Kendre Harrison, a standout four-star tight end from Reidsville, North Carolina, has committed to play both football and basketball for Oregon. He made this exciting decision on November 30, becoming a key player in the Ducks’ already impressive 2026 recruiting class.
Harrison, standing tall at 6-foot-6, is a big win for Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning. But don’t think other schools have given up—they’re still keeping an eye on this talented athlete.
Over in North Carolina, head coach Bill Belichick is trying hard to keep local talent like Harrison close to home. Although Harrison is currently committed elsewhere, Belichick isn’t backing down. Just last Friday, he stopped by Reidsville to check in on Harrison.
“Oregon is an amazing place,” Harrison told On3. “Oregon is the total package. I chose Oregon because of their player development, the coaching I will get there, the culture and the place. I like Eugene a lot.”
Back in November, Harrison was considering several schools, including UNC, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, Tennessee, and of course, Oregon. The Tar Heels had hoped their strong basketball program might sway him, but Oregon took the lead and won Harrison over.
Right now, Harrison is one of ten commits in Oregon’s 2026 class, which is ranked No. 1 nationally by the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. He’s not just any recruit—he’s among five top-100 prospects heading to Eugene.
Harrison recently visited Oregon again and left with even more positive impressions of the school. Switching his commitment seems pretty unlikely.
“I’m still getting recruited by schools here and there, but I’m not really one of those guys that de-commits. I know I’m 100% locked in with Oregon and that ain’t nothing gonna change my decision,” Harrison told Scoop Duck.
Ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect and top tight end for 2026 by the On3 Industry Ranking, Harrison is also a four-star basketball player, sitting at No. 56 overall and No. 8 as a power forward.
North Carolina beginning to build 2026 class
While Harrison might be out of reach, Belichick and his team at UNC are busy building their own 2026 class. They’ve seen a flurry of commitments recently.
In just three days, they secured three new recruits: Jaden Jefferson, Marcellous Ryan, and Justin Lewis, all three-star cornerbacks from California.
And let’s not forget Zaid Lott, a three-star quarterback from Charlotte, who stayed with UNC even after the transition from former head coach Mack Brown to Belichick. He’s ranked No. 45 among QBs for this cycle. Overall, the class ranks No. 32 nationwide.
“I know that it is a privilege and I will be blessed with (Hall of Fame) NFL-level coaching and I will not take it for granted at all and cannot wait for the opportunity,” Lott shared with On3 after learning about Belichick’s hiring.
So, while UNC missed out on Harrison, they’re making some solid moves of their own. Who knows what surprises the next recruiting cycle might bring?
