Oregon quarterback Dante Moore enters the 2026 college football season as one of the leading prospects in what could become a loaded 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid included Moore among the "top names to know" at quarterback in his early preview of the 2027 class. Moore was featured alongside a group headlined by Texas quarterback Arch Manning as NFL evaluators begin studying potential options for next spring.
The previous two NFL drafts each featured only two quarterbacks selected in the first round, but Reid believes the 2027 class could offer considerably more talent and depth at the position.
Moore will be one of the most closely watched players in that group after deciding to return to Oregon for his redshirt junior season rather than enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Reid noted that Moore was in the running to potentially become the No. 1 overall selection had he declared.
Instead, Moore will have another opportunity to develop within Oregon's offense, pursue a national championship and potentially strengthen his case to become the first player selected in 2027.
Moore completed 71.8 percent of his passes last season for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He established himself as one of the most efficient passers in college football while demonstrating many of the technical traits NFL evaluators seek at the position.
Reid praised Moore's natural footwork, smooth release and ability to distribute the football accurately and on time. Moore also possesses extensive experience operating progression-based passing concepts that should translate to the NFL.
Those strengths align with what CBS Sports and 247Sports NFL Draft analyst Cooper Petagna told DuckTerritory during an appearance on the Autzen Audibles Podcast.
Petagna called Moore the "most pure passer" among the quarterbacks at the top of the 2027 draft conversation. He praised Moore's NFL-ready arm, ability to layer throws over defenders and capacity to fit the football into tight passing windows.
Petagna also believes Moore currently possesses a steadier floor than Manning, even if the Texas quarterback may have a higher long-term physical ceiling.
Moore's development at Oregon has become another important part of his evaluation.
After transferring from UCLA, Moore spent the 2024 season behind veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel rather than immediately returning to the field as a starter. Petagna described Oregon's decision to acquire Moore, give him time to learn and then develop him for a larger role as "very smart scouting."
That patient approach paid off when Moore took over Oregon's offense in 2025. He became more comfortable operating from the pocket, working through his reads and delivering the ball within the structure of the offense.
Moore's rise also reflects the larger roster-building plan Oregon has executed under head coach Dan Lanning.
"This is the product of a program that has executed a vision," Petagna said. "They know who they are, and they recruit to it year in and year out."
Although Moore possesses enough athleticism to extend plays, he typically relies on his mobility only when necessary. His preference is to remain in the pocket, progress through the concept and find the appropriate receiver.
Experience could work further in Moore's favor during the upcoming draft process. He enters the season with 20 career starts and is positioned to surpass 30 before the end of the year. Reid noted that the 30-start threshold is a benchmark many NFL teams prefer for quarterback prospects because it provides a larger sample of how a player responds to different defenses, situations and environments.
Moore's additional season at Oregon should allow evaluators to see whether he can improve upon an already productive statistical profile. It will also give them more opportunities to study him against the type of elite competition he will encounter at the next level.
Both Reid and Petagna identified Moore's performance under pressure as one of the most important areas of his evaluation.
Reid wrote that Moore's overall process can become rushed when plays break down. Defenses that pressure and hit him early have occasionally caused him to become more hesitant as games progress.
Petagna similarly pointed to Oregon's regular-season loss to Indiana as a game NFL evaluators will study. Moore was sacked nine times as the Ducks struggled to consistently protect him against one of the best defenses on their schedule.
The challenge for Moore in 2026 will be demonstrating that he can maintain his mechanics, decision-making and aggressiveness when facing consistent pressure.
Evaluators also want to see Moore become more willing to attack tight windows and take opportunities farther down the field. Reid noted that Moore occasionally passed over open receivers at deeper levels in favor of safer underneath completions.
Those decisions helped Moore maintain a high completion percentage and keep Oregon's offense on schedule, but NFL teams will want to see whether he can become more aggressive without sacrificing efficiency or putting the football in danger.
That aggressiveness could be particularly important when Oregon faces elite defenses capable of limiting easy throws and forcing quarterbacks to create explosive plays in contested situations.