After Junior Tu'upo visited Oregon for the Spring Game in April, he told Justin Smith of Touchdown Alabama, "It’s a lot of good things in Oregon. I think it’s a beautiful campus, coached by real great coaches, especially coach (Dan) Lanning. He coached under Nick Saban. The pipeline of all of the coaches under Nick Saban is great coaches.”
Tu'upo is 6-3, 192, a safety with great cover skills and versatility. At Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama he's a teammate of Cameron Pritchett, a four-star 2027 edge rusher who committed to the Ducks in June of last year.
Ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 243 prospect and No. 22 safety in the class of 2027, the Warrior junior nevertheless has elite traits. His length allows him to recover in pass defense, and his footwork and technique are strong.
Smith said, "When you turn on his film, this is a guy who shines at cornerback, shines when Thompson puts him at safety."
Thompson 6-foot-3 4-Star DB Junior James Tu’upo @TuupoJunior has Alabama, Auburn, Indiana, Oregon and Texas in his Top 5.
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) April 28, 2026
Someone is going to land a smooth & versatile DB.
Latest coming to @TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/pZM36Svspe
At Thompson last year Tu'upo posted 66 tackles, seven pass breakups and three interceptions. He returns to Eugene on May 29 for an official visit, but the competition to win his commitment is white-hot. He's taking visits to a final five of Oregon, Indiana, The Tide, Texas and Auburn. Even Will Stein has offered at Kentucky.
Coaches like his ball skills and tenacity in coverage, a tall defender with the ability to plug in at all five spots in the secondary, a good run defender.
Junior Tu'upo is a 6-3 safety from Alabaster, Alabama with length and cover skills, strong footwork and technique, great versatility. 66 tackles and 7 pass breakups for the Warriors last year. Visits Oregon on May 29.https://t.co/ONoIbWIwKC
— Dale Bliss (@AutzenZoo_Bliss) May 17, 2026
Watch him high point the ball or shed a blocker to drive up to force on the run. He's physical, an all-around football player who makes catches as the sideline as a receiver and blocks an opponent into the ground.
He stays on blocks. He wraps up. He stands out on coverage teams, a smart, aggressive football player who looks to finish on play after play.
After the devastating loss in the 2024 Rose Bowl the Ducks made it a priority to recruit more length in the secondary, prioritizing guys who could match up physically and take on elite receivers. They've recruited dogs like 6-2, 203 Brandon Finney, 6-1, 203 Ify Obidegwu and 6-5, 210 Jett Washington. They added 6-1, 200 Koi Perich in the transfer portal.
Tu'upo looks like another one who could fit in, provided he focuses on his developmental goals and chooses the Ducks. With that final five, he's another recruiting battleground in the 2027 class.
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