Ducks making early move for 5-star safety Casey Barner as Oregon gains momentum

The Oregon Ducks have reached a point where Dan Lanning and his coaching staff can recruit nationally and compete for virtually any prospect they choose to target. Oregon has also turned signing a top-five recruiting class into a yearly expectation, helping elevate the program into a perennial contender on the national stage.

This summer, the coaching staff seemingly put the finishing touches on the 2027 recruiting class, as the Ducks hold 25 commitments, accounting for the 4th ranked class in the Country. With the 2027 recruiting class mostly in the rearview, the Ducks can now pivot their attention to building the 2028 class.

Oregon emerges as a contender for elite safety Casey Barner

As the 2028 recruiting cycle begins to take shape, the Oregon Ducks are looking to land their first commitment and kick off the class. Early on, it’s clear the coaching staff has the program in an excellent position, with top recruits continuing to include the Ducks among their finalists while also scheduling gameday visits to Eugene.

Given how exciting this season should be for the Ducks, the coaching staff will have a great opportunity to put together the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong made the Oregon Ducks a focal point of his latest show, and based on his intel, landing several 5-star recruits is firmly on the table for the Ducks this cycle.

When asked about the 5-stars for Oregon fans to keep an eye on, Steve Wiltfong mentioned 5-star safety Casey Barner.

"Casey Barner, number one safety in the country, arguably the top high school football player in America. Oregon's going to push hard and swing hard here, and they're a program that can make a move with anybody. And Casey Barner's very intrigued. I talked with Barner about Oregon this week, and he obviously emphasized the standard, the physicality, and the attention to detail every time you watch them play, the way they develop their players, and compete at the highest level. Oregon checks a lot of boxes for that for him."

Steve Wiltfong

According to Rivals' Industry Recruiting Rankings, Casey Barner is a 5-star recruit ranked as the No. 8 ranked player in the Country, the No. 1 safety in the class, and the No. 1 player out of Georgia. When you watch Casey Barner play its clear why he's a 5-star, as he flies around the field while delivering massive hits.

Given that Casey Barner is a Georgia Native, it's always going to be hard to go into the state and beat Kirby Smart for a top defender, but it has been done. Dan Lanning may be one of the coaches who's best equipped to pull recruits out of the Peach State given the relationships he built from his time in Athens.

Landing a safety as talented as Casey Barner could be massive for the Ducks and help lead Transfer Portal spending in a different direction. Over the past two offseasons, Oregon has gone out and added the top safety in the Transfer Portal, Dillon Thieneman, and Koi Perich, which certainly isn't cheap. Filling the room with players who can step into roles early will only help with roster construction.

The next step for Oregon will be trying to get Casey Barner on campus for a visit on gameday as it could go a long way toward convincing him to make the move out West.

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