Why Oregon Ducks' Dakorien Moore Has Most To Prove In Freshman Season

Five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore is one of the Oregon Ducks' most exciting incoming recruits, and he is already receiving comparisons to freshmen standouts like Alabama Crimson Tide's Ryan Williams and Ohio State Buckeyes' Jeremiah Smith.

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

Eugene – During the offseason, the Oregon Ducks assembled one of the most talented recruiting classes in the country. The Ducks rank No. 5 in the nation in 2025, ahead of blue-chip programs like Tennessee, Penn State, and Notre Dame. 

The Ducks secured commitments from some of the best players in the country, including three five-stars. Although there are multiple highly touted incoming freshmen, arguably the newcomer with the most excitement is freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore. 

Moore ➡️ Moore pic.twitter.com/7vB8Rikcw9

— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) February 23, 2025

When Moore committed to Oregon back in July, he became one of the highest-ranked recruits in program history to sign with the Ducks. Moore is ranked as the No. 1 receiver prospect in the nation and could have gone anywhere in the country, yet he chose Eugene as his destination. 

With Moore’s natural athletic ability and past dominance throughout his high school career, the young receiver could be poised for a breakout season as a true freshman. 

Over the past year, college football has seen a new wave of freshmen whose age is no longer defining their abilities or responsibilities on their respective teams. Take Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, for example. As true freshmen, Williams and Smith quickly became top targets for their quarterbacks while gaining national attention. 

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The two dominated opposing secondaries, some of which had players as old as 23 with multiple years of experience over the true freshmen. However, these secondaries struggled against Smith and Williams, including Oregon’s, which couldn’t stop Smith in the Rose Bowl. 

In Oregon’s loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, Smith had seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns. 

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Christian Gray (29) in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Could Moore be the next freshman receiver to make a similar impact as Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Alabama's Ryan Williams did a year ago? He has both the physical tools and the resources at Oregon to do so, now it’s up to him to prove he’s worth the hype. 

According to ESPN reporter Chris Low, out of all the freshmen in the country, Moore has the most to prove. 

“Dakorien Moore is one of the highest-ranked recruits ever to sign with Oregon and plays a position, wide receiver, that could use an influx of talent,” said Low. “The Ducks would love it if he can make a similar impact as Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Alabama's Ryan Williams did a year ago as freshmen.” 

Nov 16, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) leaps past Mercer safety Chris Joines (14) as he scores at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not only does Moore have the potential to become Oregon’s No. 1 wide receiver, but there is room for him in Oregon’s depth chart to make an instant impact. 

After the 2024 season, the Ducks lost receivers Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden to the NFL Draft. While the Ducks are still returning starting receiver Evan Stewart, as well as receivers Justius Lowe and Jurrion Dickey, Moore will be competing for a starting spot throughout the offseason. 

At 5-11, 182 pounds, Moore plays bigger than his size and possesses elite speed. He has explosive route-running ability and excels after the catch. In his senior year of high school, Moore scored 18 touchdowns while accumulating 1,043 yards on 74 receptions. 

If Moore can translate his high school dominance to the college level, he could be the next freshman receiver to take the nation by storm and help fuel a national championship run for Oregon.