Four-Star Recruit Sets Commitment Decision Between Oregon, Notre Dame

While the 2027 recruiting cycle is still far from over, few uncommitted blue-chip recruits remain. Among the Oregon Ducks’ recruiting targets still on the board is four-star defensive lineman Brayden Parks.

Parks is set to announce his commitment on July 23, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett, with the Ducks and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish being the two finalists.

Four-Star Defensive Lineman Brayden Parks Prepares for Recruiting Announcement

oregon ducks recruiting brayden parks dan lanning notre dame fighting irish defensive lineman tony tuioti chris hampton — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The defensive lineman out of Chicago is one of the final blue-chip recruits in the 2027 class who has yet to commit. The Brother Rice standout is listed as high as the No. 185 recruit in the class (Rivals Industry) and the No. 18 defensive lineman (247Sports).

Parks previously had Big Ten teams such as the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the mix, but his recruitment became a two-player race between the Ducks and the Fighting Irish as the cycle picked up.

Three different Rivals recruiting insiders predicted Parks to commit to Notre Dame. However, the Ducks have remained in contention.

“I’d say it’s just a feeling thing. Both these programs, they’re top-five preseason rank, so the trajectory is there.” Parks told Rivals. “Both coaches, they’ve been in the league, put players into the league. Both head coaches, they’ve been doing great things ever since they got the job, so I think it’s just a feeling thing, what feels right.”

Oregon Ducks' 2027 Recruiting Class

If Oregon coach Dan Lanning and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti can shock the Fighting Irish and haul in a commitment from Parks, it’d be a major recruiting victory.

The Ducks have 24 commits in their 2027 class, which ranks first in the Big Ten and No. 4 in the nation, according to Rivals. Securing a Parks commitment would still give them an opportunity to land the top recruiting class in the cycle.

Additionally, it’d help Tuioti and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton build out the defensive line. Among the current commits are four-star defensive linemen Zane Rowe and Cam Pritchett, who are the only 2027 recruits at the position. The duo also has five-star Rashad Streets, three-star Achilles Reyna and three-star Josh Christensen joining them on the edge.

Final Oregon Ducks Recruiting Targets

Oregon doesn’t have many more opportunities to make a big recruiting splash in the 2027 cycle outside of pulling off late flips. Besides making the final push for Parks, four-star linebacker Brayton Feister remains uncommitted.

Feister was set to announce his decision on July 11, but delayed his commitment with no new date currently set. Oregon still appears to be in a strong position to land Feister, as the Ducks entered his aforementioned date with three predictions from Rivals.

Lanning already picked up eight non-blue-chip commitments, three of which came within the state of Oregon. The program could potentially add more three-star recruits, but after Parks and Feister’s decisions are made, the Ducks’ attention will likely turn to recruiting flips.

According to Adam Gorney of Rivals, one flip the Ducks are still pushing for is USC Trojans cornerback commit Danny Lang. The Trojans flipped four-star offensive lineman Drew Fielder from Oregon earlier in the cycle, and with Lang previously considering the Ducks, it’d be an opportunity for Lanning to get one back from USC.

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