Dante Moore stunned draft analysts, returning to Oregon as CBS Sports' top college QB. He's honing his game for a potential championship run and Heisman bid.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore would have likely been a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he chose to come out following the Ducks' appearance in the College Football Playoff in January.
Moore would have likely been the No. 2 quarterback in the draft, taken after Indiana's Fernando Mendoza but before Alabama's Ty Simpson.
Moore chose to return to Eugene so he could work on a few key issues in his second season as a full-time starter. He needs to work on limiting turnovers and dealing with pressure before jumping to the league.
Oregon has a good chance to win the CFP national championship with Moore under center. He should be in the running to win the Heisman Trophy before he leaves for the 2027 draft.
With that being said, Moore is getting plenty of buzz this spring. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports ranked Moore as the No. 1 college quarterback before the 2026 season.
"Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft early-entry deadline, Moore stunned most by announcing his return to the Ducks as a projected top-5 pick," Crawford wrote. "Moore finished with 3,565 yards passing and 30 touchdowns in his first full season as a college starter, helping Oregon reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.
"The former UCLA transfer will work with a new offensive coordinator this fall after spending the last two years with Will Stein, who's now leading Kentucky. He deserves the current spot as college football's top quarterback. "
It remains to be seen how Moore will do with a new offensive coordinator. Stein was a great play caller and set up numerous Ducks quarterbacks to be successful in the NFL.
Everything is lining up for Oregon to have a championship season with Moore returning in 2026. The defense is packed. The offense might have the best overall skilled group out of any team in the country.
The main charge for Oregon and Moore could be the offensive line, which is unknown before training camp this summer. As was seen last year, Moore didn't play good football when the offensive line allowed pass-rushers to get pressure.