Oregon QB projected to go first overall in NFL mock draft despite major number

Oregon QB projected to go first overall in NFL mock draft despite major number originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There's no denying how well Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks have fared this early into the season. Standing unbeaten and ranked third in the week 7 edition of the AP Poll, Oregon has tackled giants, controlled every competition, and flat-out dominated when the Ducks needed to make a statement.

And that statement has been declared, spread, shared, and reposted across the college football universe, as the Ducks seem poised to stretch into the College Football Playoff bracket once again, barring any unexpected slip-ups along the way.

But this year's Oregon team, much like the year previous, is in very good hands as every snap begins with a quarterback like Dante Moore in the backfield.

Moore is a redshirt sophomore, who transferred from UCLA in 2024 to join an Oregon program that, well, has moved in a drastically different direction in recent seasons (unless you count beating Penn State to be a correlation). He's heaved 1,210 yards and cashed in 14 touchdowns through the air as the starting hash-slinger in Lanning's offense, all while handing out only one interception, per ESPN.

These are his stats through five games. Five.

It's no wonder that, when CBS Sports listed out the most recent edition of their NFL mock draft, it was Moore's name coming first off the board one a one-way trip to New York (where quarterbacks go to die, but that's a topic for another time).

On Moore, CBS scouts: "Dante Moore is a composed, confident pocket passer who thrives under pressure, consistently working through progressions and delivering accurate, tight-window throws with anticipation. He's highly effective when moving the launch point, showing the arm strength and touch to attack every level of the field -- often off-platform. While not a true dual-threat, Moore's poise, vision and athleticism allow him to extend plays and create when protection breaks down, and he repeatedly shows up in big moments."

But he's still just a sophomore and 20 years old. In the modern age of NFL quarterback development, young quarterbacks are thrown into the fire from the jump, forced to learn the faster and more complicated professional game on the fly, or die trying. It's sink or swim at the highest level, and many young quarterbacks have fallen in that cutthroat environment.

Despite his youth, Moore could well be the clear number one pick on draft day if his current level of production continues.

Oregon looks to claim their first national championship in program history this season, and they may just have the firepower at quarterback to finally reach the mountain top.

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