Oregon Ducks Favorites To Land 5-Star Recruit Richard Wesley Over USC, Ohio State, Texas?

The Oregon Ducks are pushing to recruit the top class of 2026 players across the nation, and one player that the Ducks have picked up steam with is five-star defensive lineman Richard Wesley. Wesley took spring visits to several schools, including Oregon, and narrowed down his final six schools.

Wesley reclassified to the class of 2026 and quickly became a top recruiting prospect. Per 247Sports' Composite Rankings, Wesley is the No. 20 recruit in the nation, the No. 3 edge, and the No. 5 player from California. He took several key visits in the spring, which he considers his top six schools: Oregon, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC.

While Wesley is still taking time on his final decision and no school is truly leading the pack, the Oregon Ducks are making the strongest push for the defensive lineman.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning oversees his team as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Oregon recruits me way harder than everyone else,” Wesley told On3. “They preach Dan Lanning and his background and the same with Tosh Lupoi. They let me know the Oregon track record and I have seen that.”

Wesley has visited Oregon four times, and each visit has made an impact on him. Wesley is planning to visit each school again for an official before making his final decision. He did not say what the dates are yet but clarified they should be revealed soon.

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“The unofficial visits made a big impact on my recruitment,” Wesley told On3. “I loved it on every visit, I got to talk to the coaches and I enjoyed each visit. I am going to take official visits to the six schools I visited this spring. There was no bad visit in there, so I want to get back to each school. The dates should be coming out soon.”

The Oregon Ducks recruiting class of 2026 is ranked No. 7 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten. Of the seven commitments the Ducks have received, one has been a five-star recruit and four have been four-stars.

Defensively, the Ducks have recruited four-star defensive lineman Tony Cumberland, four-star linebacker Tristan Phillips, and four-star safety Xavier Lherisse. A commitment from Wesley would bolster the already strong defensive unit that Oregon is recruiting.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks down during the second half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks have a history of being a strong pipeline to the NFL. In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Ducks had 10 players selected, two being in the first round. Among the first-round draft picks was a defensive lineman, Derrick Harmon. Will it be enough to convince Wesley to commit to the Ducks?

While there are six schools in the running for Wesley and the four-star defensive lineman says they are all equal, the Oregon Ducks could have a slight lead. Between the effort Oregon is putting in and the history of developing and sending players to the NFL, the Ducks have a strong case to land Wesley. The next step is to schedule the official visit with the four-star recruit.

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