Moore sat for a year in Eugene behind Dillon Gabriel, then led the Ducks back to the College Football Playoff. Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore announced Wednesday afternoon that he will forego the NFL Draft and stay in school for another year. His announcement comes five days after the Ducks lost big in the Peach Bowl to Indiana in a College Football Playoff semifinal and gives Oregon head coach Dan Lanning his biggest news of the offseason.
Moore made his announcement on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
“This past year was a year that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, just my teammates, the adversity we went through,” he said. “Of course, the year didn’t end the way we wanted it to end. And of course, you’ve got to give your kudos and credit to Indiana.”
Moore, a redshirt sophomore, was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even after a disappointing Peach Bowl performance, in which he threw a pick six on the first play and had two costly fumbles in a 56-22 blowout loss, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler still pegged him as a top-three overall pick. He finished the season 296-of-412 passing for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
With his decision to return, the Ducks should be Playoff contenders again as they continue to chase that elusive national championship.
Moore, who transferred to the Ducks in 2024 after one year with UCLA, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. He spent last season backing up Dillon Gabriel before taking over in 2025. Oregon recently signed Nebraska transfer and former five-star recruit Dylan Raiola, who will now likely back Moore up in 2026.