3,500-yard QB explains career decision to return to college football

For many top college quarterbacks, moving on to the NFL is the ultimate dream. Sure, once the NFL was the only place to make money playing football. But even with NIL pay, the pro game still tends to throw a lucrative shadow over college football.

But everybody doesn't feel that way. Prospects like Arch Manning and LaNorris Sellers decided to return to school rather than move on to the pros. But the biggest surprise non-entry in the NFL Draft was a little more perlpexing.

Many early NFL Mock Draft predictions had Oregon QB Dante Moore going second in the NFL Draft. Moore's NFL stock was only behind Fernando Mendoza at the quarterback position, and some draft voices thought he was actually a superior pick to Mendoza. But Moore decided to return to Oregon for another year of seasoning.

Moore's Draft comments

In making his choice, Moore may have turned down a roughly $52 million salary package which is the projected range for the second pick in the 2026 Draft. "Money doesn't play a factor with me," Moore told On3's Nick Schultz, stating that his decision not to enter the Draft "was just getting my talent as best as possible."

Moore's rise

Many NFL scouts were already very excited about Moore's talent. Moore was a part-time starter at UCLA as a true freshman in 2023, throwing for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In 2024, he transferred to Oregon and backed up Dillon Gabriel, attempting only eight passes in games while taking a redshirt season.

But Moore stepped up in 2025, completing just under 72% of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Moore had a trio of 300 yard passing games and only once failed to throw a touchdown in a game all season.

The 2026 and 2027 Draft Impact

His decision to stay in school impacted both the 2026 and 2027 Draft classes significantly. In terms of 2026, there's now no clear QB2 after Mendoza. Alabama's Ty Simpson is most often cited as the alternative, but few to no NFL teams seem interested in Simpson as a first-round option.

Meanwhile, the 2027 class is suddently loaded. Moore, Manning, Sellers, and likely Ohio State's Julian Sayin will all pile into a Draft that suddenly looks (at least comparatively) very QB-rich. Moore might have a fine season at Oregon in 2026, but come nowhere close to the Draft slot in 2027 that he would have had if he had already gone pro. Only time will tell if the decision ultimately pays off.

Lanning Moore — Oregon's Dan Lanning and Dante Moore will be reunited in 2026. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images