Oregon Ducks' Race for Four-Star Defensive Lineman Recruit Heats Up

EUGENE – One of the top targets on the Oregon Ducks’ 2027 recruiting board is getting ready to visit the program in March.

Four-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou is set to appear in Eugene on March 31 after visiting with a pair of recruiting rivals. His March visit to Eugene is different from his previously scheduled recruiting visit date on Apr. 4. Oregon coach Dan Lanning secured one big commitment in March and is hoping to make some more recruiting splashes as the cycle progresses.

Defensive Lineman Marcus Fakatou’s Oregon Ties

oregon ducks dan lanning recruiting marcus fakatou defensive lineman matayo uiagalelei ohio state buckeyes nfl draft tuioti — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads practice with the Ducks Thursday, April 20, 2023 at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. Sports Spring Football | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon’s pursuit of Fakatou has lasted multiple years. He received an offer back in September 2024, and the coaching staff appears to stay in close contact. Most recently, defensive line coach Tony Tuioti visited the Fakatou family at their home in January.

According to Rivals’ Adam Gorney, Fakatou is close with Dave Uiagalelei. Matayo Uiagalelei, Dave’s son, is a starting defensive end for the Ducks and is entering his fourth season with the program. Fakatou having a connection with one of the Ducks’ starting defensive linemen and one of the program’s leaders could help the team’s efforts to land him.

Ohio State Kicks Off Recruiting Visits

The four-star took a trip to Columbus already, which started his list of spring recruiting visits. Fakatou’s visit with the Buckeyes went well, and he told Rivals that he even discussed committing with his family.

Fakatou heads to Georgia next to visit the Bulldogs on March 20. The trip to Eugene on March 31 ends his March visits. In April, the defensive lineman is scheduled to visit five programs: the Miami Hurricanes, the Texas Longhorns, the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

What Boxes the Ducks Check in Marcus Fakatou’s Program Desires

Notre Dame and Ohio State seem to be the frontrunners right now for Fakatou but a visit to Eugene could quickly change that.

Fakatou cited development and relationships with his future coaching staff as big factors in his recruitment. Lanning and the Ducks are big believers in forming connections with recruits early in the process. The fact that Fakatou’s potential position coach, Tuioti, visited him recently is a good indicator that Oregon is prioritizing him. His visit to Eugene later in the month will also be a good opportunity to strengthen those relationships.

As far as development goes, Uiagalelei is an example of what it looks like for a top recruit to spend time in Lanning’s system and play his way into becoming a potential NFL Draft pick. Uiagalelei had the opportunity to be an early draft pick in 2026, but decided to return for the 2026 season. He continues to star along the defensive line and quickly earned a starting role after being a five-star recruit coming out of high school. The Ducks have experienced success in developing plenty of other players and defensive linemen into future draft picks.

Another thing Fakatou revealed in an interview with Rivals is that he’s “leaning toward playing in a smaller college town.” Eugene fits that description. As many Oregon commits over the years have described, football comes into full focus in a small college town like Eugene.