One of the best parts of an NFL draft ending is that we can start getting excited about the next one. The 2027 class is expected to be loaded with talent, but they all still have plenty of questions to answer. It’s hard to fully project an entire first round a year out, which makes this exercise fun. A year from now, this mock will either be a laughingstock or turn out to be decently accurate.

It’s hard to project a class one year out, as no one expected Garrett Nussmeier to go in the seventh round or Cade Klubnik to go in the fourth round in 2026; both were considered top talents of the 2026 class. It’s just the reality of college football. The order is determined by the mock draft simulator used, so without further ado, let’s get to it.

1. Arizona Cardinals – Arch Manning, QB, Texas

If Manning came out this year, he would’ve had a real shot to go No. 1 overall. A ton of people still remember him from the game he had against Ohio State to open up the 2025 college football season, but he improved tremendously throughout the year. The Cardinals are expected to be picking in the top 5 next year, and an offense with Manning, Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. should get fans excited.

2. Miami Dolphins – Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

We’ve been talking about Smith in this draft for two years now, and he’s finally eligible to declare. The Dolphins land a true blue-chip receiver prospect with the assumption that Malik Willis is the quarterback of the future. Smith can elevate this offense to a different level, and he returns to his home state, Miami.

3. New York Jets – Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Moore had a real shot to go at No. 2 overall in this year’s draft behind Fernando Mendoza, but opted to stay at Oregon for another season. He threw for over 3,500 yards this past season for Oregon and knows how to push the ball down the field. Decision-making was questionable at times, which is why returning to school will help him develop further.

4. Las Vegas Raiders – Cam Coleman, WR, Texas

The Raiders went with Mendoza at No. 1 overall, but didn’t attack receiver at all in this year’s draft. The projected starting three are Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker and Jack Bech. Adding Coleman to this offense allows Mendoza to take a further step and gives him a bigger target to hit down the sideline.

5. Cleveland Browns – Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State

The Browns’ quarterback situation is confusing, but picking in the top 5 of this class, I expect them to go for a quarterback. Mestemkaker transferred to Oklahoma State after a dominant season at North Texas, having over 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns. I don’t anticipate him declaring for the 2027 class, but if he does, he warrants a top-5 pick based on what he’s put on tape this past season.

6. Tennessee Titans – Colin Simmons, Edge, Texas

It was either Simmons or Leonard Moore for me with this pick, but head coach Robert Saleh went with another edge rusher in Simmons. He totaled 59 pressures and 10 sacks with Texas in 2025, and he’d join Keldric Faulk, Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers in Tennessee.

7. Carolina Panthers – Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame

Mike Jackson is set to become a free agent after this season, and with Moore sitting here, the Panthers get a premier talent at No. 7 overall. In two seasons at Notre Dame, Moore has 14 pass breakups and seven interceptions and has allowed 494 yards. He’s given up five touchdowns, so you want that number to be cleaned up. Moore locked down new Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon when USC and Notre Dame matched up this past season.

8. New York Giants – David Stone, DL, Oklahoma

The Giants traded away Dexter Lawrence and didn’t take a defensive tackle until the sixth round of the NFL draft. A year later, they look to replace Lawrence with Stone, who had 26 pressures and four sacks for Oklahoma last year.

9. Atlanta Falcons – Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU

Jake Matthews isn’t getting any younger, and Kaleb McGary retired from football this offseason. Atlanta takes Seaton with the anticipation that he’ll be their long-term left tackle after Matthews. He can play right until Matthews eventually leaves. Seaton transferred to LSU after two seasons at Colorado.

10. New Orleans Saints – Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia

The Saints didn’t take a cornerback until the seventh round of the draft, which leaves that position still a need for the team. Robisnon became Georgia’s starting corner after a couple of weeks into the 2025 season and only allowed 15 receptions on 35 targets, with four pass breakups and four interceptions.

11. Washington Commanders – KJ Duff, WR, Rutgers

This is a major projection, but Duff has elite size at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. The Commanders need weapons to surround Jayden Daniels, and they took Antonio Williams and Kaytron Allen in this draft, but they can use another receiver. Duff is a different body type than what they have, and he had 1,084 yards, 22 contested catches and seven touchdowns with Rutgers in 2025

12. New York Jets (via Indianapolis) – Dylan Stewart, Edge, South Carolina

The Jets took David Bailey in this year’s draft and doubled up on edge rushers in back-to-back years with Stewart. Stewart is a lighter edge rusher at 245 pounds, but has elite speed and bend around the edge, which he’s flashed since his true freshman season.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers – Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

The Steelers have invested at quarterback in the past two drafts with Will Howard and Drew Allar. I anticipate neither of those options becoming the long-term starter, and they take a shot with Sayin in this draft. He’s a true pocket passer, but I’m a little worried about his size going into the NFL.

14. Minnesota Vikings – Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State

Minnesota lost Nailor in free agency and doesn’t have the greatest depth behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Addison has had struggles staying on the field with Minnesota, so it’s unclear if they’ll keep him around in the long term. Miller transferred to Arizona State after three seasons with Colorado and is coming off his best season, having 805 yards and eight touchdowns.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon

The Buccaneers were a potential landing spot for Johnson’s teammate, Kenyon Sadiq, in the 2025 draft. A year later, they select Johnson, who’s a towering 6-foot-5 and 257, and while watching Sadiq’s tape in this cycle, you noticed Johnson pop.

16. Dallas Cowboys – Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame

There’s one position the Cowboys didn’t fully target this past draft, and it was linebacker. They took Jaishawn Barham, but could use more talent in that room. A year later, they take Viliamu-Asa, who had 33 tackles and 25 run stops for Notre Dame this past season. He boasts a run defense grade of 94 according to Pro Football Focus.

17. Chicago Bears – Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon

Like the pick above, there was one spot the Bears didn’t attack in this draft, and it was edge rusher. They needed help in that room, but got a good one in Uiagalelei a year later. He almost declared this year, but decided to stay another year with Oregon. Uiagalelei had 52 total pressures and six sacks in 2025.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas

Another top-end tackle prospect goes in the top 20. Goosby looks NFL-ready after taking over for Kelvin Banks Jr. this past season at Texas. Has great size at 6-foot-7 and 312 pounds.

19. Houston Texans – Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri

The Texans are one of the teams in the NFL that truly don’t have holes within their roster. If you want to consider an upgrade at quarterback, that’s a discussion, but looking at the rest, running back is the next area that could use an upgrade. Hardy is a fun runner to watch as he totaled over 1,600 yards and forced 97 missed tackles in 2025.

20. Denver Broncos – Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State

Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillan are set to become free agents after this season, so the Broncos replace them here with Jones. Jones is 6-foot-4 and allowed 11 receptions on 38 targets in 2025. Three of those catches went for touchdowns, so he’ll have to improve on that, but a corner room of Jones, Patrick Surtain II, and Jahdae Barron is lethal.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Carter Smith, OT, Indiana

Orlando Brown Jr. isn’t the long-term solution for the Bengals at left tackle. They opt for Smith, who won Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last year in Indiana’s dominant run. He gave up nine pressures and two sacks.

22. New England Patriots – Wyatt Young, WR, Oklahoma State

This is the biggest projection of anyone in this first round. Young is 6 feet and 199 pounds and transferred to Oklahoma State after two years at North Texas. He had 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 and followed his quarterback, Drew Mestemaker, to Oklahoma State. I don’t think Mestemaker will declare next year, but I can see Young declaring with another dominating season.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – A.J. Holmes Jr., DL, Texas Tech

The Eagles have reportedly explored moving on from Jalen Carter this offseason, and with that uncertainty, they attack the defensive line with Holmes. He spent three years at Houston and 2025 with Texas Tech, putting up 89 total pressures, 11 sacks and 66 run stops during that time.

24. Los Angeles Chargers – Kade Pieper, OG, Iowa

Really thought the Chargers would go interior offensive line in this year’s draft, but they didn’t, so why not try again in 2027? I was confused by the Jake Slaughter pick, and I don’t know if he’ll kick out to guard and be a long-term starter. Regardless, the Chargers need another guard given the uncertainty around Trevor Penning and Cole Strange, so they select Pieper here.

25. Dallas Cowboys – Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana

Cowboys can always use defensive help, and in the 2027 draft, they attack linebacker and corner. Sharpe gave up 34 receptions in 2025 for 340 yards and zero touchdowns. His passer rating allowed was 75.8.

26. Kansas City Chiefs – Trey’Dez Green, TE, LSU

The Chiefs have to start looking for the Travis Kelce replacement, and Green has the size to be an intriguing prospect in a year.  He’s 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds and had 433 yards last year for seven touchdowns. The Chiefs got solid offensive weapons in this year’s draft with Cyrus Allen and Emmett Johnson, but continue to get younger with Green.

27. San Francisco 49ers – Koi Perich, SAF, Oregon

Perich has done just about everything at Minnesota for the past two years. Played offense, special teams and defense. He had five interceptions in his freshman season but had a down year in 2025, allowing a passer rating of 124.7. I’ll bet on Perich, bouncing back in 2026 with Oregon.

28. Detroit Lions – A’Mauri Washington, DL, Oregon

Washington was another potential prospect to come out this season, but ended up staying with Oregon for another year. He’s 6-foot-3 and 330 pounds and was a force in the middle of the Ducks defensive line. He had a run defense grade of 83.8 and totaled 22 pressures in 2025.

29. Seattle Seahawks – Clev Lubin, Edge, Louisville

Demarcus Lawrence isn’t getting any younger as he’ll be 34 next offseason. Lubin is one prospect I’m excited to see take the field in 2026. He had a pass rush grade of 92.7 and totaled 64 pressures with 11 sacks. If he can take another step in his game this season, he won’t be an option for Seattle at 29.

30. Buffalo Bills – Damon Wilson II, Edge, Miami

Bills were able to go with T.J. Parker in this draft, but I think they can attack the edge rusher positions again and go with Wilson. It’s a projection, and they have depth with Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb, but you can never have enough edge rushers. Wilson had 54 pressures and eight sacks in his time with Missouri in 2025.

31. Baltimore Ravens – Cayden Green, OT, Missouri

Ravens took a step in rebuilding their offensive line by taking Olaivavega Ioane, but they need help at the tackle position. Ronnie Stanley’s long-term health is in question, and having Green on the board makes this an easy selection. Green kicked out to tackle in 2025 and allowed seven pressures with two sacks, earning a pass block grade of 89.6.

32. Los Angeles Rams – Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana

The selection of Ty Simpson is still a head scratcher for me, but in another year loaded with receivers, the Rams selected the successor to Davante Adams. Marsh transferred to Indiana after having 662 yards and six touchdowns with Michigan State in 2025. I anticipate him to make another jump in his game under Curt Cignetti.