Story by
Vikings Scouting: Will Dante Moore Declare After His Season-Ending Injury?
- Story by
- Vikings Scouting: Will Dante Moore Declare After His Season-Ending Injury?
(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a concussion. This is crushing news for arguably the top quarterback in the nation. His health is the primary concern, but one other question persists: how does this affect his draft stock? The Minnesota Vikings must pay close attention to this, as the answer could shape their offseason.
Moore's concussion happened against USC on September 26. He's been sidelined since, but head coach Dan Lanning announced that he's out for the year on Tuesday, October 28. Now, fans and draft analysts are left wondering, what's his future?
Advertisement
Moore, the former five-star recruit, started five games for UCLA in his freshman season. He transferred to Oregon after this, redshirting in 2024, and burst onto the national scene last year. He had a spectacular season, throwing for 3,550 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions.
After this, Moore was widely considered a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, he made a stunning announcement by foregoing the event and returning to Oregon. This was a risky decision, and thus far hasn't paid off.
Currently, it's unknown if Moore will return to college or head to the NFL. He had a great statistical start to the season, passing for 925 yards, nine touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Despite an early-season loss to Oklahoma State, he was still in first-round consideration.
A lot will depend on the performance of other prospects. The quarterback class has been inconsistent outside of a few players. Because of this, a similar situation to last year could happen where the draft has a shortage of starting-caliber quarterbacks. If this happens, don't be shocked to hear Moore declare his name.
Advertisement
However, right now I believe that he will return to school. His elite processing, touch, and arm talent were evident in his limited snaps. But his three full games likely aren't enough to convince scouts that he's worthy of a top-10 pick. He has one more year of eligibility, which would aid his development and give him the opportunity to thrive in 2027.
Despite this, the Vikings must do their research on Moore. Kyler Murray has been solid, but clearly isn't their long-term future. Because of this, adding a quarterback, whether it be in 2027 or 2028, is necessary to their long-term success.
Teams likely won't get an answer on whether Dante Moore will return to school until after the season. Still, it's a major domino for the Vikings and could directly impact their draft strategy in April.
