The college football season is in full swing, and we are starting to get a much clearer picture of the 2027 NFL Draft class. Some prospects have lived up to the preseason hype, others have seen their stock take a hit, and a handful of players have emerged as legitimate dynasty assets. With several weeks of football behind us, it’s time to take another look at how we value these players.
For this five-round in-season Devy mock draft, we brought in members of The Devy Royale community to see how the class is shaping up. Rather than relying on one set of rankings, this mock gives us a chance to see how different managers value prospects, where positional runs begin, and which players the community is willing to bet on.
As always, Devy is about projecting future value, not just reacting to what we have seen on Saturdays. There is still plenty of football left to play, and these rankings will continue to evolve as we get closer to the NFL Draft.
Let’s get into all five rounds and see how the TDR community is approaching devy.
Round 1
1.01 – Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (2027)
1.02 – Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (2028)
1.03 – Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida (2027)
1.04 – Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana (2027)
1.05 – Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (2028)
1.06 – Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon (2028)
1.07 – Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (2027)
1.08 – Arch Manning, QB, Texas (2027)
1.09 – Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State (2027)
1.10 – Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (2027)
1.11 – Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss (2027)
1.12 – Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri (2027)
Round 1 Takeaways
No One Knows What to Do With the Quarterbacks
If you’ve followed my work at all over the past six years, you know I have one rule when it comes to Devy: Don’t draft quarterbacks. Seriously, just don’t do it. I’ve always preferred to invest in running backs and wide receivers, unless a quarterback falls to a point where the value is simply too good to pass up. Even then, my strategy is usually to capitalize on that value and flip the quarterback for another asset.
Looking at this first round, I feel even stronger about that philosophy. Six quarterbacks came off the board in the opening round, and I honestly don’t know how anyone can feel confident about the order. Every single one of these prospects comes with a significant question mark, and it feels like the community is throwing darts at a board hoping to land on the right guy.
Keelon Russell (1.05) is a pure bet on traits and upside. We know the talent is there, but drafting him fifth overall means you’re buying into a projection rather than proven college production.
Darian Mensah (1.07) is almost the exact opposite. You’re betting on what he’s doing at Miami right now. The production has been impressive, but I want to see how he handles the toughest part of the schedule before I’m ready to invest that kind of Devy capital.
Then there’s Arch Manning (1.08). At this point, how much of his valuation is based on what we’ve actually seen versus the Manning name? I’m not saying he doesn’t have talent, but I have a difficult time justifying this price based on his play.
Drew Mestemaker (1.09) is another fascinating case. He’s generating a ton of buzz, and I understand why people are excited. But the lack of experience concerns me, especially when we’re talking about the possibility of him entering the NFL Draft after this season. That’s an enormous leap to make with such a limited résumé.
Dante Moore (1.10) might be the biggest question mark of the group. His season has effectively come to an end because of a concussion, and now we’re left wondering what his next steps look like. The talent and previous production are there, but the uncertainty surrounding his health and future makes this an extremely difficult evaluation.
Finally, Trinidad Chambliss (1.11) is the ultimate wildcard. There is plenty to like about his ability, but projecting his long-term NFL outlook is another story entirely.
The biggest takeaway for me? There isn’t a single quarterback selected in this first round who gives me a ton of confidence at his current price. That’s not to say one or two won’t eventually develop into legitimate NFL starters. I’m sure someone from this group will emerge. But we’re talking about using premium Devy draft capital on players with enormous ranges of outcomes.
Personally, I’ll continue doing what I’ve done for years: let someone else take the quarterback gamble while I target the skill-position players I feel better about.
Charlie Becker’s Stock Has Never Been Higher
One of the biggest surprises of the entire first round was Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker coming off the board at 1.04. I don’t think we’ve ever seen his Devy value this high, and it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t earned the attention with what he’s done this season.
Through nine games, Becker has hauled in 50 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging an impressive 17.5 yards per reception. He’s become one of the most productive receivers in college football, and his recent performances have only accelerated the hype surrounding his NFL potential.
Look no further than Indiana’s overtime victory over Minnesota. Becker finished with eight receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown, including the game-winning score in overtime. Just two weeks earlier, he torched Ohio State for nine receptions and 165 yards. Those are the types of performances that get NFL scouts and Devy managers paying attention.
At 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, Becker has the physical profile that NFL teams love. He’s a legitimate vertical threat who can win at the catch point, use his frame to create advantages against defensive backs, and make plays downfield. His combination of size, body control, and production makes him an intriguing prospect in a wide receiver class that is still sorting itself out.
That said, I do have some reservations about taking him this early.
Becker still needs to become a more complete route runner. While he’s been excellent winning vertically and making contested catches, there are questions about how consistently he can separate against NFL-caliber corners. Those concerns matter when you’re projecting someone as a potential first-round NFL Draft pick.
And that’s where things get interesting.
Is Becker a legitimate top-five Devy asset, or are we watching the community react to an incredible nine-game stretch?
There’s no denying that he’s been one of the biggest risers of the 2026 college football season. But taking him ahead of players like Keelon Russell, Dakorien Moore, and several other highly regarded prospects is a significant statement.
Personally, I love the production and the physical tools. I just want to see a little more before I’m ready to push him into that elite tier of Devy assets.
Regardless of where you stand, Becker has gone from an intriguing prospect to one of the most talked-about names in this class. His rise is one of the better storylines of the season.
Can Ahmad Hardy Bounce Back?
The running back position is an absolute mess right now, and I think this first round perfectly illustrates that.
Jadan Baugh went off the board at 1.03, making him the first running back selected. I understand the appeal, and there’s plenty to like about his profile, but even Baugh has some holes in his evaluation. When the first running back off the board isn’t necessarily a slam-dunk prospect, that tells you quite a bit about the current state of the position.
Then there’s Hardy, who came off the board at 1.12. Hardy might be one of the most fascinating players in this entire draft, simply because we have so many unanswered questions about what he will look like moving forward.
Coming off a dominant 2025 campaign in which he rushed for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns, Hardy looked like one of the premier running back prospects in college football. He had the combination of production, physicality, and explosiveness that made him a legitimate candidate to be one of the first running backs selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, everything changed in May when Hardy suffered a gunshot wound to his leg while attending a concert. It was a devastating setback for a player whose football future looked incredibly bright.
After nearly six months of recovery, Hardy finally made his return to the field against Arkansas on October 31. He received a tremendous reception from the crowd and finished with two carries for five yards. Obviously, those numbers mean absolutely nothing from an evaluation standpoint. The fact that Hardy was able to return to the football field after what he endured is remarkable in itself.
But from a Devy perspective, we now have to ask some difficult questions. Can Hardy regain the explosiveness that made him such a dangerous runner in 2025? Will Missouri gradually increase his workload, or will Jamal Roberts continue to handle the majority of the carries? And perhaps most importantly, how will NFL teams evaluate Hardy’s medical situation heading into the draft process?
These are all legitimate concerns, especially when we’re talking about using a first-round Devy pick on him. What makes Hardy particularly interesting is that his 2025 film already gives us plenty of reasons to believe in his talent. This isn’t some unproven prospect we’re projecting based on athletic traits. We’ve seen him dominate at the college level, create explosive runs, and consistently generate yards after contact.
The question is whether that version of Ahmad Hardy is still there. I think Hardy could end up being one of the biggest values in this entire mock draft, but he also carries substantial risk. If he returns to form and proves he’s healthy, getting him at the end of the first round could look like a steal. If the recovery limits his explosiveness or creates concerns for NFL teams, his value could continue to slide.
And really, that’s where we’re at with this running back class as a whole. There are talented players, but very few have separated themselves as prospects you can confidently build around. For now, Hardy is one of the players I’ll be watching most closely as we head into the final stretch of the college football season.
Dear Readers,
You’re currently reading the free preview of this article. To unlock the full piece and get all of our dynasty, devy, C2C, and fantasy content, consider joining The Devy Royale. Substack is our most affordable option at $7/month and gives you access to all of our written content.
For the full TDR experience, our website offers memberships at $8, $12, and $16 per month, including written content, rankings, exclusive tools, features, and community access. Whichever way you choose to support us, we appreciate you being part of TDR and trusting us to help you stay ahead of your leagues.