NFL Draft Analyst Reveals Case For Dante Moore to Return to Oregon

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore has a decision to make about his future: will he declare for the 2026 NFL Draft or stay at Oregon for another season?

Draft analyst Todd McShay cast his vote for what Moore should do on “The McShay Show” following the Ducks season ending loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl.

Todd McShay: 'I Don't Think Dante Moore is Ready'

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore 2026 NFL Draft Indiana Hoosiers College Football Playoff Peach Bowl Fernando Mendoza Todd McShay — Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) walks off the field after the game against the Southern California Trojans at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The biggest worry about Moore if he were to declare for the draft is his lack of experience. The 20-year-old just made his 20th collegiate start. McShay doesn’t think Moore is ready at this moment for the big leagues.

“I’m looking at Dante Moore in his 20th start and he looks like a guy,” McShay said. “The strip-sack and several other plays…we’ve got to speed up that clock, man. I don’t think Dante Moore is ready.”

It was a tough game for Moore in Oregon’s 56-22 loss to the Hoosiers in their College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl. He went 24/39 passing for 285 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also had two fumbles lost.

Overall for the season, Moore was one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He helped lead the Ducks to their semifinal appearance, throwing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns. ESPN's and CBS Sports' 2026 Mock NFL Drafts have Moore as the No. 2 overall pick behind Indiana quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza.

Even though he could go this high in the draft, McShay would still lean that Moore should come back to school. He cited a handful of NFL quarterbacks that Moore would have a similar total number of college starts if he were to play in college next season.

“He can come back next year, play 12, 13, 15 more games and now he’s in the range we’re talking about with (Matthew) Stafford, Lamar (Jackson), Dak (Prescott), Caleb (Williams), (Jordan) Love,” McShay said. “I feel a lot more comfortable then.”

The top five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft order shake out like this:

1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants

MORE: What Dan Lanning Said After Oregon's Loss to Indiana

MORE: Instant Takeaways From Oregon's Playoff Loss to Indiana

MORE: Dante Moore NFL Outlook Comes Into Focus After Peach Bowl Loss

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Dante Moore Unsure About 2026 NFL Draft Status

In the postgame press conference after the Peach Bowl, Moore was not surprisingly asked by the media about his decision on to enter the draft or not.

“I don’t know my decision yet,” Moore said. “I’m going to talk to Coach Lan (Dan Lanning). I’m going to talk to my family and everybody. But at the end of the day, I don’t want to think about that right now. I want to think about my teammates and give love to them.”

It's a tricky decision to Moore to make. He may not be totally ready to be in the NFL now, but it would be hard to pass up being such a high draft pick. That opportunity might not be there a year from now with the unpredictability in the sport of football.