Two Oregon Ducks raise NFL Draft stock with strong play so far this season
Two Oregon Ducks have raised their NFL Draft stock in the eyes of a top evaluator.
The Athletic’s NFL Draft analyst, Dane Brugler, released his latest NFL Draft piece this week, highlighting six players who failed to make his preseason top 50 big board but are now pushing their way into the conversation. Among the risers? Two Oregon Ducks who have played pivotal roles in the team’s unbeaten start are quarterback Dante Moore and defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington.
Developing into stars
Brugler didn’t hold back in praising Moore, who has quickly transformed from a former UCLA freshman struggling to find his footing into one of the brightest stars in college football. After sitting behind Dillon Gabriel last season, Moore has seized his opportunity as the Ducks’ starter in 2025.
“Based on the first month of the season, Moore deserves to join the top tier,” Brugler wrote. “His poise in the pocket, accuracy downfield and ability to extend plays have all been exciting parts of his success through five games. There is a growing consensus among NFL scouts that Moore will be part of the 2026 NFL Draft class.”
Brugler pointed out the irony of Moore’s rapid rise, noting that after spending 2024 behind Gabriel, the sophomore could eventually compete with his former teammate at the next level. “It would be ironic if he went from backing up Gabriel in Eugene to starting in front of him in Cleveland,” he quipped.
While Moore has drawn headlines for powering Oregon’s explosive offense, Brugler highlighted a breakout in the trenches. Sophomore defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington hasn’t put up gaudy numbers – 13 tackles and two tackles for loss through five games — but Brugler stressed that the tape reveals much more than the box score.
“Listed at 6 foot 3 and 330 pounds, Washington has remarkable explosion for a player that size, which allows him to burst off the ball and give blockers the slip,” Brugler noted. “However, he also has the power and play strength expected of someone with his build.”
Washington barely saw the field as a freshman before rotating in as a backup in 2024, and is now anchoring Oregon’s interior defense. His disruptive ability has been a key factor in the Ducks’ improved run defense and overall toughness in the trenches. Brugler projects that NFL teams will “gladly bet on his traits and potential, likely somewhere in the first round.”
With both Moore and Washington trending upward, Oregon continues to showcase its playoff aspirations this season and its ability to develop future NFL stars. If their trajectories hold, the Ducks could have multiple first-rounders representing the program in the 2026 draft.
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