With the 2026 NFL Draft already in the books, it is time to turn the page and take a look at the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft class. Overall, the 2026 Draft lacked true blue-chip talent; this appears to be different in 2027. I am going to take a look at the key positions and preview who the top prospects will be in this upcoming cycle.
Quarterbacks
The early picture of the 2027 quarterback class is extremely chaotic. This isn’t a group that has one true locked-in superstar and a clean ranking of the prospects; instead, it is a wide pool of talent that can all have interesting trajectories. At the top of most consensus boards, it is Arch Manning, the quarterback from the University of Texas, as he was at this time last season. The talent is undeniable with Manning; he has the size, arm talent, and surprising athleticism, and he is definitely not the traditional Manning pocket passer. However, the tape so far has not matched the hype surrounding him; he has shown flashes of inconsistent accuracy and uneven ball placement and has had some bad stretches of poor play to start the 2026 season. Manning did show some improvement down the stretch, particularly against some top SEC competition, but the biggest question is whether or not he will even declare in 2027. The Manning family historically values development time, and with limited starting experience (only one full season as a starter), returning to school for another year (or more) is very much on the table.
If there is a quarterback who could realistically overtake Manning, it’s Dante Moore from Oregon. Moore was already being viewed as a potential top ten pick in the previous draft, and would have most likely been the second overall pick if he had declared. If Moore can put together a complete season, he could emerge as the top quarterback in the class, and he has a good chance of being the most “pro-ready” quarterback prospect.
The depth of the QB class shows that once you begin to look further down the board, CJ Carr from Notre Dame has a lot of hype surrounding him, but he has limited starts and is still developing. There are numerous quarterbacks who had breakout seasons and are now taking leaps at bigger programs: Darien Mensah at Miami via Duke, Drew Mestemaker at Oklahoma State via North Texas, Brendan Sorsby at Texas Tech via Cincinnati, and Josh Hoover at Indiana via TCU. All fit this mold, and it creates an interesting storyline to follow as the college football season moves along.
And last but not least, the incredible boom-or-bust prospects of DJ Lagway from Baylor and LaNorris Sellers from South Carolina. Sellers is a classic high-risk, high-reward prospect, with elite rushing ability, but he has some significant concerns with his accuracy and timing in the passing game. Sellers’ evaluation will hinge almost entirely on whether his passing can reach a higher level this upcoming season. Meanwhile, Lagway was once viewed as a future top pick, but he is coming off an extremely poor season. The elite physical tools are still there, and if he can have a tremendous season at Baylor this year, his trajectory could turn around.
Wide Receivers
Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State is the next in line to be a blue-chip wide receiver. The comparison that Smith is drawing tells you all you need to know about what type of expectations Smith has once he reaches the league. He is drawing comparisons to both Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones, which is extremely high praise. He is a physical outlier and a dominant athlete, and you can just tell by the tape that he immediately looks different. Behind Smith, Cam Coleman from Texas still has developing to do, but he offers some upside. Ryan Coleman-Williams from Alabama had an outstanding freshman season, only to underwhelm last season and seem to struggle with drops all season long. Those three are the clear Tier 1 wide receivers at this point before the start of the collegiate season.
Tackles
The 2027 offensive tackle class is most likely stronger than this previous year’s class, and this group is shaping up as a traits-heavy, projection-driven class with a few high-end risers who could separate quickly. Trevor Goosby from Texas is the clear top prospect and is frequently seen dominating opposing pass rushers, and is winning reps clearly. Goosby is an eraser in pass protection, and scouts are going to drool over his size and athleticism. Carter Smith (Indiana), Cayden Green (Missouri), and Jordan Seaton (LSU) are all players who could challenge for the number two tackle spot in the draft in April as well. These players, however, are going to need to show much more refinement and further development this season to be considered in the same tier as Goosby.
Cornerbacks
Leonard Moore from Notre Dame is already being framed as a potential elite, top-of-the-draft corner prospect, with some saying he is the best cornerback prospect since Patrick Peterson. Moore has the prototypical build for an NFL CB1 and is a fluid and explosive athlete. On tape, he is consistently disruptive with very minimal losses on tape, and even when he is beaten, he has incredible recovery ability to erase mistakes. Moore is the clear CB1 and has top-5 pick potential, and the biggest question isn’t who is CB1, but who is the next guy behind him. Some names to watch are Ellis Robinson IV from Georgia and Kelley Jones from Mississippi State.
Edge Rushers
The Edge Rushers are filled with potential blue-chip prospects, mainly Dylan Stewart from South Carolina and Colin Simmons from Texas. Stewart has elite movement and bend skills and has had an immediate impact since he was a freshman. While Stewart is the pure traits bet, Simmons is the more polished, production-based prospect. He has had 100 pressures across two seasons and shows advanced pass-rush instincts, and has shown to be disruptive at a highly consistent level. Matayo Uiagalelei from Oregon was a projected top edge rusher in this draft class before returning to school for another season, and he has the opportunity to go high in 2027 as well.
The biggest takeaway from previewing this draft class is the blue-chip talent at premium positions. Wide receiver, cornerback, and edge rushers have potential top-10 picks, and the class as a whole is loaded at the top. In 2026, we had a lack of premier talent at premium positions, while we did have top talent at running back, linebacker, and safety, which is where the 2027 talent is lacking. While there is still some uncertainty surrounding the quarterback group, this is shaping up to be one of the better draft classes in recent memory.
Cover Image Courtesy of Angela Driskell, Irish Breakdown
