Oregon Coach Makes Recruiting Push for Four-Star Target Jordan Hicks

The Oregon Ducks are keying in on 2028 four-star defensive back Jordan Hicks, as the 2027 cycle wraps up and programs begin to turn their attention to recruits in the current high school junior class.

Hicks recently included the Ducks in his top eight list of schools along with the USC Trojans, Oklahoma Sooners, UCLA Bruins, Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels, Miami Hurricanes and Texas A&M Aggies. Oregon is in the driver’s seat for Hicks’ recruitment, according to Rivals, with coaching and player connections playing an important role.

Oregon Ducks Connections Key in Jordan Hicks’ Recruitment

oregon ducks recruiting jordan hicks rashad wadood dan lanning brandon finney cornerback usc trojans oklahoma sooners — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Hicks told Rivals’ Adam Gorney that connections with Oregon edge rushers Dutch Horisk and Nasir Wyatt, as well as with cornerback Davon Benjamin, are all helpful to the Ducks’ pursuit. Cornerbacks coach Rashad Wadood has also made an effort to connect with him, with the position coach also hailing from California.

“It feels like a family, and they’re very welcoming,” Hicks told Gorney. “The type of DBs they use, I see myself in their system. They have DBs like me, they use DBs like me, they coach DBs like me.”

With coach Dan Lanning already being a big name across college football, it’s important that position coaches also forge bonds with recruits. Wadood seems to be ahead of the curve by earning shout-outs from Hicks ahead of his junior season.

Oklahoma Sooners, USC Trojans Competing for Four-Star Recruit

But it’s not a one-player race for Hicks. The Ducks might be setting the pace, but they’ll have to continue their momentum to not let one of their recruiting rivals creep past them down the final stretch.

The Sooners are the other team that appears to be toward the front of the pack in Hicks’ recruitment. The defensive back sported Oklahoma gear during his appearance at the South County Classic passing tournament.

Meanwhile, the Trojans and the Bruins are the in-state players in Hicks’ recruitment. USC especially continues to ramp up its in-state recruiting under coach Lincoln Riley and landed the No. 1 overall class in 2026.

How Oregon Ducks Stand Out

Outside of existing relationships with Wadood and current Oregon players, the Ducks could pull ahead by flexing their defensive back development. While the Sooners come off a recent College Football Playoff appearance and the Trojans have a proven track record of developing talent, the Ducks have both – and recent defensive back commits have starred in the postseason.

In an interview with Kendell Hollowell of USC Trojans on SI, Hicks pointed to the Ducks developing cornerbacks with similar body types. That includes Brandon Finney Jr., who was given an opportunity as a true freshman.

Finney, a former four-star recruit in his own right, started in the Oregon secondary in 2025. He totaled 42 tackles, seven pass deflections, a sack, two forced fumbles and three interceptions. Notably, Finney forced two turnovers against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the CFP quarterfinals and recorded a pick-six against the Indian Hoosiers in the regular season.

Hicks is listed at 6-1, 175 pounds by Rivals, while Rivals listed Finney at 6-2, 185 pounds coming out of high school. If Finney continues to star for Oregon like he did in 2025, he will be NFL Draft eligible in 2028 and could be gone by the time Hicks would arrive on campus. That would allow Hicks to contend for a similar role on the Ducks’ defense and develop under Wadood.

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