“The way they use tight ends continues to intrigue me": Four-star Washington TE commit Vander Ploog sparks Oregon flip rumor

Four-star tight end Vander Ploog committed to the Washington Huskies in June. However, the standout has also been receiving heavy interest from programs all over the nation, and Dan Lanning's Oregon has remained a big name in this discussion.

Ploog’s official visit to Eugene last weekend, where the No. 1 Ducks secured a 38-9 win against No. 24 Illinois, has kept Oregon in the conversation. Speaking with Scoop Duck, he broke down his visit, saying:

"It was huge to be able to just see their plan for me and be able to talk to the rest of the staff."

Oregon’s innovative offensive schemes intrigued Ploog.

“The way they use tight ends continues to intrigue me,” Ploog told On3. “The way they envision me making a difference in their offense is something that is interesting to me.”

Ploog also visited Oregon for an intense matchup against Ohio State on Oct. 12. The Ducks’ thrilling 32-31 victory in front of a record crowd at Autzen Stadium left a lasting impression.

"The stadium was awesome, but I didn’t think it’d get jumping like that," Ploog told SI. "So it was awesome just to get to be there firsthand... I mean it was crazy. Everybody there, you can tell they love Oregon football.”

Vander Ploog began his athletic journey on the basketball court before switching to football. He is the nation's 218th overall prospect and 12th tight end in the 2025 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the No. 21 recruit in California.

Can Oregon flip Vander Ploog from Washington?

Vander Ploog has been Oregon's flip target alongside four-star California quarterback commit Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and four-star Michigan tight end commit Andrew Olesh.

Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 7 in the nation with 16 commitments. Except for two committed players, all other prospects in the Ducks' this cycle are four-star and more. However, it lacks the commitment of a tight end, making Ploog a big target.

On3 VP of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong and Oregon insider Justin Hopkins have expressed confidence in the Ducks' chances to flip Ploog from the Huskies. During an episode of "The Inside Scoop," Hopkins doubled down his take on this potential flip, saying:

“You make two visits in under a month to basically a rival to the school you’re committed to; I think that speaks volumes."

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Dan Lanning's program a 67.1% chance of flipping Vander Ploog's commitment.