EUGENE – The No. 7 Oregon Ducks celebrated Senior Day with a blowout win over USC, officially ending the Trojans’ College Football Playoff hopes. Of course, redshirt second-year quarterback Dante Moore wasn’t a part of the pregame senior festivities… but there’s no guarantee he’ll ever play another regular season game in Eugene.
Moore is quickly rising on the board for the 2026 NFL Draft. Scouts are charmed by his precocious frame, elite accuracy and command of an offense that is one of a kind in many ways. Until he announces he will return to Eugene, evaluators are projecting him as if he will announce, with many naming Moore as a top-5 selection as the top quarterback in the class.
Lightning struck when ESPN’s College GameDay rocked Eugene for a top-15 showdown. GameDay host Rece Davis returns for his 11th season at the helm, joined at the desk by GameDay analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban.
As one of college football’s most respected voices, Davis brings a unique long-term perspective. In an exclusive interview with SI reporter Bree Amaranthus on the Oregon Ducks, Davis broke down the biggest decision of Moore’s career.
Moore has led the Ducks to a 10-1 record this season, braving sheets of rain and wind and overcoming injuries to starting wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen… all while delivering one of the most efficient seasons in Ducks history.
However, Davis emphasized the glaring difference between college development and the business-first reality of the NFL.
“There’s no rush. You’re going to be an NFL quarterback, whether you go right away or whether you go next year. Make sure you’re ready to go. And by that I don’t just mean in terms of playing on the field. Make sure you’re ready for the change in your life because this (change) is going to happen in the pros,” Davis told Amaranthus.
“As high as (Moore) is being drafted, there will be investment and people are expecting to see him succeed wherever he goes. But it’s different than the investment people make in your development, in college. And the pros — it’s a bottom line. They want you to succeed because they’ve invested a lot of money in you. And in most cases for quarterbacks, they’ve tied their franchise to you. That’s a lot of pressure,” Davis continued. Kept.
Davis made it clear that staying put is a legitimate option … Moore shouldn’t be written off just because the draft projections are great.
“Make sure this is what you really want to do because there’s no going back. The decision is made once. It won’t be the end of the world if you decide, ‘Hey, you know what? I like Eugene. I like Oregon. I like playing for Dan Lanning. I like playing in the Big Ten, and I want to stay,'” Davis said.
Davis continued, “A lot of things can factor into that decision. Oregon wins a national championship – OK, OK, then you’ll probably be at the 15-start limit. We always talk about the draft, the success rate really isn’t very high for quarterbacks who haven’t made a large number of starts.”
Moore’s experience is a factor. The former 5-star recruit has currently started 11 games at Oregon and five games at UCLA as a true freshman.
Davis said, “I know he has some (starts) at UCLA, so that changes the calculus a little bit for him. But I just say make sure you want to go. I mean, you don’t have to do that. Don’t let people tell you to do something you think you don’t want to do right now. Because when you go, make sure you’re ready and willing to take the next step.”
In Davis’ eyes, Moore’s talent is undeniable.
“Dante is super talented. I think he’s a really great college quarterback, and I think he’s going to be an excellent NFL quarterback. But make sure you’re prepared. There’s no rush. You can make money in college. You can continue to develop. You can see some more snaps against higher level competition, so you can put yourself in a better position. And you can enjoy being a college quarterback and being a part of college life. You know, they just Are also college students.” Davis continued.
Under Moore, the Ducks have scored more than 30 points in eight of 11 games. His stat line jumps off the page: In 11 games as Oregon’s starting quarterback, he has completed 207 of 287 passes for 2,447 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Moore ranks fourth nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage. Additionally, Moore etched his name in the Oregon record book in Week 12 against Minnesota, completing 27 of 30 passes for a career-high 306 yards and two touchdowns to break the Oregon single-game record for 90 percent completion percentage.
There are millions of dollars waiting for Moore in the NFL… Why would the quarterback decide to return to the Ducks for a second season?
One reason is that zero closes the financial gap. The financial situation may not be too detrimental to live in Eugene. In the zero era, colleges are able to create substantial zero packages that keep the decision a little more juicy. This may be enough to make another year in college a viable financial option rather than a sacrifice.
Incomplete work may be another factor. If the Ducks do not reach their ultimate goal of winning a College Football Playoff national championship this season, it could set the stage for Moore to return and chase a title. He’ll have a loaded cast including running back DeCorion Moore, possibly Evan Stewart, and running backs Jordan Davison and Deire Hill Jr.
The Detroit-native has also shown his patience early on, and it’s paid off. He settled behind former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel instead of transferring if he doesn’t win the starting role in 2024. Moore has been very vocal about how much he learned from Gabriel and how it helped him gain confidence after transferring from UCLA to the Ducks.
This type of long-term decision making shows he won’t take the NFL decision lightly.
Ultimately, another season as Oregon’s starter and under Lanning’s leadership could help Moore in the NFL for a long time. Lanning has invested deeply in Moore’s development and Moore has flourished under his and offensive coordinator Will Stein’s leadership. Another year could sharpen Moore’s processing speed, decision making and command, which could translate directly into NFL longevity.
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