Texas Longhorns Battling for Another Oregon Blue-Chip Recruiting Target

The Texas Longhorns continue to seize momentum with top Oregon Ducks recruiting targets entering the July recruiting period.

Texas was predicted by Rivals to land key Oregon five-star offensive lineman target Ismael Camara on June 29. Now the Longhorns are in a position to win over four-star running back Landen Williams-Callis, with both blue-chip recruits leaning toward staying in their home state over going to the Pacific Northwest.

Four-Star Running Back Landen Williams-Callis’ Recruitment

oregon ducks recruiting landen williams callis texas longhorns ismael camara dan lanning richard wesley running back cadarius — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the No. 9 Oregon Ducks host Washington State Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Williams-Callis is a consensus top-10 recruit in Texas and is ranked as high as No. 38 overall and No. 3 at his position by 247Sports.

The running back announced his top-10 schools to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett back in May, with the Ducks making the cut. At the same time, he included in-state teams, such as the Longhorns, the Texas A&M Aggies and the Houston Cougars, in his list of finalists.

According to Rivals, the Longhorns are making a big push for the four-star, while the Aggies are also right there.

Oregon Ducks’ Running Back Recruits

The Ducks’ running back recruiting has been quieter in the 2027 cycle. Coach Dan Lanning and running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples landed an early commitment from four-star CaDarius McMiller on Feb. 14, but that’s the extent of commitments at the position so far.

McMiller is a consensus top-15 running back in the class and another Texas product. Per 247Sports, McMiller rushed for 25 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Tyler High, while also receiving four touchdowns on 14 receptions in that span.

Part of why the Ducks have had an emphasis on recruiting positions along the offensive line and secondary more than in the backfield during the 2027 cycle could be due to the young talent they already have in the room. Lanning adds incoming blue-chip recruits Tradarian Ball and Brandon Smith from the 2026 class.

The program also brings back running backs Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison in 2026, who will be juniors by the time the 2027 class joins the program. Oregon will likely keep contending for Williams-Callis’ recruitment, but with the depth it currently has, the program may also be content with sticking to the McMiller commitment if Williams-Callis’ decision doesn’t swing in its favor.

Recruiting Battle With Texas Longhorns Heating Up

The Longhorns are becoming a top recruiting rival for the Ducks in the 2027 cycle. Outside of Williams-Callis, Camara is a recruit whom the two programs have butted heads over when it comes to recruiting.

Rivals favored Oregon to land Camara after he visited Eugene for the Spring Game. After Camara cancelled all of his official visits, however, the Longhorns pulled ahead of the Ducks in his recruitment.

If Camara commits, it wouldn’t be the first time Texas earned a commitment from a five-star Oregon target. In the 2026 cycle, five-star edge rusher Richard Wesley committed to the Ducks before decommitting and deciding to go to Texas less than a month later.

The Wesley recruitment added fuel to the recruiting rivalry, especially given that Lanning went viral for a video where he jumped into a pool during his Oregon commitment. If the Longhorns land both Camara and Williams-Callis, it would continue to give Texas an advantage in the recruiting rivalry over Oregon and show their edge with in-state recruits.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google