Dante Moore faces a career-defining choice, but for ESPN’s Todd McShay, one potential path is a non-starter: the New York Jets. Three years removed from high school, Moore now stands at a crossroads and could either declare for the NFL Draft or return to Eugene. Before he could choose a lane, Todd McShay already issued a stark warning to avoid the New York Jets. 

“Would you, as Dante Moore’s representative, not reach out to the [Las Vegas] Raiders to say, ‘Hey, my client’s trying to make a decision. We can live with going to 30 of the 32 teams. I can’t allow him to go to the New York Jets,’” said McShay on the January 5th episode of his podcast. 

Notably, Moore’s representatives could try to convince the Raiders to take him with the No. 1 pick. The analyst makes the case that Las Vegas is the better option for Moore.

The Raiders can afford to roll the dice on a raw prospect like Moore, especially with some veterans already in the building like Geno Smith. Yes, Smith might’ve been a turnover magnet, but a retooled line and new brain trust could stabilize him, allowing Moore to sit, study, and level up before taking the keys.

This explains why New York ends up as a stop on McShay’s “trash list.” The Jets haven’t posted a winning season in more than a decade. Plus, their recent quarterback draft history in the Big Apple reads like a cautionary tale – Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, Christian Hackenberg, and Geno Smith all took a nosedive. 

Their season ended on Sunday, January 4, with a 3-14 record after a 35-8 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Jets’ season concluded with a jaw-dropping list of historic lows, providing a compelling reason why McShay stopped Moore. 

The team’s defense recorded zero interceptions all season and had just four total takeaways. It’s the fewest in NFL history, and the franchise suffered five straight losses by 23-plus points, a feat no team had ever accomplished. Add in 503 points allowed, the eighth-most ever, and the collapse speaks for itself.

Meanwhile, McShay believes the Raiders could pass on other prospects, like Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, in favor of Moore. According to the analyst, Mendoza’s success remains rooted in the details and the structure installed by proven head coach Curt Cignetti. 

If the Raiders want instant returns and a rookie who can help them win right away, Mendoza is the pick. However, in the long term, Moore may ultimately be the better bet. If the Raiders’ plan does not materialize, then McShay made things clear.

“He’s got an opportunity to go back to Oregon, probably make the same amount of money that he’s going to make in his rookie contract, said McShay. Phil Knight will make that happen. So, I can allow my client to go back to Oregon and have another season with a new offensive coordinator.”

This option could look feasible for Moore.

Dante Moore’s draft decision is still in limbo

Ahead of the Orange Bowl, when asked about Moore’s draft plans, he shared that he has yet to arrive at a decision. While analysts like McShay advise him to proceed carefully and keep the road to Oregon open, ESPN analyst Matt Miller suggests he should not be afraid to make the gigantic leap.

Scouts rave about his calm under fire, his sack avoidance, and his NFL-ready mindset. He uncorked multiple 50-yard-plus throws in four games, threw from every arm slot, and stayed accurate on the run. The numbers back it up; his PFF grade rocketed from 57.7 to 91.4.

Now, what better time to test the NFL waters? But ESPN analyst Pete Thamel stirred the pot again. 

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“Everyone just slots him in the mock drafts at one or two and just assumes that that’s going to happen,” Thamel said. “I’m not telling you it’s not, but there is a feeling at Oregon that he could stay.”

Moore’s return to Oregon would come with full backing from Ducks booster and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who has poured more than $1 billion into the university over the past four decades.

 “We’re just excited to have him, as a person that we can call a family member,” the Ducks quarterback said in an interview in September. “So we love him to death.”

There’s a chance Phil Knight could offer Dante Moore a Nike deal on par with what he would earn as an NFL rookie. It’s exciting times ahead for the budding quarterback.