The Oregon Ducks will be getting quarterback Dante Moore back for the 2026 college football season. He had a chance to go into the 2026 NFL Draft, but decided it would be best for him to return. Had he stayed in the 2026 NFL, there would have been a great chance for him to be drafted in the top five potentially. With him returning, there is a chance that he may not be a top five selection in the 2027 NFL Draft.
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Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks the field after the Ducks’ loss as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Moore is 6’3″ and weighs 206 lbs. He has completed 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Moore also rushed for 156 yards on 73 carries and two touchdowns, along with averaging 2.1 yards per carry. Oregon should be one of the best teams in college football again during the 2026 season.
Joel Klatt Has Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore as a Top Five Selection Had He Stayed in the 2026 NFL Draft
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Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) pushes Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) to the ground Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, during the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Joel Klatt of FOX Sports created a 2026 NFL Mock Draft on all college football players no matter if they were eligible or not. Moore would have most likely gone second overall in the 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Jets had he decided not to go back to college. Klatt said,
“The Jets also need a quarterback, and the discussion here would be between Moore and Manning. If you watched the tape, Moore was the better player of the two last season. I think he would win out in the evaluation process as a result. Even this year, when Moore was making his decision whether to enter the draft or not, he was the consensus No. 2 quarterback to Mendoza. Moore’s an elite talent and can further boost his draft stock in 2026.”
One of the reasons why Moore probably went back to college is because he probably did not want to be drafted by the Jets. A lot of rookie quarterbacks have gotten ruined in the past in New York. Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson did not turn out well with the Jets and that’s probably why Moore returned. There is a chance that he could wind up with a better situation in the 2027 NFL Draft. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and be a top five pick then.
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