The Oregon Ducks made key signings through the 2026 recruiting class, and Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the program secured five five-star picks.
One of the biggest position needs that the Ducks addressed through recruiting is safety. According to Rivals’ rankings, seven safeties are featured in the top 100 recruits, and the Oregon Ducks made a big splash in recruiting the position.
One of the biggest signings for the Oregon Ducks is five-star safety Jett Washington. Washington is the No. 22 recruit in the nation, the No. 2 safety, and the No. 1 player from Nevada, per Rivals. While the Ducks signed several elite recruits, Washington could prove to be the most important signing for Oregon.
Washington is a natural athlete, and after choosing between USC, Alabama, and Oregon, the five-star recruit will find himself in Eugene in 2026. Athleticism runs in Washington’s family, as he is the nephew of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and he can be an immediate difference maker on defense in 2026.
“I think the options are limitless when you see a player of Jett’s ability. He’s got great ball instincts, he can attack. He’s a physical hitter. You look at a lot of things that we were able to do with Dillon this year, Dillon Thieneman on his stack position, I think Jett translates to a lot of that stuff really well as well,” Lanning said of Washington.
The Oregon Ducks also signed four-star safety Devin Jackson, another top 100 recruit. According to the Rivals’ Industry Rankings, Jackson is the No. 68 recruit in the nation, the No. 5 safety, and the No. 9 player from Florida. Despite efforts from the Florida Gators and several other top programs, the effort the Oregon Ducks put in landed them another elite safety in 2026.
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Despite not being rated in the top 100, the Ducks also signed four-star safety Xavier Lherisse. Oregon has a strong history of developing players on both sides of the ball, and Lhresse has a high ceiling. With the Ducks, he could break out on the defense and become a top safety over time.
The Oregon Ducks are earning a valuable addition at safety, which could be critical for the Ducks in 2026. After Oregon’s success in 2025, the team could be losing key defensive back depth.
One significant player who could be leaving the team after the season is safety Dillon Thieneman. He could return to the team next year, but with the season he had, Thieneman could declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ducks safety Solomon Davis announced his intention to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, and although Davis played primarily on the special teams, that is still another player set to leave the team ahead of 2026. Whether the incoming recruits are ready to play right away or not, the team needed to add depth at the position, and the Ducks landed elite talent in doing so.
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Oregon has had a top defense this season and has done well at stopping the pass. The defense allowed just 5.36 yards per attempt and 144.1 yards per game in the air.
Despite Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi becoming the head coach of the Cal Bears, the Ducks’ defense has the same amount of potential. Notably, defensive backs coach Chris Hampton is expected to be promoted to defensive coordinator.
Not only is Oregon hiring in-house, but it is the coach who recruited the elite safeties. Hampton will set up the incoming athletes for much success, keeping Oregon as a national title contender.
Thousands of residents in parts of Florida and Oregon have been warned to stay inside as the amount of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in the atmosphere reached an “unhealthy” level on Tuesday as of 3 a.m. Eastern time, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow Map shows.
The EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to measure and communicate air quality across the United States. The AQI is a standardized scale from 0 to 500 that classifies pollution levels into six categories, ranging from “good” to “hazardous.” Higher AQI values indicate higher levels of pollution and greater health risks for people in the affected areas.
In this case, the AQI has classified the air pollution in parts of Florida and Oregon—including Orlando and La Pine, respectively—as “unhealthy” because of elevated levels of PM2.5. This means the levels of pollution could pose a health risk to all members of the public in the affected areas.
The EPA said, “Even if you are healthy, you may experience temporary symptoms from exposure to elevated levels of particles.”
The agency considers PM2.5 to be one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution. This is because the particles are so fine—less than 2.5 micrometers in size—they can be easily inhaled, penetrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially worsening any lung or heart conditions. PM2.5 can also trigger mild to severe symptoms such as coughing; eye, throat, and nose irritation; chest tightness; and shortness of breath, making breathing difficult.
The EPA advises people in sensitive groups—which include children, older adults and individuals with medical conditions such as asthma—to avoid long or intense outdoor activities when air quality reaches “unhealthy” levels.
Everyone else should reduce the duration or intensity of outdoor activities until conditions improve. For example, choose to go for a walk rather than a run.
During long or intense outdoor activity, people breathe more deeply and more frequently, which increases the amount of PM2.5 they inhale. This can irritate the lungs and may trigger or worsen existing health conditions.
But it isn’t only outdoor air that’s affected by elevated PM2.5 levels.
Indoor air can also become polluted if these fine particles seep inside through open windows, doors or ventilation systems.
The EPA suggests that those in affected areas should try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by using air purifiers or high-efficiency filters, keeping windows closed and avoiding activities that generate indoor pollution—such as burning candles, using wood‑burning stoves or lighting indoor fires—while the air quality is in the “unhealthy” range.
While the EPA hasn’t established the cause of the “unhealthy” air quality across parts of Florida and Oregon, PM2.5 can come from a variety of sources.
These include dust from construction sites or unpaved roads, emissions from vehicles or industrial plants, or smoke from wildfires or smokestacks.
Residents should monitor the AirNow Map and look out for updates from the EPA as air quality, like the weather, “can change from day to day or even hour to hour.”
The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement at 1:39 p.m. on Monday until 5 p.m. for North Central Oregon.
“Areas of freezing fog of one quarter mile or less linger along US-97 between Cow Canyon and Shaniko. Road cameras confirm obscure visibility in those areas. If you encounter dense fog, slow down, use low beam headlights and allow for extra space between your vehicle and those around you,” states the weather service.
Oregon football is adding size and experience along the defensive line late in the 2026 transfer portal cycle.
Former North Carolina defensive lineman D’Antre Robinson announced his commitment to the Ducks on Sunday night.
Robinson, currently a sophomore, is listed at 6-4, 315 pounds. He appeared in 12 games for Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels in 2025, amassing 38 total tackles including 2.5 for loss and half a sack. He also forced a fumble.
Robinson spent his freshman season at Florida before transferring to North Carolina. Originally a four-star recruit out of Orlando, Florida, he was the No. 36 defensive lineman in the 2024 class and No. 34 player from the state of Florida according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Oregon lost defensive linemen Terrance Green (Alabama), Jericho Johnson (California), Ashton Porter (Houston), Tionne Gray (Notre Dame), and Xadavien Sims (Arkansas) in the portal. Dan Lanning and company seek to build out the team’s depth at the position following those losses.
In addition to Robinson, the Ducks added Louisiana-Monroe defensive lineman Jerome Simmons via transfer.
Oregon’s incoming transfer class stands at 12 total players according to 247Sports, highlighted by Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, UAB wide receiver Iverson Hooks, Minnesota safety Koi Perich, and Ohio State cornerback Aaron Scott Jr., among others.
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