Elite Linebacker Prospect Plans Junior Day Visit to Oregon

Oregon’s Junior Day is coming up on January 24-25, and it’s shaping up to be a big recruiting event for the ducks. Tons of top prospects will be in Eugene, and I’ll have the full visitor list ready closer to that date. But one major recruit has already confirmed he’ll be there.

Talanoa Ili, a 4-star linebacker in the 2026 class, tells me he’ll be back in Eugene for the event. He’s already visited Oregon a couple of times, including for the Ohio State game, and now he’ll return for Junior Day. Oregon has made Ili a huge priority so far in the 2026 cycle.

Ili is a 6’3, 215-pound linebacker from Orange Lutheran High School in California. He already has at least 22 offers from programs like Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, and Oregon. Ever since his last visit, Oregon has been trending for his commitment, but a commitment timeframe is still unknown at this time.

Oregon already has one linebacker committed for 2026, 4-star Tristian Phillips, but Ili would still be a huge addition. According to 247Sports' scouting report, Ili has the ability to develop into an edge rusher or play inside or outside linebacker with his athleticism. He’s also really fast—he’s been clocked at 20.2 miles per hour during one of his games.

Ili is widely regarded as one of the top linebackers in his class. He’s ranked #30 nationally by 247Sports, #42 by Rivals, and #188 by On3. He’s a top target for Oregon, and him taking numerous visits shows how hard they’re working to bring him to Eugene. Junior Day will be another big chance for the Ducks to impress him yet again.