5-star offensive deal with Immanuel Iheanacho has been one of many hottest names within the 2026 recruiting class, being rated because the No. 2 recruit general on the 247Sports Composite.
Iheanacho, a 6’6”, 345-pound offensive lineman, has 30 scholarship affords general and is the highest recruit within the state of Maryland for the 2026 cycle. Checking in on the Beneath Armour All-AmericanGame, Iheanacho supplied the most recent on his recruitment as he begins to chop down his general record, which at present sits round 18 groups.
Looking forward to January, the five-star offensive lineman plans to attend Texas A&M’s Junior Day on January eleventh, whereas additionally hoping to schedule visits with the Tennessee Volunteers, Oklahoma Sooners, and USC Trojans within the close to future.
The Aggies have been one of many more moderen groups to significantly enter the image for Iheanacho, as they’ve began to actually recruit the five-star more durable.
“The 26 class is wanting fairly good thus far and if I’d be capable to probably add to that, I feel, they might go farther,” Iheanacho stated. “This 12 months, made it to the SEC championship. They have been like No. 10 within the nation at one level. I just like the O-line coaches there [with offensive line] coach [Adam] Cushing. They at all times attain out and preserve connection. So, I’ve at all times been thinking about simply going on the market. They supplied me a while in the past so I feel it’s about due time to go on the market.”
Early on, what are faculties that the five-star feels absolutely conversant in in the mean time, and what different faculties might emerge as suitors with a stronger relationship?
“Oregon for positive, for positive. Penn State, Maryland, Ohio State, Alabama for positive [are schools I’m very familiar with],” Iheanacho stated. “I want to get extra conversant in faculties like Miami, USC, Tennessee. I’m conversant in Auburn and yeah, fairly lengthy group there.”
As his recruitment begins to actually choose up, which coaches does the five-star have the most effective relationship with in the mean time?
“Coach [Phil] Trautwein at Penn State hits me up. I [probably have] the most effective relationship with him. Coach [A’lique] Terry at Oregon, nice coach. I respect Coach Terry lots. I preserve an awesome connection, I feel it’s about equal connection-wise [with Coach Trautwein]. I respect speaking to these guys as a lot as I can. And Coach [Glen] Elarbee at Tennessee for positive. I’d say these are most likely the three faculties that I discuss to essentially the most and I’ve nice connections with thus far.”
What excites Iheanacho about these three faculties particularly?
On Penn State: “Penn State, they’re very near getting over the hump and so they’re actually near house. My dad and mom will be capable to come watch me play. Clearly, staying house, staying shut isn’t essentially a requirement or one thing I’m not searching for, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly one thing that I’ve considered. [Head] Coach [James] Franklin, I like Coach Franklin lots. I like their playstyle. The OC is nice. I identical to their O-line manufacturing of how they’ve been capable of put O linemen within the league.”
On Oregon: “Oregon, it’s all the way in which on the opposite aspect of the nation, so it’s type of contrasting there. Like Coach [A’lique] Terry. Coach [Dan] Lanning, actually younger coach. They’re profitable video games and so they have merchandise [in the NFL]. Penei Sewell, and so they bought another guys arising on this draft. Like I stated, they’re throughout the nation, so my household, it’d be just a little powerful for them to return watch me.
“Clearly, you’ve the TV, however I simply love the entire dynamic, the entire campus of Oregon, like how all the pieces, just like the observe area to the burden room, [is] arrange. I really like the energy and conditioning coach. Love [it] down there. It was straight love after I bought down there. And the gear is wonderful. That’s not crucial half, however gear to me is wonderful.”
On Tennessee: “Clearly, they’ve some good SEC ball there. In addition they [have] gotten over the hump. You recognize, the Tennessee, Alabama rivalry. They beat them two occasions within the final three or one thing like that. They win video games. It’s actually about attending to sure faculties over the hump. Sure faculties have gone over the hump.
“I’d say, like Oregon’s gone over the hump. There’s different sure faculties like Tennessee, I’ll say Tennessee, Penn State, that I can recover from the hump. And I stated, I like Coach [Glen] Elarbee, Coach [Josh] Heupel, I discuss to the OC lots down there as properly. Simply nice guys general. Simply nice guys. And it’s a pleasant location as properly.”
Whereas it’s early within the course of, Iheanacho expects to take official visits to Oregon, Penn State, Georgia, and Tennessee for positive in the mean time, with the Bulldogs nonetheless firmly within the combine after being the favorites early on.
On Georgia: “Earlier than I visited Oregon, Georgia was like my No. 1 by far. I really like how they’re very uncooked, like, you understand, they’re gritty. They’re all the pieces like that you simply wish to see in like some good old school smashmouth soccer. They’ve [head] coach [Kirby] Sensible. I talked to him. [Offensive] Coach [Stacy] Searels is nice. You recognize, he produces guys [in the NFL]. Amarius Mims, Andrew Thomas, guys like that. They only received the SEC championship so you understand they win and I just like the campus down there and general, I simply respect the model of soccer.
“Oregon is my No. 1 1735839559, however Georgia is correct there. Quantity two, not too far off.”
After taking junior day visits, Iheanacho plans to chop his record to round 10-12 faculties in February after getting an concept of all of his high suitors. He then intends to take his official visits with the objective of committing earlier than his senior 12 months round August.
As for official visits, Iheanacho plans to take a minimum of 4 earlier than his dedication, with Oregon, Penn State, Georgia, and Tennessee getting ones for positive in the mean time.
Nonetheless, there could possibly be different faculties at emerge into the combination, with the Florida Gators being a type of groups.
On Florida: “I’ve began getting a greater reference to them. I used to be speaking to one in every of their O-line coaches, coach [Jonathan] Decoster. I simply began speaking to him. I’ve began to develop a liking into Florida. Earlier within the course of, I didn’t know if I used to be actually gonna preserve speaking to him. It was like on and on and off.
“They type of like [flipped] the swap and so they’ve been capable of flip numerous guys like from Florida State, which I discovered fairly good. And you understand, [Head] Coach [Billy] Napier, I’ve at all times had religion in Coach Napier. He was an awesome man. After I talked to him, he was simply actually open [and] nice simply to have the ability to discuss to [about] soccer and simply as a coach. So I like speaking to Coach Napier and [offensive coordinator Rob] Sale.”
Ought to the Tennessee junior day go to fall by means of, Iheanacho would think about Florida as a college to go to this January.
As well as, the Miami Hurricanes are a staff that has entered the combination just lately, with the reltaionships with head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal standing out.
On Miami: “They only had an awesome season. Sadly, they got here up quick of their bowl recreation. However, I do know that Coach [Mirabal] additionally develops nice guys and I consider that they might take me to higher heights. Like I feel they’re fairly good technically clever with Coach Cristobal being an O-line man, you understand, that undoubtedly helps once you’re in observe like this. A bit of bit extra consideration to element stuff.”
Sure coaches like they’re extra defensive guys. They’re like D-line or they’re probably not D-line guys, however like different place, like quarterback guys. However having the O-line man [as a] head coach actually stands out to me lots.”
Whereas the highest 4 faculties have been per their pursuit of Iheanacho, others resembling Oklahoma, Maryland, and LSU have hit the five-star up lots, with the Terrapins wanting so as to add a second five-star of their 2026 class after touchdown top-five recruit Zion Elee.
On Maryland: “ For me, after Zion dedicated, being 100% sincere, I’ve at all times had [Maryland] in my high faculties. “And, you understand, I can by no means take away like the house feeling, like staying house, the flexibility to have the ability to carry a championship to house. It’s at all times been in my thoughts, no matter just like the Georgia, the Oregons. I’ve to be sincere: Maryland’s at all times been in my coronary heart.”
As the brand new 12 months comes, Iheanacho’s recruitment is as energetic and buzzing as ever, with plenty of high suitors pursuing, whereas different faculties are firmly within the combine as properly. As a call is predicted in August, there’s nonetheless an extended strategy to go earlier than the five-star involves any conclusion on his subsequent college.