When the college football season began, few would have predicted that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore would find himself at the center of NFL draft discussions, let alone as the projected No. 1 overall pick. Now, not only is he being talked about as the best quarterback prospect in the country, but there’s real momentum building around the idea that he could be the player to finally stabilize the quarterback position for the New York Jets.
Moore’s journey hasn’t followed the typical superstar path. He wasn’t hyped in the same breath as other top quarterbacks during the offseason. In fact, there was uncertainty around what to expect from him as he entered his first full season as Oregon’s starting quarterback. But a combination of patience, development, and raw talent has put him in a position few saw coming.
Dante Moore Is Becoming a Potential Number One Overall Pick
Learning Behind a Veteran
Moore’s transfer to Oregon was initially met with mild buzz with more curiosity than excitement. He arrived in Eugene after a rocky freshman season at UCLA, where inconsistency and coaching instability made it difficult for him to find his footing. With Chip Kelly exiting the program, Moore made the move to Oregon knowing he likely wouldn’t be starting immediately. That was by design.
Instead of demanding playing time, Moore embraced the idea of sitting behind veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel, who ended up being a third-round pick in this past NFL Draft, provided Moore with a chance to observe, study, and mature. It’s a rare mindset in today’s college football world, where the transfer portal and NIL deals often push players to prioritize immediate opportunity over long-term growth.
For Moore, the year behind Gabriel may have been the best thing that could’ve happened. It gave him time to learn Oregon’s scheme under offensive coordinator Will Stein and head coach Dan Lanning, while also sharpening his mental approach to the game. That decision — to wait and develop — is now paying off in a massive way.
Breaking Out in 2025
Now in his redshirt sophomore season, Moore has taken full control of Oregon’s offense and the results have been electric. He’s showing everything NFL scouts want to see in a young quarterback: touch, arm strength, pocket poise, and a growing command of the offense. Week by week, he’s proving he’s not just a product of the system, but a potential franchise-changing talent.
What makes Moore’s rise even more compelling is his maturity and feel for the moment. He’s only 20 years old but plays with the calmness of a senior. That composure, paired with his athletic ability and natural leadership, has vaulted him into the Heisman conversation and, more significantly, to the top of NFL draft boards.
The once-quiet transfer who was supposed to sit for a year and bide his time has become the centerpiece of Oregon’s title hopes and now, perhaps, the quarterback to save a struggling NFL franchise.
The Jets’ Franchise Quarterback?
Enter the New York Jets, a team in desperate need of a long-term answer at quarterback. With questions still lingering around their current quarterback room and the offense struggling to take the next step, the potential of drafting a young, NFL-ready talent like Dante Moore is quickly becoming a dream scenario.
Moore’s combination of youth, upside, and proven performance at a Power Five program makes him an ideal candidate to step in and lead a team — especially one like the Jets, who need stability and leadership at the position. His path of development, decision-making, and humility fits the mold of what NFL teams are searching for, especially at the top of the draft.
While he hasn’t officially declared for the NFL Draft, Moore is draft-eligible and has not ruled anything out. If he keeps up his current level of play, it may be impossible for him to pass up the opportunity to go No. 1 overall, especially with the chance to reshape a franchise like the Jets from the ground up.
What’s Next for Moore?
There’s still a long season ahead, and Moore has the option to return to Oregon if he feels another year under Dan Lanning and Will Stein will better prepare him for the NFL. But with each game, each throw, and each win, the spotlight grows brighter and so does the pressure to make a decision that could change his life and the course of an NFL team.
Dante Moore’s rise is a reminder that sometimes the best players aren’t the ones who make the most noise in the offseason but the ones who put in the work, embrace development, and let their game speak when the moment comes.
And if his current trajectory continues, that moment may come on stage next April, with a New York Jets cap in hand.
Main Image: James Lang-Imagn Images
