The Arizona Cardinals spent a third-round pick on Carson Beck in April, but Athlon Sports draft analyst Luke Easterling isn’t convinced that settles the quarterback question. His updated first-round mock draft, released Thursday, has Arizona taking a quarterback in the first round at No. 13.
Last week, Easterling sent the Cardinals Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss at No. 6. This time, Chambliss goes sixth to the Jets, and Arizona lands Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. Easterling wrote that he’s still not sure why the Cardinals drafted Beck “with a deeper, more talented quarterback class coming in 2027.”
Why Dante Moore fits the Cardinals
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Arizona doesn’t have a long-term starter on the roster. Jacoby Brissett is playing on a one-year, $15.5 million deal and will be a free agent after the season. He’s been productive, with 630 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception through three games, according to Pro Football Reference, but the Cardinals are 1-2. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has even floated Brissett as a potential midseason trade candidate.
Beck, meanwhile, was inactive for the Week 3 loss to the 49ers, a 36-30 game in which Brissett threw 52 passes.
Moore would give Arizona a quarterback with real production behind him. After transferring from UCLA, he threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 71.8% of his passes for Oregon in 2025, according to StatMuse. This season, he’s completed 69.7% of his throws for 926 yards with no interceptions in four games. Easterling calls him a polished and poised passer who could be an immediate upgrade.
There are two concerns. Easterling noted Moore has been inconsistent this season, and his freshman year at UCLA was rough, with a 53.5% completion rate and nine interceptions in nine games. The bigger question is health. Moore was taken off the field on a stretcher after a hit against USC on Saturday and was diagnosed with a concussion, though his scans came back clean, according to Bleacher Report. Oregon hasn’t given a timetable, and its next game is Oct. 10 after a bye.
Assuming he returns at full strength, the fit makes sense. With Trey McBride and a solid run game, Arizona has enough around the quarterback to give a rookie a soft landing, and Beck could still develop into the solid long-term backup Easterling believes he can be. With Brissett’s contract up after this season, the Cardinals will be shopping for a starter either way.
