Dante Moore’s 2026 NFL draft hype has gained momentum over the last few weeks. Oregon’s QB1 added another feather in his cap with a dominating performance against USC in Week 13. However, with all the noise, there’s a question mark on whether moving to the pros next year is a sensible decision for Moore. CFB analyst and draft expert Todd McShay doesn’t think it would be a good idea.

“There are varying degrees of need at the quarterback position, but at the end of the day, there are seven teams in the top 11 if the draft were held,” McShay said on his show in a conversation with Steve Muench. “There will be someone in his ear if that all happens. Where would he get drafted versus coming back next year? Two things are important here. One, absolute authority. He’s going back to Oregon. So this is all a moot point. Two, absolutely needs to go back.”

In the 2025 draft, we saw the likes of Quinn Ewers moving to the pros despite having an extra year of eligibility. In Moore’s case, this is his first year of starting in Will Stein’s offense. From a development point of view, the QB1 still has a lot to gain from his OC.

“Will Stein needs to be where he is putting his focus, his trust, and his belief in for the next 13-14 months. He has a proven track record now with Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, and whether they’re having great starts to their careers or however you want to classify them, they were far better quarterbacks and not even close.”

On his part, Moore’s already taken a big step forward since leaving UCLA and spending a year behind Dillon Gabriel. Now he’s out there proving he can play with real confidence. In his first actual career-starting season, Moore has been super steady, completing 207 of 284 passes for 2,447 yards. The case for returning is strong from an experience point of view.

If the Ducks don’t end up hoisting the trophy this year, Moore sees a chance to come back, sharpen his game, and go out as a champion. The talent around him is no joke either. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore and running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. make for a deadly offensive combo that could help him shine even brighter. Moore’s not a finished product yet. There have been moments where he’s looked human. Like the game against then-No. 7 Indiana, where he threw for 186 yards with two interceptions, one of the few stumbles in his season.

Dante Moore’s personal touch against the Trojans 

The USC win proved a lot for Dante Moore. The Ducks QB was all about stomping the USC Trojans’ chances outright. Moore knows this game is a defining moment. And that’s why he’s keeping it real. “I’ve done it before in games where I made the moment bigger than it really was, and it affected me and caused me not to play as well as I can,” Moore said. “This is just the same nameless, faceless opponent.”

The Ducks actually did it properly. They capitalized on key USC mistakes, especially special teams errors. USC opened well with a long touchdown drive, but Oregon quickly responded with a couple of swift scores to pull ahead 14-7. In the second half, USC’s defense tightened up, holding Oregon to just 14 points. But their offense faltered. Injuries to key offensive linemen and running backs left the Trojans one-dimensional, forcing QB Jayden Maiava into the passing game, where he struggled.

The highly touted Trojans QB ended the night with 25 out of 43 passes, along with two interceptions. Dante Moore was the guy of the night, tossing for 257 yards and two touchdowns to help Oregon roll to a 42–27 win. He was also extremely efficient, going 22-for-30.