Oregon Among Top Contenders for Safety Kailib Dillard

2027 Tulsa safety recruit impressed by Ducks' program and culture on recent visit

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:05pm by

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a safety player making a tackle, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in the colors of the Oregon Ducks football team.Oregon's defensive prowess could get a major boost with the addition of elite safety recruit Kailib Dillard.Eugene Today

Kailib Dillard, a highly touted 2027 safety prospect from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has Oregon among his top three schools of interest after a recent visit to Eugene. Dillard was impressed by the Ducks' program, coaching staff, and overall campus culture, which exceeded his initial expectations. He also has Georgia and Florida high on his list as he prepares to make his college decision in the coming weeks.

Why it matters

Oregon's ability to recruit elite defensive talent like Dillard is crucial as the Ducks look to maintain their status as a College Football Playoff contender under head coach Dan Lanning. Landing a player of Dillard's caliber would bolster Oregon's secondary and continue the program's momentum on the recruiting trail.

The details

Dillard, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound safety, made an unofficial visit to Oregon's campus last month and came away impressed. He cited the program's culture, facilities, and coaching staff as key factors that exceeded his initial expectations. Dillard also holds offers from Georgia and Florida, which he plans to visit officially in the coming weeks before making his college decision.

  • Dillard visited Oregon's campus in March 2026.
  • Dillard plans to officially visit Florida from May 29-31, 2026.
  • Dillard plans to officially visit Georgia from June 5-7, 2026.
  • Dillard plans to officially visit Oregon from June 19-21, 2026.
  • Dillard plans to make his college decision in late June or early July 2026.

The players

Kailib Dillard

A 2027 safety prospect from Tulsa, Oklahoma's Jenks High School who has emerged as a top recruiting target for Oregon, Georgia, and Florida.

Dan Lanning

The head coach of the Oregon Ducks, who previously served as the defensive coordinator at Georgia.

Chris Hampton

The defensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks, who has been leading the recruitment of Kailib Dillard.

Andrew Thacker

A coach at the University of Georgia who has been building a relationship with Kailib Dillard.

Travaris Robinson

The defensive coordinator at the University of Florida, who has also been recruiting Kailib Dillard.

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What they’re saying

“It was great. It was honestly a culture shock for me. It's a lot different from Oklahoma, but it was definitely a beautiful campus, beautiful city. Definitely loved it down there. It definitely exceeded my expectations.”

— Kailib Dillard, 2027 Safety Prospect

“I feel like every one of the coaching staff, I feel like coach Lanning, him being a pretty young coach, him being coached under Nick Saban at Alabama. And then him being the defensive coordinator at Georgia before this, and then what he went to do at Oregon these past few years: building up as his own head coach—a very winning program, making it his own program, going to the college football playoffs two years in a row, making it deep into the playoffs. And they're only going to continue to be better.”

— Kailib Dillard, 2027 Safety Prospect

What’s next

Dillard will officially visit Georgia this weekend (June 5-7, 2026) before returning to Oregon for his final official visit (June 19-21, 2026). He plans to make his college decision in late June or early July 2026.

The takeaway

Oregon's ability to impress Kailib Dillard during his campus visit and build a strong relationship with the highly touted safety prospect demonstrates the Ducks' continued success in recruiting elite defensive talent under head coach Dan Lanning. Landing Dillard would be a major coup for the program as it looks to maintain its status as a College Football Playoff contender.