Over the past decade, its become common knowledge that recruiting at a high level was possible for the Oregon Ducks, with Mario Cristobal forging the trail and proving that you can recruit at a national level up in Eugene. However, since Dan Lanning came to town a few years ago, that's been cranked up a notch.
Lanning has landed three consecutive classes ranked inside the top 10 nationally, the last two of which ranked inside the top five nationally. With 5-stars and blue-chippers galore, the Ducks have become one of the biggest powers in the recruiting world, and more than just that, they've provided endless fireworks in the recruiting world when it comes to National Signing Day.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFrom surprise commitments to flips, there are reasons why Oregon fans get excited when early December rolls around. Each and every year, it feels like the Ducks are about to do something special. Let's take a look back at some of the biggest moments that took place on Signing Day for Oregon since Lanning came to town.
The 2022 Signing Class
Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) celebrates a touchdown Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game between the Oregon Ducks and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.Final Ranking: No. 16
This was the very first signing class for Dan Lanning, and it wasn't considered a full one, since he took over as the Ducks' head coach in early December, giving him about a week to prepare for the early signing period. However, he did manage to land a lot of blue-chip commitments and get 5-star OT Josh Conerly into the fold later in the spring. Here's a look back at some of the notable moments from that first NSD:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRB Jordan James Flips from Georgia (February Signing Day)
It may have taken place in February at the late signing day, but the Ducks were able to flip 4-star RB Jordan James from the Georgia Bulldogs, one of the first major wins for Lanning. James went on to get drafted by the San Francisco 49ers after a three-year career.
OL Dave Iuli Commits to Oregon over Miami (February Signing Day)
It wasn't a flip, but after being committed to Oregon under the Mario Cristobal regime, Dave Iuli — now the starting RG for the Ducks — decommitted from Oregon and strongly considered following Cristobal to Miami. However, the Ducks were able to keep him in the fold and get him to sign in February, which marked a major win for the staff.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 2023 Signing Class
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: Wide receiver Jurrion Dickey #99 of the Oregon Ducks kneels before the start of the Fiesta Bowl against the Liberty Flames at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Final Ranking: No. 9
Dan Lanning's first official "full" recruiting class was a special one, and it provided many of the stars that are leading the way for Oregon today, including Kenyon Sadiq, Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, and A'Mauri Washington. While there were some misses when it comes to evaluation and development, like with 5-star Jurrion Dickey, this was a great display of what Lanning could do on the recruiting front, and it led to the infamous cigar video. Here's a look back at some of the notable moments from that first full NSD:
WR Jurrion Dickey Signs NLI Despite Drama
Jurrion Dickey, the lone 5-star in the class, appeared to be uncertain about his signing until late in the day on NSD, so when he ultimately did put pen to paper, it was a big deal for fans. Dickey was one of the top-ranked players in Oregon history, and a huge early win for Lanning. Unfortunately, his career didn't pan out, and he left the program earlier this year.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDE Matayo Uiagalelei Chooses Oregon over USC
The recruiting rivalry between Dan Lanning and Lincol Riley has been fun to watch, and the commitment of Uiagalelei is one of the first feathers in the cap for Lanning at Oregon. Buzz started to build the night before signing day that Matayo might actually choose the Ducks, and then the official commitment took place on the morning of NSD. Big celebration from Duck fans.
CB Daylen Austin Flips from LSU
One of the more under-the-radar fireworks on NSD in the 2023 class came from defensive back Daylen Austin, who flipped his commitment from the LSU Tigers to Oregon. Austin has been a solid role player in Oregon's secondary over the past two years.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementQB Austin Novosad Flips from Baylor
Following the unfortunate news that 5-star QB Dante Moore was going to UCLA, Oregon fans woke up to some good news on signing day, finding out that new offensive coordinator Will Stein was bringing 4-star QB Austin Novosad to Oregon, flipping him from the Baylor Bears.
RB Jayden Limar Flips from Notre Dame
The Ducks had been in on Jayden Limar for a while, as a Pacific Northwest player, but he had been committed to Notre Dame for quite a while before ultimately flipping to Oregon on signing day.
S Peyton Bowen Chooses Oregon over Notre Dame (and then Flips to Oklahoma)
This one comes with an asterisk, and any Oregon fan who remembers this day will know why. Dan Lanning pulled the stunner of the day when 5-star safety Peyton Bowen surprised everyone by announcing that he was committing to Oregon over Notre Dame. It was an announcement that came just minutes before Matayo Uiagalelei's commitment, providing maybe the biggest set of recruiting fireworks we've seen in Eugene. However, things went haywire from there. Bowen never officially signed his Letter of Intent, and as fans waited hours for the Ducks to announce him as a member of the 2023 class officially, tensions rose. The next morning, Bowen announced that he had a change of heart and would instead be following his girlfriend to the Oklahoma Sooners, where he still plays today. Incredible drama, but an unfortunate result for Oregon.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOT Ajani Cornelius Transfers from Rhode Island
Technically not a high school commitment, but the Ducks were able to land a transfer portal commitment form Rhode Island OT Ajani Cornelius, the No. 1 player in the transfer portal on the night of National Signing Day, putting a nice cherry on top of things for Lanning.
The 2024 Signing Class
EUGENE, OREGON - NOVEMBER 14: Jeremiah McClellan #11 of the Oregon Ducks scores a touchdown while defended by John Nestor #17 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium on November 14, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)Final Ranking: No. 5
There were fewer NSD fireworks in this class than the one before, but Dan Lanning still stayed busy and got some major wins over rivals in the 2024 class, especially with guys like Jeremiah McClellan and Ryan Pellum. This class brought a lot of big-time contributors to today's team, like McLellan, Ify Obidegwu, Aaron Flowers, and Tionne Gray. Here's a look back at some of the notable moments from the 2024 NSD:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJeremiah McClellan flips from Ohio State
Whenever you can get a recruiting win over the Ohio State Buckeyes, it's a big deal. Jeremiah McClellan had been strongly considering Oregon throughout his recruitment, but chose the Buckeyes at first. However, the Ducks kept fighting, and ultimately were able to land him over Ohio State after a signing day flip.
Jericho Johnson Commits to Oregon Over Utah, UW
To this day, Jericho Johnson still takes the crown for the longest and strangest college commitment. After holding a rap concert for one of his family members, Johnson finally announced that he was joining the Ducks, choosing Oregon over the likes of the Utah Utes and Washington Huskies.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRyan Pellum flips from USC
In a major recruiting win over the USC Trojans, Oregon was able to steal away 4-star WR Ryan Pellum, a relative of Oregon great Don Pellum. Unfortunately, Pellum's career has not panned out as expected, and he left the team earlier this year.
The 2025 Signing Class
Oct 11, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. (4) reacts after intercepting a pass thrown by Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) (ntot pictured) and returning it for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn ImagesFinal Ranking: No. 3
When all is said and done, there's a good chance that we could look back on the Oregon Ducks' 2025 class as the best in program history. Of course, that's easy to say when it's technically the highest-ranked in program history, but when it comes to play on the field, the true freshmen from this class, from Brandon Finney to Jordon Davison, have been massive parts of the Ducks' success this season. When you consider that it had guys like 5-star WR Dallas Wilson and 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele as members originally too, it gets even crazier to consider. Here's a look back at some of the notable moments from the 2025 NSD:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNa'eem Offord Flips from Ohio State
One of the biggest wins of the day came from a surprise flip from 5-star CB Na'eem Offord, getting him from the Ohio State Buckeyes. This flip also landed Tulane RB Makhi Hughes, Na'eem's older brother, at Oregon via the transfer portal.
Brandon Finney signs with Oregon over Penn State
While it wasn't technically a flip or a commitment, Brandon Finney's signing with Oregon was big at the time, and massive in hindsight. There was a belief that Finney was going to flip to Penn State on signing day, but he ended up sticking with the Ducks. Fast forward to now, and Finney is likely a freshman All-American cornerback, and one of the best pass-defenders in the nation. What a massive commitment this was.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flips from Cal
One of the biggest fireworks of the day last year came when 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele flipped from the California Golden Bears to the Ducks, bolstering Oregon's signing class and giving them a QB of the future. However, Sagapolutele saw during the Ducks' Rose Bowl practices that he was unlikely to beat out Dante Moore this season, so he decided to enter the transfer portal before playing any games and going back to Cal.
Dallas Wilson Signs with Oregon
Another commitment that didn't end well for the Ducks in the long run, 5-star Dallas Wilson signed with the Ducks in the early period, which was an uncertain development at the time. For good reason, too. Wilson ended up getting out of his Letter of Intent just a couple of weeks after NSD, and signing with the Florida Gators instead.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTobi Haastrup commits to Oregon
It wasn't a huge deal at the time, since not many people knew who Tobi Haastrup was, but the Ducks landed this 3-star EDGE on NSD, and fans quickly learned that he is a freak athlete with a high upside. I would imagine that a couple of years from now, fans will look back fondly on this signing day firework.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Reliving Oregon Ducks' biggest signing day fireworks under Dan Lanning
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