Dan Lanning Wants Dylan Williams to be Oregon's Nakobe Dean
Oregon's 2024 recruiting class is ranked No. 12 in the country and recently landed a commitment from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly linebacker Dylan Williams.
Ducks Digest checked in with the standout backer to discuss his decision and what's next for him after committing to Oregon.
For Williams, his pledge to Oregon came down to development and he's confident the Ducks can get the best out of him.
"I feel like the coaching staff at Oregon is going to take me to the next level with my game and develop me," Williams said. "Coach Tosh Lupoi, Coach Dan Lanning, Coach B-Mike (Bryan Michalowski), they're going to develop me very well."
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defender projects to be a key part of Oregon's defense in the near future. Dan Lanning has big plans for him and wants to him to develop in the mold of a Butkus Award winner he coached in the SEC.
"We run a 4-2-5 up in Eugene so I'll be playing both the mic and the money. Coach Lanning tells me all the time he sees me as Nakobe Dean. He wants to turn me exactly into that, Quay Walker-type. That's exactly how Coach Lanning sees me.
"He thinks I can get to the league and with me and him working together, Coach Tosh Lupoi, Coach B-Mike, sky's the limit."
There was a lot of smoke around Williams and Michigan State in the days leading up to his commitment and he reflected back on the moment he knew he was going to be a Duck.
"When I was on my official visit and I was at Coach Lanning's house," he said. "Seeing my family, both of my little sisters having a great time, my parents just connecting well with Coach Lanning and Coach Lupoi, I was like, this is home."
Williams is one of two linebackers committed to Oregon in the 2024 class alongside Los Alamitos (Calif.) linebacker Kamar Mothudi. Both players came down to Oregon and Michigan State, but were they a package deal?
"We weren't a package deal, but me and him are very close and we knew we wanted to play together. We both were like if we go to Michigan State, we'll probably go together. If we go to Oregon, we'll go together."
Williams' commitment to Oregon will allow him to reunite with more than one good friend at the next level, as he'll also get to play with former Long Beach Poly teammate Daylen Austin, an All-American corner that signed with the Ducks this past cycle.
"It's amazing when I'm playing with Daylen," Williams said. "He'll shut the pass down and I'll shut the run down. If anything gets outside me and him are gonna tag along and bring him down. I just feel like playing with Daylen--that's like a big brother to me."
Speaking of corners, Williams is focusing his recruiting efforts on flipping one of the best defensive backs in the country to Oregon.
"I'm really right now just focusing on getting Dakoda Fields," he said. "He's a USC commit right now. I really want him to come play with me and come be on the same side as me and come play up in Eugene."
Now that he's made his decision he can focus on his senior season and chasing history with the Jackrabbits before enrolling early.
"I feel great right now. Everything's great with Oregon," Williams said. "I'm 100% locked in with Oregon. Nobody has to worry about me flipping or anything. I'll be early enrolling to the University of Oregon. I think I'll be on campus around early January."
Linebacker has been a big position of need for Oregon on the recruiting trail since losing Noah Sewell, and bringing in players like Williams will help the Ducks solidify the middle of their defense in a hurry.