Friday Feature #11: Dante Moore
Oregon has a strong chance to make the College Football Playoff if it can avoid defeat at old rivals Washington this weekend. First-year starting QB Dante Moore has been a huge reason for that, particularly since the defeat vs Indiana, when the Ducks have rattled off 5 straight wins, 2 against ranked Iowa and USC. Many have Moore as the first QB off the board in April, if he declares, so check out my detailed scouting report on Moore below:
Background & Measurables
Name: Dante Moore
Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Size: 6’3, 206 pounds
Position/Scheme Fit: Mobile QB in a QB-friendly offense
Former 5-star recruit out of Detroit, Michigan, he committed to UCLA as one of the flagship players in their 2023 recruiting class to play for then HC Chip Kelly. He was ranked the #3 QB in the nation by 247 Sports, behind only Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava. Moore played almost right out the gate at UCLA, starting 5 games and playing in 9 during his true Freshman season. He was PAC-12 Freshman of the Week in Week 2, becoming the first Bruin QB to throw for multiple TDs in his first 3 games. Kelly left to take the job at Ohio State as OC after the season, and Dante Moore transferred to Oregon. He was the #3 QB in the portal in 2024, ahead of Cam Ward and only behind 5-star Julian Sayin and fellow 2023 Top-5 recruit, Aidan Chiles.
2024 would turn out to be a learning year for Moore, who sat behind future Cleveland Browns 3rd-round pick and starting QB Dillon Gabriel. Moore only took 29 total offensive snaps and fewer than 10 dropbacks on the year. He entered the 2025 season on several watchlists, as the Ducks looked to repeat as Big 10 champions. Some ups-and-downs, but with a dominant performance vs USC last week, Moore has vaulted himself back into early Day 1 consideration in most mock drafts.
Detailed Scouting Report
Strengths
1. Decisive in his reads with a quick release. Runs the RPO in the Will Stein offense very well and snaps the ball into the belly of the receiver with good timing from shotgun. Mostly low-target, high-volume but effective nonetheless.
2. Real flashes of accuracy outside the numbers. Showcased that accuracy vs Oregon State, where he threw at least 4 beautiful back-shoulder throws, where only his receiver could get it. A touch late on one or two, forcing the receiver to make a spectacular sideline grab, but good ball placement meant the timing was less important.
3. Won't be mistaken for Lamar Jackson in space, but can move. Scrambled effectively vs Oregon State and Penn State this year, and generally only takes off when the pocket is collapsing. Shows decent patience to stay in the pocket until he needs to leave.
4. Good enough arm, even when not fully set. Can do more, but flashes a real zip when pressured. Won't have a clean pocket in the NFL if he's drafted high, so will have to take his share of lumps. Therefore, being able to play with muddy reads is important, which Moore has shown.
5. Plays with a polish and consistency in his mechanics that belies his age. While he does struggle under pressure at times, he has improved every week as the starter at Oregon and runs the offense with composure and efficiency.
Development Points
1. Limited starting experience has to be considered in his evaluation. Has less than 20 career starts at this stage. With a limited run at UCLA, followed by 11 starts at Oregon up to this point. Has been hot and cold in the biggest game the Ducks have played this year.
2. Looks a bit lean in his lower body. Can certainly grow in that area to stand up to the rigour of playing in the NFL. As a Reshirt Sophomore, he is still young, so it's not a concern yet, unless he chooses to declare after the 2025 season.
3. Less comfortable throwing the deep ball right now. Too flat on some of his balls when he has excellent athletes outside. Needs to just trust their routes and lead them deep, allowing them the time to stack the DB more effectively.
4. Tends to stare down his receivers outside on intermediate throws, avoiding reading across the middle. Several examples vs Indiana where inside receivers broke open, but he stuck to his outside read. It was obvious Indiana had done their homework from the Oregon State game, when Moore had several back-shoulder throws.
5. Needs to work on his arm angles and timing on his throws, as he has had 6 passes batted down this season, with several other tipped passes leading to bad INTs, like the one vs Indiana.
Conclusion
Moore has limited action as a starter, but has shown a maturity and poise for the position, which will intrigue scouts enough to take him on Day 1, potentially. He is decisive on his first read, showing some real accuracy, particularly when testing the boundary of the defense. His arm is good enough, not elite, and I would caution teams drafting him early that he still needs quite a bit of refinement on handling pressure and deep throws. He is not yet adept at testing the middle of the field, where he has really struggled with timing and touch in big moments. Moore had arguably his best game of the year vs USC, so the dial is certainly pointing up on him, but another year at Oregon might be the best path for him before testing himself at the next level.
Grade: 6.8/9.0 (1st-2nd round grade)
Player Comp: C.J. Stroud
Team Fits: Browns, Texans, Broncos, Bears