Oregon Ducks projected to land No. 1 edge in 2026 class

The Oregon Ducks picked up a prediction to land 5-star edge Zion Elee, the No. 2 player in the 2026 class.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning has been killing it on the recruiting trail since setting up shop in Eugene in 2021 with a pair of top-10 recruiting classes in 2023 and 2024.

The class he is starting to put together in 2026 looks like it could be on another planet, though.

The Ducks already have the No. 1 class in 2026, according to 247Sports, and On3’s lead analyst, Steve Wiltfong, logged a prediction on Monday for Oregon to land a commitment from five-star edge Zion Elee, the No. 1 edge and No. 2 player overall in the class.

Standing at 6 feet, 4 inches and 220 pounds, Elee is a monster of a defender who would fit perfectly into Lanning and Tosh Lupoi’s scheme. Elee is from Baltimore, but he goes to the same high school as Oregon four-star cornerback Ify Obidegwu, from the 2024 class.

Elee visited Eugene for a camp this summer, but he has yet to see the Ducks play this season. That could change before the year is over.

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2026 five-star edge prospect to visit Tennessee for Florida game

Five-star edge prospect Zion Elee sets Tennessee football recruiting visit.

Five-star 2026 edge defender Zion Elee will visit Tennessee this weekend when the Vols host Florida.

“I’m going to Tennessee Oct. 12,” Elee said.

Elee was originally set to visit Rutgers this weekend, according to Tom Loy.

The 6-foot-3.5 edge prospect is from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland.

Elee is a five-star and ranks as the No. 2 overall national prospect. He ranks as the No. 1 edge defender and No. 1 prospect in Maryland, according to 247Sports.

Elee listed his top five schools on Aug. 3. His top five schools are Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State.

The Vols offered Elee a scholarship on March 3. This weekend will mark his first visit to Tennessee.

Rutgers football recruiting – Zion Elee earns Under Armour All-America Game invite

Zion Elee is recognized at the most recent Under Armour Next Football Camp.

It was a big weekend for Zion Elee as the prospect from Maryland stood out at the Under Armour Next Football Camp. He was offered by Rutgers in April.

Elee is a defensive lineman from Joppatowne (Joppa, Maryland). In addition to Rutgers, he holds offers from Maryland, Minnesota, Penn StateTennessee, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. He has an impressive 6-foot-5 and 225-pound frame.

He is a consensus four-star recruit.

After a standout showing over the weekend at the Baltimore camp, Elee was invited to participate in the Under Armour All-America Game.

It was a very strong camp showing from Elee, who won his individuals and performed consistently well against a solid group of offensive linemen.

The following athletes were recognized at the Under Armour camp for their standout performances:

 

Defensive Line MVP

  • Christian Evans

Offensive Line MVP

  • Nate Hampton

Running Back MVP

  • Decarlos Young

Linebacker MVP

  • Devin Reeves

Quarterback MVP

  • Tristan Sabb

Wide Receiver MVP

  • Myles McAfee

Defensive Back MVP

  • Byron Baldwin Jr.

 

 

Class of 2026 edge rusher Zion Elee talks recent Rutgers football

Maryland edge Zion Elee talks Rutgers football offer.

In late March, Zion Lee was offered by Rutgers football, adding another Power Five program into a crowded recruitment.

A class of 2026 prospect, Elee plans to visit Rutgers football sometime this month.

Elee is an edge rusher from Joppatowne (Joppa, Maryland). He checks in at 6-foot-5, 225-pound who has a strong offer list that includes Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin among others.

His offer from Rutgers came on a call with head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag].

“I was excited to receive an offer straight from a head coach. That’s how you know it ain’t a game,” Elee told Rutgers Wire.

“The program is great in my opinion with a nice, building defense and they also bring put a lot of players in the league.”

In late March, Elee took an unofficial visit to Maryland.

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Following the offer from Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights are doing well with Elee in his recruitment.

 

“It’s up there in my top schools for now,” Elee said. “But I haven’t made an official top five, opportunities still rolling in.”

Wisconsin offers impressive edge rusher from Maryland

Badgers offer impressive edge rusher from Maryland

The Wisconsin Badgers football team offered Zion Elee, a class of 2026 edge rusher from Joppa, Maryland, on Tuesday. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound athlete is a sophomore at Joppatowne High School and he still has two years before he’d make the jump to the collegiate level.

Even though he’s still so far away, Elee has now received four Division 1 offers, including his home-state program Maryland, as well as Tennessee and South Carolina.

Elee possesses great overall size, fitting the mold of the type of player that head coach Luke Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel want to add to their team down the road.

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Zion Elee, a 4-star edge from Maryland, talks Penn State and spring visits

Zion Elee updates his recruitment.

It will be a busy spring for Zion Elee, the Maryland prospect who boasts a strong national offer list. The class of 2026 recruit has generated significant offers, including from Penn State.

Elee, from Joppatowne (Joppa, Maryland) is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound edge rusher. He is currently an unranked recruit but has a strong Power Five offer list.

He has great length and a good burst off the edge. He shows high-level athleticism with his fluidity and also contributes to Joppatowne as a tight end.

This week, he spoke with USA TODAY High School Sports about his recruitment. He is planning on visiting Penn State on March 16 and Maryland two weeks later.

“Been communicating with all the schools that have offered me but Penn State the most,” Elee told USA TODAY High School Sports.

Penn State, he says, have been having “big discussions with him” and that includes with head coach James Franklin.

“We’re getting tight. Talked to the head coach for the first time last week,” Elee said.

“Just discussing about me getting down there and a little bit about the team itself.”

Elee has been offered by Minnesota, Penn State, South Carolina, Syracuse and Tennessee among others. An in-state offer from Maryland hasn’t happened yet, but that could be in the picture when he visits the Terrapins on March 30.

“I only communicated with them a little but were are going to have big conversations on the visit coming up,” Elee said.