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Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore announced his decision to return for the 2026 season, forgoing the 2026 NFL Draft, despite being a projected first-round pick, on Wednesday (January 14).
"With this decision, mainly all my life has just been about being as most prepared as I can for any situation I go into," Moore said during an appearance on SportsCenter. "And when it comes to me making my decision, I just want to do what's best for my situation, especially as a quarterback.
"With my decision, it's been very tough. I've prayed a lot about it, talked to many people -- my mentors and people I look up to. With that being said, of course I'll be coming back to Oregon for one more year, play for the Ducks and reach our goal of being national champions."
Moore led No. 5 Oregon to a 13-2 (8-1 Big Ten) season and a College Football Playoff Semifinal appearance before last Friday's (January 9) loss to No. 1 Indiana, throwing for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 296 of 412 passing, while also recording 156 yards and two touchdowns on 73 rushing attempts. The 20-year-old ranked as the No. 2 overall quarterback prospect behind Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, according to CBS Sports.