Jets Impact After Dante Moore-Fernando Mendoza CFP Semifinal

If you're a New York Jets fan, the College Football Playoff semifinal on Friday night between Indiana and Oregon was arguably one of the most intriguing games to watch for the franchise.

That is because the Jets have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming 2026 National Football League Draft and both Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and Dante Moore of Oregon have been linked to the franchise in some way. The Jets need a quarterback and these two guys are considered to be the top draft options.

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Both Mendoza and Moore have been scouted by Jets general manager Darren Mougey in person, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. Mendoza already has been viewed as the expected No. 1 overall pick and he showed why on Friday. He went 17-of-20 passing for 177 yards and five touchdowns as Indiana advanced. He also chipped in 28 rushing yards.

The Jets should've been watching

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Moore started the game slowly, but finished it going 24-of-39 passing for 285 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. After the game, he didn't commit to the NFL Draft quite yet.

"I'm going to soak this moment up," Moore said after the game. "That's most importantly. Just, you know, give my hugs and just thank yous to my teammates but at the end of the day, I mean, I don't know my decision yet. I'm going to talk to Coach Lanning, talk to my family and everybody. At the end of the day, I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to think about my teammates and give love to them."

Mougey said earlier in the week that these playoff games and have an impact on the draft evaluation process, as transcribed by Cimini.

"There's still several games to be played, and I think these games will be big and have an impact (on draft evaluation)," Mougey said.

Mendoza already seemed like the future No. 1 pick and helped his case. If Moore decides to declare for the draft -- which is still up in the air -- he remains the best quarterback option at No. 2. Some will look at the game in a negative light because they lost and he struggled early. But he bounced back against the No. 1 team in college football and handled the loss -- and the topic of his future -- with class after the game. That in itself is important.

It's important to note that Moore is young. He's just 20 years old. He has massive upside. If you're a Jets fan that was holding out hope for Mendoza, that doesn't seem likely. But even with a loss, Moore looks like a good option for the Jets.

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