5-star safety Honor Fa’alave-Johnson announces college commitment

The Oregon Ducks were hoping to make a big splash on the 2027 recruiting trail on Saturday, as 5-star safety Honor Fa'alave-Johnson announced his college commitment.

Fa'alave-Johnson is the No. 16 overall player and top-ranked athlete in the 2027 class, according to 247 Sports. The 6-foot-1 safety chose between Notre Dame, Texas, LSU, Miami, USC and the Ducks. However, the race was closest between the Ducks and Trojans.

A star at Cathedral Catholic in San Diego, California, the safety ultimately decided to stay home, choosing the Trojans during his commitment ceremony live on CBS Sports.

Oregon appeared to be the leader in the recruitment for a bit, until Fa'alave-Johnson decided to take more visits during the spring. He spent some time at USC, his closest option to home, and the momentum flipped in favor of the Trojans.

Pouring salt in the wound, Fa'alave-Johnson initially lifted the Oregon hat sitting on his table before chucking it into the crowd and pulling a sword out from under the table to signal his commitment to USC.

Fa'alave-Johnson is also a running back at the high school level, displaying athleticism that could allow him to play either side of the ball at the college level. He's another feather in the cap of USC's strong recruiting efforts recently.

This won't be the last time Oregon and USC battle on the recruiting trail this cycle. The Ducks and Trojans are both competing for Oregon offensive tackle commit Drew Fielder, as well as 4-star cornerback Danny Lang, who will announce his commitment next week.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 5-star Oregon target Honor Fa'alave-Johnson reveals college commitment