The Oregon Ducks’ 2026 recruiting class might have ranked No. 2 or No. 3 according to major sites like 247Sports and Rivals, but their 2027 class is moving slowly. Nevertheless, their Junior Day event on January 24 is expected to substantially boost their position. They are favorites to secure a highly regarded 250-pound California lineman, which could help them climb the rankings.

“Another prediction coming out of the weekend is Avery Michael,” said Steve Wiltfong, vice president of recruiting and transfer portal for On3. “He is a guy who is extremely coveted on the offensive line in the state of California. His stock is rising. Oregon had him on campus this weekend, talking to him.

Him talking about the excitement of the program. Oregon leads the prediction, reflects that I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s one of the next in the fold.”

Oregon is sitting in the driver’s seat for Avery Michael of Turlock High. After he visited Eugene for Junior Day, the wind really started favoring Eugene. Recruiting experts at On3 even have the Ducks as the heavy favorites to land him, giving them over a 90% chance. The California native is already 6’6 and weighs 250lbs at just 16 years of age.

The main reason Oregon is winning him over is the personal touch. Avery mentioned that having breakfast with Dan Lanning and hanging out with the entire coaching staff made him feel like a priority. The Turlock High OL didn’t shy away from giving Coach A’lique Terry his love:

“It was good, Coach Terry is really cool,” Avery said. “He talked to me and my family, and I’m really excited to get up there this weekend. His main message for me was letting us know that I’m a big priority to him. He said I would thrive in their system and they are going to do anything they can to get me up there.”

While Oregon is the team to beat, it’s not a done deal just yet. Avery is still keeping his options open and has a “Top three” that includes Michigan and Nebraska. He’s also planning to check out the Los Angeles schools, USC and UCLA, very soon, taking his time to secure his future. Michael’s currently a three-star recruit, but his stock is rising fast as more big-name schools start to chase him. It’s only a matter of time before he earns a four-star rating.

Even though he hasn’t officially “locked in” yet, the vibes and words in Eugene are great. Oregon is building a new practice facility and has a ton of momentum from its recent winning seasons, which makes it hard for any recruit to say no. We’ll probably see if the Ducks can officially close the deal after he finishes his next round of visits.

However, the word around Eugene is that the program is getting on the right side of the recruiting gods’ blessing when it comes to locking in five-star wideouts.

An intriguing talent-acquisition pattern develops at Oregon

Oregon has officially become “Wide Receiver U” under Dan Lanning. Signing Jalen Lott for the 2026 class makes it four years in a row of landing a five-star playmaker. One time is luck. Two times is a pattern. Four times is a trend.

By bringing in guys like Jurrion Dickey (the one who started this streak back in 2023) and Gatlin Bair (the speedster from Idaho), the Ducks have proven they are the place to be if you want to catch touchdowns in a high-powered offense.

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What’s really scary for the rest of the country is how these guys actually live up to the hype once they get to Eugene. Take Dakorien Moore, for example, who was one of the best freshmen in the nation, with 497 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ducks are already keeping tabs on five-star wide receiver Kesean Bowman. The 2027 recruiting season still has a long way to go. However, the safe bet is that the Ducks will run it back for a fifth straight year.