To announce his commitment to Oregon on Saturday, five-star defensive end Richard Wesley coordinated jumping into a pool during his trip to Eugene with Ducks coach Dan Lanning.
There was only one problem: The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout did not inform anyone back home that he was going to make his pledge.
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Oregon has been a frontrunner in Wesley’s recruitment but his announcement is being couched as an “impulsive decision” from a 16-year-old by those close to him. Other visits are still being planned.
“We don’t have anything set in stone with Oregon as far as the full package,” his father, Jonathan Wesley, said.
“As far as we’re concerned, we like Oregon a lot. But there is still some fine-tuning that we need to do.”
Last weekend at the Under Armour Camp in Los Angeles, Wesley talked about a full schedule of official visits to Oregon, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee and USC before making a pledge prior to his senior season.
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But five-star teammate Havon Finney Jr. committed to LSU over USC and many others in recent days and those close to Wesley believe that the five-star made a snap decision on another great visit to Eugene, Wesley’s first to Oregon unaccompanied by his father or anyone else close to him.
After announcing his commitment, Wesley talked with his father Saturday night and said he still wants to go on some other official visits. Texas was one school mentioned.
Whether the visits will encompass the entire suite of programs discussed at the Under Armour Camp is yet to be determined but his recruitment is not shut down for good.
“It was kind of like a shock,” Jonathan Wesley said. “We had a plan set in stone but I guess the over-excitement. … This whole process is a lot on a kid, it’s a lot on us as adults. Ultimately, when I talked to him he didn’t tell me to shut the recruiting down and he’s still very much open and interested in other places.
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“This definitely isn’t a final decision because there’s a lot to be finalized.”
Still, this could end up being a massive win for Oregon.
Wesley is the top-rated defensive end in the 2026 class and the ninth-best player overall. At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the five-star is the same weight and more than an inch taller than Penn State’s Abdul Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He’s a slightly lighter version of Georgia’s Mykel Williams and about the same height and weight as Tennessee’s James Pearce, two other first-round selections.
The Chatsworth Sierra Canyon star defensive end has talked highly of the Ducks, the development there and the history of Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, the success of Matayo Uiagalelei, a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and so much more.
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This Oregon commitment could definitely stick. But there was a great deal of surprise in Wesley’s decision on Saturday from even the most important people in Wesley’s life.
Lanning’s job now is to make sure Saturday’s cannonball into the pool doesn’t turn into a belly flop.