On the latest episode of the Ducks Dish Podcast, ScoopDuck’s Max Torres and Justin Hopkins discuss the latest developments in the world of Oregon Football recruiting.

Four-star Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui finally made the decision to de-commit from Oregon after flirting with USC for months and taking multiple visits to see the Trojans in Los Angeles. He’s the second defensive lineman to back off his Oregon pledge this month, joining four-star Bott Mulitalo, who has since made the decision to continue his football career focusing on being an offensive lineman.

Five-star Nashville (Tenn.) Christian quarterback Jared Curtis announced that he will make his college commitment on May 5 and he’s slated to choose between a top two of Oregon and Georgia. Is this development good news for Oregon or bad news? Max and Justin discuss.

Furthermore, Oregon and USC continue to trade blows on the recruiting trail as one of the best rivalries in college football continues to spill over into the area of talent acquisition. With Topui likely poised for a flip to USC, Oregon is also battling the Trojans to hang on to prized offensive line commit Kodi Greene, who’s slated to visit USC this week.

Max winds down the episode by giving his thoughts on five-star plus+ offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, who’s slated to take just his second trip to Oregon when the Ducks resume spring football practice next week.

Remember to like, comment, rate, review, subscribe and share the Ducks Dish Podcast wherever you find it!

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College football’s 2026 recruiting class features a record 23 five-star prospects atop the latest ESPN 300. With the early July pledges of No. 1 overall recruit Lamar Brown (LSU) and tight end Kaiden Prothro (Georgia), only three of those five-star talents remain uncommitted, headlined by No. 1 running back Derrek Cooper (No. 7 overall) and top outside linebacker Tyler Atkinson (No. 14).

For each commitment, recruiting reporter Eli Lederman and scouts Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill will look at how recruits landed at their school and what we can expect in college:

Kaiden Prothro, TE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 19

Committed to: Georgia Bulldogs

Background: Prothro was a priority in-state target for Georgia this spring, and ESPN’s second-ranked tight end prospect followed quarterback Jared Curtis as the program’s second five-star pledge in 2026 when he committed to the Bulldogs over Florida and Texas on July 12.

Prothro is considered one of the nation’s most versatile pass-catching prospects in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound recruit from Bowdon, Georgia, has recorded 89 receptions for 2,034 yards and 35 touchdowns over the last two varsity seasons at Bowdon High School, where Prothro is also a standout baseball and basketball talent. He’ll sign later this year as the next big name in the Bulldogs’ vaunted tight end pipeline alongside fellow tight end pledges Brayden Fogle (No. 142 overall) and Lincoln Keyes (No. 238). Capable of filling multiple roles across the offense, Prothro will be a candidate to earn early snaps when he lands on campus in 2026.

Scout’s take: Ranked as a five-star at the tight end position, we’re not completely sure how Prothro will be labeled on the Bulldogs roster — and ultimately it doesn’t matter. With his blend of size, speed, agility and body control, he can contribute in many ways, including having the tools to develop into a disruptive edge defender.

But he’ll be on offense, where he can be a big-play target either as a wide receiver or tight end. He possesses elite size, measuring in at little over 6-foot-6 and around 210 pounds with a broad frame that can support some additional mass. In addition to his size and length, he also presents a wide catch radius due to his body control and ability to adjust to the ball. But Prothro is more than just a big body, as he elevates to a five-star in part because of his fluidity and impressive speed; he has been measured hitting better than 21 mph in game play. All those assets make for a receiver who can align in multiple ways and present some form of a mismatch wherever he is.

You have to go back to 2021 and George Pickens for the last time the Bulldogs had a receiver with these types of measurables. If they utilize Prothro more as a tight end, he could be a player in the Brock Browers mold as a receiving threat. Based on those comparisons, Prothro can be an impactful part of Georgia’s offense. — Craig Haubert

Lamar Brown, DT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 1

Committed to: LSU Tigers

Background: Brown, the versatile, 6-foot-5, 285-pound defender from Erwinville, Louisiana, opted to stay home with the Tigers on July 10 at the end of a neck-and-neck recruiting battle between LSU and SEC rival Texas A&M, which worked harder than any program to pull Brown out of the state.

Brown followed wide receiver Tristen Keys (No. 10 overall) as the Tigers’ second five-star pledge in 2026 after the program secured five-stars Solomon Thomas and D.J. Pickett last cycle. He’s one of four top 100 defenders in LSU’s incoming class alongside defensive end Trenton Henderson (No. 61), cornerback Havon Finney Jr. (No. 72 ) and defensive tackle Richard Anderson (No. 93). If Brown remains at No. 1 in the ESPN 300 and signs with the Tigers later this year, he’ll arrive as the program’s first top-ranked addition since Leonard Fournette in the 2014 cycle.

Scout’s take: Brown is the No. 1 overall recruit and a legitimate prospect on either side of the line of scrimmage.

Focused on the defensive side of the ball, Brown is arguably even a better offensive lineman and that ability to contribute on either side of the ball in trenches further increases his value to the Tigers roster. Brown is a natural knee bender who can consistently play with leverage, balance and maximize power. In camp settings, he has tested well. On the field, he displays good agility and range for a big man at around 290 pounds. He also carries that weight well, and with time and further physical development, he can easily play at over 300-pounds and still move efficiently.

In addition to excellent physical tools, Brown also takes coaching well and quickly applies what he has learned. Those are traits that should help him work his way into the mix quickly, which will be expected from the hometown prospect with his ranking.

The Tigers might be tempted to play Brown on the offensive side of the ball, but the plan at least in the immediate future is to play on defense. He looks poised to join a unit with some emerging talent in former five-star Dominick McKinley and Ahmad Breaux, who played well above his three-star ranking as a freshman. If they can continue to develop, Brown could enter an ideal situation where he can gain some early experience rotating in with proven players. — Haubert

Zion Elee, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 2

Committed to: Maryland Terrapins

Background: Once ranked as the cycle’s No. 1 defender, Elee committed to Maryland on Dec. 7, 2024, after logging 120 total tackles and 23 sacks across his sophomore and junior seasons. If he ultimately signs later this year, Elee will join the Terps as the highest-ranked recruit in program history.

Despite his December pledge, Elee stayed in touch with other Power 4 programs in January and initially scheduled spring official visits to Auburn, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina and Texas A&M before canceling those trips and formally shutting down his recruitment in late February. As things stand, Elee is still locked in with the Terps with his June 20 trip to Maryland standing as the only official visit on his calendar this spring.

Scout’s take: Good recruiting starts at home. If Maryland holds on to Elee, he’d be the first No. 1 prospect from the area to reach Maryland in the ESPN 300 era, and the first time in five cycles the Terps landed the top in-state prospect. At roughly 6-foot-4 with an 80-inch wingspan, Elee is a lean, lengthy and disruptive edge rusher. That length blended with an excellent first step and a strong motor wreaks havoc off the edge. Maryland ranked last in sacks (14) in the Big Ten in 2024. The Terps hope signing Elee and 2025 ESPN 300 defensive end Zahir Mathis will remedy that situation. They could emerge as one of the conference’s most formidable pass-rushing duos. — Haubert

Jackson Cantwell, OT

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 3

Committed to: Miami Hurricanes

Background: Cantwell is the son of two Olympic shot putters — including a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Games — and his commitment to the Hurricanes marks perhaps the biggest recruiting win in Mario Cristobal’s tenure leading Miami.

A towering, yet athletic lineman, Cantwell kept in-state Missouri and Michigan involved in his process before cutting his finalists to Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Oregon last month. Cantwell took a multi-day trip to see the Hurricanes in March and joins Miami as the program’s highest-ranked pledge since Cristobal took over following the 2021 season. Cantwell, a two-time state champion shot putter who holds multiple national high school throwing records, intends to continue his track and field career alongside football in college.

Scout’s take: A former offensive lineman at Miami, Cristobal has landed a key building block for that unit. The Canes’ O-Line unit looks to be strong this season, but could lose several pieces from that group after this season. Cristobal began reloading the unit in the Class of 2025, by signing the top interior offensive lineman in the country in S.J. Alofaituli, who projects to be in the mix this fall. Now the Canes has the No. 1 OT in the 2026 class.

Cantwell is a massive presence at roughly 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds and is powerful and tenacious in his play. Beyond his size, Cantwell is a flexible big body with good feet. He could have some growing pains early in his college career in pass protection, but should be expected to come in and play right away. His arrival could time well with the potential departure of 2023 five-star OL Francis Mauigoa who is projected as a 2026 first-round NFL pick. Cantwell could have a similar trajectory as Mauigoa in that he is a plug-and-play addition that experiences some early challenges but continues to develop into a key piece of the unit and an eventual NFL prospect. — Haubert

Dia Bell, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 4

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Bell, the son of 12-year NBA veteran Raja Bell, is the nation’s top QB recruit and the longest-tenured member of the Longhorns’ 2026 class. He has been locked in with Texas since he committed in June 2024 following a series of visits with the program last spring.

A three-year starter at American Heritage, Bell threw for 2,597 yards and 29 touchdowns with a 70.6% completion percentage as a junior last fall before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Despite flip efforts from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU earlier this year, Bell’s sights remain set on signing with the Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian in December.

Scout’s take: Hopefully Bell takes a page out of Arch Manning’s development blueprint when it comes to patience and focus. He’s going to only get bigger, stronger and more mature without being thrown into the fire right away. Bell’s fit is quite similar to what Manning brought to the Longhorns. He’s a naturally gifted passer who is a better athlete and runner than Quinn Ewers and gives the Longhorns another player they can develop. Bell has continually performed at a high level against top high school competition and should be ready to make the leap to the next level. — Tom Luginbill

Chris Henry Jr. committed to Ohio State in July of 2023. 3Step

Chris Henry Jr., WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 5

Committed to: Ohio State Buckeyes

Background: The son of late Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, Chris Henry Jr. has been committed since July 2023, longer than any other prospect within the 2026 ESPN 300.

A knee injury sidelined Henry for the majority of his junior campaign, but he proved himself as an elite playmaker in his last complete season, when he totaled 71 catches for 1,127 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore at Withrow (Ohio) High School in 2023. Initially set for official visits to Ohio State, Miami, Oregon and USC this spring, Henry shut down his recruitment April 1.

Scout’s take: To best maximize his traits, the Buckeyes will need to deploy Henry on the outside. He’s a one-on-one matchup problem on 50-50 balls whom Ohio State can maximize — particularly in the red zone. Even when covered, he isn’t really covered. Few wide receivers 6-foot-5 or taller can move, shake and produce after the catch like Henry. He shows an amazing run-and-catch aspect in the vertical passing game. Henry’s long arms and ability to elevate in traffic create distinct advantages on jump balls. His twitchiness is very similar to that of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and sets him apart from other receivers at this size. — Tom Luginbill

Jared Curtis, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 6

Committed to: Georgia Bulldogs

Background: Initially committed to Georgia in March 2024, Curtis took a winding road back to the Bulldogs’ 2026 class after he pulled his pledge and reopened his recruitment last October.

Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and South Carolina were all involved in Curtis’ process earlier this year. Curtis narrowed his options to the Bulldogs and Ducks in February, ultimately closing his recruitment with a series of visits and in-home meetings with both programs this spring prior to his May 5 announcement. In the 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer, coach Kirby Smart once again has the cycle’s second-ranked quarterback and a potential cornerstone for the program’s future under center.

Scout’s take: Curtis will join a QB room at Georgia that is loaded with former ranked prospects and his move will likely send one or more of those players to the transfer portal. Curtis has ideal size at 6-3, 222 pounds and has tracked at 18.5 MPH Max Speed which is impressive for someone his size. His measurable standard in every category tested meets or exceeds every measure you’d like to have in a QB prospect.

He has natural arm power, which is his best trait, and he makes throws from a lot of different arm angles. He has been clocked at a 4.8 40. He can be a crafty runner and use his athleticism, smarts and arm talent to make throws in and out of the pocket. — Luginbill

Faizon Brandon, QB

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 8

Committed to: Tennessee Volunteers

Background: Brandon committed to the Vols last August before totaling 2,159 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with one interception as a junior at Grimsley last fall.

Brandon remains in near-daily contact with the Tennessee staff and has not engaged with other programs in 2025. He is focused instead on helping recruit a 2026 Vols class that already includes ESPN 300 pass catchers in wide receiver Tyreek King and tight end Carson Sneed. Brandon will take his official visit to Tennessee on June 20.

Scout’s take: The departure of Nico Iamaleava could allow Brandon to battle for the starting job sooner rather than later in a very quarterback-friendly system. Several recent Volunteers quarterbacks have similar stature, athleticism and arm strength. Brandon is more advanced than Hendon Hooker at the same stage and the pair share several traits. Brandon is also much more accurate than Joe Milton. While he lacks Iamaleava’s polish at this stage, Brandon throws an exceptional deep ball, which is a requirement in this scheme that loves to attack vertically. — Luginbill

JaReylan McCoy, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 9

Committed to: Florida Gators

Background: ESPN’s No. 2 defender in the 2026 class has logged 18.5 sacks and more than 140 total tackles over three varsity seasons. If he signs with the Gators in December, he’ll represent Florida’s highest-ranked defensive addition in more than a decade.

McCoy initially committed to LSU earlier this year before reopening his recruitment in February. He trimmed his list of finalists to Florida, LSU and Texas last month, then sealed his commitment to the Gators across a pair of visits with the program between May 30 and June 14. McCoy will join former No. 10 overall prospect L.J. McCray as the program’s second five-star defensive end when he arrives on campus in 2026.

Scout’s take: The Gators finished last season strong, creating optimism for 2025 and beyond in the Billy Napier era. Part of the strong close was improved defensive play, and while further improvement and more consistency is needed among its front, Florida is stacking some excellent young talent to further fuel the excitement.

Former ESPN 300 edge rusher signees Tyreak Sapp and Kamran James should help fuel their ascension, but defenders more recently added can boost this unit to another level. The hope is that McCray, a five-star in the 2024 class, will break out and several new high-ceiling D-line signings — including No. 6 DE Jalen Wiggins — can get involved.

Florida is stopping there and now add to the mix another five-star defender in McCoy. A breakout performer during the Under Armour All-America week this past January, that setting showcased his impact ability. He has elite length with a big frame and has demonstrated a competitive “alpha dog” nature and plays with a motor. He has also shown good practice habits and all those traits are accentuated with his excellent physical tools. He moves well with good flexibility and has excelled in combine testing situations. He can develop into an disruptive, top pass rusher but can also play the run and be a factor in pursuit with his mobility.

McCoy has shown all the tools, that with continued positive progress, would align with past top SEC defenders. With his build, size and competitiveness, he can offer versatility as he can pair with McCray at the Edge spot initially but could also play inside at DT.

Tristen Keys, WR

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 10

Committed to: LSU Tigers

Background: Keys, ESPN’s No. 2 wide receiver prospect, committed to LSU over Alabama, Tennessee and Texas A&M on March 19. He stands as the Tigers’ top-ranked 2026 commit and the leaders of one of the nation’s deepest wide receiver classes alongside fellow ESPN 300 pass catchers and LSU pledges Jabari Mack and Kenny Darby.

However, Keys’ recruitment might not be over. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver took a series of official visits in June, and Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M remain among the program’s working hard to flip Keys, who hits the summer months as perhaps the top flip candidate among the committed five-star prospects in the 2026 class.

Scout’s take: Even if he’s not an elite runner, Keys’ combination of size, range and ball skills is unmatched. Former LSU receiver Brandon LaFell is a favorable comparison. The Tigers can use Keys’ length, long arms and physicality to create matchup headaches for defenses either inside or outside. Keys has great body control and coordination on jump balls, making him a dangerous threat even when covered. He won’t win a lot of open-field foot races, but Keys could develop into a go-to option if utilized in the slot against zone coverages or on the outside for deep balls. — Luginbill

Richard Wesley, DE

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 11

Committed to: Texas Longhorns

Background: Briefly committed to Oregon in May, Wesley found a new home when he committed to the Longhorns on June 22 shortly after wrapping an official visit with the program. Wesley, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound pass rusher from Chatsworth, California, entered the ESPN 300 as a five-star prospect and the nation’s No. 3 defensive end upon reclassifying from the 2027 cycle in March. He made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC this spring before scheduling officials with Oregon and Texas in June. Upon his commitment, he joined five-star Longhorns quarterback Dia Bell (No. 6 overall) commit as Texas’ second five-star pledge in 2026.

Scout’s take: Wesley has the most impact potential of any defensive line prospect coming out of the Southern California area since Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2019. He will join a talented D-line group in Texas’ 2026 class. Headed to the SEC, he reminds us of a former disruptive defender in that conference — former Ole Miss standout Robert Nkemdiche.

Wesley has more ideal length but is a well put-together prospect with a nice blend of height and bulk. He can bring versatility in how he’s used, with the ability to play on the edge and also produce inside and exploit favorable matchups with his blend of power and quickness.

He reclassified from 2027 class to 2026 and when you see him in-person, it is clear he is able physically to make that jump and be ready to move onto college. He could be a quick contributor as well. He can continue to further improve flexibility, but he is an explosive defender with active and heavy hands who can attack with speed and power as a pass rusher and be able to set the edge.

With national championship aspirations, the Longhorns turned to the transfer portal to restock their defensive line for 2025, but the future of this unit will be driven by youth with players like Wesley.

His arrival is set to overlap with current standout edge defender Colin Simmons, whose presence could help Wesley ease into a role while still contributing and having an impact like Simmons did as a freshman in 2024. He could also pair nicely with 2025 signee five-star Justus Terry, who is in a similar mold to Wesley and the two could form a formidable pair for a defensive line unit that is adding the pieces to become one of the most talented in all of college football over the next few years. — Haubert

2026 ESPN 300 ranking: 12

Committed to: Oregon Ducks

Background: Harrison kept a low recruiting profile after he committed to Oregon over Tennessee, North Carolina, Miami, Penn State and Florida State before officially shutting down his recruitment in March.

A two-sport star who is committed to play basketball with the Ducks, now includes two other five-stars in offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho and safety Jett Washington. Harrison, North Carolina’s second-ranked recruit in 2026, will be back on campus for an official visit with the Ducks in June.

Scout’s take: The tight end position played a pivotal role in Oregon fielding one of college football’s best passing attacks in 2024, with Terrance Ferguson hauling in 43 catches. While Harrison won’t arrive for another season, he’ll help the Ducks reload at that spot and could supply even greater big-play ability.

For Ferguson, the presence of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart opened up more room to operate. Oregon’s high-level recruiting should allow Harrison to enjoy a similar situation playing alongside No. 1 wide receiver Dakorien Moore. An excellent basketball player, the 6-foot-6 Harrison has elite height, length and a massive catch radius. Much like former basketball-to-football standouts Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas, Harrison can high-point the ball and box out defenders in contested situations, giving Oregon another dangerous playmaker in the passing game. — Haubert

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The most active month of the 2026 recruiting cycle is drawing to a close. How did things shake out on the recruiting trail among the nation’s top college football programs this June?

Headlined by five-star commitments, Florida, Texas and Texas A&M led the charge among the nation’s recruiting risers. Defensive end JaReylan McCoy (No. 9 in the 2026 ESPN 300) gives the Gators a big boost. For the Longhorns and Aggies, commits Richard Wesley (No. 11) and Brandon Arrington (No. 15) land as respective defensive anchors for the Texas rivals in the 2026 class.

Who whiffed on the month of June? Auburn, Oregon and Penn State took tumbles over the past 30 days through key decommitments and misses on some of the most coveted prospects in the 2026 ESPN 300. Meanwhile, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State stand among the prominent football powers poised to rise in July after quiet June windows.

With 33 of the nation’s top 100 prospects still uncommitted, many of the biggest dominoes within the 2026 class are still to fall. As the cycle shifts from late spring’s official visit season into the commitment-heavy waters of July, we dive into June’s recruiting winners, what’s next for the teams that missed big and the programs most likely to climb over the next month.

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Big winners | Teams with questions | Who could rise

June’s biggest recruiting winners

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 2

The Aggies’ recruiting heater peaked with the June 19 commitment of five-star athlete Brandon Arrington, who chose Texas A&M over Oregon and sealed the highest-ranked pledge of the Mike Elko era in College Station. Beating Texas to No. 5 overall running back K.J. Edwards two days earlier marked a signature in-state victory, too. Between Edwards and fellow in-state rusher Jonathan Hatton Jr., the Aggies will close the month with the 2026 cycle’s top-ranked running back tandem. Commitments from three more top-300 recruits in June — cornerback Camren Hamiel, offensive tackle Samuel Roseborough and defensive end Tristian Givens — leave Texas A&M level with Georgia for the third-most ESPN 300 pledges nationally entering July.

Through the additions of Edwards and Hatton, along with the late-cycle pledge of five-star offensive tackle Lamont Rogers in the 2025 class, Elko has shown himself capable of winning high-level recruiting battles in the state of Texas. But the Aggies’ message is carrying nationally as well. Of the 10 pledges Texas A&M landed in June, five came from out of state, including four of the five ESPN 300 commits now anchoring the nation’s second-ranked class, and the Aggies aren’t done yet. No. 1 overall prospect Lamar Brown, who is set to commit July 10, is among the program’s priority targets for the new month.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 14

After surging only in the final months of the 2025 cycle, the Gators used June to get the ball rolling much earlier on the program’s 2026 class. Of the eight ESPN prospects committed to Florida, seven have landed with the Gators over the past 30 days. That group of newcomers is headlined by five-star defensive end JaReylan McCoy, who stiff-armed LSU and Texas for Florida and would be the Gators’ highest-ranked defensive signee since 2015.

Florida built out the early core of its skill position class in June with four-star running back pledge Carsyn Baker and pass catchers Marquez Daniel and Justin Williams. Five-star tight end Kaiden Prothro, a heavy Georgia lean, could join that group when he picks among the Bulldogs, Gators and Texas on July 12. In the June arrivals of safety commit Kaiden Hall and Nebraska cornerback flip C.J. Bronaugh, Florida has at least two more ESPN 300 defensive back talents on the way after landing top-100 prospects J’Vari Flowers, Hylton Stubbs and Lagonza Hayward Jr. in the 2025 class.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 3

A slow start in the 2026 cycle gave way to an explosive spring for Notre Dame, highlighted by 11 ESPN 300 pledges since April 1. As things stand, Marcus Freeman and the reigning national runner-up Irish are on track to sign a historic class later this year.

Three ESPN commitments over the past 30 days made June a high-quality, low-volume month for Notre Dame. The Irish beat out Michigan, Oregon and Penn State for No. 2 overall cornerback Khary Adams on June 20, then edged the Ducks, Nittany Lions and Clemson for safety Joey O’Brien hours later, forming the foundation of the program’s 2026 defensive back class, which also includes top-200 safety Ayden Pouncey. Adams, No. 28 overall, is Notre Dame’s top-ranked commit in the cycle following the latest update to the 2026 ESPN 300.

No. 5 overall tight end Ian Premer’s commitment marked the latest bit of recruiting momentum in South Bend. If Premer signs later this year, he’ll be the program’s highest-ranked tight end addition since Cane Berrong in the 2021 cycle, and Notre Dame likely isn’t done adding pass catchers, with wide receivers Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald and Brayden Robinson set to announce commitments later this week.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 7

The Longhorns landed their first-ever No. 1 class in the ESPN recruiting rankings era (since 2006) last cycle, and coach Steve Sarkisian & Co. have set themselves up to contend for another in 2026 with a productive month of June of recruiting along the defensive line.

Texas’ top-ranked 2025 class included four defensive linemen, headlined by five-star Justus Terry. But the flood of talent out of the Longhorns’ defensive line room this offseason meant the team needed to continue adding at the position for 2026. With the June additions of Corey Wells, Dylan Berymon and Vodney Cleveland, Texas holds more top-20 defensive tackle pledges than any program nationally. In the June 22 commitment of five-star pass rusher Richard Wesley, No. 11 in the 2026 ESPN 300, the Longhorns landed an impact playmaker on the edge and headliner for the program’s incoming defensive line class.

Well stocked on the defensive line, the rest of Texas’ 2026 cycle will be defined by the program’s success elsewhere in the coming month. Five-star targets Tyler Atkinson and Felix Ojo have the potential to supercharge the Longhorns’ 2026 class. Additions of top 100 prospects John Turntine III, Trenton Henderson and Jamarion Carlton could be in the cards, too.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 10

The Seminoles entered June with seven total pledges and only three from the 2026 ESPN 300. As of Monday, Florida State’s incoming class sits in a much healthier spot with 12 commits since June 1, providing coach Mike Norvell and his new-look staff a potential springboard toward a stronger finish later this year.

QB Jaden O’Neal flipped from Oklahoma to Florida State. Under Armour

Quarterback recruiting has long been a sticking point throughout Norvell’s tenure, and Florida State appeared headed for another unnerving cycle at the position until four-star passer Jaden O’Neal committed June 22. The former Oklahoma pledge is ESPN’s No. 7 pocket passer in 2026, and considering the Seminoles’ thin quarterback depth beyond the 2025 season, O’Neal — a polished passer with one of the stronger arms in the class — will join the program next year with a pathway to early reps.

Elsewhere, Florida State is molding a formidable pass-catching class around O’Neal. Former Texas A&M pledge Xavier Tiller, ESPN’s No. 6 overall tight end, became the Seminoles’ top-ranked commit June 23. Auburn wide receiver Devin Carter flipped hours later, landing as the No. 1 wide receiver in a class that also includes June commits Brandon Bennett and Jasen Lopez. Florida State has bolstered its defense too, adding cornerback Lawrence Timmons and defensive end James Carrington over the past two weeks, with more to come in the summer months.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 1

The Trojans shot out to the hottest start of any program in the 2026 cycle, spurred on by the January arrival of general manager Chad Bowden. After beating UCLA to sixth-ranked outside linebacker Talanoa Ili, outmuscling Ohio State and Penn State for pass rusher Luke Wafle and landing safety Peyton Dyer in the past month, USC leads the nation with 17 ESPN 300 commitments.

Just as important: The Trojans have, so far, held on to all of their biggest names this time around. USC’s dip in the 2025 cycle began with the decommitments of eventual five-stars Justus Terry and Isaiah Gibson last June before the Trojans lost a series of high-profile commits in the fall.

To date, Xavier Griffin’s late-May exit is USC’s only significant departure this spring. That’s good news for coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, who could add another elite player to the program’s 2026 class when four-star wide receiver Ethan Feaster commits Friday.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 12

Second-year Bruins coach DeShaun Foster is proving to be the recruiter he was expected to become when he replaced Chip Kelly at UCLA, and offseason staff additions of offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri and offensive line coach Andy Kwon are helping boost the program’s presence on the recruiting trail.

In June, the Bruins added 14 total commitments. None was more significant than the June 7 pledge of offensive tackle Micah Smith, No. 46 in the 2026 ESPN 300. The top-ranked commit of the Foster era, Smith would arrive as UCLA’s highest-rated offensive line addition since Xavier Su’a-Filo in the 2009 cycle. Paired with fellow ESPN 300 offensive tackle pledge Johnnie Jones, who committed June 9, the Bruins have the makings of a historic offensive line class after UCLA finished 107th in sacks allowed in 2024. Four-star passer Oscar Rios’ commitment to Arizona over the Bruins on Friday was a miss, but is expected to remain a player in what remains of the 2026 quarterback market between now and the early signing period.

Current ESPN class ranking: No. 21

Are Kalani Sitake and the Cougars on their way to landing the best recruiting class in program history? That’s the trajectory BYU finds itself on this summer following an 11-win finish in 2024.

The Cougars’ fifth and final commit of June was easily the most significant. In beating Oregon and USC for four-star passer Ryder Lyons, No. 49 in the 2026 ESPN 300, BYU landed its highest-ranked quarterback pledge since 2002 and a class cornerstone last Tuesday. Lyons is the nation’s fifth-ranked overall passer in the cycle. And though he won’t enroll until 2027 because he will be serving on a Latter-day Saints mission after high school, he could feature as soon as his freshman season without an underclassman in the program’s current quarterback room.

With Lyons’ commitment, he joins springtime ESPN 300 pledges Brock Harris and Bott Mulitalo — Utah’s No. 1 and No. 3 recruits in 2026, respectively — in BYU’s incoming class. If all three sign later this year, it will mark the first time the Cougars have landed three top-300 prospects in a single cycle in the ESPN recruiting rankings era.

Current ESPN class ranking: N/A

With only two ESPN 300 pledges in 2026, the Sooners still have plenty of work to do between now and the early signing period. However, Oklahoma avoided disaster at the quarterback position June 20 when No. 5 dual-threat passer Bowe Bentley committed to the program, sealing a major recruiting win for coach Brent Venables and first-year offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

June, as expected, delivered some significant developments across the recruiting landscape, with programs such as Alabama, Michigan and Florida making significant leaps the national rankings.

With the final five-star quarterback off the board — Ryder Lyons committed to BYU — it’s a good time to take stock of where things stand with the blue-chip QBs in the 2026 cycle.

Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports Composite.

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The five stars

1. Jared Curtis, Nashville (Tenn.) Christian School

Ranking: No. 1 QB, No. 4 overall

Status: Committed to Georgia

2. Faizon Brandon, Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley

Ranking: No. 2 QB, No. 6 overall

Status: Committed to Tennessee

3. Dia Bell, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage

Ranking: No. 3 QB, No. 13 overall

Status: Committed to Texas

4. Keisean Henderson, Spring (Texas) Legacy the School of Sport Sciences

Ranking: No. 4 QB, No. 18 overall

Status: Committed to Houston

5. Ryder Lyons, Folsom (Calif.) High

Ranking: No. 5 QB, No. 19 overall

Status: Committed to BYU

Notes: Lyons was the last player in this group to pick a school, announcing last week his commitment to BYU. He plans on serving a one-year mission, so even though he’s in the 2026 class, he’s essentially a 2027 prospect.

The Cougars beat out Oregon for Lyons. The Ducks responded by taking a pledge from Bryson Beaver, a three-star prospect from Southern California who generated quite a bit of buzz after a strong showing at the Elite 11 Finals in June.

The other notable news from this group over the past month is that Henderson has shut down his recruitment. He originally had an official visit to Florida State scheduled but canceled that trip.

Curtis committed to Georgia over Oregon in early May. There’s been no drama with Brandon’s recruitment. Bell was named MVP of the Elite 11 Finals.

The top-100 prospects

6. Landon Duckworth, Jackson (Ala.) High

Ranking: No. 6 QB, No. 51 overall

Status: Uncommitted

7. Jake Fette, El Paso (Texas) Del Valle

Ranking: No. 7 QB, No. 76 overall

Status: Committed to Arizona State

Blessed to announce my commitment to Arizona State University!! Excited to continue to pursue my dream as a Sun devil #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/7iLPFiEIxG — Jake Fette (@jake_fette1) September 23, 2024

8. Brady Smigiel, Newbury Park (Calif.) High

Ranking: No. 8 QB, No. 83 overall

Status: Committed to Michigan

9. Jonas Williams, Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East

Ranking: No. 9 QB, No. 92 overall

Status: Committed to USC

10. Bowe Bentley, Celina (Texas) High

Ranking: No. 10 QB, No. 94 overall

Status: Committed to Oklahoma

Notes: Duckworth committed to South Carolina in August 2023 but reopened his recruitment in June. It would not be a surprise if he committed to the Gamecocks again. His finalists are South Carolina and Auburn, but the Tigers flipped four-star Peyton Falzone from Penn State last week.

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Fette seems solid with Arizona State. Same with Williams and USC. Smigiel committed to Michigan in April.

Bentley committed to Oklahoma over LSU on June 20. Four-star prospect Jaden O’Neal had been committed to Oklahoma — and left his high school in Southern California and transferred to Mustang High in Oklahoma — but he backed off that pledge on June 19. The next day, Bentley committed. The two events were no doubt related.

The rest of the blue-chip prospects

11. Noah Grubbs, No. 174 overall, Notre Dame commit

12. Oscar Rios, No. 184 overall, Arizona commit

Arizona scored a significant recruiting win against UCLA when it received Rios’ pledge on Friday. He is a Southern California native, so UCLA was viewed by some as the favorite. But Wildcats offensive coordinator Seth Doege continues to be one of the more under-the-radar quarterback recruiters in the country and helped Arizona notch a much-needed win. Meanwhile, the Bruins still don’t have a quarterback in their 2026 class.

13. Dereon Coleman, No. 203 overall, Miami Commit

14. Jaden O’Neal, No. 205 overall, Florida State commit

O’Neal visited Florida State in April and June, so the Seminoles made sense when he was looking for a new landing spot.

15. Will Griffin, No. 216 overall, Florida commit

16. Jett Thomalla, No. 232 overall, Alabama commit

Thomalla committed to Iowa State in mid-April, but that marriage was short-lived. Alabama offered on May 15, and he flipped to the Crimson Tide on June 17.

17. Helaman Casuga, No. 235 overall, Texas A&M commit

18. Peyton Falzone, No. 246 overall, Auburn commit

Falzone, a Pennsylvania native, committed to Penn State in April but surprisingly flipped to Auburn last week. This was an important addition for the Tigers, who have only seven commitments as of the end of June. The Nittany Lions lost a blue-chip QB commit but already have four-star Troy Huhn committed in this class, so they should be OK at the position.

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19. Kayd Coffman, No. 259 overall, Michigan State commit

20. Troy Huhn, No. 270 overall, Penn State commit

21. Matt Ponatoski, No. 280 overall, uncommitted

Kentucky seems to be the favorite for Ponatoski. He also visited Oregon recently, but the Ducks landed Beaver. The Wildcats, assuming Ponatoski commits, will also have to hold off Major League Baseball. He was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in both football and baseball and is expected to be drafted later this month.

22. Tait Reynolds, No. 283 overall, Clemson commit

23. Briggs Cherry, No. 334 overall, Louisville commit

24. Luke Fahey, No. 356 overall, uncommitted

For a bit, Indiana and Stanford were viewed as the main contenders for Fahey, but Ohio State offered on June 22. He is set to announce his commitment on Thursday, and the Buckeyes seemingly have the momentum here. The Hoosiers also took a commitment from three-star QB Cash Herrera a week ago, so the writing might be on the wall.

25. Tayden Kaawa, No. 368 overall, uncommitted

Alabama offered a few weeks ago and seems to be the leader for Kaawa.

26. Gavin Sidwar, No. 383 overall, Missouri commit

27, Derek Zammit, No. 415 overall, Washington commit

(Photo of Bowe Bentley: Naomi Skinner / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Oregon Football 5-Star Pledge Shares Encouraging News Regarding Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Oregon Ducks are hot on the recruiting trail following one of their best seasons in program history. They’ll look to build on last season after they ran the table in the regular season with a perfect record. It was particularly impressive when considering it was the Ducks’ first year in the Big Ten Conference and they defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the regular season.

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The Ducks kept their momentum rolling in the Big Ten Championship game, where they defeated another storied Big 10 team in the Penn State Nittany Lions 45-37. As a result of their impressive run, they were given the No. 1 overall seed in the new-look College Football Playoff that featured 12 teams for the first time.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass as the Oregon Ducks host the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium.(Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Oregon Football 5-Star Pledge Shares Encouraging News Regarding Program

Under the new playoff structure, four conference winners received first-round byes. However, it could be argued that the bye hurt the Ducks more than it helped them. In the second round of the CFP, the Ducks took on the Buckeyes in a rematch, this time in the Rose Bowl.

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The Ducks had to go from December 7 until January 1 without playing a game after playing nearly every week for four months straight. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes had to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers to reach that position, so their layoff wasn’t as bad.

While the Ducks fell in the rematch, they set a new program record with 10 players selected in April’s NFL Draft. While winning is the primary objective, it also helps on the recruiting trail when the program is consistently setting its players up for success at the next level.

That’s exactly what the Ducks hope they have in interior offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho, who recently shared encouraging news regarding the program.

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Iheanacho is a five-star recruit out of Georgetown Preparatory School in Baltimore, Maryland. At 6-foot-6.5 and 345 lbs, Iheanacho will have the chance to contribute right away after graduating in 2026.

If his recent message on X is because he knows that the Ducks are about to land another significant recruit, that could make all the difference as to where this recruiting class ranks when it’s all said and done. The Ducks have had a stretch of successful seasons recently, and with Dan Lanning at the helm, they’ll look to keep improving until they take home a national championship.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.