“I want to see a national championship for Oregon in football before I die.” The 87-year-old billionaire and Nike founder’s words aren’t just words; they come with an unlimited supply of NIL money and resources. The dream, of course, is to win a national title sooner rather than later, and Dan Lanning? Well, the way the head coach is roping in prospects and retaining his players, anyone would bet all of their money if Oregon were listed on NASDAQ. For starters, Lanning has roped in the 4th-ranked class nationally in 2025. What about 2026?
The 2026 class is also building towards the natty dream since it’s currently ranked 8th and has 5-star talents like Kendre Harrison (TE). But more than 2,500 miles away, sitting in his Georgia Bulldogs’ head coach’s office is Kirby Smart. And seeing the moves the man is making for Oregon’s targets? Smart seems hell-bent on denying Phil Knight’s wish.
Smart produced a second-ranked class in 2025, roping in talents like Elijah Griffin and Isaiah Gibson. The head coach is now focusing his energy on the 2026 class. In came Vance Spafford, the 11th-ranked WR in the country; Zech Fort, the 10th-ranked safety, hopped on the Kirby Wagon; and Lincoln Keyes, the 14th-ranked tight end, is all set to don that red and black. But Kirby Smart still has some hands to play, and this time? The head coach looks to snatch another five-star OT from Oregon.
Jackson Cantwell, the five-star, 6’71/2″ and 300 lb. OT, initially committed to UGA back in March 2024. But the player decommitted in December 2024. Even then, Mike Bobo didn’t stop pursuing the player, and now? According to ON3’s recent update, the player will be making one last visit to Georgia before finalizing his commitment on Tuesday. If you see the probability rankings on ON3, the OT is trending toward Georgia with a 73.7% probability. Considering all of these developments, it seems the OT always had UGA in his heart, as he also provides his reasoning.
“I’ve been to Georgia five times, so they are still quite present (in my recruitment). I just wanted to get info on other places first… It was intentional because I’d visited so many times… I thought it would be wise to see Georgia one more time.” Cantwell told DawgsHQ last week about his last visit to Georgia, which will be on Friday.
All in all, Cantwell is a well-rounded beast of an offensive tackle with offers from more than 30 programs, including Oregon. Cantwell’s dual ability as a run blocker and pass protector will help protect Gunner Stockton, who last year faced issues with the O-line after he took the spot from Carson Beck. But wait, Cantwell isn’t the only prospect the Dawgs might be getting this week.
Kirby Smart’s Jared Curtis move and Jackson Cantwell’s future
After the departure of Carson Beck to Miami on a sensational $4 million transfer, it was always going to be Gunner Stockton. I mean, the guy last year showed his prowess against the Longhorns as he led UGA to the SEC title. But the Dawgs haven’t had any 5-star QB in the 2025 class, and they needed to make up for their moves for the next class. So, Jared Curtis, the first-ranked QB in that sense, became a priority for Kirby Smart. But now? Well, the chase has ended.
Kirby Smart again beat Dan Lanning’s Oregon to land the commitment of the player on 5th May recently. Curtis’s commitment was announced by Hayce Fawcett on his X account as he wrote, “Five-Star QB Jared Curtis has committed to Georgia, he tells me for @on3recruits. The 6’4, 220-pound QB from Nashville, TN, chose the Bulldogs over Oregon. He’s ranked as the No. 1 QB in the ‘26 Class (per On3). ” The post ended with a message from the QB, who said, “Go Dawgs! Let’s roll.” But guess what? Curtis’s commitment ties closely to Jackson Cantwell’s commitment, too.
The five-star OT reposted Hayce Fawcett’s post and wrote, “Congratulation @Jaredcurtis37.” While the message was brief, the overtones were clear. The QB’s commitment seems to greatly influence Cantwell’s commitment, too. On3 also reported that the QB will be present on campus when Cantwell visits Georgia on Friday. So, to be honest, Cantwell’s commitment to Georgia also looks like nothing more than a formality now.
The post Double Blow All but Confirmed for Dan Lanning After Jared Curtis’ Surprising Move Fulfills Promise to Kirby Smart’s Georgia appeared first on EssentiallySports.