Dante Moore decision just changed the direction of the Jets franchise

The wait is over. New York Jets fans have been anxiously awaiting a decision from Dante Moore, and on Wednesday — the deadline for underclassmen not participating in the National Championship Game to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft — the Oregon quarterback officially made his choice.

Moore announced Wednesday afternoon that he will be returning to Oregon for another season. The 20-year-old was seen as a potential top-two pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but instead, he has opted to pass on turning pro for another year.

It’s not hyperbole to say that Moore, widely viewed as an expected top-two pick in this year’s draft, opting against the NFL has the potential to change the entire landscape of the league, with no team more directly impacted than the Jets.

Moore was seen as the odds-on favorite to be selected by the Jets at No. 2 overall, potentially positioning the team to make its highest quarterback selection since drafting Zach Wilson in 2021. Now, the Jets will have to go in a different direction.

Jets' future plans change as Dante Moore declares for the 2026 NFL Draft

Moore transferred to Oregon after a brief, uninspiring stint at UCLA in 2023 and spent the entire 2024 season as the backup behind Bo Nix. He won the starting job in the summer and quickly established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

The Ohio native started 15 games in 2025, throwing for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing an impressive 71.8 percent of his passes. At just 20 years old, Moore shows a level of polish as a passer and processor that belies his experience, with tape full of NFL-caliber throws.

Moore’s struggles in the College Football Playoff, particularly against Indiana, may have given some evaluators pause, but NFL teams likely still came away encouraged by his poise and overall accuracy when studying his full 2025 body of work.

That said, most believe that Moore needs a little extra seasoning before he's ready to start at the NFL level. Even if he did declare and the Jets drafted him at No. 2 overall, there's a good chance he wouldn't have been the team's Week 1 starter.

Either way, the Jets will now have to search for a different solution at the quarterback position — and a new target at No. 2 overall. It's an unenviable position for Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn, to say the least.

Dante Moore is returning to school. So much for that.