Dan Lanning's Oregon lands commitment from 4-star IOL Douglas Utu to class of 2025 

By Maliha

Modified Sep 28, 2024 05:48 GMT

Oregon is set to make its Big Ten debut against UCLA on Saturday. Ahead of the highly-touted game against the longtime Pac-12 foe, Dan Lanning's program got a huge boost in its recruitment race, after four-star interior offensive lineman Douglas Utu flipped his commitment from the Tennessee Volunteers to the Ducks' 2025 class.

On Thursday, Utu announced his decommitment news on X/Twitter:

"I am excited to announce my commitment to the University of Oregon to further my academic and athletic career. Thank you to my family, coaches, teammates, and most importantly the the man above who supported me throughout this journey. Go Ducks!"

The 6-foot-4, 317-pound prospect attends Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, which won the Nevada 5A Division I state title last season. He got the highest ratings from Rivals, which listed him as a five-star and placed him as the No. 12 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class and the No. 1 recruit in Nevada.

With Utu's commitment, Oregon has 16 committed to the 2025 class, which ranks No. 7 in the nation. The cycle is headlined by five-star receiver Dakorien Moore of Duncanville, Texas and five-star safety Trey McNutt from Cleveland.

Douglas will join fellow Bishop Gorman teammate as well as offensive lineman Alai Kalaniuvalu, who committed to Oregon on the first day of summer. This duo will join the 2025 cycle along with offensive tackle Ziyare Addison and guard Demetri Manning.

Why did Douglas Utu flip from Tennessee to Oregon?

Douglas Utu officially visited Washington, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska and Alabama before committing to the Vols on June 24. As one of Tennessee’s top-rated prospects in the 2025 class, alongside five-star offensive tackle David Sanders, Utu's decommitment marks a big loss for the Vols. However, the primary obstacle that led to his departure centered around his position preference.

According to 247Sports’ Blair Angulo, Utu wants to play offensive tackle at the collegiate level, while Tennessee saw him as a better fit on the interior of the offensive line. In contrast, Oregon viewed him as an offensive tackle, which played a key role in his decision to switch his commitment to the Ducks.

Another factor contributing to Utu’s decision was Oregon's consistent recruitment efforts. Even after Utu initially pledged to Tennessee, the Ducks maintained communication and continued showing interest in his talents.

“They were upfront, genuine and showed real belief in my abilities," Utu told On3. "Their energy, transparency, and vision for how I fit into the program were clear, and they made me feel like I would truly be part of the Oregon family.”

With Utu's decommitment, the Vols have 23 commits in their 2025 recruiting class, which ranks No. 8 in the nation and No. 6 in the Southeastern Conference.