Kendre Harrison has been sitting on a decision as his junior season came to a close, and now was the time to put it in motion.

Harrison, Rivals‘ No. 1 tight end in the 2026 recruiting class out of North Carolina and a multi-sport standout, gave a commitment to Oregon on Saturday.

The Ducks have been among the leaders in the clubhouse for Harrison, the No. 12 overall recruit in the Rivals250 for next year’s cycle. They pushed toward the top of the list after Harrison’s first two visits out to Eugene this summer and in-season for the Ohio State game.

Dan Lanning and the entire Oregon coaching staff made a huge splash with the elite tight end from afar.

“I’ve been in the recruiting process since the eighth grade and the relationships I’ve built with Oregon make everything feel right,” Harrison told Rivals. “I love the staff and the style of use and play with the tight ends.”

Oregon edged out in-state North Carolina, Penn State, Miami, and Florida State for the elite pass-catching tight end from Reidsville (NC) High School.

Harrison was convinced that Oregon was right due to the success of the Ducks’ tight ends in the offense and the consistent focus from the coaching staff.

“I’ve known where I was going for a while now,” he detailed.

“They honestly just did the small, extra-mile things that other schools didn’t,” Harrison continued. “Just always keeping in contact and making sure our relationship is tight.”

Lanning, Will Stein, and Drew Mehringer all had roles to play in courting the elite tight end to the Pacific Northwest.

“Oregon has a bright future,” Harrison explained. “They are a good school, they use the tight ends well, and they have a great coaching staff. Eugene is a beautiful, laid-back place. I can’t wait to get back.”