The Latest in Oregon Recruiting 4/24

It's been a busy easter for me visiting family, but it's time for another Latest in Oregon Recruiting. There's been a ton of recent developments that need to be talked about. Here' the latest:

5-star OT Jackson Cantwell

As you've likely seen, Jackson Cantwell has pushed back his commitment date to May 13 to allow for another visit to Georgia. In the meantime, On3’s Steve Wiltfong has logged a prediction for him to land with the Bulldogs. Cantwell will be back in Eugene this weekend for his official visit, but Oregon likely sits third right now—behind both Georgia and Miami. There’s still time to make a move, but this visit will be crucial if the Ducks hope to climb back into serious contention.

5-star CB Elbert Hill

Hill just wrapped up a visit to Oregon, but that was quickly followed by a prediction from Steve Wiltfong pegging him to land at USC. That one came as a surprise, especially considering Oregon appeared to be in a strong position just 2–3 weeks ago. Of course, recruiting can shift quickly—especially in the NIL era—but don’t expect Oregon to back off easily. Hill will be back at USC this weekend, so this could be a pivotal stretch in his recruitment.

5-star QB Ryder Lyons

Lyons is another prospect Oregon had been gaining momentum with, but his recent visit to USC was quickly followed by a prediction from On3’s Pete Nakos for him to land with the Trojans. With his brother already at USC and being a California native, there are plenty of reasons for him to lean that way. Still, Oregon had been trending up in his recruitment before the visit. I don’t have a new update on Jared Curtis just yet, but this development could potentially be encouraging news on that front.

Now for Good News

4-Star DB Davon Benjamin

He visited Oregon last week, and coming out of that trip, it sounds like the Ducks have regained the momentum in his recruitment. USC had been pushing hard and made things interesting, but it now appears Oregon has pulled back in front.

5-Star DB Jett Washington

He was back in Eugene on Saturday, and coming out of that visit, it’s Oregon that holds the momentum. Alabama remains a serious threat, but the Ducks are now looking like the team to beat.

4-star WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt

Dixon-Wyatt was another prospect who returned to Eugene, and Oregon made a significant move in his recruitment. Ohio State was seen as the leader heading into the visit, but coming out of it, the Ducks have closed the gap—and may even hold the edge now. USC remains in the mix, but they appear to be running third at the moment.

4-star WR Calvin Russell

Russell was a late addition to the visitor list, but it sounds like Oregon made a strong impression during his time in Eugene. It’s still a bit unclear exactly where the Ducks stand in this one, but they’ve done enough to position themselves as serious contenders moving forward.

Offensive Tackles

5-star Kodi Greene

With the news of 5-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene flipping to Washington, Oregon now faces a significant need at the position. Greene’s decision came as a bit of a surprise. While he did recently visit Washington—and has ties to the program with his brother on the team and being originally from the state—I never saw them as a serious threat. He had seemed fully locked in with Oregon. That said, the Ducks still have several big-time targets on the board, and I doubt they’ll stop recruiting Greene anytime soon.

What's Next?

Obviously, Jackson Cantwell is visiting this weekend. Steve Wiltfong put in a prediction for him to land at Georgia, but that feels a bit premature considering he still has two visits left. Oregon is still in it, but like I’ve said before, there’s work to do. Oregon looks like the team to beat again for 5-star Immanuel Iheanacho, and his recruitment might be speeding up. A new name to watch is 4-star Kelvin Obot. Oregon recently made his top five, so I checked in and was told the Ducks are a serious contender. On3 ranks him No. 9 nationally, and Oregon is primarily battling Michigan and USC for his commitment. He hasn’t been on campus in a while, but he was one of the few prospects the staff visited multiple times during January. We’ll see how this all plays out, but there are still several big-time targets left on the board at the position.