his commitment to the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday, July 1, and the Ducks have added another top-100 prospect to their recruiting class of 2027.

Hayden Stepp's Commitment to Oregon

Stepp announced his college decision on the Rivals YouTube livestream, deciding from a final three of Oregon, Alabama, and Cal.

oregon ducks recruiting hayden stepp kalen deboer alabama crimson tide california golden bears dan lanning bishop gorman — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With Stepp, Ducks coach Dan Lanning and his staff have landed another recruit out of Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nevada, one of the top high school programs in the nation let alone the state. In the class of 2026, Oregon signed five-star defensive back Jett Washington, and in the class of 2025, the Ducks brought in four-star offensive lineman Douglas Utu.

While Stepp was competing at The Opening Finals at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Washington actually drove up from Eugene to watch the 7 on 7 competition as well as recruit a little bit on behalf of the Ducks.

First look at Oregon recruiting target four-star Hayden Stepp at The Opening Finals.#GoDucks @OregonDucks_SI https://t.co/hps3nHCfM2 pic.twitter.com/m9qPEnFreT
— Charlie Viehl (@CharlieViehl) June 25, 2026

Former Oregon defensive coordinator and current California Golden Bears coach Tosh Lupoi was working to land Stepp, and the Alabama Crimson Tide were constant players in his recruitment. Lupoi has had some success in recruiting the West Coast since becoming the new head coach at Cal, and Stepp would have immediately become one of the top commits in the Golden Bears' recruiting class.

Lanning and the Ducks seemed to hold the momentum heading into Stepp's commitment, but things can flip on a dime when it comes to high school recruiting.

The early signing period for the class of 2027 is not until December, but a majority of prospects have already committed or plan to wrap things up during the summer. Stepp is one of three Oregon recruiting targets with plans to commit on July 1, and five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb is committing on July 3.

oregon ducks recruiting hayden stepp kalen deboer alabama crimson tide california golden bears dan lanning bishop gorma — Glassboro junior Xavier Sabb was named Most Valuable Player in a 36-20 win over Haddonfield at the Battle at the Beach. August 30, 2025 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Hayden Stepp Recruiting Profile

Stepp is a lengthy cornerback with a knack for breaking up passes. Receivers have to have strong hands if guarded by Stepp because of his timing when it comes to punching the ball out.

Highlights from his junior season with Bishop Gorman show a physical defensive back with closing speed. Stepp has a knack for making plays on the ball, and he should fit in with an Oregon defense that emphasizes takeaways. He won The Opening Finals championship as a member of Team West, and Stepp was named to the All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the competition.

According to On3, Stepp stands at 6-3, 175, and he is the No. 44 overall recruit in the nation and the No. 7 cornerback prospect in the class of 2027.

Class of 2027 Recruiting Rankings

Oregon's recruiting class of 2027 is ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten, per 247Sports. Here is the current top 10 in 247Sports' recruiting rankings:

Oct 11, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on prior to the game against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

1. Texas A&M
2. Notre Dame
3. Miami
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Oregon
7. Ohio State
8. Texas Tech
9. Auburn
10. Florida

Penn State and USC are the next closes Big Ten programs ranked No. 12 and No. 14, respectively, by 247Sports.

Rivals rates Oregon's class a bit lower with the Ducks at No. 9 and No. 2 in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (No. 5 overall). In Rivals' rankings, USC is No. 10 nationally while No. 17 UCLA is above No. 19 Penn State.

The Ducks potentially landing multiple commitments on Wednesday, Oregon's place in the recruiting rankings is only expected to climb. Lanning and company appear set on signing a large high school class, giving Oregon a realistic chance at landing a top-three recruiting class in the country.

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