Oregon Ducks a near-lock for 5-star quarterback this recruiting cycle - but which one?

Andrew Nemec | Mar 18, 2025

Nashville Christian quarterback Jared Curtis is one of 10 choices for Top Returning Tennessee high school quarterback in 2024. / Nashville Christian Instagram

The Oregon Ducks have a long history of producing future professional quarterbacks - with a nearly uniterrupted streak of turning starters into pros since the early 1990's.

In recent years, Justin Herbert, Bo Nix and, most recently, Dillon Gabriel have all flourished - and all three were on hand Tuesday for Oregon's Pro Day.

Next fall, the keys to the offense will be handed to either former five-star recruit Dante Moore or Austin Novosad, but many expect Moore to be the guy.

Who comes after that?

It's quite possible the answer will come from the class of 2026, as Oregon is in heavy pursuit of an elite high school signal-caller in 2026.

But which one will don the green and yellow - and silver and black and pink and whatever other colors the Ducks throw into the mix?

It seems it's a two-horse race.

And either way it feels like Oregon is destined to wind up with a five-star signal-caller on Signing Day.

Nashville Christian School (Tennessee) five-star quarterback Jared Curtis is officially down to Georgia and Oregon and his recruitment appears to be winding to a close.

The nation's No. 1 quarterback has already taken back-to-back visits to Oregon and Georgia this month, and it is expected that a decision will come shortly.

What will that school be getting?

Here's what 247Sports had to say about him:

"A big-armed quarterback prospect with some moxie. Owns a favorable build having measured roughly 6-foot-3, 215 pounds as a 9th grader. Started football career off playing running back before getting a look under center. Instantly found success at his new position, earning Mr. Football runner-up honors in Tennessee after a freshman campaign in which he won 10 games and totaled just over 2,750 yards of offense. Not afraid to dial up the deep ball and tends to connect on plenty of vertical shots. Also excels at hitting timing-based breaking routes over the middle. Shouldn’t be classified as a true dual-treat talent, but can move the chains with his legs and work off-script when the pocket collapses. Camp footage shows both pace and touch. Must keep developing and learn how to read the complex defenses he will face at the next level, but looks like one of the top signal callers early on in the 2026 cycle. Likely to find success in a variety of different offensive systems given his well-rounded skill set."

It could go either way with Curtis, but his decision will likely be a domino for another quarterback.

Folsom (California) five-star signal-caller Ryder Lyons, who will take a one-year LDS mission before enrolling as part of the 2027 class, was previously thought to be a USC lean.

But he recently clarified that is no longer the case, and quickly pointed out that Oregon's relationships have accelerated.

Who talks to him the most?

"Oregon... pretty much all the time," he said. "Coach Lanning, coach (Will) Stein... pretty great relationship with those two, my whole family, which is pretty incredible."

USC has flipped Jonas Williams from Oregon and has taken a step back.

BYU, Michigan Ohio State and Ole Miss are still lurking, but "Curtis to Georgia" could make things much easier Lyons.

"Lyons to Oregon" would immediately become the odds-on favorite.

Here's what 247Sports had to say about Lyons:

"Lyons is on the short list when talking about the top overall signal caller in the ’26 class. He's coming off a huge sophomore season where he showed off his rare ability as a thrower and runner and accounted for 61 all-purpose touchdowns. At the SoCal Elite 11 Camp (3/17/24), he showed off one of the quickest releases in the camp, the ability to make throws from in and out of the pocket and was accurate to all three levels of the field. His 36" vertical jump was 2nd highest in the camp and he combines rare physical tools with an advanced feel for the position as well."

Oregon feels like a top-2 team for two five-star quarterbacks.

One way or another, it seems the Ducks will end up on top for one of them.

So far in the Lanning era at in Eugene, Oregon has felt inevitable.

So, too, does a five-star quarterback in the 2026 cycle.

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