Oregon’s push for 2028 quarterback Josiah Boyd is heading into a fall that could tell the whole story.
Boyd, a California native, has been the quarterback most closely linked to the Ducks in the early stages of the cycle. When Oregon offered him, Boyd said the Ducks had always been a dream school, and some Rivals insiders are already projecting Oregon to come out on top. But this one is far from settled.
The biggest challenger so far has been Kentucky, where former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein is now leading the charge. That connection has kept the Wildcats firmly in the mix. Now, though, the picture is getting more crowded.
On Wednesday, Rivals’ Greg Biggins laid out Boyd’s fall visit plans, and Oregon will have to fight off a pair of hometown powers. Boyd is set to visit Oregon, USC, UCLA and LSU. That’s a notable shift, especially with USC and UCLA both entering the race in a more serious way.
USC still hasn’t offered Boyd a scholarship, but UCLA has, and that alone changes the feel of the recruitment. For a while, Oregon and Kentucky seemed to have the clearest path, with the Ducks able to lean on proximity. With the two Los Angeles programs now involved, that edge is gone.
LSU is also in the mix, and with Lane Kiffin and the Tigers involved, that’s not a group anyone can dismiss lightly. If LSU starts fast under its new regime this season, that only makes the road tougher for Oregon and everyone else.
The Ducks will get their own shot to make a strong impression on September 19, when Boyd is scheduled to be in Eugene for the Friday night game against Portland State. It’s not the biggest stage Oregon could have hoped for, but getting him on campus matters.
Boyd currently sits 29th in Rivals’ 2028 rankings, is the No. 2 quarterback in the class and the No. 3 player in California. For Oregon, the next few months will show whether that early buzz holds up or whether USC, UCLA or Kentucky can change the direction of the race.
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Elite EDGE Battle Just Delivered A Frustrating Blow To The Aggies
The early chase for one of the nations top 2028 defensive end prospects has already taken a sharp turn, and Oregon was in the mix as the race narrowed. Darieon Prescott, a four-star edge rusher from Illinois, has become one of the more coveted young defenders in the country, with Rivals slotting him as the No. 5 defensive end and the top player in his state. For the Ducks, it was another reminder that the battle for elite line talent starts well before signing day.
Notre Dame ended up landing the first blue-chip commitment in its 2028 class, a notable win for a program that has made a habit of staying strong on the defensive line. Prescotts decision also fits the Irishs recent push in the Chicago area and nearby recruiting territory, where they continue to stack momentum with top prospects. For Oregon, the takeaway is simple: when a player this highly regarded comes off the board, the margin for error in these national recruiting fights gets even smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Is Getting Massive National Hype For One Risky Reason
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The catch is that all of that talent is being asked to mesh under new leadership on both sides of the ball after the departures of Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi for head-coaching jobs. Oregon promoted Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton from within, which gives the program continuity, but also leaves plenty to prove before the hype turns into something sturdier than offseason praise. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Is In A Recruiting Fight It Cannot Afford To Lose
Dan Lanning and Oregon are still pushing hard for linebacker Landon Miller, the four-star California prospect who has become one of the more important defensive recruiting targets on the board. Miller is set to make an October trip to Eugene, and the Ducks have reason to treat that visit like a major checkpoint as they try to keep building out the future of their linebacker room.
Oregon already has two linebacker commitments in its 2027 class, but the staff is still shopping for more help at the position and Miller sits near the top of that list. The Ducks have held the edge in recent prediction chatter, yet this one is far from settled, and the upcoming visit could go a long way toward showing whether Oregon can turn early momentum into something real. [Read more 🡒]