Oregon's Dante Moore Receives Promising QB Ranking

Dante Moore made one of the biggest decisions of his life this offseason.

Moore was expected to be the second quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL Draft behind Fernando Mendoza, and likely would have been a Top 5 pick if not the No. 2 pick in the draft for the New York Jets. 

After a humbling 56-22 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff, Moore decided he needed to start for a second season at Oregon to work on his quarterbacking skills before entering the 2027 NFL Draft. 

If he plays his cards right, Moore has the potential to become the No. 1 pick in a loaded draft class at quarterback next year, though he will face stiff competition from Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who had a solid second half his first year as a starter. 

David Cobb of CBS Sports ranked Moore as the No. 1 quarterback in the nation heading into the 2026 season. He thinks Moore will put up his better starts this fall than he did last year.

"Moore turned down a chance to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to run it back with Oregon," Cobb wrote. "With some better health for the Ducks' pass-catchers, he will likely surpass last year's totals of 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns."

A healthy Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore will be key for Moore to stay in the race for the Heisman Trophy. The offense should be good enough to compete with any defense in the country, though there are some questions on the offensive line.

The Ducks will replace three starters who went to the 2026 draft. That could be a problem for Moore, who struggled under duress against Indiana and Texas Tech last season.

However, that could be Moore's salvation this season. He came back in part to work on getting the ball out of his hands quickly, learning how to deal with pressure, and limiting turnovers.

If Moore can make progress in those areas, the Ducks have a great chance to win their first national championship, and Moore should be set to be the first player taken in next year's draft.