The Oregon Ducks opted to go a little more conservative for the 2026 recruiting class after going all-in on five-star recruits like Dakorien Moore, Na'eem Offord, and Trey McNutt in 2025. Those players were big wins, but they didn't use the same approach for the subsequent recruiting class. That ultimately came up short on some long-term targets like Ryder Lyons (who landed with BYU), and Brandon Arrington (Texas A&M).
What's next for them after a whiff to start the summer? Oregon is a big enough school to survive one poor recruiting run, but they still have work to do in the future. ESPN insider Eli Lederman thinks that they are hoping for things to come together on the back end of their class.
"Oregon did register a few big recruiting wins in June, led by commitments from No. 1 overall safety Jett Washington, four-star pass catcher Messiah Hampton and quarterback Bryson Beaver, a late riser in the 2026 class," Lederman said. "Coach Dan Lanning & Co. will hope that part of the trend can continue as the Ducks keep working Iheanacho, No. 13 in the ESPN 300, and Cal commit Tommy Tofi. Oregon is also expected to remain in serious contention for a trio of top-30 prospects as wide receiver Calvin Russell and linebackers Tyler Atkinson and Anthony Jones make decisions later this summer."
The Ducks have some recruits, but they aren't the ones they had really hoped to get. That's not the end of the world, but a dominant Oregon season will depend on how well they get the remaining players they have been working on. There are still impact players, but the Ducks can ill afford to lose out on any more.