As Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore makes his NFL Draft decision, how much will name, image, and likeness (NIL) be a factor?
Quarterback Dante Moore is currently leading the No. 5 Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff, and faces a major decision while also preparing to face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day.
Will Moore declare for the NFL Draft and forgo his final year of college eligibility, or will he return to Eugene, Oregon, for his senior season?According to On3, Moore has an NIL valuation of $2.3 million, and his roster value is projected to be $2.1 million. His NIL valuation is the 14th-highest in the country, per On3's rankings, and it's the highest on Oregon's roster as well. Other notable quarterbacks like Texas' Arch Manning, Michigan's Bryce Underwood, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, and Nebraska's Dylan Raiola all rank above Moore in terms of NIL valuation. Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images However, Moore is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft if he chooses to declare. From a pure football perspective, Moore and Mendoza have seemingly separated themselves as the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft class. From an NIL perspective, Moore lacks the star power of a quarterback like Manning or Mendoza, especially after the Indiana passer's Heisman Trophy win. Still, Moore has inked NIL deals with Nike, eBay, and Beats by Dre.MORE: Oregon Ducks Could Steal Another Transfer Portal Player From USC Trojans Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza poses for photos with the Heisman trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the award. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images For Moore to turn down the NFL Draft as a projected top-five pick, Oregon would clearly need to make a competitive offer to keep Moore in college. Additionally, Moore and the Ducks could buy draft protection insurance to protect Moore from any injuries that would hurt his earning potential as a professional athlete.Underclassmen that are not participating in the CFP must declare for the NFL Draft by Jan. 5, but Moore and other players in the postseason have a deadline of Jan. 23. The length of Oregon's season is to be determined, but Moore could wait until late January to reveal his plans for 2026. Oregon will face No. 4 Texas Tech on New Year's Day in the Orange Bowl, and the winner of the Orange Bowl will face the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana on Jan. 9 in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, in the CFP Semifinals. The National Championship will not be played until Jan. 19, explaining the later NFL Draft deadline for underclassmen participating in the CFP. However, a few Ducks have already announced their intentions to forgo the NFL Draft and return to Oregon for another season. Ducks center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu and defensive lineman Bear Alexander will spend another year in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon offensive linemen Iapani Laloulu, left, and Emmanuel Pregnon line up as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Will 'Poncho's' decision have any impact on what Moore chooses? The Ducks will have a new offensive coordinator with Will Stein being hired by Kentucky as the Wildcats' newest head coach. With a lot of factors at play, including NIL, Moore's decision is the biggest one on Oregon's roster ahead of the 2026 season.Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.
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