2027 NFL mock draft: Six QBs go in Round 1, but Arch Manning isn’t first taken

Whether it is a “way-too-early” mock draft, or the ultimate mock draft in late April … it is at all times concerning the quarterbacks. The final two years, we have seen 4 complete quarterbacks go in Round 1 after six went in the first 12 picks in 2024. If the 2027 class performs out like all of us anticipate (and let’s be sincere, that nearly by no means occurs), we might see 4 or 5 quarterbacks discover their method into the first spherical some 350 days from now.

Let’s begin on the prime. I’ve Dante Moore going No. 1 total in this train and it should not be exhausting to see why (although I think some people will take it as a private affront). At factors final fall, Moore was in the QB1 dialog, and he would’ve nearly definitely been the No. 2 total decide for the Jets had he not returned to Oregon.  

Meanwhile, the inertia for Arch Manning as QB1 feels all but unstoppable — fueled in half by the nonstop media momentum, in addition to an NFL that sees bloodlines as a buffer towards the inherent uncertainty that comes with figuring out a franchise quarterback.

Then there’s Jayden Maiava, who I believed might need been a first-rounder in ’26 had he declared. Add names like Darien Mensah, CJ Carr and Drew Mestemaker (to not point out Julian Sayin, Trinidad Chambliss, John Mateer, Josh Hoover and Nico Iamaleava, amongst others) and abruptly this class appears impossibly deep. (Of course, what appears “impossibly deep” in May usually seems to be “slim pickins’ 10 months later…)

But earlier than you go too far, it is price reframing what this really is. Less a real mock draft and extra a residing watchlist — a snapshot of the place issues stand heading into the 2026 college football season. It’s a set of names, traits and attainable trajectories to trace as the autumn reshapes all the things.

So only a pleasant reminder: It’s early. So much will change. But if this snapshot holds, the 2027 draft, just like the 2024 model, will not simply function quarterbacks, it’s going to be outlined by them. 

(And in case you are questioning, in wanting again at my way-too-early 2024 mock draft, I had five QBs going in Round 1 — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. … and Quinn Ewers, who ended up being a seventh-rounder. The two I missed on: Jayden Daniels and JJ McCarthy, which can be reminder that we’ll have 1-2 QBs come out of nowhere to make a first-round push by the point it is all stated and completed.)

Alright, let’s get to it! 

Note: The draft order was decided utilizing FanDuel Sportsbook’s reverse Super Bowl odds. The Jets have three first-round picks: their very own, the Cowboys‘ from the Quinnen Williams commerce and the Colts‘ from the Sauce Gardner commerce. The Cowboys have the Packers‘ choice from the Micah Parsons commerce.

1. Miami Dolphins: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Moore would have been the No. 2 decide in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not determined to return to Oregon. He performs with high-end pocket composure, handles stress properly — and as soon as the play breaks down, is elite out of construction. He confirmed up in huge moments all through the ’25 season (till they bumped into the Hoosiers in the CFP) and he is my QB1 as a result of he outplayed Arch Manning — and each different QB — in the ’26 class.  

2. New York Jets: Arch Manning, QB, Texas

Manning acquired off to a sluggish begin in 2025 but completed sturdy. If he picks up the place he left off late final fall, he’ll be in the No. 1-overall-pick dialog. Again.  

3. Arizona Cardinals: Jayden Maiava, QB, USC

Maiava was one in all my favourite gamers to observe final season; he is a properly constructed, big-armed QB who reveals good contact on layered throws, but must play with extra consistency from begin to end.  

4. Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Smith is healthier than Marvin Harrison Jr. popping out of Ohio State. And I’m guessing we’ll be evaluating him extra to the likes of Julio Jones or Megatron by subsequent spring.  

5. Tennessee Titans: Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas

Simmons can win with energy, pace and twitch — he was unstoppable for a lot of ’25 and I solely anticipate him to get higher this season.

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas

Goosby, who would’ve doubtless been a first-rounder had he declared for the ’26 draft, has an enormous body and high-end athletic traits that enable him to anchor successfully towards energy, although he stays a uncooked prospect who can wrestle with faster cross rushers.  

7. New Orleans Saints: Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina

Stewart makes use of his lengthy body, tenacity and overpowering power to set the sting towards the run. He’s additionally surprisingly twitched up as a cross rusher, persistently collapsing the pocket with an explosive mix of size and suddenness.  

8. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darien Mensah, QB, Miami

Mensah is a sturdy, big-armed passer who has each contact and accuracy on deep throws, persistently layers the ball on second-level throws, can rip intermediate and deep throws out of construction and with accuracy, but he may get himself into bother when he tries to increase performs as a substitute of taking what the protection offers him. He has an opportunity to be the newest Miami QB switch to be in the Round 1 dialog, following Cam Ward and Carson Beck.  

9. Carolina Panthers: Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame

Moore is a fluid athlete who stays in section and makes use of his size to be persistently disruptive downfield. His easy change of course permits him to play each exterior and in the slot, which can make his transition to the subsequent stage even smoother.

10. Atlanta Falcons: David Stone, DT, Oklahoma

A high-motor D-lineman with fast ft who can get off blocks early in the rep to be a constant disruptive presence in the backfield. Stone can line up anyplace alongside the D-line and infrequently finds himself across the ball vs. the run. 

11. New York Giants: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon

Uiagalelei has an NFL body who wins with energy and a excessive motor, notably when aligning large. That stated, he lacks bend and desires so as to add to his pass-rush arsenal. His 2025 tape wasn’t practically as far alongside as Tuli Tuipulotu popping out of faculty and he was a second-round decide (54th total) of comparable age and with comparable instruments. Looking for a giant leap in ’26.  

12. Minnesota Vikings: CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame

Carr is a Bo Nix-style sport supervisor and I imply that in probably the most laudatory phrases attainable. He’s a steady-as-she-goes QB, who does not make errors, reveals persistently good contact on deep balls, can throw with anticipation on intermediate throws, has the athleticism to play out of construction and finds methods to make performs — and that is all simply from one yr of beginning expertise. 

13. Washington Commanders: Cam Coleman, WR, Texas

Coleman is a bodily imposing wideout who pairs elite contact stability with the suddenness to make defenders miss in the open discipline. He runs routes with the nuance of a a lot smaller receiver and possesses the play power to persistently punish DBs after the catch.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State

Mestemaker is a big-armed QB who layers the ball properly on downfield throws but may step on it when he wants to suit it in a good window. He reveals the power to get by his reads whereas standing tall in the pocket, although he’ll have to restrict his interceptions (he had 11 in ’25), a few of which got here on poor choices, or throws in which he did not set his ft. He’ll see a step up in competitors going from North Texas to Oklahoma State, and if he makes that bounce, he’ll be a reputation to observe in the autumn.

15. New York Jets (by way of Colts): A’Mauri Washington, DL, Oregon

Washington is a robust, athletic defensive lineman who can collapse the pocket or blow up a run play when he fires off low and performs with leverage. He’s at his finest attacking gaps, the place his burst, power, and motor let him disrupt performs earlier than they develop. When he is locked in, he appears like a real difference-maker who can overwhelm blockers with each quickness and energy.  

16. Cincinnati Bengals:John Henry Daley, EDGE, Michigan

Daley wins by superior hand utilization and a various pass-rush arsenal that features a powerful spin transfer that usually leaves OTs flat-footed. He additionally performs with the leverage and power essential to reset the road of scrimmage towards the run.

17. Chicago Bears: Caden Green, OL, Missouri

Green performs with a sturdy anchor towards energy rushers, and whereas he must play with decrease pads in the run sport, his high-level consciousness makes him a dependable blindside protector whose NFL future might be inside at guard.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jordan Ross, EDGE, LSU

A strong edge rusher who leverages a low heart of gravity to break down the pocket and bodily overwhelm blockers. Ross shows spectacular lateral agility to redirect in area; inline TEs will wrestle to dam him in the run sport.  

19. New York Jets (by way of Cowboys): Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana

Becker did not see the sector persistently unitl halfway by the 2025 season when an harm to Elijah Sarratt led to extra taking part in time. And he took full benefit; he is an enormous goal who can win with pace and contested-catch potential — and he may contort his physique in methods to make the inconceivable catch look routine.  

20. Houston Texans: Quincy Rhodes, EDGE, Arkansas

Rhodes presents a uncommon bodily profile, combining large measurement with the athleticism to function a flexible chess piece throughout the defensive entrance. He is immovable on the level of assault and generates vital energy as a cross rusher.  

21. Philadelphia Eagles, Carter Smith, OT, Indiana

Smith is a high-level athlete at LT who reveals pure expertise for shifting defenders in the run sport and anchoring towards energy. While he must sharpen his approach towards nuanced pace rushers, his bodily instruments present a excessive flooring for growth.

22. Denver Broncos: Damon Wilson II, EDGE, Miami

An explosive straight-line rusher who can shut rapidly on the QB due to his downhill juice. Though Wilson isn’t flexible across the edge, he wins by pure energy and leverage.

23. Dallas Cowboys (by way of Packers): Kade Pieper, OL, Iowa

Pieper is an athletic inside lineman who shines in cross safety and in zone schemes. As he continues to enhance useful power, he has the potential to develop into probably the greatest inside OL in the category.  

24. New England Patriots: Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama

Coleman-Williams’ tape in 2025 appeared nothing like what all of us witnessed throughout his freshman season in ’24. If he can return to that participant, he’ll have an opportunity to be a top-10 decide and battle Jeremiah Smith for WR1.

25. Detroit Lions: Clev Lubin, EDGE, Louisville

Lubin marries high-end power-rush capabilities with the self-discipline to close down the run. His uncommon potential to drop into zone protection makes him an excellent hybrid participant in the ever-evolving defensive schemes that rely an increasing number of on “positionless” play.  

26. San Francisco 49ers: Terrance Carter Jr., TE, Texas Tech

Carter Jr. is a long-striding playmaker who threatens all three ranges of the sector and runs like an influence again after the catch. While he struggles with focus drops at instances, his mixture of vertical pace and high-effort blocking makes him a dynamic weapon as offenses proceed to make use of extra a number of TE units.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU

The Colorado switch has an infinite body with a thick construct but he performs gentle on his ft, has high-end lateral mobility and anchors properly vs. bull rushers. Seaton performs with heavy palms and as soon as he locks on, edge rushers wrestle to disengage. Don’t be fooled by his measurement — his high-end athleticism shines, particularly in area, the place he can excel as a second-level blocker, and on the perimeter as a lead blocker.  

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia

Robinson is a bodily nook who excels at studying the QB and being persistently disruptive on the catch level. He performs with the boldness and technical traits to thrive on an island, whether or not in man or off-coverage.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Will Echoles, DL, Ole Miss

Echoles is a disruptive inside bulldozer who performs with a low heart of gravity and likewise has stunning twitch that usually finds him in the backfield making performs on the ball.

30. Buffalo Bills: Zabien Brown, CB, Alabama

A bodily imposing cornerback who persistently places himself in a place to make performs on the catch level, Brown’s potential to reflect receivers in man or react in off-coverage makes him a extremely dependable presence in the secondary.

31. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana

Marsh transferred from Michigan State the place he was focused 102 instances in 2025. At 6-foot-3, 200 kilos, he appears just like the pure alternative for Elijah Sarratt (and like Sarratt, he lined up exterior about 95% of the time). Despite his measurement, Marsh can put his foot in the bottom and get in and out of breaks, creating separation on the route stem. Like Sarratt, he will not persistently create separation on vertical routes, but he has legit contested-catch and YAC potential, and he makes use of his body to protect defenders.  

32. Los Angeles Rams: Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri

Hardy is constructed low to the bottom, runs with a low heart of gravity, is extremely troublesome to get on the bottom in consequence, and has residence run potential as soon as he will get to the second stage. He excels in exterior/large zone schemes that enable him to one-cut-and-go as soon as he sees daylight. He did not give Mizzou a lot in the cross sport final season — he was focused simply seven instances and had six catches.