Dante Moore’s return to Oregon for another season was immediately viewed as a huge boost for the program, as it instantly elevated them into the 2026 national championship conversation. After serving as the backup to Dillon Gabriel in 2024, Moore proved last season that Oregon fans can confidently rely on him heading into the 2026 season.
Kirk Herbstreit Offers Blunt Assessment of Dante Moore’s Choice To Delay His NFL Dream
Moore was viewed as a potential top-five selection in the 2026 NFL Draft due to a thin quarterback class. Several early mock drafts slotted him at No. 2 overall behind Fernando Mendoza, and a few projections even placed him at the very top of the board.
However, Moore chose to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to Oregon to refine his game and chase a national title in Eugene. By doing so, he was reported to have passed on an estimated $52 million contract package, which aligns with the projected value of this year’s No. 2 overall pick.
For comparison, last year’s second selection and former Colorado star Travis Hunter secured $46.65 million fully guaranteed. Kirk Herbstreit has long supported quarterbacks who opt to stay another season in the NIL era, much like Moore.
“It’s like Ty Simpson, do you go because you might be picked early?” Herbstreit said. “Or do you go because you’re done developing in college and you’re ready? Like, I’m so bullish on not because I want to see these guys come back and play college. I’m just at that position, just watching guys that make it, watching guys that don’t. Brock Purdy started four years in Ames, Iowa, like the guys that play like Dante Moore coming back to Oregon, they were talking about him being a first pick.
“I’m so happy for him that he’s going back to school to have another year of being the guy of pressure and getting more reps, and he’s going to be so far ahead. So if he came out this year, he’s probably a Top-5 pick, but he wouldn’t have been ready. So that’s my point about quarterbacks.”
Moore finished the 2025 season with 3,565 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, earning an 85.9 grade in the PFSN’s CFB QB Impact Metric. He went the entire season with only three games without a touchdown pass.
NFL evaluators were already intrigued by Moore’s upside. However, he made it clear he wasn’t interested in simply being a high draft choice; he actually wanted to enter the league as the “most prepared,” as he explained in his SportsCenter statement about returning for another year.
Herbstreit liked this thinking and had a message for players.
“I just think reps, reps, reps if you’re playing the long play,” Herbstreit said. “If you just want to be drafted early, you can do that. If you’re trying to become a fully ready guy, get another year of experience.”
If Moore stays healthy, he is expected to be a first-round lock in the 2027 NFL Draft as well. However, the top of that class could feature stronger competition, including Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
Moore could still deliver an outstanding season this season but land lower in the 2027 draft than he might have in 2026. It proves the calculated gamble he made on prioritizing long-term readiness over immediate draft position.
