Oregon Ducks Make Major Moves for Blue-Chip Defensive Back Recruits

Four-star cornerback recruit Ca’ron Williams joined the list of defensive backs in the 2028 cycle that Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are making a push for over the summer.

According to Rivals’ Adam Gorney, Oregon is making a rise among the programs high on Williams’ list as he enters his junior season.

Oregon Ducks Make Push for Four-Star Ca’ron Williams

oregon ducks dan lanning recruiting ca'ron williams safety defensive back chris hampton jordan hicks rashad wadood lsu tigers — Oregon coach Dan Lanning oversees the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Williams is listed as a 6-0, 170-pound cornerback by Rivals. The blue-chip recruit is a consensus top-250 player in the 2028 class and a top-30 cornerback.

In an interview with Gorney and Rivals, Williams named the LSU Tigers, USC Trojans, Ohio State Buckeyes and Miami Hurricanes as teams that have made an impression so far – but said Oregon is the team to watch in his recruitment.

The Trojans are the team currently favored at 32.3 percent by the Rivals Prediction Machine, but Oregon cornerback coach Rashad Wadood has built an early connection with Williams, per Gorney.

Williams is a California-based recruit – an area where USC has dominated in recruiting in recent cycles – coming from Rancho Santa Margarita. Williams continues to rise as a recruit, as he totaled 92 tackles, seven pass breakups, four interceptions and a pick-six in his first two seasons at Santa Margarita Catholic, per 247Sports.

Dan Lanning Battling for Defensive Back Recruits

The Ducks appear to already be prioritizing the defensive back position in the 2028 cycle. Four-star safety CJ Craig-James listed Oregon among his 12 finalists in a recent social media post, with four-star cornerback Jordan Hicks including Oregon in his final eight.

While Wadood continues to seem like a key recruiter for rising defensive backs, defensive coordinator Chris Hampton has proven to haul in elite commitments. Prior to getting promoted to the defensive coordinator role in 2026, Hampton served as the Ducks’ defensive backs coach and was named the 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year for the 2025 class.

By the time the 2028 class arrives on campus, those 2025 recruits that Hampton and the Ducks brought in – which included five-star recruits Na’eem Offord and Trey McNutt, as well as standout cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. – will be eligible for the NFL Draft and could be headed to the next level.

Recruits from 2026, such as five-star safety Jett Washington and four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin, would be juniors in 2028. Still, the upcoming cycles become important for the program’s future development within the secondary.

Who the Oregon Ducks Recruited in 2027

While the 2027 cycle is still ongoing, the program has already experienced some big recruiting wins in the secondary. The Ducks’ 2027 class is currently ranked No. 2 overall by 247Sports and No. 4 by Rivals, with 24 total commits and 13 of those coming on the defensive side. Notably, Lanning landed a commitment from five-star cornerback Hayden Stepp on a “double-Duck” recruiting day on July 1.

Two-way athlete Tae Walden Jr., who plays cornerback on defense and receiver on offense, joined Stepp in committing on July 1. The program also secured the top-ranked player in the state of Oregon: four-star cornerback legacy recruit Josiah Molden. At the safety position, three-star Malakai Taufoou and four-star Semaj Stanford also committed to Oregon in the 2027 cycle.

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