Dan Lanning has been in plenty of recruiting dogfights, but in the battle for a coveted five-star quarterback from Arizona, the Ducks seem to be holding all the cards. While SEC and Big Ten powerhouses are making their pitch, it’s the consistent, personal approach from Eugene that has Oregon setting the pace

Will Mencl, the top-ranked quarterback in the 2027 class, is leaning towards Dan Lanning’s program. He has been in touch with the team since attending the USC vs. Oregon game in Eugene. On top of that, their staff keeps regular contact with him, and their quarterback coach, Drew Mehringer, plans to visit his high school this month, too.

“I like where the Oregon Ducks stand. He visited Eugene for a game during the fall,” recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong said on Rivals about Mencl’s recruitment. “Returned in January for more time spent with Dan Lanning and the coaching staff. Oregon is setting the tone in this recruitment. Auburn, I think, is in an interesting position. He had a great visit with Alex Golesh, Joel Gordon, and the new coaching staff on the plane. Miami and Penn State are looking to make a move here. But it’s Oregon setting the pace into the next round of visits.”

Now, that can be worrying news for Auburn, Miami, Penn State, and North Carolina, who are also eyeing him. Among them, UNC stays in weekly contact with Mencl and his family.

Then there’s Auburn, which is ready to host him this spring. Their staff has been in contact with Mencl and is trying to ensure he gets in. Now, considering Alex Golesh’s success at South Florida, he can develop players at the highest level, but this is still new territory for him.

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However, even with all the signs pointing to Dan Lanning’s program, Mencl also has a favorite team from childhood, which he can consider.

“I threw for them last offseason, and it was good to meet those coaches,” he said. “Texas has always been one of those schools I’ve looked at as one of my favorites when I was a kid.”

Choosing Ducks over the rest makes sense as Dan Lanning’s team has a long pipeline of producing talented quarterbacks like Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and Dante Moore. Even Dylan Raiola is now preparing for his best version. So, if Mencl comes in as Ducks, he will be preparing to be the best version of himself.

Now, there’s a reason why teams are going crazy over him, and that’s his elite production. Last year, he recorded 3,815 yards with 33 touchdowns and five interceptions and rushed for 741 yards and 17 touchdowns. This kind of pipeline is what is making Dan Lanning an elite head coach.

Will Mencl gets a recruiting ranking update

The number of stars on a player doesn’t define their potential. However, it decides how their recruitment is going to pan out. College football head coaches have long campaigned against the faulty system of ranking recruits, but you can’t call it out if it’s working for you. Well, Will Mencl got a major update, as On3 moved him from a four-star to a five-star in its latest rankings.

Now, Mencl is not only the top player coming out of Arizona. He is also the best quarterback in the 2027 class. The latest ranking also has him as a top-five player nationally. That is only going to increase interest in a player that Oregon has been chasing since they offered him in November 2025.

His commitment will bolster a 2027 class for Oregon that currently has five players, but no quarterbacks. Moreover, the Ducks lost Bryson Beaver in its 2026 class, similar to how Jaron-Keave Sagapolutele transferred last year. This will mark a sea change for Lanning, who has relied on the portal for his signal-callers.