Two Major College Football Programs Linked to Nation's No. 18 WR

Four-star wide receiver Zion White has two programs that are standing out in his recruitment.

ESPN College Football logo on a tv camera prior to the game. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With the NCAA transfer portal all settled, college football programs across the country are now focused on recruiting the 2027 class.

Thousands of high school athletes across the country are in the process of narrowing down recruitments, with many of them hoping to decide where they'll be playing their college football before they begin their season.

One recruit who is reportedly beginning to get a clearer picture of where he may end up playing is four-star wide receiver Zion White. The 6-foot-3 pass catcher out of Florida powerhouse IMG Academy is originally from Hawaii, and appears to be eyeing a program on the West Coast.

As revealed in a report by Rivals' Chad Simmons, who was in attendance at IMG's Pro Day, both Cal and Oregon are standing out to White.

An ESPN College Football television camera at Allegiant Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Zion White’s recruitment is beginning to take clearer shape," wrote Simmons. He is close to trimming his list and finalizing official visits, and right now the most consistent buzz surrounds Cal and Oregon."

Simmons also confirmed that right now it seems Cal is the program that is prioritizing White the most, as the first-year head coach has made it clear to the IMG receiver that they view him as a key piece of their 2027 class.

"Tosh Lupoi and the new staff in Berkeley have made White feel like a priority in this class,:: Simmons wrote. "That emphasis — and how directly they have communicated his importance — could carry significant weight as he moves toward a summer decision."

In his first season at IMG, white recorded 10 catches for 165 yards and two scores in nine games of action. White did however, rack up 46 catches for 679 yards and seven touchdowns during his sophomore season at Punahou (HI).

In terms of where Oregon and Cal currently stack up in the recruiting rankings, the Ducks come in as the No. 17 team with five commits, while Cal's class of two players is not currently ranked. As for White's recruitment, Simmons did confirm that North Carolina and Washington are the two other schools that are making a push for him, but they are clearly behind in the process.

White is expected to take visits to both Cal and Oregon throughout the spring, which should provide clarity as he looks to make his commitment decision sometime during the summer.

As of writing, On3's recruiting prediction machine doesn't seem to have a clear read on his recruitment, as it currently has Hawaii as the overwhelming favorite.

Needless to say, the next couple of months will be big for both Oregon and Cal.