After a Series of Misses, What’s Next for Oregon Recruiting?

It’s no secret that Oregon has hit a rough patch on the recruiting trail. Five-star Kodi Greene flipped to Washington, Tomuhini Topui flipped to USC, and the Ducks missed out on Elbert Hill, Derek Colman-Brusa, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, and now Jared Curtis. As tough as this stretch has been, Oregon is still on track to sign one of the top classes in the nation. Here’s what’s next for Oregon recruiting:

5-star OT Jackson Cantwell

The next major domino to watch is Jackson Cantwell, who is set to announce his commitment on May 13th. Miami, Georgia, and Oregon make up his final three, with the Bulldogs expected to host him for another visit on May 10th. While the decision could still go in any direction, Georgia seems like the most likely destination. Landing Cantwell would provide much-needed relief for Oregon fans after a tough stretch. However, missing on him would mark another significant setback in the Ducks’ recruiting efforts. Even if Oregon strikes out on Cantwell, they remain in the mix for five-stars Immanuel Iheanacho and Kelvin Obot—but the margin for error continues to shrink.

Quarterback Recruiting

With their top quarterback target off the board, Oregon is now turning its full attention to Ryder Lyons. Although Lyons is planning to take a one-year mission before starting college—essentially making him a 2027 recruit—the Ducks remain all-in on him. Oregon, BYU, and USC are his top three, with the Trojans potentially emerging as the team to beat. Oregon has been strategic with its 2026 quarterback recruiting, making both Jared Curtis and Lyons top priorities. The expectation was that they would land at least one—but only time will tell. UPDATE: Oregon just received multiple predictions to land Ryder Lyons, which backs up what I was originally hearing a few weeks ago before Pete Nakos predicted him to USC.

If Oregon ends up going 0-for-2 on its top QB targets, it would make sense for the staff to pivot to new options while still recruiting both Curtis and Lyons. Two names that stand out as potential targets are 5-star Keisean Henderson and 4-star Brady Smigiel. Oregon has already offered both, and they are among the best quarterbacks in the 2026 class. There was a period when the Ducks were recruiting Smigiel heavily before shifting focus elsewhere. He’s a West Coast prospect, so circling back would be logical.

As for Henderson, he's currently ranked as a top-five overall prospect and is committed to his in-state Houston Cougars. Oregon has strong recruiting ties in Texas, and Henderson is an elite talent that any program would want. He would be a more difficult pull than Smigiel, but he’s definitely a name to keep an eye on as Oregon reassesses its options.

Wide Receiver Recruiting

Missing out on Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was definitely a blow, but Oregon still has plenty of options at wide receiver. The Ducks will also get a major boost in 2026 when speedy 5-star Gatlin Bair joins the roster. Other key targets include Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton, both of whom Oregon is in a strong position for, as well as 4-star Calvin Russell, who remains firmly on the board. More names are likely to emerge as the cycle progresses, but for now, there’s no real reason to be concerned about Oregon’s efforts at wide receiver.

Cornerback Recruiting

Oregon missed out on 5-star Elbert Hill, but things are trending positively with 5-star Brandon Arrington and 4-star Davon Benjamin. Time will tell if the Ducks can close on either, but they’re firmly in the mix. Oregon is also heavily pursuing elite prospect Khary Adams and 4-star Camren Hamiel. While this likely won’t be a large cornerback class—probably three signees at most, and more likely just two—the quality of the targets remains high. Overall, there's still plenty of reason to feel confident about where Oregon stands at the cornerback position.

Final Thoughts

Oregon is still on track to sign a top-10 recruiting class—at the very least. While the Ducks are in the middle of a rough stretch, it’s important to remember that it’s only May and signing day isn’t until December. The staff has plenty of time to regroup, recalibrate, and make a strong push. Expect Oregon to have a big July and be highly active during flip season. The Ducks remain in strong position for several top prospects, so it’s far too early to hit the panic button. With a full college football season still ahead, a lot can change—and there’s every reason to believe Oregon will finish with another elite class.