The Oregon Ducks were in the running down until the final days, and while it seemed like Dan Lanning might be able to pull off another massive flip from a 5-star prospect, in the end, David Hicks ended up staying put and signing with the Texas A&M Aggies on Friday.
Hicks, the No. 1 DL in the 2023 class, has been committed to Texas A&M since September of 2022, but he had taken a total of four visits to Eugene over the past year, including two in the past month. There’s a belief that he badly wanted to play for Lanning and the Ducks, but pressures to stay closer to home ultimately won out in the end.
Despite the inability to land Hicks, Oregon is still sitting pretty after the early signing period, securing the No. 11 class in the nation with the addition of 5-star EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei on Wednesday, and the signing of 5-star WR Jurrion Dickey. The Ducks briefly got 5-star S Peyton Bowen to flip from Notre Dame to Oregon on Wednesday, but he later announced on Thursday that he would be flipping to the Oklahoma Sooners, who were also in play for Hicks.