Oregon Ducks Battling Texas Longhorns for 4-Star Wide Receiver Recruit

The Ducks are one of five finalists for 2027 four-star wide receiver Julian Caldwell, who is being heavily recruited by top programs.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:33pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a college football wide receiver making a catch, with the player's body and the ball broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the colors of the Oregon Ducks and Texas Longhorns uniforms.The recruiting battle between Oregon and Texas for a top 2027 wide receiver prospect reflects the high-stakes competition for elite talent in college football.Today in Miami

The Oregon Ducks are in the middle of spring practice, but the process of continuing to build the 2027 recruiting class isn't slowing down. Oregon is one of five finalists for 2027 four-star wide receiver Julian Caldwell, who is being recruited by some of the top programs in college football, including Texas, Notre Dame, Texas Tech and SMU. Caldwell, a product of Argyle, TX, has official visits lined up with SMU, Texas Tech, Oregon and Texas as he weighs his options.

Why it matters

Landing Caldwell would be a major recruiting win for the Ducks, who have offered several elite 2027 wide receivers as they look to bolster their receiving corps. Oregon has already secured commitments from some top Texas talent in the 2027 class, showing they can compete with the Longhorns on the recruiting trail.

The details

Caldwell has received offers from numerous top programs, including Miami, LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Florida, Penn State, USC and Tennessee. During the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he combined for 115 catches, 2,318 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Ducks have also offered other highly-touted 2027 wide receivers like Nick Lennear, Easton Royal, Monshun Sales, Dakota Guerrant and Eric McFarland III.

  • Caldwell has official visits lined up with SMU (May 1), Texas Tech (June 5), Oregon (June 12) and Texas (June 19).
  • He also previously took an unofficial visit with Texas A&M in September.

The players

Julian Caldwell

A 2027 four-star wide receiver prospect from Argyle, TX who is being recruited by numerous top college football programs.

Dan Lanning

The head coach of the Oregon Ducks football team.

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What’s next

Caldwell will take his official visits to SMU, Texas Tech, Oregon and Texas over the next few months as he nears a decision on where he will play college football.

The takeaway

The battle for Caldwell's commitment highlights Oregon's efforts to build an elite 2027 recruiting class and their ability to compete with powerhouse programs like Texas for top talent, especially in the state of Texas.