Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks considered the team to beat for elite five-star defender as they move one step closer to a commitment
Head coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are in pursuit of several elite safeties in the 2026 recruiting class. None are more talented than Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman star Jett Washington. He is a player that the Oregon program has valued heavily for a long time.
Viewed as the front runner for Washington, Oregon just got one step closer to landing Washington this week. It was announced that the dynamic defender is now down to three finalists, and the Ducks are included. They were joined by Alabama and USC.
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 18, 2025
While a commitment date hasn’t been set yet, it’s expected that something could come shortly after Washington finishes up official visits. From the sounds of it from various sides of this recruitment, Oregon is expected to be very hard to beat.
The Ducks are also continuing to pursue fellow five-star safeties Joey O’Brien and Jireh Edwards, although neither is considered likely right now. Washington is their best hope to land an elite player on the back end this cycle, at least at safety.
Washington is considered to be an elite player by multiple of the major recruiting platforms. He currently ranks as a five-star player on the 247Sports Composite ranking. That ranking has Washington pegged as the No. 29 overall player, No. 4 safety, and No. 1 player in the state of Nevada for the 2026 recruiting class.
A long list of impressive suitors have continued to pursue Washington. Some of his top offers include the Ducks, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami, USC, Texas A&M, Penn State, Florida, Nebraska, Florida State, Missouri, Colorado, Arizona State, Washington, Maryland, UNC, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, UCLA, Oregon State, Virginia, and Arizona among others.
The 6-5, 200-pound athlete was a dominant force for Bishop Gorman during the 2024 season. He was able to collect 38 total tackles, five interceptions, and one forced fumble. Washington is also a tremendous basketball player for the school as well, and has legitimate interest for his talents on the hardwood as well.
