After a tough spring recruiting period, the Oregon Ducks picked up steam over the summer, landing an elite group of commits from the class of 2026. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks received commitments from several players, helping the program soar in the recruiting rankings.
Ahead of the 2025 season, ESPN released its updated recruiting rankings. During the fall, recruiting targets will visit campus, and potential flips could occur, but where do the Oregon Ducks rank ahead of the college football season?
Despite four Big Ten programs making the top 10, the Oregon Ducks stand at No. 2 in the conference, only behind the USC Trojans. Oregon's recruiting class features three five-star players and 11 four-star players.
While Oregon may not have as many recruits as schools such as USC and Georgia, Lanning and the Ducks do have elite players coming in. The Oregon Ducks have received 17 commitments from the class of 2026, and 12 are among the ESPN 300.
Oregon's No. 1 offensive recruit per ESPN is five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, who committed to the Ducks on Nov. 30. Harrison is the No. 1 tight end from the class of 2026, the No. 2 recruit from North Carolina and is ranked No. 12 on the ESPN 300.
Another big offensive weapon that Oregon received a commitment from is four-star running back Tradarian Ball. The Ducks are heading into a 2025 season with immense running back depth and bringing in an elite player the following year. With Ball coming in next year, Oregon could maintain one of the top running games in college football for the next several years.
One of the highlights of Oregon’s class of 2026, and one of the reasons the Ducks are in the top 10, is the offensive line recruits. Five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho committed to Oregon on July 3 and was a big pickup for the program. He is the No. 2 offensive tackle and the No. 2 recruit from Maryland.
In addition to Iheanacho on the offensive line, the Ducks recruited four-star Tommy Tofi and three-star Koloi Keli. The Ducks' offense has elite players coming in, giving Oregon the pieces to maintain one of the top teams in the nation.
Since Lanning took over as Oregon’s coach, the Ducks’ defense has remained elite. The toughness of the defense is set to continue with the current Oregon commits.
ESPN ranks five-star safety Jett Washington as the top defensive prospect committed to Oregon. Washington committed to Oregon on June 19, and was a big pickup for the Ducks, as the safety was a heavily sought after recruit. Washington is the No. 1 safety, the No. 1 recruit from Nevada, and No. 21 on the ESPN 300.
In addition to having Washington on the defense, Oregon also recruited four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin. He is coming in as the No. 7 cornerback, the No. 8 recruit from California, and No. 63 on the ESPN 300. With both Washington and Benjamin, Oregon has two elite defensive backs who can take over the defense in the coming years.
The Ducks also built up on the defensive line with four-star defensive tackle Tony Cumberland and three-star defensive end Dutch Horisk.
The Oregon Ducks may have hit a bump in the road with recruiting, but they turned things around. Entering the 2025 college football season, Lanning and the Ducks have one of the highest-ranked recruiting classes in the nation and are setting themselves up for success for the next several years.
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