NFL Teams Are Quietly Positioning For Record Breaking Draft With Dante Moore

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore's NFL decision could prove to be record breaking in 2027. However, the impact on the 2026 NFL Draft is clear.

Moore elected to return to Eugene and the Ducks football program for the 2026-27 season, despite being the projected No. 2 overall selection and the opportunity to secure millions in the league. The NFL, and specifically, the New York Jets who pick at No. 2, will have to look elsewhere for their answer at quarterback in 2026.

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore transfer portal quarterback dan lanning nfl draft nil new york jets las vegas raiders | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

Moore’s decision shook up the 2026 NFL Draft landscape at the quarterback position as Alabama's Ty Simpson now climbs to the projections to the No. 2 ranked quarterback behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.

However, the impact reaches further down the road. The 2027 NFL Draft is already shaping up to feature a potentially record-breaking quarterback class, with Moore’s return only adding to the anticipation.

A Potentially Historic 2027 NFL Draft Quarterback Class

The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class has a chance to break the record for most quarterbacks drafted in the first round. There have been six quarterbacks drafted in the first round only twice in history.

Of course, it's very early for a prediction of this size but there is merit to the sentiment. The eight quarterbacks to keep an eye on:

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

- Oregon quarterback Dante Moore
- Texas quarterback Arch Manning
- Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin
- Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby
- South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers
- Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss
- USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava
- Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr

NFL analyst Todd McShay said the quiet part out loud.

"Several teams are making moves because of next year's class," McShay said. "If these quarterbacks start dropping in this year's class, it's fine ... If I'm going to spend a resource on a quarterback, it's going to be in 2027. There are too many of those guys."

The 2027 quarterbacks class is so strong and deep, NFL teams might not feel they have to shore up the most important position in the 2026 draft. Instead, the signal callers (including Moore) might fly off the shelves in 2027.

Dante Moore Dan Lanning penn state Oregon Ducks Football Big Ten Dakorien Moore james franklin uniforms white out glow dark — Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions | Oregon Ducks on SI's Jake Bunn

Ironically, there was a Duck (Bo Nix) involved the last time in the 2024 NFL Draft when six quarterbacks were picked in the first 12 picks (Nix, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr, J.J. McCarthy.)

The 1983 NFL Draft is one of the most famed quarterback classes with six quarterbacks picked in the first round, including John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien, and Dan Marino.

Could the 2027 class set a new record?

Oregon Could Break NFL Record Too

The Ducks are sending players to the NFL at a record rate. In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Oregon football program broke its program record for NFL Draft selections in a single year with 10. With so much elite talent electing to return to Eugene for the 2026-27 season... there is a chance that the Ducks can again set their program record in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Along with Moore, Oregon's starting center Iapani Laloulu also chose to return for another season in Eugene instead of taking his talents to the pros. Defensively, the Ducks had four players return despite high draft stocks in A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, linebacker Teitum Tuioti and defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei.

To add onto those six Ducks, tight end Jamari Johnson, receivers Evan Stewart and Iverson Hooks, safety Koi Perich, linebackers Jerry Mixon and Devon Jackson, and offensive linemen Kawika Rogers and Dave Iuli would all be eligible, among others.

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Safe to say, the Ducks are loaded with professional level talent for the 2026 season. Can Moore pick up where he left off?

In the 2025-26 season, Moore completed 272 of 373 passes for 3,280 yards with 28 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He was named Offensive MVP of the Orange Bowl after leading the Ducks to a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal victory over No. 4 Texas Tech, completing 26 of 33 passes for 234 yards.

The former 5-star recruit started all 15 games at Oregon in 2025 plus five games as a true freshman at UCLA. Last season, the Detroit-native delivered one of the most efficient seasons in the nation. Moore ranked No. 3 nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage and No. 7 with a 166.73 passer rating.

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