Oregon’s summer on the recruiting trail has been about as good as it gets, but one major decision still hangs over the Ducks.
Dan Lanning and his staff have pushed the class to 24 commitments, good for the nation’s fourth-ranked group, and most of the roster haul has already fans feeling pretty good about where things stand. But there’s one obvious hole left to fill: defensive tackle.
Oregon has added edge rushers who could potentially slide inside, yet it still hasn’t landed a true interior defensive lineman. Marcus Fakatou chose Ohio State.
Kasi Currie went to Texas. Now the Ducks are hunting elsewhere for help in the middle.
That search has led them to Brayden Parks, the top remaining target on Oregon’s board and arguably the most important uncommitted player left for the Ducks at any position. Oregon has been battling Notre Dame for the Illinois native, and that head-to-head race is about to be decided.
Parks announced that he will make his commitment on Thursday, with Oregon and Notre Dame as his final two schools.
NEWS: Four-Star DL Brayden Parks will announce his Commitment Thursday, July 23rd, he tells me for @Rivals
The 6’2 305 DL will choose between Notre Dame and Oregon
He’s the Top Uncommitted DL in the 2027 Rivals300 https://t.co/rQ4qDLU61I pic.twitter.com/Ukqgv3FvAE
- Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 19, 2026
Notre Dame has looked like the team to beat for much of the recruitment, even as Oregon has made a late charge. The Ducks have kept pressing, and after the way they’ve recruited this fall, they’ve earned the right to stay in the fight until the end.
Rivals’ Industry Recruiting Rankings list Parks as the 182nd-ranked player in the country, the 21st-ranked defensive tackle in the class, and the 10th-ranked prospect from Illinois. Oregon has had him on campus multiple times, but Notre Dame’s proximity to his home in Illinois could be a real edge for the Irish.
The next few days will reveal whether Oregon has done enough to pull even with Notre Dame. If the Ducks win, it would be one of the biggest victories of their cycle. If not, they’ll keep working Parks while continuing to chase other defensive tackles as they try to put the final touches on the class.
In Other News...
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ESPNs latest league-wide positional rankings offered a familiar reminder of how much former Oregon talent still shapes the NFL, with Justin Herbert, Penei Sewell and Christian Gonzalez all landing on the list. For Ducks fans, DeForest Buckner has long belonged in that same conversation as one of the programs most reliable pro standard-bearers, and his place among the leagues best defensive tackles has been part of that conversation for years.
This time, though, Buckners name was missing from the top 10, a notable change after he ranked eighth among defensive tackles in 2025. ESPNs personnel pointed to his limited availability over the past two seasons and the wear that comes with age and injury, which makes the omission feel less like a judgment on his ability than a reflection of how hard it is to stay in the mix when the games pile up without you. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Loaded 2027 Class Already Has Early Impact Candidates
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The early buzz around the class is not just about rankings, either. Oregon sees a path for several of these recruits to push for real roles quickly, with Guerrant, Mencl and Sabb all drawing attention as possible early contributors. Mencls long-term fit at quarterback is especially worth watching as the Ducks map out the position beyond the current window, while Sabbs skill set and Guerrants standing among the nations top receivers make this class feel less like a future promise and more like a group that could force its way onto the field. [Read more 🡒]