Oregon football took a recent hit on the recruiting trail when five-star quarterback Jared Curtis chose Georgia over the Ducks just five days ago. However, the program rebounded in a big way on Saturday evening.
Head coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks landed a major verbal commitment from five-star prospect Richard Wesley of Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth. On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported the news and confirmed Wesley’s decision.
Wesley picked Oregon over other national powers, including Texas, Ohio State, and SEC contender Texas A\&M. He announced his commitment with a “Scooo” to Fawcett — a nod to Oregon’s “Sco Ducks” chant.
This commitment gives the reigning Big Ten champions a significant win in recruiting and helps offset the impact of losing Curtis and others.
Oregon recruiting results compared to Texas, Ohio State
Oregon made an early surge in the 2026 recruiting rankings, but momentum stalled heading into February.
The Ducks suffered a major setback when longtime four-star quarterback commit Jonas Williams flipped to conference rival USC on February 21. It wasn’t the only blow the Trojans dealt them — on April 1, Oregon also lost four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui to USC. Both prospects came from national powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, making the losses sting even more.
Despite the setbacks, Oregon received a boost on March 13 when five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, a towering 6-foot-7 talent, announced he was shutting down his recruitment and reaffirming his commitment to the Ducks.
Still, the recent recruiting turbulence has knocked Oregon out of the top five and even top 10 in the 2026 class rankings. As of May 10, 247Sports ranks Oregon 14th nationally. That said, they remain ahead of Texas, who currently sits at 37th, while Ohio State boasts the third-best class. Both Oregon and Ohio State share two five-star pledges.
Among those elite commitments is 6-foot-5, 250-pound edge rusher Richard Wesley, rated the No. 3 edge prospect in the nation and the No. 5 overall player in California. 247Sports’ Greg Biggins praised Wesley as “the best edge prospect to come out of California since Kayvon Thibodeaux.” With his pledge, the Sierra Canyon standout adds serious firepower to Oregon’s 2026 defensive haul.
