After a 13-1 finish last year, Dan Lanning’s team is gunning for a natty this season, but the hits keep coming. Just as their offense was clicking, disaster struck: Evan Stewart suffered a knee injury in practice. Stewart, who forwent the 2025 NFL Draft, was a crucial safety net for quarterback Dante Moore, especially in his transitional year. Now, his absence leaves a big gap, especially with Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden already off to the NFL. Sure, players like Justius Lowe, Malik Benson, and Gary Bryant Jr. will need to step up, but keep an eye on the true freshman, as he might just be the ace up Dan Lanning’s sleeve.
Evan Stewart’s latest knee injury isn’t his first health hurdle. He missed the Rose Bowl with a back injury despite a strong season with 48 receptions, 613 yards, and a career-high five TDs. This new setback could sideline him until 2026. While Oregon has other receivers—Kenyon Sadiq (308 yards), Justius Lowe (203 yards), Noah Whittington (136 yards), and Jayden Limar (71 yards)—they combined for under 750 receiving yards last year, a fraction of Stewart’s production. Without him, Oregon’s passing game might face a significant challenge.
That’s not entirely the case, as Dan Lanning does have a hidden playmaker waiting on the sidelines to take up the charge. And that’s a 5-star recruit from Duncanville, Dakorien Moore, who is the No. 1 ranked WR in the class of 2025. The best part is he’s already drawing comparisons with Ohio State’s explosive WR Jeremiah Smith. And Fox Sports analyst RJ Young didn’t mince words before landing him with praise on his Adapt & Respond with RJ Young podcast. “They’ve got Justice Lowe, who I think is pretty good. Malik Benson is pretty good. Gary Bryant Jr. is pretty good. But the guy I’m really excited to see is a true freshman—Dakorien Moore.”
“He’s the closest thing Oregon has to a Jeremiah Smith-type talent, and he’s going to be crucial in Dante Moore’s first year. Dante’s going to need all the help he can get. They’ll probably be a bit more run-heavy as they develop that receiving core and get Dante comfortable as the starter.” That makes sense; we all saw Smith winning Natty with Ohio State last season despite being a true freshman with no experience. And he didn’t just break the FBS freshmen receiving record, but also became a nightmare for other teams. Even Dakoiren Moore’s spring game depicts the same story.
During Oregon’s spring game, Moore showed why there’s so much hype building around him, hauling in a 35-yard catch down the sideline. What stands out? His large hands, long arms, and athleticism make him a force on contested catches, playing bigger than his size suggests. He’s improved his route running significantly, helped by his teammate, five-star QB Keelon Russell. He’s surprisingly strong but needs to add more muscle to consistently beat top corners. A top 2025 prospect with clear NFL potential.
On top of that, Dan Lanning’s team brings in playmakers who could turn heads this season. Senior Malik Benson, a transfer from Florida State, arrives in Eugene after a productive year with 25 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown. Averaging 12.5 yards per reception in his career, Benson is a proven talent, and his hard work and unique journey make him a natural fan favorite. So when RJ Young said, “It’s a really, really talented group, and Oregon should expect to start the season as a top-10 team,” He wasn’t wrong at all.
Now, Dan Lanning stands at a crossroads where on one side he has to address his WR room, and on the other side, pressure is mounting on his QB, Dante Moore.
Dan Lanning’s QB under immense pressure
Dan Lanning doesn’t wait for quarterbacks to develop; he makes stars. Justin Herbert, Marcus Mariota, Bo Nix, and Dillon Gabriel all thrived under his system. Gabriel, a 63-game starter, set a high bar last year. Now, Dante Moore inherits the pressure. Moore, who had some growing pains at UCLA (11 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 1610 yards), is now ready to take up the charge of the Ducks’ offense.
RJ Young has a broader perspective. He said, “I wanted to point this out because we’re asking Dante Moore to be that kind of prolific in what I’m really going to call year one and a half for him, because he did get starts at UCLA and he did play for Chip Kelly, and there were moments when he looked outstanding, when he looked really good. But you could also see moments where he looked a little bit unpolished, a little rough, and a little bit immature.” Young thinks Moore has what it takes to succeed, despite his flaws, including the right tools, system, and coach.
Even ex-Duck and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver, Tez Johnson, is very confident in Moore. He said, “Dante Moore? He’ll be a Heisman finalist next year. It’s something you haven’t seen yet.” Moore’s strong spring performance has put him in early Heisman contention, but Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, and Drew Allar are currently the frontrunners. That only adds more weight to Moore’s role in the team.
But the only flaw that might create problems and Spencer McLaughlin pointed it out bluntly and said, “[From] his time at UCLA, he struggled protecting the football. It is the biggest knock that you can throw on him. It’s why he was removed from the starting role after capturing it early in the season from Ethan Garbers.” Let’s see with a fresh WR and QB duo how things turn around for Dan Lanning’s team this season.
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