The college football offseason is officially underway, and as the Transfer Portal cools down, the focus shifts back to the lifeblood of any elite program: high school recruiting. In today’s NIL-driven landscape, few staffs have navigated the new terrain better than Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. With a top-five class already locked in for 2026, Oregon is wasting no time setting the tone for 2027.
And on Sunday, they took another step forward, landing a commitment from offensive tackle Avery Michael - a high-upside prospect who chose the Ducks over Michigan and USC.
At 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, Michael already brings the kind of size and frame that college coaches covet in a developmental tackle. While he’s currently rated as the No. 600 overall player in the country and the 49th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2027 class, his offer sheet tells a different story. When blue bloods like Michigan and USC are pushing hard for a lineman this early, it’s a strong signal that the rankings might be playing catch-up.
Michael also ranks as the No. 61 player in the state of California - a region that’s long been fertile ground for Oregon’s recruiting efforts. The Ducks’ ability to pull talent out of the Golden State has been a staple of their rise, and this is yet another example of that pipeline paying off.
This commitment marks the third for Oregon’s 2027 class, joining defensive lineman Cam Pritchett and athlete Sam Ngata. While it’s still early in the cycle, the Ducks are already laying a solid foundation - one built around athleticism, versatility, and long-term upside.
Dan Lanning hasn’t landed that marquee five-star in this class just yet, but if history is any indication, it’s only a matter of time. Oregon has consistently been in the mix for top-tier talent under Lanning, and the staff’s ability to close late in the cycle has become one of its trademarks.
For now, the Ducks continue to build momentum - not with flash, but with smart, strategic recruiting moves that set the stage for bigger things to come. Avery Michael may not be a household name yet, but Oregon clearly sees something special in his game. And if the Ducks’ recent track record is any indication, they usually get it right.