College Football Powerhouse Skyrockets in Updated 2027 Recruiting Rankings

This Big Ten program jumps five spots to No. 4 in Rivals' 2027 team rankings after landing Hayden Stepp and Tae Walden Jr.

This Big Ten coaching staff is assembling another dynamite recruiting class, punctuated with two big commitments on Wednesday. | USA TODAY Sports

Oregon experienced one of the most consequential days of its 2027 recruiting cycle on Wednesday when the program hauled in a pair of blue-chip defensive backs within minutes of each other on the Rivals Summer Signing Day broadcast.

The back-to-back commitments from cornerback Hayden Stepp and athlete Tae Walden Jr. vaulted the Ducks five spots to No. 4 in the Rivals Industry Team Rankings, trailing only Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Miami.

Combined with the April commitment of five-star quarterback Will Mencl, the Ducks now have 23 pledges and 15 blue-chip recruits in the fold. Dan Lanning is on track to sign a top-five class for the fifth consecutive cycle since taking over in Eugene.

Oregon adds Stepp, Walden to 2027 class

Stepp, a 6-3, 190-pound cornerback from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, picked Oregon over Alabama and Cal. He is ranked as ESPN's No. 3 cornerback and No. 16 in the SC Next 300. He will reunite with former Bishop Gorman teammate Jett Washington, who signed with the Ducks in the 2026 class as the nation's top-ranked safety.

"Really, it's the opportunity. Playing in the Big Ten, it's great competition," Stepp told ScoopDuck. "You're going against the best of the best every day, whether it's in practice or in a game."

Staff continuity mattered, too. Stepp told ESPN that Lanning's decision to promote secondary coach Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator after Tosh Lupoi left for Cal played a significant role in his commitment.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning oversees the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"When they said Coach Hampton was the new [defensive coordinator], it was like, 'OK, I know Coach Hampton,'" Stepp said. "Having a guy that played DB calling the defense is a good thing for me."

Walden, a 6-2, 175-pound two-way standout from Collierville, Tennessee, committed just 15 minutes before Stepp, choosing the Ducks over Auburn, Georgia, Ole Miss and LSU. The son of former NFL veteran Erik Walden, who spent 10 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, Walden posted 42 catches for 912 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense as a junior while adding five interceptions and 17 pass breakups on defense.

"From coach Lanning to coach (Drew) Mehringer, just all the staff out there, I had a great relationship with them and plan to develop me, and potentially play both sides," Walden said during his live commitment. "Being a guy who can do everything from offense, defense, special teams, just impacting the game any way I can."

Oregon 2027 recruiting class breakdown

Oregon's 23-player 2027 class now features five top-100 defenders per ESPN, including Stepp, Walden, five-star edge Rashad Streets (No. 35 overall), outside linebacker Toa Satele (No. 69) and safety Semaj Stanford (No. 73). That kind of defensive talent concentration within a single class is rare, and it addresses a real need given the Ducks lost cornerback targets Donte Wright and Ai'King Hall to Miami earlier in the cycle.

Lanning's staff recovered from those losses with precision. Stepp and Walden, combined with four-star Oregon native Josiah Molden, who committed on June 30, give the Ducks three cornerback-capable prospects in a span of 48 hours.

Oregon moves up 5️⃣ spots to No. 4 in the Rivals Industry Team Rankings after landing Elite CB Hayden Stepp and 4-star ATH Tae Walden Jr.🦆

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— Rivals (@Rivals) July 1, 2026

Molden, the son of former Oregon All-American Alex Molden and brother of Los Angeles Chargers safety Elijah Molden, adds a legacy component to a defensive back haul that now ranks among the best position groups in the country.

The class also draws from 16 different states, a recruiting footprint that continues to separate Oregon from its Big Ten competitors. This class is built nationally, with commitments from Arizona (Mencl), North Carolina (Streets), Michigan (five-star receiver Dakota Guerrant), Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama and Nevada, among others.

There is still more to come. Five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb from Glassboro, New Jersey, is expected to announce his commitment on Friday, with Rivals predicting the Ducks will land his pledge. If that holds, Oregon would have multiple five-star receiver commits in the same class for the first time.