Oregon Receives Clear Message From Nation's No. 2 Recruit After Visit

Oregon Receives Clear Message From Nation's No. 2 Recruit After Visit originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Despite many of the players in the 2026 recruiting class taking center stage as they make their commitments, it's clear that the Oregon Ducks are keeping their sights on even further in the future.

They, led by head coach Dan Lanning, are already making pushes for several prospects in the 2027 class, including offensive tackle Mark Matthews out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Ducks hosted him for an unofficial visit during June, and while talking to Rivals' Chad Simmons, Matthews revealed what he took away from his time in Eugene.

“Oregon blew me away,” Matthews said. “Coach Lanning and Coach Terry were great. It was a great first impression. The facilities, the staff and the people really impressed me. They have a great program and Oregon has been on a great run the last few years. That visit has me planning to go back.”

There's no doubt a number of big programs will be making a push for his talents, as On3 places him as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 offensive tackle and the No. 2 player in the nation.

That's evident by Matthews already receiving offers from other high-powered teams such as Ohio State, Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Florida, Ole Miss and Miami.

Two favorites have emerged early, as the On3 recruiting prediction machine gives the Hurricanes the best chance for his services (36.4%), while the Gators are very close behind (36.4%).

Based on his high praise for the Ducks, though, it appears that Lanning and the rest of the recruiting staff will have more chances to solidify themselves as true contenders.

He's not the only player in the 2027 recruiting class that Oregon has made an effort for, either, as they've already received commitments from four-star EDGE Prince Tavizon and four-star defensive lineman Cam Pritchett.

Related: Texas Predicted to Lose Elite 5-Star Playmaker to SEC Powerhouse

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.