Moore runaway QB1 in deep 2027 draft class — SkimNews
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- Dante Moore earned 14 of 25 votes as the projected No. 1 quarterback for the 2027 NFL draft in ESPN's poll of scouts and executives, with Texas' Arch Manning finishing a distant second at 7 votes
- LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) received 2 votes, while LSU's Sam Leavitt and Notre Dame's CJ Carr each collected 1 vote—the only five quarterbacks to receive first-place support
- Scouts identified ten other prospects—Brendan Sorsby, Darian Mensah, Jayden Maiava, John Mateer, Trinidad Chambliss, Julian Sayin, Josh Hoover, Drew Mestemaker, Demond Williams Jr. and Nico Iamaleava—as capable of working into first-round conversation
- One veteran NFL executive called the depth 'crazy' and a 'perfect storm,' attributing it to Moore's decision to return to Oregon after a projected top-five 2026 pick, Chambliss gaining an extra year of eligibility via court order, and Sorsby transferring to Texas Tech despite strong NFL interest
- This weekend's showcase games—No. 1 Ohio State (Sayin) at No. 4 Texas (Manning) and No. 6 Oregon (Moore) at Oklahoma State (Mestemaker)—will draw 22 scouts from 17 teams plus the Dolphins GM to Austin and 20 scouts/execs from 13 teams plus the Cardinals and Falcons GMs to Stillwater
- Drew Mestemaker's draft stock dipped after Oklahoma State's opening loss to Tulsa, but he remains intriguing as a potential early 2028 prospect if he returns to school—a ripple effect of this year's crowded class
Why it matters: NFL front offices are scouting this class two full years out—22 scouts from 17 teams plus a GM are converging on Austin for Ohio State-Texas, and 20 more from 13 teams plus two GMs head to Stillwater for Oregon-Oklahoma State. With roughly a dozen quarterbacks in first-round conversation, more QB-needy teams could find a Day 1 starter in 2027, reshaping trade-up strategies and rookie-contract economics league-wide.
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