The Ripple Effect of Dante Moore Forgoing the NFL Draft

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has made his NFL decision and the impact on the Ducks and the league is clear.

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore transfer portal quarterback dan lanning nfl draft nil new york jets las vegas raiders | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has made his NFL decision. Moore has elected to return to Eugene and the Ducks football program for the 2026-27 season. The impact on Oregon and the NFL is immense.

Moore delivered his announcement on ESPN’s SportsCenter on the final day for underclassmen to declare, further amplifying the anticipation.

The Ducks become an instant-contender for the College Football Playoff with their star quarterback returning to lead a dangerous group of playmakers like receivers Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, Evan Stewart, tight end Jamari Johnson and running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr.

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore transfer portal quarterback dan lanning nfl draft nil new york jets las vegas raiders | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

The NFL, and specifically, the New York Jets will have to look elsewhere for their answer at quarterback. The Jets and Moore had been tied together by most mock drafts and Jets scouts were often seen at Oregon games this season.

Moore’s decision shakes up the 2026 NFL Draft landscape at the quarterback position. Alabama's Ty Simpson now climbs to the projected No. 2 spot behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, a shift that sends cascading effects through the next tier of signal-callers, including Carson Beck and Drew Allar.

What Makes Dante Moore Special

During his redshirt sophomore season, Moore flew up boards for the 2026 NFL Draft. Scouts are enamored with his pro-ready frame, elite accuracy, and command of an offense that has won in a multitude of ways. Many evaluators named Moore as the first or second best quarterback in the class as a top-5 pick.

Moore led the Ducks to a 13-2 record this season, weathering sheets of rain and wind and overcoming injuries to starting wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen... All while delivering one of the most efficient seasons in the nation. Moore ranked No. 3 nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage and No. 7 with a 166.73 passer rating.

After backing up now Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Moore emerged as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks this season, completing 272 of 373 passes for 3,280 yards with 28 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He was named Offensive MVP of the Orange Bowl after leading the Ducks to a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal victory over No. 4 Texas Tech, completing 26 of 33 passes for 234 yards.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions | Oregon Ducks on SI's Jake Bunn

Oregon coach Dan Lanning told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus what makes Moore special.

“Dante has all the ability in the world, has the arm talent,” Lanning said earlier this season. “The other piece I think is his poise. He's calm, collected. He plays with a swagger out there, which I think you want to have in a quarterback. He's done a really, really good job of that… He has a mentality right now about how he wants to go attack things.”

Moore and the Ducks only two losses were to the Indiana Hoosiers, who ended Oregon's National Championship dreams in the semifinal game at the Peach Bowl.

Moore struggled in Oregon's final game of the season, causing many to question if he might return to "finish business." Moore finished the game with 285 passing yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had three turnovers with two fumbles and one interception - which was the very first play of the game.

The former 5-star recruit currently has started 15 games at Oregon plus five games as a true freshman at UCLA.

oregon ducks dante moore college football playoff indiana nfl draft dan lanning indiana hoosiers texas tech quarterback | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

ESPN host Rece Davis emphasized the stark difference between college development and the NFL’s business-first reality in an exclusive interview with Amaranthus.

"There's no rush. You're going to be an NFL quarterback whether you go immediately or whether you go next year. Make sure you're ready to go. And by that, I don't necessarily just mean in terms of playing on the field. Make sure you're ready for your life to change because it's going to (change) in the pros," Davis told Amaranthus.

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"As high as (Moore) is going to be drafted, there will be an investment and people hoping to see him succeed wherever he might go. But it's different than the people invested in you in college, in your development. And the pros - it's a bottom line. They want you to succeed because they have a lot of money invested in you. And in most cases for quarterbacks, they've tied their franchise to you. That's a lot of pressure," Davis continued.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during the head coaches’ press conference ahead of the Peach Bowl at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, on Jan. 8, 2026. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon's Quarterback Situation

The Ducks have been led by a transfer quarterback each of the last five seasons, starting with Anthony Brown Jr. in 2021. Oregon then added Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and Moore in the years to follow.

Transfer portal quarterbacks have had immense success as Ducks and then in the NFL. Oregon quarterbacks' success in the NFL speaks for itself. This NFL season, at least five former Oregon quarterbacks started for a franchise including Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert, Cleveland Browns; Dillon Gabriel, Washington Commanders' Marcus Mariota, Denver Broncos' Bo Nix, and New Orleans Saint Tyler Shough.

Regardless of Moore's decision, the Ducks look to make a plan at the most volatile position in college football. Under coach Dan Lanning, Oregon is positioning itself to stay ahead of quarterback uncertainty through the transfer portal.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has committed to transfer to the Ducks. Raiola could use a redshirt season and would represent a clear succession plan, developing behind Moore before eventually taking over in Eugene.

A product of Buford. GA., Raiola originally committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. However, he decommitted and signed with Nebraska instead. The Ducks also extended him an offer in 2022. In two seasons at Nebraska, he went 456 of 660 passing for 4,819 yards, 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He started the first nine games in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury.

Beyond Moore, Oregon's quarterbacks room also contains backup Brock Thomas (Eugene-native), and Akili Smith Jr. Oregon third-string quarterback Luke Moga entered the transfer portal. The Ducks heavily pursued BYU Cougars signee Ryder Lyons before signing former Boise State commit Bryson Beaver in the 2026 class.

Nov 28, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) greets the team as the walk into the stadium before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Oregon fans are also excited about Smith Jr., a consensus four-star recruit who is 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. His father (Akili Smith Sr.) played quarterback at Oregon from 1997-98 before being drafted in the first round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Smith Jr. was the sixth-ranked pocket passer in the 2025 class by ESPN.

The Ducks defense looks to again be dominant with the return of defensive linemen A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, linebacker Teitum Tuioti and defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei all coming back for 2026 despite high NFL Draft stocks. Oregon's starting center Iapani Laloulu also chose to return for another season in Eugene.

The Oregon Ducks' season came to an end in a 56-22 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Peach Bowl. Now, it appears the situation at quarterback is getting cleared up.