Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is in the midst of a fantastic redshirt sophomore season and has separated himself as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
One of the biggest questions regarding the young quarterback’s future is whether or not he will enter the draft. That’s a question Ducks fans would rather not have hanging around as Oregon hopes to make a national championship push, but that’s the reality.
Moore has a strong arm, great footwork in the pocket, easy release and has proven to be an excellent decision maker during this season. There’s so much to like about being an NFL prospect, but he undoubtedly still needs some reps. With talent and interest at an understandable high, the question is worth asking: Is it worth leaving Oregon after this season?
Here’s what the experts have to say about Moore in their simulations, landing him at No. 4 overall to the Miami Dolphins and No. 3 overall to the Cleveland Browns.
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Moore is turning the heads of many NFL scouts and analysts. The outlook is largely positive, as many continue to monitor the Detroit native’s progress throughout this season in Oregon. Many mock drafts have Moore drafted as a top-10 pick, or even a top-five pick, in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Moore is a full-time starter for the first time in his career after replacing Dillon Gabriel last season. He has been consistently accurate this season with a 72.0 percent adjusted completion rate. He has also been a much quicker decision-maker than he was at UCLA, averaging 2.71 seconds before throwing,” PFF analyst Trevor Sikkema said.
He played strong on the road at Penn State, but struggled against Indiana, particularly against pressure. He’s just a true junior, so he might not even be in the 2026 class, but it all depends on how he plays down the stretch,” he continued.
While Moore is talented enough to transition and be successful, the situations he might find himself in will potentially be less advantageous than another year of NIL and, more importantly, development. Of course, the risk of other prospects like Arch Manning and DJ Lagway making major moves and becoming threats to the No. 1 quarterback race exists, but it could be worth it.
Fit is everything. It’s a lesson Moore learned once before, after transferring from UCLA to Oregon and sitting out a year because it was the right place for him. He is currently reaping the rewards of this decision. You have less control over where you land in the NFL, but there just isn’t a good situation for a young quarterback at the top of the draft, and that’s very rarely the case.
