Top Quarterbacks Dante Moore And Arch Manning Are On A Collision Course

There are two quarterbacks that are rapidly separating themselves from the rest of college football in Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore and Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

oregon ducks dante moore nfl draft texas longhorns arch manning scouts new york jets steve sarkisian big ten sec playoff nil | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The football world cannot help it: the minute the 2026 NFL Draft ended is the minute the projections for the 2027 NFL Draft heated up.

There are two quarterbacks that are rapidly separating themselves from the rest of college football in Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore and Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

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

What once felt like a distant NFL storyline is quickly becoming one of the defining narratives entering this fall in a collision course that feels a bit like the Big Ten vs. the SEC.

Both quarterbacks are leading national championship contenders. Both are surrounded by NFL talent. And both are expected to spend the next year battling not only for College Football Playoff positioning and Heisman Trophy attention, but potentially the No. 1 quarterback status in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Public Perception of Dante Moore and Arch Manning

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 of dollars in the league.

ESPN asked 10 NFL scouts to rank the upcoming draft-eligible quarterbacks with first, second and third-place point values. Moore emerged as the runaway favorite.

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

That is what makes the growing public perception around Manning so fascinating.

Because depending on who you ask, Manning is still viewed as the presumed favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick despite Moore generating stronger support from NFL evaluators in some early draft circles.

Manning carries one of the biggest names in football history and plays in the SEC with the kind of upside evaluators dream about. The expectation surrounding him has existed for since he was a child, long before he ever became Texas’ full-time starter. In many ways, Manning still represents the “default” No. 1 quarterback until somebody takes that spot from him.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions | Oregon Ducks on SI's Jake Bunn

Manning represents the established favorite and Moore is the rising challenger. One carries generational expectations and national spotlight and the other is building momentum through development and command of Oregon’s offense.

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid recently made it clear just how close the two quarterbacks are viewed as NFL prospects.

“Well, they're right there together. And if you remember, a lot of people thought Dante was going to declare last year, but he ended up going back after only 20 career starts. And there were some people about three quarter of the way through the season that thought (Moore) had the potential to be the first quarterback off of the board," Reid said on SportsCenter.

So how does Moore close the gap?

“The one thing Dante has to do is just be more consistent. I think about both big games against Indiana last season, and then there were some others where he was just wildly inconsistent. But he is very smooth. He's a great pocket passer that has some mobility. Reminds me a lot of C.J. Stroud when he was coming out of Ohio State, who ended up being the No. 2 overall pick. I think Dante has a lot of similarities to CJ when they were both prospects coming out," Reid continued.

oregon ducks dante moore college football playoff indiana nfl draft dan lanning indiana hoosiers texas tech quarterback | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

That is an exciting comparison for Moore as C.J. Stroud make an immediate impact in the NFL. Stroud won NFL offensive rookie of the year with the Houston Texans and led the team to a division title and playoff victory.

Of course, Manning also has the tools to become a franchise quarterback in the league and frankly - the order of which quarterback is selected first really does not make a massive difference, except in the storyline and career arch of both quarterbacks. Often top quarterbacks will be compared and contrasted for their draft selection throughout the pro careers.

It will be fun to watch the development of each in 2026 as 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.

Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of he Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Moore is a former 5-star recruit and started all 15 games as a Duck 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.

Can Moore take the next step in his development from flashes of brilliance to every week consistency? Will Manning become the superstar the football world has spent years waiting to see?

This storyline is star-studded and feels larger than a typical quarterback comparison.

The answers could ultimately decide not only the 2026 college football season, but the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

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