This is usually when we begin talking about the potential pool of prospects for the upcoming NFL draft . But NFL scouts and personnel people have been anticipating this 2027 class for a while, and discussions about it started long ago.
We've all heard the hype. After two weaker drafts in a row, we've been promised that the 2027 group of players will be excellent.
Excitement has built around names such as Arch Manning , Dante Moore , Jeremiah Smith and Leonard Moore . And teams have stockpiled 2027 picks to take advantage of the talent and depth we could see next April.
But just how good is this class? Is the acclaim really warranted?
And how can we put this group into historical perspective? Based on conversations with people around the league and my early film study, I answered seven big questions sizing up the potential of the 2027 draft.
Jump to more on: The overall hype | QBs | No. 1 pick Strong positions | Weak position Historic comps | Teams in the best position Is the hype around the 2027 draft class justified?
"Next year's class is loaded." We hear this cliché every year. But in speaking with scouts and executives this summer, I noticed more excitement than normal, and the upcoming 2027 class might actually live up to that standard-issue statement.
The hype is indeed real, and this class is loaded with potential at several premium positions. Many evaluators are particularly excited about the quarterback class; I've heard the word "potential" a lot.
Texas' Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore should be top-five picks, but teams could have many early-round options. If you need an offensive playmaker, keep an eye on wide receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Cam Coleman (Texas).
They look like top-10 guys, and Smith could be one of the best college WRs we've seen in decades. People around the NFL are also excited about this defensive class, which should include some top-level potential cornerstone players.
Defensive line and cornerback stand out the most. "I gave [Notre Dame cornerback Leonard] Moore one of the highest summer grades that I've ever given to a corner," a Midwest area scout said.
"He still needs to work on consistency with his technique, but he has the makings of a shutdown type of guy." A sign that teams are gearing up for this 2027 group? There seemed to be hesitation when it came to trading 2027 draft capital this offseason.
Teams want to keep those picks. We saw that play out in the A.J.
Brown trade , as the Patriots sent a 2028 first-round pick to the Eagles. The QB1 race should be interesting, there are players who can turn around franchises at non-QB spots, and depth at key positions gives the class a major boost.
"There are blue-chip types at the top, and there's depth at key positions, too," an NFC assistant GM said. "The early outlook at receiver, defensive tackle and defensive back is really great, honestly." How many quarterbacks could go in Round 1?
Four. Since 2017, an average of 3.5 passers have been drafted in the first round, with the 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2024 classes seeing at least four Day 1 passers.
I'm going to play it safe and go with four, which is right around average for the past decade. But this class could easily exceed that mark.
I had four in the top 15 of my way-too-early 2027 mock draft in the spring. "Arch [Manning] and Dante [Moore] are the two everyone talks about," an AFC director of scouting said.
"I think there will be a lot of others that emerge, though." It was a tale of two seasons for Manning in 2025, as he got off to a woeful start in a disappointing opening performance against Ohio State . By mid-October, he showed drastic improvement with his field vision and mechanics.
That was viewed as the turning point in his first year under center. "He was simply trying to do too much early on, but I thought he relaxed around midseason and put some really good stuff on tape," an AFC national scout said.
There are skeptics, though. "Everyone's falling in love with the future vision of the player, and he simply hasn't shown anything close to that right now," an NFC scout said.
"I see Daniel Jones when I watch him -- a good, not great, prospect." Based on who I have talked to inside the league, Moore is actually the QB1 favorite right now. He finished with 3,565 passing yards, 30 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in a breakout season.
Moore is an in-balance and timely distributor who completed 71.8% of his passes last season. "An effortless passer that's just