Moore runaway QB1 as scouts call 2027 QB class a 'perfect storm' — SkimNews
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- ESPN's poll of 25 NFL scouts and executives named Oregon's Dante Moore the 2027 draft's QB1 with 14 votes, far ahead of Texas' Arch Manning (7), South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers (2), LSU's Sam Leavitt (1) and Notre Dame's CJ Carr (1)
- Scouts identified roughly a dozen additional quarterbacks who could push into the first-round conversation, including Brendan Sorsby, Darian Mensah, Jayden Maiava, John Mateer, Trinidad Chambliss, Julian Sayin, Josh Hoover, Drew Mestemaker, Demond Williams Jr. and Nico Iamaleava
- One veteran NFL executive called the depth "crazy" and a "perfect storm," attributing it to Moore returning to Oregon after a projected top-five draft stock, Chambliss gaining an extra year via a court order, and Sorsby transferring to Texas Tech despite strong NFL interest
- Two showcase games this weekend will draw heavy NFL scrutiny: No. 1 Ohio State (Sayin) at No. 4 Texas (Manning), and No. 6 Oregon (Moore) visiting Oklahoma State (Mestemaker), with 22 scouts from 17 teams plus the Dolphins GM in Austin and 20 scouts from 13 teams plus the Cardinals and Falcons GMs in Stillwater
- Drew Mestemaker's draft stock took an early hit after Oklahoma State's opening loss to Tulsa, though he remains part of a group of prospects with eligibility who could top the 2028 board
- The poll is the earliest ESPN has run the exercise and the third overall — Shedeur Sanders led in October 2024 and Sellers led in late September 2025, illustrating how fluid the rankings have been
Why it matters: With five QBs earning first-place votes and roughly a dozen more in the first-round mix, NFL teams face a rare surplus of quarterback talent — but also unusual evaluation pressure, which is why 42 scouts and three GMs are descending on this weekend's two showcase games in Austin and Stillwater as their first live look at the class.
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