Oregon Ducks Eye New Quarterback Recruits After Jared Curtis Commits to Georgia Bulldogs

With that, the Ducks now have their sights set on multiple highly touted quarterbacks to hopefully fill that quarterback spot in Oregon's 2026 class. 

Shortly following Curtis’s decision to go to Georgia, the Ducks emerged as favorites to land five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, who Oregon has already been actively pursuing. 

On3’s Steve Wilfong logged an official prediction for Oregon to land a commitment from Lyons, the No. 1 player in the state of California. 

The USC Trojans have been viewed by various outlets as the top destination for Lyons in recent weeks. However, now the Ducks are the ones trending the most to secure Lyons. 

While securing a commitment from Lyons will certainly help Oregon get back on track in the 2026 cycle, it wouldn’t necessarily fix their quarterback problem. 

If Lyons were to commit to Oregon, he wouldn’t be able to join the Ducks until 2027. Lyons is expected to take an LDS mission after high school, which would delay his enrollment into college. Therefore, the Ducks will likely need to secure a commitment from another quarterback from the 2026 recruiting class and have already taken the steps to do so. 

On Wednesday, Oregon offered a scholarship to four-star quarterback Matt Ponatoski. Ponatoski is the No. 291 overall prospect and the 21st-ranked quarterback in his class. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound signal-caller is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and holds offers from various Power Four programs such as Kentucky, Texas A&M, Michigan, and more. 

With the loss of Curtis, the Ducks are anticipated to make a more aggressive push for both Ponatoski and Lyons. Oregon's coaching staff could also very well extend offers to other play-callers in the class of 2026 as they look to fill a crucial gap in its 2026 recruiting class. 

The Ducks currently rank No. 21 in the nation in terms of 2026 recruits, per 247 Sports. Being this low in the rankings is uncharacteristic for the Ducks, who have brought in top ten recruiting classes in each of the last three years. 

The Ducks have secured just seven commitments out of the 2026 cycle. To put this number into perspective, the USC Trojans, who have the No. 1 2026 class in the nation, have secured 27 commitments. 

As the Ducks look to rebound on the trail, this summer will be pivotal. With official visits opening up, Oregon’s coaching staff has the chance to make a strong impression on uncommitted quarterbacks and other top targets. 

The program’s track record of development and competing on the national stage remains a major selling point. Under Dan Lanning, Oregon has continued to trend upward, and a strong finish to the 2026 cycle could keep that momentum alive.  

If the Ducks can close the gap with programs like USC, Notre Dame and Ohio State over the next several months, they’ll be right back in the mix as one of college football’s premier recruiting powers.