Viliami Moala Flip Boosts Oregon Ducks’ No. 1 Ranked 2026 Recruiting Class

Class of 2026 defensive lineman Viliami Moala has flipped his commitment from USC to Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are hot on the recruiting trail after Oregon's 33-32 upset win over the then-ranked No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Oregon Ducks flip 4-star Viliami Moala from USC / Viliami Moala Twitter/X

The Oregon Ducks are hot on the recruiting trail after Oregon's 33-32 upset win over the then-ranked No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in Autzen Stadium.

Class of 2026 defensive lineman Viliami Moala has flipped his commitment from USC to Oregon, he announced on Monday.

Oregon Ducks flip 4-star Viliami Moala from USC / Viliami Moala Twitter/X

The Salt Lake City (Utah) Bingham product had originally committed to USC on September 10 over Utah, BYU and Arizona State. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Moala is rated the No. 208 overall prospect and No. 12 defensive lineman in the nation, according to ESPN.

Moala is a three-star recruit on 247 Sports and On3 and a four-star recruit on Rivals and ESPN.

Moala called USC his "dream school" when he committed on September 10, shortly after USC upset LSU in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season.

"To be honest, man, I always loved USC,” Moala told On3. “They’ve always been my dream school. My first visit to USC they brought me on campus and that’s when I got my offer my sophomore year. It just felt at home and everyone at USC it’s a great environment and I want to be around it."

Moala's aggressive play style on the field is one of his strengths, easily deconstructing blocks in the run game and pushing the pocket when the opposing quarterback attempts a pass.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Moala is listed as a defensive lineman, he has experience playing on the offensive line as either a guard or a center. Being able to play on both sides of the ball and being a physical athlete, Moala is a valuable recruit for Oregon.

The Ducks' 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 1 in the nation after the addition of 4-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui on Sunday. Tupoi is one of the most coveted recruits at his position. Tupoi attends Mater Dei High School, one of the best high school teams in the country and a program with which the Ducks have had success recruiting.

Moala's commitment boosted Oregon's top ranked class. Oregon now has seven commitments in the class of 2026, here are their On3 rankings:

-Four-Star quarterback Jonas Williams (Frankfort Heights, IL)
-Four-Star running Back Tradarian Ball (Terkarkana, TX)
-Four-Star offensive lineman Kodi Greene (Santa Ana, CA)
-Three-Star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui (Santa Ana, CA)
-Three-Star defensive linemane Viliami Moala (Salt Lake City, UT)
-Four-Star defensive lineman Tony Cumberland (Eugene, OR)
- Three-Star EDGE Dutch Horisk (Bellflower, CA)

Oregon coach Dan Lanning addressed recruiting while talking with Pat McAfee ahead of Oregon's game vs. Ohio State.

"We've got recruits from all over... We challenge ourselves to go get the best of the best... I always tell people don't pick what's most convenient pick what's best," Lanning said. 

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