This is a listing of the players that appear most likely to be selected in round one of the 2027 NFL Draft. Note that many have remaining NCAA eligibility beyond the 2026 season and may opt to stay in college for 2027. -Lou
Moore has been out since taking a cheap-shot hit to the head against USC. If he goes pro, Moore is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks drafted.
Off to a monster start: 1,438 passing yards, 15 TDs, 0 INTs. Another success story for the Hurricanes and their finishing school for exceptional quarterback prospects.
His name value will keep Manning in likely first-round consideration, but it has been a bit of a slide for Manning in 2026 according to how a number of top scouts see it.
While his 6'0" height works against him as an NFL prospect, Chambliss has maintained the elite form he showed during Ole Miss' run to the 2025 CFP semifinals. With the new fifth year of NCAA eligibility in play, Chambliss and USC QB Jayden Maiava are the only two top-tier quarterback prospects guaranteed to be in the draft.
MORE: 2027 draft-eligible high-profile QBs with multiple years of NCAA eligibility remaining include:
While Baugh hasn't kept the blistering pace he showed to begin the season, he has been an impressive force for Florida, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and posting 12 touchdowns in six games.
There was considerable hype for Becker coming into the season after IU's national championship run, and Becker has met if not exceeded the pre-season buzz to this point.
One of the top recruits in his high school class, Coleman has demonstrated his skill with Texas this season after transferring in from Auburn. Has a great catch radius.
RCW is an exceptional playmaker who had a 2024 freshman season that put all of college football on notice. The NFL values high-end speed above nearly everything else, and Coleman-Williams fits the bill with that.
It really looks like a two-player race for the top tight end spot. Green has been out with injury, but he's a 6'7" athletic freak with tight end size and high-end speed. He's expected to return to action next month.
Johnson has only played in three games thus far in 2026 due to injury, but the 6'5" talent is expected to play a key role for the Ducks as they try to turn their season around.
Johnson is an iOL who was on plenty of scouting radars entering the season, but he's been the biggest riser to-date among the top prospects. Lots of mid-first talk at this point.
Pieper entered the season as the top interior offensive line prospect on many lists, and he's still tracking as a first-round pick. Well-rounded and excellent at pass blocking.
Siereveld is excellent as a pass blocker, and that trait will get you attention from the NFL. Also very effective against the run with tremendous versatility.
Smith is an interesting prospect, a tweener who might fit best as a guard in the NFL but has the versatility to fit several spots on the offensive line.
Generally viewed as the top draft-eligible defensive tackle, Echoles is especially skilled at forcing pressure on passing plays. Top ten is a legit possibility as it looks now, possibly even top five.
Exceptionally skilled as an interior pass rusher, Moten has a tremendous motor. His high-end pass rushing skill is unusual and a trait that is more valuable than ever in the modern NFL.
Washington is incredibly athletic for his size and likely would've been a 2026 first-round pick had he not returned to Oregon for this season. Uniquely great at batting passes. A high-energy performer.
I'm including Stone because Mel Kiper mentioned that he could enter the Round 1 discussion. Stone is tremendous against the run and notably has 35" arms, making it tough to beat him on initial contact. My hesitation is a reflection of what the NFL prioritizes today at DT (interior pass rushing), but Stone could prove to be the exception to the trend.
Stewart returned from suspension to record five tackles and a sack in South Carolina's win at Florida this past Saturday. Stewart had double-digit tackles for loss in both 2024 and 2025.
Bouncing back from a 2024 torn ACL, Traore collected 10 tackles for loss for the Irish in 2025. He already has 5.5 TFLs in 2026, including 3.5 sacks. Traore matches a quick first step with exceptional timing on the snap and a wide array of pass-rush attacks.
At nearly 6'7" and with a 78-inch wingspan, Heldt is tough to stop as a pass rusher. Has a high motor and is building on back-to-back seasons of double-digit tackles for loss, including 15.5 last season. To date, Heldt has 6.5 TFLs on the season.
Now in his fourth year at Oregon, Uiagalelei has recorded 29 career tackles for loss, including 23.5 sacks. Great frame and arm length, good field awareness as well.
One of the top pass-rushers in college football, Lubin isn't as well-rounded as some EDGE prospects, but his ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks is elite. Some scouts are saying round two, but I look at Lubin's production and think round one is a distinct possibility.
Wilson has an incredible burst off the snap and great closing speed. High-motor athlete who had a strong showing against Clemson with 2.5 sacks. There's an explosiveness to Wilson's game.
Daley has proven that he has recovered fully from the torn Achilles that ended his 2025 season at Utah. In just 11 games last year, Daley collected 17.5 tackles for loss, including 11.5 sacks.
There aren't many people with the ability Cole has to effectively play both off-ball linebacker and EDGE rusher on passing downs. Cole already has 7.5 tackles for loss on the season, including 2.5 collected in Georgia's win at Alabama.
A probable top-ten pick, Moore is likely going to be the first defensive back drafted in 2027. His elite length and frame fit with his fluidity and man-coverage dominance. Exceptional at forcing incompletions.
Hampton has tremendous speed to go with great size for the position. Very physical, a hard hitter who is skilled at breaking up passes; he had nine deflections last year and already has nine this season. A natural playmaker and a great tackler.
An instinctive playmaker, Robinson has tremendous closing speed. Great tackler and a hard-hitter. In 2025, Robinson had seven deflections and four interceptions.
At 6'4", Jones has great size and an exceptional wingspan. Athletes with his size seldom have his elite level of speed. Particularly effective in man coverage, Jones is the epitome of a shutdown corner.
Ultra high-end speed like Brown is believed to have (4.35 40-yard dash range) is an eternally valued trait in the NFL. He's an explosive playmaker and a excellent tackler.
Most scouts have Bolden as the top safety on their board. Bolden has elite speed and is an exceptional tackler, which is an unusual combination. High-level on pass coverage as well.
Johnson has only appeared in one game this season after suffering a foot injury against Wisconsin. He had a breakout 2025 season with four interceptions and 48 total tackles, and despite the injury concerns, many top evaluators still see Johnson as a viable first-round prospect.
Perhaps the biggest riser of the early part of the draft process, the 6'5" Lopa is unusually tall for the position. A transfer from Oregon, Lopa is extremely fast with great instincts. He opened the season with five interceptions in his first three games, including three against Syracuse. Also great against the run.
