Blue-Chip Defensive Back Planning First Visit to Oregon

As you’ve probably heard by now, Oregon will host its highly anticipated Junior Day recruiting event from January 24-25. The buzz is already building with confirmed visits from prospects like 4-star linebacker Talanoa Ili and 4-star tight end Israel Briggs. But the names don't stop there. Another big name has confirmed he will be there, a blue-chip defensive back from the Lone Star State.

That blue-chip player is 4-star safety Chace Calicut. The 6’3” 190-pound standout from North Shore High School in Houston, Texas, confirmed he will visit Oregon for Junior Day on January 24th. This will be Calicut’s first time visiting the Ducks, and his visit shows Oregon’s continued push to recruit elite talent from the Lone Star State.

Under head coach Dan Lanning, Oregon has become a force in Texas recruiting. In the 2024 class alone, the Ducks landed 5-star receiver Dakorien Moore, 4-star cornerback Dorian Brew, and 4-star Edge Rusher Tobi Haastrup, with 2026 4-star running back Tradarian Ball already committed. Just to name a few, Oregon is also targeting other prospects from the state of Texas, including 5-star quarterback Keisean Henderson, 4-star receiver Jalen Lott, and 4-star receiver Brayden Robinson.

Recently, Oregon safeties coach Chris Hampton made the trip to Houston to visit Calicut at North Shore High School. He already has offers from at least 18 programs, including LSU, SMU, Texas A&M, and Oregon. LSU and Texas A&M may be Oregon’s toughest competition in this recruitment, but the Ducks have proven they can land top talent against other top teams.

Calicut’s highest ranking comes from Rivals, where he’s ranked as the No. 68 player nationally. He’s also ranked No. 203 by 247Sports and No. 291 by On3. Adding a tall, athletic safety like Calicut could be a big priority for Oregon, especially with last year’s secondary featuring almost all starters under 6 feet tall. This year secondary will be taller, but you can never have too many 6'3 defensive backs. If the visit goes well, it could put Oregon in the drivers seat for his commitment.