Dan Lanning is still chasing his first pledge for Oregon’s 2028 recruiting class, and one of the biggest names on the board is already lined up for a Eugene visit.
Four-star linebacker Landon Miller, a Concord, California native who plays for De La Salle, is scheduled to be at Oregon on Oct. 10 for the Ducks’ game against UCLA. Oregon is in the thick of it with several Big Ten powers for Miller, who has emerged as one of the more coveted defensive prospects in the country.
Depending on the outlet, Miller checks in as high as the No. 113 recruit in the Rivals Industry ranking, the No. 3 linebacker per ESPN and the No. 6 player in California according to 247Sports. In an interview with Brandon Huffman of Rivals, Miller said Ohio State and USC are also standing out in his recruitment, alongside Oregon. He added that the three schools are reaching out to him “daily or weekly.”
The early numbers in the race tilt slightly toward the Ducks. Rivals Prediction Machine gives Oregon the edge at 27.9 percent, with Ohio State also among the top contenders to land him.
Miller is bringing plenty of production with him into his junior season. Per 247Sports, he already has 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a pick-six.
For Oregon, the appeal is obvious. The Ducks are trying to build out future depth at linebacker, and beating USC and Ohio State for a player like Miller would carry real weight, especially after both programs won multiple recruiting battles against Oregon in the 2027 cycle.
That 2027 linebacker group is already taking shape for the Ducks. Four-star Brandon Lockley Jr. committed in April, choosing Oregon over Penn State, his home-state school.
The St. Joseph’s Prep standout was the first linebacker to join Brian Michalowski’s room in the class.
Then came another major addition on June 3, when four-star Toa Satele jumped on board. A consensus top-10 linebacker and top-100 recruit, Satele gave the Ducks another big recruiting win at the position.
Oregon is also still in the mix for four-star linebacker Brayton Feister, who pushed back his previously scheduled July 11 commitment date. Even with the delay, he is still predicted to end up with the Ducks. In 2025 at Massillon Washington in Ohio, Feister posted 133 tackles, 13 sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions, according to 247Sports.
If Feister does choose Oregon, it could give the Ducks’ 2027 class another boost. Rivals has that group at No. 4, while 247Sports slots it at No.
- It would also take some of the pressure off the 2028 linebacker hunt, giving Oregon three promising players at the position in 2027 instead of two.
The Ducks head into the 2026 preseason with high expectations, but the linebacker room has some turnover ahead. Bryce Boettcher, the starting linebacker and defensive leader from last season, is now in the NFL.
Jerry Mixon and veteran Devon Jackson are back, though both are set to exhaust their eligibility after the season. Oregon is also looking ahead to younger pieces like Tristan Phillips and Braylon Hodge, who are expected to develop into the future of the position group.
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Spring gave the Ducks a first look at a mix of tackles and interior candidates, with younger players also getting a chance to make their case. Fox Crader, Zac Stacausky, Ziyare Addison and Michael Bennett were among the names getting evaluated on the edge, while Douglas Utu, Trent Ferguson, Kawika Rogers and Demetri Manning are in the mix inside, and freshmen Tommy Tofi and Immanuel Iheanacho could still change the conversation if they keep climbing. [Read more 🡒]