When it comes to the quarterback class of 2027, hope springs eternal. Especially after a class of 2026 that produced two first-rounders in Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, and a class of 2025 that produced two in Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart, the NFL’s prayer is that the 2027 signal-caller group looks more like the 2024 version, when three were taken with the first three picks, six in the top 12 and four legitimate NFL starters in Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nothing. Even the relative stragglers (Michael Penix Jr. and JJ McCarthy) haven’t completely run out of paths when it comes to their NFL potential.
On the surface, the 2027 class looks absolutely ridiculous from a tools and potential perspective. We could have Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby (depending on how Sorsby is affected by the recent gambling allegations) all fighting to take the top spot in next year’s QB draft lists, and there are ways each could do so. that. Not to mention the fact that there will be a surprise interloper who will come out of nowhere to show the potential of the NFL.
That’s at least eight quarterbacks NFL teams should consider next year. Of course, we also know that not all sure-fire prospects will become sure-fire prospects before they’re even drafted; We’ve all seen the super hyped guys fall when they get hit without a plan.
The idea of this series is to evaluate each of the featured future prospects with one eye on what they have already done and the other on what they need to do to reach their ceiling.
We have already talked about Arch Manning in this space.so let’s move on to Dante Moore from Oregon. The upcoming junior star began his college career with UCLA in 2023, transferred to the Ducks for a 2024 season in which he mostly sat behind Dillon Gabriel and got his chance again in 2025. Overall, Moore completed 295 of 412 passes (71.6) for 3,550 yards (8.6 YPA), 30 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 111.8. Then, despite a relatively weak quarterback class in 2026 that can land him in the Top 5 (or Top 2) in the draft, Moore decided to return to school for a fourth NCAA season.
“With this decision, my entire life has been primarily about being as prepared as possible for any situation I find myself in.” Moore said on January 14.a few days after Oregon’s 56-22 CFP semifinal loss to Indiana. “And when it comes to making a decision, I just want to do what’s best for my situation, especially as a quarterback.
“With my decision, it’s been very difficult. I’ve prayed a lot about it, talked to a lot of people: my mentors and people I look up to. With that being said, of course I’m going back to Oregon for one more year, so I can play for the Oregon Ducks and reach our goal and be national champions.”
What would Moore have been as a 2026 prospect and how will another year in the incubator help him? Let’s get into it.
Dante Moore in the pocket
Last season, when throwing from the pocket, Moore completed 261 of 359 passes (72.7%) for 2,989 yards (8.1 YPA), 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 109.9. They’re not bad numbers at all, and there’s plenty to build on, but the main issue with Moore as a pocket passer right now is that he needs to speed up his reads and throws. He struggles to throw consistently ahead of time, and in 2026 it will be up to him to reduce the moving parts, both physically and mentally, to deal with the speed and complexity of NFL defenses. Because things are only getting faster and more complex for where you’re headed in 2027.
Moore is a grenade of chaos at quarterback. He loves to react at the end of the play and is at his best when he can move to one side of the field, cut reads in half, and use his impressive combination of mobility and arm talent to make truly impressive things happen. That’s why he completed 35 of 57 passes (66.0%) out of the pocket for 576 yards (10.9 YPA), four touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 127.6. 12 of Moore’s 64 explosive passes last season came from outside the pocket, which is a very good rate given the relative infrequency of those throws; It’s also where Moore feels most comfortable as a ball thrower right now.
Moore was pressured on 80 of his attempts last season, completing 46 passes (57.5%) for 639 yards (8.0 YPA), three touchdowns, three interceptions and a passer rating of 80.2. When blitzed, Moore completed 102 of 146 passes (69.9%) for 1,411 yards (9.7 YPA), 14 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 118.3. Blitzes with and without pressure force Moore to speed up his clock, as they do with most quarterbacks, and this becomes an advantage in this case. This is where it becomes clear that Moore has the potential to make better and faster decisions at the time of the down.
Going through progressions
Moore is a good field reader in the pure sense of progression, where he reads openings rather than waiting for coverages. It’s a beneficial concept in an NFL where coverage changes are becoming more frequent, especially for a quarterback, like Moore, who needs to work on the timing of his reads and throws. Most of the time, he works from left to right, and while he conveys his intentions more than he would like, for the most part he is quite comfortable working 1-2. He might be more familiar with watching defenders and dictating the action, but the same could be said for some credible NFL quarterbacks.
Moore has the basic athleticism to be an effective running back (he ran the ball 62 times for 298 yards and two touchdowns last season), but the most important number to consider here is the nine fumbles in 2025. Moore needs to be more consistent with simple things like snaps and working with his running backs to ensure proper handoffs. Simple things, really, but it all seems too complex when it’s not done right.
Moore could have a bright future as a Baker Mayfield/Jalen Hurts-type quarterback with the ability to define an offense designed for him. He’s not schematically earth-shattering (he probably never will be), but with another year of development, he could very well be ready for the NFL with a team that understands and can take advantage of things outside of structure. Moore will absolutely need to rev up the neurons from his brain to his arm before he gets to the NFL, or the NFL will hit him back…and often.
If Dante Moore stands still in the development sense, he could have a difficult initial stage at the professional level. That’s why he was right to return to school and why this upcoming season is of crucial importance, not just for him, but for the 2027 QB class as a whole.
