Oregon Ducks Hold Head Start in Four-Star Linebacker Recruiting Race

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning’s year-long pursuit has landed Oregon a recruiting visit from one of the nation’s top linebacker prospects.

Aug. 15, 2026; Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Four-star linebacker Landon Miller has set his fall game-visit schedule, including a stop in Eugene to meet with coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks.

The four-star linebacker out of De La Salle High School in Concord, California, and member of the class of 2028, will arrive at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 10 when the No. 2 Ducks play host to UCLA, per the recruit's social media.

Aug. 21, 2024; Oregon Ducks inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski walks the field during practice at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lanning has been recruiting Miller longer than any of the six programs that the linebackers intends to visit, including nearly a year before the next school, USC placed him on their radar.

Landon Miller's Visit Schedule

Miller is slated to visit Cal on Sept. 5 for the Golden Bears’ season opener against UCLA, prior to a Sept. 12 trip to USC when the Trojans face Louisiana.

He’s tentatively scheduled to follow the Oregon visit with a Nov. 7 visit to South Bend to watch Notre Dame square off against Miami. That’s in addition to planned visits at later dates to Michigan and Ohio State.

A few stops left to make this Summer. It’s been great to get out and work with these staffs while strengthening connections. pic.twitter.com/wmsq762rKc

— LandonMiller4⭐️ (@LMiller2028) June 8, 2026

Miller will be a high school junior this fall, meaning Signing Day is still two years off. But it now appears that the rest of the nation is catching on to something Lanning has known for quite some time.

Landon Miller and the Oregon Ducks

Oregon was the first program to offer Miller in May of 2025, nearly a year before USC came knocking. Others quickly followed, including LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Washington, Wisconsin and UCLA.

At the time of this writing, Miller has at least 18 offers and counting, including seven from Big Ten schools.

Oregon was also Miller’s first camp stop this summer, spending May 8-9 in Eugene, before jaunting off to see USC, Notre Dame and Ohio State. In fact, October will mark Miller’s third trip to visit Oregon. Ohio State is the only other school he’s visited multiple times, per 247Sports.

The Miller Pitch

Miller stands at 6-foot-2 and tips the scales at 210 pounds, to go along with a 4.58 forty time and a 315 bench.

On the field he registered 44 tackles as a freshman in 2024. He followed up that performance last year with a menacing 38 tackles, six of them for a loss, as well as an interception and a pair of sacks in just eight games for the Spartans.

His biggest night came on Nov. 21 when he racked up nine tackles and a sack in a 24-17 win over Pittsburg High School.

Oregon inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski walks the field during Oregon’s spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Miller was a top performer at The Opening’s SoCal regional in March where he earned an invitation to the Finals at Nike in Beaverton and his second trip to the state of Oregon.

“I want a linebacker coach who has consistently developed players and put players in the NFL,” Miller told SI in June. “A linebacker coach that is going to develop players not just on the field but off the field as a human being and man going into the real world.”

At Oregon, that man is inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski and Lanning’s leading recruiter. Michalowski has helped send a linebacker into the NFL in each of the last two years with Jeffrey Bassa going to the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2025 draft and Bryce Boettcher who now suits up for Indianapolis after being selected by the Colts in the fourth round of this year’s draft.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher catches a pass during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Those are my guys, those are my savages,” Bassa told SI in April, referring to his former Ducks linebackers. “Guys like Jerry Mixon, Gavin Nix, Devon Jackson, Will Straton. I know those guys grind hard led by coach B. Mike.”

Getting Landon Miller to Oregon

Oct. 10 will be a big day in Eugene. Lanning has yet to land any commits to his 2028 recruiting haul. Miller would be the first and a foundation piece for the class.

As it stands, Oregon’s 2027 class is currently ranked No. 3 nationally and replete with linebacker commits such as Toa Satele, Brandon Lockley and Sam Ngata.

The question now is whether Lanning can turn a head start of close to a year into a commitment from one of the nation’s most sought-after linebackers.

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