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Oregon Ducks and Dan Lanning on the verge of adding another elite four star recruit after slow start on their 2026 class

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Travis May | Last updated May 13, 2025 5:15 PM ET

The Oregon Ducks locked in a handful of solid recruits just before and throughout their dominant 2024 college football season. However, following the Big Ten Championship, Dan Lanning and his staff only landed two commits over the next five months.

The good news is that Lanning and his crew might just be on the precipice of a recruiting explosion. They added Top 50 overall edge defender recruit Richard Wesley to wrap up last week. Now, according to industry experts, it looks like they’re about to land another elite four star recruit (and possibly more).

Messiah Hampton, Four Star WR Recruit

Messiah Hampton has been quickly rising up recruiting rankings boards after he put together an explosive junior season last fall where posted nearly 1400 all purpose yards as an explosive wide receiver and return weapon. Hampton has risen all the way up into the Top 100 recruits in the entire 2026 recruiting class with offers from several major college football brands around the sport.

Despite still having official visits set with Ohio State, USC, Miami, and Penn State, Steve Wiltfong of On3 announced this week that he expects Hampton to choose the Oregon Ducks.

FONG BOMB: On3’s @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for Oregon to land elite WR Messiah Hampton

Hampton ranks No. 49 NATL. (No. 7 WR) in the 2026 On300.

Read: https://t.co/T0OdItR6WW pic.twitter.com/bKDdz60k3I
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 12, 2025

Messiah Hampton hadn’t visited in person with Oregon much (if at all) prior to April, so hearing that they’re the likely favorite to win him was a bit surprising, but the Ducks have done this before, swooping in late. There could still be a late surprise, as Penn State has been heavily involved as the more “local” team for him since early on in the process and will again desperately need wide receivers next year, but the Ducks are apparently the likely winner.

If Oregon does in fact end up landing Messiah Hampton he could be the first major wide receiver commit in the class for the Ducks. While the Ducks did just bring in Dakorien Moore who could be the featured lead wide receiver of the offense here soon, they’re also losing Evan Stewart after this year. They’re going to need a jolt of speed and YAC ability on the roster again very soon. Hopefully the Hampton commitment news becomes official here soon.

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 why Messiah Hampton has been rising so quickly into the Top 100 recruits in the nation just check out his junior season highlights below!

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

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