Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Trending For 4-Star Defensive Line Recruit Tomuhini Topui? Eugene Visit Looms

The Oregon Ducks are heavily recruiting four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui from Mater Dei High School and he is visiting Autzen Stadium in Eugene for the Ohio State Buckeyes game. The elite defensive recruit has emerged as a key defender on the No. 1 high school team in the country.
Charlie Viehl|
Four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui on his visit to Oregon.
Four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui on his visit to Oregon. | Tomuhini Topui /

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Four-star defensive lineman from the class of 2026 Tomuhini Topui will be visiting the No. 3 Oregon Ducks on Saturday as the face the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the biggest college football games on the season. Topui joins an impressive list of visitors that Oregon will be hosting in Autzen Stadium in as the Buckeyes also come to Eugene.

Topui plays his high school football at Mater Dei, one of the top high school programs in California and the country. A few of his teammates will also be in Eugene on Saturday, including four-star linebacker Nasir Wyatt and four-star running back Jordon Davison, both Oregon commits.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's Andrew Nemec, Tupoi revealed the reasons his recruitment seems to be trending towards the Ducks.

"What stand out to me the most is the overall relationships I have with the coaches over there. They are very high on my list," Tupoi said to Nemec.

Despite being a junior, Topui has emerged as one of the top defensive lineman for Mater Dei. The elite defender has scored two touchdowns in five games, one on a pick-six and one on special teams.

On Oct. 4, he was named to MaxPreps' National Player of the Year watch list.

Topui has already taken unofficial visits to USC and Washington in addition to Oregon, but the Ducks have established themselves as the early leader in the Mater Dei prospect's recruitment.

"They’ve been high on my list for awhile," said Tupoi.

In addition to Topui, the Ducks are will have a number of 2026 recruits on campus for the Ohio State game.

Four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui on his visit to Oregon.
Four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui on his visit to Oregon. | Tomuhini Topui /

Four-star defensive lineman Tony Cumberland and four-star quarterback Jonas Williams are two of Oregon's highest rated commits from the class of 2026, and they will both be in Eugene for the weekend.

However, the most important visitor from the 2026 class might be five-star tight end Kendre Harrison. From Charlotte, North Carolina, Harrison is considered the best tight end in his year and the No. 7 overall recruit regardless of position, according to the 247Sports Composite.

A majority of Oregon's commits from the class of 2025 will be in attendance as well, like consensus five-star wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson.

The Mater Dei Monarchs will be playing a high-profile matchup in Southern California against Servite High School on Friday night before making the trip to Eugene. According to MaxPreps' national high school football rankings, Mater Dei is the No. 1 team in the country and Servite is ranked No. 19.

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT, giving plenty of time for Tupoi and his Mater Dei teammates to make it to Autzen.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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