Rams Rookie QB Watch: Dante Moore proves himself again

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With the Atlanta Falcons getting a win this week, the Los Angeles Rams have dropped back outside of the top 10 in the first-round. If the Rams do drop outside of the top 10, it will make it slightly more

difficult to draft a quarterback if that’s something that they end up doing.

We’re getting down to the end of the college football season with this being the final week of the regular season. Next week will feature conference championships before we finally get to the College Football Playoff and other bowl games. This list is going to get shorter and shorter as we are beginning to get an idea of who these players are. Let’s get into this week’s performances.

1. Dante Moore, Oregon

Ever since the Penn State game, Dante Moore has been relatively quiet. We got to see more of the good Dante Moore on Saturday when Oregon took on USC. While he did have an interception, Moore responded well. On the next drive, the Oregon quarterback completed both of his passes, including a 28-yard hole shot down the seam to tight end Kenyon Sadiq. How a quarterback performs after an interception is extremely important as it shows a short memory and having the ability to move on from negative plays.

Moore finished 22-for-30 for 257 yards and two touchdowns against a USC defense that had been playing better. There are still some questions on if Moore will return to Oregon next year. However, he is likely a first-round quarterback at this point. He’s mobile enough and shows good accuracy on the move. Moore has shown that he can hit all of the throws and fit the ball into tight windows. Ty Robinson has been my best fit at quarterback for the Rams, but Moore won’t be far behind.

2. Arch Manning, Texas

The expectation right now seems to be that Arch Manning will return to Texas for another season. That is probably the right call, but he has played very well since a rough start to the year. Texas was outmatched against Georgia, but he’s thrown three or more touchdowns and more than 300 yards in three of his last four games. Arkansas is the worst team in the SEC, but Manning threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

Manning will have another big test this Saturday when Texas hosts Texas A&M. A win in that game could put the Longhorns in the playoff. Again, Manning will likely return to school for 2027. However, it’s worth pointing to these performances to show his continued development.

3. Jayden Maiava, USC

There were some decision-making issues from Maiava in this game. He had an interception into triple coverage on 3rd-and-15 in the second quarter trying to force something to happen. It was essentially a punt, but just not a great decision. He had another interception on a 4th-and-10. It was another instance of Maiava trying to make something happen that wasn’t there.

Still, Maiava had some really nice throws in this game against a very good Oregon defense. You can see the pocket presence, arm strength, and touch on his throws. He isn’t afraid to push the ball down the field and he has the arm to be able to do it. He finished with 306 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while his run game didn’t help him at all and his defense gave up 42 points. USC essentially trailed the entire game and the defense couldn’t get a stop after Maiava brought them back to within one score in the fourth quarter.

4. Carson Beck, Miami

At this point, we know what we’re going to get with Carson Beck. He’s probably a second-round pick that provides a high floor, but lower ceiling. If things are going well for him and his surroundings are good, he can play very well. If they don’t, he’s capable of throwing the game away. After a slump in October, Beck is back to playing well against lesser teams.

Against Virginia Tech, Beck was 27-for-32 for 320 yards and four touchdowns. At this point, it’s unlikely that Miami wins the ACC with two losses. It was a quiet week in college football, and Beck’s performance is worth pointing out.

5. Haynes King, Georgia Tech

One of the stories of the college football season has been Haynes King at Georgia Tech. He’s been one of the most electric players this season, bringing Georgia Tech to relevance. King has been in the Heisman conversation because of that. However, his Heisman campaign is likely over after his performance against Pitt.

Pitt was able to do what many other teams haven’t against Georgia Tech. They were able to get quick pressure on King who showed happy feet in the pocket and quickened his process. The result was two interceptions, including a pick six. Prior to the pick six, King took off and ran. Had he taken the ball to the corner, he likely would have scored. Instead, he embraced contact and turned the ball over a few plays later. You know you’re a good quarterback when your worst performance is 330 total yards and three touchdowns. There were already questions on King’s style transferring to the NFL and struggling against pressure as he did against Pitt only adds to that.

Others to Mention

Ty Simpson with another tough outing

There was a stretch in the middle of the season in which Ty Simpson looked like one of the best quarterbacks in college football. His tape against Missouri might be the best film from a quarterback this season. This is Simpson’s first year as a starter. There were always going to be some ups and downs as he put out more tape. He threw two interceptions against Eastern Illinois on Saturday in a 56-0 win after a lackluster performance against Oklahoma. The College Football Playoff is going to be big for Simpson.

John Mateer’s Limitations Show

At this point, Mateer will likely return to Oklahoma next year. This performance is worth noting because it is the second time that the Rams had scouts at an Oklahoma and Mizzou game. Mateer completed less than 50 percent of his passes for only 173 yards. However, he added two touchdowns against a good Missouri defense. He hasn’t been the same since the hand injury. His accuracy has been inconsistent. While he has athleticism, it’s becoming more of a featured aspect of his game than complementary.

Sam Leavitt Expected to Return to School

Leavitt has shown some upside this season, but has been inconsistent. It’s currently expected that Leavitt will forgo the NFL Draft and return to school for another season. His return to Arizona State is ‘doubtful’ and he’ll be one of the top names to watch in 2027.