Dante Moore is arguably the top quarterback in the country entering the 2026 season. He has tremendous odds to both win the Heisman Trophy and become the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and he is the key reason why the Oregon Ducks have a chance to bring home the program’s first championship.
However, depth is important at every position on the field, including quarterback. In an ideal world, Moore is the only Duck who needs to get under center this season. But if a scenario occurs where the Ducks need a new plan, they have plenty of good options to choose from.
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Pro Football Focus ranked Oregon’s quarterback room as the nation’s best, just ahead of Ohio State and Ole Miss. Moore will lead the room after throwing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, becoming a third-team All-Big Ten selection.
One of the biggest acquisitions through the transfer portal for Oregon was Dylan Raiola, who started the first two seasons of his career at Nebraska. Now, he’s taking Moore’s approach with the Ducks, sitting and learning in hopes of becoming an even better version of himself and competing for the starting job next season. In 22 career starts, Raiola threw for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns, while completing 69.1% of his passes, a program record for Nebraska.
Moore and Raiola are big names in the college football world, and it wouldn’t shock anyone if they were the top two passers on the depth chart to begin the season. However, Oregon has experience behind Raiola as well. Brock Thomas, a local kid from Sheldon High School, earned the trust of the coaching staff last season and was the backup to Moore. He notably came in to replace an injured Moore in a rainy home game against Wisconsin and helped guide the Ducks to victory in poor conditions.
The connection Thomas has with the coaching staff and his experience playing with the starters in Autzen Stadium shouldn’t be overlooked. Oregon’s talented group of wideouts has spoken glowingly of Thomas’ ability to command the offense and throw a great ball. As fall camp gets underway, Thomas should have every opportunity to keep the backup role.
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Akili Smith Jr., the son of the former Oregon quarterback of the same name, is another intriguing name to keep an eye on this season. After redshirting last season, he has gained some momentum with fans after appearing in the spring game. Smith has ideal size, standing at 6-foot-5 and over 200 pounds, and he has possibly the biggest arm in the room. While Smith might not be in the mix to take the field this season, his development is worth monitoring.
Hopefully the Ducks won’t need to rely on any passer other than Moore in big moments this season. However, if Oregon finds itself in a blowout and pulls some starters early, it will be intriguing to see how coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer mix in Raiola and Thomas, as well as who comes off the bench first.
Either way, Oregon fans should feel comfortable heading into the season with multiple talented passers on the roster.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon claims nation’s top quarterback room, per PFF
