Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning visits elite Texas A&M commit with flip in mind

Andrew Nemec | 3 Hours Ago

Noah Mikhail on a visit to Texas A&M /

If you're an Oregon Ducks fan it's time to get out your spatulas.

Because apparently it's flip season on the recruiting trail.

Amid rumblings that Oregon is nearing a flip of Tennessee Volunteers five-star offensive lineman Douglas Utu, coach Dan Lanning's arrival at a high school game Friday night seemed to imply the Ducks are working on a second SEC flip.

Bonita (California) posted a photo of Lanning with its linebacker coach, Brian Michalowski, seeming to imply he was there for previous priority target Noah Mikhail, an elite linebacker prospect who committed to Texas A&M this summer:

Dan Lanning and LB coach Brian Michalowski out at the Bonita vs Kaiser game tonight. pic.twitter.com/I0UmEuLYRS

— Bonita Bearcats Football (@BOHIFootball) September 21, 2024

Mikhail is rated the nation's No. 83 overall prospect and No. 10 linebacker in the class of 2025.

But that doesn't tell the whole story.

The 6-foot-3, 227-pound tackle machine is arguably the top 'backer West of Texas in his class, and he chose the Aggies over the Ducks in what was considered a tight battle.

Clearly, Lanning is willing to spend his bye week traveling to Bonita to show Mikhail he is still a massive priority.

Oregon's class is ranked No. 13 nationally, but is No. 1 in terms of "rating per commit," which means there's plenty of room to climb.

Adding Utu and Mikhail would be a massive upgrade to the class - both in terms of raw talent and need.

The Ducks are pushing to make that happen during the bye and it will be fascinating to see if Lanning and Co. can really pull off the pair of SEC flips.

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Mikhail as a prospect:

"We've been watching Mikhail since he was just a freshman and he has continued to develop and get better on both sides of the ball. He's a two-way player who has put up numbers offensively at running back and receiver, but linebacker will be his meal ticket at the next level and beyond. Long, rangy, and tough and flies to the football. Physical player who can really close and is one of the bigger hitters in the region. A sideline-to-sideline type of linebacker who probably projects best as an inside guy at the college level, but shows the versatility to play outside, cover, and even rush off the edge. Highly intelligent player who's a natural leader and someone who looks like a future captain wherever he ends up. Possesses the talent to play for any P4 program in the country and likely owns an NFL ceiling."