High School

Jonas Williams, Oregon quarterback commit, dazzles in season opener

Andrew Nemec

Jonas Williams and his mom pose with Dan Lanning
Jonas Williams and his mom pose with Dan Lanning / Courtesy of Jonas WIlliams

Class of 2026 Oregon Ducks quarterback commit Jonas Williams made his much-anticipated Lincoln-Way East (Illinois) debut Friday night, and he didn't disappoint.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound signal-caller threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-22 victory over Maine South.

But the highlights may speak even louder than the numbers:

Williams, the nation's No. 8 quarterback, committed to Oregon in early August, choosing the Ducks over fellow finalists Alabama, LSU and Ohio State.

For the Midwest product, that decision became clear after a summer visit to Eugene for Oregon's elite prospect camp, "Saturday Night Live."

"I’m going to Oregon, because it’s the best fit for me and I trust the coaching staff the most and I picture myself playing in that program," Williams said.

"When I went on my visit this past weekend I was reassured that I wanted to be a Duck," Williams said. "It just felt right. I Facetime'd coach (Will) Stein and (Dan) Lanning (the following Wednesday) to let them know."

Overall, Oregon's 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 nationally by On3, but it's very early.

However, if Williams - and others - continue their ascensions perhaps the Ducks could finish with their first-ever No. 1 ranking in recruiting.

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Williams as a prospect:

"Mobile passer with the arrow pointing up giving his traits and instincts. Put encouraging stretches on tape as both a freshman and sophomore before changing schools in advance of junior season. Type of quarterback that can win with ball placement and has proven to be rather accurate on the move, including on sprint outs. Always a threat to move the chains with his legs and can be effective on designed runs with his quick feet and thicker build, but has also shown the ability to stay on schedule and throw his receivers open from the pocket. In-person evaluations suggest that he’s not afraid to challenge tight coverage windows and will take what a defense gives him at the intermediate level. Should be viewed as the ideal signal caller for a spread attack that wants to challenge defenses with run-pass options. Must keep progressing and improving as a decision maker, but ability to evade pressure with his internal clock and create chances is certainly promising at this stage. Projects as a potential multi-year starter at the Power Four level that could eventually get looks from NFL scouts."

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Andrew Nemec
ANDREW NEMEC

Andrew Nemec covers national high school recruiting and brings more than a decade of experience. Andrew hosts "Recruiting with Andrew Nemec" on ESPN-affiliate 1080 The FAN in Portland, Oregon. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oregon.

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