Oregon Coach Doesn't Hold Back About Jett Washington's Potential

The Oregon Ducks signed five-star safety Jett Washington in the recruiting class of 2026, and his early arrival onto campus is already paying off. According to Oregon defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, Washington has a "very bright future" with the Ducks.

What Chris Hampton Said About Jett Washington

After Oregon's spring practice on Saturday, Hampton raved about Washington:

oregon ducks jett washington chris hampton defensive coordinator five-star safety koi perich dan lanning dillon thieneman — New co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton, right, joins the first practice of spring for Oregon football as they prepare for the 2023 season. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

“He’s obviously got a rare size-speed combination. He’s a guy who is every bit of 6-5, you know, and he looks the part, for sure. Anyone that comes out there and see him is like, ‘God, that guy’s huge.’ You know, he’s got the right mindset. He really does, man, I love this guy's mental makeup. He is infatuated with the details. I mean, he watches a lot of film on his own, asks a lot of great questions. He’s a fast learner. I think he’s gonna have a very bright future here," said Hampton.

As a recruit, Washington was a five-star prospect and the No. 1 safety in the class of 2026, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings. Listed at 6-4.5, 200 pounds by Rivals, Washington adds length and athleticism to the Oregon safety room. While his physicality as a safety is noteworthy, the former five-star recruit also has proven production for one of the top high school football programs in the country at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Oregon signee Jett Washington is a nephew of Kobe Bryant 🐍

He's the No. 2 ranked safety in the SC Next 300 Class of 2026 🔥 pic.twitter.com/T8QTY2WqKt
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) January 3, 2026

In 2025, Washington was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nevada after totaling 59 tackles, four interceptions, seven passes defended, and two forced fumbles, per 247Sports.

His recruitment primarily revolved around Oregon, USC, and Alabama before he eventually committed to the Ducks. When Hampton was first able to talk about Washington after he officially signed with Oregon, the Ducks defensive coordinator brought up the five-star's size and athleticism.

"He's got the best height-weight-speed combination in all of high school football. This is obviously Kobe Bryant's nephew. His dad was actually a running back who played in the NFL. Violent hitter, great ball skills, great basketball player, great athlete. This guy has a big-time future. He's a unicorn," Hampton said on Ducks Insider.

Oregon Ducks Safety Outlook

While Washington is clearly an addition that Hampton and the Ducks are excited about, Oregon has multiple reinforcements arriving for the secondary. The Ducks made a splash in the transfer portal by landing one of the top safeties available in Koi Perich from Minnesota, and the program also added former Baylor safety Carl Williams IV to the secondary.

Oregon does return safety Aaron Flowers, but former Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman is expected to be a first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Fellow former Oregon defensive back Jadon Canady is also expected to be drafted, paving the way for transfers like Perich and Williams, or even a freshman like Washington, to make an impact.

Meanwhile, five-star recruit from the class of 2025 Trey McNutt was poised for a breakout season as a true freshman before a broken leg sidelined him for the entire year.

Hampton clearly has options to choose from while deciding on Oregon's starting secondary, but the good news is that the Ducks shouldn't experience too much of a drop off when rotating guys in.