4-star DL Aydin Breland commits to Oregon: 'Coach Lanning can bring that natty to Eugene'

Aydin Breland took his time with the recruiting process. Many of the top recruits this cycle made decisions before their senior year, but the four-star defensive lineman out of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei wasn’t ready.

The No. 38 prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings took official visits to Georgia, Miami, Oregon and Texas A&M in June. Breland returned to Athens in September for an unofficial visit before setting his commitment date for Oct. 14.

There were some twists and turns in recent weeks for Breland before he decided that he wanted to take his talents to Eugene and play for Dan Lanning.

“Man, this was tough,” Breland told On3. “It has been crazy. Decision time kind of snuck up on me and I had to make the decision. I went back and forth between Georgia, Miami and Oregon, but it really came down to Georgia and Oregon.

“The schools were very similar and they checked a lot of boxes for me. Each had their pros and cons, so it was a tough decision. Oregon just felt like home. It is close to home, it is a beautiful place and my feelings about them grew over time.

“I Iove the green in Eugene, it always gives me home vibes and it is not too far from home. Oregon is a place I felt good at each time I visited and that put them over the top.”

Breland is the 24th prospect to commit to the Ducks.

The people at Oregon helped the Ducks land Breland

Oregon was the first school to offer Breland. It was when Mario Cristobal was the head coach. About a month after Lanning took over in Eugene, Breland got back on campus. He spent time with Lanning and Tosh Lupoi. It was the staff in the end that helped Oregon beat Georgia and Miami.

“The people at Oregon are just genuine,” Breland said. “From Coach Lanning to Coach Lupoi to Coach Tony Tuioti – they are just great people. I loved it the first time I was there and my feelings just got strong each time I visited.

“They made a strong first impression, I visited seven times and the relationships just got stronger. How genuine the staff is, the connections I have there and how strong the defensive staff is really made an impact on my decision.”

Lanning led Oregon to a 9-3 record in year one. The Ducks are 6-0 heading into a big game against Washington this weekend. The 6-foot-4.5, 300-pound playmaker likes where the program is headed.

“Coach Lanning is building something. I feel he can win a national championship at Oregon. Oregon is headed to the Big Ten, so it will change the motivation because of the competition, it will change recruiting and Oregon and can do big things.

“Coach Lanning is so calm, cool and collected. He in open-minded, he has a great staff, he interacts with his players and he is a versatile guy. Coach Lanning can bring that natty to Eugene.”