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2026 No. 1 CB Elbert Hill visited by Oregon DC Chris Hampton

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•about 13 hours•

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Elbert Hill copy 1.jpg

Oregon is one of the schools working to hard to pull Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban four-star cornerback Elbert Hill out of his home state.

He took multiple visits to Eugene in 2024 and is feeling like a priority to the Ducks. On Thursday, he was visited by Oregon defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Chris Hampton:

A potential return to campus could be coming soon, too. Hill’s father told On3’s Steve Wiltfong earlier this month that they were eyeing trips to Oregon and Alabama toward the end of January. Hampton, head coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks’ staff are keeping consistent contact.

“Oregon is pushing for me very hard,” Hill told On3. “Their message is to come join the squad and I like them a lot. I like the coaching staff at Oregon. It will be my first game at Oregon and I want to see what the atmosphere is about.”

“Oregon has done a lot as far as recruiting him,” Hill’s father, Elbert III, added. “The relationship he has with Coach (Chris) Hampton and Coach (Rashad) Wadood and (Dan) Lanning is great. Oregon we talk to those guys if not every day, every other day. They already told us about the plan they would have for him. He told them his goals and what he’s looking for in a school. We’re just making sure everything aligns right as we’re making this decision, it’s a big decision.”

Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan are among the other big-time programs in the running for Hill’s pledge entering the thick of his recruitment. He’ll continue to take visits and whittle down his list as the process pushes onward.

Hill is the No. 17 overall prospect and top-ranked CB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 1 player in Ohio.

Oregon has No. 1 recruiting class in 2026 so far

While National Signing Day for the 2026 cycle is still over 10 months away, Oregon has positioned itself nicely on the recruiting trail.

The Ducks have already landed 10 commitments, compiling the No. 1 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Five top-100 recruits are already in the fold, headlined by Reidsville (N.C.) five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, the No. 14 prospect and No. 1 TE in the cycle.

“Oregon is the total package,” Harrison told On3. “I chose Oregon because of their player development, the coaching I will get there, the culture and the place. I like Eugene a lot.”

Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Willamette four-star defensive lineman Tony Cumberland are both On300 outliers, checking in at No. 12 and No. 21 overall, respectively. Cumberland has been committed to Oregon since September of 2023.

Texarkana (Texas) Texas High four-star running back Tradarian Ball is the No. 4 RB in the cycle, while Frankfort Heights (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East four-star quarterback Jonas Williams is the nation’s No. 7 QB. They committed within a week of each other at the end of last summer.

American Fork (Utah) Lone Peak four-star DL Bott Mulitalo is the No. 121 overall recruit and No. 10 DL, while Mater Dei four-star DL Tomuhini Tupoi is a top-250 recruit. Ventura (Calif.) four-star linebacker Tristan Phillips, Salt Lake City Bingham three-star DL Viliami Moala and Riverside (Calif.) St. John Bosco three-star EDGE Dutch Horisk round out the class.