x
Oregon Ducks Target Kailib Dillard Makes Recruiting Announcement
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three-star safety recruit Kailib Dilliard from the class of 2027 is one of the more gifted players at the safety position. He has been a top target for many along his recruitment, including the Oregon Ducks, who continue to be in a good spot.

Dillard is rated as the nation's No. 43 safety and is from the state of Oklahoma, as he plays for Jenks High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was originally expected to commit in the summer, but things have changed.

Kailib Dillard Sets His Commitment Date

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was recently announced by Rivals insider and reporter Sam Spiegelman that the talented prospect from Oklahoma would be making his commitment on May 5. It was also announced that the three schools contending to land him at this time include the Oregon Ducks, Florida Gators, and Georgia Bulldogs.

The Ducks are the odd team from the group, as they are the only team not in the SEC. The Bulldogs and Gators are major rivals in the SEC who play each other every season, while the Ducks are fighting their own battles in the Big Ten. All three teams are at different points in their progression towards the national championship, as the Ducks would be considered the better of the three teams, according to last season.

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As for the Bulldogs, they were defeated in the playoffs by the Ole Miss Rebels, and they are now expected to be one of the teams contending this season as well. The Gators are the one team without a playoff appearance, as they were busy looking for their new head coach, and later hired Jon Sumrall from the Tulane Green Waves. He has done a great job on the recruiting trail, as many of Oregon's top targets have at least looked in the direction of the Florida program.

As of now, Dillard seems to be trending in favor of the Gators, as he is predicted to land there according to Spiegelman. He has also been predicted to land with the Gators by two other reporters from the Rivals network, Corey Bender and Blake Alderman. Just because the Gators are the favorite doesn't mean they will land him.

In fact, the Ducks haven't gone down easily in any recruitment this season.

They continue to make up ground in areas that they trail, and it is hard to imagine that they are doing anything different in this one. If they were to land his commitment, he would be the second safety, as he would be following behind four-star safety recruit and commit Semaj Stanford. Both players would mix well together with their play style, as Dillard poses as a future power-four starter.

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The bad news for the Ducks is that they won't have him on an official visit before he commits to a program, but neither will the Bulldogs or Gators. He was scheduled to visit those two programs in June, but the decision will come much before those dates.

It is also worth noting that those were his only scheduled visits, meaning the Ducks weren't expected to receive an official visit. This can be viewed as a bad sign for the Ducks ahead of the May 5 commit, but anything can change.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.


This article first appeared on Oregon Ducks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!