Two underclassmen quarterbacks publicly announced where they will be playing football during the upcoming season. These are decisions that will have far-reaching effects on the upcoming draft.

The choices of both players have been scrutinized and will continue to be the topic of debate. Here’s what I heard before and after the public announcements and what I think of the choices.

Dante Moore’s decision to return to Oregon for the upcoming season should not come as a total surprise. As I initially reported at the start of December, the belief was that he would be playing for the Ducks in 2026, with an eight-figure NIL deal in place and a program that had him set up for success.

Yet as the season closed out and it looked like Moore would end up as a top-two pick if he entered the draft, the conversation began to change.

While an eight-figure NIL deal in 2026 was tempting, a four-year NFL contract that would guarantee Moore four times that amount made the most fiscal sense. In the end, he bucked the big bucks from the NFL and remained a Duck.

Why Dante Moore chose stability over the NFL

I was told by his team that several reasons factored into the decision.

These included the desire to get more college-football experience under his belt, the chance to compete for the Heisman Trophy in 2026, as well as the desire to wash away the bad taste of the devastating loss to Indiana in the Peach Bowl, a game that started with Moore throwing a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage.

His landing spot, which would’ve been either the Las Vegas Raiders or, more than likely, the New York Jets, was also a factor.

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When I reported that landing spot factored into Moore’s decision, social media took it to mean the quarterback didn’t want to play for the Jets, but that’s not what was reported nor what I was told.

In fact, depending on what happens after the 2026 season, there’s a possibility the Jets will be in a position to draft Moore in 2027.

Reading the tea leaves, it’s very likely Moore did not want to get himself into a situation where the coach and regime that drafts him in 2026 is no longer with the organization in 2027, and that’s a real possibility with the Jets.

Considering how last season went and the direction the franchise is going in, which is anyone’s guess, one would have to say that right now it’s a 50-50 proposition that Aaron Glenn remains as head coach after this season.

There’s also a chance the team turns it around, and Glenn keeps his job. Yet no player, veteran or rookie, wants to walk into a situation where there’s a possibility the team he signs with undergoes an overhaul of the coaching staff and possibly the front office after just one season.

New schemes, new personalities, and new attitudes can be a difficult adjustment.

The feeling I got was that the situation was not exclusive to the Jets, but rather any organization that could’ve been in a position to draft Moore that could deal with an upheaval one year from now.

He made the right choice for himself, no doubt. Yeah, there’s risk involved, and I illustrated many of the reasons, including some given to me by Moore’s team, in an article published hours after Moore made his decision public.

Yet you can never condemn a player who wants to return to college and improve his craft, especially in the day and age of NIL football.

Moore’s choice will have a resonating effect on the top of the draft. The choice by Ty Simpson? Not so much.

Ty Simpson’s bet on the Draft is a risky one

Simpson shocked people when he stood by his initial decision to enter the draft despite rumors of big NIL deals being thrown his way. Outside reports pinpointed the Miami Hurricanes, who will lose quarterback Carson Beck, as the program that put a $6.5 million deal in front of Simpson.

The first-year starter had an up-and-down campaign with Alabama in 2025. After a bad loss to Florida State in the season opener, Simpson righted the ship and was one of the better quarterbacks in the nation for September and October.

Then the middle of November came along, and Simpson struggled facing Oklahoma’s fierce pass rush in a Tide loss.

That was followed by another struggle against a 5-7 Auburn squad, where Simpson completed barely 50% of his throws for 122 yards. Another uninspired performance by Simpson resulted in Alabama getting pounded by Georgia in the SEC title game.

After showing life during the second-half comeback victory against the Sooners in Round 1 of the College Football Playoff, Simpson and the Tide were eventually humiliated by Indiana in the Rose Bowl by a score of 38-3. Simpson threw for just 67 yards and was benched, in part due to injury as well as ineffective play.

Immediately, there were questions about his future with Alabama, and Simpson responded by publicly declaring for the draft. Parallels are going to be made to Mac Jones, another Alabama quarterback who entered the draft after starting just one season.

Simpson is a better arm talent than Jones, but he didn’t win a national title the way the Patriots’ 2021 first-round pick did for the Crimson Tide.

Jones has never lived up to expectations in the NFL and presently carries the bust label. It could be the same for Simpson, who was premature in his decision to play Sunday football when everything is considered.