Early Manning-Moore 2027 NFL Draft debate is already heating up

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Early Arch Manning-Dante Moore 2027 NFL Draft debate is already heating up

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jun 11, 2026 2:09 PM ET

We're months away from the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington, but two early front-runners at quarterback have already emerged: Arch Manning (Texas Longhorns) and Dante Moore (Oregon Ducks).

In its updated mock, Tankathon has the Miami Dolphins selecting Manning (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) with pick No. 1, while the Arizona Cardinals grab Moore (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) with pick No. 2. Some would flip that order.

Some analysts prefer Dante Moore over Arch Manning

In a story published Thursday, CBS Sports' David Cobb ranked Moore No. 1 and Manning No. 2 in his preseason QB tiers, dubbing them as clear Heisman candidates. NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah would agree with this ranking. He picked the Oregon star as his way-too-early QB1 during a segment with ESPN's Rich Eisen in April.

"I've seen [Moore] play at a higher level for a longer period of time," Jeremiah said. "Arch has all the ability in the world, and I'm looking forward to studying him. I've done more work because I thought Dante was coming out. I haven't done that full workup on Arch, so I'm covering myself there."

"I'll go with the Oregon quarterback over Arch [Manning]. I'll go Dante Moore."@MoveTheSticks believes that Oregon's Dante Moore can be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft

(via @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/iFujfzIdJB
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 27, 2026

Even then, Jeremiah may feel the same after watching all of Manning's tape.

Why Dante Moore may be more pro-ready than Arch Manning

Moore displayed more pure passing ability than Manning throughout the 2025 season, key for a potential No. 1 draft pick. The Oregon star completed 296-of-412 attempts (71.8 percent, No. 4 in the FBS in 2025), while the Texas star completed 248-of-404 attempts (61.4 percent, No. 79 in the FBS). The completion percentage of QBs who play for Oregon head coach Dan Lanning can be inflated because of his use of the quick game: passes that are thrown almost immediately after the snap.

Former Ducks QB Bo Nix (now with the Denver Broncos) set the FBS record for completion percentage (77.45 percent) in 2023 but didn't push the ball down the field much that season. Per Pro Football Focus, his aDOT (average depth of target) was 6.9. (Note: aDOT measures the distance the ball travels through the air from the line of scrimmage to an intended pass-catcher.)

Lanning lets Moore push the ball downfield more than his past QBs did. PFF credited him with an 8.3 aDOT in 2025. Manning posted a 9.7 aDOT, but again, he was less efficient.

Moore may be ahead as a passer, but Manning's a much better runner. The Texas QB ran for 399 yards and 10 touchdowns on 92 carries in 2025, while the Oregon signal-caller rushed for 156 yards and two TDs on 73 carries.

Now, it's only June, meaning you shouldn't pencil in Manning or Moore as the No. 1 pick in 2027. That said, it's easy to see why the QBs are already sparking debates. Those conversations will heat up if both meet expectations in 2026.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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