2027 NFL Draft: Connor Rogers' preseason Top 50 rankings
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After months of summer scouting, it’s safe to say the 2027 Draft class should be a very strong one. It has much needed depth at quarterback, blue chip talents at both wide receiver and pass rusher along with one of the best cornerback prospects of the last half decade. Here’s my pre-season top 50.
1 Jeremiah Smith | WR, Ohio State
Smith looks like he was built in a lab to be a number one wide receiver with height, a muscular frame, big hands and strides that generate separation. He’s a special caliber of NFL prospect that will be a day one impact player.
2 Leonard Moore | CB, Notre Dame
Moore is big and fast with the skill set to be a shutdown man cover corner on an island. I love the way he challenges and congests routes.
3 Colin Simmons | EDGE, Texas
Simmons' speed and agility as a rusher has led to standout production, finishing 2025 with 12 sacks and a pass rush win rate over 21%. He’s a master at creating advantageous rush angles for himself with twitch and bend.
4 Dylan Stewart | EDGE, South Carolina
Stewart’s combination of length and light feet are in a pretty unique tier for a prospect, but it hasn’t led to high end production yet. If he can improve his play strength, this should be the year all of those special tools translate to being a total difference maker week after week.
5 Arch Manning | QB, Texas
The opinions of Arch seem to fall on opposite ends, but I think the tape truly lands somewhere in the middle. He’s big, athletic, has the twitch to navigate the pocket to buy himself time and flashes a true pro caliber deep ball. There are inconsistencies in the short area pass game, missing lurking defenders in coverage and how he handles pressure.
None of those notes are surprising when talking about a young quarterback. The bottom line is he’s on a promising trajectory as a first round quarterback. His play reminds me a little of Jaxson Dart’s in college, but he’s bigger and has another year to develop into more. I expect playing a full season with wide receiver Cam Coleman will bring out the most aggressive and confident version of Arch we’ve seen yet.
6 Cam Coleman | WR, Texas
The conversation is always around the quarterbacks, but the ‘special’ aspects of this draft are the pairings of blue chip edge rushers and receivers in this class. Coleman chews up turf, making it nearly impossible for man coverage to stay anywhere near him down the field. His body control is tremendous, looking like an acrobat with every chance he gets to make a play on the football.
I thought his 2025 tape showed a player that not only deserved more interference calls, but would’ve had much bigger numbers in a better situation. With the transfer to Texas, Coleman is expected to shine all the way into being a top 15 pick.
7 Will Echoles | DL, Mississippi
Echoles has an NFL lower half that makes him a total powerhouse against the run. He’s rarely on the ground and absorbs contact with ease. He’s still developing as a pass rusher, but the foundation of this player is very promising.
8 CJ Carr | QB, Notre Dame
For a young starter, Carr’s timing and accuracy is advanced. I love how he challenges all three levels of the field and shows a range of throws from loft/touch to driving the ball outside the numbers. Notre Dame did an excellent job protecting him last year, making his play when under pressure a key thing to watch in 2026.
9 Dante Moore | QB, Oregon
Moore had a strong chance of being the second pick in the 2026 draft, but he opted to return to Oregon. What stood out last year was his snappy short area throwing, agile feet in the pocket and how natural he is throwing on the move. He needs to add mass to his frame (returning to school for another year should help with that) and handle chaos better — both Indiana games last year this was an issue.
10 Trevor Goosby | OT, Texas
Goosby checks the boxes of big, long and strong as a true tackle prospect. I think he has good foot speed at 6’7, 325 pounds and will be a plus run blocker in any scheme. After making 13 starts at left tackle in 2025 for Texas, he’ll get another year of experience under his belt to refine his technique.
11 Ahmad Moten | DL, Miami
Turn on the tape of the national title game and you’ll quickly realize Moten was one of the best players on the field that day. He’s strong, tough and his motor runs hot. I love his burst off the ball and how he stays low, striking with heavy hands.
NFL teams will appreciate his versatility as he handled over 100 snaps at nose tackle in 2025, often doing a lot of the dirty work for teammates.
12 David Stone | DL, Oklahoma
The former five star recruit displays excellent raw strength, attacking with inside hands while driving his legs for pocket pushing power. His ability to stack and shed in the run game is pretty advanced for a young prospect and he has enough agility to be a consistent disruptor.
13 Justin Scott | DL, Miami
Yes, two Miami defensive linemen made my top 15 prospects. Scott is a little different than Moten, possessing a higher ceiling but lower floor. He’s extremely quick and agile as an interior rusher, with closing speed to finish plays. He currently lacks the necessary mass to dominate and take on double teams, but he’ll play this entire season at just 20 years old.
14 KJ Bolden | SAF, Georgia
Bolden is a slender safety with tremendous versatility. In 2026, he played over 200 snaps in the box, over 100 in the slot and nearly 400 at free safety. He’s active and smart against the run, but also looks very comfortable roaming in zone coverage. I think he’ll rack up more takeaways this season, which will solidify him as a first round pick.
15 Drew Mestemaker | QB, Oklahoma State
Mestemaker is the true wildcard of this quarterback class after transferring to Oklahoma State from North Texas. He’s very light on his feet with the ability to make highlight throws with minimal lower body effort. His North Texas tape reminded me of Sam Darnold’s playstyle at USC, but now he needs to succeed against a higher level of competition.
16 Sammy Brown | LB, Clemson
Brown has stuffed the stat sheet for Clemson over the last two seasons. The former high school state championship wrestler has borderline elite speed for the position. His ability to come to balance as a tackler with great grip strength is a weapon against the run. He headlines what looks like a strong off ball linebacker class.
17 Jadan Bough | RB, Florida
At nearly 230 pounds Bough has excellent size, but shocking movement skills while carrying that level of mass. He doesn’t have homerun hitting speed, but shows an explosive jump cut to make defenders miss in the hole. I love what he brings to the pass game showing off natural hands and urgency to get up the field after the catch. He’s an advanced pass protector for a college player, which will be a big bonus for an NFL staff.
18 KJ Duff | WR, Rutgers
At 6’5, 225 pounds Duff is a power forward at wide receiver. He’s got big, reliable hands and does a very good job shielding the coverage to finish plays. 30 of his 60 catches last season went for 15+ yards. He’s not at this level yet, but there is so much of his game that reminds me of Nico Collins.
19 Charlier Becker | WR, Indiana
If you need a size and speed wide out, clearly this is the draft class for you. Becker is tall, explosive and fast with the ability to power through press coverage. When Indiana had him run a bigger route tree, even his change of direction stood out. After having 28 catches for 574 yards in Indiana’s final eight games last year, he’s poised for a monster season.
20 Ellis Robinson | IV CB, Georgia
Robinson is a smart, physical outside corner that often puts himself in the right position against both the pass and run. I love how he plays with little fear to challenge wide receivers at the line of scrimmage and he’s especially feisty at the catch point.
21 Clev Lubin | EDGE, Louisville
Lubin is a compact pass rusher with NFL muscle and a notable first step off the ball. He shows off active hands to furiously work through blockers and has a wide array of moves to keep them guessing. His consistency last year was remarkable, racking up 6+ pressures in 7 of Louisville’s games. It helps that he’s already faced NFL caliber tackles in college, beating Blake Miller for a sack last season.
22 Kewan Lacy | RB, Mississippi
Lacy’s footwork is light and electric, with short area make-you-miss ability that creates chunk gains. He needs more polish in the pass game and to keep the ball off the ground in 2026, but there are shades of Dalvin Cook from him as a pure runner.
23 Austin Siereveld | OL, Ohio State
Siereveld did an admirable job at left tackle last season, but the 325 pounder should be even more dominant at guard this year for the Buckeyes. He’s a complete difference maker for Ohio State in the zone run game.
24 Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa | LB, Notre Dame
Viliamu-Asa is big and fast in the open field but also possesses the ability to contribute as a pass rusher/blitzer. He’s working his way back from a torn ACL, but he is a versatile difference maker in the front seven when healthy.
25 Mario Craver | WR, Texas A&M
Craver is small and light, but he possesses blazing, game changing speed. He created nearly 600 yards after the catch in 2025. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands with upper tier acceleration and a spin move that leaves defenders stuck in the mud.
26 Tae Johnson | SAF, Notre Dame
Johnson is a tall safety with length and ball skills. He’s a difference maker on the back end that can jump throws and change the game at any moment.
27 Damon Wilson | EDGE, Miami
Wilson is a twitchy edge rusher that loves going into attack mode. He beats the outside shoulder of offensive tackles with a sturdy cross chop. He ends up on the ground against the run more than you’d prefer, but his development should only sky rocket after transferring to Miami.
28 Chris Cole | LB, Georgia
Cole is a dense linebacker with standout sideline to sideline range. With a much bigger role on deck in 2026, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the top 20 the next time these rankings are updated.
29 PJ Williams | OL, SMU
Williams has been SMU’s starting right tackle for the previous two seasons and has really blossomed into an impressive player. The 2025 team captain is incredibly smooth into his pass sets, with agile footwork that stems from his high school basketball background.
He’s about as battle tested as they come, facing off against the edge rushers from Clemson, Louisville and Miami in 2025 (he held up strong against Reuben Bain). Williams isn’t the biggest tackle or most physically dominant, but he plays with an edge as a run blocker and looks like a future NFL starter.
30 John Henry Daley | EDGE, Michigan
Daley was a menace for Utah last year before rupturing his Achilles, posting 11.5 sacks and a ridiculous 23% pass rush win rate. He rarely loses his balance and displays a wide array of moves including a rip, two handed swipe and spin move.
31 Kelley Jones | CB, Mississippi State
At just a shade under 6’4, Jones is a uniquely built corner that dominates in man coverage. With huge strides, he unlocks easy recovery speed down the field and wins at the catch point with his length.
32 Trevor Lauck | OT, Iowa
Lauck is a hyper aware tackle that stalls power rushers with strong hands. I love the precision and timing he shows as a run blocker, landing on his assignments with explosive power.
33 Yhonzae Pierre | EDGE, Alabama
Pierre is a versatile front seven defender that rushes the passer as a traditional EDGE but also plays stand up linebacker. He’s raw and unbalanced as a pass rusher, but is tough, plays with good leverage and is determined especially against the run.
34 Ashton Hampton | CB, Clemson
Hampton is another gigantic corner in this class that plays with an ideal level of physicality. He’s more comfortable in zone coverage and looks like a strong safety when tasked with blowing up screens and the quick passing game.
35 Trey'Dez Green | TE, LSU
At nearly 6’7, Green looks like a small forward on a football field. He runs like a wide receiver and makes highlight reel catches where he climbs the ladder over the coverage. The effort and desire as a blocker is there, but he needs to add mass to his lower half and is always fighting uphill in the leverage battle.
36 Zabien Brown | CB, Alabama
Brown is a speedy corner that really trusts his legs and rarely gets grabby. His instincts and physicality against wide receivers hasn’t caught up to the athletic traits he possesses, but I really like his compete level.
37 Jamari Johnson | TE, Oregon
Johnson uses his quick feet and upper body to sell fakes for separation. He does a really good job finishing plays with soft hands and has little fear of collisions with defenders to gain extra yards with the ball in his hands. He doesn’t have overly impressive speed and could still add mass to his frame, but he is a well rounded pass catcher.
38 Zach Lutmer | CB, Iowa
Tell me if you’ve heard this before: Iowa has a smart, physical corner that plays a ton of snaps in the slot and tackles like a safety. Lutmer shows off really good eye discipline and finishes plays to take away the football. This type of player has become very valuable in today’s NFL.
39 Tavion Gadson | DL, Kentucky
Gadson is an explosive and overall athletic gap shooting presence with pass rush juice. An NFL front that demands their DL get off the ball and attack up the field will love his game.
40 Trinidad Chambliss | QB, Mississippi
There are understandable doubts about Chambliss as a prospect, notably that his verified height is 5’11 ⅞” and he’ll be playing his final college season as a 24 year old. With all of that being said, there is so much to like about this player.
He’s got plenty of arm, a springy lower half, attacks all three levels with confidence and seems to get better as the lights get brighter. He’s a worthy day two gamble.
41 Ryan Coleman-Williams | WR, Alabama
Which Ryan Coleman-Williams will we get this year? The speedy, big play threat that consistently puts corners into recovery mode or a receiver held back by lack of play strength and unreliable hands? The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, which is why he’s just outside my top 40.
42 Carter Smith | OL, Indiana
Smith is a smooth and polished college tackle that enters what will be his fourth year as a full time starter. His mediocre length and lighter build might push him to an interior position at the NFL level, but his reliability makes him very valuable.
43 Bryant Wesco | WR, Clemson
Wesco has explosive acceleration and plays fast with and without the ball. He averaged over 17 yards per catch in 2024 and 2025, showing off above average body control and tracking. He suffered a significant season ending injury last October, but if he returns to form he’s a legit big play threat through the air.
44 LaNorris Sellers | QB, South Carolina
There is a lot to like about Sellers: he’s a multi-time team captain, has great size, generates easy zip on his throws and is a power runner both as a scrambler and off designed runs. The pass protection in front of him was not pretty in 2025, but his internal clock and sack rate makes him a project quarterback. His traits will be tantalizing for NFL scouts, but there are a lot of signal callers in this class that play the position more efficiently than him.
45 Bear Alexander | DL, Oregon
Alexander wins from multiple alignments and brings rare pass rush juice while lined up at nose tackle. He’s quick off the ball for his size with a violent initial strike, but he needs to show he can handle double teams against the better competition on Oregon’s schedule.
46 Jayden Maiava | QB, USC
Maiava is a multi-year starter with a big frame. He has an average arm, but shows he’s got multiple clubs in his bag. I’d argue he’s the best touch thrower in the country and displays the ability to make full field reads.
47 Kade Pieper | IOL, Iowa
Pieper was elite in the run game in 2025 as Iowa’s starting right guard. He has the type of athleticism where he could play any of the three interior spots at the NFL level.
48 Nick Marsh | WR, Indiana
Marsh is raw before and at the catch point, but his size and power allows him to be a complete bully with the ball in his hands. Indiana’s ability to develop talent, especially at wide receiver, should help him significantly tap into his high ceiling.
49 Matayo Uiagalelei | EDGE, Oregon
Uiagalelei has an ideal build for a future pro edge rusher and plays with good raw strength. He’s not overly explosive or fast, but his pass rush plan varies both power and agility. He’s starting to tap into a long arm that could become a go-to move in 2026 and beyond.
50 Greg Johnson | IOL, Minnesota
Greg Johnson is a massive guard prospect that is simply difficult to power through. It is an incredible bonus that he has played all five spots on the offensive line in college.
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