Dante Moore, Arch Manning Rankings Spark College Football Debate

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and Texas quarterback Arch Manning earn a surprising ranking in top returning college football players.

oregon ducks dante moore nfl draft texas longhorns arch manning scouts new york jets fernando mendoza dan lanning nil bo nix | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and Texas quarterback Arch Manning are two of college football's biggest stars. Each have an opportunity in 2026 to lead their perspective star-studded teams into the College Football Playoff, while gaining momentum in the Heisman Trophy race and potential top NFL Draft picks in 2027.

That is what makes a new ranking of the top returning college football players so interesting. Moore and Manning find themselves buried beneath skill players and defenders

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Top Returning College Football Players

It is no secret that football is driven by the quarterback position, which naturally carries more impact than any other position. However a recent list by On3 of the top returning players does not reflect that. It also brings up a couple burning questions.

1. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
2. CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
3. WR Malachi Toney, Miami
4. EDGE Colin Simmons, Texas
5. EDGE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
6. OT Carter Smith, Indiana
7. QB Arch Manning, Texas
8. QB Dante Moore, Oregon
9. RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
10. WR Cam Coleman, Texas

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) watches during the Ohio State football spring game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on April 18, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith at No. 1 makes sense but after that, this list becomes more debatable - especially that the two quarterbacks with the most national spotlight aren't higher.

Moore and Manning each have No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft upside, so their placement in the back half, at No. 7 and No. 8 stands out as low.

Moore elected to return to Eugene and the Ducks football program for the 2026-27 season, despite being the projected No. 2 overall selection and the opportunity to secure millions of dollars in the league.

It is also uncharacteristic for Manning, who usually benefits from the hype that surrounds his last name and playing at a blue blood SEC program. It suggests the list is ranking based on proven college production instead of a quarterback projection.

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The good news? Sometimes too much national attention can become what legendary coach Nick Saban famously called “rat poison.”

Moore has done a great job of keeping focused on actual football without letting outside noise impact his priorities. If the national storylines continue to put Moore as a contender without the biggest target on his back, it could actually turn out to be a good thing for the Ducks.

Moore is getting respect but he is not being crowned. For a quarterback entering a massive season at Oregon, that may be the ideal spot. There is enough belief to validate his upside, but still enough doubt to fuel him.

Nothing can be more motivating for a player than proving people wrong.

oregon ducks dante moore | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Moore has a slew of offensive weapons in 2026: receivers Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan look like a three-headed monster. Plus, tight end Jamari Johnson and running backs Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison add up to be an offense full of explosive options.

Moore is paving his own path after the Ducks have had multiple elite quarterbacks at the helm in Eugene, including former Ducks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel.

Lanning made it clear Moore is mastering the offense in much the same way as those quarterbacks, who are now doing it in the NFL.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"He's there. He's there. I'm very confident," Lanning said. "He checked a play today in practice that we didn't even have tagged with a potential check because of the look that he saw. So, it's great to see from him that he's really out there operating as a coach on the field. We just got to get everybody else operating at that same level.”

Moore is a former 5-star recruit and started all 15 games as a Duck in 2025 plus five games as a true freshman at UCLA. Last season, the Detroit-native delivered one of the most efficient seasons in the nation. Moore ranked No. 3 nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage and No. 7 with a 166.73 passer rating.

A ranking like this has no impact on the season, but it sure is fun to debate in the offseason.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.