Oregon Could Be on the Verge of Landing Major Running Back Recruit

The Oregon Ducks appear to be done with adding to their transfer portal class this offseason in preparation for next season.

However, the work on the high school recruiting trail never stops, and the Ducks could be on the verge of adding to their 2027 class in a major way.

Oregon Predicted to Land 4-Star Running Back Noah Roberts

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning reacts during the first half of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

On3's Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction Tuesday for Oregon to land 2027 four-star running back Noah Roberts, a potentially major addition to the Ducks' next recruiting class if it holds up.

A product of Basha High School in Chandler, AZ. outside of the Phoenix area, Roberts is the No. 1 player in the state of Arizona and the No. 6 overall running back in the class, per 247Sports.

As a result, he's unsurprisingly received offers from a slew of top programs, including Notre Dame, Indiana, Texas, Ohio State, Miami, Texas A&M, Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, USC, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Iowa, Florida State and many more.

Oregon offered Roberts in Jan. 2025 shortly after being eliminated from the College Football Playoff by Ohio State. The Ducks have been hot on his tail ever since but other programs have done their due diligence as well.

Roberts has taken two unofficial visits to Tennessee along with a trip to Alabama. He will certainly ramp up the official visit list this offseason, likely taking trips to see multiple programs even if he's already committed to Oregon.

During the 2024 season, Roberts posted 152 carries for 1,067 yards and 19 touchdowns along with, 32 catches for 358 yards and four more scores through the air.

Noah Roberts Mentioned in Bijan Robinson Conversations

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson celebrates after a victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Though Roberts will still have a ton to prove to receive any legitimate NFL hype, he's already being mentioned as the best running back to come out of the state of Arizona since Bijan Robinson in the 2020 class, at least according to 247Sports' national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins.

"Could be the top prospect in the state right now as a rising junior and the best back to come out of Arizona since Bijan Robinson," Biggins wrote.

Robinson, who is now a star for the Atlanta Falcons, is a product of Salpointe Catholic in Tucson, AZ. He committed to the Texas Longhorns out of high school after being ranked as the No. 1 running back in the 2020 cycle.

Roberts will have some major expectations to live up to if he's already being mentioned alongside Robinson.

Oregon's 2027 Recruiting Class

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

Oregon still has a long way to go before completing its 2027 recruiting class, but the foundation is already being built.

The Ducks have landed commitments from talents like four-star edge rusher Cameron Pritchett along with players like three-star offensive tackles Avery Michael and Drew Fielder and three-star linebacker Sam Ngata.

However, Roberts would immediately become the best of the bunch if he commits to Oregon in the near future.

Time will tell how things play out, but the Ducks appear to be in a solid position to add an elite running back to their 2027 class.