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The USC Trojans are in the running for class of 2026 five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons. Rivals’ national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney provided an update on Lyons earlier this week and gave a prediction for a surprise team that could be a finalist for him.
Ole Miss Rebels, A Finalist For Five-Star Quarterback Ryder Lyons?
Gorney said that there has “been a lot of chatter” when it comes to Ole Miss and Lyons’s recruitment. The relationship between Lyons and Rebels coach Lane Kiffin is reportedly “strong.”
“There has been a lot of chatter about Ole Miss once again in his recruitment…There has been some whispers that Lyons isn’t crazy about the location, but his relationship with coach Lane Kiffin is strong,” Gorney said. “It was a big sign that Lyons recently returned to Oxford with his mother as it seemed like the Rebels were slipping a little bit, but now they’re very much back in it and will be a finalist in his recruitment.”
Earlier in the recruiting process, it looked like Lyons was going to stay in his home state and be a USC Trojan. The odds of that happening have shrunk dramatically, despite the proximity to home and Lyons’ older brother Walker currently being a tight end for Trojans.
“At one point, it looked like the Folsom, California star quarterback was all but set for USC, but then four-star Jonas Williams flipped from Oregon to the Trojans. Still, Lyons visited USC after that pledge although that ship might have sailed," Gorney said.
Jonas Williams is also a class of 2026 quarterback recruit that was initially committed to Oregon before flipping to USC in late February of this year. With a quarterback not committed to Oregon at this time, the door is open for someone like Lyons. He isn’t the only with Oregon towards the top of their list. Four-star quarterback Jared Curtis is also one of Ducks coach Dan Lanning’s targets.
Ryder Lyons’ Evaluation
Ryder Lyons is a 6-2, 215 pound quarterback out of Folsom, California. Lyons is rated as a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 quarterback in the class of 2026 according to 247Sports. He was evaluated by national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins in March of 2024.
“Lyons is on a short list when talking about the top overall signal caller in the ’26 class,” Biggins said. “At the SoCal Elite 11 Camp, he showed off one of the quickest releases in the camp, the ability to make throws from in and out ofd the pocket, and was accurate to all three levels of the field. His 36-inch vertical jump was second highest in the camp and he combines rare physical tools with an advanced feel for the position.”
Lyons has official visits set with USC, Oregon, and BYU coming up in June.
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Report: Teams reluctant to discuss key offseason move with Bulls
After an impressive debut season with the Chicago Bulls, you could have been forgiven if you believed Josh Giddey's restricted free agency was a mere formality. The playmaking guard established himself as a key member of Billy Donovan's rotation. Furthermore, he ended the season looking like the cornerstone of the team's rebuilding efforts. Instead, Giddey and the Bulls have been at an impasse throughout the summer. If reports are to be believed, the issue is that Giddey is seeking a deal in the region of $30M per year. Chicago, on the other hand, is working in the $20M per year range. According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer, that impasse has led some teams from around the league to register their interest in Giddey. However, any potential move to sign him would need to be a sign-and-trade. Unfortunately for Giddey, those teams are "reluctant" to enter negotiations with Chicago, as they've become a notoriously difficult franchise to deal with in trade discussions. "Sources say Giddey has managed to attract some external interest from rival teams since free agency began, with multiple Eastern Conference teams contacting Giddey's representation to register sign-and-trade interest," Fischer reported via The Stein Line Newsletter. "Yet it's likewise true that more than one rival front office has indicated a reluctance to try to engage the Bulls in sign-and-trade discussions, sources say, with Chicago having messaged for some time that it is not eager to discuss such scenarios." For Chicago, the interest in Giddey should be a wakeup call. His unique style of play and ability to impact a game in a host of different ways should make him borderline indispensable. At 22, he's likely to continue improving for the best part of a decade. Chicago can't let such a talent slip through its fingers. As such, the Bulls must try to meet Giddey closer to where he's at. A deal in the region of $25M or $27M per year would likely go a long way to getting him back to the negotiating table. If other teams are starting to test the waters, Giddey could be tempted to sign his qualifying offer. That would make him an unrestricted free agent and all but ensure his time in Chicago is short-lived. The Bulls front office must act now after Giddey has proven himself. While his contract requests are undoubtedly high, the Bulls would be securing his future, and that alone is worth paying a premium for.
New York Rangers Expected to Make Controversial Decision With New Captain, Per Longtime Analyst
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Cowboys QB Dak Prescott makes big proclamation he probably can't keep
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