Oregon
Oregon Ducks ‘Great Chance’ To Land 5-Star Recruit Jahkeem Stewart Over LSU, USC, Ohio State?
The top uncommitted defensive lineman in the 2025 recruiting class, five-star Jahkeem Stewart, had a front row seat for when Oregon fans stormed the field after the Oregon Ducks beat the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium.
After his official visit with his family to Eugene this past Saturday, it’s become clear that Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s program is securely in the mix to secure Stewart’s commitment.
“I can definitely see myself playing in that type of environment. The Oregon fans showed me a ton of love.”
– 2025 defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart
Stewart is also considering LSU, Ohio State and Alabama. While the On3 Prediction gives LSU at 94.6 percent chance to land the elite recruit, On3 Vice President Steve Wiltfong has intel that says otherwise.
“There is a lot of people around the state of Louisiana that think he ultimately will end up at LSU,” Wiltfong said. “But my intel on Jahkeem Stewart, talking to people in his camp, USC and Ohio State are the programs that I feel like have been in the lead for a lot of this process but Oregon has hung around in this recruitment.”
“He has called Dan Lanning a ‘defensive genius.’ He got to come out to Autzen Stadium and soak in that atmosphere.” Wiltfong continued. “He said he saw everything he needed to see… I think coming out of this visit, Oregon has a great chance to land Jahkeem Stewart.”
The Reserve, Louisiana product will take an official visit to LSU as Stewart will be attending the SEC showdown vs. Alabama on Nov. 9. He also does still have upcoming trips to visit USC as the Trojans host Nebraska on Nov. 16 and visit Ohio State in the highly anticipated Michigan matchup on Nov. 30.
“Oregon really set the ton for what an official visit should look like. Him and his family and his camp had a fabulous time and Oregon continues to be a major contender,” Wiltfong said.
Oregon has set the tone for what an official visit should look like by entertaining not only Stewart through a historic victory but his entire family and camp who came along as well. The Ducks are in a truly solid spot for the elite defensive lineman.
“He saw everything he needed to see. From the way Tosh Lupoi runs the defense and coaches the defensive line from the great seats where he was able to watch, observe the way that Oregon’s coaches work with the players throughout the game.”
– On3 Vice President Steve Wiltfong
During his 2023 season, Stewart finished his sophomore campaign at New Orleans Saint Augustine in Louisiana with 85 tackles, 33 tackles for losses and 20 sacks. The No. 14 overall prospect then decided to reclassify to the Class of 2025 and transfer to Edna Karr in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Enormous-framed front-line defender with impressive linear athleticism and immense growth potential… Capable pass rusher from the interior and the edge, thanks in part to hand violence and point-of-attack power. Elite young defensive line prospect given outstanding physical tools and promising movement ability who could become a serious NFL Draft candidate down the road.”
– 247 Sports Scouting Analyst Gabe Brooks
MORE: Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes Officiating Being Called Into Question
MORE: Oregon Ducks Impress 5-Star Defensive Line Recruit Jahkeem Stewart on Visit to Eugene
MORE: What Ohio State Coach Ryan Day Said After Loss to Oregon Ducks: Officiating ‘Cost Us’
MORE: Did Oregon Ducks’ Dan Lanning Intentionally Commit Penalty During Ohio State Game?
MORE: Oregon Ducks’ Traeshon Holden Apologizes To Ohio State, Teammates, Fans For Ejection
MORE: Oregon Ducks, Ohio State: Deafening Autzen Stadium Breaks Attendance Record
The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.
Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.
However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.
Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.
“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”
Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.
“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”
Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.
The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.
Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.
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‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.
“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.
Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.
Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.
Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.
The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.
The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.
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