Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith has three predictions on North Carolina landing a tight end, Oregon winning a national title and Iowa State invading the state of Nebraska again.
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1. NORTH CAROLINA LANDS A MIDWEST TIGHT END
There is no shortage of big-time tight ends that are looking at North Carolina right now. It makes a lot of sense that playmaking tight ends are giving a long look at the Tar Heels now that coach Bill Belichick is running the program. His history of success at the position speaks for itself. Several elite Midwest tight ends have told Rivals that they’ll be taking official visits to Chapel Hill or it's a strong possibility.
Among them are four-stars Mack Sutter and JC Anderson plus high three-star Landen Miree. I don’t just think Belichick will land an elite tight end this cycle but that he’ll get at least one from the Midwest specifically. The region has become known as a hotbed for talent at the position and who better to tap into it immediately than the greatest coach of all time?
2. DAN LANNING BRINGS OREGON A NATIONAL TITLE IN THREE YEARS.
Dan Lanning signed a deal last week that pays him $11 million annually and gives him six additional years on the contract. I wrote last week that this deal puts him in rarefied air as one of the elite coaches in the sport. Expectations also come with a deal like that. It’s going to be national championship or bust for Oregon from now on under Lanning.
I think he’ll meet that expectation and bring the Ducks their first football national championship within the next three years. The Ducks have built a juggernaut on the recruiting trail. NIL is very well funded. They are always at the top of mind for elite transfers. Now that they’ll have increased continuity and quiet the noise around Lanning for a while I see them getting over that ultimate hump soon.
3. IOWA STATE STRIKES AGAIN IN NEBRASKA WITH JETT THOMALLA.
Coach Matt Campbell and his staff have made the state of Nebraska a big priority in the 2026 recruiting class. They have offered several players around the state this cycle. The Cyclones also have commitments from a pair of Nebraska natives in Kaprice Keith and Amarion Jackson.
Millard South quarterback Jett Thomalla has been a prospect that Iowa State has built a strong relationship with. He happens to be the teammate of Jackson who committed on Monday night. It makes a lot of sense for Thomalla to join the fold and continue the Nebraska pipeline to Ames.
