Dante Moore is Oregon's starting quarterback in 2026. He threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025, then turned down the NFL Draft to return. He is a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite with +850 national title odds.
Heisman Watch Recap Moore opened the spring-game scoring with a back-shoulder TD to TE Jamari Johnson on the first drive. The new Mehringer offense threw deep all day. The campaign is on. Full recap →
Dante Moore was projected as a top-5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He could have taken an estimated $50 million. Instead, he came back to Oregon to win a championship. That decision defines everything about what this program has become under Dan Lanning.
Started all 15 games. Led Oregon to Big Ten Championship and CFP semifinal.
2025
Dante Moore Oregon Highlights
3,565 yards. 30 touchdowns. Turned down the NFL to run it back. This is his tape.
Via YouTube
Oregon vs Ohio State at Autzen. 32-31. The game that changed everything. Moore watched from the sideline as a freshman. He came back to finish what that night started.
Spring Practice: The Growth
Seven practices into spring, the evidence is stacking up. Moore is not the same quarterback who threw 10 interceptions in 2025. He is making unrehearsed pre-snap checks at the line, reading defenses and audible-ing on his own without prompting from the sideline. QB coach Koa Ka'ai called the room "mature beyond its years." Moore on his development: "Getting better at pre-snap things." He has been studying film of Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, learning what made them effective in the same system. New OC Drew Mehringer has taken a collaborative approach, asking Moore what plays he prefers and adjusting when the QB feels uncomfortable. Moore on Mehringer: "He's very smart." That trust is producing real autonomy on the field.
Moore has also become a vocal mental health advocate, encouraging young athletes to use their platforms to talk about anxiety and stress. He describes his relationship with Ka'ai as someone he can "open up" to about football and personal matters. And on Dylan Raiola, Moore was direct: "He's special." The two have built a genuine brotherhood through shared music tastes and mutual gym sessions. Moore is not threatened by the competition. He is fueled by it.
2026
Meet the Flock: Quarterbacks | 2026 Oregon Football
Inside the QB room with Moore and Raiola. Leadership, competition, and what mature beyond its years looks like.
Via GoDucks
2026
Dan Lanning Praises Dante Moore's Spring Progress
Lanning on Moore's growth as a leader heading into a national title run.
Moore explained his decision: 'I feel like I can still learn so much more. As a kid since I was four years old, I have dreamed about being in the NFL, but this team, we have been through a lot, and a lot of people are returning, so I feel like we got exciting things coming this year.' He gave up nearly $50 million in guaranteed money and the projected #2 overall pick. Per Lookout Eugene-Springfield, Moore 'will be a preseason Heisman favorite' for 2026. In the modern era of NIL and early entry, this is extraordinary. Moore is betting on himself, on his teammates, and on the idea that winning a championship at Oregon is worth more than the money. He prayed about it. He sought counsel from mentors. And then he picked Oregon.
The Heisman Case
Moore's 2025 numbers (3,565 yards, 30 TDs, 10 INTs) were elite but not dominant enough to win the Heisman. Fernando Mendoza of Indiana won it. Moore's case for 2026: he has a full offseason as the established starter, the entire defensive line returned, and Oregon's schedule includes marquee games at USC, at Ohio State, Michigan at home, and Washington to close. The stage is set for a Heisman campaign.
What to Watch in 2026
1
Interception rate. 10 INTs in 2025 is too many for a Heisman winner. Cut that to 6 or fewer and the efficiency numbers become elite.
2
Big-game performance. Moore was 17-of-28 for 184 yards in the Peach Bowl loss. The CFP stage is where Heisman campaigns are made.
3
Chemistry with new OC Drew Mehringer. New coordinator, same system, but the play-calling dynamics will be different.
4
Early season confidence. The first three games (Boise State, @ Oklahoma State, Portland State) need to be dominant. Set the tone before Big Ten play.
Key Games
2025
Oregon 26, Indiana 14
Regular season rematch. Moore threw for 289 yards and 2 TDs. The defense held Mendoza to 198 yards. This win avenged the only regular season loss and clinched the Big Ten title game.
2025
Indiana 56, Oregon 22
Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal). Moore went 17-of-28 for 184 yards. Three first-half turnovers including a pick-six on the opening play. The worst loss of the Lanning era.
2025
Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0
Orange Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal). Moore managed the game while the defense pitched a shutout. First shutout in CFP history.
Orange Bowl Champions. Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0. Moore's first bowl win as the starter.
Career Highlights
Stat
2025 Breakout: 3,565 Yards, 30 TDs
Started all 15 games. 296-of-412 passing (71.8%, 4th nationally). 163.72 passer rating. Led Oregon to a second straight CFP appearance.
Record
Oregon Single-Game Completion % Record
Went 27-of-30 (90.0%) against Minnesota in November 2025, setting the Oregon single-game record for completion percentage.
Game
Orange Bowl MVP: Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0
26-of-33 for 234 yards in the first shutout in CFP history. Named Capital One Orange Bowl Offensive MVP.
Game
Playoff Debut: 4 TDs vs James Madison
Matched career high with 4 TD passes and career-high 313 passing yards in the opening-round CFP win.
Fact
From UCLA to Oregon and Back
Originally committed to Oregon, flipped to UCLA, started 9 games (53.5%, 9 INTs), was benched, then transferred to Oregon where he originally belonged. The long way home.
Projection
Turned Down an Estimated ~$50M to Return
Widely projected as a top-5 pick behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Last year's #2 pick Travis Hunter signed for $46.65M fully guaranteed. Moore chose Oregon over the money.
The Person
From Detroit, Michigan. Attended Martin Luther King Jr. High School. Consensus five-star recruit, #3 QB and #4 overall in the 2023 class per 247Sports. Originally committed to Oregon, then flipped to UCLA in December 2022. At UCLA: 53.5% completion, 1,610 yards, 11 TDs, 9 INTs in 9 starts before being benched. Transferred back to Oregon in December 2023. Spent 2024 as Gabriel's backup: 7-of-8 passing for 49 yards across 4 brief appearances. Patient year that paid off.
Yes. Moore has +1100 Heisman odds on FanDuel, trailing only CJ Carr (+800) and Arch Manning (+850). He threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025. ESPN's Mel Kiper has him as the #1 overall draft prospect in 2026, meaning he turned down being the top pick to come back. His 2026 schedule includes marquee games against Ohio State and Michigan.
Moore turned down an estimated $50M in NFL draft value to return for the 2026 season. He wants to finish what he started and compete for a national championship. New OC Drew Mehringer is building the offense around Moore's dual-threat ability.
In 2025, Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions across 15 starts. He led Oregon to a 13-2 record and back-to-back CFP appearances.
ESPN's Mel Kiper has Moore as the #1 overall prospect in the 2026 class, meaning he turned down being the top pick to return to Oregon. A Heisman season could cement him as the consensus #1 pick in the 2027 draft. See the full 2026 NFL Draft class.
