Patrick Mahomes shocks fans by picking Oregon’s Dante Moore over college football’s “next Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes shocks fans by picking Oregon’s Dante Moore over college football’s “next Mahomes”

The Chiefs superstar’s unexpected endorsement leaves Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola on the outside looking in amid a season-ending injury

Three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes has publicly declared Dante Moore of the Oregon Ducks as his favorite quarterback to watch at the collegiate level.

During his appearance as the celebrity guest picker on College GameDay in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday, that saw Mahomes returning to his alma mater Texas Tech Red Raiders as they face the BYU Cougars in a top-10 showdown, the quarterback paused his game-day duties to tip his hat to one college quarterback in particular.

In the middle of the live picks segment, Mahomes stated:

“Dante Moore might be my favorite quarterback to watch in college, so I’m gonna take the Ducks.”

That praise carries extra weight given the storyline surrounding Dylan Raiola of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, a young quarterback who has drawn heavy comparisons to Mahomes himself.

Raiola’s similar look, pre-game routines and style of play have fueled the “mini-Mahomes” tag.

But Mahomes’s endorsement of Moore instead has generated discussion about perception, development and expectation in college QB recruiting.

What Mahomes’ pick means
Moore has quietly ascended this season, leading Oregon to a 7-1 start with 1,772 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and only four interceptions so far.

Meanwhile, Raiola’s trajectory was interrupted by a broken fibula, sidelining him for the remainder of his freshman campaign.

Mahomes’s selection of Moore underscores a few broader themes: the importance of poise and production in high-stakes games, the weight of preseason hype versus in-season performance, and the maturity required to break through in power-conference football.

Moore’s performance has turned heads in the scouting community. An NFL personnel executive told ESPN that he “has Moore … ranked inside the top three of his quarterback rankings.”

Raiola, by contrast, has already addressed the Mahomes comparisons head-on, telling one outlet: “I can’t be mad at God for making me look like him.”

The heavy expectations placed on the Nebraska freshman have been well-documented, but the injury has shifted the narrative somewhat, opening space for Moore to emerge under the radar.

Moore has started 13 games over three seasons, and through eight games this season, has thrown 1,772 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions, and is still relatively inexperienced.

However, Moore’s stat line through his breakout period is impressive. For example, one report lists him at 1,772 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and only four interceptions with a 71.4 % completion rate.

Oregon is playing a pivotal role in the College Football Playoff chase, and Moore’s performance is increasingly the deciding factor in that narrative.

Mahomes’ endorsement bridges the margin between NFL-grade evaluation and the college game: when a three-time Super-Bowl champion singles out a prospect, it amplifies attention and expectation.