It’s a busy week for Oregon Duck football fans who are keeping tabs on the 2025 NFL draft while also preparing for the annual spring game on Saturday afternoon. While many former favorite players will discover their professional landing spots, it will be time to usher in a new era in Eugene, with a young and fresh roster set to take the stage.
Every year, we leave the spring game with fresh perspectives and new opinions on young breakout players. Earlier this week, we identified some of the breakout players who might emerge, whether they are true freshmen, redshirt underclassmen, or veteran players finally stepping into a larger role.
Today, we want to take a look at who the stars of the show will be. In years past, we’ve seen players like Tez Johnson, Troy Franklin, and Bo Nix dominate the spring game, showcasing what’s to come for Oregon football down the line. Who will those players be this year? Here’s my best guess on candidates.
Dante Moore
For as much as we expect the backups to get a lot of playing time on Saturday, I do expect Lanning and Will Stein to allow Dante Moore and Austin Novosad to throw the ball around and run the offense a bit. We’ve heard all about the arm talent that Moore brings to the table, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if he leaves Saturday with 150-plus yards through the air and a few touchdowns to show for it.
Kenyon Sadiq
If you want to talk about high-upside players with highlight ability, then look no further than Kenyon Sadiq, who showed just how tantalizing he can be in the Big Ten Championship game with his hurdle-touchdown in the first quarter. Without Terrance Ferguson ahead of him on the depth chart, Sadiq will have a chance to flourish this year in Oregon’s offense. The main question is how much he will actually play in this game.
Dillon Thieneman
It would not surprise me in the slightest to see Dillon Thieneman only play a couple of series in this game before sitting out for the remainder of the scrimmage, but it also wouldn’t surprise me to see him make a couple of statement plays that announce his presence to the Oregon faithful.
Dakorien Moore
If you were to poll 100 random Oregon fans about who they are most excited to watch on Saturday, the top answer would likely be QB Dante Moore. I would guess that the No. 2 answer is true freshman WR Dakorien Moore, though. As the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2025 class, Moore comes to Eugene with a high upside, and he appears to be showing out quickly with the Ducks. Oregon wants to make a good impression on the recruits in town for the spring game, and what better way than to show how much a true freshman can be involved in the scheme?
Kingston Lopa
To be in the MVP conversation, you need two things: a high upside and an opportunity for a lot of playing time. I think that Kingston Lopa brings both to the table. He is among the top candidates to win a starting job in the secondary, and as a redshirt freshman, he hasn’t seen a ton of the field before, so he’s looking to show what he can do and prove himself. That adds up to a perfect sleeper MVP candidacy.
Da’Jaun Riggs
That list of players who fans want to watch at the spring game may have Dante Moore and Dakorien Moore at the top, but I don’t think you would have to scroll very far to find Da’Jaun Riggs’ name. After a pair of impressive showings in his true freshman season, albeit in garbage time, Riggs has garnered quite a reputation for himself, and the hype has been building quickly. In a crowded RB room, “Dink” could use a big performance on Saturday to show how dynamic of a runner he can be and establish himself in the rotation.
Austin Novosad
Just like Dante Moore, Austin Novosad has to be mentioned in this conversation since he will be one of the starting QBs, and will likely get a good amount of run throughout the day, trying to prove himself in the quarterback competition. We’ve heard a lot this spring about the consistency of Novosad and his ability to throw the deep ball, which is exactly what fans want to see in Oregon’s offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a handful of shot plays that stir up the crowd at Autzen on Saturday.
Jeremiah McClellan
There are a lot of receivers who have been getting hyped up this spring, and Jeremiah McClellan is one of them. After a redshirt freshman season, the former high-end 4-star recruit is ready to show out and prove that he can be a member of this rotation in Eugene. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he stole the show on offense and proved to be one of the most consistent pass-catchers out there.
Makhi Hughes
If this were a real game and you could guarantee at least three-plus quarters of action for the starters, then I think Makhi Hughes would arguably be the favorite to win the MVP award — I think he is going to be that good this year. However, it’s hard to project how much action he is going to see in this scrimmage, where Oregon wants to keep its stars as fresh as possible. Don’t be surprised by a couple of highlight plays from the Tulane transfer, though.
Luke Moga
Luke Moga might be my true dark horse candidate for the spring game MVP award. While Dante Moore and Austin Novosad are expected to get a good amount of action, we will undoubtedly see a lot of backups, and Moga will have a fair opportunity to show what he can do. Unlike the passers above, Moga brings a dynamic running ability to the offense, and he impressed a year ago with his legs in the second half. I could easily see him coming in and dazzling in this game, scoring a couple of touchdowns late and stealing the MVP award.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Top Oregon football 2025 spring game MVP candidates