Jim Cerny
The New York Jets spent the better part of the past five decades searching for their next real franchise quarterback to follow in the hallowed footsteps of organizational icon Joe Namath.
Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Chad Pennington, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Zach Wilson had varying degrees of success, though there were far more failures along the way. Veteran QBs who were stars in other cities, like Boomer Esiason, Neil O’Donnell, Vinny Testaverde, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Justin Fields also flamed out more than shined bright in New York.
Now, 10 years later, the Jets are running it back with Smith, though no one believes the 35-year-old is anything more than a solid bridge to the next Jets quarterback of the future.
And who might that next QB1 be?
Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated believes Dante Moore is the guy. In his 100 Bold Predictions story, the NFL insider connected the Jets and Moore, the Oregon quarterback who returned for his fourth NCAA season instead of making himself available in this year’s draft. Presumably that’s in part because Moore didn’t want to be selected by the star-crossed Jets with the No. 2 pick, after the Raiders grabbed Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
“Dante Moore will end up playing for the Jets after all,” Orr stated with his seventh overall prediction.
Touche.
If Moore indeed tried to avoid going to the Jets, Orr stated there’s no way around it in 2027. The Jerts are armed with three first-round picks next year, so no matter where they finish in the standings this season, they can aggressively attempt to trade up if need be to select Moore next April.
Orr sees Arch Manning of Texas being the first QB selected in 2027. But Moore projects to be No. 2 again, and the Jets are going to find a way to get their man this time.
Jets expected to have interest in Oregon’s Dante Moore at 2027 NFL Draft
The Jets pivoted to Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey at No. 2 in this year’s draft, with no viable QB option worth selecting with that high of a pick. But next year, with an expected QB-rich draft class, the Jets must find a way to find their next franchise quarterback.
Moore has the makings of a successful modern-day quarterback in the NFL. He stands 6-foot-3, weighs 206 pounds (with plenty of room to fill out even more), has a strong accurate arm (71.8 completion percentage in 15 starts last season), has good mobility, and is a respected leader, who helped Oregon reach the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal.
Going back for his redshirt junior season with Oregon may be best for development, whether the 20-year-old was trying to avoid the Jets in this year’s draft or not. Moore threw 30 touchdown passes a year ago, but was also picked off 10 times. That included a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage against Mendoza and Indiana in the CFB semis.
The year before Moore only got off the bench for mop-up duty behind Dillon Gabriel. Moore had, no pun intended, more reps as a UCLA freshman in 2023, when he threw 11 TD passes and nine interceptions over nine games.
But you get the point. Moore should be a better quarterback coming out in 2027, rather than ’26. That is, unless, he sustains an injury or two this coming season. Remember, Cade Klubnik was ticketed to be a first-round pick this year, but lasted until the fourth round, when the Jets traded up to select him with the No. 110 overall pick.
A big-game star early in his collegiate career at Clemson, Klubnik’s stock crashed amid an injury-marred senior season. Now, he’s an underdog with the Jets, trying to earn the right to back up Smith once this season gets underway.
If the Jets do land Moore in the 2027 draft, there’s something special waiting for the young quarterback on Broadway — and it’s not just stud wide receiver Garrett Wilson nor 1,000-yard rusher Breece Hall.
“He’ll reunite with his former Oregon teammate, first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq,” Orr noted.
All part of Conor Orr’s bold prediction for the Jets.
