Oregon Ducks' First Big Recruiting Weekend Offers Insight Into Dan Lanning's Focus

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks open the 2026 regular season against Boise State, and while Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks are looking to earn a third-straight trip to the College Football Playoff, but the start of the new season also marks the start of a key recruiting period for Lanning and his staff.

Dan Lanning Continuing to Stack Elite Recruiting Classes

According to On3's Steve Wiltfong, Oregon will be hosting a number of blue-chip defensive line recruits in the Ducks' first game of the year against the Broncos. Five-star defensive linemen Kellan Hall and Landen Wade as well as four-star defensive lineman Aedyn Havili will be in Autzen Stadium on Sept. 5, per Wiltfong.

oregon ducks dan lanning recruiting kelan hall landen wade class of 2028 defensive line five-star bear alexander boise state — Basha High defensive lineman Landen Wade poses with his ring during the ring ceremony honoring players and coaches who were part of the 2025 Open Division state championship team on April 29, 2026, at Basha High in Chandler. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As a head coach with defensive coordinator experience, Lanning has always prioritized the defensive line in talent acquisition, but the emphasis on the class of 2028 feels especially apparent.

Defensive linemen A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander as well as outside linebackers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti are expected to anchor Oregon's defense after all four decided to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Ducks appear intent on re-stocking the cupboards.

The Ducks don't seem intent on reloading the defensive line room with any prospects, though. According to 247Sports' rankings, Wade is the No. 22 overall prospect and the No. 6 EDGE recruit in the class of 2028. Hall, on the other hand, is the No. 2 overall recruit in the class and the No. 2 defensive line prospect in the same rankings.

Seeing who Lanning and the Ducks are hosting for these early visits offers an indication into which positions the program is focusing on for the class of 2028. Game day visits in the fall are key for younger prospects now, followed by junior day recruiting events in the winter and more unofficial visits in the spring. With that perspective, Oregon is appearing to focus early on the defensive front.

Competition will be stiff for Oregon to land either Wade or Hall over the top recruiting programs in the country, but the Ducks have a distance advantage when it comes to Havili's recruitment. The four-star defensive lineman plays for Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Washington, giving Lanning and company a top-100 recruit close to their own backyard.

Havili's teammate, four-star tight end Tytan McNeal, is also planning to visit Oregon for the Boise State game, per On3's Brandon Huffman.

In only the first recruiting weekend of the season, the Ducks are making their continued focus on the trenches clear. The impending departures of Washington, Alexander, Uiagalelei, and Tuioti to the NFL makes Oregon's development easier to sell, and the Ducks might also be able to offer more early playing time as a result.

Oregon Ducks Recruiting Outlook

A majority of the work is already done on the class of 2027 as Oregon has commitments from defensive linemen like five-star Rashad Streets and four-stars Zane Rowe and Cam Pritchett.

Oregon's class of 2027 is ranked No. 4 in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten, according to On3's rankings, with a majority of targets off the board. The most recent commit for the Ducks was four-star linebacker Brayton Feister, and the highest-rated recruit currently committed to Oregon is five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant.

The Ducks have 25 commits in the class of 2027, and 14 are expected to contribute on the defensive side of the ball. The transfer portal has changed teams' roster-building strategies, but the class of 2028 could be a bit more balanced with key offensive pieces like quarterback Dante Moore, wide receiver Evan Stewart, tight end Jamari Johnson, and center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu all slated to depart the program after the season.

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