Dante Moore had a golden opportunity to be a top-three pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, he opted to return to Oregon for another season, and just two weeks into the campaign, many are convinced that decision has already blown up in his face.
Moore's 2025 season was nothing short of spectacular—he completed 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, tossing 30 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. While no NFL insider ever confirmed it, fans speculated that Moore stayed in Eugene to avoid landing with a struggling franchise like the Cleveland Browns or New York Jets.
Whether Moore was ducking certain teams is anyone's guess, but his draft stock has taken a noticeable hit this September. After a crisp outing against Boise State last week, Moore looked completely out of sync against Oklahoma State on Saturday. He managed just 14 completions on 29 attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and the Ducks fell 39-31.
The timing couldn't be worse. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, a massive NFL scouting contingent was in Stillwater to watch Moore, but it was Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker who stole the show, racking up 317 passing yards, 109 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns.
Social media erupted after the final whistle, with fans piling on Moore's decision. One fan tweeted, "Dante Moore is gonna wake up tomorrow wishing he was driving to a NFL stadium getting ready to make his rookie debut." Another wrote, "Those articles about Dante Moore being ruined by the Jets looking funny two weeks in." A third chimed in, "Dante Moore not declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft might be one of the worst collegiate decisions we've ever seen. That 2026 QB class was terrible he would've easily went Round 1."
This rough patch comes amid broader coaching pressure across the SEC, but for Moore, the focus is squarely on his own performance. He'll get a chance to rebound Friday against Portland State, but all eyes will be on him again Sept. 26 when Oregon faces No. 14 USC.
The question now is whether Moore can shake off this stumble and prove his decision to stay was the right one. If not, he may be looking back at this September as the moment his NFL dreams took a detour.
