Oregon’s push to close out July with another recruiting win has hit a little turbulence.
The Ducks have already landed a pair of big additions this month, with four-star cornerback Hayden Stepp kicking things off on July 1 and five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb following two days later. But on the defensive side, the picture looks less certain for one of Oregon’s top remaining targets.
Four-star defensive tackle Brayden Parks is now down to a two-team battle between Oregon and Notre Dame, and the latest buzz tilts toward South Bend. 247Sports recruiting insider Tom Loy said the Ducks have made the race interesting, but Notre Dame is the program with the stronger feeling right now.
"In talking with sources on both sides, Notre Dame is much more confident regarding their chances with Parks," Loy said.
That leaves Oregon in a tougher spot as it tries to keep building out its defensive front. The Ducks have already added five defensive linemen in this cycle when edge rushers are included, led by five-star edge rusher Rashad Streets. Still, the need in the middle is obvious, especially with defensive tackle Bear Alexander set to leave for the NFL.
Parks, listed at 6-3 and 305 pounds, would give Oregon the kind of size and force it still wants inside. If he goes elsewhere, the pool of blue-chip interior defensive linemen gets even thinner. One of the top names left is four-star Karlos May of Ramsay High in Birmingham, Alabama, though 247Sports has him with Georgia, Ohio State and Auburn in his final three.
Even with the Parks situation trending against them, Oregon still appears to be in strong shape for another defensive target. The Ducks remain the favorite to land Ohio four-star linebacker Brayton Feister out of Washington High in Massilion, with the On3/Rivals prediction machine giving Oregon a 94.1 percent chance. Georgia is the next closest option, but only at 1.2 percent.
Feister would join a linebacker group that already includes four-star Hawaii prospect Toa Satele, who committed on June 3. Together, the two would give Oregon a hard-hitting pairing for the future.
There is, however, a Notre Dame wrinkle here too. Per Wiltfong, Feister’s family likes the Fighting Irish and they are close to home. Even so, Oregon is still the heavy favorite, and there is no official timeline for his decision after he previously pushed back his commitment date because of a personal situation.
For now, the Ducks are still working both sides of the ball on the recruiting trail. But if Parks ends up choosing Notre Dame, Oregon may need to shift quickly to another interior line target or lean on the defensive linemen already in the 2027 class.
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