When it comes to building a football powerhouse, landing a 5-star offensive lineman like Immanuel Iheanacho can completely change a team’s future. Iheanacho, from Georgetown Prep, has narrowed his choices to LSU, Auburn, Penn State, and Oregon. He’s visited LSU and Auburn, but the real competition is elsewhere. Behind the scenes, Oregon and Penn State are pulling ahead, each pushing hard to land this game-changer in the trenches. This is it—June visits are over, momentum is everything, and one team’s future is on the line.

Now, it’s mostly a head-to-head battle between Penn State and the Oregon Ducks. A few days ago, Zach Seyko noted, “I do think Penn State has as strong of a chance as Oregon does.” The Locked On Nittany Lions host added, “Let’s take NIL out of the equation here; [Penn State] honestly would have a better pitch. Proximity is a big deal. You got to fly all the way across the country. You’re not going to be close to your friends and family anymore. It’s a hassle to get them all the way out on the West Coast like that. It’s going to be difficult. There is going to be a homesickness element to it.” It might seem like distance would rule out the Ducks, but Immanuel Iheanacho isn’t bothered by it.

The number two offensive tackle prospect in the 2026 On300 just finished his official visit to Oregon, and it’s clear the Ducks are making a strong final push for his commitment. “I really enjoyed my time,” Iheanacho told On3. “I appreciated being around Coach [A’lique] Terry. Coach Lanning met me at the airport. Not a lot of head coaches are that flexible and really show that I’m a priority like that. So I appreciate that.” What really worked in their favor was the clear vision they shared for shaping Iheanacho’s future.

Even Iheanacho couldn’t help but notice the efforts Dan Lanning and his staff made for him. “Seeing their plan on how they intend on building me and give me the opportunity to play early. So knowing that and being able to see Coach Lanning a little more beyond the coaching aspect of it. I could talk about life, I could talk about basketball. I think that’s something that has helped me draw closer to the Ducks as this OV capped off,” he explained.

What makes Oregon’s case even stronger is that their 2026 class has yet to get an offensive lineman, and Immanuel Iheanacho could be an absolute game-changer for them.

Now, missing out on Immanuel Iheanacho’s commitment will be a major blow for James Franklin’s program. They’ve already lost key commitments like Messiah Hampton to the Ducks, and if they also lose Immanuel Iheanacho to Oregon, things could get real bad. It’s not that Iheanacho isn’t interested in Penn State; he even posted pictures of his visit to Happy Valley on his X account with other recruits, including Benjamin Eziuke, who is already committed to the Nittany Lions.

However, Iheanacho calling Lanning’s program his top choice makes the situation worse for Penn State. “I feel like they’re still my number one school,” Iheanacho said, adding that “That hasn’t changed, and this OV only strengthened it.” On3’s prediction even gives Oregon an 86.1% edge over Penn State. While Franklin’s 2026 class already has 20 commits, losing a five-star player still stings. Making things even harder for Penn State, Oregon pulled out all the stops to try and get Iheanacho’s commitment.

Dan Lanning is pulling strings to get Immanuel Iheanacho

Well, after losing five-star QB Jared Curtis to Georgia, Kodi Greene to Washington, and Jackson Cantwell to Miami, Dan Lanning isn’t taking any chances. With just 9 commitments in his 2026 class, Lanning’s going the extra mile to get this 6’7, 380-pound freak onto his team. And it looks like it’s already working, as multiple trips to Oregon have helped Immanuel Iheanacho embrace the idea of playing his college football in the Pacific Northwest. But it wasn’t that straightforward, as his parents had their own set of doubts regarding the distance.

“Initially they were like, I don’t know, because seven hours away realistically, I don’t know how many games they’ll be able to come to. But with the opportunity I have with endorsement deals and stuff like that, I feel like I’ll be able to fly them out to whatever game they want to, whenever they want to. I’m just happy to be able to give them an opportunity to come see me play in the first place. Not everybody in the past is able to do that,” Immanuel Iheanacho said.

While Phil Knight’s Nike deals and endorsements might keep him interested, that’s not the only thing influencing Immanuel Iheanacho. To gain a bigger advantage, the Oregon Ducks went all out: they offered a scholarship to Michael Iheanacho, Immanuel’s younger brother. Michael is a 6’2″, 240-pound lineman from the 2028 class who is currently unranked. This smart move builds family ties and could help secure Immanuel Iheanacho’s commitment.

Oregon has a history of supporting brothers who play for them, like Brian and Spencer Paysinger, Josh and Justin Wilcox, Cristin and Brandon McLemore, and the strong Malepeai brothers—Silila, Tasi, and Pulou. With Iheanacho’s commitment date set for August 5th, many now believe he might decide even sooner. If getting Michael’s commitment helps land Immanuel, Oregon’s plan will be seen as both clever and caring.