Oregon Ducks HC Dan Lanning visits 5-star athlete Brandon Arrington following Lincoln Riley's visit

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning recently met Brandon Arrington, the highly sought-after five-star athlete from Mount Miguel High School in San Diego County. This visit came shortly after USC coach Lincoln Riley and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn traveled south to meet Arrington.

His offer list has ballooned to 38 Division I programs, with LSU being the latest to join. Early favorites in the 6-foot, 180-pounder’s recruitment include the USC Trojans, Texas A&M Aggies and Oregon Ducks, making his decision a key storyline in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Arrington, who is the No. 8 overall player in the class, expressed admiration for Lanning, emphasizing his straightforward and genuine approach.

“What stands out to me about Coach Lanning is that he is a cool person and he keeps it real with you,” Arrington said. “He don’t try to tell you anything that you want to hear. He tells you things you need to hear and he kept it real with me.

“Our whole conversation it was great meeting him for the first time and I can tell we had a nice connection and can’t wait to build this relationship with Coach Lanning.”

Oregon is already setting the pace in the 2026 recruiting cycle with the nation’s No. 1-ranked class per On3. For USC, the stakes are equally high, especially as it faces stiff competition from programs like Alabama and Texas A&M for California’s top recruits. In the 2025 cycle, the Trojans signed two of the state’s top 10 players, while Alabama and Texas A&M claimed six combined.

Brandon Arrington reflects on USC visit and Trojans' recruiting momentum

Mount Miguel standout Brandon Arrington had his first gameday experience witnessing USC’s 28-20 victory over Nebraska. The event also hosted 2025 USC signees Husan Longstreet and five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart.

“Just the people,” Arrington told On3. “The history. The coaching staff has experience of Heisman winners, NFL coaching development and development is a big key in my process. I want a coach who’s going to develop me and push me to the max so I can be ready for the NFL.”

Arrington, a longtime admirer of USC’s football legacy, shared how players like Reggie Bush and Adoree Jackson influenced his early interest.

“Growing up, I just liked USC,” he said. “I’ve seen their history. I went to Helix and Reggie Bush went to Helix, so I looked up to Reggie Bush. I looked up to Adoree Jackson. I looked up to all those guys. I used to watch them a lot, so they’ve influenced me to always want to go to USC.”

Lincoln Riley has faced past criticism for insufficient attention to local high schools but is prioritizing in-state talent for the 2026 class. The Trojans have already secured commitments from top California prospects, including Rancho Cucamonga cornerback RJ Sermons (No. 27 overall) and Loyola’s Brandon Lockhart (No. 57 overall).