Dante Moore’s decision to return to Oregon instead of heading into the NFL Draft early has the Ducks looking like a team with real momentum heading into 2026, and one stat in particular shows why.
Among returning quarterbacks nationwide, Moore checks in at No. 2 in deep passing, defined here as throws traveling 20 yards or more in the air. PFF gave him the highest grade of any returning quarterback in that category, and the numbers back up the praise. Moore completed 30 of 55 deep attempts last season, good for a 54.5 percent completion rate.
The more striking part of his profile is what happened when those throws connected. Moore led the nation in touchdown passes on balls that traveled at least 20 yards before being caught, finishing with 15 such scores. In other words, half of his deep completions went for touchdowns.
That kind of production doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and Oregon’s receiver room helped make it possible. Even after the Ducks lost top wideout Evan Stewart to a season-ending patellar injury during the offseason, the group still delivered last year. Stewart is expected to play his first game with Oregon since 2024 in the fall, giving Moore another target to work with.
Moore will also have familiar options back in the mix. Oregon’s two leading wide receivers from 2025 were Jeremiah McClellan and Dakorien Moore, giving the quarterback a pair of proven pass catchers to lean on.
The Ducks also added help. Former UAB wide receiver Iverson Hooks joins the room, and Oregon brought in Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton and Gatlin Blair from the high school recruiting ranks.
There were losses, too, including Malik Benson, but the biggest departure may have been tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Even so, Moore still has Jamari Johnson available, and the Ducks also added former five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, another downfield option for the quarterback.
With both tight ends expected to play important roles in Dan Lanning’s offense, Moore has the pieces around him to keep climbing this list and make a run at the No. 1 spot.
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