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Dante Moore is returning to the University of Oregon football team in 2026. The top-flight quarterback will not enter the NFL Draft despite being eligible.
With his decision, Moore postpones a significant paycheck given his first-round status. That could impact Alabama passer Ty Simpson’s standing moving forward.
Moore threw for 3,565 yards as a redshirt sophomore to lead the Ducks to the College Football Playoff. He is considered the second-best draft eligible quarterback in this cycle.
It was widely believed that he’d go with the No. 2 overall pick behind Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Instead, he’ll put the NFL on hold another season longer.
Dante Moore is returning to Oregon.
“Of course, I’ll be coming back to Oregon for one more year.”
Dante Moore tells SportsCenter that he’s running it back with the Ducks to chase a national championship next season 😤 pic.twitter.com/8YpwVafPjJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 14, 2026
Moore announced his decision during an appearance on SportsCenter. He will be back in Eugene come 2026.
He will be paid for his services. The Ducks have no shortage of money to spend in terms of NIL. Still, the salary Moore gives up by not entering the NFL Draft is notable.
Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Travis Hunter, signed a four-year rookie deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars worth $46.6 million.
That came with a signing bonus of $7.6 million. He made around $8.4 million total in his debut season. That number will increase by about $2 million each season to follow through 2029.
Dante Moore is putting his professional pursuits on pause to cash a college check. He is confident that his stock will remain high after the ’26 campaign.
Ty Simpson is doing the opposite.
The Crimson Tide passer will enter the NFL Draft despite receiving seven-figure transfer portal offers. Miami was willing to pay $6.5 million. A few SEC programs were in the bidding war, too.
Simpson rejected those offers to turn pro. He never entered the portal. His Alabama legacy was too important.
“Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama.”
Simpson was believed to be the third-rated passer in the NFL Draft class. With Moore’s removal from the field, he moves up to No. 2.
That could impact his draft position. Prior to Moore’s decision, Simpson was considered a late first-round selection. Some had him going in the second round.
Quarterback-needy teams might be more willing to take a chance with Moore out of the picture. His Day 1 status becomes a bit more solid.
Higher draft standing comes with higher pay. Simpson might be the biggest beneficiary of Moore’s decision to return to Oregon, outside of the Ducks.