Despite a rocky College Football Playoff exit in the Peach Bowl, most expected Oregon QB Dante Moore to ride a strong season into the NFL. Moore instead put the professional ranks on pause Wednesday when he announced his plans to return to school for one more season.
Moore's decision isn't a first at Oregon — Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert each returned for an extra season despite being projected first-round picks — but it isn't often a quarterback who could come off the board as high as No. 2 overall opts against the NFL Draft.
Moore's return is an instant spark for Oregon's championship hopes next season, and it could have wide-ranging effects at both the college and NFL levels.
Here's a look at how Moore's decision on Wednesday changes the equation for Dylan Raiola, the New York Jets and more.
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How does Dante Moore's return impact Dylan Raiola?
As of Moore's announcement on Wednesday, Dylan Raiola was just two days removed from committing to Oregon. While reports indicated Raiola was aware of the possibility Moore could return and was comfortable serving as a backup for one year, one has to wonder if reality is going to match those reports.
Tennessee and Miami are among the prominent programs that don't have a clear solution at quarterback and have plenty of money to throw around. Could one of those schools convince Raiola to flip his commitment? Either one of those opportunities could be more enticing to Raiola than sitting for a year after starting for two seasons at Nebraska.
One factor worth monitoring is whether Raiola has already signed with Oregon. Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. Recently attempted to transfer out shortly after signing a new contract to return to the program, and he wound up sticking to his commitment after the Huskies threatened legal action to enforce the deal. Then again, even if Raiola signed a contract, there is the possibility Oregon simply lets him out of it because the circumstances have changed.
If Raiola does stay at Oregon, he could sit for a year just as Moore sat behind Dillon Gabriel for a year, then jump into an ideal situation in 2027 and position himself as an NFL Draft pick in 2028.
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How does Dante Moore's return impact the Jets?
There was no guarantee the Jets were dead set on taking Moore with the No. 2 overall pick in April's draft, but his return to school makes it fairly obvious New York won't be able to find its franchise quarterback with that selection. Ty Simpson, the consensus No. 2 quarterback in the draft with Moore out, is not considered enough of a sure thing to be selected in that range.
So, where does that leave the Jets? They have the option to trade down and compile even more picks, with two first-rounders this year and three in 2027. The roster certainly needs the help, and GM Darren Mougey seems to know the Jets aren't one player away. New York could also stick at No. 2 and simply take whoever it feels is the best defensive player in the draft, after the defense cratered in 2025 and saw two major pieces sent away.
The bigger question, though, is where the Jets go at the quarterback position in 2026. Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers (actually, forget that last one) are all expected to be available in some form. Willis and Jones will be free agents, while Cousins could be released before the start of free agency. Those are the names to know.
Murray might have the highest upside of the bunch, but it's unclear whether the Jets will simply look for a stopgap option or a quarterback who at least has an outside chance to be a multi-year starter.
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How does Dante Moore's return impact the 2026 draft?
Teams desperate for a quarterback were already in for a rough spring, outside of the Las Vegas Raiders, who are in position to select Indiana's Fernando Mendoza first overall.
The Jets could be heavily impacted by Moore's decision, but no team behind them was banking on taking a quarterback in the first round. Moore's return is good news for Alabama's Ty Simpson, who becomes the consensus No. 2 quarterback on the board, while Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State's Drew Allar, Miami's Carson Beck are all players who at least have a chance to separate themselves during the pre-draft process and be the third or fourth quarterback off the board.
Quarterback desperation can dominate the draft, but there is a limit to it, as we saw in 2022 when only one quarterback was selected in the first two rounds. Moore's exit from the draft won't instantly answer teams' questions and concerns about Simpson, Allar or others.
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How does Dante Moore's return impact the 2027 draft?
Moore looked like a player who could use more development at Oregon, but the potential for him to go as high as No. 2 in April's draft combined with a potentially loaded quarterback class in 2027 convinced many he would have no choice but to declare for the draft in 2026.
Now, with Moore in the fold, the 2027 class could be special. Moore joins a group that includes Texas' Arch Manning, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, LSU's Sam Leavitt and USC's Jayden Maiava. Bounce-back seasons from South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers or Baylor's DJ Lagway could put either quarterback back on the map as a legitimate prospect, while Duke's Darian Mensah and even Raiola, if he decided to leave Oregon, could be in play if they perform in 2026.
It's easy to forget the 2026 quarterback class was once hailed as the next great collection of prospects. It didn't pan out. There is no guarantee 2027 pans out, either, but Moore is in the right system to position himself as a high first-round pick regardless.