Oregon’s defense was better than expected in 2023 and became a hotspot for recruiting in the offseason. Follow along here to who’s getting added to the squad from National Early Signing Day.

Elijah Rushing — 5-star Edge Rusher

A huge signing for the Ducks comes in the form of Elijah Rushing from Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Arizona. Rushing — a 5-star recruit according to 247Sports — is ranked the No. 1 player in Arizona, the No. 2 edge rusher in the country and No. 17 in the class of 2024. Rushing will be a monster presence on the edge for the Oregon defense which will be thrilled to have such a powerful player.

Aydin Breland — 5-star Defensive Lineman

Breland is a dominant interior defensive lineman and is the marquee player in the 2024 class for Oregon. 247Sports ranks Breland as the No. 1 player in California, the No. 4 DL and the No. 16 ranked player in the class. Breland comes from national powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA and also showed elite talents in both shot put and discus. Breland is also on the roster for the Under Armour All-American game in January.

Ify Obidegwu — 4-star Defensive Back

Obidegwu comes to the Ducks from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, and is a 4-star recruit according to 247Sports. Obidegwu is ranked the No. 2 player in Maryland by 247Sports Player Rating tool and the No. 12 cornerback in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 134 ranked player nationally and chose Oregon over 31 offers from schools like Alabama, Michigan and USC. 

Aaron Flowers — 4-star Safety

Flowers comes from a football powerhouse: Texas. Specifically from Forney High School, Flowers is the No. 18 ranked player in the state, the No. 110 in the class of 2024 and the No. 9 nationally at his position. He is a 4-star recruit according to 247Sports, and is coming to Oregon over other offers from 28 other schools including Alabama and Washington.

Dakoda Fields — 4-star Cornerback

The No. 8 ranked player in the state of California is headed to Eugene. Fields — a highly sought-after recruit with 26 total offers — chose Oregon over offers from Alabama, Ohio State and USC. After a standout high school track career at Junipero High School in Gardena, California, Fields will join an Oregon defense that’s having quite the day. Fields is the No. 6 ranked cornerback in the class of 2024 and the No. 92 ranked player overall by 247Sports.

Xadavien Sims — 4-star Defensive Lineman

Sims is a 6’3”, 275 lbs force on the defensive front and is currently ranked as the best recruit in the state of Oklahoma. Sims, who played at Durant High School in Oklahoma, will be on the roster at the All-American bowl in January. Ranked as a 4-star by 247Sports, Sims will be used more on the inside, but he also has immense talent everywhere in the trenches— a huge, versatile pickup for Lanning’s defense.   

Kingston Lopa — 4-star Safety

Originally committed to Arizona, Lopa is a big 6’5” safety from Grant Union High School in Sacramento, CA. Lopa is committed to the Polynesian Bowl in January and is listed by 247Sports as a 4-star, the No. 19 Safety in the country, and the No. 19 player in California. Lopa chose Oregon over interest from Washington, Tennessee and Texas. 

Sione Laulea — JUCO 4-star Cornerback

Coming out of the College of San Mateo in California, Laulea is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 2 JUCO recruit in the class and the No. 1 JUCO cornerback. Laulea will be entering his junior season in 2024, but with the shakeup in the secondary, having experience in this recruiting class is crucial. The 4-star recruit received interest from schools around the country, ultimately choosing Oregon over Penn State, Miami, Utah, and USC. 

Brayden Platt — 4-star Linebacker

Platt, a linebacker from Yelm High School in Washington is ranked as a 4-star by 247Sports as well as the No. 1 player in Washington and the No. 4 LB in the country. Platt was a very accomplished track athlete in high school, and athleticism is clearly a valued trait in Oregon LBs under Dan Lanning. Platt was sought after by many schools, but chose Oregon over Oklahoma, UCLA, and Michigan State. 

Dylan Williams — 4-star Linebacker

Hailing from a star-studded Long Beach Poly football team, Williams chose Oregon over offers from Michigan State and Washington and is the No. 24 ranked player in the state of California according to 247Sports. Listed at 6’3” 210 lbs, Williams will have a chance to bulk up and learn behind senior linebackers Jeffrey Bassa and Jestin Jacobs in Eugene.

Kamar Mothudi — 4-star Linebacker

Adding a finishing touch to Dan Lanning’s recruiting class as well as another addition to a talented linebacker group, Mothudi comes to Eugene ranked as the No. 18 player in California according to 247Sports. Listed at 6’3” 220 lbs, Mothudi chose the Ducks over Michigan State and Utah and will hope to make an immediate impact to a stout defensive squad. 

Tionne Gray — 3-star Defensive Lineman

Gray is listed as a 3-star recruit by 247Sports, and at 6 ‘6”, 295 lbs, he has the size and strength to compete for a starting spot immediately. Originally committed to Missouri, Gray flipped his commitment to play for the Ducks back in April after planning to play for his home state. Gray comes by way of Hazelwood Central High School in St. Louis, MO and is ranked as the 11th best player in the state. 

Jaxon Jones — 3-star Edge Rusher

Jones comes from Yuma Catholic High School in Yuma, Arizona, and had 15 offers from schools including Washington and Notre Dame. Jones is the No. 7 ranked player in Arizona as well as the No. 33 rusher in the class of 2024 according to 247Sports.

Tyler Kinsman — 2-star Punter

Kinsman, the nation’s eighth-rated punter, will back up current specialist Ross James in Eugene. Coming in at 6-5 and 225 lbs, he’s on the roster for the Polynesian Bowl and has time to learn behind James, a rising junior who entered the program as an unranked recruit. Kinsman chose Oregon over offers from Dartmouth and Boise State