Oregon Battling Will Stein, Kentucky for Four-Star Quarterback Recruit

The Oregon Ducks are targeting four-star quarterback recruit Jake Nawrot and have set up a visit with the Illinois prospect.

According to 247Sports, Nawrot will be in Eugene on March 31, one of the several spring visits he has planned. He will also visit Florida State, Iowa, Washington, Kansas State, and Kentucky.

Oregon Ducks 2027 Recruiting Will Stein Dan Lanning Jake Nawrot Kentucky Wildcats Dante Moore Justin Herbert Bo Nix Big Ten — Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Nawrot is one of the top players from the 2027 class, ranked as the No. 68 recruit in the nation, the No. 6 quarterback, and the No. 2 player from Illinois, per 247Sports.

Oregon’s Proven Track Record of Developing Quarterbacks

What has kept Oregon as a consistently competitive program is its ability to develop quarterbacks, although the Ducks have relied on transfer quarterbacks for multiple years now. In the 2025 season, quarterback Dante Moore became the starter and instantly broke out.

Moore transferred to Oregon in 2024, sitting behind quarterback Dillon Gabriel in his first season with the program.

While sitting behind Gabriel, Moore developed for the full season before earning the starting role. With his performance in 2025, Moore earned a first-round NFL draft projection, despite choosing to return to the program in 2026. With his performance in 2025, quarterback prospects saw how well the program can develop the position.

“Oregon has had a historically good program, as well as quarterbacks who have developed to be great in the NFL. That speaks for itself when visiting Eugene,” Nawrot told 247Sports.

Since the 2020 NFL Draft, the Ducks have had three quarterbacks selected, two of whom were first-round picks: Justin Herbert in 2020 and Bo Nix in 2024. Notably, Herbert won Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Nix led his team to back-to-back playoff runs in his first two years in the NFL.

Their performance in the NFL shows that not only do the Ducks put together a team where quarterbacks can succeed, but they also ensure the players are being developed for a smooth transition into the NFL.

Oregon Battles Former Offensive Coordinator

One of the teams also making a strong push for Nawrot is the Kentucky Wildcats and coach Will Stein. Stein was the offensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks for three seasons, and it is his first year as Kentucky's head coach.

As Nawrot highlighted, Oregon develops quarterbacks well, and Stein played a large role in that during his time with the Ducks. He helped develop Nix into a first-round draft pick, Gabriel into a Heisman Trophy finalist, and Moore into having a breakout performance.

In 2025, Moore passed for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He finished the season with a 71.8 completion percentage. With Stein’s work developing the offense at Oregon, Kentucky could pose as a big contender for Nawrot.

Oregon’s 2027 Recruiting Class

The Oregon Ducks are building another strong recruiting class, earning six commitments so far, four of which are four-star prospects.

The team is already building up the offense, adding two four-star offensive tackles, Drew Fielder and Avery Michael, and four-star running back CaDarius McMiller.

Since Oregon coach Dan Lanning took over the program, the Ducks have done well in landing the nation's top high school recruiting prospects. Between Oregon’s on-field success, quarterback development, and recruiting momentum, the program is in a good spot to make a push for Nawrot.

Oregon’s 2027 class is ranked No. 10 in the nation, according to 247Sports.