Wilson’s 2027 NFL mock draft: Browns land Arch Manning, Dante Moore is first player off the board

The hype train for the 2027 quarterback class is full speed ahead after Week 1 of the college football season. Dante Moore, my QB1 and the No. 1 player on my preseason big board, threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns in Oregon’s win over Boise State, while Arch Manning (QB2, BB2) went 20 of 27 for 305 yards with four touchdowns and an interception as Texas rolled Texas State. It’s September, so this race is just getting started, but both looked like the versions we saw at points last season — and if it continues, we’ll be having this conversation for the next seven months.

But they’re not alone. Two other QBs cracked Round 1.

Ohio State’s Julian Sayin was already one of my first-round quarterbacks off the summer tape because of his patience, accuracy and ability to consistently keep the offense on schedule, and our preseason FRED model — which measures how closely a quarterback’s college profile resembles historical future first-round picks — only strengthened that case. USC’s Jayden Maiava was another quarterback the model liked, and he’s where the tape and the numbers really start to line up, with the arm talent, mobility and aggressiveness to create big plays and a production profile that already looks a lot like what we’ve historically seen from future first-rounders.

But this class isn’t just about the quarterbacks. There’s depth along the offensive line and at wide receiver, with Jordan Seaton and Jeremiah Smith leading the way. Defensively, the class looks just as deep, particularly along the defensive line, at edge rusher and in the secondary.

One last thing, and this is important: The draft order was determined using the reverse Super Bowl odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Jets have three first-round picks: their own, the Cowboys’ from the Quinnen Williams trade and the Colts’ from the Sauce Gardner trade. The Cowboys have the Packers’ selection from the Micah Parsons trade.

OK, let’s get to it!

NFL MOCK DRAFT

Round 1

Round 1 – Pick 1 Dante Moore QB OREGON • SR • 6’3″ / 220 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Miami PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 3rd PAYDS 378 RUYDS -5 INTS 0 TDS 3 Moore would have been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not decided to return to Oregon. He’s No. 1 on my preseason big board, and my QB1 and that hasn’t changed a week into the college football season. The bigger question is whether the Dolphins will be in the market for a QB or if Malik Willis is the long-term answer.

Round 1 – Pick 2 Jeremiah Smith WR OHIO STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 222 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Arizona PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st REC 8 REYDS 151 YDS/REC 18.9 TDS 2 Smith is better than Marvin Harrison Jr. coming out of Ohio State. And if the rest of the 2026 season goes like 2024 and 2025, the comps to Julio Jones, Megatron and/or Terrell Owens will intensify. Obviously, the Cards could be in the QB business here unless Carson Beck pulls a Tyler Shough in 2026.

Round 1 – Pick 3 Arch Manning QB TEXAS • SR • 6’4″ / 222 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 305 RUYDS 6 INTS 1 TDS 4 Arch finished the 2025 season strong after a sluggish start. He picked up where he left off in the ’26 opener vs. Texas State. If we see more of that version of Manning, we’ll spend much of the next seven months debating who is QB1.

Round 1 – Pick 4 Colin Simmons EDGE TEXAS • JR • 6’3″ / 246 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 2nd TACKLES 0 SACKS 0 FF 0 INTS 0 Do you want Will Anderson Jr. or Patrick Surtain II here? That was the choice for me — either Simmons, who is an elite, game-changing pass rusher, or Leonard Moore, who is as close to a shutdown corner as you’ll find in today’s game. The Raiders have spent a lot of resources trying to fix the secondary, so I’m leaning toward Simmons here. But it’s close.

Round 1 – Pick 5 Leonard Moore CB NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’2″ / 197 LBS PROJECTED TEAM N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st QB was an obvious consideration here, but a) the Jets have TWO more first-round picks in 2026, b) I think we see a bounce-back season from Geno Smith, and c) Leonard Moore might be the best pure football player in the class not named Jeremiah Smith.

Round 1 – Pick 6 Will Echoles DL OLE MISS • JR • 6’3″ / 315 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 3rd Tennessee has some young pieces on the edge in Oladejo and Faulk, and there’s always the possibility that Jermaine Johnson II is part of the longer-term plan. Echoles gives them something different inside — a disruptive, powerful presence who can bolster the middle of the defense and take some pressure off the guys around him.

Round 1 – Pick 7 Dylan Stewart EDGE SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’5″ / 250 LBS PROJECTED TEAM New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st The Saints have to get younger off the edge. Chase Young isn’t a long-term answer, this is Cam Jordan’s swan song, and Stewart gives them the type of explosive, high-upside pass rusher that can contribute right away.

Round 1 – Pick 8 Cam Coleman WR TEXAS • JR • 6’3″ / 204 LBS PROJECTED TEAM N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 3 REYDS 70 YDS/REC 23.3 TDS 2 The easiest way to explain this: Coleman can be Tee Higgins to Malik Nabers’ Ja’Marr Chase. He has the size and high-point ability to win outside, and pairing him with Nabers would give Jaxson Dart two very big problems for defenses to solve.

Round 1 – Pick 9 Trey’Dez Green TE LSU • JR • 6’7″ / 242 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Carolina PROSPECT RNK 62nd POSITION RNK 4th REC 4 REYDS 58 YDS/REC 14.5 TDS 0 Tommy Tremble is in the final year of his current deal, and if Bryce Young is the long-term answer, they’ll need to continue to surround him with playmakers.

Round 1 – Pick 10 Jordan Seaton OT LSU • JR • 6’5″ / 311 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Washington PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd Laremy Tunsil will be 33 next season and he won’t play in 2026 because of a torn pectoral. Seaton, who transferred from Colorado to LSU, and has a chance to be OT1 in this class, will bookend 2025 first-rounder, RT Josh Conerly Jr.

From Dallas Cowboys Round 1 – Pick 11 Julian Sayin QB OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 214 LBS PROJECTED TEAM N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 85th POSITION RNK 7th PAYDS 320 RUYDS -9 INTS 0 TDS 4 Sayin is patient, accurate and already plays the position with a level of efficiency that historically has been a very good sign for future first-round quarterbacks; the question in 2026 is whether he can keep doing it while showing more when things break down around him.

Round 1 – Pick 12 Charlie Becker WR INDIANA • JR • 6’4″ / 208 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 4 REYDS 64 YDS/REC 16 TDS 2 Woo boy, this team suddenly has a ton of needs. They’ve tried to rebuild the defense and injuries (Jalon Walker) and off-field issues (James Pearce) have conspired against them. And while QB is a glaring question, is QB4 in this class an obvious upgrade (the answer is probably no better than “maybe”)? Right tackle is on the to-do list as well, but for all the media love for Trevor Goosby, NFL teams have real concerns about him playing more consistently. If he shows that, he’ll have a chance to be a top-15 pick. Which is all to say that Charlie Becker feels like the safest bet here, especially with not much depth behind Drake London.

Round 1 – Pick 13 David Stone DL OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’3″ / 315 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 1st “A high-motor defensive lineman with quick feet who can get off blocks early in the rep to be a consistent disruptive presence in the backfield” — sounds like a perfect fit in a Todd Bowles defense.

Round 1 – Pick 14 Jayden Maiava QB USC • SR • 6’4″ / 230 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK NA POSITION RNK NA PAYDS 635 RUYDS -11 INTS 0 TDS 6 Aaron Rodgers is playing his last season. Will Howard is a former sixth-round pick who wasn’t drafted by Mike McCarthy. And while he did use a third-rounder on Drew Allar, that doesn’t mean the Steelers will be out of the franchise QB business if one falls in their laps next April.

Round 1 – Pick 15 Trevor Lauck OT IOWA • SR • 6’5″ / 314 LBS PROJECTED TEAM L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 5th The Chargers are seemingly incapable of escaping the o-line injury bug. Lauck is one of the best tackles in the class, but like Kadyn Proctor, his immediate NFL future could be at guard depending on circumstances and need.

Round 1 – Pick 16 Jadan Baugh RB FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 225 LBS PROJECTED TEAM San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 2nd RUYDS 160 YDS/ATT 11.4 REYDS 0 TDS 3 The 49ers zig when others expect them to zag when it comes to the draft. They could plan for life after Trent Williams here, or maybe add another receiver. Instead, they get the best back in the class in Jadan Baugh, who reminds me of in-his-prime Le’Veon Bell. That type of player in a Shanahan offense feels like a no-brainer.

Round 1 – Pick 17 Ty Benefield S LSU • SR • 6’3″ / 216 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 57th POSITION RNK 4th Harrison Smith returning for another year is a fun story, but Benefield brings some Brian Flores-level physicality to the position along with deep-range coverage traits.

Round 1 – Pick 18 Justin Scott DL MIAMI (FLA.) • JR • 6’4″ / 303 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 4th It would be easy to just keep adding offensive weapons for Joe Burrow, but no matter how many names they add to the defense, it never feels like enough. So we’re going to continue focusing on that side of the ball; Scott plays with both power and savvy, has a non-stop motor and can win with a quick first step or by manhandling the offensive lineman in front of him into the QB’s lap. Guessing he’ll benefit from playing alongside Sexy Dexy.

From Indianapolis Colts Round 1 – Pick 19 Greg Johnson IOL MINNESOTA • SR • 6’6″ / 325 LBS PROJECTED TEAM N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 2nd Johnson is one of the cleanest interior offensive linemen in the class — technically sound, balanced in pass protection and anchors well — and he’d give New York another young piece to go with Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou up front.

From Green Bay Packers Round 1 – Pick 20 Trevor Goosby OT TEXAS • SR • 6’7″ / 325 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Dallas PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st Goosby is a high-end athlete, but he needs to be more technically sound and play with more consistency. In Dallas, he’ll have an opportunity to play immediately if the team continues to be down on RT Terence Steele.

Round 1 – Pick 21 A’Mauri Washington DL OREGON • SR • 6’3″ / 325 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Chicago PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 2nd Washington is at his best attacking gaps, where his burst, strength, and motor let him disrupt plays before they develop. When he’s locked in, he looks like a true difference-maker who can overwhelm blockers with both quickness and power. The biggest question facing the Bears heading into the season is on defense, and Washington shores up the middle of the D-line.

Round 1 – Pick 22 Ashton Hampton CB CLEMSON • JR • 6’2″ / 205 LBS PROJECTED TEAM New England PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 2nd Even if/when the Pats re-up Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis is in his ninth season, and the depth behind them includes two rookies — one a fifth-rounder and the other an undrafted free agent. Hampton is the most physical corner in the class and he’ll fit right into the New England DB room.

Round 1 – Pick 23 Jamari Johnson TE OREGON • SR • 6’5″ / 255 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 1st REC 4 REYDS 57 YDS/REC 14.3 TDS 1 Right tackle was also a consideration here, but Johnson is a real value here, fills a need, and could be Mahomes’ security blanket while the Chiefs figure out how to get the most out of the WR room.

Round 1 – Pick 24 KJ Bolden S GEORGIA • JR • 6’0″ / 195 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 52nd POSITION RNK 3rd Antonio Johnson enters the season in the final year of his rookie deal, the other safety, Eric Murray, is in his 11th NFL season, and the depth consists of two second-year players who haven’t seen much of the field. Bolden is an athletic, rangy safety with elite closing speed, instincts, and is a consistently solid tackler in the open field.

Round 1 – Pick 25 Ryan Coleman-Williams WR ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 184 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 6th REC 5 REYDS 130 YDS/REC 26 TDS 0 Coleman-Williams needs a bounce-back season after a forgettable 2025. If he looks more like the freshman standout we saw in ’24 — when we all thought he’d battle Jeremiah Smith for WR1 — he’ll be in the Day 1 conversation.

Round 1 – Pick 26 Ellis Robinson IV CB GEORGIA • JR • 6’0″ / 180 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Detroit PROSPECT RNK 44th POSITION RNK 6th The Lions moved on from Terrion Arnold and need to get younger at cornerback. Safety was also a consideration here, but if Detroit can get healthy at the position, they have two of the best in Branch and Joseph. Robinson is a former five-star with elite ball skills who can excel in both man and off-coverage.

Round 1 – Pick 27 Kade Pieper IOL IOWA • SR • 6’3″ / 298 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 1st Pieper plays guard but also has taken snaps at center during his college career. He’s a high-end athlete who would be a perfect fit in the Eagles’ wide-zone scheme.

Round 1 – Pick 28 Chris Cole EDGE GEORGIA • JR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Denver PROSPECT RNK NA POSITION RNK NA “Explosive” is the best way to describe Cole, who can create havoc from off-ball or rushing off the edge. He’s a stout point-of-attack run defender and also flashes fluid coverage skills, and would fit right into a Vance Joseph defense.

Round 1 – Pick 29 Niki Prongos OT STANFORD • SR • 6’7″ / 310 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Houston PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 6th At 24, Prongos is an older prospect, but there’s also no squinting required to see what his ceiling looks like. He’s technically sound, anchors well vs. power, uses his hands as well as anyone in the class, and could step into an interior offensive line role early in his career if needed.

Round 1 – Pick 30 Kenyatta Jackson Jr. EDGE OHIO STATE • SR • 6’6″ / 263 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 68th POSITION RNK 9th At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Jackson feels like a Ravens edge rusher. He’s a “get off the bus first” guy who flashes big-time ability, he just needs to put it all together to take the leap into Day 1.

Round 1 – Pick 31 Yhonzae Pierre EDGE ALABAMA • SR • 6’4″ / 251 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Seattle PROSPECT RNK 47th POSITION RNK 6th Pierre doesn’t know that he’s only 244 pounds because he’s a twitched-up pass rusher who plays with elite leverage, explosive bull-rush ability, and the ability to make plays from the edge or off-ball. Put another way: he feels like the perfect weapon for Mike MacDonald.

From Los Angeles Rams Round 1 – Pick 32 Ahmad Moten Sr. DL MIAMI (FLA.) • SR • 6’3″ / 300 LBS PROJECTED TEAM Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 46th POSITION RNK 6th Offensive line could also be a target here for the Bro