As the CFB offseason heats up, teams are turning up the pressure to land top talent in the 2026 recruiting class. One name shaking up the scene is Immanuel Iheanacho, a massive 6-foot-7, 350-pound OT from Baltimore, Maryland. On Friday, On3’s Hayes Fawcett revealed Iheanacho has sharply trimmed his list, zeroing in on his top choices. So, the race for this elite prospect is getting real — and fast. But how?
No doubt, all four programs are chasing hard for Iheanacho. He’s a five-star talent, ranked the No. 2 offensive tackle, Maryland’s top player, and the nation’s No. 3 prospect, according to On3. On top of that, Iheanacho’s high school resume speaks volumes — a dominant force who earned 2024 MaxPreps Junior All-American honors. Even more impressive? He didn’t allow a single sack all season. This guy’s a game-changer.
This week, on the June 9th episode of On3 Recruits, Josh Newberg grilled Auburn insider Jeffrey Lee, asking, “Are they ready to kick the door open with Iheanacho yet?” Jeffrey fired back, “They’re trying like hell to keep the glory in it. I just don’t know that they’re making as much progress as they like.” He added, “You know, he was very honest. I really loved his transparency. When he left his visit earlier today, you know, he said, ‘Listen, Oregon and LSU are in a tier by themselves, and then underneath that, you’ve got Auburn, Penn State.’” So, the battle for Iheanacho is heating up, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Of course, this is a huge decision for Iheanacho. He even took to social media to crowdsource some fan opinions, reposting Hayes Fawcett’s report with a house emoji and a simple question mark. The competition is fierce, and all four programs will get their shot. Iheanacho’s already been to LSU on May 30, heads to Auburn this Friday, then plans visits to Penn State on June 13 and Oregon on June 20. So, the countdown to his choice is officially on.
And according to Auburn insider Jeffrey Lee, “I think this visit was big, though, because he wants to come back.” That’s a positive sign for the Tigers, but the momentum is clearly headed west. As Jeffrey added, “I absolutely expect it to be Oregon, maybe LSU, but Oregon looks looking good.” Right now, the On3 RPM echoes that belief, giving Oregon a commanding 86.1% chance to land Iheanacho’s commitment before his August 5 decision date.
But Auburn isn’t waving the white flag just yet. Despite the uphill climb, the Tigers are still in the mix — and that’s straight from Jeffrey Lee himself. “Even said, you know, afterwards that it’s not over until December, so he going to keep looking at Auburn, kind of keeping them in the picture. But it’s going to be tough for all to get him down and sign him away from the likes of Oregon and LSU, at least as it stands right now,” said Jeffrey. As long as Iheanacho keeps the door cracked, Auburn plans to keep knocking.
Jeffrey’s right — this heavyweight recruiting battle is shaping up to be a two-team race between Oregon and LSU. And right now, the Ducks have the edge. Heading into June, Immanuel Iheanacho made it clear where things stand. “Oregon is the top school, but these official visits will play a big part in my final decision,” he said. “My relationship with the coaches at Oregon is what has them at the top. I like the staff a lot, and we can talk about anything.” And the OT has already taken 2 trips to Eugene — both left strong impressions. “My second visit there was great,” he added. “I loved my first one, too. My parents also love Oregon, so it helps to get their opinion. The connection with the coaching staff is really the biggest thing for me with Oregon.”
While LSU, Auburn, Oregon, and Penn State are all turning up the heat for five-star Immanuel Iheanacho, one Big Ten powerhouse just got the boot. A top contender is officially out of the race — and the battle is only getting fiercer from here.
Immanuel Iheanacho has officially eliminated one team
The ride is over for Maryland in the chase for five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho. For a moment, the Terrapins looked like legit frontrunners — even picking up a Crystal Ball prediction. But the Baltimore native officially cut them from his list. Now, Iheanacho’s recruitment is down to a final four. With two visits to Eugene already in the books, the Ducks are trending as the top contender. Ranked No. 6 nationally in the 2026 class, Iheanacho’s decision is shaping up to be a major recruiting headline.
Landing one five-star is hard. Landing two? That’s a serious climb for Maryland. But when the Terps secured 5-star EDGE Zion Elee, it gave them just enough juice to stay in the game for Immanuel Iheanacho. Elee’s commitment kept the door cracked — but only for a while. Maryland made some noise, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to hold on to the big man from Baltimore.
With the five-star dream now gone, Mike Locksley and the Terps are turning the page. Maryland has just 6 pledges in the 2026 class, and the clock is ticking. June is loaded with official visits, and the staff needs to strike while the iron’s hot. With big targets still on the board, the Terps have a chance to bounce back—if they can close when it counts.
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