Dan Lanning’s recruiting momentum, once blazing hot, is cooling under pressure. Oregon’s 2025 class, a powerhouse with three five-star and fourteen four-star recruits (ranked No. 4 nationally), contrasts sharply with their eighth-place standing in the 2026 cycle. Jared Curtis’ departure to Georgia stung, and now Ryder Lyons’ potential commitment to BYU threatens to derail Oregon’s recovery. BYU’s late push isn’t just knocking—it’s kicking down the door, leaving Lanning scrambling and facing a critical juncture with Lyons’ upcoming visit.

Folsom (Calif.) High’s five-star quarterback, Ryder Lyons, favors Oregon, according to the On3 RPM prediction, and the Ducks are aggressively recruiting him. Lyons visited Eugene last weekend, where Oregon highlighted its offensive prowess and quarterback success, citing recent Heisman finalists Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix‘s NFL aspirations. His sister’s TikTok perfectly illustrated their enthusiastic Eugene visit. On top of that, Duck’s five-star TE commit Kendre Harrison posted a 2-word message for Lyons after his visit on IG story and said, “Future roommate.”

Even Ryder Lyons’ inclination towards Dan Lanning’s program is evident. “They’ve been recruiting me the hardest, probably, the whole time… How they’re recruiting, a lot of people like to say it’s all Phil Knight money, but they don’t really understand how good they recruit; their culture is probably one of the best I’ve seen. How they play as a team, how they interact with each other,” Lyons said. But despite all this, BYU is still in the thick of it, as per On3’s Steve Wiltfong. Lyons heads to Provo this weekend for his official visit, and the Cougars could flip the script entirely.

BYU was the first to offer Ryder Lyons, and their strong family values, faith-based environment, and promising season all boost their chances. Their early 2021 scholarship offer is paying off; Lyons is poised to make history. A commitment would make him only the third five-star recruit (after Ofa Mohetau in 2003 and Ben Olson in 2002) to choose BYU in 25 years and a top-10 all-time recruit (247Sports), a major coup for the program.

Well, BYU does have a strong chance to land him. Even recruiting expert Justin Hopkins weighed in on the high-stakes battle between the Cougars and the Ducks. “BYU is a very strong program, but I think you look at the two rosters and you would feel a little bit better about Oregon. But BYU has gotten super competitive with NIL and has made a splash so far in this recruiting cycle, and they are a very real threat for Oregon with Ryder Lyons,” Hopkins said. So, NIL can change things around for him.

BYU and Oregon are aggressively pursuing

Ryder Lyons—and for good reason. Ranked 17th nationally, 5th among quarterbacks, and 3rd in California by On3, Lyons is a recruiting sensation. His 2024 season was explosive: a 12-2 record, 2,874 passing yards, and 44 touchdown passes. He also rushed for 556 yards and 12 more touchdowns, confounding defenses. But they aren’t the only team in the mix…

USC Trojans’ move towards Ryder Lyons

Five-star QB Ryder Lyons will announce his college decision on June 24. And Lincoln Riley’s USC is coming off as a strong contender, pulling ahead of Oregon and BYU in a close race. Despite already securing a commitment from four-star QB Jonas Williams, USC is aggressively pursuing Lyons. Best part? Lyons plans to serve an LDS mission after graduation, delaying his college debut until 2027. This gives USC a chance to build a deep quarterback roster. While Oregon currently leads, Lyons will visit BYU before deciding.

Lincoln Riley’s coaching record at USC speaks for itself. With three Heisman Trophy winners (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams) and a Super Bowl-winning quarterback (Jalen Hurts) among Riley’s coaching accomplishments, he cemented his reputation as a quarterback whisperer. And even Ryder Lyons knows this, as he said, “Coach Riley, three first picks in the NFL Draft, three Heismans—it’s very familiar. My brother goes there. They’ve been recruiting me for a while, so I don’t think there’s any better QB coach in the country, to be honest. Coach Riley knows what he’s doing.”

Let’s not forget that Ryder Lyons also has family ties with the Trojans. His brother, Walker Lyons, who’s a freshman TE at USC, is recognized for his skills and versatility on the field. Last season, he appeared in 11 games, making 3 starts as a true freshman, and recorded 6 catches for 36 yards. And his presence only makes Lyons’ inclination stronger towards the Trojans.

USC appears well-positioned, with Jayden Maiava starting, followed by five-star 2025 QB Husan Longstreet, then Jonas Williams, leaving Lyons as a strong future option. This succession plan ensures USC’s continued success for years to come. Lincoln Riley’s team is already the nation’s top-ranked 2026 class with 29 verbal commits, including 18 four-stars and one five-star. Now, if they get Ryder Lyons on their team, their quarterback pipeline will be second to none. So, let’s see if Oregon and BYU can beat that resume.