Elite Defensive Lineman Montana Toilolo Updates Recruitment

EUGENE – Three-star defensive lineman recruit Montana Toilolo is down to five schools after trimming his list down to six a couple of weeks prior.

The Oregon Ducks remain in the running to land the elite recruit and build their 2027 class. Toilolo also has official visits set to four of his five schools.

Three-Star Defensive Lineman Down to Five Finalists

oregon ducks recruiting montana toilolo tony tuioti defensive line drew fielder dan lanning kasi currie cameron pritchett — Oregon defensive line coach Tony Tuioti 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

The Arizona Wildcats are the team that is no longer in Toilolo’s list of finalists after being in his top-six. He’s still considering the Miami Hurricanes, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the UCLA Bruins and the Washington Huskies in addition to the Ducks.

Toilolo told Rivals’ Greg Biggins that he’s looking to schedule an official visit with Oregon, but is set to take an unofficial visit to Eugene on Apr. 11. He had official visits set with the other four finalists at the end of May and beginning of June.

Oregon’s Recruitment of Defensive Lineman Montana Toilolo

The Ducks offered Toilolo on Mar. 17, 2025, and the coaching staff has remained persistent in his recruitment. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti both visited Toilolo on Jan. 22. The elite recruit went to Eugene shortly after.

Thank you @oregonfootball staff for an unforgettable weekend experience. See you guys soon again. @CoachDanLanning @CoachTuioti92 @MDFootball pic.twitter.com/T2eSMGlvjz
— Montana Malotu’upule Toilolo (@Toilolo_Montana) February 2, 2026

Toilolo’s trip to Oregon at the end of January certainly seemed to leave an impression on him. He told Rivals after that it was “tempting” to make a decision about his commitment when he went to Eugene. He also discussed seeing offensive tackle Drew Fielder commit following the Junior Day weekend at Oregon.

While the Ducks have impressed, the other teams in Toilolo’s top five have as well. Notre Dame and UCLA both sent staff members to visit him in January as well. Toilolo is listed as the No. 58 defensive lineman in the recruiting class in the Rivals industry rankings, so there will be plenty of competition to land him.

MORE: Predicting Which Round Each Oregon Duck Will Be Picked in the NFL Draft

MORE: Oregon Ducks Schedule Update After Rivalry With Oregon State Reportedly Paused

MORE: Elite Quarterback Recruit Includes Oregon in Top Schools

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!

The Ducks’ Defensive Line Recruiting Options

Oregon lost a lot of depth after the 2025 season. Even though Lanning and Tuioti reloaded with players from the transfer portal, there are still a handful of veteran players set to exit after the 2026 season.

The coaching staff hasn’t flinched when it comes to finding and pursuing the top recruits in 2027. Four-star edge rusher Cameron Pritchett is already committed, and there may be more defensive players on the way. Multiple blue-chip defensive linemen already have their official visits scheduled with the Ducks.

Four-stars Kasi Currie and Marcus Fakatou are slated to appear in Eugene in June. Two elite edge rushers, Rashad Streets and KJ Green, are contemplating their recruitment decisions, with the Ducks being among the list of options. There’s also four-star defensive lineman Zane Rowe, who should make his decision in the coming weeks.

Oregon has secured some big commitments along the defensive line in the Lanning coaching era and with Tuioti guiding the unit. Recently, the staff landed five-star edge rusher Anthony ‘Tank’ Jones. They’ve also added blue-chip recruits Aydin Breland, Elijah Rushing, A’Mauri Washington and Matayo Uiagalelei in recent years. Many top recruits have earned prominent roles during their Ducks tenures and helped develop the defense into one of the most difficult opponents in the nation to go up against.