The New York Jets’ perpetual search for a franchise quarterback could reach its zenith in April. New York has two first-round picks, two additional top-50 selections, and a quarterback room ready for dismantling.
Could Dante Moore’s Inexperience Impact the New York Jets’ Decision?
For now, the Jets have been penciled in as favorites for Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Although he struggled in the College Football Playoff against Indiana, Moore’s red flags extend beyond the last game of his 2025 season.
There is no tried-and-true formula for picking first-round quarterbacks, but some trends can help separate selections into different buckets. There’s a reason why so few short quarterbacks have earned first-round capital and why it’s rare for a player coming off an inefficient platform season to be taken first overall.
Experience (or lack thereof) can act as a filter, too.
Moore isn’t a one-year starter, having played significant snaps as a freshman at UCLA. That didn’t go particularly well, and after sitting behind Dillon Gabriel in 2024, Moore had a shot to start for the Ducks. His flashes of excellence pushed him up boards, but he is still working within a relatively small sample of starts. In 2025, he ranked 22nd by PFSN’s CFB QB Impact Metric, earning a B grade.
New York Jets insider Rich Cimini suggested that Moore’s inexperience could cloud New York’s evaluation.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini delivered a strong warning to the #Jets about drafting Oregon QB Dante Moore:
“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… pic.twitter.com/61dbyqcVRu
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) January 12, 2026
“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,” Cimini said. “I’ll read some names: Anthony Richardson, Trey Lance, Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Mitch Trubisky, Ryan Tannehill, [and] Cam Newton.”
Moore will be fighting against first-round precedent if he declares. One way the Jets could mitigate that risk is by redshirting him in his rookie season. Many of the predecessors on that list were pushed into action on less-than-stellar offenses. Marinating behind a veteran backup could prepare him to make an impact as soon as 2027, while also giving New York more time to reshape his supporting cast.
Even so, Moore’s inexperience is a glaring hole in his profile. He might not have the physical upside to warrant that kind of dice roll, either.
“That is going back to 2011,” he added. “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.”
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New York still has plenty of options to consider, even if Fernando Mendoza is considered a lock to be off the board with the No. 1 pick. Alabama’s Ty Simpson has fewer starts than Moore and similarly struggled against Indiana. Trinidad Chambliss has his own collection of concerns, and depending on how one views his starts against lower-level competition, could also have inexperience tagged to his profile.
Of course, with three first-round picks in 2027, the Jets could also kick the quarterback can down the road.
It isn’t immediately clear where New York will use its top pick, or if Moore will declare for the NFL Draft. If he does, though, he can expect every part of his profile to be scrutinized as the Jets weigh their options under center.
If the jets draft moore and redshirt him its a waste of a pick. They should trade down get more picks and build for 2027