Oregon quarterback Dante Moore entered Friday’s Peach Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers as the assumed latest player tasked with potentially turning around the New York Jets. He exited the game facing a possible drop in his draft stock should he choose to declare.
Moore committed three turnovers, which allowed the top-ranked Hoosiers to pull away in a 56–22 victory.
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Speculation about Moore being drafted by the Jets has intensified in recent days, with some media members suggesting he should return to school to avoid being selected No. 2 overall by New York.
His opponent in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal, Fernando Mendoza, is projected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders and strengthened that projection by leading his team to the national championship game. He already won the Heisman Trophy.
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Still, many insiders and mock drafts have the Jets selecting Moore at No. 2 overall if he declares, as the franchise has yet to solidify its quarterback situation for next season.
Moore’s struggles began immediately, as he threw a pick-six on the first play of the game to put the Ducks in an early hole. To his credit, the redshirt sophomore responded with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 19-yard scoring pass, but the outing continued to unravel for the Detroit native from there. Even so, Moore put together a strong season overall.
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