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QuickTake:
While there’s chatter of his prospects as a first-round draft pick if he leaps to the NFL, the Ducks’ star quarterback is patient, comfortable and trying to live in the moment, a day before the Orange Bowl.
MIAMI GARDENS — Ask Dante Moore’s teammates to describe Oregon’s redshirt sophomore starting quarterback and the answers don’t vary much.
Receiver Jeremiah McClellan calls Moore “humble.” Tight end Kenyon Sadiq emphasizes his quarterback’s “maturity,” and coaches will go on and on about his leadership skills.
“He understands how to solve problems within our offense,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “He can check into a lot of things himself.”
But, like, do you see what he wears? Oregon long snapper Luke Basso asked.
“He’s got to be one of the funniest guys on the team. I love his outfits,” said Basso, a senior from Lake Oswego. “He’s got these pajama pants that go about halfway down his calves. That’s his style.”
It’s true: Moore always looks comfortable, showing up to many of his press conferences dressed for leisure. The man never seems to be in a rush — even days before the biggest game of his football career, one that serves as the culmination of two years spent focusing on where his feet are.
‘Knew his time was coming’
Moore could have played last year.
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein has few doubts about that. The story has been told enough by now: The former five-star recruit — a native of Detroit, Michigan, who committed to Oregon, flipped to UCLA and started five games as a true freshman — took one of the more unconventional routes in football for someone of his pedigree.
Moore could have been QB1 just about anywhere in the country. Instead, he opted to come to Eugene, sit behind future Heisman Trophy finalist Dillon Gabriel, and wait.
It wasn’t the easiest thing to do for Moore. Nor was it easy for Stein, who hasn’t often had a backup quarterback on his roster throwing balls just as well — or better — than his starter.
“He had some plays in that first spring where it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Stein said. “It was apparent that he was special. He’s unique. He’s got that rare ability in terms of throwing the football, anticipation, arm angles — everything was very rare.”
Including the mentality.
“Never asked me one time last year about playing time or getting reps over Dillon,” Stein said. “He was an absolute pro who learned and developed and knew his time was coming.”
What Moore has done with that time has made his future a talking point here in south Florida.
After starting all 13 of Oregon’s games in 2025, Moore saw his completion percentage jump 20 points from his time at UCLA, his touchdown passes leap from 11 to 28 and his interceptions drop from nine to eight — despite throwing 127 more passes this season.
The numbers, coupled with throws like the one he made to Malik Benson against Iowa that few quarterbacks in the country can pull off, have vaulted Moore into NFL mock draft conversations.
As of Wednesday, he’s projected as a first-round pick in April’s draft.
Take it from Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire.
“I mean no disrespect to any quarterback that we face,” McGuire said, “but he’s the best quarterback we’ve played all year long.”
But Moore isn’t ready to decide on the peers he’ll be measured against in 2026.
At Tuesday’s media day at Hard Rock Stadium, Moore said there was “no decision” yet regarding his playing future at Oregon. Should he remain with the Ducks, Oregon could very well enter next season as a preseason No. 1 candidate with the talent it returns at the skill positions.
And should he leave, 2026 could be another year where Oregon fans throw their hopes in with yet another transfer quarterback.
That’s all down the road, Moore said — and worrying about the future isn’t what’s allowed him to thrive in Eugene.
“I was able to come in here, get my feet wet and understand that I wasn’t in LA anymore,” Moore said. “Being in Oregon, being around Dillon — that first spring ball was something that really opened up my eyes to the understanding that the game is way faster up here. I’m glad I got to be here last year.”
The Ducks are glad he was, too. Because a year later, Moore is the heartbeat of an Oregon offense three wins away from a national championship.
“It speaks volumes to who he is as a person, being mature enough to be in that situation, take a step back and realize the things he needed to work on,” Sadiq said.
“He just has unmatched energy. He’s always trying to escalate us to where we want to be,” McClellan said.
Added Stein: “He got his opportunity and made the most of it.”
And when that next opportunity comes, Moore will try to do the same — beginning with the Orange Bowl and figuring out where his feet are from there.
“I’m living in the present moment,” Moore said. “I’m at the Orange Bowl — something that Oregon hasn’t done before. I’m just enjoying the journey and being thankful for it.”
