Dante Moore's New Quarterback Ranking Raises Questions

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks' expectations for the 2026 season immediately rose to new heights when quarterback Dante Moore announced he’d be back for another year.

Broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Danny Kannell ranked his top-10 returning quarterbacks for the 2026 college football season. While Moore made the list, his ranking might not be as high as Ducks fans think it should be.

Dante Moore Among Nation’s Top Returning Quarterbacks

oregon ducks dante moore quarterback julian sayin arch manning darian mensah dan lanning dakorien evan stewart iapani laloulu — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore arrives at the field as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kannell listed Moore as the No. 4 returning quarterback in his recent rankings. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning took the top spot, while Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is No. 2 and Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is No. 3.

Moore was expected to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft before he decided to return to Oregon. Will he be the fourth-best quarterback next season, like Kannell believes?

Moore has a chance to contend for the 2026 Heisman Trophy and solidify himself as the nation’s top quarterback.

Manning entered 2025 as the Heisman favorite, but the Longhorns’ early struggles took him out of the conversation. The growth Manning showed later on in his first full season as Texas’ starter is why big expectations return entering 2026.

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Meanwhile, Sayin finished 2025 as a Heisman finalist. The Buckeyes are hungry for redemption after falling short of winning back-to-back titles. With dangerous playmakers surrounding Sayin and an impressive season last fall, 2026 should be another big year for the Ohio State quarterback.

Mensah hasn’t played a single game for his new team like the other players listed ahead of Moore, but Kannell seems to be optimistic about his fit. Mensah threw 34 touchdowns as a sophomore for the Duke Blue Devils last season. He heads to Miami, where the Hurricanes come off an appearance in the National Championship game.

Oregon Brings Back Top Offensive Weapons

Moore exceeded national expectations in 2025. Even though the nation now seems to be in consensus that he’s a top-five (or at least top-10) quarterback entering 2026, there’s still lots of potential for Moore to show that he’s better than people think.

The Ducks have set Moore up for success by surrounding him with talent. Oregon returns wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan, and Evan Stewart prepares to potentially start alongside Moore for the first time in a game. Tight end Jamari Johnson is also back.

The team brings back center offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu, who has a season starting in front of Moore. The Ducks have some new faces along the offensive line, but Oregon coach Dan Lanning made sure to add talent from the transfer portal.

Ducks Prepare for Championship or Bust Season

Oregon lost stars like tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman to the NFL Draft, but the majority of the team’s starters are set to return. The Ducks deal with lofty expectations, with Moore and the core of the starting unit will be back.

The program has advanced a step closer to winning the National Championship each season under Lanning. Given that Moore and many starters will enter the NFL Draft after the 2026 season, it seems that the Ducks are pushing their chips to the center of the table in hopes that this will be the season they break through.