Oregon Ducks Land Key In-State Commitment

The Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning landed four-star cornerback recruit Josiah Molden on Sunday, April 12, making Molden the eighth player to commit to Oregon in the class of 2027.

Josiah Molden Recruiting Profile

Molden is a native of West Linn, Oregon, and his older brother Elijah Molden infamously committed to the Washington Huskies over the Ducks as part of the class of 2017. Elijah Molden had a successful career with the Huskies, and he was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Now, Elijah Molden plays for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Alex Molden, the father of Elijah and Josiah, played his college football at Oregon before being drafted in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft, No. 11 overall to the New Orleans Saints.

oregon ducks dan lanning recruiting rankings josiah molden four star cornerback commitment west linn elijah molden — Los Angeles cornerback Elijah Molden (2) greets Tennessee safety Quandre Diggs (28) with a hug after their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lanning was able to keep Josiah Molden in the state of Oregon, and the Ducks continue to load up on defensive recruits.

Josiah Molden is the No. 1 recruit from Oregon in the class of 2027, according to 247Sports' rankings. Per the same rankings, Molden is the No. 209 overall recruit and the No. 278 cornerback in his class.

Molden plays for West Linn High School in Oregon, and his highlight reel from his junior season reveal an athletic defensive back with the ability to make plays on the ball. One of his biggest strengths appears to be his physicality at the position, standing at 6-0, 175 pounds.

Molden also took some snaps at wide receiver for West Linn, further proving his athleticism on the football field. He has been named to the MaxPreps All-American Team twice as one of the top recruits from Oregon.

Oregon Ducks Recruiting Class of 2027

As it currently stands, six out of Oregon's eight commits play on the defensive side of the ball. Molden is the second cornerback to commit to the Ducks, following four-star cornerback Ai'King Hall.

Here are all eight of Oregon's commitments:

Rashad Streets, four-star EDGE
Zane Rowe, four-star defensive lineman
Ai'King Hall, four-star cornerback
Cameron Pritchett, four-star EDGE
Josiah Molden, four-star cornerback
CaDarius McMiller, four-star running back
Avery Michael, three-star offensive lineman
Sam Ngata, three-star linebacker

With the addition of Molden to Oregon's recruiting class, Lanning and the Ducks currently rank No. 7 in Rivals' recruiting rankings. The only Big Ten teams above Oregon are USC (No. 4) and Ohio State (No. 3).

Under Lanning, Oregon has had success recruiting nearly every position, but the Ducks have also utilized the transfer portal to find experienced quarterbacks and linemen as well as receivers and defensive backs.

Still, Oregon is pursuing a number of high-profile offensive recruits, including five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant who recently visited Eugene. Other future visitors include five-star offensive lineman Ismael Camara and four-star offensive lineman Jackson Roper, while other defensive recruits like five-star cornerback and Georgia Bulldogs commit Donte' Wright as well as four-star defensive back Hayden Stepp are expected on campus later in the summer.

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