Oregon's placement on ESPN's quarterback rankings entering 2025 should have Dan Lanning concerned

ESPN recently ranked all 136 FBS quarterback situations into tiers and where they placed the Oregon Ducks' quarterback situation shouldn't come as much of a surprise to fans.

The quarterback situation rankings from ESPN include over 20 different tiers, ranging from "top of the class" to "nowhere but up".

ESPN placed Oregon's situation in tier five (the "waiting is the hardest part" tier).

Other programs in this tier include Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss.

Oregon landed in this spot because few quarterback rooms have less experience with their current program. Dante Moore and Austin Novosad had only 10 total passes in 2024. Luke Moga never saw the field, and Akili Smith Jr. is a true freshman.

This is Moore's job, but his first year at UCLA went so poorly that this is a leap of faith for Oregon and head coach Dan Lanning.

Here's what ESPN had to say about this tier.

After three years as a backup, Stockton drove his 1984 F-150 onto center stage in last season's Sugar Bowl, and while he ended up on the losing end, he played well enough for Georgia to feel comfortable handing him the offense in 2025. Simpson, a top-five QB recruit in 2022, also has patiently waited his turn at Alabama. Moore earned starting experience at UCLA as a freshman, then left for Oregon and waited behind Dillon Gabriel. Simmons watched Jaxson Dart for two years at Ole Miss. These guys know the system, know the locker room, and they are ready for their moment in the spotlight.

This is certainly a fair ranking for the Ducks' quarterback situation. All of the scholarship quarterbacks on Oregon's roster have talent. 

But Moore must find the line between being a steadying and efficient point guard and an occasional playmaker. That's a lot to ask for a young player leading a title contending team.

Is it possible that Moore could emerge as a star in the Big Ten?

Absolutely, and that was the expectation when Lanning originally recruited him out of high school.

But we have no idea whether that will be the case until we see Moore under the bright lights.