Dante Moore’s decision to pass on the NFL Draft raised eyebrows the moment he made it.
The Oregon quarterback was widely seen as a top-three talent, with the New York Jets projected to take him at No. 2.
There was even a path for him to become the first quarterback selected if Fernando Mendoza had run into trouble during the draft process. Instead, Mendoza stayed healthy, went first overall, and Moore stayed put.
That choice looked unusual from the outside. He had the chance to jump to the NFL, start his pro career, and potentially lock in more money than he would have made in college. NIL has changed the calculus for players, but the expectation was still that Moore would have landed more guaranteed money in the league unless he was being paid far more at Oregon than most people believed.
Because of that, it was easy to wonder whether the Jets played a role in his decision. Moore recently pushed back on that idea.
“Not at all,” Moore said, per On3. “Of course there was $50 million on the line, a lot to help support my family, but at the end of the day, I don’t play the game for money.
I play the game to tell myself I’ve got a lot to improve. I had a chance to come back and learn more.
So when I take that next step next year, I’ll be more prepared for those moments in my life.”
He also made clear he’s comfortable with the choice he made.
“There was a lot that came with it, but overall, I’m glad I made that decision,” Moore said. “I’m going to apply 100% effort to whatever I do this upcoming year to help me get prepared for next year.
I’m just excited to come back and get with this team. I love this team.
We put a lot of work in together, and we have a lot of great things coming ahead of us.”
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