THE LATEST: Oregon and Elite Linebacker Noah Mikhail
La Verne (Calif.) Bonita linebacker Noah Mikhail is one of the best at his position in the 2025 cycle. The Ducks made it a point to visit him earlier this week in Southern California and Mikhail broke down the latest in his recruitment with Ducks Digest.
He doesn't have any trips set in stone, but it looks like he'll likely visit Miami at the end of the month as he travels across the country playing 7on7 with California Power.
"So right now I don't know of any (visits). I'll be in Miami for a tournament. I'll be down there I believe we're visiting then, the 26th or 27th for the Battle tournament," he said. "And then right now I know I'm gonna be back at Oregon in the future, I just don't know when yet. I'll be down there for one of their spring practices and then I'll be at a few other places for sure but I have none of them set up yet."
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound backer offered more detail on some of the schools he'd like to see.
"Obviously going to get up to Nebraska some time. I want to see what happens with Washington and Alabama. Obviously SC is in the backyard, we'll see how their recruitment picks up. Notre Dame. Those are some of the school that I'm trying to get to. I want to see what happens with Oklahoma as well."
He's already up to 35 reported scholarship offers, but with a chaotic offseason across the sport Mikhail still has a lot to see before making a decision.
"For me, it's really just, I want to get out and see these schools," he said. "There's a lot of coaching movement right now, so I'm not really narrowing anything down and putting it out publicly. But I will be I'd say committing sometime this summer after I take my officials."
Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and Brian Michalowski visited him on Wednesday and he spoke about that visit.
"I got to talk with Coach B Mike for about 30 minutes," Mikhail said. "It was great getting to catch up with him. It means a lot, telling me that he came out and then just I'm a top priority for him."
Having the Oregon staff come out to see him seems to have made a strong impression.
"Just being able to have both of them at my school--it means a lot because those are two big pieces of the puzzle, especially me being a linebacker. It was real cool to see. I got to talk with Coach Lupoi about almost everything."
The development factor is just part of what stands out about Oregon.
"Their development of players is great. They're great teachers," he said of Lupoi and Michalowski. "They know how to teach and coach which is very important at this level. They know how to put it together. They know how to get you to the next level."
Mikhail likes what he saw from the Ducks this past year and is confident they'll be great moving forward.
"They had a great 2023 season. Obviously hoping to get out there a few times. I know they're gonna be great going into the Big 10 as well."
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was also in to see the linebacker this week and he spoke about his interest in the Irish.
"I've been in contact with Notre Dame for a while," he said. "Coach Freeman came out to see me which is obviously very important for me. He came out to see a number of guys, but I was the only linebacker and just him showing face at my school, coming all the way from South Bend. It shows a lot."
As he enters an important stretch of his recruitment, Mikhail spoke on what he wants in a school.
"Relationships are huge. The culture of the school is a big part of it. And then just being able as a Christian athlete, being able to grow my faith, which a lot of schools do have programs for that and have things for that through the football program."