Prediction: Oregon Ducks close to landing bluechip wide receiver

Andrew Nemec | May 12, 2025

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning with Messiah Hampton and his mom / Courtesy of Messiah Hampton

The Oregon Ducks experienced a sizable hiccup on the recruiting trail recently missing out on a pair of elite recruits - five-star quarterback Jared Curtis and four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.

But unsurprisingly, Oregon coach Dan Lanning has quickly rebounded.

This weekend, the Ducks snagged the commitment of Sierra Canyon (California) five-star edge-rusher Richard Wesley and hosted a collection of top recruits.

Soon, they may have a major answer at the wide receiver position.

Prediction: Messiah Hampton to Oregon Ducks

When Oregon hired then-Syracuse assistant Ross Douglas as wide receiver coach, the Ducks immediately jumped to the forefront of Messiah Hampton's recruitment.

The 6-foot, 170-pound pass-catcher out of James Monroe (New York), rated as highly as the nation's No. 64 overall prospect, had built a close bond with Douglas

“He’s a great coach," Hampton said. "A great recruiter. He’s a great leader and a great role model, somebody that you could look up to as a player and as a young man... He truly genuinely wants what’s best for the players and people around him... So definitely somebody the Oregon fans should definitely be happy to have in their corner.”

Hampton quickly became Douglas' first offer and he's been sky-high on Oregon since.

The New Yorker is set to take an official visit to Eugene next month and all signs point to a future Ducks pledge.

After missing out on Dixon-Wyatt, Oregon needed an impact class of 2026 wide receiver - and they likely have found one in Hampton.

I discussed this possibility in depth in this week's "Recruiting with Andrew Nemec" on 1080 The FAN.

Overall, Oregon's 2026 class consists of eight pledges and is ranked No. 15 nationally, headlined by Reidsville (North Carolina) five-star tight end Kendre Harrison and Wesley, the newest addition to the group.

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