Oregon has had success developing quarterbacks into first-round picks. Justin Herbert and Bo Nix played collegiate ball in Eugene before emerging as quality NFL signal-callers. The Ducks have another premier quarterback prospect in Dante Moore. Moore could have been the second-overall pick had he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, but instead opted to return to Oregon for another season. He is an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy and to be the top selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. What makes Moore such a coveted prospect, and is he the top quarterback in what should be a strong 2027 class?
Early Dante Moore 2027 NFL Draft Player Profile
Measurables
Height- 6-foot-3
Weight- 206 pounds
Background
Moore was a five-star recruit coming from Martin Luther King (Michigan) and the third-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2023. He was originally committed to Oregon, but flipped to UCLA. It didn’t take long for him to see the field, appearing in nine games as a true freshman, including five starts. Moore struggled in 2023, completing just 53.5% of his passes for 1,610 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. After one season in Los Angeles, he entered the transfer portal and went to the program he was initially committed to. Moore redshirted the 2024 season with the Ducks, sitting behind Dillon Gabriel. He completed seven of eight passes for 49 yards in limited action.
After Gabriel went off to the NFL, Moore took over under center in 2025. He made massive strides from his true freshman season, racking up 3,565 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 71.8% of his throws. Moore had three games in which he threw for four touchdowns and led the Ducks to two wins in the College Football Playoff. Oregon’s 2025 season came to a disappointing end in a 56-22 blowout loss to Indiana. Moore decided to return to Eugene for the 2026 season.
Strengths
Moore has plus arm talent, and he generates good velocity and touch on his throws. His ability to throw on the run is elite, and he’s excellent at hitting accurate passes from different arm angles to work around defenders. Moore’s deep ball is great; he can hit any throw he’s asked to make. He’s a decent athlete who can take off and scramble when plays break down. His accuracy is mostly strong, as his high completion percentage suggests. Moore can attack the middle of the field and thread passes into tight windows. He also does well at throwing receivers away from coverage. Moore shows impressive poise in the pocket and makes accurate throws when he knows he’s gonna get hit.
Weaknesses
While Moore is usually accurate, he does miss lay-up throws more often than he should. He also tends to hang onto the ball too long, leading to sacks. His decision-making can use improvement, as he can put the ball in harm’s way by forcing throws. Moore has the arm talent and accuracy to make difficult throws, but there are times it gets him into trouble and leads to interceptions. His frame is very much on the lighter end for an NFL quarterback, weighing just 206 pounds. Moore’s smaller frame may lead to durability concerns at the next level.
Overview
The 2027 quarterback class is expected to be the deepest since 2024, when six of the first 12 picks were quarterbacks. Moore enters the 2026 season as a consensus top-two prospect at the position alongside Arch Manning. His combination of arm talent, accuracy, and poise should translate to being a productive player at the next level. He wins mostly from the pocket, but is mobile enough to take off and run when necessary. If Moore can improve at avoiding sacks and forcing dangerous passes, there’s no reason he can’t be the best quarterback in the nation.
Oregon looks to again be one of the best teams in all of college football in 2026, and Moore will have plenty of talent around him. He is currently projected to be a top-five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he hears his name called first overall next April.
