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"Oregon wins out with wads of cash": Fans react as Dan Lanning's program draws a step closer to secure New York's No. 1 recruit

Modified May 26, 2025 13:44 GMT

Major Oregon target Messiah Hampton is set to announce his commitment on June 13. On Sunday, the four-star wide receiver revealed that he would make his decision between the Ducks, Syracuse, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Georgia and Miami.

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According to On3, Oregon is the leading contender due to predictions from national analyst Steve Wiltfong and Oregon insider Justin Hopkins. The Ducks hold an 89.8% chance of landing Hampton.

However, some fans took shots at Oregon, suggesting their strong NIL deals are a key factor.

"Oregon wins out with wads of cash," a netizen wrote.

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"Gonna be Oregon. Money talks," one wrote.

Oregon has eight committed players in the 2026 class but lacks a wide receiver commit, making Hampton a priority piece for the Ducks.

"Dan Lanning needs a WR in 2026 class!," one wrote.

"He is a duck," a fan wrote.

"Oregon or Penn State need him the most," a netizen wrote.

"Oregon duh," one added.

Lanning's staff has made offers to over 30 receivers in the 2026 class, but Hampton is the only one the program currently leads for. However, the Ducks' this cycle already features mighty offensive commits like five-star tight end Kendre Harrison and four-star running back Tradarian Ball.

Messiah Hampton is set to officially visit Oregon in June

Oregon wide receivers coach Ross Douglas, who previously recruited Messiah Hampton while at Syracuse, is now leading his recruitment at Eugene. Hampton is scheduled for an official visit to the Ducks on June 6.

Earlier this month, Ducks insider Justin Hopkins highlighted the Ducks' strong position in Hampton’s recruitment, saying (via On3):

“After the last visit, the ‘scavenger hunt,’ I think Oregon is definitely the team to beat now. And I do think a potential decision feels like it could be nearing.

"Keep in mind, the scavenger hunt is one of Oregon’s most successful recruiting weekends all year. It doesn’t tend to lead to immediate commits but it does end up with several down the line who took part.”

Hampton attends James Monroe High School in Rochester, New York. He ranks No. 1 in the state and is the No. 14 wide receiver in the 2026 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He has impressed this spring with his refined route running and movement in 7-on-7 competitions.

Besides Oregon, Hampton also has an official visit set for Ohio State for June 13.

About the author

Maliha is a High School Sports news and listicles writer at Sportskeeda. A post graduate in Management Information Systems, it was her love for writing and sports which led her down the path of sports content creation. An experienced NBA and NFL writer, she covered the two sports extensively at SportsZion and SportsKnot before joining SportsKeeda.

Maliha is a huge Baltimore Ravens fan and is in awe of quarterback Lamar Jackson's dual-threat abilities. She also admires Tom Brady and her all-time favorite coach is 3-time Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. She is a big advocate of high school sports and believes that elite athletes reach a top level owing to the discipline, hard work, team dynamics, resilience, adaptability and self-confidence learnt by playing sports in high schools. Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to victory on his debut against the Minnesota Vikings is one of her fondest NFL memories.

Maliha places a high emphasis on accuracy in her content. She does thorough research, always double checks facts, and only uses information from most relevant and credible sources for her articles. When not writing, she likes to read history and biographical books.

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