Kobe Bryant is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes in the history of all of sports. And while his legacy obviously lives on for plenty of years to come, his nephew, one of the top high school prospects in the class of 2026, will look to pave his own path in a different sport.
Jett Washington currently sits as the 18th-ranked prospect in the class of 2026, the No. 2 safety in the class behind just Bralan Womack. So naturally, Washington largely had his pick of many of the top schools in the country to play college football.
Last week, Washington made his recruitment decision. According to 247 Sports, Washington will play for Dan Lanning at the University of Oregon, choosing the Ducks over Alabama and USC, which rounded out his top three.
5-star safety Jett Washington, nephew of Kobe has officially committed to Oregon 🙌
Ducks just snagged a BALLER 🐍🔥
(via @JettWash, @oregonfootball, 247 Sports) pic.twitter.com/NU8mGV8ctK
— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) June 22, 2025
Being related to someone like Kobe Bryant obviously brings its fair share of expectations to be great right away. But Washington is far from someone who is living off a family legacy, helping his high school team, Bishop Gorman, to a state championship win in Nevada this past season.
With the addition of Washington to the class, Oregon now has its new highest-rated defensive player in their 2026 recruiting class.
Only time will tell what kind of impact Washington has at Oregon. Especially considering how prevalent the transfer portal has become in the sport. But given Washington’s family lineage, he will certainly be someone to keep an eye on next season for Oregon.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.