Five-Star Recruit Commits to Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning Over Alabama, Texas A&M

The Oregon Ducks landed the commitment of five-star edge rusher Anthony “Tank” Jones on Thursday morning. The class of 2026 recruit went on The Pat McAfee Show to announce his commitment to Dan Lanning and the Ducks.

The other teams in the mix were the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas A&M Aggies.

Tank Jones Commits to Oregon Ducks

Dan Lanning Oregon Ducks Recruit Anthony Tank Jones Five Star Edge Rusher Alabama Crimson Tide Texas A&M Commitment — 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

Tank Jones was asked by Pat McAfee where he would be continuing his football career and what went into that decision.

"For the next 3-4 years, I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Oregon," Jones said while putting on a green Oregon hat. "The relationships I have with them. The way I know they can develop."

Breaking: Anthony "Tank" Jones, the No. 2 OLB in the Class of 2026, has committed to Oregon, he announced on the @PatMcAfeeShow 👀 pic.twitter.com/USJtNcG5wP
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 31, 2025

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Tank Jones Player Profile

Anthony “Tank” Jones is a 6-3, 240 pound edge rusher out of Mobile, Alabama. Jones is rated as a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 4 edge rusher in the class of 2026 per 247Sports Composite Rankings. Jones was evaluated in May of this year by national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna.

“Physically imposing pass rusher in possession of a high octane motor that allows him to generate pressures in both a two or three point stance while operating in an odd front,” Petagna said. “Jones displays a collegiate ready frame in conjunction with an explosive lower half that bodes well for his ability to make an impact sooner rather than later.”

Oregon Ducks 2026 Recruiting Class Gets A Major Boost

Adding Tank Jones to their 2026 recruiting class has given Oregon a major boost in the class rankings. per 247Sports, the Ducks now have the No. 8 overall ranked 2026 recruiting class. Jones is the 16th player committed to Oregon.

In addition to Jones, the Ducks top rated recruits are five-star safety Jett Washington, five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, and four-star athlete Jalen Lott.

These are 247Sports's rankings for the top 10 current 2026 recruiting classes.

1. Georgia Bulldogs

2. USC Trojans

3. Texas A&M Aggies

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

6. Texas Longhorns

7. Ohio State Buckeyes

8. Oregon Ducks

9. Tennessee Volunteers

10. LSU Tigers

Along with Oregon in this top 10 are two other Big Ten teams; USC and Ohio State. Ohio State being in this group comes as no surprise. USC on the other hand has struggled in recruiting under coach Lincoln Riley since he took over in 2022. USC's last two recruiting class have missed the top ten until this season.

A possible reason for this is the addition of general manager Chad Bowden. Bowden is the first ever football general manager in USC Trojans history and since they hired him this offseason, it has paid off big time in recruiting.