Oregon commit Jonas Williams is close to rescinding his pledge to Dan Lanning’s side according to recent predictions. On3’s Steve Wiltfong and Chad Simmons predicted on Wednesday that the Ducks may be set to lose Williams to a Big Ten rival. According to the recruiting experts, the USC Trojans are closing in on the quarterback prospect.
The four-star quarterback, one of the top-ranked in the 2026 class, pledged his commitment to the Ducks in August. However, the Trojans have reportedly remained keen on recruiting him and their chances are now predicted to be higher than before.
The 6'2 and 200-pound quarterback from Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Illinois, is ranked No. 7 in the quarterback rankings in the 2026 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Williams is also the No. 1 prospect in the state of Illinois and ranked No. 65 nationally.
Reviewing Jonas Williams’ waning commitment to Oregon
The first signs of a crack in Jonas Williams’ relationship with Lanning’s program became apparent in an interview in New Orleans during Super Bowl week.
“Coach (Will) Stein is a great coach. Coach Lanning is as well. There is a trust factor there. At the time it seemed like it was the best place for me …there’s been some things that have transpired recently, though,” he told 247Sports at Nike’s Next Ones event.
However, the four-star quarterback still listed Oregon among the schools he plans to visit, along with USC. He also opened up to On3 about his visit to Lincoln Riley’s program.
“Coach Riley, he is the driving factor in my recruitment. He’s been recruiting me pretty hard. It’s one of my top contenders. I’m just taking it all in and grateful for the experience. What they did with the ‘25 class and what they’re doing with the ‘26 is pretty intriguing,” Williams said about the program and Coach Riley.
Perhaps Oregon’s interest in former Georgia quarterback commit Jared Curtis is one of the “things” Williams said “transpired recently” with the Ducks. Since the 2026 top quarterback decommitted from the Bulldogs, Oregon has been projected as one of the leading programs to secure his signature.
Flipping Jonas Williams would represent a big win for Riley and the Trojans. The Ducks might offset this predicted departure with Curtis as they are reportedly confident about their chances of signing the quarterback.