There is still a full season yet to be played, but there are also plenty of NFL teams already operating with the 2027 NFL Draft at the front of their minds.
There are projected to be a ton of blue-chip prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft class, and that's without even considering the idea that a number of unheralded players could step up and join that category over the course of the season. And it's not just a class of prospects with blue-chip players, but a lot of players at premium positions (QB, WR, OT, EDGE, CB).
Even though no NFL team is going to deliberately tank in terms of trying to lose games when they're on the field, a number of teams have taken active steps toward making 2026 an evaluation season, and some of them have done more than others to make that abundantly clear.
Which three NFL teams are all but guaranteed to be picking high in the 2027 NFL Draft based on the way they've approached the 2026 offseason?
3 teams almost guaranteed to be picking high in the 2027 NFL Draft
1. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins hired a new head coach, a new general manager, and they cut Tua Tagovailoa, beating the Denver Broncos' dead cap record with Russell Wilson from 2024. And that's not a category you really want to be in, but the Dolphins are following Denver's lead, ripping off the bandage.
And that wasn't all. They also moved on from Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and others this offseason. If you look at Miami's roster right now, it's probably the worst in the NFL on paper. Games aren't played on paper, of course, but the talent discrepancy and coaching the Dolphins are going to have to do to overcome this season might be overwhelming.
The Dolphins are not making any secret about the fact that this is a rebuilding/reloading year for them. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley know they have entered into a multi-year rebuilding project, and though they might not say it publicly, the 2027 NFL Draft class has to be considered a huge part of their long-term plans.
2. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have a rookie head coach in Mike LaFleur, and they might have one of the top two or three worst QB situations in the league. Jacoby Brissett has played some respectable football in the past, but even with one of the best statistical years we've seen from him, the Cardinals only won one of his 12 starts last season.
Brissett is not the type of quarterback who is going to put the Cardinals in position to reshuffle the deck in the NFC West, and it's hard to see Carson Beck doing that as a rookie, either.
Arizona has plenty of playmakers offensively, but do they have the defense and quarterback play to win more than 5 games this coming season? They were only able to win 3 last year, so even 5 would be a major improvement.
3. Cleveland Browns
There are two major questions with the Cleveland Browns that could lead to them picking very high in the 2027 NFL Draft:
- What's going to happen at quarterback?
- How good can the defense still be without Myles Garrett?
Myles Garrett set the single-season NFL sack record last year and has been an absolute monster in the pass rush department. As good as Jared Verse may be, he doesn't bring the same snap-to-snap impact as Garrett has.
If the Browns are worse defensively and not improved at quarterback, it's going to be another long year for them, even with the improvements they've made this offseason on the offensive line.
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