Rece Davis Reveals the Top Returning QB in College Football

Rece Davis analyzes the elite 2027 quarterback class, picking between Texas's Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore.

Rece Davis focused on two college football quarterbacks whom he'd likely take at No. 1 overall in the 2027 draft but ultimately chose a dual-threat signal-caller whom he believes could be special if he puts it all together. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

College football is moving toward a 2026 season that experts believe will feature a historic group of quarterbacks. Analysts are already looking past the current draft cycle to evaluate a crop of players that could redefine the NFL's search for franchise signal-callers.

ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel recently discussed the 2027 quarterback class during their College GameDay Podcast, noting that the talent pool is deeper than what is available in 2026. They highlighted several young players who chose to remain in school rather than enter the professional ranks early.

Among the names drawing the most attention are Oregon's Dante Moore and Texas's Arch Manning. Both players entered college with massive expectations and are now positioned as the face of the next great wave of passing talent.

Arch Manning vs. Dante Moore in the 2027 NFL Draft

If a new NFL franchise were holding a draft today, Davis believes the choice between the top returning stars would be a difficult one. While Moore is often cited as the best pure passer in the class, the analyst currently leans toward the Texas signal-caller.

"If I were starting a new NFL team and had to pick a quarterback to build it around—I mean, I really like Dante Moore, but he did not develop as quickly as I thought he would last year," Davis said. "There were some extenuating circumstances in terms of protection at Texas. I think I still take Arch."

Moore is regarded as one of the most accurate passers in the country, but Manning's versatility provides a different physical profile for scouts to evaluate. The Longhorn quarterback has proven to be a dangerous runner when the pocket collapses.

"Look, maybe I'll change my mind by the end of the season because Dante Moore’s great and unbelievably accurate, but Arch can really run too," Davis said. "And if he puts it all together, I think I'd still take Arch."

Manning is coming off a productive first year as a full-time starter in Austin, where he threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns. He added 10 scores on the ground, showing the mobility that separates him from other traditional pocket passers.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) reaches with the ball for a first down during the second half at Camping World Stadium. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian recently confirmed that Manning underwent a minor foot procedure in January to address a lingering issue. While he will be limited during early spring practices, the injury is not considered a long-term concern.

"He had a lingering thing that he'd been dealing with over a couple of years that we just wanted to clean up," Sarkisian said. "It wasn't a serious issue at all. It takes time."

The focus for Manning this year will be consistency in high-pressure situations. Analysts believe Texas can become a "quarterback-defined" team if he masters making the right throws when defenses take away his primary options.

The 2027 draft class includes a ton of talent from the quarterback position besides Manning and Moore. Other names to watch are Ohio State's Julian Sayin, USC's Jayden Maiava, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, LSU's Sam Leavitt, Oklahoma's John Mateer, Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby, Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss, Baylor's DJ Lagway, UCLA's Nico Iamaleava, Notre Dame's CJ Carr and several more.

Texas will kick off its annual Orange-White Game on Saturday, April 18.