The recruiting battle is already fierce, and nobody is in the thick of it more than Ryder Lyons. The 5-star QB boasts over 40 offers and even his quarterback coach, Danny Hernandez, sees the intensity as he opined last month, “You look at him, and he could easily be a future Heisman winner.” He checks all the criteria of a talented QB who can lead his team right away. No wonder teams are going gaga over him, and among all of them, Michigan keeps hitting him the most, but it looks like their constant efforts to land him are all going in vain!

Ryder Lyons is racking up frequent flyer miles even before committing to a college. The five-star quarterback’s whirlwind tour included USC, Ole Miss, BYU, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon before returning to USC on Thursday. His visits aren’t over; he’s heading back to L.A. next weekend for the Trojans’ spring game, partly to see his brother, Walker, play. His brother being on that team adds to the allure for Ryder Lyons.

The team has had a great start for the 2026 cycle with 15 commitments, which include 10 blue-chip prospects. USC’s already landed four-star Jonas Williams, yet Lyons still prioritizes the Trojans. Why? He’s taking a year-long Mormon mission, effectively making him a 2027 recruit. This complicates Michigan’s recruitment. If he continues favoring USC, regardless of their quarterback situation, the Wolverines might be out of the running, even unknowingly.

Now, USC Trojans aren’t the only ones making a push for this, no. 3 overall and the no. 1 player and QB in California. Ryder Lyons also has his eyes set on Dan Lanning’s program, as reported by Rivals. Best part? Even if five-star Jared Curtis chooses them over Georgia, the Ducks will still remain on his top priority list. “I’ve seen all these quarterback rooms. They are good. Everybody can play,” the QB said after Oregon made a great impression on him.

As he further talked about the program, he said, “Coach (Dan) Lanning is incredible, the organization of practice, the development. Coach Stein has been my favorite coach. We have a great relationship. He’s been recruiting me for the longest. Just how much they made me feel like a priority. I really felt it at Oregon, that I was a need.”

Now, what worked best in Dan Lanning’s favor is their offensive coordinator Will Stein’s relationship with Ryder Lyons, which got even stronger with his recent visit to Eugene. Plus, this guy loves “just how they do things.” And let’s be real: Losing out on a guy like him, who has thrown over 1,500 yards and 38 TDs in just two seasons as a varsity starter, is a major blow. In addition, Ryder is the reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year for California and has emerged as one of the most viable dual-threat options.

And how can we forget the kind of confidence he carries within himself despite not taking a single snap on the CFB field? “I definitely want to play early, and obviously I’m going to compete with anyone in the country,” Lyons said earlier this month. “I don’t want anyone to promise anything because that’s not realistic, but I definitely want the opportunity to compete and play early I just try to be the best me, but obviously I have a lot of confidence in myself and do believe I’m the best quarterback in the country.” So, if that’s the case, Michigan might have to give up its hopes of landing him.

Ryder Lyons’ recruitment trail giving trouble to Sherrone Moore?

Sure, Ryder Lyons seems focused on USC and Oregon, but Michigan remains a strong contender, even after securing five-star Bryce Underwood. The timing could be ideal; Lyons might seamlessly succeed Underwood at QB1. And Michigan’s impression wasn’t just on paper; Lyons left Ann Arbor excited, particularly about their passing game emphasis. That resonated perfectly with a quarterback of his caliber.

“College coaches aren’t stupid,” Lyons said. “When you have one of the best quarterbacks in the country, you’re going to throw the ball. Coach (Chip) Lindsey is a little bit more pass-friendly than other guys they’ve had. Even though Sherrone Moore is an O-line guy, they’re trying, and they understand how important throwing the ball is.” Well, Ryder Lyons trusts Sherrone Moore’s program, and it sure is building trust in him.

As he seems pretty satisfied with his visit, and despite it being his first time on the campus, it didn’t feel weird at all. And on top of that, the coaching staff made the most impact on him. As Ryder said, “Michigan was great. That was my first time out there being a recruit, and it was very impressive. Coach Moore is a player’s coach. You can tell. I was on the field with him when he was coaching, and he was coaching me up also. I felt very included, very family-like, and very good culture. Bryce is such a humble, nice guy.”

So, it looks like Michigan is not totally out of the race, but no one knows when things can turn. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.