Three Positions Oregon Ducks Should Prioritize in Recruiting

The Oregon Ducks have had a promising start building their 2027 recruiting class but will need to address three key position groups.

Nov 8, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning enters Kinnick Stadium before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks currently have the No. 8-ranked recruiting class in the 2027 cycle according to On3, and while coach Dan Lanning and his staff have done a great job bringing high-end talent to Eugene, there is still work to be done. Below are the three position groups that Lanning should prioritize for the rest of the 2027 cycle. 

Oregon Will Need to Replace Key Players on Offensive Line

Oregon center Iapani Laloulu speaks during a media day as the Oregon Ducks arrive on Jan. 7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks currently have three offensive linemen committed in the class of 2027 but will need to pick up more as the 2027 cycle wears on. Oregon center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu is entering his senior season and will need to be replaced.

Safety Position Will Have to be Addressed in 2027 Cycle

Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Koi Perich (3) reacts to his teams win after the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Ducks did well to replace former Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 2026 NFL Draft. Lanning and his staff went into the transfer portal this past offseason to grab Minnesota safety Koi Perich, who is expected to play a big role on the defensive side of the ball. 

There is a good chance Perich will enter the NFL Draft following this upcoming season, making the safety position one that the Ducks need to hone in on for the 2027 cycle. 

The Ducks turned heads when they received the commitment of four-star safety Semaj Stanford, who is the No. 5-ranked safety in 2027, but more defensive backs should be on the way.

One More Elite Wide Receiver Recruit?

Glassboro junior Xavier Sabb was named Most Valuable Player in a 36-20 win over Haddonfield at the Battle at the Beach. August 30, 2025 | Tom McGurk / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ducks currently have two wide receivers committed with five-star Dakota Guerrant and three-star Malachi Garlington. Oregon wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan will most likely be entering the NFL Draft following the 2027 season, which will leave the Ducks short at the position in the future.

The Ducks have been predicted by On3 college football analyst Steve Wiltfong to land five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb, who could be the Ducks' next five-star receiver commit in the 2027 cycle if Sabb does select Oregon after the Ducks landed Guerrant on Tuesday.

While the Ducks have had a good start to their 2027 cycle, National Signing Day is in December, and the Ducks have several key spots on both sides of the ball they will need to fill.

The Ducks are keeping pace with the rest of the Big Ten in regards to recruiting rankings, as they sit at No. 7 and are the top Big Ten team in the rankings, sitting ahead of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are ranked at No. 8, and the USC Trojans, who are currently ranked No. 10.

The top-10 recruiting rankings for the 2027 cycle according to On3 are as follows. 

No. 1 Texas A&M Aggies
No. 2 Miami Hurricanes
No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners
No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders
No. 6 Florida Gators
No. 7 Oregon Ducks
No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes
No. 9 LSU Tigers
No. 10 USC Trojans

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.