The biggest winners and losers of Dante Moore's NFL draft decision

With the Oregon Ducks' season coming to an end at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, the biggest mystery in the sport centered around Oregon's Dante Moore.

The UCLA transfer quarterback was at one point ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft class by ESPN's Mel Kiper, and was viewed as a lock to be a first-round pick. However, despite the draft buzz, Moore leaving Oregon for the pros rather than returning for one final season wasn't a sure thing.

The first-year starter at Oregon threw for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns, while leading the Ducks to two playoff victories.

On Wednesday, he announced that he'd be returning to Oregon for one final season, which impacts quite a few people and teams around the sport of football.

Let's dive into the three biggest winners and losers of Moore's decision to run it back in Eugene.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5). — Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) draws back to pass Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, during the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Winner: Oregon

Let's just get the obvious one out of the way, which is Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. While Oregon has turned into a powerhouse under Lanning, its last two playoff losses have seen it be outscored 97-43. For whatever reason, the Ducks have been unable to get over the hump of coming up short in the College Football Playoff, so returning Moore gives them arguably their best chance at winning it all in the Lanning era.

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. — New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn reacts during the first quarter of the game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Loser: New York Jets

Following a dreadful 3-14 season that saw them cycle through three different starting quarterbacks who combined to throw for 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, the Jets seemed to be the popular landing spot for Moore with the No. 2 overall pick. The franchise has struggled to find a franchise quarterback, and really hasn't hit on one since Mark Sanchez from 2009-12.

Well, with Moore no longer in the fold, the Jets are stuck with the quarterbacks on the roster, will have to bring in a free agent/one-year rental or they will be forced to settle for another quarterback.

Winner: Ty Simpson

A lot has been made of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson's decision not to return to college and transfer to a program like Miami, which is reportedly offering him $6.5 million for one year. While some people think he's not a first-round talent, and others think it's silly to pass up on that much money to play college football one final time, Simpson has made it clear he expects to be a first-round pick.

He told On3's Chris Low that of the 18 NFL teams that gave him a grade, all but one of them said they viewed him as a first-round pick. With Moore no longer in the fold, Simpson is firmly the QB2 of the class behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. While some think he missed a big payday from Miami, another team may take him a bit higher than they would if Moore were in the fold.

Even if he is taken with the No. 32 overall pick, Simpson will still make north of $16 million.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16). — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rushes with the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Loser: Arch Manning, 2027 QB class

The 2027 NFL Draft class of quarterbacks looks like it has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Notable names such as Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Sam Leavitt (LSU), Darian Mensah (Duke) and Arch Manning (Texas) could all have a case for being the top quarterback prospect, but Moore's return to college makes it that much more crowded at the top.

In addition to the competition for the top spot being that much tougher, his presence could easily knock someone out of the first round. The record for quarterbacks taken in the first round is six, which means quarterback-needy teams may move up to not miss on their desired target. This could lead to some slippage for one or two unlucky quarterbacks, whereas if Moore was in the 2026 class, someone next year may have been able to sneak into the end of the first like Jaxson Dart or Lamar Jackson.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti and Oregon Ducks. — Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning shake hands after the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Winner: College football

Players are often advised to get out of dodge, or in this case, college football, as soon as they can. With Moore returning for the 2026 season, it adds to a deep list of contenders, while also featuring an elite list of quarterbacks. This comes after a 2025 season where many felt underwhelmed at the quality of the team, and especially let down by the quality of quarterback play.

Loser: 2026 NFL Draft

If anyone wants to take a trip down memory lane, this year's quarterback class with Moore in it was already considered weak. Now that he is no longer a part of it, I would expect this class to be reminiscent of the 2007 class, whose best pro was an undrafted Matt Moore, or the 2022 NFL Draft class, which was headlined by Kenny Pickett as the lone first-round pick and saw Brock Purdy emerge as the best despite being the last overall pick.

All of this is to say, one or more NFL general managers will take a chance on a quarterback in this class, and could end up losing their job. If your favorite NFL team feels as if it is a franchise quarterback away from heading in the right direction, this is certainly not the year to test that theory.