August 9, 2026
PFF ranks Oregon's quarterback room No. 1 in nation ahead of 2026 season
Dante Moore and transfer Dylan Raiola headline a four-deep signal-caller group that Pro Football Focus rates above Ohio State and Ole Miss.
Pro Football Focus ranked Oregon's quarterback room the best in college football on Saturday, placing the Ducks ahead of Ohio State and Ole Miss as fall camp gets underway in Eugene.
Dante Moore leads the group after a 2025 campaign in which he threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors. Moore enters 2026 as a prominent Heisman Trophy candidate and a projected top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and he is widely regarded as one of the premier quarterbacks in the country heading into the season.
Raiola joins from Nebraska as high-profile depth piece
The most notable addition to the room is Dylan Raiola, who transferred from Nebraska after two seasons as the Cornhuskers' starter. In 22 career starts, Raiola completed 69.1 percent of his passes — a Nebraska program record — for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns. With Moore entrenched as the starter, Raiola is expected to spend 2026 learning the system before competing for the starting role the following season.
Behind the two headliners, Brock Thomas provides proven depth. A Eugene native from Sheldon High School, Thomas served as Moore's backup last season and stepped in during a rain-soaked home game against Wisconsin when Moore was injured, helping Oregon secure a victory. His familiarity with the coaching staff and experience operating the offense at Autzen Stadium give him a strong case to retain the backup role as camp opens. Oregon's receivers have spoken favorably of Thomas' ability to command the offense and deliver an accurate ball.
Further down the depth chart, Akili Smith Jr. — son of the former Oregon quarterback — is drawing attention after redshirting in 2025 and appearing in the spring game. The 6-foot-5, 200-plus-pound freshman possesses what observers describe as the biggest arm in the room, though he is unlikely to see the field in a meaningful role this season. His long-term development is considered one of the more intriguing storylines in the program.
With Moore healthy and the Ducks carrying legitimate depth at every level of the position, Oregon heads into 2026 better positioned at quarterback than any program in the country, according to PFF's assessment. How coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer deploy Raiola and Thomas in lopsided situations could offer early clues about the room's pecking order for future seasons.
