Jan. 14, 2026, 5:31 p.m. ET
Dante Moore will go to the NFL, but not today.
The star Oregon Ducks quarterback made his difficult decision on Wednesday, announcing he will play one final year in Eugene before going to the pros.
Five-star recruit and former Nebraska Cornhuskers QB Dylan Raiola will back him up on the bench as a redshirt and is set to start for the team when Moore moves to the NFL in 2027.
It’s a gigantic decision for the young gunslinger, who was primed to go within the first few picks of April’s draft. After Indiana Hoosiers signal caller and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, Moore was the consensus second-choice off the board for QBs in a draft where several teams are looking for their future under center.
For Moore, he wants one more year of seasoning, as he only completed his first full year as a starter in college. A former five-star himself, he went to UCLA and struggled in a program that has faced internal issues that have persisted even after Moore’s exit.
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Moore sat for a year behind current Cleveland Browns QB Dillon Gabriel before starring in Dan Lanning’s offense this season, putting up big numbers and leading the Ducks all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals before falling to Mendoza’s Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl.
For the New York Jets and other teams that appeared to be on Moore’s trail, it becomes a question of whether they still go for a QB or take the best player available in front of them. Las Vegas is a perfect match with Mendoza, and then things will get interesting with the Jets in the second slot.
With Moore back in school, that could mean Alabama’s Ty Simpson or Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss (if he declares) could rise up the board.