Oregon has already secured one legacy name for the 2027 class, but the Ducks may have a bigger fight on their hands for another.
Cornerback Josiah Molden, the son of Ducks great Alex Molden, shut down his recruitment in April 2026 and gave Oregon a win in the summer of 2026. Now Dan Lanning and his staff are trying to stay in the mix for another family connection: defensive back LaGarrette Blount Jr., the son of the former Oregon running back.
Blount Jr., a rising star at Mountain Pointe High in Phoenix, told Brandon Huffman of Rivals on July 29 that two programs are standing out above the rest.
"The offers that stand out to me the most right now are Oregon and Ohio State,” said Blount Jr to Huffman. “Both programs have strong football traditions, great coaching staffs and outstanding academic opportunities. I appreciate the time and effort they’ve invested in recruiting me, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be considered by programs of that caliber.”
He said both schools have sent coaching representatives to see him, and he also visited Columbus for Ohio State’s June camp.
Even with his father’s name carrying real weight in Eugene, Blount said Oregon is not automatically his dream school. Ohio State isn’t either, as he works through a recruiting process that is still taking shape.
The younger Blount brings a different kind of game than his father did. His dad was known as a powerful, physical runner before becoming a star for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Blount Jr. has more speed and more ways to be used, and Mountain Pointe leans into that versatility.
He lines up as a boundary receiver or in the slot, then stretches defenses with his long stride and can take jet sweeps and turn the corner with a second gear. He can also win in the air, using his leaping ability to beat defenders for the ball.
Defense may be where he fits best, though. Mountain Pointe uses him as a blitzer, sending him through gaps for sacks, even in the red zone, and his jumping ability also shows up when he’s picking off passes and turning them into big plays.
That all makes him more of a Swiss Army knife than a straight-line runner, and a far different player from his father’s downhill style.
For now, Ohio State appears to be the team pushing hardest. On3’s prediction machine gave the Buckeyes an early 59.3 percent chance to land him.
There is still plenty of time before the 2027 class comes together, and Oregon can keep pressing to add another legacy recruit. If Blount Jr. keeps developing, he could end up helping lead the 2028 group in Eugene.
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