Oregon quarterback Dante Moore's 2026 season ended prematurely after a concussion suffered against USC, but NFL talent evaluators continue to project him as a likely first-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon, speaking on the "With the First Pick" podcast, said teams will have more questions about the variance in Moore's play than about the concussion itself. Carthon believes Moore will still be a first-round pick.
Moore entered the 2026 season as the top quarterback prospect on many boards after a standout 2025 campaign in which he threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns, leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff semifinals. He chose to return to Eugene rather than enter the 2026 draft, where he was projected to be the second quarterback selected after Fernando Mendoza.
In four games this season, Moore completed nearly 70% of his passes for 926 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions. However, his performance against Oklahoma State raised concerns about his ability to progress beyond his first read and operate under pressure. Oregon subsequently fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer.
Precedent and Comparisons
Historical precedent exists for quarterbacks missing significant time in their final college season and still being drafted early. Sam Bradford played only three games in 2009 before a shoulder injury but was selected first overall in 2010. Tua Tagovailoa suffered a hip injury in 2019 and was drafted fifth overall in 2020. Carthon noted that both had already demonstrated elite accuracy, a trait Moore also possesses.
Draft Outlook
Despite Moore's uneven start, NFL scouts and personnel executives consulted by CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz identified Moore and Miami's Darian Mensah as the only two quarterbacks considered virtual first-round locks. Moore remains generally viewed as the top quarterback in the class.
Carthon affirmed that 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. The decision for NFL teams will be whether Moore's 2025 production outweighs the unanswered questions from his abbreviated 2026 season.
