Way-Too-Early 2027 NFL Mock Draft
From Arch Manning to Jeremiah Smith, the 2027 NFL Draft is loaded with talent. Here's how the draft will *absolutely not* come to fruition more than a year from now.
In the film industry, there’s a method of filmmaking called “one for me, one for you.” The “one for you” pays the bills, satisfies audiences, and creates the relationships necessary to get the “one for me” made. The “one for me” is a passion project that may not be well-received, but makes all the work meaningful. This is my version of the “one for me.” The discourse surrounding the 2026 NFL Draft has stagnated. We’re a couple of weeks away from the twists and turns, and in the meantime, I wanted to get a head start and see the next crop of NFL Draft prospects. As the subtitle says, I know there’s a 0.0000001% chance that all of these things come to fruition. The draft order is set simply by reverse Super Bowl odds, so that alone will be wrong. However, we need more fun in the world. Join me for a fun exercise in exploring the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Malik Willis contract is structured as a “prove-it” deal with significant money in the second year. I candidly don’t think he’s going to be the long-term answer, and if the Dolphins earn the top overall pick, they’ll have a slew of talented quarterbacks to choose from. Moore is my early QB1, with high-level processing, accuracy, and mobility. I broke down his film earlier this year.
While the Jets will undoubtedly need a quarterback if they’re picking second overall again, their history at the position suggests they should take the generational wideout whose only close comparison is Julio Jones. Smith is the best wideout I’ve ever graded, and he should not make it out of the top three in next year’s draft.
Candidly, I don’t think Manning has performed well enough to be a top-five pick right now. He has shoddy footwork and mechanics, and an NFL-average arm. But he’s a Manning, and I do believe in his ability to continue developing. He has a unique blend of powerful athleticism and the talent to make most throws on a football field, and another year of development could vault him into this range. I hope to see it.
Sayin will enter the 2026 season as a redshirt sophomore, but if he has another year like his 2025, he’s almost guaranteed to be a top-five pick. He’s supremely accurate, has a massive arm, and pushes the ball to all three field levels with precision and awareness. He’s not as mobile as some of his counterparts in this class, but he makes up for it with arguably the strongest arm among the top group and the opportunity to play in some big games throughout his college career.
Simmons is an ultra-athletic, explosive edge rusher with 19 sacks and over 100 pressures over his first two years. He’s in the Abdul Carter mold of elite speed rushers, and he’s still just scratching the surface. He should be a top-five pick next year, and if the quarterbacks falter the way they have in recent years, he could be the first non-Jeremiah Smith pick off the board.
Seaton was a bright spot for a poor Colorado Buffaloes team in 2025, with some of the best pass-blocking film in the country. The run blocking is still inconsistent, as Seaton plays at 100 miles per hour on every snap, causing him to lose his balance, miss his targets, and struggle to make an impact on the ground. However, he’s one of the most efficient-moving tackles in the last few years, and he should take a significant leap in the Lane Kiffin LSU offense.
This is a bit of a call my shot, since John Henry Daley has been in the college football world for five years, but he enters this season with two years of eligibility remaining. Still, his breakout 2025 was cut short by an Achilles injury, but it was full of outstanding moments that should translate well to Michigan. He’s a powerful, explosive, high-motor athlete with excellent awareness and IQ. I expect a massive year from him.
Among the two tackles off the board so far, Lauck is the most well-rounded, and he has just as good an opportunity to be the first tackle off the board. He’s a smooth mover with excellent length and patience as a pass protector. He is still working through some hand placement issues, but he’s strong, anchoring well when he has to catch edge rushers in his chest. Lauck can get in the open field and move, and I expect he’ll continue his ascension in 2026.
Moore would be CB1 if he were eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft, and that’s no discredit to Mansoor Delane and Jermod McCoy. Moore is as “island corner” as they come, with some of the most lockdown film in both man and zone coverage as I’ve seen in the last couple of years. He’s been doing it since stepping onto a college football field, too, as he’s been arguably the best corner in the sport since his arrival in South Bend.
While he hasn’t quite put it all together yet, Brown has the makings of a lockdown corner at the NFL level. With elite athleticism, length, and unquestioned tenacity, Brown is one of the most physical, nasty corners in this class. He’s not in the same vein as other Alabama greats at the position, but a strong 2026 season could change that.
I’m much lower on the 2027 wide receiver class now than I was a year ago, but Cam Coleman is a player who should be in discussions for the top 10. While he doesn’t make it here, he lands opposite Malik Nabers, where he can show off his elite ball skills as a No. 1, XWR, and free Nabers to be more of a move piece. His explosiveness should be a welcome arrival for Arch Manning in 2026.
Uiagalelei is more of a fine player than a potential top-20 pick right now, but his growth as a pass rusher in 2025 was substantial, and another year playing next to A’Mauri Washington and company could vault him into this range of the draft. He struggled to record as many sacks as he did in 2024, but he developed a more defined pass-rush plan, using that increased skill to generate pressure and collapse pockets. I anticipate another jump in production in 2026.
This seems early for a safety not named Caleb Downs, but Bolden really does have next. He’s a rangy player who hits like a linebacker and covers like a corner. He was one of the most efficient tacklers in the country in 2025, combining big hits with sound wrap-ups and big stops. He has excellent ball skills, breaking up six passes and intercepting two last year. Bolden isn’t quite Downs, but the state of safety play in the NFL is set to rise significantly with the next two classes.
The Buccaneers should look to bolster the interior of their line, as it hasn’t gone according to plan over the last year and a half. Green does exactly that, as his best position at the NFL level will be on the interior, despite solid play at tackle in 2025. He is an excellent athlete who has consistently improved, with fantastic leg drive, anchoring ability, and power to move players. He’s not quite in the Alijah Vera-Tucker mold, but his versatility will make him even more valuable when next year’s draft comes around.
The Jets passed on a quarterback because they had more opportunities, and here, they land Hoover, a player I expect will take a massive leap while playing under Curt Cignetti in 2026. Hoover already displays the traits of a high-level NFL quarterback, with consistent read progressions, occasionally elite ball placement, and all the physical tools you can ask for. Consistency sometimes eludes him, but he will be one of the most experienced quarterbacks in next year’s class, and if he takes a step forward, he will also have more than 100 touchdown passes over his four years as a starter.
This is candidly too low for Washington, but we haven’t seen too many defensive tackles go super early in the draft in recent years (with a few exceptions). Washington would’ve been a first-round pick later this month, had he declared, and he’ll be very high on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List when the 2026 version is published. He hits over 20 miles per hour, squats over 700 pounds, and brings all those physical tools to the football field. He’ll need to get better at wrapping up ball carriers, but he’s disruptive.
