2027 NFL mock draft: Early first-round predictions for college football's top stars -- with a twist
Projecting next year's first round based on the positional order of the 2026 NFL Draft
The 2027 NFL Draft is shaping up to be among the most loaded, at least at the top of the first round, in recent memory. There are multiple high-profile quarterbacks, game-changing receivers and two of the best junior edge rushers that college football's seen in years.
But what if things looked a little different?
Instead of a cascade of quarterbacks, what if the draft follows the same positional order in 2027 that it did in 2026? Consider this a bit of an experiment. Instead of mocking the 2027 draft looking forward, we're instead glancing back and following the blueprint of the 2026 draft order.
A quarterback went No. 1 overall in 2026, so a quarterback goes No. 1 overall in this 2027 mock draft.
And despite the fact that Jeremiah Smith is the best player in this draft class, he can't go higher than four because a receiver wasn't taken until that point in April.
Given those parameters, here's an early look at how the 2027 NFL Draft first round could fall.
No. 1 New York Jets: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
While Manning didn't play as well as some other quarterbacks, looking ahead to the 2027 draft — Dante Moore had a better season — this is a projection. Manning played his best football down the stretch last season, bringing plus mobility for the position, and he will have a much better offensive line and receiver group around him for 2027. Just like his uncles Peyton and Eli, Manning goes No. 1.
No. 2 Miami Dolphins: Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
A dominant edge rusher in the SEC since his arrival as a true freshman in 2024, Simmons is a prototype modern edge rusher with great length and elite explosiveness and speed in pursuit. He's posted 21 sacks through two seasons and is also a plus run defender.
No. 3 Tennessee Titans: Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
Is a running back likely to go this high in back-to-back years? I wouldn't bet on it. But Lacy is the best early bet out of the 2027 crop to go high. He combines breakaway track speed (10.49 seconds in the 100) with the quickness and strength to force a lot of missed tackles (3rd nationally). He'll look to maintain the momentum coming out of a 1,567-yard, 24-touchdown season.
No. 4 Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Does the best player in the draft really fall to No. 4? We'll see. But Smith is the obvious No. 1 receiver off the board. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound sophomore is a legitimate generational talent. He's the best wide receiver prospect to enter a draft cycle since Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald.
No. 5 Arizona Cardinals: Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
Stewart didn't quite match his freshman-year productivity as a sophomore in 2025 -- he faced far more double teams and chip blocks -- but he remains the platonic ideal of an edge rusher at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds with a freakish get-off.
No. 6 Las Vegas Raiders: Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
The best corner in college football last season, Moore finished the year with five interceptions and seven passes defended while holding opposing passers to a 54.2% completion rate when throwing against him. Moore has excellent size (6-foot-2, 195 pounds), has hit up to 22 mph in game and is sticky in coverage.
No. 7 Carolina Panthers: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame
An off-ball linebacker with the versatility to play on the edge, Viliamu-Asa posted 48 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3 sacks and an INT last season. He's a physical, instinctual player with high-level physical traits. The big question for him is the fact that he's coming off a torn ACL, the second of his career, dating back to high school.
No. 8 New Orleans Saints: Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
If not for Smith's presence in the 2024 class, Coleman would have been the receiver with generational hype. As it is, he labored for two years at Auburn with subpar QB play, still managing to reel in 93 passes for 1,306 yards and 13 scores. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Alabama native is a big-play receiver with the knack for the spectacular.
No. 9 Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
One of the best pass protectors in the Big 12 from the moment he played his first snap with Colorado, Seaton is taking on a new challenge in 2026 as a junior in the SEC. Seaton is among the most athletic players in the country at his position. How he holds up physically and in the run game will determine his draft ceiling.
No. 10 Atlanta Falcons: Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
Goosby passed on the 2026 NFL Draft to return to school, turning down what was likely a spot in the first round. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackle has massive upside. He'll have to show a little bit more consistency in his second season as a starter, but he's got all the traits necessary to be OT1 off the board.
No. 11 New York Giants: KJ Bolden, S, Georgia
Bolden and Caleb Downs -- picked in this spot a year ago -- share a lot in common. They were both five-star recruits and Day 1 starters for SEC powers. They're both highly productive and make plays in the run game despite less-than-ideal size. And they're both just damn good football players. Bolden has great ball skills and doesn't shy away from contact. He's a safe bet to be one of the top safeties next cycle.
No. 12 Washington Commanders: Carter Smith, OT, Indiana
A quiet and consistent anchor on Fernando Mendoza's blindside during Indiana's national title run, Smith is exactly what teams look for in a tackle prospect. He's a former high school volleyball player with plus athletic ability, good technique and the physicality to excel in the run game. Smith gave up just two sacks in 1,028 snaps last year.
No. 13 Pittsburgh Steelers: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Perhaps the best pure passer in college football a season ago, Moore is a smooth prospect with high-level production (3,565 yards, 30 TDs, 71.8%) in his starting debut for the Ducks.
No. 14 Cincinnati Bengals: Cayden Green, OL, Missouri
A college tackle who could slide inside on the next level, Green's been a high-level contributor in the SEC for years. He's an excellent pass protector and has the size at 6-foot-5, 324 pounds to move people in the run game.
No. 15 New York Jets (from Colts): Damon Wilson II, EDGE, Miami
Wilson is on the move for a second time in two offseasons, but his on-field play is unimpeachable. He led Missouri with 9 sacks last season, along with 54 pressures, showing an excellent blend of speed and power. Now, he'll get coached by Hall of Fame defensive lineman Jason Taylor.
No. 16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
The other tight end in Oregon's room last year, Johnson had a ton of production next to Kenyon Sadiq with 510 yards and three touchdowns on 15.9 yards per catch. The 6-foot-5, 257-pound tight end is a run-after-the-catch threat and a friendly (and massive) target for his quarterback.
No. 17 Chicago Bears: Austin Siereveld, OT, Ohio State
A starting guard for the Buckeyes before moving to left tackle for the 2025 season, Siereveld held up incredibly well outside. The 6-foot-5, 325-pounder did not allow a sack, and the Buckeyes had a ton of success -- 5.8 ypc and 4 TDs -- running his direction. He's a tough and steady O-lineman who would bring a lot of versatility to the NFL.
No. 18 New York Jets (from Cowboys): David Stone, DT, Oklahoma
Stone is one of the most dominant run defenders in college football. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound former five-star recruit finished last season with 42 tackles and 8 TFLs for a defense that allowed just 2.4 yards per carry. He's both a space eater and someone with the power and quickness to generate pressure up the middle.
No. 19 Jacksonville Jaguars: PJ Williams, OT, SMU
Could this be a tad high for Williams? Sure. But given a reasonably unproven tackle group and an injury or two to other candidates, Williams is someone worth projecting in the first round. He's a multi-year starter for the Mustangs, a former top recruit and an easy mover at 6-foot-5, 313 pounds with elite length.
No. 20 Houston Texans: TJ Moore, WR, Clemson
What's not to like about Moore? He's a physical pass catcher at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds who's shown an ability to win 50-50 passes and make difficult catches. He's explosive off the line, tracks the ball well and is still evolving as a route runner.
No. 21 Philadelphia Eagles: Jacarrius Peak, OT, South Carolina
Peak is an ultra-athletic 6-foot-4, 308-pound tackle with good length. He'll have some things to clean up, but the potential is there for him to push his way into first-round consideration.
No. 22 Denver Broncos: Quincy Rhodes, EDGE, Arkansas
Arkansas fought hard to re-sign Rhodes this offseason as national powers circled around him as a potential portal entrant. They did so for a reason -- he's one of the best pass rushers in the FBS. He's a massive 6-foot-6, 276 pounds and put up 15.5 TFLs and 8 sacks last year. Can play multiple spots along the line of scrimmage and has an excellent array of pass rush moves.
No. 23 New England Patriots: Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson
A classically framed big edge rusher at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds with great length and twitch, Heldt had an excellent debut upon transferring to Clemson with 15.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. It will be interesting to see how he fares being the focus of opponents' blocking schemes next season after playing next to several early-round picks in 2025.
No. 24 Dallas Cowboys (from Packers): Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama
Coleman-Williams failed to build on his freshman year hype in 2025, struggling with drops and finishing as Alabama's second-leading receiver. But the talent is undeniable. He's one of the most explosive receivers in this draft class, and a more consistent 2026 performance will have him back in the conversation along with Smith and Coleman.
No. 25 Detroit Lions: Ty Benefield, S, LSU
A favorite of scouts this offseason -- Benefield was a likely Day 2 pick had he entered the draft -- Benefield showed up in the SEC as a ready-made playmaker. He's got incredible range at 6-foot-2, 204 pounds and is a willing tackler with 105 last season at Boise State. Don't be shocked if he's an All-American by season's end.
No. 26 Kansas City Chiefs: Kade Pieper, OL, Iowa
A classic Iowa development project, Pieper was a small-school multi-sport athlete out of Nebraska with a single FBS offer. A few years later, he's a 6-foot-4, 290-pound guard with plus athletic ability and the ability to play multiple positions along the interior.
No. 27 Baltimore Ravens: Ellis Robinson, CB, Georgia
Robinson has the traits to fly up draft boards by next April. He's not huge at 6-foot,180 pounds, but he's incredibly productive (4 INTs), extremely fluid in coverage and comes with sub 4.5-second 40 speed and a better than 35-inch vertical jump. He'll be in the mix to be CB1.
No. 28 Buffalo Bills: Andrew Sprague, OT, Michigan
This is a bit of a dart throw -- the first-round offensive tackle picture for 2027 isn't eight deep this far out -- but Sprague has the traits and development trajectory to go early. Michigan's starting right tackle this year, the 6-foot-8, 315-pound Sprague, allowed just one sack in his starting debut last season. He's got a typical tackle frame, a basketball background and is physical at the point of attack.
No. 29 San Francisco 49ers: A'Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
Like his teammate Moore, Washington turned down a possible Round 1 selection in 2026 to return to school. The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Washington finished last season with 33 tackles and 4.5 TFLs, proving himself to be a dominant run defender and having the ability and explosiveness to disrupt in the backfield.
No. 30 Seattle Seahawks: Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
The Hoosiers had a pair of receivers drafted in 2026, including a first-rounder in Omar Cooper, but it felt like when Indiana really needed a play, it was Becker who made it happen down the stretch. Arguably the best 50-50 threat in college football -- he caught 13 of 17 contested catches last season -- Becker is someone at 6-foot-4, 204 pounds you can trust to win in the air. He's also plenty fast as a former state champ in the 110-meter hurdles.
No. 31 Los Angeles Chargers: Teitum Tuioti, EDGE, Oregon
Far from the biggest name on Oregon's defensive line, Tuioti emerged as the unit's most productive player last year. He posted 16 TFLs and 9.5 sacks along with a healthy 15% pass rush win rate. Tuioti has long arms for his 6-foot-3 frame and also posted a nearly 10-foot broad jump in high school. He's an explosive, toolsy pass rusher who's gotten better every season.
No. 32 Los Angeles Rams: Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida
A bigger back at 6-foot-1, 231 pounds with excellent production as a sophomore (1,170 yards, 8 TDs, 5.3 ypc) despite a difficult offensive context around him, Baugh should be the centerpiece of Florida's offense in 2026. He's got excellent burst, physicality and enough top-end speed to run away from people.
