Oregon Ducks HC Dan Lanning has been one of the best recruiters in college football, but his chase to get No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Cantwell, a five-star offensive tackle, may be losing steam.
Cantwell announces his commitment on Tuesday, and while the Ducks have been active in the 2026 recruiting cycle, they could be losing the top recruit to another football powerhouse. Let’s look deeper into the absolute war of the 2026 recruiting cycle.
The Top Recruiter in 2025 Faces Rising Pressure Over Potential Flip
Jackson Cantwell makes his decision on Tuesday, and On3’s Josh Newberg explained that Oregon has competition for the tackle’s college option.
“We’ve got six teams that are involved in this recruitment, but I think you can kind of put them in two tiers,” Newberg said Monday. “You’ve got Oregon, Georgia, and Miami, who I think are the real contenders heading into Tuesday. But, you can’t discount Michigan, Ohio State, and in-state Missouri.”
However, Oregon hasn’t been without monster commitments. 2026 four-star EDGE Richard Wesley verbally committed to Oregon over Ohio State, Texas, and USC by leaping into a pool with Lanning.
“This was a monster commitment,” Newberg said. “Remember, just last week, we were on here. We had Max Torres from ScoopDuck. We were talking about the slump, the skid, whatever you wanna call it that Oregon was in over the last five, six, eight weeks. No commitments, kind of a dry stretch for recruiting.”
Newberg doesn’t think Oregon is done on the trail by any means.
“That’s not it for Oregon,” Newberg said. “They’re in it for Jackson Cantwell. They’re in it for wide receiver Messiah Hampton, the No. 1 player out of New York. They’re in it for Joey O’Brien. So, I think this Richard Wesley commitment is just gonna get things started.
“Remember, also, they’re in line for maybe a couple five-stars. Brandon Arrington comes off the board the day after July 4. Then you’ve got Ryder Lyons, he’s a five-star you gotta watch. So, Oregon, as I said the other day, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about when it comes to Oregon recruiting.”
Colorado Making Massive 2026 Recruiting Push
As the Colorado Buffaloes continue to forge ahead without last season’s Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter, catching passes for his program, HC Deion Sanders is doing his best to fill his shoes.
“I know, we mentioned the Buffs’ big visit weekend last week. Now, they’re back it at again, with the headliner of this weekend being No. 2-ranked wide receiver Cederian Morgan,” Newberg said. “He’s from Alexander City, Ala., and he is one of the best overall at the wide receiver position. We’re seeing a lot of that out in Boulder this cycle.”
RELATED: 2026 5-Star OT Jackson Cantwell Announces Decision Tuesday — Will He Choose the Georgia Bulldogs?
In hopes of eventually flipping him, Coach Prime also hosted four-star wideout and Georgia commit Vance Spafford. Spafford is from Mission Viejo, CA, and landing in Colorado would be much closer to home for him.
“We know Colorado likes to dip into Cali and land some of those guys,” Newberg said.
While Cantwell is expected to sign with the Bulldogs, top options like Oregon will still be making major moves on the recruiting trail as the 2025 season approaches.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
