Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning To Sign Top-3 Recruiting Class?

The Oregon Ducks have certainly had an up and down recruiting year for the class of 2026. On Thursday, five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington committed to Texas A&M over Oregon, but Ducks coach Dan Lanning was able to secure the commitment of five-star safety recruit Jett Washington.

Washington stands at 6-5 and has athleticism in his genes, as he is the nephew of the late five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant.

Ryder Lyons avoids a sack — St. Bonaventure High safety Dylan Dunst reaches for Folsom High quarterback Ryder Lyons during the CIF-State Division 1-A state championship bowl at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. The Seraphs lost 20-14. | JUAN CARLO/THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

With the two decisions by Arrington and Washington, Oregon’s recruiting class now sits at No. 7, according to On3's rankings, for the class of 2026. Lanning and the Ducks do not yet have a quarterback committed, although five-star quarterback recruit Ryder Lyons is considering Oregon and BYU, among others.

Oregon is ranked behind USC, LSU, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Notre Dame. The Ducks trails No. 1 USC in terms of number of four-stars, but Lanning and his staff have one more five-star signed than the Trojans with five-star tight end Kendre Harrison seen as the cream of the crop of Oregon’s 2026 recruiting class.

There are a few more decisions to be made by four and five-star athletes around the country that could shake up the recruiting rankings in a major way. Oregon is awaiting the decision from five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, who is deciding between BYU and Oregon.

St. Bonaventure's Dylan Dunst tackles Folsom quarterback Ryder Lyons during the fourth quarter of the CIF-State Division 1-A state championship bowl at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. St. Bonaventure lost 20-14. | JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oregon also is still very much in the mix for five-star EDGE rusher Richard Wesley, who famously jumped in a pool with Lanning to mark his commitment before de-committing just 17 days later.

The Jett Washington commitment took Oregon two rankings up, from No. 9 to No. 7, but the Ducks still have a long road ahead of them to break into the top five and eventually into the top five, where most Ducks fans expected Oregon to be.

The Ducks are still awaiting the final decisions from Wesley and Lyons. Oregon had a chance to add four-star defensive back recruit Joey O'Brien, but the elite prospect committed to Notre Dame on Friday.

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Other recruits the Ducks are in for are four-star wide receiver Jalen Lott out of Lucas, Texas. Oregon is locked in a battle for Lott’s signature with the Texas Longhorns, and Lott will be visiting Eugene on an official visit over the summer.

Four-star Kelvin Obot is another name Ducks fans should get familiar with, as Obot took his official visit to Eugene last weekend and has announced that the Ducks are one of his final four schools. Both Obot and Lott signing with Oregon could give them a boost in On3’s recruiting rankings for the class of 2026.

Another thing to note is the addition of five-star receiver Gatlin Blair for Oregon once he completes his LDS mission trip. Blair, who hails from Burley, Idaho will give the Ducks a much needed boost in a young wide receiver room.