Oregon’s efforts to stockpile the 2028 class may be getting a real boost from one of the Ducks’ most frequent visitors this fall.
The latest development centers on Jayce Halasz, the 4-star wide receiver who has made Autzen Stadium a familiar stop. Saturday night marked his third trip to Eugene this fall, another sign that Oregon has kept him close to the program while the recruiting cycle continues to heat up. On Monday morning, Rivals recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction for Oregon to land Halasz.
That prediction comes after a weekend in which Oregon again had a strong mix of current commits and 2028 targets on campus. Even if the Ducks would have liked to put up more points, the rally in Saturday night’s home game could still leave the kind of impression coaches want when recruits are in the stands. For Oregon, the visit window seems to have gone well enough that the staff may be nearing its first commitment in the 2028 cycle.
Halasz’s production backs up the attention. At the midway point of his junior season, he has 19 catches for 433 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Last week was his biggest statement yet, when he hauled in 7 passes for 175 yards and 5 touchdowns. His tape has made one thing obvious: defenders have struggled to figure out how to handle his size-speed combination.
According to Rivals’ Industry Recruiting Rankings, Halasz is the 136th-ranked player nationally, the 6th-ranked wide receiver in the class, and the 3rd-ranked player from Washington. Landing him would mean Oregon is reaching into the Huskies’ backyard for an elite pass catcher, which would only add to the buzz if the prediction holds.
The Ducks still do not have a commitment in the 2028 recruiting cycle, so getting the first piece in place would matter. Quarterbacks usually get to the finish line first in a class, but adding Halasz could help speed things along.
Oregon has already put itself in a good spot with several quarterbacks, though it faces stiff competition for Josiah Boyd and Tristin Gaines. Kentucky is making a strong push for Boyd, and Gaines has plenty of schools after him.
If Halasz does commit, it could give Oregon something tangible to sell to the rest of the class. For now, though, the question is whether the Ducks can close quickly or whether the wideout keeps exploring his options. Either way, the first domino in 2028 feels close.
In Other News...
Oregon Is In Position For A Big Hawaiian QB Recruiting Win
Oregon has put itself in the mix for one of the more intriguing young quarterbacks on the West Coast, as Hunter Fujikawa trimmed his early college list to six schools and included the Ducks among them. The 2028 recruit from Mililani High School in Hawaii is rated by 247Sports as the No. 17 quarterback and No. 237 overall player in his class, a sign that this is a name worth tracking closely as his recruitment develops.
Fujikawa is still weighing possible visits to Oregon, Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA, Stanford and Ole Miss, so there is a long way to go before anything settles down. Even so, the Ducks have a potential edge in the form of future teammate Toa Satele, the linebacker already committed to Oregon, and that connection could matter as the process starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Could Get Another Shot At A Huge Former Recruiting Miss
Marylands decision to move on from Mike Locksley after a 2-5 start has already rippled beyond College Park, and it could create one more interesting portal storyline for Oregon to monitor. Locksley went 39-54 across his time with the Terrapins, including his interim stint in 2015, and with a coaching change now in place, the Ducks are one of the programs that may be watching closely to see what comes next.
The name to keep an eye on is Zion Elee, the freshman edge rusher and former top recruit who could become available if he decides a fresh start is best. For Oregon, it would be a familiar kind of reminder that recruiting battles do not always end on signing day, and even a miss can come back around if the transfer market opens the door. [Read more 🡒]
Dante Moores Return Could Decide How NFL Teams View Him
Dante Moores absence has become one of the quieter but more consequential storylines around Oregon, especially with NFL evaluators already watching him closely. The Ducks quarterback has missed two games after sustaining a concussion against USC, and with no firm timeline for his return, the focus around him has shifted from weekly production to the bigger question of how much more he can show before draft season starts to take shape.
Scouts still view Moore as a legitimate prospect, and the early buzz around the 2027 NFL Draft has placed him anywhere from the first round to early Day 2. But the concern is obvious: injuries and limited playing time can make it harder to separate talent from projection, even for a quarterback teammates describe as a leader away from the field. How he responds when he gets back on the field may matter as much as the next box score. [Read more 🡒]