Jan 17, 2026
3 min read
Oregon QB Dante Moore, who was considered the top pick in the NFL draft, has decided to return to school for the 2026 season, he announced on "SportsCenter".
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has decided to return to school for the 2026 season, he announced Wednesday on SportsCenter.
Returning to Oregon, Moore turned down a chance to become the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.He projects him to be the top-ranked quarterback in the 2027 class.
"With this decision, my whole life has basically been about being as prepared as possible for any situation," Moore told "SportsCenter."“And when it comes to my decision-making, I want to do what's best for my situation, especially as a quarterback.
"In my opinion, it was very difficult. I prayed a lot about it, talked to a lot of people - my leaders and my hope. To say that, I will come to Oregon one year to play the Oregon Ducks and reach the goal of becoming national champions."
Wednesday is the deadline for underclassmen not participating in the College Football Playoff championship game to declare for the draft.
Moore's return makes Oregon one of the favorites to win the national title in 2026. The Ducks also retain several key players on the defensive line and return a strong core of young receivers and young running backs.
His decision also came after former Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola announced he would transfer to Oregon, and quarterback Kenyon Sadiq and backup Dylan Thiemann are among the few Oregon players who have declared their intention to enter the NFL draft.
Hours after Moore's announcement, Oregon four-star defensive end Bryson Beaver said he intends to enter the transfer window.
Upon returning to Oregon, Moore, 20, a moment to land a $44 million transit hunter.He received $46.65 million.
"I've had a lot of shots this year, a lot of great games, but at the end of the day I feel like I can still learn more," Moore told ESPN."From my childhood, since I was 4 years old, I dreamed of being in the NFL, but I've been through a lot on this team, a lot of people are coming back, so there are exciting things happening this year. I'm happy to continue to push my team."
Moore, in his first season as a full-time starter, led Oregon to the CFP semifinals.He started just 20 games as a college quarterback, which is below the 25-game demarcation line that NFL executives consider a cutoff point for what they like to see in a starter.
Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Ducks in 2025. He completed 71.8% of his passes and threw 10 interceptions.
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza cemented himself as a projected No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in the semifinals against Oregon.He looked good, completing 17 of 20 passes and throwing five touchdowns.Meanwhile, Moore threw six tackles on the first play of the game, lost two fumbles, and finished 39-for-39.
This performance followed a successful season that catapulted Moore to the top of the draft board.He will begin the 2026 season at the same spot for the 2027 draft.
The decision represents a player giving up a lot of guaranteed money and a spot near the top of the draft, and players like Andrew Luck (Stanford) and Matt Leinart (USC) have made similar decisions in recent years.
Beaver, No.208 in the class of 2026, to the Ducks from Boise State last summer and signed during the early signing period last month.His departure marks the second straight cycle in which the Ducks have lost a high school quarterback signee in the winter portal window, after Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele transferred to Cal early last year.
