Dakorien Moore commits to Oregon; Ducks land nation's No. 1 wide receiver
In mid-June, following an official visit weekend in which six five-star prospects traveled to Eugene, the Oregon Ducks coaching staff suddenly became organized and active on social media.
"We outside," came the message from multiple coaches.
It was a celebration, but one with little context.
The meaning began to trickle out shortly after with a collection of bluechip commitments, including Conroe (Texas) five-star cornerback Dorian Brew.
But it wasn't until Thursday that Dan Lanning and his coaching staff secured a true class headliner - and made a statement that is likely to reverberate across the country.
Oregon is a bonafide football recruiting giant.
Duncanville (Texas) five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, a consensus top-five player nationally and the No. 1 wide receiver in the country, committed to Oregon over fellow finalists LSU, Ohio State and Texas.
The 5-foot-11, 182-pound pass-catcher's score in the 247Sports composite rankings (0.999) makes him the highest-rated pledge in modern program history, eclipsing Oaks Christian (California) five-star edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (0.9987).
As a junior, Moore hauled in 71 receptions for 1,523 yards and 18 touchdowns, leading Duncanville to a Texas 6A Division 1 state title.
He is also a member of Duncanville's historic 4x100 track squad, a group that broke the national record with a time of 39.65, shockingly finishing second behind new record holder Atascocita (Texas).
Moore, originally an LSU pledge, re-opened his recruitment in May, but had already begun to build strong ties to both Oregon and Texas.
While the Longhorns appeared to hold a slight edge throughout the early part of the summer, that sentiment began to change following Moore's official visit June 21.
Still, it wasn't until Thursday's announcement that Lanning and Co. could celebrate, as the race for Moore's services was hotly contested.
“I love how open I can be when I’m out there,” Moore told On3 prior to his decision. “Their uniforms and their style, they’re just different. It’s unique, and it’s not really comparable to any other school I’m looking at. I just think they have great coaches in general. Coach Lanning knows how to judge people, and he is a good judge of character. And he’s really good at building relationships and getting people to trust him. I feel like that reels the great players in. And with coach (Junior) Adams, he’s just a well-rounded good coach, good mentor and a good person to be around.”
Here's what 247Sports had to say about Moore as a prospect:
"One of the nation's top offensive weapons following immensely productive junior season and a second consecutive Texas 6A D-I state championship. In the 5-11, 180-185 range but possesses musculature that presents a more stout receiver than listed size on paper may suggest. Owns good length and large hands to further enhance catch radius and playmaking ability. ...Regularly capable of sudden explosion from a dead stop in RAC situations. Displays speed-changing nuance without punitive down-shifting as a decelerator/accelerator. Same concept applies to route-running and athleticism to create late separation. Legitimate sprinter with track and field accolades, but also flashes dangerous open-field elusiveness. Gets on top of corners in a flash and shows excellent downfield ball-tracking concentration. Spatially aware of defender, boundaries, etc., and displays good body control when required. Plays bigger than listed in the red zone thanks to timing, ball skills, and adjustment acumen. ...Member of nationally-known Duncanville sprint relay. Route tree expanded as a junior, thanks in part to meteoric development of QB classmate Keelon Russell. Track speed also showed in pads more consistently and obviously."
Overall, Oregon's 2025 recruiting class consists of 15 pledges and is ranked No. 5 nationally.
But the Ducks remain firmly in the mix for several bluechip prospects, including Zephyrhills (Florida) five-star cornerback D.J. Pickett, who is set to announce his commitment July 17, and Shaker Heights (Ohio) five-star safety Trey McNutt.
At this point, a top-three class nationally is certainly attainable for Lanning's program.
Perhaps Oregon's coaching staff would have a more succinct way of expressing their undeniable succes..
"We outside."
ANDREW NEMEC