Oregon Gains Recruiting Momentum With Four-Star Tight End Target

The Oregon Ducks have secured commitments from some of the top defensive recruits in the 2027 class, but coach Dan Lanning and his staff continue to push for blue-chip offensive playmakers.

One area where the Ducks are still looking for a commitment is at the tight end position. Four-star recruit Anthony Cartwright III returned to Eugene at the beginning of May and could be the answer Oregon is looking for at tight end.

Oregon Ducks Battling for Tight End Recruit Anthony Cartwright III

oregon ducks recruiting tight end anthony cartwright dan lanning kenyon sadiq michigan wolverines drew mehringer jamari — Aug 31, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Idaho Vandals at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Cartwright is a consensus top-30 tight end in the 2027 recruiting class and is ranked the No. 8 recruit in Michigan, per Rivals. He posted on his Instagram story on May 9 a view outside of Autzen Stadium.

The 6-5, 235-pound tight end is scheduled to take an official visit to Eugene on June 19 as the last of his official visits. Cartwright announced at the end of April that he’s down to five schools, including the Ducks, the Miami Hurricanes, the LSU Tigers, the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans.

Cartwright is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and the Wolverines are seemingly the top threat to the Ducks’ hopes to land him. He set his commitment date for June 28. Since he visited Oregon a week before, it could play in the Ducks’ favor, given he could still be riding high off the emotions of his trip to Eugene.

In a recent interview with Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Cartwright said that his recent visit to Eugene kept the Ducks toward the top of his list. He mentioned that his feeling that “Lanning will be there for a long time” and the stability of the staff are positives, but overall, there are a lot of pros when it comes to Oregon.

“The offense for sure, the fans, the culture, the dedication everybody has to win a Natty, and the consistency that they have had in the recent years,” Cartwright told Wiltfong.

Besides his home-state team, the Wolverines, the Hurricanes, and former Oregon coach Mario Cristobal are also a program to keep an eye on in Cartwright’s recruitment.

Oregon Ducks Look to Develop Another Great Tight End

If developing into an NFL-ready tight end is one of Cartwright’s goals, Oregon is a good place to go. Cartwright’s also pointed to new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer as a key player in his recruitment. Before Mehringer took the role of offensive coordinator, he coached the tight ends in Eugene.

Mehringer played an influential role in Kenyon Sadiq becoming a first-round draft pick this year and Terrance Ferguson going in the second round in 2025. He also coached current Ducks tight end Jamari Johnson in 2025, with Johnson expected to take on an increased role in the offense this fall.

The Ducks are in a good spot at the tight end position despite not yet having any commits in 2027. Five-star Kendre Harrison enters the program for his true freshman season, while former blue-chip recruit Andrew Olesh transfers in for his redshirt freshman season.

If Oregon lands Cartwright, that will give them at least three solid tight ends who could contend for a starting role for 2027 and beyond.

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