Ex-Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola commits to Oregon with Dante Moore still mulling future

Transfer quarterback Dylan Raiola committed to Oregon on Monday, announcing his decision to join the Ducks on Instagram.

The former five-star recruit spent the last two seasons at Nebraska, making strides as a passer in 2025 before a fractured fibula ended his season after nine games. Now, Raiola will remain in the Big Ten but head west to Oregon, where he represents a veritable insurance policy for Dan Lanning and the Ducks as they await a decision from starter Dante Moore on his future.

Moore is the No. 2 overall prospect in the CBS Sports NFL Draft behind only Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. And with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets both in need of quarterbacks, there’s a good chance Moore could be a top-two pick in April if he declares.

Dante Moore, Dylan Raiola in the same Oregon QB room? Ducks may use Nebraska transfer as backup for 2026

Chris Hummer

However, the Ducks’ lopsided loss to Indiana in their semifinal showdown in Atlanta led some to wonder if Moore could benefit from another year of development in Eugene. It is still very possible because sources told Chris Hummer of CBS Sports that it’s currently more of a “50-50 coin toss” with the Jan. 14 NFL Draft declaration deadline looming.

Moore, who could still make millions in Oregon in 2026, said Friday he is still considering his options and has not made a decision either come back or turn pro, but Oregon couldn’t wait to pounce on a starting caliber QB in the portal.

And if Moore does indeed return, the addition of Raiola would follow a familiar pattern for the Ducks. Moore, after a rocky freshman season at UCLA, transferred to Oregon and took a redshirt year behind Dillon Gabriel before stepping into the starting lineup in 2025. Raiola could follow the same path.

Raiola’s commitment to Oregon isn’t just intriguing because of Moore’s return potential. He’s also a different type of quarterback than the archetype the Ducks have been looking for in recent years.

Since arriving at Oregon, Lanning’s three starting quarterbacks have been Moore, Gabriel and Bo Nix. All three are mobile, hyper-efficient quarterbacks who have allowed Oregon’s offense to advance by completing passes at a high percentage and trying to get the ball to playmakers in space.

Raiola has made strides in efficiency this season at Nebraska, completing 72.4 percent of his passes, but he’s known for coming from the Patrick Mahomes school of extending plays and taking risks to try to create a big play. He’s also not a quarterback you design runs for, which has been a staple of Oregon’s offense in recent years.

What’s next for Oregon? Major changes coming as Dan Lanning replaces two coordinators and possibly QB Dante Moore

David Cobb

Perhaps changing the QB archetype in Eugene could be a good thing for Lanning and the Ducks. They will have a new offensive coordinator in 2026 after Will Stein accepted the Kentucky job. And after another lopsided playoff loss, the Ducks may need a new approach with a new OC (Drew Mehringer, former Oregon offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, was promoted) and a different type of quarterback.

For his part, Raiola will have a lot of pressure on him to raise his level of play more consistently, especially against elite competition. This is clearly a decision he’s making to wrestle at a different level than he was able to achieve at Nebraska. If he succeeds, he will raise his profile and increase the selection committees until 2027 (or 2028, if Moore returns). If he struggles, it will raise the temperature at home and at Lanning, who faces a daunting challenge to keep Oregon a title contender with so many changes around him.