Way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft: Five Texas stars lead a loaded first round
By Jack Brentnall
A mock draft this far out is never really about getting the picks right. Nobody knows who will declare, who will break out, or how the season will reshape these boards between now and April 2027. Treat this less as a prediction of where players will land and more as a list of the names worth watching as the college football season kicks off. These are the prospects who have caught my eye through summer scouting, and the ones I’ll be tracking closely over the coming months.
A quick note on the order: rather than trying to project where each team will finish, the draft order here is based on current Super Bowl odds, with the longest shots picking first. So if your team’s spot looks unkind, take it up with the bookmakers rather than me.
1. Arizona Cardinals
Arch Manning - QB, Texas
The Cardinals need to find their franchise quarterback of the future and Manning has the makings of one. His processing and pocket management already stand out, with an excellent feel for manipulating pressure while keeping his eyes downfield. The accuracy still needs to become more consistent, but the combination of intelligence, composure and athleticism gives him a blue-chip foundation.
2. Miami Dolphins
JEremiah Smith - WR, Ohio State
Miami’s receiver room is remarkably thin, with Tutu Atwell owning the most career receiving yards on the roster at just 1,535. Smith would immediately change that. His rare combination of size and explosiveness makes him a mismatch at all three levels, but he’s far more than just a physical freak, with the route running polish and strong hands to develop into one of the NFL’s premier receivers.
3. New York Jets
Dante Moore - QB, Oregon
The Jets have done an excellent job of building the infrastructure around their quarterback, with two talented young tackles and a promising group of pass catchers. Eventually they need to take the swing. Moore is a natural passer with excellent touch and placement, while his pre-snap processing and anticipation allow him to consistently find answers when operating within structure.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Leonard Moore - CB, Notre Dame
Don’t overthink players like Leonard Moore. He is one of only three prospects to earn a blue-chip grade from me during summer scouting and looks like one of the most gifted man coverage corners to enter the league in years. At 6’2″ and 197 pounds, Moore combines prototypical size with smooth movement skills and excellent ball skills to offer legitimate lockdown potential.
5. Cleveland Browns
Dylan Stewart - EDGE, South Carolina
With Myles Garrett no longer around, Cleveland badly needs to replenish its pass rush and Stewart gives them some much-needed juice. He’s an explosive athlete with the burst and bend to threaten tackles around the arc, while his agility makes him particularly dangerous on stunts. The rush plan still needs some refinement, but the physical upside is enormous.
6. Tennessee Titans
Jordan Seaton - OT, LSU
Dan Moore struggled in pass protection last season and Seaton could give the Titans Cam Ward’s long-term blindside protector. Few tackles move as easily as Seaton, who explodes out of his stance and possesses the light feet to mirror speed off the edge. His run blocking still needs refinement, but he already looks like a natural pass protector.
7. Carolina Panthers
Ashton Hampton - CB, Clemson
Mike Jackson will soon turn 30 and is scheduled to hit free agency next summer, making corner an obvious position to invest in. Hampton gives Carolina a potential long-term starter opposite Jaycee Horn. At 6’3″ and 204 pounds, he’s a long, physical press corner who uses patient feet and heavy hands to disrupt receivers before staying connected vertically.
8. New York Giants
Cam Coleman - WR, Texas
Malik Nabers gives the Giants one outstanding receiver, but the rest of the room isn’t scaring anyone. Pairing him with Coleman would be seriously exciting. Coleman has the speed to simply run past defenders, but also understands how to manipulate leverage through the stem and possesses the strength and body control to win at the breakpoint and finish difficult throws downfield.
9. Atlanta Falcons
Trevor Goosby - OT, Texas
Jake Matthews enters his 13th NFL season and will turn 35 before it’s over, so Atlanta needs to start thinking about life after him. Goosby offers the tools to become that successor. He’s a powerful run blocker capable of generating legitimate displacement at the point of attack, while his length and processing ability give him plenty to work with in pass protection.
10. New Orleans Saints
David Stone - IDL, Oklahoma
Interior defensive line play feels increasingly important to building a great defense and I’m really excited about what Christen Miller could become for New Orleans. Pairing him with Stone would give the Saints an imposing young duo. Stone combines explosiveness, length and power to impact both phases, with the upside to become a disruptive three-technique as his technique develops.
11. Washington Commanders
Nick Marsh - WR, Indiana
Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs are both on the wrong side of 30 and Washington needs to add some young receiving talent around Jayden Daniels. Marsh brings the prototypical size you want outside but moves extremely well for his frame, maintaining his explosiveness through breaks and showing the route running skill to consistently separate. He also brings some useful creation ability after the catch.
12. New York Jets
Will Echoles - IDL, Ole Miss
After adding David Bailey in the draft, the Jets continue investing in the trenches. Echoles is a really polished defensive tackle who already wins with advanced hand usage, pairing accurate strikes with effective club, rip and swim moves. Add in good leverage, functional strength and first-step quickness and he has the skill set to contribute against both the run and pass.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
Charlie Becker - WR, Indiana
Neither DK Metcalf nor Michael Pittman feels like a long-term answer for Pittsburgh, making Becker a sensible investment in the future of the position. The 6’4″ receiver wins with size, body control and excellent downfield ball skills, consistently attacking the football through contact. He has enough speed to stack defenders vertically and profiles nicely as a physical starting X receiver.
14. Minnesota Vikings
Ellis Robinson IV - CB, Georgia
Brian Flores would have plenty of fun with a corner who possesses Robinson’s man coverage ability. He’s a quick, fluid mover with the foot speed and hip mobility to stay connected through routes, while his excellent length gives him a large disruption radius at the catch point. There is legitimate lockdown upside if he can add some mass to his lean frame.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Greg Johnson - IOL, Minnesota
The offensive line has become a major strength for Tampa Bay, so why not keep investing in it? Ben Bredeson will have just one year remaining on his deal by the time of this draft and Johnson could be his long-term successor. He’s a mauling interior blocker with excellent play strength, a sturdy anchor and the processing ability to handle stunts and additional rushers.
16. Dallas Cowboys
Justin Scott - IDL, Miami
Dallas already has some promising young edge talent in Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence alongside a stud in Quinnen Williams. I’d keep adding bodies to that front. Scott is an athletic, technically sound interior defender who combines precise hand usage with good first-step quickness and an impressive variety of pass-rush moves. There is genuine game-wrecking potential if the power profile continues to develop.
17. Chicago Bears
Colin Simmons - EDGE, Texas
Edge is a glaring need for Chicago and Simmons would provide a nice stylistic complement to Montez Sweat’s power-based approach. Simmons wins with explosive first-step quickness, excellent snap timing and an advanced feel for varying his rushes. His ghost move is particularly dangerous around the arc, giving the Bears the type of speed rusher their front is currently missing.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jadan Baugh - RB, Florida
Jacksonville has never been afraid of making a surprising draft-day decision and the uncertainty in its running back room makes Baugh an intriguing swing. At 228 pounds, he possesses the power you’d expect but combines it with remarkably light feet, sharp cutting ability and genuine big-play speed. He has the talent to become a franchise-defining feature back.
19. Houston Texans
Trevor Lauck - OT, Iowa
Houston needs to keep investing in the offensive line and Lauck gives it another versatile option up front. He’s a smooth, balanced blocker with polished hand technique and excellent awareness against stunts and pressure packages. He looks particularly comfortable operating in a zone scheme and, while he can play tackle, there is also a chance his skill set translates inside to guard.
20. Denver Broncos
Jaylen McClain - S, Ohio State
There isn’t an obvious glaring hole on Denver’s roster, which creates the freedom to invest in a versatile piece like McClain. He’s an instinctive, rangy safety who can operate from depth but has the movement skills to kick down over the slot and hold up in man coverage. That ability to move around the secondary would give Denver another flexible chess piece.
21. Cincinnati Bengals
Mario Craver - WR, Texas A&M
Andrei Iosivas is heading towards free agency and Cincinnati isn’t going to be able to pay three receivers forever. Craver gives them a potential replacement who can recreate that vertical speed while adding a different dimension after the catch. He’s an outrageously explosive mover with burner speed and exceptional stop-start quickness, although his 170-pound frame inevitably brings some concerns.
22. New England Patriots
Jordan Ross - EDGE, LSU
You hope second-round rookie Gabe Jacas becomes something, but beyond him there isn’t much in New England’s edge room that excites me for the future. Ross would change that. His explosive get-off immediately stresses tackles outside and he has the flexibility to bend and flatten around the corner, with accurate hands giving him another way to create pressure.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
Kelley Jones - CB, Mississippi State
Philadelphia signed Riq Woolen to a one-year deal this offseason, so why not replace him with a similarly freakish physical profile on a rookie contract? At 6’4″, Jones possesses unusual size and length without sacrificing the long speed required to carry receivers vertically. He’s also comfortable in both man and zone, with his physicality creating problems throughout the route.
24. Los Angeles Chargers
Brice Pollock - CB, Texas Tech
Pollock feels like a really clean fit for the type of defense we expect Chris O’Leary to run, particularly with plenty of zone and match coverage. He’s an instinctive defender who reads the quarterback well and has the explosive closing burst to drive on underneath throws. Add outstanding ball skills and there is real playmaking potential when he’s allowed to keep his eyes on the action.
25. Dallas Cowboys
Chris Cole - LB, Georgia
Dallas’ linebacker room is perilously thin and Cole gives them the sort of every-down option they’re missing. He’s an explosive athlete with the range to chase plays sideline to sideline, while his movement skills allow him to carry tight ends in coverage. He can even offer something as a blitzer off the edge, although his play strength still needs development.
26. Kansas City Chiefs
Melvin Siani - OT, Texas
Kansas City gets a potential right tackle of the future in Siani. His movement skills immediately stand out, with the explosiveness and lateral fluidity to mirror speed rushers and cover ground in space. He also consistently plays with good pad level in pass protection, giving him the foundation to become a capable starter, particularly in a zone-heavy run scheme.
27. San Francisco 49ers
Jamari Johnson - TE, Oregon
George Kittle turns 33 this season and there is no realistic way of properly replacing what he gives San Francisco, but Johnson would at least provide another dangerous receiving weapon at the position. He’s a savvy route runner with an impressive release package and excellent feel for manipulating defenders, while his fluidity makes him dangerous with the ball in his hands.
28. Detroit Lions
Dashawn Spears - S, LSU
Spears feels like the sort of versatile secondary piece Detroit could find plenty of uses for. He’s an instinctive zone defender with excellent ball skills, but also has the size and movement ability to match tight ends and slot receivers in man coverage. Add a decisive downhill trigger against the run and he can contribute from a wide variety of alignments.
29. Seattle Seahawks
Kenyatta Jackson - EDGE, Ohio State
Mike Macdonald loves big, heavy-handed edge defenders who can set the edge and Jackson fits that description perfectly. At 6’6″ and 265 pounds, he wins with size, strength and physicality, controlling blockers at the point of attack while generating pocket push through power. He’s not a high-level athlete, but his skill set fits the role Seattle would ask him to play.
30. Buffalo Bills
KJ Bolden - S, Georgia
Most of Buffalo’s safeties are scheduled to hit free agency next summer and Cole Bishop will have only one year remaining on his deal, so the position could quickly become a need. Bolden is a smart, fluid safety who processes the game extremely well from depth, combining disciplined eyes with very good long speed and dependable open-field tackling.
31. Baltimore Ravens
Ahmad Hardy - RB, Missouri
Derrick Henry has continued to defy expectations as an older running back, but that can’t last forever. Hardy is a very different type of player, yet he has the talent to become another keystone of Baltimore’s offense. His instant acceleration and sharp cutting ability allow him to attack creases aggressively before creating chunk plays at the second level.
32. Cleveland Browns
Zach Lutmer - S, Iowa
Lutmer feels like the perfect modern nickel defender. He’s an explosive, fluid athlete who looks extremely comfortable matching receivers and tight ends from the slot, with the speed to carry vertical routes and the ball skills to make plays at the catch point. He’s even capable of kicking outside and handling genuine cornerback responsibilities, giving Cleveland valuable flexibility.
Jack Brentnall
Head of NFL Draft Content
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.