One of the biggest names in the 2026 recruiting cycle is off the board after Jared Curtis announced his commitment to Georgia over Oregon on Monday. While the five-star quarterback’s decision certainly warranted all the attention it received — we’ll get into that soon — there are plenty of recruiting storylines popping up as we approach the busy summer months.

What’s next for Oregon?

To contextualize how well it’s gone for Oregon on the recruiting trail over the past few years, consider this: One of the Ducks’ biggest setbacks under Dan Lanning occurred when five-star quarterback Dante Moore flipped to UCLA during the early signing period in December 2022.

That’s the same Moore who left the Bruins after one season and is expected to start for the Ducks this fall.

Oregon took Curtis’ recruitment down to the wire. Curtis, who plays for Nashville (Tenn.) Christian School, is the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was committed to Georgia for seven months in 2024 before reopening his recruitment, which cleared the path for the Ducks to make a push that ultimately fell short.

Lanning has signed top-10 classes in each of the past three cycles, and his last two classes have finished in the top five. He’s raised the Ducks’ recruiting profile since he took over. (And yes, comments section, we know: NIL, NIL, NIL.)

But we’re not used to seeing Oregon take as many blows on the trail as they have over the past couple of months. The Ducks have been on the wrong end of some high-profile flips to West Coast rivals — five-star offensive lineman Kodi Greene to Washington and a pair of four-star prospects, quarterback Jonas Williams and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui, to USC. They also lost recent battles for four-star defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa (Washington) and four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (Ohio State). Now, add Curtis to the mix.

When Moore flipped to UCLA in late 2022, Lanning countered with an impressive flurry to close the early signing period, showing the rest of the nation what to expect from him and the Ducks moving forward.

There shouldn’t be a ton of concern about Oregon’s recruiting over the long term. The Ducks’ average player rating for their seven commitments in the 2026 class sits at 92.80 (fourth nationally). It would surprise no one if they ended up with five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons. But it’ll be interesting to see how Lanning and his staff respond over the next few months.

USC continues to beef up its class

The Trojans hold the top spot in the national rankings and continued their impressive run by landing several blue-chip commitments last week. The highest-rated player of the group was four-star corner Elbert Hill, an Ohio native who is a top-50 prospect nationally. USC also landed Luc Weaver, a four-star wide receiver from Southern California.

But the most significant pledge might have come from four-star IMG (Fla.) Academy offensive lineman Keenyi Pepe, the younger brother of current USC defensive lineman Kobe Pepe. USC has struggled to attract elite offensive line talent for several years. It’s one of the glaring areas where the program has to improve to contend nationally.

The Trojans have a whopping 27 commitments in their 2026 class, which is 12 more than the next closest programs (Penn State and Syracuse). That’s a big reason why they’re sitting atop the team rankings, but their class also has star power, with eight top-100 prospects. And 15 of the 27 commitments come from the state of California, which will please USC fans after the recent in-state struggles under Lincoln Riley.

Ole Miss makes some noise

From a roster-building standpoint, the Rebels have become known more for their work in the transfer portal than the recruiting trail under Lane Kiffin. But Ole Miss received pledges from two top-150 prospects over the past week.

The Rebels flipped four-star linebacker Izayia Williams of Tavares (Fla.) High, the nation’s No. 51 prospect, from Florida. They also landed a commitment from four-star running back Damarius Yates, a Mississippi native who ranks No. 7 in the state and No. 125 nationally. They instantly became the two highest-rated players in Ole Miss’ class.

Committed pic.twitter.com/nc3GQdn9yy

— Izayia williams (@izayia_williams) May 2, 2025

Yates is part of a particularly strong recruiting cycle in Mississippi, which is home to 15 blue-chip prospects this year. That’s the most since the 2019 cycle produced 17 blue-chippers. We’ll see if Ole Miss can take advantage.

Washington keeps top talent in state

Washington hired Jedd Fisch on Jan. 14, 2024. That was a less-than-ideal start date for a coach in the 2025 recruiting cycle. But Fisch made it work, and the Huskies finished with a top-25 recruiting class.

The ceiling for Washington’s 2026 class is potentially even higher. Flipping Greene, the No. 22 overall player in the class, from Oregon was a massive triumph.

Fisch built the trenches up well at Arizona, and it’s clear he’s emphasizing that area with the Huskies. In addition to flipping Greene, Washington beat out Oregon and several other brand-name programs for four-star in-state defensive lineman Colman-Brusa.

Fisch is also prioritizing keeping top in-state talent at home. Greene plays for Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif., so he’s listed as a California prospect, but he’s a Washington native and his older brother, Kayden, plays safety for the Huskies. Colman-Brusa is the top-rated player in Washington (No. 161 nationally), and his brother, Lowen, signed with Washington as part of the 2025 class.

This is Fisch’s second recruiting cycle with the Huskies, and it’s the second time he’s landed the No. 1 in-state prospect (Zaydrius Rainey-Sale in 2025 was the other).

Washington’s 2026 class currently ranks 18th nationally.

Vanderbilt makes a splash

It’s not too often Vanderbilt is involved with one of the best prospects in the country. Four-star corner Caden Harris, who plays for Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tenn., has proven to be an exception.

Harris, ranked No. 82 nationally, committed to the Commodores in late April over Notre Dame, Georgia and other Power 4 programs. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea has not signed a top-150 prospect since he took over as head coach in December 2020.

That’s not a surprise. Vanderbilt is known more for its academics than its recruiting prowess. But Lea is coming off a breakthrough season with quarterback Diego Pavia and the program’s first bowl victory since the 2013 season.

That on-field momentum carried over with Harris’ recruitment. If he remains in the fold, he would be Vanderbilt’s highest-rated signee in modern recruiting history (dating back to 2002).

Around the country

Ohio State: Brian Hartline is keeping the Buckeyes stocked with high-end wide receiver talent. On Sunday, Dixon-Wyatt committed to Ohio State over Oregon and others. Dixon-Wyatt is the No. 107 overall player in the class and is a Mater Dei teammate of fellow Buckeyes receiver commit Chris Henry Jr., a five-star prospect. Ohio State has four blue-chip receivers in its 2026 class.

Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish, No. 2 in the team rankings, bolstered their class with two four-star pledges recently — running back Javian Osborne (No. 90 nationally) and linebacker Jakobe Clapper (No. 399). Notre Dame’s class includes 14 commitments and has an average player rating of 92.14, which, if it holds, would be the highest in Marcus Freeman’s time as head coach.

Georgia: A few days before Curtis’ commitment, the Bulldogs landed four-star in-state offensive lineman Graham Houston, who ranked No. 298 nationally. Georgia has eight commitments and ranks No. 17 nationally.

LSU: The Tigers went into Southern California and came away with a commitment from four-star corner and top-100 prospect Havon Finney, who plays for Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth. Finney is one of six top-100 prospects in LSU’s class, which ranks No. 6 nationally.

(Photo of Dan Lanning: Soobum Im / Getty Images)

Detroit — For the first time in nearly a decade, the offseason plans of the Detroit Pistons do not center around the NBA Draft.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Marla Freiwald was named as the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year as the conference announced its annual awards on Tuesday afternoon. Joining Freiwald in receiving A-10 accolades, Sierra Fretz and Hailey Malito were selected First Team All-Conference.
 
Freiwald is the third Hawk to be named the Atlantic 10’s top rookie, joining Monica Aguilar in 2009 and Sarah Yoos in 2013. It is the first time since 2023 that SJU has been represented on the First Team and Malito and Fretz mark the first time since 2021 that St. Joe’s has had multiple First Team honorees.
 
One of the top pitchers in any class in the A-10 this season, Freiwald is 8-3 with a 2.83 ERA, ranking seventh in the conference. She has allowed the fewest runs (38) and walks (11) of any qualified pitcher and is second in fewest earned runs (30). Her 1.04 BB/7IP leads the league and is eighth nationally while her five saves rank second in the Atlantic 10 and are 10th in NCAA Division I. Freiwald was also selected to the All-Rookie Team.
 
Malito has started all 51 games for the Hawks and is hitting .329 with three homers and 30 RBI. She is eighth in the A-10 in on-base percentage (.456) and ninth in OPS. Her 33 walks are sixth in the conference. The Frankfort, Ill. native has also been one of the top defensive players in the Atlantic 10 with a .990 fielding percentage, committing just four errors in 382 total chances, ranking second in the league with 366 putouts and being a part of 16 double plays.
 
Fretz was selected as First Team Utility for a year where she split time between third base and catcher and hit .290 with 10 homers and 31 RBI. The 10 long balls are fourth in the A-10 and her 31 driven in are 10th. She is just the seventh player in program history to connect for double digit homers in a season. Her .588 slugging percentage and 1.016 OPS are both fourth in the league. The senior from Green Lane, Pa. had an impressive stretch from March 29 through April 5 where all five of her hits went over the fence.
 
Saint Joseph’s opens play in the Atlantic 10 Championship on Wednesday, taking on fourth seeded George Washington at noon.
 

Angel Reese‘s mom took a shot at Caitlin Clark and Iowa Hawkeyes fans ahead of an Indiana Fever preseason game. Reese’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, went to X/Twitter to attack Clark and Iowa fans for the possibility of having a sold-out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This happened after Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky played in a WNBA preseason game at LSU that had very few fans.

“Aww that certain fan base looking in the stands celebrating “attendance” while others are looking up in the rafters celebrating championship banners. We ain’t the same,” Angel’s mom wrote. “Different year same haters. Have a great day.”

Webb Reese’s comments are from her daughter’s rivalry with Caitlin Clark, which became intense when the two battled in the 2023 NCAA national championship game. In that matchup, Angel Resse and LSU took down Clark and Iowa 102-85.

After playing another season of college basketball the following year, Reese and Clark entered the WNBA and had strong rookie seasons. But Clark was named Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per contest.

More on Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark

On Friday, Reese and the Chicago Sky took on the Brazilian national team at LSU. The Sky won 89-62, and Reese recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds.

On Sunday, Clark and the Fever took down the Brazilian national team 108-44. In that game, Clark recorded 16 points.

“I think it’s really good for our fans that might not have a chance to go see us play in the [WNBA],” Clark said of WNBA games played in college arenas. “…I think it gives them a great opportunity to come and cheer for us, and also see a team they’ve probably watched on TV quite a few times.

“I’ve told my teammates they’re going to be here cheering for me, yes, but they’re also going to be here cheering for you and our entire team. And I think that’s what’s so great about these fans is they really rally around the entire team, it’s not just myself.”

Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday we were watching a clip of Nick Saban taking a shot at Jimbo Fisher’s roster-building techniques at Texas A&M as NIL first made its way into college athletics? 

The entire landscape of sports has changed, and some will argue it has only gotten worse along the way, ever since that press conference inside the Aggies’ football facility in College Station, Texas. As we sit here, waiting for July to roll around, with the new era of athletics set to begin, it’s hard not to look back and think about how far we’ve come. 

The problem with looking back, though, is we see how many mistakes were made along the way. How bad leadership at the highest levels turned out to be, given that NIL was rolled out like a game of dodgeball with zero rules. 

Sure, there were some rules put in place, but it was undoubtedly a free-for-all as collectives were formed under the guise of helping athletes procure deals that would see them take part in the local automotive dealership commercial, or one of the many BBQ restaurants located in a college town. 

House V. NCAA Settlement Now Hinges On Roster Limits Being Phased In, Or Judge Will Deny Settlement

While it’s easy to look back while trying to look forward, it’s certainly not very hard to put the blame on the folks who decided to allow NIL to begin, without guardrails that would put us in the spot we are currently in. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for these college athletes making the most money they can off their talents that are displayed on a field, or court, during a season. 

Legalizing What Was ‘Illegal’ Just Five Years Ago In College Sports

Clearly, college sports were just late to the party. It’s funny to think about all the fuss that was made over Johnny Manziel making loads of money signing autographs in a Miami hotel room, and the scrutiny that followed. If we’re honest, it’s even crazier to think that just five years ago, Jeremy Pruitt was fired from his job for being involved in payments to athletes, most notably a fast-food bag full of cash given to a parent’s mom. 

Seriously, that’s where we were just five years ago. Trust me, I remember digging up the details of everything that was going on within that football program, only to now think how crazy it is that somebody was fired over paying players. 

Obviously, there were other things that led to Pruitt being fired, which included a hotel scheme that was centered around making sure players weren’t paying for their trips on official and unofficial visits. 

Jeremy Pruitt Sues NCAA, Claiming $100 Million In Lost Wages And That Tennessee Conspired To Have Him Fired

Sure, there’s more to that story, which includes the then athletic director ‘resigning’, but still being paid more than $30,000 a month for a situation that some folks around the program at the time assumed he knew was going on. But that’s certainly in the past. While players on campuses across the country used to drive around in their Dodge Chargers or Challengers, we’re now seeing them drive a Lamborghini or Mercedes. 

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 15: The Tennessee Volunteers run through the T before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 52-49. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)

Pretty crazy how much we can tell athletics has changed just by the car a player is driving, compared to just five years ago. But, we were always headed in this direction. A semi-professional model in college sports that looks more like an NFL roster as the days roll on. 

And while a lot of this might freak you out as a fan, we just have to learn to adapt. Sure, I’m a college sports fan, so I can include myself in this conversation. Hell, I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t, because it sure beats covering politics on a daily basis, but that’s just my preferred choice. Yes, I do love politics as well, but that’s just not my cup of tea when it comes to this profession. 

The President Involved In College Sports? Schools Directly Paying Players?

It’s funny that I bring up politics, because right at this moment there is an athletic director, commissioner or lobbyist talking to a lawmaker about how to ‘fix’ the problems with NIL and college athletics. I’d say it’s a pretty wild coincidence that I’m in some way covering a President, while still focusing on collegiate sports. But that’s where we are right now in this landscape, as leaders look to Congress for help in this ever-changing world where NIL has been at the forefront of nearly every conversation that involves a school. 

I know it’s aggravating for people who think this is a runaway freight train. Trust me, I see the emails you write every day that fill my inbox. Oh, and some of you certainly have some good ideas on how to fix our current situation. 

Texas A&M Goes Full-Send Into NIL Without Fear Of NCAA After President Says There Are ‘No Rules,’ Texas Rolls Out New State Law

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA – MAY 01: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban as Trump takes the stage to address graduating students at Coleman Coliseum at the University of Alabama on May 01, 2025 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Trump’s remarks come the day before  commencement ceremonies. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

But, we are headed for more change, and it’s assuredly going to agitate fans even more, which is hard to believe. Schools are about to start cutting weekly or monthly checks to players on a roster. Exactly the thing that coaches have been caught doing, and subsequently fired for over the last few decades, is about to become an everyday occurrence. 

Negotiations for a pay raise, or a contract extension, are going to be held inside the very building where an assistant coach would’ve been given a show-cause penalty if they had slid the top players a few hundred dollars in a manila envelope just years ago. 

That’s insane!

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – AUGUST 31: Xavier Restrepo #7 of the Miami Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Sure it is. But don’t let it ruin the sport, as a fan. Players have been paid by schools for decades now. It just used to come in a different way. As everything gets bigger, and players pick schools by how much one is willing to pay over the other, don’t lose sight of why you still love whichever sport that thrills you. 

Let me know what you think. Email me at TREY.WALLACE@OUTKICK.COM

And no, we won’t stop writing about how much schools are spending on a roster, given that’s what collegiate sports have become. We’ve got contracts, negotiations, buyouts, pay-raises, holdouts and just about everything else you see in the professional leagues. 

You’ve Come This Far. Don’t Allow This To Change Your Outlook On College Sports. 

While this might take away a bit of the ‘purity’ of college sports, you’re still going to be infuriated when your team loses. Christmas or Thanksgiving will be miserable if your favorite football team is not in the College Football Playoff. That message board you post on at least five times a day will be humming with some of the funniest or worst takes imaginable. 

The thrill of watching your favorite team run out of a tunnel or dugout will still be the same as it was ten years ago, though it might cost you a bit more to attend those games down the road. Don’t blame me, I’m just the reporter. 

The point is that while the phrases ‘House Settlement’ or ‘front-loaded deals’ will be discussed, along with ‘collective,’ – which is a horrible name, by the way, for a large group of fans and boosters who are renting players – don’t lose sight of why you’re still hanging around. 

Oh, and if you need a quick reality check on why you still love these crazy sports, go attend the College World Series in Omaha, or the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. 

Some say this is the end of college sports. I say we’re just getting started. 

Let me know what you think. Email me at TREY.WALLACE@OUTKICK.COM