Oregon Ducks, SMU Mustangs Battling for Four-Star Quarterback Recruit

While it’s been a turbulent start to the No. 20 Oregon Ducks’ 2026 season with lots of curveballs, coach Dan Lanning and his staff seemingly haven’t failed to impress top recruiting targets.

The Ducks hosted four-star quarterback recruit Tristin Gaines for the season opener against Boise State, per Rivals, and appear to be gaining momentum to land the 2028 blue-chip.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks up at the clock during the first half in a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterback Tristin Gaines’ Recruitment

Gaines is rated as a four-star by Rivals and the Rivals Industry Ranking, but a three-star by ESPN and 247Sports. The consensus top-20 quarterback in the class of 2028 is a junior at Waller High School in Texas.

The Oregon target showed his dual-threat ability as a sophomore in 2025, when he threw 12 touchdowns and 1,267 yards, while also rushing for 10 touchdowns and 438 yards, per MaxPreps. The Ducks were among the Power Four programs to extend an offer ahead of his junior season.

With a possible commitment looming before the calendar turns to 2027, the Ducks appear to be setting the pace, with the SMU Mustangs also a contender. Oregon currently holds a 93 percent chance to land Gaines, according to the Rivals Prediction Machine. The lone expert prediction logs the Ducks as the team to land Gaines, while the 247Sports crystal ball still doesn’t have a prediction.

But Gaines left his Week 1 trip to Eugene to watch the Ducks at Autzen Stadium impressed. An interview with Sam Spiegelman of Rivals revealed that the coaching staff appeared to get through to Gaines.

“One message I took away was from Coach Lanning telling me, ‘You fit this place’ — and that meant a lot because I see myself in their system and becoming a part of their family,” Gaines told Spiegelman.

Oregon Ducks’ Quarterback Future

Chandler quarterback Will Mencl (7) throws a pass against Basha during a game at Basha High School in Chandler on Aug. 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lanning doesn’t have any commitments yet in the 2028 cycle. If Gaines decides to commit to Oregon in the coming months, it’d provide the class with an intriguing recruit on offense to set the tone for recruiting in the rest of the cycle.

The Ducks are stacking depth at the quarterback position for years to come, however. Success that quarterbacks like Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore have experienced at the position in the Lanning era continues to attract talent from both the transfer portal and via recruiting.

The consensus belief is that former Nebraska Cornhusker Dylan Raiola will be the starting quarterback in 2027. Raiola made his Ducks debut in Week 3 against the Portland State Vikings and threw three touchdowns on a perfect 11-for-11 passing.

After that, Lanning and quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai landed 2027 five-star quarterback Will Mencl. Mencl could make a push to start as an underclassman for the Ducks, but there won’t be a lack of competition.

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola hands off the ball to Oregon running back Da'jaun Riggs as the Oregon Ducks host the Portland State Vikings on Sept. 18, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In addition to Mencl and Raiola, the program has Akili Smith Jr., who also played in the fourth quarter vs. the Vikings. Smith was a four-star quarterback in the 2025 cycle, but redshirted his freshman season.

Within Gaines’ recruiting class, the Ducks are also heavily recruiting Josiah Boyd. Boyd is a consensus four-star recruit and a top-10-rated quarterback. Oregon also appears to be setting the tone in Boyd’s recruitment, and the Ducks have even logged four predictions to land him. He witnessed their 84-0 beatdown of Portland State firsthand during his unofficial visit to Eugene.

Oregon has had trouble landing and keeping quarterback commitments in the Lanning era. Blue-chip recruits like Bryson Beaver (2026), Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (2025) and even Moore in 2023 have either flipped or entered the transfer portal shortly after enrolling.

With the Ducks heavily in the mix for both Gaines and Boyd, can the program turn around their quarterback recruiting misfortunes and land two commits in one cycle?

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