What's next for Dante Moore? Oregon QB's injury leaves 2027 NFL Draft, transfer options in play

After being ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season, the focus shifts to what comes next for the former five-star recruit -- the draft, a return to Oregon or hitting the transfer portal Oct 27, 2026 at 10:18 am ET • 3 min read Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will miss the rest of the season as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered in September against USC, coach Dan Lanning confirmed on Monday.Moore, one of college football's top signal callers, has several options, including a return to the field in 2027 or declaring for the NFL Draft amid what is expected to be a quarterback-heavy cycle at the top. Moore showed plenty of high-end potential before the injury, and there's no reason to rush back when his future extends well beyond this fall.During such a disastrous campaign for the Ducks, Moore is making the call to shut things down with plenty of runway to re-evaluate what's next. Moore returned to the team this offseason with the expectation that he would help push Oregon back to the College Football Playoff, despite offensive coordinator Will Stein's departure to Kentucky, and believed he had a supporting cast to help achieve that goal.Instead, the Ducks are 4-3 overall and have regressed across all areas, even defensively, where Oregon returned a wealth of talent and added stars in the transfer market. Outside of the CFP conversation after the loss at Illinois, Lanning fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, who was elevated to the role from within after Stein's departure. It makes little sense for Moore to jeopardize his development and potential earning power this offseason to trot out there and play during a throwaway home stretch in these final five games. Tom Fornelli's CFP Vibe Check: Good night, Oregon -- your dream season never had a chance Tom Fornelli Moore's eligibility for 2027Under the NCAA's "5-for-5" rule, Moore has another available year of college football left should he choose to play another season for the Ducks or elsewhere next fall. Moore considered opting for the 2026 NFL Draft at the end of his junior season, but announced in January he was returning to Oregon despite projections as a top-5 selection.CBS Sports previously reported that Moore's camp worked through what the quarterback's NIL contract would look like at Oregon this season, as well as an insurance policy in the event of a serious injury that could affect his future draft stock. Moore assumed additional game experience at Oregon and the opportunity to display more quality film in 2026 for a title contender would push the program -- and his own stock -- to new heights. While the risky decision backfired, it was a calculated move, informed by a thorough assessment from the quarterback and his team.NFL Draft outlookIf Moore declares in a few months and enters the 2027 NFL Draft, he'll be doing so as the No. 45 overall prospect this cycle, per CBS Sports.In our latest first-round mock, Moore is the fifth quarterback projected in the first round at No. 30 overall, a far cry from where he expected to be at the start of the season as the leader of a top-5 team. NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards notes Moore's "fascinating" decision and how significantly the conversation has shifted for the once-touted prospect. "The idea of transferring, falling into another subpar situation and tanking his stock even more is also less than ideal. He may be better off taking his chances in the NFL," Edwards writes.Over three-plus games this season, Moore completed 69.7% of his passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns without an interception, but did not look as comfortable in Mehringer's system as he did under Stein.What NFL evaluators must determine now is Moore's upside, his long-term health and whether what he's shown over four seasons as a Power Four quarterback warrants Day 1 billing should he declare. Legacy as former five-star recruitRated as the fourth-best player nationally and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, Moore's immediate grasp of UCLA's starting quarterback role as a true freshman that season was notable. The Detroit, Michigan, native started the first six games of his college career with 1,610 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions before he was benched for Ethan Garbers. Moore, a one-time Oregon commit, left the Bruins for the Ducks in the transfer portal after the season as the insurance policy in Eugene behind Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel.Spending that 2024 season behind Gabriel and under the wing of Stein for the Big Ten champions and playoff-bound Ducks was beneficial for Moore, who mastered Oregon's offensive scheme and concepts while waiting his turn. During his first season as Oregon's starter the following campaign, Moore led the Ducks to 13 wins after finishing with 3,565 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and a 71% completion rate. He vowed to correct execution issues in his return following Oregon's three-game run in the CFP that ended with a lopsided semifinal loss to Indiana.Four of Moore's 10 interceptions last season came in the playoff after he was snubbed as a potential Heisman finalist.