Oregon quarterback Dante Moore's 2026 season ended prematurely due to a concussion suffered against USC, but NFL evaluators still consider him a probable first-round selection in the 2027 draft. Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon said on the "With the First Pick" podcast that teams will have more questions about the variance in Moore's play this season than about the injury itself.
Moore entered 2026 as a top overall prospect after a 2025 campaign in which he threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff semifinals. However, his abbreviated 2026 season — four games, 926 yards, nine touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 70% completion rate — magnified existing concerns about his consistency under pressure and ability to progress beyond his first read. The Ducks also fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer during the season.
Carthon noted historical precedents: Sam Bradford played only three games in 2009 before a shoulder injury yet went first overall in 2010, and Tua Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall in 2020 despite a late-season hip injury. Both had already demonstrated elite accuracy that convinced teams to overlook limited final seasons. Moore possesses similar high-level throws, but his 2026 season ended before he could show improvement in the areas that needed work.
Despite the uneven start and the concussion, NFL scouts and executives recently identified Moore and Miami's Darian Mensah as the only two quarterbacks considered virtual first-round locks for 2027. Moore remains generally viewed as the top quarterback in the class. Carthon affirmed he believes Moore will be a first-round pick, stating that once evaluators review the tape and the full draft class, Moore will rank among the top two quarterbacks.
