Oregon Gaining Separation From Nebraska, USC, in Battle for Four-Star Recruit

Eugene, Oregon, is becoming an increasing attractive destination for tight ends in the Dan Lanning coaching era. The Oregon Ducks may be on their way to adding another future recruit in the 2027 class.

Four-star tight end recruit Charles Davis is set to visit Eugene in June. The Ducks have competition with a list of Big Ten programs, which includes the Nebraska Cornhuskers, USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins, but they’re beginning to emerge as a leader in Davis’ recruitment.

Oregon Ducks Starting to Separate Themselves

oregon ducks tight end recruiting charles davis kenyon sadiq dan lanning drew mehringer jamari johnson nebraska cornhuskers — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning 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

Davis is scheduled to take an official visit to Oregon on June 12. He last appeared in Eugene for the team’s Junior Day in January, and the program extended an offer on Sept. 19, 2025.

The four-star recruit has other official visits on the horizon. He scheduled for visits with the Michigan Wolverines, California Golden Bears and SMU Mustangs. He recently took a visit to Nebraska, where he was impressed by their facilities, according to Sam Spiegelman of Rivals.

Davis is a coveted tight end is the 2027 class, ranking in the top 20 among players at his position by both 247Sports and Rivals. He comes off his junior high school season at Westlake where he recorded 30 receptions for 526 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Per Spiegelman, the Ducks are leading the way in Davis’ recruitment.

“Oregon puts tight ends in the league every year,” Davis told Spiegelman. “I love the overall family aspect. Coach Lanning is one of my favorite coaches in college football. To play under him one day would be cool.”

The Ducks’ Tight End Success

Lanning recently saw former Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft and have an impressive rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq is set to join Ferguson at the next level and is anticipated to be drafted in the first round.

Jamari Johnson is the current Ducks tight end who is not only predicted to be at the top of the depth chart in 2026, but who many believes could be another first or second-round draft pick in 2027. Five-star recruit Kendre Harrison is joining the program ahead of the fall season, as well as former five-star and Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh.

Lanning will have options at the tight end position following Johnson’s expected departure next offseason. If Davis does commit, that further adds to the competition in the tight end room. Oregon’s development of tight ends is what makes it a coveted place for recruits to play, so the Ducks and Davis could be a good match.

When talking about Oregon tight end recruiting targets, it’s worth noting the elevated role of former tight ends coach Drew Mehringer to offensive coordinator. Mehringer was crucial to the development of both Ferguson and Sadiq and has played a key role in tight end recruiting since joining the program in 2022. While he's no longer the position coach, his role in recruiting is still prominent and he’ll have a strong influence over the development of players and where they sit on the depth chart.

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