The 2027 NFL Draft hype is already reaching ridiculous levels. Who besides Arch Manning and Jeremiah Smith will make next year's group of prospects so special? We dive into three rounds of college football stars in this mock draft.
The 2026 NFL Draft might have just wrapped up, but that doesn't mean we can't take a look ahead at the top players who will likely hear their names called early in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The 2026 class was definitely considered a weaker group, but the hype is already building for 2027. It has elite quarterbacks with players like Arch Manning and Dante Moore
. It has potentially generational talents at wide receiver (Jeremiah Smith) and cornerback ( Leonard Moore
). Who else is there to be excited about for next year? That's what I'll be diving into today with this three-round mock draft.
The selection order for this mock draft was set by using the inverse of 2027 Super Bowl odds. If you don't like where your team is picking, take it up with your favorite sports book. Let me know if you have questions or comments @FF_TravisM on X
.
Three of the last five NFL Draft classes have had just one or two first-round quarterbacks. The 2027 NFL Draft is expected to have up to five or more.
The Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets both already have multiple first-round picks. The Jets actually have three first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft as of this writing.
The Arizona Cardinals , Cleveland Browns , Miami Dolphins , and New York Jets could all be selecting quarterbacks next year as they're all projected to finish with top-10 (if not top-five) picks.
Much to the chagrin of many uninformed football fans, Arch Manning would definitely still be considered a top-tier NFL Draft pick if his last name wasn't Manning. He's a 6-4, 220-pound quarterback with a live arm, excellent mobility, and now more than 500 college pass attempts that confirm he has the goods to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Manning tallied 36 total touchdowns over 3,500 yards against one of the toughest schedules in football last year. If he takes even a small step forward in his development, he'll be a no-brainer number one pick.
Dante Moore has been a special quarterback talent dating back to high school. Everyone knew he had elite potential. However, he struggled as UCLA attempted to force him onto the field back in 2023 when Moore was still a true freshman. The good news? Moore realized he wasn't ready yet, so he transferred to Oregon. He sat and learned behind the sixth-year veteran Dillon Gabriel in 2024, and then stepped up in a huge way last season. 30 passing touchdowns. Over nine adjusted yards per pass attempt. 72% completion rate. Moore was cooking in 2025. It shouldn't surprise anyone to know he's considered a near lock for top-five NFL Draft capital in 2027.
The Miami Dolphins just selected three wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft and they still might have a bottom-five WR room in the league. If they're picking this early in the 2027 NFL Draft (likely), there is no way they don't select Jeremiah Smith. The term "generational" gets thrown around too often, but Smith is deserving of it. He was a Freshman All-American, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and broke the power-conference record for most receiving yards by a true freshman with 1,315 in 2024. Then he followed that up with another All-American season last year, finishing sixth in the Heisman voting, adding 1,250 more receiving yards to his already ridiculous career total. Best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson . Top-five lock.
Julian Sayin is going to be hotly debated all year long in NFL Draft conversations. On the one hand, he just tossed 32 touchdowns and 3,600 yards in his first year as a starter. On the other, people will note that he was throwing the ball to two first-round wide receivers (Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate ), and a second-round tight end talent in Max Klare . It's likely he's going to put up some crazy numbers yet again in 2026, so don't be surprised he hears his name called early in the 2027 NFL Draft. If he doesn't, it's probably because he lacks truly elite arm strength. However, his accuracy is deadly.
Top-five cornerback picks are rare, but Leonard Moore is worthy. He snagged five interceptions this past season, and surrendered just 7.7 yards per reception all year long. Moore shut down Jeremiah Smith as a true freshman, and he's still the only cornerback to really do that. At 6-2, nearly 200 pounds with solid length and athleticism, Moore looks like the perfect cornerback talent.
Cam Coleman is entering the most important season of his career. This former five-star recruit has been largely wasted at Auburn thanks to inept quarterback play and the now-fired head coach Hugh Freeze. Still, Coleman managed to make several highlight-reel catches for the Tigers despite the horrific quarterbacks throwing him the ball. Now he gets to catch passes from Arch Manning. He should wreck the SEC this year with his size, length, and ridiculous ball skills.
Colin Simmons already has 19 career sacks and more than 100 pass-rush pressures through his freshman and sophomore seasons for the Texas Longhorns . He is the best pure pass-rusher in the 2027 NFL Draft, and if he has another season like last year in 2026, there might not be much of a competition for him. Simmons boasts ridiculous agility, strength, and a ferocious first step that make him near impossible to slow down.
The Steelers can't just keep avoiding the quarterback position. Yes, they just drafted Drew Allar in the third round, but unless he shines as a rookie, 2027 will finally be the year they target a QB in round one. CJ Carr started understandably slow in his first season as a starter last year as he kicked things off against two top-ten teams in Miami (FL) and Texas A&M. However, after that, he was lights out. Carr averaged more than 9.5 yards per pass attempt, threw a touchdown on 10% of his passes, and only took six sacks as he led the Irish on a 10-game winning streak. And again, that was just his first year starting.
No 2027-eligible edge rusher had a more impressive finish to last season than Yhonzae Pierre. The former five-star recruit tallied eight sacks in the final nine games of the year for Alabama, including two against the eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers . Pierre is a monstrous force off the edge who attacks with opposing offensive linemen in a variety of ways. He'll be a top-ten pick if he keeps up his absurd production from late this past season.
Dylan Stewart looked like a slam-dunk first-round pick as a true freshman in 2024. He posted a 17% pass-rush pressure rate that year with seven sacks. Stewart took a bit of a step back in production in 2025, but he still flashed the same elite potential. He needs a strong final season, but at 6-5, 250 pounds, with wild bend and burst, Stewart certainly looks like a strong first-round prospect.
Jordan Seaton is the most obvious first-round offensive tackle among all returning linemen in the country. He's a former five-star recruit who stands at 6-5, 330 pounds, with long arms, and powerful hands. Seaton has been an obvious future pro since early in high school where he dominated at the prestigious IMG Academy. From there he went on to protect Shedeur Sanders ' blind side in 2024, and got even better last year. Now he'll be one of the most important pieces of Lane Kiffin's offense at LSU where his hype will begin to build quickly towards the 2027 NFL Draft.
Trevor Goosby may have been a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he chosen to declare, but he wanted to run it back with Texas one more time as they clearly have the makings of a championship roster (four players already off the board in this mock draft alone). Goosby is a mountain of a man (6-7, 320 pounds), but he moves far smoother than expected. He destroys agile edge defenders with his fast feet, and controls the bull-rushers with his powerful anchoring technique.
A'Mauri Washington stepped up in a huge way for the Oregon Ducks in 2025 with a half dozen tackles for loss and some big-time run-stopping ability. He isn't the most dynamic pass-rushing defensive tackle yet, but Washington is phenomenal when it comes to creating chaos up front. Even if he isn't the one to log the tackle, Washington sets up all the defenders around him for success by single-handedly controlling the line of scrimmage.
Kewan Lacy showed up at Ole Miss and immediately crushed records last season as a pivotal part of the Rebels' College Football Playoff run. Lacy totaled over 1,700 yards from scrimmage, 24 touchdowns, more than 1,000 yards after contact, and showed off breakaway speed frequently. Lacy is going to easily assert himself as a first-round running back prospect if he comes anywhere close to that performance once again in 2026.
Zabien Brown already has two seasons that would typically put college cornerbacks on the first-round radar. He allowed just a 45% completion rate when targeted in coverage as a true freshman back in 2024. Then he proved to be one of the best run-defending cornerbacks in 2025 to go along with that. Brown has five-star pedigree, top-tier athleticism, and multiple years of proven production already. He's about as safe as it gets when projecting cornerbacks to the NFL.
It doesn't matter where Cayden Green lines up along the offensive line. He's always going to dominate. He was perhaps the best offensive guard in the country back in 2024, but then moved to left tackle last year and immediately rose up the ranks at that spot too. Green's versatility, mobility, and leadership are going to make him a highly coveted offensive line prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Pick 17 should be KJ Bolden's absolute floor in the 2027 NFL Draft next spring. He's a tackling machine who can drop into the box, wreaking havoc with his click-and-close speed. He's allowed just one reception that went for longer than 30 yards on nearly 1,300 snaps at Georgia. Bolden offers great balance as an instinctual deep safety who can play anywhere in the defensive secondary with success.
Ahmad Hardy already has over 3,000 yards from scrimmage through his first two college seasons. He destroyed lower-level competition when he was at UL-Monroe. Then he stepped into the SEC and became an even more impressive runner last year for Missouri. He racked up more than 1,600 rushing yards last fall, averaging 6.4 yards per carry (4.6 after contact, on average). The only thing holding back his profile from perfection is the fact that he's a near-zero in the receiving game as of today. If he adds more value there in his final season, he's a potential top-ten pick.
David Stone was about as good as second-year defensive tackles get last season for Oklahoma. He pressured opposing quarterbacks nearly 10% of the time in pass rush. He stopped the run aggressively and consistently. Stone also showed off elite versatility, lining up all over the defensive front for the Sooners, not just in any one gap exclusively. Yes, he could stand to finish more sack opportunities, but this former five-star has all the tools to be a first-round defensive tackle.
Trey'Dez Green is like a faster Jimmy Graham . This 6-7 beast split time between football and basketball for LSU early on, but he's now all-in on football. Green averaged 13.1 yards per reception and grabbed seven touchdowns for LSU in 2025. Now he gets to be part of Lane Kiffin's explosive offense that loves to utilize the tight end position even more. There's a chance he puts up crazy numbers and rises up into the top-five pick conversation.
Jadan Baugh finished last season with an absolute banger of a game against Florida State, rushing for 264 yards and two scores. That put quite the exclamation point onto his 1,400-yard season for the Florida Gators last year. At 6-1, 230 pounds, Baugh is built like a feature running back, but he isn't just a bowling ball. He forces missed tackles at a ridiculous rate (65 forced missed tackles on 221 carries last year) and caught 33 passes last year. He's a complete back who will continue proving he deserves early-round capital this season.
Fernando Mendoza rightfully deserved the attention last season, but Carter Smith was a huge part of the Indiana Hoosiers' success in 2025. Smith gave up just two sacks on the year throughout his 1,000+ snaps. He's already one of the most experienced offensive tackles in the country (more than 2,700 career snaps for Indiana). If he shows that last year wasn't a fluke in terms of his elite consistency and technique, he could definitely be a first-round pick.
Damon Wilson has already been the best edge rusher for both Georgia and Missouri over the last two seasons. Now he'll likely be the best pass-rushing talent for Miami this year. Wilson is a former five-star recruit with ridiculous burst and a build that's looking more like the perfect NFL prototype every season. He tallied eight sacks last season with nearly 60 pass-rush pressures. If he does that again with Miami, he'll be a first-round lock.
Ellis Robinson IV is continuing Georgia's long legacy of rangy outside cornerbacks. He snagged four interceptions in 2025 and allowed a completion rate below 43% when targeted. Robinson could stand to improve as a tackler, but he's a lockdown corner who looks ready to hear his name called early in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Ryan Wingo is a size-speed freak at wide receiver. He's 6-2, 215 pounds, but he was clocked over 22 miles per hour on the field last season. He needs to clean up some concentration drop issues, but his unbelievable ability to add value after the catch (nearly nine yards after the catch on average) and adjustments to the ball in the air make him a special talent.
Nick Marsh (like Cam Coleman) was mostly wasted by Michigan State over the last two years, but he's still flashed greatness. He wins with strength and efficiency, always forcing his way open regardless of the type of coverage he faces. NFL teams are going to fall in love with how smooth he moves for a 6-3 wide receiver. And if he explodes with some strong production at Indiana this season to pair with his obviously impressive physical traits, there is no way he's not a first-round pick.
Austin Siereveld performed well playing both guard spots for the Ohio State Buckeyes in their national championship season as a freshman. Then he moved outside to left tackle out of necessity in 2025, shining even brighter there. Now, he's set to move back inside to guard unless something changes ahead of the 2026 season, but he could plug and play just about anywhere at the next level. Some NFL team is likely going to give him an opportunity to be a franchise tackle. If he doesn't succeed there, he'll still be a long-time NFL starting guard.
Kelley Jones is a strange build at cornerback. He's 6-4, but weighs in perhaps just a shade below 200 pounds. Jones is a long-armed, lanky cornerback who is fast enough to stick with shifty wide receivers, and strong enough to win with physicality against big-bodied talents. On top of that, he's one of the most disciplined tacklers at the position. He can give up an explosive play here and there, but he's a wildly gifted athlete.
Will Echoles is an extremely fun player to watch. He sheds blockers with ease, and doesn't mind giving up his body to make absurd leaping tackles (rare for defensive linemen). Echoles racked up six sacks last year for Ole Miss, and brought pressure nearly 10% of the time rushing the passer. He needs to clean up his missed tackle issues, but the physical abilities and high motor are undeniable.
Despite splitting targets with a future first-round tight end teammate in Kenyon Sadiq , Jamari Johnson still managed to put up over 500 receiving yards himself, catching 80% of his targets. He's not quite the athlete that Sadiq is (no tight end in the history of the game is), but there's high potential with Johnson. He averaged more than nine yards after the catch last season and projects to be a solid first-round pick at the tight end position.
Bray Hubbard was already in the mix for All-American status this past season for Alabama, but he should certainly earn that honor in 2026. He's grabbed seven interceptions over the last two years, asserted himself as one of the most consistent tackling defensive backs, and he can get after the passer in spots too. Hubbard is a do-it-all box safety with surprising range that deserves first-round consideration.
Ryan Coleman-Williams looked like a sure-thing first-round pick when he exploded onto the scene as a 17-year-old true freshman for Alabama in 2024. He racked up nearly 900 yards and eight scores that first season, leading many to believe he was going to be one of the best players in the country in year two. Unfortunately, he seemed to regress last season. He apparently was fighting through a lingering leg injury, but he sadly only managed 689 receiving yards last fall. Coleman-Williams needs a big year, but the burst, bend, and route-running abilities are there.
Arizona Cardinals: Brandon Baker, OT, Texas
Cleveland Browns: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
Miami Dolphins: Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
New York Jets: Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
Tennessee Titans: Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
Las Vegas Raiders: Quincy Rhodes, EDGE, Arkansas
New Orleans Saints: Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (FL)
Pittsburgh Steelers: Peyton Bowen, S, Oklahoma
Atlanta Falcons: Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson
Carolina Panthers: Kade Pieper, IOL, Iowa
New York Giants: A.J. Holmes Jr., DT, Texas Tech
Minnesota Vikings: Justice Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Terrance Carter Jr., TE, Texas Tech
Washington Commanders: John Henry Daley, EDGE, Michigan
Indianapolis Colts: DJ Lagway, QB, Baylor
Chicago Bears: Mateen Ibirogba, DT, Texas Tech
Cincinnati Bengals: Rasheem Biles, LB, Texas
Jacksonville Jaguars: Xavier Scott, CB, Illinois
Dallas Cowboys: T.J. Moore, WR, Clemson
Denver Broncos: Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss
Green Bay Packers: Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State
Houston Texans: Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia
Philadelphia Eagles: Koi Perich, S, Oregon
Detroit Lions: Samson Okunlola, IOL, Miami (FL)
Kansas City Chiefs: Kenyatta Jackson Jr., EDGE, Ohio State
New England Patriots: Ahmad Moten, DT, Miami (FL)
San Francisco 49ers: Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana
Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State
Baltimore Ravens: Mark Fletcher, RB, Miami (FL)
Seattle Seahawks: Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson
Buffalo Bills: Jayden Jackson, DT, Oklahoma
Los Angeles Rams: Anthonie Knapp, OT, Notre Dame
Arizona Cardinals: Bear Alexander, DT, Oregon
Cleveland Browns: Trevor Lauck, OT, Iowa
Miami Dolphins: Anthony Smith, EDGE, Minnesota
New York Jets: Boubacar Traore, EDGE, Notre Dame
Tennessee Titans: Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
Las Vegas Raiders: Bryant Wesco Jr., WR, Clemson
New Orleans Saints: Braelin Moore, IOL, LSU
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jordan Marshall, RB, Michigan
Atlanta Falcons: Mario Craver, WR, Texas A&M
Carolina Panthers: Eugene Wilson III, WR, LSU
New York Giants: Tae Johnson, S, Notre Dame
Minnesota Vikings: Clev Lubin, EDGE, Louisville
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
Washington Commanders: Isaiah Sategna, WR, Oklahoma
Indianapolis Colts: Cooper Barkate, WR, Miami (FL)
Chicago Bears: Teitum Tuioti, EDGE, Oregon
Cincinnati Bengals: Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson
Jacksonville Jaguars: Drew Evans, IOL, Indiana
Dallas Cowboys: Jelani McDonald, S, Texas
Denver Broncos: Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Florida
Green Bay Packers: Dashawn Spears, S, LSU
Houston Texans: Kyngston Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame
Minnesota Vikings (via PHI): LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Detroit Lions: Jordan Ross, EDGE, LSU
Kansas City Chiefs: Benjamin Brahmer, TE, Penn State
New England Patriots: Chris Peal, CB, Syracuse
San Francisco 49ers: Raleek Brown, RB, Arizona State
Los Angeles Chargers: Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, LSU
Baltimore Ravens: PJ Williams, OT, SMU
Seattle Seahawks: Iapani Laloulu, IOL, Oregon
Buffalo Bills: Keshaun Singleton, WR, Auburn
Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): Jyaire Hill, CB, Michigan
We'll be back with more NFL Draft coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news.
NFL Draft
Adam Holt April 27, 2026
