Dakorien Moore, the nation’s top-ranked wide receiver and third overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, has committed to the Oregon Ducks.
The announcement, which took place on July 4th via an Instagram livestream, culminated in a fireworks display outside his home.
This commitment followed an inadvertent leak by ESPN insider Pete Thamel, who prematurely announced Moore’s decision in a now-deleted tweet.
Moore’s choice to join the Ducks represents another significant recruiting loss for the Texas Longhorns. Previously committed to LSU until late May, Moore had seemed poised to join Texas after a series of positive signals, including a visit to the Texas campus in June with his family.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, along with assistant coach Chris Gilbert, who has deep connections in the Dallas area, were believed to have been leading in the race for Moore.
However, Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning and his recruiting team, including assistant head coach and running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples, managed to secure Moore’s commitment. Samples, an alum of Dallas Skyline and the son of Duncanville’s head coach Reginald Samples, played a crucial role in swaying Moore’s decision.
The Longhorns, led by Sarkisian and wide receivers coach Chris Jackson, now face a critical period as they attempt to persuade Moore to reconsider before Early Signing Day. This loss is a notable setback for Texas, which had earmarked Moore as a top priority in their recruiting efforts.