Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore Drawing Attention From SEC Coach

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore enters the fall as one of the top signal callers in the country and a potential candidate for the Heisman Trophy, and his recent placement towards the top of The Athletic's ranking of every starting quarterback in the countrycontinues to cement Moore's status as one of the biggest names in the upcoming college football season.

According to The Athletic's Antonio Morales and Sam Khan Jr., only Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss is a better quarterback than Moore. The ranking also places every quarterback in the country into tiers, so Chambliss and Moore share the top tier with six other quarterbacks to round out the top eight.

oregon ducks dante moore quarterback rankings heisman trophy dan lanning nfl draft decision college football playoff — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore celebrates after a reception during a youth football camp at Marist Catholic High School on June 20, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I love Dante,” an SEC assistant coach told The Athletic. “I think Dante would’ve been the first pick in the draft this year. I love the way he throws. I love how calm he is. I love his demeanor.”

The top tier is described as the best signal callers in the country and the expected frontrunners for the Heisman, meaning Moore is with the company that he should be. The question becomes can the Oregon quarterback elevate the Ducks in the postseason?

The second tier of quarterbacks ranked by Morales and Khan Jr. is headlined by USC's Jayden Maiava, Texas A&M's Marcel Reed, Cal's Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and Oklahoma's John Mateer.

The Athletic's first tier of quarterback rankings:

No. 1 Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
No. 2 Dante Moore, Oregon
No. 3 CJ Carr, Notre Dame
No. 4 Darian Mensah, Miami
No. 5 Julian Sayin, Ohio State
No. 6 Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
No. 7 Arch Manning, Texas
No. 8 Sam Leavitt, LSU

A number of the quarterbacks grouped in the top tier have experience in the College Football Playoff, like Moore, Chambliss, Sayin, and Leavitt. However, thanks to former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers' run, no quarterback on the list has yet to reach the mountaintop that is winning a national championship.

The national title winner having a quarterback that comes from this first tier is not a guarantee, but these top eight signal callers appear to be the biggest difference makers.

Dante Moore's Playoff Pressure in 2026

For Moore, he struggled in the only two losses that Oregon suffered in 2025. In the CFP semifinals at the Peach Bowl, the Ducks quarterback threw for 285 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, and he was sacked 3 times by the Indiana defense. In Oregon's regular season loss to the Hoosiers, Moore threw for 186 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, and he was sacked 6 times in the rainy matchup.

Will another offseason of development in Eugene pay off in the biggest moments of the season?

Moore has made multiple decisions over the course of his career that have led some to question his choice, whether it be transferring to Oregon to sit behind former Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel or returning to school after being projected as a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The first decision to transfer in as Gabriel's backup quarterback seemed to pay off, but what about his decision to forgo the draft?

Can the Ducks quarterback put an end to the unfinished business that he referenced when announcing his return to Oregon?

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