Oregon in Play for Exciting 2-Way Athlete

The Oregon Ducks have had a fairly quiet spring for recruiting, at least according to its lofty standards.

Per 247Sports, the Ducks are ranked No. 15 for the 2027 class, which isn’t ideal for head coach Dan Lanning this summer. 

Oregon has the No. 2 class for 2026, which isn't surprising given the program made the College Football Playoff two years in a row and won the Big Ten Championship in 2024. 

The Ducks should have plenty of hype in high schools as the team gets ready to put one of its best rosters ever on the field this fall.

Oregon appears to be in play for one of the top recruits in the 2027 class, Xavier Sabb. Per ESPN, he's the No. 18 player in the class. The two-way athlete is set to visit Oregon on June 19, but only after he heads south.

"Sabb lives across the country in New Jersey and has two brothers who play at Alabama," Eli Lederman wrote. "But sources tell ESPN that Oregon has claimed the momentum in the younger Sabb's recruitment this spring. The Ducks get the final visit on Sabb's busy official slate over the weekend of June 19 following his trips to LSU, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. 

"A two-way playmaker, Sabb could play wide receiver in college but also carries the flexibility to become Oregon's latest versatile weapon in the secondary with elite special teams potential as well. Sabb is an ideal fit for the Ducks, and with a foothold in his recruitment, Oregon should be positioned to make him a class cornerstone."

The Ducks have made securing elite players in the secondary in recent seasons. Safety Dillon Thieneman joined Oregon last season before going to the Chicago Bears in the first round of April's draft. 

To replace Thieneman, Oregon brought in Minnesota transfer Koi Perich. He'll join cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. to make a formidable secondary.

Sabb would fit in the Ducks’ secondary, but he could be an intriguing fit for the offense if Lanning wants to try him out on that side of the ball, though it's unlikely he'll play a role similar to what Travis Hunter did at Colorado.