Oregon Ducks Or Georgia Bulldogs To Land Nation’s No. 2 Recruit Immanuel Iheanacho? Dan Lanning Visit

Oregon coach Dan Lanning traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to visit five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class. Lanning was joined by offensive line coach A’lique Terry and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi as the Ducks look to solidify their standing with the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit.
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning arrives prior to the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025.
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning arrives prior to the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is continuing to compete on the recruiting trail, working to bring the nation's top prospects to Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks have the No. 1 ranked 2026 recruiting class, and Lanning and his staff are looking to expand that class with the No. 2 prospect in the 2026 recruiting cycle, Immanuel Iheanacho

Lanning traveled to visit Baltimore Georgetown Prep five-star Plus+ offensive tackle Iheanacho. Offensive line coach A’lique Terry, as well as defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, joined Lanning for the recruiting trip. 

Iheanacho is the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-7, 340-pound lineman is also the No. 2 offensive tackle in his class and the top-ranked recruit from the state of Maryland. 

Iheanacho has nearly 30 offers from Power 4 programs around the nation, including Penn State, Georgia, Tennessee, and Oregon. However, near the end of December, Iheanacho revealed to On3’s Steve Wiltfong that Oregon is his No. 1 school. 

“Oregon is my new No. 1, but Georgia is right there at No. 2,” Iheanacho said. 

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during a timeout in the first quarter against the Ohio St
Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during a timeout in the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Georgia isn’t Oregon’s only competitor for the five-star prospect. Multiple other programs will be hosting Iheanacho in January for various junior day events. The five-star offensive lineman attended Texas A&M’s Junior Day on January 11, while also reportedly scheduling visits with the Tennessee Volunteers, Oklahoma Sooners, and USC Trojans in the near future. 

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Following his junior day trips, Iheanacho aims to narrow down his options to roughly 10-12 schools by February, according to 247 Sports. He plans to schedule official visits after that, with the goal of making a commitment before the start of his senior year, ideally around August. 

"I visited nine schools in my top 16," Iheanacho said. "I want to get to more of them before I trim my list." 

Regarding official visits, Iheanacho is set to visit at least four schools before making his decision, with Oregon, Penn State, Georgia, and Tennessee currently confirmed as part of that list with the Ducks at the top. 

A huge aspect of Oregon’s success thus far in recruiting Iheanacho has been the relationships Oregon’s coaching staff has built with the young prospect, particularly offensive line coach A’lique Terry. 

“I like Coach Terry, Coach Lanning, really young coach, they’ve been winning games and have products, Penei Sewell, and they’ve got some other guys coming up in this draft,” he said. 
“I just love the whole dynamic, the whole campus at Oregon, the practice fields, how the weight room is set up. I love the strength and conditioning coach down there. It was straight love when I got down there. The gear is amazing. That’s not the most important part, but the gear is amazing.” 

Oregon offensive line coach A'lique Terry leads a workout during spring practice with the Ducks in Eugene, Ore. Thursday, Apr
Oregon offensive line coach A'lique Terry leads a workout during spring practice with the Ducks in Eugene, Ore. Thursday, April, 13, 2023. Sports Oregon Spring Practice / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

In just three seasons at Oregon, Lanning and his coaching staff have developed a reputation for producing NFL talent, especially on the offensive line. The list of former Ducks includes Alex Forsyth (Denver Broncos), Jackson Powers-Johnson (Las Vegas Raiders), and Penei Sewell (Detroit Lions). 

Although Iheanacho is years away from declaring for the draft, the young lineman is already drawing comparisons to current NFL talent. 247Sports compared Iheanacho to Buffalo Bills guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Torrence was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and made the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team in 2023.  

With Iheanacho’s recruitment still unfolding, Oregon remains in a strong position to land one of the top linemen in the 2026 class. As Lanning and his staff continue to build their case, the Ducks will look to solidify their place at the top of his list ahead of his final decision. 

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Olivia Cleary
OLIVIA CLEARY

Olivia Cleary, commonly known as Liv, is a fourth-year student at the University of Oregon. While pursuing a degree in journalism, Olivia has submersed herself in the world of Oregon athletics. Olivia is an intern within the athletic department. This role has provided her with a unique perspective as she has created relationships with staff, administrators, and student-athletes. Olivia is eager to share her insights and analysis on the Ducks and the broader world of college sports.