Could Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks actually make this wild decision at the quarterback position?
The Oregon Ducks were just routed by the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl, and now, they are facing a winter full of uncertainty.
That applies to the quarterback position most of all, as Oregon does not yet know if Dante Moore is going to declare for the NFL Draft.
That obviously complicates the Ducks' efforts in the transfer portal, as top quarterbacks will certainly be more hesitant to head to Eugene if they feel that Moore will still be with the team in 2026.
But is it possible that Oregon could retain Moore while also landing former Nebraska signal-caller Dylan Raiola in the portal? Chris Hummer of CBS Sports thinks it's a possibility.
In fact, Hummer's intel is saying it's a very real thing.
"What if Dylan Raiola, a two-year starter at Nebraska, transferred to Oregon just to sit for a year behind Dante Moore? It sounds ridiculous, but that's a reality that's emerging as a possibility, according to sources," Hummer wrote.
Dylan Raiola. Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images.Moore is widely viewed as the second overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top selection, and Moore is being projected to head to the New York Jets at No. 2.
However, there has been speculation that Moore — who struggled in the College Football Playoff — could opt to return to the Ducks for one more season just to avoid the Jets.
The catch is that Raiola only has two years of eligibility remaining, so if he heads to Oregon to sit behind Moore for a year, he would have to bank on having a tremendous campaign in 2027 in order to bolster his NFL Draft stock, which is very questionable at the moment.
A former five-star recruit, Raiola was a pretty significant disappointment at Nebraska, totaling 31 passing touchdowns and 17 interceptions over two seasons with the Cornhuskers.
The 20-year-old saw his 2025 campaign end after nine games due to a broken fibula he suffered in November, but he is expected to be ready for the start of next season in spite of undergoing surgery.
Would Raiola actually be willing to spend 2026 as a backup? It remains to be seen, but apparently, it has some legs.