Oregon Ducks and Dan Lanning land most important recruit in their 2026 class as they try regain momentum amid summer visits

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Travis May | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 3:33 PM ET

The Oregon Ducks have been quite up-and-down on the recruiting front here recently. From big name recruiting commits, to surprising decommits, to a complete standstill, Dan Lanning and his staff have struggled lately to regain momentum. That stopped on Friday as the Ducks landed their most important recruit of the entire 2026 recruiting cycle so far for them.

Messiah Hampton, Four Star WR Recruit Commits to Oregon

Messiah Hampton, a now highly rated four star from New York, made it official on Friday as he announced his commitment to the Oregon Ducks.

Hampton had seemingly been leaning more towards schools closer in proximity to his home state initially last fall, but after his consensus rating rose from high three star to fringe Top 100 player in the nation he began pivoting more towards Oregon and perhaps even Miami.

Messiah made it clear that his focus on faith and a deep desire to be the absolute best football player and man he could be led to his decision to join Oregon (as you can see in Steve Wiltfong's post below).

BREAKING: Rochester (NY) James Monroe On300 receiver Messiah Hampton has committed to Oregon.

“Faith is big in my life and I feel like I have room to grow in my faith there without much distraction and become the the best football player and best man I can be off the field.”… pic.twitter.com/8vV5Ru9gDo
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) June 13, 2025

Messiah Hampton wasn't always the dominant, physical, explosive force at wide receiver that he's grown into, so most analysts in the national recruiting community were a bit behind on recognizing what he could become. That changed drastically last fall though.

Hampton added significant strength and speed, showcasing a rare ability to bully his way through contact while also possessing game-breaking burst to finish off explosive plays. His knack for creating YAC should fit perfectly with Oregon's scheme.

New Oregon starting quarterback Dante Moore will need to lean on youth this year and beyond now as Evan Stewart is likely out for the 2025 season. Tez Johnson–last year's start WR for the Ducks–is already off to the NFL. True freshman five star Dakorien Moore may be the focal point of the passing attack by midseason this fall, but he'll need some help soon.

Older transfer talents like Gary Bryant Jr. and Malik Benson (who may surprise this season) will also be gone after this year too, so Messiah Hampton could slide in as a day one starter in 2026 given his immense talent and likely opportunity.

The 2026 recruiting class is hardly wrapped up or Oregon, so Dan Lanning and company could still add more wide receiver help. However, as of now, Messiah Hampton looks like the foundational offensive piece in next year's crop of new recruits. Great get by Lanning.

We'll be back with more Oregon Ducks coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!

And if you want to see how special a talent Messiah Hampton is, just check out some of his highlights from last season in the video below!

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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