Just when you thought you were done with all of the mock draft madness…The reality is, it’s only getting started.
The 2027 NFL Draft is going to be one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent memory, and will likely bring more eyes to the college football game in 2026 than ever before. Not that college football is hurting for viewership, but there will be a heightened level of intrigue from NFL fans as the league itself has been hyping up this potentially generational draft class. And while that term is thrown around too loosely nowadays, we don’t take it lightly in this case.
This draft class has it all, from star power and a number of elite quarterback prospects to star players at wide receiver, edge rusher, offensive tackle, and cornerback. As much as we are making predictions about what next year’s first round could look like, this is more of a thought exercise, looking at this stellar class, identifying early potential team needs, and really just embracing the moment we are in with how fascinating this crop of players is. (Note: This draft order is the reverse order of Lou Scataglia’s post-NFL Draft power rankings)
2027 NFL Mock Draft: Arch Manning, Dante Moore top star-studded 1st-round predictions
1. Arizona Cardinals: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
The hype surrounding Arch Manning has been outrageous since before he was even in high school. Of course, there’s value in his last name, but Arch is more than just another legacy player heading up to the pro ranks. I hate to be this hyperbolic about a player, but the expectations are already unfair enough for Arch…Physically and athletically, he’s the most dynamic prospect I have seen since Andrew Luck.
2. Cleveland Browns: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
The hype around Dante Moore is not nearly the same as with Arch Manning, but depending on who you ask, you might find NFL teams that would rank Moore higher than Manning at this point. The sample size is larger, and Moore might have competed with Fernando Mendoza for the #1 overall pick had he declared this year. The Browns’ need here is blatantly obvious.
3. Las Vegas Raiders: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Given the number of upgrades the Raiders have made, it’s almost difficult to see them being this bad in the first year of the Klint Kubiak era. A lot will depend on how things go in the first month or so with Kirk Cousins. But regardless of where they finish, the Raiders have one of the worst receiver rooms on paper in the NFL right now. Getting Jeremiah Smith would give them an absolutely ridiculous core of skill players offensively.
4. New York Jets: Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
One of the hottest rising quarterback prospects in college football right now is Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, a transfer from North Texas who is going to be with a familiar coaching staff and an obviously elevated level of talent around him. Mestemaker has some of the most impressive arm talent to all levels of the field in this year’s class.
5. Miami Dolphins: CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
CJ Carr feels like the one quarterback projection from this class that could look silly by the end of the year. He’s not a finished product, by any stretch, and he’s rough around the edges in a lot of ways. But the playmaking ability and ability to make throws of the highest degree of NFL-level difficulty are obvious. The Dolphins are taking a risk on Malik Willis this year, but will be ready in the event that it doesn’t work out.
6. Tennessee Titans: Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
As good as the Titans’ offseason has been in 2026, there are still plenty of areas of the roster that have to be addressed. We’ll see how much Cam Ward has to do with it if they finish with this poor of a record again in 2026, but it will be very difficult to pass on a prospect like Leonard Moore here, regardless. He is the definition of a lockdown cornerback with elite traits across the board.
7. New York Giants: Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
The Giants were rumored to be interested in adding Jordyn Tyson with one of their two first-round picks this year, and they missed out. They go back to the drawing board for the 2027 class and wind up getting Arch Manning’s new top target at Texas. Cam Coleman is good enough that people are comparing him and Jeremiah Smith to the duo of AJ Green and Julio Jones coming out in 2011.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
This draft class is so good that we could be hyping up a number of guys in this way over the next year: “In a normal year, he would be considered for the #1 overall pick.” Dylan Stewart is another one of those guys with the rare combination of burst, length, and pass-rushing ability that would make him worthy of that distinction.
9. New Orleans Saints: Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
But wait – there’s more. This year’s draft class is so ridiculous that there are two prospects you could legitimately say have a shot to be #1 overall player types. Colin Simmins has been on the NFL radar for quite some time, and for good reason. In his first two years at Texas, he has been playing on a different level with 29.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks, along with 6 forced fumbles. Just imagine as he develops more physically and mentally.
10. Washington Commanders: A’Mauri Washington, DL, Oregon
The Washington Commanders landed Sonny Styles with their top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and here they get a playmaker to go right in front of him. A’Mauri Washington was a mainstay in our 2026 NFL mock draft predictions before declaring he was returning to the Ducks, and he has a chance to solidify himself as a top-10 or top-15 overall prospect rather quickly.
11. Carolina Panthers: Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
If the Carolina Panthers finish with one of the 10 or 11 worst records in the NFL, you would have to imagine they’d be in the market for a quarterback once again. Julian Sayin has a chance to go as high as 1st overall (get used to hearing that kind of stuff) depending on how this season goes. He was outstanding last year for Ohio State, completing 77 percent of his passes and finishing 4th in the Heisman voting.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
We haven’t had an offensive tackle prospect go off the board up to this point, but make no mistake that both Jordan Seaton and Trevor Goosby could fly off the board much earlier than the middle of the 1st round next year. Seaton is a Colorado transfer who has looked like a future 1st-round NFL Draft pick for quite some time. The Vikings could have multiple major needs next offseason at QB, OT, and TE, depending on how this year shakes out.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
Just like the Panthers might consider a QB if they finish with a top-11 pick, the Buccaneers missing the playoffs and picking 13th next year would likely involve moving on from Baker Mayfield, who is a free agent after this season. If things don’t go well, the Bucs might clean house, and Jayden Maiava is yet another potential 1st-rounder in this ridiculously good class. He’ll have to prove himself this year without Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.
14. Kansas City Chiefs: Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
The Kansas City Chiefs did a good job of reloading on the defensive side of the ball with their earliest draft capital in 2026, but the needs on the offensive side of the ball are pretty much the same. The Chiefs might need to address both tackle positions and getting Trevor Goosby here in the middle of the 1st round would be an absolute steal.
15. New York Jets (from Cowboys): Ahmad Moten Sr., DL, Miami
NFL teams are going to be well-prepared when scouting the Miami Hurricanes defensive front after all the talent they had coming out this offseason. Ahmad Moten Sr. is going to be on the radar for teams after racking up 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. He’s a beast in the middle of the defense at 320 pounds, and he racks up pressures week after week.
16. Cincinnati Bengals: Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State
The Bengals have used a ton of assets to upgrade their defensive front over the last two offseasons, and for good reason. But it might be the secondary that needs attention next on that side of the ball. I loved the pick of Tacario Davis in the 3rd round, and the Bengals go after another big, long cornerback prospect here in Kelley Jones. Jones is coming off of a breakout year with 11 passes broken up and a pair of interceptions last season.
17. New York Jets (from Colts): Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
The New York Jets have yet another pick here in the 1st round of this 2027 NFL mock draft, with this selection coming over in the Sauce Gardner trade. This would give Jets GM Darren Mougey a whopping six 1st-round selections over two draft classes, which could give the Jets one of the most enviable foundations of young talent in the league. Getting an outside cornerback prospect like Ellis Robinson IV after taking D’Angelo Ponds to dominate the slot would give the Jets a fun, physical, and aggressive group of corners.
18. Baltimore Ravens: David Stone, DL, Oklahoma
After the 2026 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens brought in veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell for a reunion. Sometimes, those post-draft moves can give you a little bit of a hint where teams might look early in the next draft class, and the Ravens have a couple of other 2027 free agents on the defensive front. David Stone had eight tackles for loss last year for Oklahoma and should be expected to be one of the most disruptive players in the country again this season.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers: Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
The Pittsburgh Steelers tried and failed to draft Makai Lemon this past year. They ended up getting Germie Bernard in the 2nd round, but if they were interested in a 1st-round receiver despite already having DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., they’d probably be interested again. Go watch this guy play against Ohio State, and you’ll see why NFL teams are going to be very excited to get their hands on another Indiana receiver prospect.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Damon Wilson II, EDGE, Miami
After seeing the work Jason Taylor has done with the other pass rush prospects coming up from the Miami program, you would have to think that Damon Wilson is just going to be the next in line. Wilson transferred over from Missouri, and that move could end up vaulting him into the top 20 picks overall. The Eagles are always in the market for pass rush talent, and it’s been a bit since they used a top pick off the edge.
21. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers): Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana
You have to go back and watch Indiana play against Michigan State last year to truly appreciate how awesome it is that Nick Marsh is now playing for the Hoosiers. Indiana’s defense didn’t get beaten badly a lot last season, but Nick Marsh had them figured out. Even though the Hoosiers beat the Spartans easily, Marsh was getting open and showing off the skills that make him an ideal replacement for George Pickens in Dallas next offseason.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Will Echoles, DL, Ole Miss
Will Echoles had a couple of really great years in 2024 and 2025 for an Ole Miss defensive front that has been cranking out NFL-level talent. He fits the mold of what the Chargers prioritize in the middle of the defensive line as a space-eating defensive tackle with the ability to hold up at the point of attack and offer some upside in the pass rush department. And by upside in the pass rush department, I mean he led all IDL last year with 39 pressures.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Teitum Tuioti, EDGE, Oregon
The Oregon Ducks defense is going to be unfair off the edge this coming season with Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti. Both of those players have absolutely been living in the backfield for teams the Ducks have faced off against, and it might be a dealer’s choice at this point which one goes first in the draft. Tuioti had 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks last season. The Jaguars get a huge boost off the edge.
24. Chicago Bears: Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
You can’t help but wonder if the Chicago Bears and head coach Ben Johnson will see any of Jahmyr Gibbs in Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, who had an outrageous 24 rushing touchdowns last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry on over 300 rushing attempts. The Bears have avoided the early-round investment at running back up to this point, but the timing might be perfect in 2027.
25. San Francisco 49ers: Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
The 49ers usually go way off the beaten path when it comes to the consensus board, but here we have them getting a player who has no business still being there. Jamari Johnson is probably as good of a prospect as Kenyon Sadiq, maybe better. Had he declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, we might have seen him go in the 1st or 2nd round. Another year with the Ducks should entranch Johnson as a 1st-round player.
26. Detroit Lions: Kade Pieper, OL, Iowa
We all know the lifeblood of the Detroit Lions is their offensive line. And while they added Blake Miller in the 1st round of this year’s draft, the job isn’t done yet. The Lions are going to have to go after a center early on in next year’s draft unless they sign a big-money free agent. The Iowa Hawkeyes just sent a number of coveted offensive linemen to the NFL in 2026, and Kade Pieper will be the next in line. He’s transitioning from RG to C this season, and is expected to generate 1st-round hype.
27. Buffalo Bills: Cayden Green, OL, Missouri
The Buffalo Bills lost David Andrews in free agency to the New Orleans Saints this past offseason, and they couldn’t address every single need early in the 2026 NFL Draft. The interior offensive line is not the most glamorous position to target, but after losing Andrews, O’Cyrus Torrence is also a pending free agent in 2027. The Bills will need to replenish that unit.
28. New England Patriots: Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson
All of the attention the past couple of years at Clemson was on Peter Woods and TJ Parker, but it could end up being that Will Heldt is the highest-drafted prospect of them all. Heldt is a former Purdue transfer who plays with tremendous effort and heavy hands off the edge. He’s already been consistently productive the past two years, but will have a chance to really make some money for himself with a great 2026 campaign.
29. Houston Texans: Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
By the time the 2026 college football season is done, this could look like a hilariously bad take. Ahmad Hardy is really only getting placed this low in our 1st-round mock draft because there are so many blue-chip players at premium positions. He might be on a similar level of prospect to other backs that have gone in the top 15 picks in recent years. We need to see more from him in the passing game, but he was an All-American in his first year on campus at Missouri (Louisiana Monroe transfer).
30. Los Angeles Rams: Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama
There was once a time when we were talking about Ryan Coleman-Williams in the same conversations as Jeremiah Smith. Coleman-Williams struggled badly with dropped passes this past season, but if he can bounce back, we’ve seen just how great he can be. We know he has the elite speed and route-running skills to immediately be an impact player at the NFL level. If he can clean up the drops, he’s going to be in conversations to go a lot higher than this.
31. Denver Broncos: Jacarrius Peak, OT, South Carolina
The Denver Broncos have one of the most expensive offensive lines in the entire NFL. They used a 4th-round pick on Kage Casey this year to potentially be a replacement for Ben Powers in the near future, but what about the tackle positions? The Broncos haven’t drafted a true tackle since Garett Bolles in 2017, assuming Casey plays guard for them. Jacarrius Peak was the top tackle prospect in the transfer portal this year, and with the Broncos drafting Justin Joly, they’ll be very familiar with Peak’s game (NC State transfer).
32. Seattle Seahawks: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
It’s fitting for the Seahawks to end this 1st-round mock draft with an absolute steal of a prospect. This pick serves as a great reminder of just how good the 2027 NFL Draft class can be. Matayo Uiagalelei didn’t repeat the level of production we saw in 2024 from him, but he has the explosiveness and length to be an impact pass rusher right away in the NFL.