Oregon quarterback Dante Moore had a chance to go first overall in the NFL Draft. He also had a chance to return to the school and run it back one more time. They ran into a buzzsaw in the Fernando Mendoza-led Indiana Hoosiers, but Mendoza is headed to the NFL.
Typically, when quarterbacks get that first-round grade, especially as high up as Moore was, they go pro. Instead, Moore threw a major curveball by announcing on ESPN on Wednesday that he was returning for another season. It throws Oregon’s QB room and the draft into turmoil.
Dante Moore stuns with return to Oregon
Dante Moore isn’t going pro. What was once a foregone conclusion is now not even a reality. The presumptive number two overall pick is returning to school, though he’ll stay near the top of 2027 draft boards and give Oregon a real shot at even more success in 2026.
This decision is a surprise, but it speaks to the sort of money college players can get now with NIL. It’s usually not top-10 pick NFL contract money, but it’s enough to make it a choice. And while Moore’s choice seemed easy, it was clearly not.
The NFL Draft
Dante Moore’s return throws the NFL Draft into chaos. Fernando Mendoza is going number one. There were whispers of a potential curveball with the Las Vegas Raiders maybe taking Moore, but that was always unlikely. Now, it’s impossible.
However, Moore was projected to go second to the New York Jets, a franchise in desperate need of a quarterback. Given their status in the NFL, it’s not totally impossible that Moore’s decision was influenced by a desire to avoid the Jets at all costs. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened to an NFL team, though this is purely speculation.
This also changes things for other quarterbacks. With Mendoza being the top guy by far, the rest of the pack might get boosted. In 2024, this happened with Michael Penix Jr., JJ McCarthy, and Bo Nix. Arguably, not one of them was a first-round prospect, but because QBs began to go early and often, teams got desperate.
When Mendoza gets off the board, the next-best QB becomes Ty Simpson of Alabama, but he wasn’t supposed to be picked that high. It pushes him into new territory, and it might subsequently boost the value of Garrett Nussmeier, Carson Beck, and others.
The Oregon QB room
Oregon would not have been hurting for a quarterback in 2026. They’re a prestigious university with one of the best coaches in the sport. They would have easily found someone, although that someone might not have been Moore.
In fact, they did find someone. Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola, best known for being a Patrick Mahomes impersonator, transferred to the Ducks. It’s not crazy to think he transferred there to play for Dan Lanning and start for the Ducks in place of Moore.
But now, Moore is back. Raiola is likely going to be a backup, and that’s not ideal for his future prospects. If he wants to make it to the NFL, he needs to start and play well. Oregon initially offered him an opportunity to do that, but that opportunity is gone.
The transfer portal is tricky, but Raiola very well may regret his decision. It seemed certain that Moore would go to the NFL and be a top pick, leaving a void for Raiola to fill. Now, he’s going to be relegated to the bench unless something unforeseen happens. With this in mind, he’d probably have been better off remaining with the Cornhuskers or transferring to virtually any other school.
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