Dan Lanning and Nike have Oregon Ducks in unexpected recruiting race for last elite pass-rusher in the 2026 class
The Oregon Ducks are looking to convert on a late-charge on a top-prospect who didn't make a ton of sense as a fit outside of being a pure talent addition. However, five-star pass-rushers don't need a perfect situation to succeed, so the race for edge Anthony "Tank" Jones is a highly contested one. The Ducks […]
The Oregon Ducks are looking to convert on a late-charge on a top-prospect who didn't make a ton of sense as a fit outside of being a pure talent addition. However, five-star pass-rushers don't need a perfect situation to succeed, so the race for edge Anthony "Tank" Jones is a highly contested one.
The Ducks made his final three entering his Thursday announcement time. They're facing off against his childhood team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Texas A&M Aggies.
Oregon is battling uphill as Alabama and Texas A&M are arguably the best two recruiting teams as the 2026 class takes shape with verbal commitments flying every day.
But there's no reason to think Oregon is completely out of this battle yet. Intel from plugged in sources agree that while Alabama is in pole position, there's time for things to change.
Here's the latest on Oregon's efforts from On3:
"Oregon is across the country, but the Ducks recruit nationally and Jones is a top defensive target this cycle. Jones really likes the staff led by Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi and the Big Ten program is working hard to convince Jones that Eugene is the best place for him.
A few months ago, Oregon was not viewed as a threat in this race, but things changed. He has visited multiple times, including for a game last fall. Kamran Araghi is the lead recruiter for Jones and the two have had deep talks about the fit, how he could see the field early and the type of coaching he would receive. The off-the-field branding around Oregon and Nike also helps the Ducks. Lanning’s program may be No. 3 on the list, but this race is much tighter than most expected it to be."
After missing out on Richard Wesley to Texas and a surprising number of other top talents after a hot 2025 haul, Oregon would be thrilled to recover to land Jones. While they're an underdog, the Ducks have a lot in their corner to keep their hopes slightly high.
A class built around Jones and Immanuel Iheanacho would be excellent, even if the Ducks had hopes of landing as many as a half-dozen five-stars at one point.
