For the Oregon Ducks' first home game in conference play, the program is hosting a wave of top talent from across the country on the sideline. Several commits in Oregon's No. 4-ranked 2027 recruiting class will be back on campus, as well as multiple top targets in the upcoming 2028 class.
The Ducks are expecting around 25 recruits on the sideline for their game against the UCLA Bruins. Among those standing on the sideline will be five-star quarterback commit Will Mencl, who is having a terrific season in Chandler, Arizona. He is completing 65.5% of his passes so far this season while throwing for 1,659 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushing for three more scores.
Mencl will get to take a closer look at Dylan Raiola, who will make his first Oregon
start against the Bruins in place of the injured Dante Moore. As long as he remains in Eugene next season, Raiola is expected to become the starter, while Mencl could develop behind the former Nebraska transfer.
Oregon will host some of its in-state commits as well, with three-star tight end George VanSandt, wideout Malachi Garlington, and edge rusher Josh Christensen. The Ducks will also host other three-stars in linebacker Sam Ngata, edge rusher Achilles Reyna, and offensive tackle Avery Michael, and four-stars in offensive lineman Gus Corsair and edge rusher Cam Pritchett, Oregon's longest-standing commitment in the class.
While it will be great to get commits back on campus, plenty of focus is shifting to the 2028 class. Among the most notable names on campus is five-star edge rusher Kameron McGee from Chicago. McGee is the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2028 class, and the Ducks are high on his list, making his third trip to Eugene. As a sophomore, McGee finished the season with 54 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
McGee is also considering Notre Dame, where teammate Brayden Parks chose to commit over the Ducks. Oregon is also hosting four-star Pennsylvania edge rusher George Parkinson IV, who is considering Oregon alongside Ohio State and in-state Penn State. The two could form a lethal combo in the Ducks' class, which is still searching for its first commitment.
The first addition ot Oregon's 2028 class might be quarterback Tristin Gaines, who returns to Eugene after visiting for the season opener against Boise State. The Ducks have recruited Gaines and fellow four-star Josiah Boyd heavily in the 2028 class, and it appears to be a race to see who commits first. Gaines is the No. 8 quarterback in the class and No. 86 overall is a dual-threat star, passing for 2,016 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore while rushing for 542 yards and nine more scores. Texas Tech is also a contender.
Oregon will also welcome back four-star wideout Jayce Halasz and four-star tight end Presley DeLance, both of whom are West Coast recruits among the best players at their positions. DeLance visited against Boise State, while Halasz was on campus for the game against Portland State.
Halasz is only seeing his recruitment heat up as his junior season continues. The Washington native had 1,019 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore and already has 218 yards and a pair of scores this season. He is the No. 6 athlete in the class, playing both receiver and corner, but offense appears to be in his future.
The Ducks are also getting other high-priority targets on campus for the first time this season. Four-star offensive tackle Lincoln Fa'alafi, linebacker Landon Miller, and safeties Ca'ron Williams and Jalen Flowers will all make their way to Eugene. Williams and Flowers are both being pursued heavily by USC, but Oregon has an opportunity to build more goodwill with them after taking down the Trojans. Miller has been a longtime target for the Ducks from De La Salle High School, and Fa'alafi could become an anchor in the offensive line class.
Oregon and UCLA are set to kick off on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the game airing live on CBS.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon hosts 5-star QB commit Will Mencl, 2028 recruiting targets vs. UCLA
