Oregon Battling Big Ten Rivals for Four-Star Quarterback Recruit

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is searching for a quarterback recruit in the class of 2027.

The Ducks were among four-star quarterback Dane Weber’s eight finalists revealed on Friday. It seems that two of Oregon’s Big Ten rivals, the Michigan Wolverines and the USC Trojans, are now surging in Weber’s recruitment. The quarterback has a pair of visits scheduled for March.

Four-Star Quarterback Dane Weber Sets Spring Visits

oregon ducks recruiting dane weber quarterback dan lanning koa ka'ai usc trojans michigan wolverines will mencl dante moore — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Weber is a quarterback who’s on the rise in the recruiting rankings. The quarterback from California competed in the Elite 11 in Southern California at the end of February. Rivals’ Greg Biggins ranked Weber the MVP of the event after he showed poise and consistency.

The four-star listed the UCLA Bruins, Kansas State Wildcats, California Golden Bears, Stanford Cardinal, Kansas Jayhawks and Cincinnati Bearcats in his final eight with the Ducks and Wolverines.

The quarterback would be a huge addition to Oregon’s 2027 recruiting class. Lanning has five current commitments for 2027 and no quarterbacks. The Ducks secured a commitment from quarterback Akili Smith Jr. back in 2025, but they no longer have a 2026 quarterback after Bryson Beaver transferred to Georgia.

But Lanning has work to do to earn a commitment from Weber. Weber also revealed that he’s set to visit Michigan on March 24 and USC on March 13. His high school teammate, three-star wide receiver Eli Woodard, is committed to USC and could attract Weber to join him there. The Trojans haven’t offered Weber yet, but there still appears to be a mutual interest.

Rivals’ Adam Gorney reported that Weber is also scheduled to visit UCLA on Apr. 23 and May 2, Cal on May 28 and UCLA on June 19. The Ducks offered Weber back on Jan. 22.

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Oregon’s Chances to Land Another Blue-Chip Quarterback

Weber told Gorney that he went to Eugene for Oregon’s 2025 season opener against Montana State. He also said that he’s forged a bond with Oregon staffer Koa Ka’ai, who has served as the Ducks’ assistant quarterbacks coach.

“That’s one of the schools that piques my interest based on the tradition they have with quarterbacks and coach Ka’ai,” Weber told Gorney. “I’ve built a great relationship with him.”

The Ducks’ 2027 recruiting class currently includes three-star offensive lineman Avery Michael and four-star offensive lineman Drew Fielder, four-star running back CaDarius McMiller, four-star edge rusher Cameron Pritchett and four-star linebacker Sam Ngata. Lanning and the Ducks are also pursuing four-star quarterback Will Mencl.

Mencl is another 2027 quarterback option that Oregon could land. He’s a top-rated player in the state of Arizona and one of the top quarterbacks in the recruiting class. He threw 33 touchdowns on 70.3 percent completion and rushed for 17 touchdowns in 2025.

Lanning’s starting quarterbacks at Oregon have all come from the transfer portal. Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola is also set to back up quarterback Dante Moore in 2026, with the likelihood of a starting role in 2027. Even though Oregon has a very good track record when it comes to producing NFL-level quarterbacks, the recent trend in starting transfers could potentially impact its chances of landing blue-chip recruits like Weber and Mencl.