Dante Moore Should Stay at Oregon Next Year and Avoid the Jets at All Costs

To Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore... Stay at Eugene next year.

Based on all current reports, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, is expected to be selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in this spring's NFL Draft.

That situation, in itself, is far from ideal. However, the Raiders are at least undergoing change. They are bringing in a new head coach, and there are reasons to believe in the infrastructure forming there.

John Spytek is now firmly in charge going into year two as general manager, and while Tom Brady’s role as an owner is still largely unproven, there is inherent value in being around someone with his football IQ and championship pedigree.

Whether Brady ends up being a great owner is unknown, but the insight a young quarterback could gain simply by being in that environment is undeniable. For Mendoza, that context makes declaring for the draft and going to Las Vegas a solid option.

Dante Moore’s situation, however, is entirely different.

Should he declare for the draft, Moore is projected to be the second overall pick in the draft. That slot currently belongs to the New York Jets... And that is exactly the problem.

The Jets are one of the worst-run organizations in professional sports, not just the NFL. And when it comes to developing players, and quarterbacks in particular, there may not be a franchise with a worse track record. History makes that painfully clear.

Look at Geno Smith. After his few seasons in New York, Smith bounced around the NFL, labelled a journeyman and written off early in his career. It wasn’t until years later, after landing the starting job in Seattle following the Russell Wilson trade in 2022, that he finally showed he could be a competent, playoff-calibre quarterback. While his more recent stint with the Raiders ended poorly and helped land them the first overall pick, the key point remains: Smith was far better than anyone realized once he escaped the Jets’ system.

Then there’s Sam Darnold. Selected third overall in 2018, Darnold was quickly branded a bust after three underwhelming seasons with the Jets. He was traded to Carolina, where he showed flashes, then spent a year as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, where he quietly rebuilt his game and confidence.

In 2024, Darnold signed with the Minnesota Vikings and delivered a Pro Bowl–calibre season, leading them to a 14–3 record. Despite that success, Minnesota chose to move on after drafting J.J. McCarthy in the first round, a decision that now looks questionable. Darnold went on to sign with the Seattle Seahawks last spring, and this past season, he led them to 14 wins, secured the number one seed in the NFC, and positioned the team as the odds-on Super Bowl favourite heading into the playoffs.

The pattern is impossible to ignore: quarterbacks leave the Jets and suddenly look far more capable than they ever did in New York.

Zach Wilson is the most recent and glaring example. His struggles are well-documented, and the Jets’ inability to develop him only reinforces the larger issue. This organization consistently fails young quarterbacks, regardless of talent or draft position.

That should matter deeply to Moore.

Moore is in a unique position thanks to NIL money. Oregon can pay him a figure that is at least comparable to what he would earn during his first year on an NFL rookie contract. While his draft stock may never be higher than it is right now, long-term development should matter more than short-term pride or draft position.

The concern isn’t just the Jets as a landing spot, it’s also the people in charge. While there is some trust in general manager Darren Mougey, there is little confidence in owner Woody Johnson. And I am not confident at all in Aaron Glenn as a head coach going forward.

Taken together, it’s not an environment that inspires confidence for a young quarterback’s growth.

No matter how Oregon’s season ends, whether that’s a semifinal loss, a national championship loss, or winning it all, my advice remains the same: run it back in Eugene.

Oregon is likely to be even better next season, with or without Moore, but especially if he returns. The talent around him will remain strong, and the opportunity to chase back-to-back titles or redeem unfinished business is real.

Looking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft, Moore may enter a loaded quarterback class. That could mean slipping slightly in the draft order, which might sting from a pride and valuation standpoint. But falling a few spots could also lead to a significantly better organizational fit, one with a real development plan and a stable foundation.

In the long run, that matters far more than being taken second overall by the New York Jets.

Dante, do not play for the New York Jets. The long-term upside of staying at Oregon, continuing his development, and waiting for a better NFL situation far outweighs the risk of entering a dysfunctional organization like the Jets.

For your sake, go back to school.