Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks To Land 5-Star Commitment? Immanuel Iheanacho's Leaders

Will the Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs or Penn State Nittany Lions land the commitment of 5-star offensive lineman recruit Immanuel Iheanacho? Iheanacho names the leaders in his recruitment. Oregon coach Dan Lanning's 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 1 in the nation, currently.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning meet during warm ups before the start of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff NCAA college football game between Oregon and Georgia in Atlanta, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.

News Joshua L Jones
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning meet during warm ups before the start of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff NCAA college football game between Oregon and Georgia in Atlanta, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. News Joshua L Jones | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

On the recruiting trail for the class of 2026, the Oregon Ducks are leading the way. Oregon tops On3's Industry Recruiting Rankings with the No. 1 class that includes 10 current commitments; eight four- stars and two three-stars included. One recent recruit made a statement that indicates Oregon may also get a five-star commitment very soon.

Five-star offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho recently reconfirmed that his top spot is still the Ducks.

"Leader is still Oregon. Oregon, Georgia, and Penn State. Those are my leaders," Iheanacho told On3 Sports.

According to his 247 Sports profile, Iheanacho is listed as "warm" in interest for Oregon, Georgia, Penn State, and his hometown team of Maryland.

Iheanacho plans to visit six programs so far during the off-season. Oregon, Georgia, Penn State, Alabama, and Maryland. For the sixth spot on his college tour, LSU, Miami, and Texas A&M are all options the high school junior named to be the final official visit. During these visits, Iheanacho told On3 he wants to look into the culture of each program.

“I’d probably say how all the players fit," Iheanacho told On3. "A bigger student feeling. I don’t talk to all the players a lot, so being able to see how the players really feel, obviously certain situations are different. Seeing how certain coaches are genuinely."

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning meet during warm ups before the start of the Chick-fil-A Kic
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning meet during warm ups before the start of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff NCAA college football game between Oregon and Georgia in Atlanta, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. News Joshua L Jones | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

However, Iheanacho did share interest with On3 on wanting to help the Maryland Terrapins win the Big Ten Championship. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, the Terrapins have not won a conference title. Iheanacho said that he's thought about being a "hometown hero" and that's why Maryland has stayed in his mix of potential colleges.

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Picking up Iheanacho would be a huge move for the Ducks, helping Oregon coach Dan Lanning and offensive line coach A'lique Terry bolster the trenches for years to come. He's currently the No. 2 offensive tackle for his class and has received comparisons to Buffalo Bills guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Back in July of 2024, Iheanacho visited Oregon for one of their camps. He told On3 Sports in December his thoughts on the Ducks' program.

“I like coach Terry (Oregon offensive line coach), coach Dan Lanning, really young coach, they’ve been winning games and have products, Penei Sewell and they’ve got some other guys coming up in this draft,” Iheanacho said.

On3's Vice President Steve Wiltfong continues to stress that Iheanacho has Oregon in his No. 1 spot, with Georgia close behind. Though Wiltfong stated there is still time for Iheanacho to change his mind, "the Ducks lead" with this recruit.

"A supremely powerful offensive lineman who wears his verified 6-foot-6.5, 350-pound listing extremely well. Owns some of the longest arms in the 2026 cycle and has better-than-expected lower body explosiveness at his size. Primarily works at offensive tackle, but will likely be limited to the right side or could even slide inside to IOL depending on how his body develops over the next few years," said 247 Sports analyst Hudson Standish of Iheanacho back in May of 2024.

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.