Rece Davis Reveals Why Dante Moore’s NFL Decision Is Complicated

EUGENE – The No. 7 Oregon Ducks celebrated senior day with a statement win over USC, officially ending the Trojans’ College Football Playoff hopes. Of course, redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore wasn’t part of the pregame senior festivities… but there’s no guarantee he’ll ever play another regular-season game in Eugene.

Moore is rapidly rising up boards for the 2026 NFL Draft. Scouts are enamored with his pro-ready frame, elite accuracy, and command of an offense that has one in a multitude of ways. Unless he announces that he will return to Eugene, evaluators are projecting him as if he will declare, with many naming Moore as the top quarterback in the class as a top-5 pick.

oregon ducks usc trojans gameday dan lanning dante moore college football playoff big ten rece davis exclusive bri amaranthus / Oregon Ducks Bri Amaranthus

The electricity was palpable as ESPN’s College GameDay rocked Eugene for the top-15 matchup. GameDay host Rece Davis is at the helm for his 11th season, joined at the desk by GameDay analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban.

As one of college football’s most respected voices, Davis brings a unique long-view perspective. In an exclusive interview with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus, Davis broke down the biggest decision of Moore’s career.

Moore has led the Ducks to a 10-1 record this season, weathering sheets of rain and wind and overcoming injuries to starting wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen… All while delivering one of the most efficient seasons in Ducks history.

However, Davis emphasized the stark difference between college development and the NFL’s business-first reality.

“There’s no rush. You’re going to be an NFL quarterback whether you go immediately or whether you go next year. Make sure you’re ready to go. And by that, I don’t necessarily just mean in terms of playing on the field. Make sure you’re ready for your life to change because it’s going to (change) in the pros,” Davis told Amaranthus.

“As high as (Moore) is going to be drafted, there will be an investment and people hoping to see him succeed wherever he might go. But it’s different than the people invested in you in college, in your development. And the pros – it’s a bottom line. They want you to succeed because they have a lot of money invested in you. And in most cases for quarterbacks, they’ve tied their franchise to you. That’s a lot of pressure,” Davis continued.

Davis made clear that staying is a legitimate option… one Moore shouldn’t dismiss simply because draft projections are glowing.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions / Oregon Ducks on SI’s Jake Bunn

“Make sure that’s what you really want to do because there’s no going back. The decision gets made one time. It’s not going to be the end of the world if you decide, ‘Hey, you know what? I like Eugene. I like Oregon. I like playing for Dan Lanning. I like playing in the Big Ten, and I want to stay’,” Davis said.

“A lot of things can factor into that decision. Oregon wins a national championship – Well, okay, then you probably will be at that 15-start threshold. We always talk about on the draft, the success rate hasn’t been really, really high for quarterbacks that haven’t had a large number of starts,” Davis continued.

Moore’s experience is a factor. The former 5-star recruit currently has started 11 games at Oregon plus five games as a true freshman at UCLA.

“I know he had a handful (of starts) at UCLA, so that changes the calculus a little bit for him. But I just say make sure you want to go. I mean, you don’t have to. Don’t let people talk you into doing something you think you don’t want to do right now. Because when you go, be sure you’re ready and dying lousy to make the next move,” Davis said.

Moore’s talent is undeniable in Davis’ eyes.

ESPN host Rece Davis sits on the College GameDay set before a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. / Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Dante’s super talented. He’s really, really, I think a terrific college quarterback, and I think he’s going to be an excellent NFL quarterback. But make sure you’re ready. There’s no rush. You can make money in college. You can continue to develop. You can see some more snaps against high level competition you can put yourself in better stead. And you can enjoy being a college quarterback and being a part of college life. You know, they’re still college students,” Davis continued.

The Ducks have scored 30-plus points in eight of 11 games with Moore at the helm. His stat line jumps off the page: In 11 games as Oregon’s starting quarterback, has completed 207-of-287 passes for 2,447 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Moore ranks fourth nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage. Also, Moore etched his name in the Oregon record book in Week 12 against Minnesota, completing 27-of-30 passes for a career-high 306 yards and two touchdowns to break the Oregon single-game record for completion percentage at 90 percent.

There are millions of dollars waiting for Moore in the NFL… why would the quarterback decide to come back to the Ducks for another season?

One reason is, NIL closes the financial gap. The financials might not be too detrimental to stay in Eugene. In the NIL era, colleges are able to create substantial NIL packages that make the decision to stay a little more juicy. It could be enough to make another year in college a viable financial choice rather than a sacrifice.

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) and head coach Dan Lanning talk to a reporter after a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Unfinished business could be another factor. If the Ducks don’t reach their ultimate goal of winning a College Football Playoff National Championship this season, it could set the stage for Moore to return and chase a title. He’d have a loaded cast around him, including Dakorien Moore, potentially Evan Stewart, and running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr.

The Detroit-native also has already displayed his patience and it paid off. He sat behind former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in 2024 instead of transferring when he did not win the starting role. Moore has been very vocal about the many ways he learned from Gabriel and how it allowed him to find confidence after transferring to the Ducks from UCLA.

That type of long-view decision-making suggests he won’t take the NFL decision lightly.

Lastly, another season as Oregon’s starter and under Lanning’s leadership could help Moore in the long run in the NFL. Lanning is deeply invested in Moore’s growth and Moore has blossomed under his, and offensive coordinator Will Stein’s leadership. Another year could sharpen Moore’s processing speed, decision-making and command, which could translate directly to NFL longevity.