The Oregon Ducks are being led this season by one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football history, Dillon Gabriel. However, this marks the final year of Gabriel’s impressive college career as a sixth-year senior. After the season, Gabriel will aim to prove himself capable of playing quarterback at the NFL level, which means Oregon will need a new signal caller.
While the Ducks already have former five-star recruit Dante Moore waiting behind Gabriel, head coach Dan Lanning and his staff made sure to add another top-tier quarterback to the mix. In a surprise move during the early signing period on Wednesday, Oregon secured five-star Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who had previously committed to the Cal Golden Bears, a former Pac-12 rival.
Sagapolutele’s recruitment gained significant momentum, as the No. 1 player in Hawaii rapidly went from being an underrated three-star prospect to climbing into the top 20 of On3’s recruiting rankings. Originally committed to Cal in July, his other finalists included Oregon State, Utah State, and Boise State.
Following an impressive performance at the Elite 11 and a record-setting senior season where he became Hawaii’s all-time passing leader—surpassing names like Gabriel, Tua Tagovailoa, Timmy Chang, and McKenzie Milton—Sagapolutele’s recruitment exploded. He officially joined Oregon’s recruiting class on Wednesday, which is currently ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the Big Ten according to On3.
In addition to growing interest from top programs this season, Sagapolutele’s NIL valuation has also soared. He currently ranks No. 23 in On3’s NIL Valuation for high school recruits, with a value of $603,000.
With Dante Moore, former four-star Austin Novosad, Sagapolutele, and fellow 2025 recruit Akili Smith Jr. in the fold, Oregon will have several strong options to succeed Dillon Gabriel, who set the FBS record for career touchdowns in November with 182 and counting. Sagapolutele’s future team will face Penn State in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday, with the game scheduled to air at 8:00 ET on CBS.
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