Oregon’s Dante Moore and Dakorien Moore are already drawing attention before the 2026 season even gets rolling, and the buzz around the Ducks’ quarterback-receiver pairing keeps building for a reason. Their connection has shown up everywhere from the Oregon Team Invitational at Hayward Field to the Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase in Japan, and even across each other’s social media accounts.
That bond has not gone unnoticed by analysts. On3 Sports’ JD PicKell recently slotted the two Moores as his No. 4 wide receiver-quarterback duo for the upcoming 2026 season in a Tuesday YouTube video on the On3 Sports page.
"Here's my take on this duo: they're just going to be so versatile together, man," PicKell said. "Like, their skill sets, there's not a lot that these two guys can't do on a football field at their respective positions."
He also pointed to how the two fit together stylistically.
"Dante Moore is seasoned and savvy and is great at identifying coverages and placing the ball where it needs to be and putting the right layer on it. So, he's going to be able to throw Dakorien Moore, I think, open pretty frequently. And then I think Dakorien Moore can play any position on the football field when it comes to what you're going to ask of your receivers at Oregon," PicKell added.
The hype around Dakorien Moore started well before he played a snap in 2025. Even during spring game and fall practice, his chemistry with Dante Moore was a talking point, and after the 2025 scrimmage, Dante Moore said Dakorien Moore was "doing what was advertised," as a top-of-the-line recruit.
That connection showed up once the season began. Oregon’s College Football Playoff run in 2025 featured plenty of moments where the two looked in sync, including the opener against Montana State, when Moore even blocked a defender on a play that ended with Gary Bryant Jr. scoring a touchdown.
There was also real production behind the flash. Dakorien Moore finished 2025 with 34 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns, even after a non-contact knee injury following Oregon’s 21-7 win over Wisconsin sidelined him for four games against Iowa, Minnesota, USC and Washington.
Dante Moore’s season was just as eye-catching. He completed 412 of 296 passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions and 17 sacks.
Now the focus shifts to fall camp and another chance for the two Moores to sharpen their timing. Oregon also has a stretch of games that should give them room to keep building early, starting with Boise State at home on Sep. 5, then a trip to Oklahoma State on Sep. 12, a home game against Portland State on Sep. 18, and a first road test at USC on Sep. 26.
For Duck fans, the message from the outside is simple: there may be even more "Moore" coming in 2026.
In Other News...
Oregon Fans Have Every Right To Be Furious Over Brandon Finney Jr
Pro Football Focus latest preseason list is the kind of ranking that invites a double take, especially when it comes to defensive playmakers. The outlets top five ball hawks for 2026 included Leonard Moore, Bryce Fitzgerald, Brice Pollock, John Nestor and Jaquez White, a group that will get plenty of attention as the season approaches.
What stands out for Oregon is the absence of Brandon Finney Jr., who has still been treated like one of the sports premier defensive backs entering 2026. PFF had him high on its overall Preseason College 50, and he has already collected major preseason recognition elsewhere, so leaving him off a list built around turnover-hungry defenders is the sort of omission Ducks fans are not likely to forget anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Sent Another Big Recruiting Message Nationally
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The class now stretches across 17 states and gives the Ducks a broad footprint that matches the ambition of the ranking. ESPN also points to five-star cornerback Hayden Stepp as one of the classs top defensive headliners, a reminder that Oregons push is not just about flash on offense but about assembling difference-makers on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Is Locked In A High-Stakes Battle For A Blue-Chip EDGE
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For the Ducks, the appeal goes beyond adding another talented defender. They are planning ahead for possible roster turnover at edge rusher and view Tillman as a player who could fit into that next wave. He is expected to visit both schools, and with the two programs still very much in the mix, Oregon has a chance to make a strong impression before this recruitment starts to narrow. [Read more 🡒]
