Oregon Ducks 5-Star Commit Kendre Harrison Reacts to Bill Belichick, North Carolina

Five-star tight end Kendre Harrison is committed to the Oregon Ducks. Harrison, a North Carolina native, remains locked in with the Ducks despite the North Carolina Tar Heels' hiring of legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick.

Five-star tight end recruit Kendre Harrison visited the Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes game. / Kendre Harrison @SupremeDre8 / X

Oregon Ducks tight end commit Kendre Harrison is one of the most coveted recruits in the class of 2026, and the five-star from Reidsville, North Carolina, recently reaffirmed his commitment after his hometown school, the North Carolina Tar Heels, hired legendary coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick's resume speaks for itself as a legendary NFL head coach, but Harrison remains committed to the Ducks. After the news of Belichick's hiring by North Carolina broke, Harrison gave his reaction to Rivals.

“Think that it’s a good thing for the school and program. I’m 1000000% locked in with Oregon,” Harrison told Rivals.

Five-star tight end recruit Kendre Harrison visited the Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes game. / Kendre Harrison @SupremeDre8 / X

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Oregon coach Dan Lanning has had success in recruiting the nation's elite prospects to play their college football in Eugene, Oregon, and Harrison's recruitment is no different. The North Carolina native revealed some of his motivation to commit to Oregon, including his relationship with the coaching staff, especially tight ends coach Drew Mehringer.

“I love coach Lanning. I love the coaching staff. I just love the school. I love everything about Oregon. I know Lanning and coach Drew [Mehringer] and all those wonderful coaches out there are gonna develop me on and off the field. And I’m gonna have fun on and off the field. That’s really the main things right there," Harrison told On3's Max Torres.

Harrison committed to Oregon on Nov. 30, and the five-star tight end is also planning to play for the Oregon basketball team and coach Dana Altman. While 247Sports has him currently ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the 2026 recruiting class, ESPN has Harrison ranked as a top-50 basketball recruit.

According to On3's industry rankings, the Ducks have the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. Although it's early, Harrison is the highest-ranked Oregon commit in a class that features four-star offensive lineman Kodi Green, four-star running back Tradarian Ball, and four-star quarterback Jonas Williams.

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks celebrate defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten Championship in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

While Harrison will have to wait a year until he can officially sign with Oregon, the five-star prospect is impressed but not surprised by the recruiting at Oregon.

“I feel like Oregon has the number one class in 2026 and 2025 for a reason,” he said, “I feel like Oregon is the number one team in the country right now for a reason. Everything happens for a reason. I feel like everything being put together when I get to Eugene, being part of the football and basketball side. I feel like I could do very legendary things there in Eugene. And that’s just what I want to do I want to be the most legendary unforgettable person every in college sports.”

In the 2025 class, Lanning and the Ducks signed the most five-star recruits in program history. Wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson as well as defensive backs Na'eem Offord and Trey McNutt all signed with Oregon during the Early National Signing Period and will be joining the team in 2025.

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