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2026 cornerback RJ Sermons includes the Duck in his final five schools

RJ Sermons, a four-star cornerback in the class of 2026, included the Oregon Ducks in his final five schools of interest.

By Sam Fariss

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Nikko Reed (9) reacts after an interception against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the fourth quarter in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Nikko Reed (9) reacts after an interception against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the fourth quarter in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
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California native and four-star cornerback from the class of 2026 included the Oregon Ducks in his final five schools under consideration. Alongside the Ducks are the USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Georgia Bulldogs.

According to On3's recruiting rankings (On300), Sermons is the best cornerback in the nation from the class of 2026 and is the No. 11 overall athlete graduating that year. According to 247Sports, Sermons is the No. 2 cornerback in the class. However, the recruiting site gives Sermons a 97.9 composite grade as a player.

Most crystal ball recruiting experts, at 247Sports, project that Sermons will land at USC – just an hour or so from where he grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Sermons is also an elite track athlete for his high school. During his junior track and field season, Sermons recorded a sub-11-second finish in the 100-meter dash and a 21.34-second finish in the 200-meter dash.

One notable leg up that the USC Trojans have on other schools looking to bring Sermons into their program is that his father, Rodney Sermons, played running back for the Trojans in the 1990s.

247Sports gives Sermons the nod as a talented punt and kick returner – beyond just playing highly intelligent and skilled ball as a part of his team's secondary unit.

"Good feet, closes well and shows poise when the ball is in the air. Has good ball awareness and doesn’t need to clutch and grab like a lot of young corners. Good open field tackler, will come up and hit you and has a really nice all around game," said Greg Biggins, one of 247Sports' national recruiting analysts. "Advanced football IQ and feel for the game and has the all the tools to be an early impact player at the next level and is an easy high Power 5 prospect."

The Oregon Ducks already have the highest-ranked recruiting class in 2026 – ahead of the likes of Georgia, Alabama, and other "blue blood" programs. However, head coach Dan Lanning's 2025 class is currently ranked second in the nation, according to On3, only behind the Texas Longhorns.

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