Expectations Rising Even Higher For Oregon Ducks Star Freshman Dakorien Moore

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks have talent across the board, but perhaps no freshman's debut was more highly anticipated than that of five-star wide receiver. Dakorien Moore. After Oregon's first game of the season, the Moore hype train is starting to fill up before it leaves the station.

The true freshman has a large pair of shoes to fill with veteran wide receiver Evan Stewart going down in the spring with a knee injury. Along with the pressure internally to make an immediate impact, the Duncanville, Texas native is starting to garner comparison's to Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith per Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer.

Oregon Ducks Dakorien Moore Jeremiah Smith Ohio state buckeyesDan Lanning Freshman big ten football Evan Stewart Dante Moor — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks to the clock towards the end of the first half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Can Moore be as dominant as Smith?

According to Kramer, Moore is primed to have a freshman season like Jeremiah Smith had last year. Smith had 15 touchdowns, and 1,315 yards in 16 games played, shattering a program record.

His athelticism and talent were backed up with the stats, but also the awards he won by the end of the season. Most notably Smith won the Big Ten wide reciever of the year and freshman of the year awards, and on top of that he won the Rose bowl MVP award after the Buckeyes took down the Ducks.

But can Moore come close to that?

Kramer believes Moore will have breakout season for the Ducks and play a major role in it's success much like Smith did for the Buckeyes.

Much like analysts said about Smith last year, Kramer believes Moore is "a threat to score the ball from anywhere on the field, and Oregon won't hesitate to showcase his talent."

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What obstacle does Moore have in his way?

Other than being a true freshman, there is another potential obstacle in the path of Moore's successful freshman year.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore impressed in his first start with the Ducks, but he is also an unproven commodity at the college level.

A receiver's success is weighted on the shoulders of the quarterback, and the fact that both are expected to start for the first time at Oregon in 2025 means immediate success isn't guaranteed. However, if both Moores can perform like they did against Montana State, the future is bright for the Ducks.

What does Moore have in his favor?

The best situation for a true freshman with high expectation is relationship with their coach that's genuine and supportive.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has had nothing but praise for Moore, and believes he's ready for the opportunity.

“I said before, I think he's a perfectionist. He wants to do things the right way, and he's hard on himself. But part of that means that you spend a lot of time in preparation, and preparation is going to create confidence,” Lanning said.