Oregon Ducks Miss Out on Chris Henry Jr., Sign 21 Recruits

The Early National Signing period has officially arrived, meaning the top recruits from around the country can officially put pen to paper. For the Oregon Ducks, coach Dan Lanning and general manager Marshall Malchow have the No. 2-ranked recruiting class for 2026, per 247Sports.

Five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, five-star wide receiver Jalen Lott, and four-star safety Devin Jackson signed on Thursday.

The biggest news of the Early Signing Period, however, revolved around five-star wide receiver and Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. because he had not signed with the Buckeyes. Henry Jr. posted on social media that he was waiting decide on a school after recent coaching movement, mainly the departure of Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline to USF.

Ultimately, Henry Jr. stuck with his commitment to Ohio State and did not flip to Oregon.

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning early signing period recruiting class chris henry jr jett washington usc trojans ohio state buckeyes — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning celebrates with post game as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

247Sports' Tom Loy reported on Wednesday that the battle for Henry Jr. had come down to Oregon and Ohio State, and Loy also reported that the Ducks were feeling confident in their chances to flip the five star.

Lanning has been known to pull off some surprises on signing day, and the Ducks have added two recruits on Wednesday: three-star cornerback Azel Banag and three-star junior college cornerback Trevon Watson. With their commitments, Oregon's class has jumped up to No. 2 in 247Sports' rankings and No. 3, per On3.

With signatures rolling in, take a detailed look at Oregon's historic recruiting class.

Full List of 2026 Early Signees

Jalen Lott, Wide Receiver — Frisco Panther Creek, Texas

5-star (247Sports), No. 3 wide receiver
Height/Weight: 6-0, 176
Notable Offers: Texas, USC, LSU

Kendre Harrison, Tight End — Reidsville, North Carolina

5-star (247Sports), No. 1 tight end
Height/Weight: 6-7, 243
Notable Offers: Miami, Penn State, North Carolina

Devin Jackson, Safety — The First Academy, Florida

4-star (247Sports), No. 6 safety
Height/Weight: 6-2, 195
Notable Offers: Miami, Penn State, North Carolina

Tommy Tofi, Offensive Line — Archbishop Riordan, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 3 interior offensive lineman
Height/Weight: 6-6, 330
Notable Offers: Cal, Utah, Arizona

Koloi Keli, Offensive Line — Farrington, Hawaii

3-star (247Sports), No. 70 interior offensive lineman
Height/Weight: 6-3, 290
Notable Offers: Hawaii, Cal, Michigan State

Jett Washington, Defensive Back — Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas

5-star (247Sports), No. 1 safety
Height/Weight: 6-5, 205
Notable Offers: USC, Alabama

Bryson Beaver, Quarterback — Vista Murrieta, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 15 quarterback
Height/Weight: 6-2.5, 200
Notable Offers: Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Boise State

Davon Benjamin, Defensive Back — Oaks Christian, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 9 cornerback
Height/Weight: 5-11.5, 180
Notable Offers: Michigan, Texas, Washington

Anthony 'Tank' Jones, Defensive Line — St. Paul's Episcopal, Alabama

5-star (247Sports), No. 5 edge
Height/Weight: 6-3.5, 240
Notable Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Miami

Messiah Hampton, Wide Receiver — James Monroe, New York

4-star (247Sports), No. 35 wide receiver
Height/Weight: 6-1, 180
Notable Offers: Syracuse, Miami

Dutch Horisk, Defensive Line — St. John Bosco, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 74 edge
Height/Weight: 6-2, 240
Notable Offers: Penn State, Miami, Tennessee

Prince Tavizon, Defensive Line — Lincoln, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 30 defensive lineman
Height/Weight: 6-3, 245
Notable Offers: Notre Dame, Miami, USC

Trevon Watson, Cornerback — College of San Mateo, California

3-star (247Sports), No. 13 cornerback (junior college rankings)
Height/Weight: 5-11. 185
Notable Offers: Boise State, North Texas, Middle Tennessee

Tony Cumberland, Defensive Line — Willamette, Oregon

4-star (247Sports), No. 11 defensive lineman
Height/Weight: 6-4.5, 285
Notable Offers: Ole Miss, Tennessee, Ohio State

Immanuel Iheanacho, Offensive Line — Georgetown Prep, Maryland

5-star (247Sports), No. 2 interior offensive lineman
Height/Weight: 6-6.5, 345
Notable Offers: LSU, Auburn, Penn State

Tristan Phillips, Linebacker — Ventura, California

4-star (247Sports), No. 15 linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-3, 215
Notable Offers: Texas, USC, Oklahoma

Azel Banag, Cornerback — A.C. Flora, South Carolina

3-star (247Sports), No. 85 cornerback
Height/Weight: 5-11.5, 170
Notable Offers: Georgia Tech, Duke, Wisconsin

Hudson Lewis, Wide Receiver — Timberline, Idaho

3-star (247Sports), No. 186 wide receiver
Height/Weight: 5-10, 175
Notable Offers: Utah, Washington State, San Diego State

Braylon Hodge, Linebacker — Cherry Creek, Colorado

4-star (247Sports), No. 12 linebacker
Height/Weight: 6-3, 212
Notable Offers: Michigan, Missouri, Michigan State

Tradarian Ball, Running Back — Texarkana, Texas

4-star (247Sports), No. 4 running back
Height/Weight: 5-10, 175
Notable Offers: Miami, LSU

Let's roll.

Welcome to Oregon, @TradarianBall3!#GoDucks x #NSD26 pic.twitter.com/KNpK1zswVZ
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) December 3, 2025

Gatlin Bair, Wide Receiver — Burley, Idaho

5-star (247Sports), No. 6 wide receiver (class of 2024 rankings)
Height/Weight: 6-1, 194
Notable Offers: Michigan, Ohio State

Xavier Lherisse, Safety - Eau Gallie, Florida

4-star (247Sports), No. 33 safety
Height/Weight: 5-10, 185
Notable Offers: Notre Dame, Penn State, Auburn

Recruiting Surprises, Flips & Misses

Chris Henry Jr.

Heading into Wednesday, the biggest flip target for Oregon is five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., committed to Ohio State. The Ducks have recruited Henry Jr. despite his two-year commitment with the Buckeyes, and Oregon was reportedly gaining ground with the elite prospect out of Mater Dei. Henry Jr. posted a picture of Ohio State, Oregon, and USC hats onto his Instagram story on Tuesday night, implying he has a decision to make during the Early Signing Period.

Devin Jackson

The Nebraska Cornhuskers made a push for four-star safety Devin Jackson, but the Oregon commit appears to be confident in his Ducks decision. Jackson was also busy on social media on Tuesday, posting a picture of himself in an Oregon hat with the caption "#ScoDucks."

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Position-by-Position Breakdown

Oregon's current commit list is mostly balanced, with 10 offensive commits and 9 commits from the defensive side of the ball. Recruiting the offensive and defensive line has been a clear priority for Lanning since his arrival in Eugene, and the 2026 class is no different. The Ducks are also bringing in talented groups of wide receivers and defensive backs.

Here's a breakdown of Oregon's 19 commits:

Offense

Quarterback

Four-star quarterback Bryson Beaver committed to Oregon in June after originally being a part of Boise State's recruiting class. The Ducks pivoted to Beaver after missing out on five-star quarterbacks Jonas Williams and Ryder Lyons. Before then, four-star quarterback Jonas Williams was committed to Oregon before eventually flipping to USC and Trojans coach Lincoln Riley.

Regardless of current Ducks quarterback Dante Moore's decision to stay in college or enter the NFL Draft, Beaver is expected to come into the Oregon program as a developmental prospect. With Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad potentially departing after the season, Beaver will join a quarterback room with Brock Thomas, Luke Moga, and Akili Smith Jr.

Running Back

Four-star running back recruit Tradarian Ball might be the next dynamic running back to line up in Oregon's backfield. The Ducks benefitted from immediate contributions by true freshmen running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., and Ball has the ability to make an immediate impact as well.

According to 247Sports, Ball averaged 11.43 yards per carry as a junior in high school. He also caught 44 passes for 1,017 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Thanks to the Ducks' depth at the position, Ball is Oregon's only running back commit in 2026.

Wide Receiver

Five-star wide receiver Jalen Lott is Oregon's highest-rated commit at the position. Lott played both wide receiver and defensive back in high school, and his elite athletic abilities can be seen with the ball in his hands or without it. Able to create separation with speed and quickness, Lott also has a number of contested catches on his highlight tape.

The final minute of Hampton's highlight reel from his junior season is only blocking highlights, displaying an effort that Lanning expects from his wide receivers, and one that Ducks fans have become accustomed to seeing on Saturdays.

Three-star recruit Hudson Lewis is Oregon's third wide receiver commit, and he's also one of the most recent Duck commits. Lewis has breakaway speed on his highlight tape, and his smaller size

*A bonus recruit for Oregon is the arrival of former five-star wide receiver Gatlin Bair, who was expected to join the team in 2026 after signing with the Ducks in the 2024 recruiting class. Oregon announced Bair on Wednesday morning.

Tight End

Five-star tight end Kendre Harrison is one of Oregon's highest-rated commits, and he has been committed to the Ducks since their win over Washington in November of 2024. According to the 247Sports Composite, Harrison is the No. 1 tight end prospect in the class of 2026, thanks in part to his unique athleticism. Harrison is also committed to Oregon basketball coach Dana Altman.

A dominating physical presence at 6-7, 243 pounds, Harrison has a knack for pancaking defenders in the run game. In the pass game, Harrison can pick up yards after the catch with his speed.

Offensive Line

Offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho headlines Oregon's recruiting class and is one of the top prospects in the country regardless of position. Whether Iheanacho plays offensive tackle or on the interior of the line is unknown, and the Ducks will likely have time to let the five-star adjust to the college game if needed. Lanning and company have had success recruiting offensive lineman out of the transfer portal, landing starting offensive tackles Isaiah World and Alex Harkey before the 2025 season.

Offensive linemen Tommy Tofi and Koloi Keli project as interior offensive lineman as the Ducks continue to build up front with high school talent. Tofi is listed at 6-6, 330 pounds while Keli comes in at 6-3, 290 pounds.

Defense

Defensive Line

Five-star edge prospect Anthony "Tank" Jones is one of Oregon's top recruits, the No. 5 prospect at his position in 247Sports' Composite Rankings. Jones is the first pass rusher to commit to Lanning and the Ducks since Elijah Rushing in 2024. Rushing has not had a major impact yet, but Jones is arriving to campus with high expectations.

The Ducks also have four-star defensive linemen Tony Cumberland and Prince Tavizon committed. Tavizon was originally a member of the 2027 recruiting class before reclassifying, so his development will be one to watch as he attempts to transition to the college game ahead of schedule.

Cumberland moved to Oregon from Arizona during high school, and his size and power should help the Ducks defensive line wreak havoc for future years. Whether or not Cumberland has an immediate impact remains to be seen.

Oregon ducks recruiting early signing period dan lanning tony cumberland matayo uiagalelei anthony tank jones — Willamette’s Tony Cumberland, center, runs into the end zone against Sheldon. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three-star edge Dutch Horisk from St. John Bosco rounds out Oregon's defensive line commits. Horisk might not have the most stars next to his name, but he produces on one of the best high school teams in the country, the same program that developed current Ducks star Matayo Uiagalelei.

Linebacker

It's a small group of linebackers for Oregon with four-star commits Braylon Hodge and Tristan Phillips. Under Lanning, the Ducks have not seen much contribution from true freshmen linebackers, but Hodge and Phillips will join a linebacker room that is replacing Ducks leading tackler Bryce Boettcher.

Defensive Back

Oregon's defensive back haul might be one of the best in the country for another year in a row. The Ducks landed two safety recruits ranked within the top 10 at the position per 247Sports: five-star Jett Washington and four-star Devin Jackson.

Washington's size, physicality, and speed make him a prime candidate to see the field as a true freshman in 2026. In addition, four-star safety Xavier Lherisse might be one of Oregon's more underrated recruits.

At cornerback, Lanning and his staff are bringing in four-star Davon Benjamin who could also compete for early playing time as a freshman. Once ranked as high as the No. 28 overall prospect in the nation, Benjamin's highlight tape shows off his awareness and playmaking abilities.

Historical Context & Class Ranking

According to On3, Oregon's 2026 class is ranked No. 3 in the nation behind USC (No. 1) and Notre Dame (No. 2). 247Sports' rankings have the Ducks at No. 4 overall with Alabama joining the top three alongside USC and Notre Dame.

When ranking by average recruit rating, however, both sites are in agreement with Oregon in the No. 1 spot. With only 19 total commits, achieving the No. 1 overall recruiting class is unlikely. Still, the Ducks' high average rating per recruit shows the high level of talent that Lanning is bringing into Eugene.

Out of the 19 recruits committed to Oregon, 16 (roughly 85 percent) are either four-stars or five-stars.

Oregon's 2025 recruiting class was ranked No. 5 overall and the Ducks' 2024 class was ranked No. 3 overall by 247Sports as Lanning and his staff continue to recruit at an elite rate. Based on recruiting rankings, the Oregon roster in 2026 could be Lanning's most talented ever during his time with the Ducks.