The main focus around college football right now is recruiting as Official Visit season kicks off in a big way this weekend. Dan Lanning and his staff have made it a priority to hit the recruiting trail hard, and sign top 5 classes on a yearly basis to keep the elite talent flowing into Eugene. The rest of the Summer leading into practices will be key for every program in building relationships with their top targets.
While the 2027 recruiting class is the focus for everyone as the class starts to take official visits, this time of year is also pivotal for building out the board for the 2028 cycle. As some of the top rising Juniors start to garner attention from programs, jumping into a recruitment early often proves to be vital.
Oregon named early leader for 2028 4-star DB Jordan Hicks
On Wednesday, Rivals' Adam Gorney reported that the Oregon Ducks are the early leader for elite 2028 defensive back recruit Jordan Hicks. The quote Hicks provided to Rivals about his visits to Eugene couldn't be more promising for the Ducks.
Oregon is in the lead for 2028 4-star DB Jordan Hicks, @adamgorney reports🦆
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 27, 2026
“I love it there, no doubt. Every time I go there it’s just great and I’d say they’re for sure setting the bar right now."
Read: https://t.co/cqmDHNz54Z pic.twitter.com/pUDLNzqbhh
It's still very early in the 2028 recruiting cycle as the services have just begun their rankings, but Jordan Hicks has started to emerge as a defensive back to watch in the class. According to Rivals' Industry Recruiting Rankings, Hicks is the 191st ranked player in the country, the 19th ranked safety in the class, and the 13th ranked player out of California.
At 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, Jordan Hicks already has a solid frame for a college defensive back, and as he continues to grow and develop, he'll only be a more appealing recruit. At the end of his Sophomore Season at Mission Viejo, Jordan Hicks was named a Max Preps All-American, racking up 6 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 65 tackles without allowing a touchdown.
This Spring, the Ducks were able to get Jordan Hicks back on campus, and the expectation is that he'll return for another visit this Summer at the start of June.
Oregon jumping out to such a great start with Jordan Hicks is incredible news, and it could spark the start of the 2028 recruiting cycle. If Oregon can continue to pursuit Hicks, the Ducks could hopefully close this recruitment out earlier than most would expect, getting a commitment on the board for next cycle which would only help with starting to build the next recruiting class.
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