There is a strong likelihood that the New York Jets will select Oregon quarterback Dante Moore if he is in the 2026 NFL draft.
However, before they potentially do that, ESPN’s Rich Cimini shared a very strong warning with the team.
“He is only 20 years old, he has got only 18 college starts, and if you look at the recent first-round quarterbacks with fewer than 20 starts — it is not a promising field. I’ll read some names: Anthony Richardson, Trey Lance, Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Mitch Trubisky, Ryan Tannehill, [and] Cam Newton,” Cimini said on January 8.
“That is going back to 2011. All of the first round quarterbacks with fewer than 20 college starts. The only star of that group is Cam Newton. Ryan Tannehill had a solid long career. The rest of them [were] either busts or underachievers. So beware of the college quarterback with very few starts,” Cimini explained on the “Flight Deck” podcast.
“He is only 20 years old, he has got only 18 college starts, and if you look at the recent first-round quarterbacks with fewer than 20 starts — it is not a promising field. I’ll
What Did We Learn From the Peach Bowl?
There was a massive college football game between Oregon and Indiana on Friday, January 9. It was a superstar matchup pitting potentially the top two quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL draft against each other.
It was an opportunity for both of them to create some serious buzz. Fernando Mendoza of Indiana accomplished that by having a five-touchdown game for the ages. Moore struggled mightily with mistakes and accuracy issues.
Some analysts suggested that Moore’s lackluster performance should guarantee he returns to school. I disagree. One game does not determine someone’s future; it’s simply a piece of the puzzle.
What it truly revealed is that Moore needs some development, but that doesn’t have to happen at the collegiate level.
If Jets Select Moore, They Need a Strong Development Plan
“You’re drafting him based on traits and talent. You can’t have him thrown to the wolves. You gotta get that personnel to where it needs to be, and you gotta get some weapons around him, and you gotta allow him some time to grow into that position. … If you feel as a Jet organization, and you’re the GM Darren Mougey, right, and you’re Aaron Glenn, and we need this kid to be our guy this year, he’s gonna have to be ready, we’re not going though another horrible season, and he’s gonna have to be our guy from the get-go. If that’s your expectation, it might be a little too much,” ESPN senior NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr explained to Steve Serby of the New York Post via Bleacher Report.
“It’s up to the Jets to coach him up and have a plan in place to develop him and groom him to be the franchise quarterback he has the talent to be, and stick to that plan. Somebody’s gotta be there as a bridge to Moore. In Vegas, Mendoza will be the Day 1 starter. That can’t be the case with Dante, in my opinion. It’s not about 2026, it’s about ’27 moving forward, then you take him,” Kiper added via B/R.
Jets Have Work to Do to Ensure That Plan Is Possible
If the Jets select Moore, they have to cryogenically freeze him like Austin Powers. Don’t let him touch the field in 2026.
Bring in some hired guns at quarterback with proven track records that can hold down the fort for this season and can help you win some games. At the same time, Moore is marinating behind the scenes.
It is a perfect plan if the Jets can build the right quarterback room.
In 2023, the Jets were going to let Zach Wilson marinate behind a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers. That plan blew up when Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon four snaps into that season.
The Jets have to learn from their prior mistakes. They didn’t have enough insulation at the QB position to guarantee that Wilson wouldn’t see the field. This time around, the Jets need to bring in two proven quality options at quarterback so Moore can be the QB3.
If they do that, this QB development plan just might work this time.
Jets Warned About Drafting Oregon QB Dante Moore