Oregon Ducks Push for Recruiting Flip of Ohio State Five-Star

EUGENE, Ore. – Coach Dan Lanning’s 2027 Oregon Ducks recruiting class is beginning to shape up to be what fans hope is the program's best yet. The Ducks’ efforts are looking even more hopeful after the brother of a five-star Ohio State Buckeyes commit donned all Oregon gear in a recent Instagram post.

Five-star edge rusher DJ Jacobs is a consensus top-15 player in the 2027 recruiting class. He and his brother, four-star defensive lineman Dawson Jacobs from the class of 2028, recently visited Eugene for the Spring Game, and the experience appears to have made an impression at least on Dawson.

Oregon Competing for Four-Star Dawson Jacobs

oregon ducks dan lanning edge rusher recruiting five star spring game dj jacobs ohio state cameron pritchett rashad streets — Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day shake hands after standing with the Leishman Trophy during a Rose Bowl press conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even though the Ducks’ focus is on the 2027 recruiting cycle, Lanning and his staff are already looking ahead to 2028. The elder Jacobs brother may be a highly coveted recruit, but Dawson is a blue-chip prospect in his own right.

Dawson is currently listed as the No. 13 defensive lineman in the 2028 class and the No. 121 player nationally by 247Sports. He totaled 96 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss and five sacks as a sophomore in high school. Given that. Dawson still has two more years until heading to college, and there’s a strong chance he skyrockets in the recruiting standings.

The younger Jacobs' brother also received an offer from Ohio State, but the Ducks may be gaining momentum. Oregon has a long history of recruiting brothers to its program. Most recently, the team extended an offer to 2028 offensive lineman Michael Iheanacho, who’s the younger brother of 2026 five-star Immanuel Iheanacho. Iheanacho ultimately committed to Oregon shortly after his brother was recruited by Oregon.

Five-Star EDGE DJ Jacobs’ Recruitment

Four-star defensive line recruit Dawson Jacobs | @daviddjacobs on Instagram

DJ is the No. 1-ranked player in 2027, according to 247Sports. ESPN lists him at No. 3 and Rivals has him at No. 12, while the Rivals Industry Ranking ranks him No. 4. DJ is the consensus No. 1 edge rusher in the class and the consensus No. 1 player in Georgia.

A potential recruiting flip for Oregon would be massive for the Ducks, given DJ’s status in the 2027 class. He committed to Ohio State back on Dec. 29, 2025, about a month after taking an unofficial visit to Columbus, Ohio.

The five-star appeared in Eugene for the 2026 Spring Game on April 25, according to 247Sports. DJ posted a photo of his brother in Oregon shorts and an Oregon hoodie on his Instagram story on Thursday afternoon.

Oregon Ducks Impact of a Potential Flip

The Ducks currently have the No. 6 recruiting class in 2027, according to both Rivals and 247Sports. If they were to flip DJ, their class standing would be in an even better place.

Four-star recruits Rashad Streets and Cameron Pritchett are the current edge rushers committed to Oregon’s 2027 class, although four-star defensive lineman Zane Rowe can also line up on the edge. If Jacobs flips, it will add more competition and depth to the defensive unit for years to come.

DJ totaled 102 tackles, 24 tackles for a loss, 16 sacks and two forced fumbles as just a junior in high school at Blessed Trinity Catholic. The edge rusher has the talent to improve and become a dangerous weapon at the collegiate level, and the Ducks staff has proven to develop edge rushers.

Another thing to note when it comes to the Ducks’ 2027 class is individual recruit rankings. Former Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux – who Jacobs recently got to see guest coaching the Spring Game – is still listed by 247Sports as the program’s highest-ranking commitment all-time. Thibodeaux was the No. 6 recruit in the class of 2019.

Whether it’s DJ, a future 2027 Oregon commit or a current commit who rises in the rankings, a new Ducks commit could change that this cycle.

Oregon Fighting for Another Ohio State Recruiting Flip

Lanning and the Ducks were in a similar position in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Five-star Buckeyes wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr. was seen wearing Oregon gear in the spring, which raised questions about a potential change in his commitment.

Uncertainty about Henry’s commitment grew during the early signing period in December. Former Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline took the job as the head coach at USF, which led Henry to rethink his commitment before signing the papers.

Henry was briefly predicted to flip to Oregon, but ultimately stuck with the Buckeyes.

It could end up being the same result with DJ, with Ohio State prevailing and keeping his commitment. The Ducks will likely continue to fight hard up until the papers are signed to earn the flip this time. If they were to land a commitment from his brother, that could make it a much different situation from the Henry recruitment.

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