Coach Dan Lanning has continuously been stacking wins, as the Ducks secured a commitment from one of the nation's top defensive backs.
Pure domination.
The University of Oregon has been stacking wins left and right after securing a commitment from one of the nation’s top cornerbacks, Hayden Stepp.
Stepp, who seemed to be projected to go to Alabama, announced his commitment to Oregon earlier today on Rivals’ YouTube channel.
“Outstanding frame, quickness, instincts, also elite intangibles,” Rivals VP of National Recruiting Steve Wiltfong said when describing Stepp’s game. “Oregon goes out and lands one of the most coveted defensive backs in the country.”
Wiltfong and Rivals’ Chad Simmons spent some time with Stepp in December at the Under Armour All American Game and spoke on the change of heart that he underwent.
“At that time, Alabama was his favorite, and Tennessee was probably in the 2-hole, but he always had a keen eye on Oregon. The way that they can close, [head coach] Dan Lanning, [defensive coordinator] Chris Hampton, getting him out to campus multiple visits, Oregon was always in the thick of it. But in the end, they were the ones that emerged.”
But Wiltfong shed some light on what makes the Ducks such powerful recruiters.
“His official visit, he told me, that Oregon was the leader following his official visit to Eugene, gave him a slight lead over Alabama.”
Wiltfong had also mentioned Stepp’s high school, Bishop Gorman out of Las Vegas, where Stepp lives. Oregon has developed an elite pipeline to Bishop Gorman securing commitments from now-sophomore Douglas Utu and 2026 commit safety Jett Washington.
That holds a lot of power, and now Stepp can team up with his secondary partner in Washington when he enrolls for the 2027 season.
Stepp is a rarity in high school football, as he projects to be a four-year starter, something that isn’t to be taken lightly.
Back in May, Stepp spoke to BamaRoundtable about his time in Bishop Gorman, and appreciated how it’s helped him become the player he is today.
“One thing that really stands out about Bishop Gorman is how bought in the players and families are to the program’s philosophy,” Stepp said. “The parents are very involved, from pre-game meals to Saturday breakfasts while we do film study, and it creates a really close brotherhood and strong support system around the team…”
So, it’s no surprise that Stepp opted to pick Oregon, who has consistently been a premier program in college football.
But after this recruiting run, Oregon is setting itself up to become something it’s never done in school history. Become a national champion.
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