McLaughlin: Why Lanning, Ducks Should Reel In Another Top-Ten Recruiting Class In 2026
By SPENCER McLAUGHLIN
Contributor, 750 The Game
Dan Lanning is in the midst of assembling his 4th full recruiting class with the Ducks. His first big win on the trail came in the 2022 class, with 5-star OT Josh Conerly picking the Ducks as a late commit just a few months after Lanning got to Eugene. At the moment it felt important, and it proved to be a sign of good things to come on multiple fronts.
Conerly has started the last 2 years at left tackle for the Ducks after being a jumbo package tackle as a true freshman. He was selected #29 overall by the Washington Commanders in this year’s NFL Draft. Getting the #2 OT in a class when Lanning and his staff had barely signed their first contracts put a question in my head.
Is this guy going to be as good or better than Cristobal on the trail?
Mario Cristobal did great things for the Ducks’ program that ranged from its first top 10 class to signing the #1 overall player in Kayvon Thibodeaux back in 2019. Cristobal and his staff showed what was possible, and that expectation has been reset again by Dan Lanning.
Oregon has pulled in consecutive top 5 recruiting classes, both the highest-ranked in program history. They currently sit at #18 nationally according to 247Sports. I fully expect that to rise.
Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class was defined by the best haul of defensive backs a single cycle has ever seen in Eugene. 5-star Na’eem Offord was flipped from Ohio State and could see the field as a true freshman. Brandon Finney was a top 10 DB who also considered Ohio State along with Penn State. Neither one had committed at this time a year ago.
The biggest name in 2025 was #1 WR Dakorien Moore, whose talents were on full display in Oregon’s Spring Game. He committed on July 4th, 2024.
The Ducks have plenty of big names that have already visited Eugene, and more that will continue to roll through and consider the Ducks. 4-star WR Messiah Hampton is scheduled to commit on June 13th, and I’ve heard that Oregon is in a very good position. 5-star QB Ryder Lyons is still out there, too.
Will the Ducks pull a 3rd straight top 5 class? I’m not counting on it. Missing on a pair of top players at their positions probably saw to that. OT Jackson Cantwell went to Miami while QB Jared Curtis went to Georgia. Even if the Ducks land 5-star OT Immanuel Iheanacho in August, who several experts feel good about right now, that’s a steep mountain to climb.
This is not a knock on the recruiting efforts of Dan Lanning and his staff. With 3 straight top 10 classes and 2 inside the top 5, he should be given the benefit of the doubt on the trail. Success does brew expectations, and top 10 is a reasonable expectation. There are still plenty of big names out there who will boost Oregon’s class ranking and, most importantly, project as impact players on the field one day.
I’m expecting June to be a busy time for the Ducks. My concern level would raise significantly if there aren’t a few new future players to discuss in the coming weeks.
Spencer McLaughlin is an Oregon Ducks football contributor to 750 The Game. He also hosts the “Locked On Oregon Ducks” and “Locked On College Football” podcasts and has work featured throughout the season here.