Once QB1 Dante Moore had turned down Oregon for Chip Kelly’s UCLA, but his homecoming couldn’t have been greater. Sitting it out for a year, Moore threw for 2,733 yards and 24 touchdowns, landing the Ducks right into the playoffs. What makes it even more interesting is that the Detroit native still has two years of eligibility left, yet the NFL buzz around him couldn’t be any louder.

While spring drills saw Dante Moore work on his run game, clocking in at 21.5 mph, Fall camp had him compete with Luke Moga and Austin Novosad in the QB room. However, there was little doubt that the Detroit native would be the starting quarterback. And that very confidence has led Moore to be projected as a No. 1 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Dante Moore’s NFL Draft Grade and Scouting Report

Draft Network grades Dante Moore to Round 3 as an adequate starter. On the other hand, the NFL Draft buzz ranks him as the No. 1 QB, with an overall rating of 89.6. Over the course of 12 weeks as the starter, the Oregon QB has thrown 24 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 72.5% of his attempts.

“Dante Moore is a mobile quarterback who has good velocity on throws with accuracy to all three levels of the field,” Draft Network states.

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With an accurate arm, he boasts quick arm action with quick release, but loses velocity on deep throws in the backfield. On the positive side, he is a mobile quarterback, able to throw the ball on the move under pressure, but only if his footwork is locked in.

How Dante Moore Rebuilt His Stock at Oregon

After dominating the headlines as a true freshman at UCLA, Dante Moore’s stardom thrust him into the national conversation. However, his mom’s cancer diagnosis prompted him to take a pause and sit it out for an entire year.

Sitting behind Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel allowed him the breathing space that had escaped him under the glamorous LA lights at UCLA. Moore has a strong arm, but his run game renders his offense one-dimensional. Working on that during spring drills, he recorded 21.5 mph to become a dual-threat. Along with practice reps, Moore’s locker room leadership shaped him as the signal-caller.

“A lot of it can be in football, a lot of it can be out there in practice, but at the end of the day, I feel like as a team, we always hang out with each other.”

Will Dante Moore Enter the NFL Draft or Return to Oregon?

With the regular season wrapped up, the transfer portal and the NFL Draft dominate most of the headlines. On December 15, Dante Moore appeared before the press and commented on his plans. Presently, he hasn’t concluded that and is spending most of his energy prepping up for James Madison.

“Everyone keeps asking me questions, but there’s not a decision yet,” he said on Monday. “I don’t know. I’m just glad to be here and play JMU this upcoming week.”

According to Insider Chris Hummer’s report, there’s a growing belief within the industry that the Oregon QB might declare for the draft. Moore might be coming off as a top NFL prospect, but it won’t be surprising if he chooses to return to Eugene next year.

Following a goated true freshman season, he chose to take a step back and work on his development, sitting behind Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. He still has two years of eligibility left, and he might as well continue to develop under the watchful eyes of Dan Lanning.

How a Strategic Gap Year Boosted Dante Moore

When Dante Moore transferred to Oregon, he redshirted. It was a conscious decision that helped him reboot.

Enjoying popularity in his true freshman season, Moore threw 11 touchdowns. But his mom’s breast cancer diagnosis took an emotional toll on him. Taking a step back, he took a gap year to focus on his personal development. But this time, it was in Oregon.

“Moore’s ‘elite football IQ,’ Stein said, showed up in him suggesting schematic concepts, different checks, protections or route stems that most underclassmen aren’t relaying,” On3 writes. “Moore didn’t shy away from asking challenging questions or showing leadership, even as QB2.”

With a proactive mindset, he reached out to elite signal passers, such as Cam Newton, to work on his development. Biding his time and waiting for the right moment. When the time came, he delivered, leading Oregon to a No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

What NFL Teams and Analysts Are Saying About Dante Moore

Dante Moore may not have finalized his NFL plans yet. But there’s little doubt in the football fraternity that Moore can make a significant impact if he chooses to go to the league.

With a strong arm, completing 72.5% of his attempts, Dante Moore is topping ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s list. His accurate throws accounted for 24 touchdowns with 2,733 passing yards. However, what’s lacking is his exploitation of his ground attack.

“His accuracy has been solid all season, and he shows good touch on his deep ball,” Kiper writes. “Moore can throw from different arm angles with precision and delivers strikes while rolling either left or right out of the pocket. He can scramble a bit, too.”

So far, he has thrown six interceptions, most (2) against Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers, the only defeat they tasted. Against Washington, he sprinted one yard for a rushing touchdown.

Mel Kiper has put him as his No. 1 prospect, and Field Yates has projected him as a solid QB candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders.

“It’s clear that Geno Smith is no longer a viable starter,” Yates writes. “Moore could be the centerpiece for an offense that already has an elite pass catcher (Brock Bowers) and a potential star running back (Ashton Jeanty).”

Stressing his strong functional mobility and high-level downfield accuracy that boasts the third-best completion across the nation, Dante Moore is coming off as a top NFL prospect.