Oregon’s 2027 recruiting class already has some serious star power, but the Ducks may be watching the biggest flip target in this cycle drift a little farther away.
As of July 12, Oregon’s two highest-rated commits in the 2027 class are five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant and five-star edge rusher Rashad Streets, according to the 247Sports composite. The Ducks also had their eyes on another five-star name in USC commit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson, but the Cathedral Catholic standout recently shut down the idea that he might flip to Oregon.
Now, Texas has moved into the spot as the biggest threat to land Fa'alave-Johnson.
On3/Rivals national recruiting insider Adam Gorney laid out where things stand, writing, "The Longhorns seem to be playing the long game here in case anything changes at USC after this season or they can circle back closer to signing day because the San Diego (Calif.) standout said Texas is still contacting him every single day," Gorney wrote.
That update suggests Oregon is losing some traction in that pursuit, with Gorney noting that others "have backed down a little bit."
Even so, Dan Lanning and his staff are still piling up wins elsewhere. Oregon has already added four-star athlete Tae Walden Jr. and four-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb, who is also a five-star in the Rivals Industry and ESPN rankings, before the Fourth of July.
The Ducks are not done yet, either. Four-star linebacker Brayton Feister is emerging as a name to watch after his planned July decision was delayed because of a family matter, according to multiple national recruiting reports. Feister, from Washington High in Massillon, Ohio, is expected to make a call soon, and Oregon is sitting at a 94.1 percent chance to land him per Rivals over Georgia and others.
Another target still worth tracking is defensive tackle Brayden Parks of Chicago. The Brothers Rice High standout is in a "tug-of-war" with Notre Dame, according to Tom Loy of 247Sports. The Fighting Irish are currently the favorite, with On3/Rivals giving Notre Dame an 89.9 percent chance to win out for the 6-3, 305-pound lineman.
Oregon remains very much in the mix on the recruiting trail, but the Fa'alave-Johnson chase now looks like one the Ducks may be watching from a step behind Texas.
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USC Still Has One Serious Threat To A Five-Star Pledge
Honor Fa'alave-Johnson remains one of the most watched names in the 2027 cycle, and the five-star athlete's pledge to USC has not stopped other major programs from trying to chip away at it. Texas is still pushing hard in the background, while Oregon's involvement has faded some, leaving the Trojans and Longhorns as the main programs to watch as this recruitment keeps drawing attention.
From Texas' perspective, the appeal is obvious: the Longhorns already have a deeper 2027 class on paper, with more verbal commitments than USC, and they have also made inroads on the Southern California recruiting trail. USC still holds the commitment and Lincoln Riley's staff remains in a strong spot, but the continued pressure from Texas ensures this is not the kind of pledge anyone around the recruitment can treat as settled. [Read more 🡒]