27 Draft: Previewing the Hallowed QB Class
Getting you ready for the 2026 college football season with a guide of quarterbacks to watch for the 2027 NFL Draft.
We’ve heard “next year’s class” so often throughout the years that it’s become little more than the butt of a joke. The words don’t carry weight any longer, and now when you say it, you’re accused of engaging in hyperbole. That’s just the world we live in today - the draft analysts who cried “wolf” for so long.
But, as I begin to gear up for the season and start my studies on the 2027 NFL Draft class, I can’t help but feel like this is the year when “next year’s class” bears tremendous weight. I’ve done all the summer scouting I’m going to do on this class, so I figured it’s time to reset, look at the group as a whole, sort these dudes into buckets, and share my findings. Let’s preview what is shaping up to be one of the more hallowed quarterback classes in NFL history.
The Headliners
Barring injury or a major down-trend in 2026, I’m comfortable projecting each of these four guys as cornerstone pieces worth building around. I see these four as the true “franchise guys” in this class.
Arch Manning, Texas - I liked Manning’s tape a lot more than I thought I would after seeing how his 2025 season panned out. He didn’t exactly get off to a hot start last season, but man, he corrected course down the stretch and started to show why he’s such a highly touted prospect. I found an inconsistent quality to his game…I’d like to see the ball come out quicker sometimes, he made some unnecessarily risky throws, and the ball placement is clearly impacted greatly when he’s under pressure. But, you still see the elite talent - drive on deep balls, wiggle and acceleration as a runner, and a natural fluidity as a passer (it looks easy to him). Where I was surprised was in his ability to just get out there and run that Texas offense. He seems a lot more comfortable “playing quarterback” than I initially gave him credit for. I don’t think he’s a lock to be QB1 next spring, but if he irons out some of those inconsistencies, he will live up to that franchise quarterback expectation.
Darian Mensah, Miami - I’m putting Mensah in with the headliners because I think he’s going to have a season at Miami that will have him skyrocketing up boards. His game against Clemson last season is such a clutch performance - it was the first game that made my “favorite tape I’ve watched this cycle” list for the 2027 Draft Guide. Mensah just isn’t as talented as the other guys in this tier of quarterbacks. I mean, you have to call it like you see it, right? There’s a raw arm talent element of Mensah’s game that is just lacking when you compare it to Manning, LaNorris Sellers, and Brendan Sorsby. He’s closer to Dante Moore, but even Moore has him beat in my opinion. He’s not a dynamic runner either. He has some wiggle in the pocket, and he can certainly move the chains on occasion. But, he’s not a threat to tuck the ball and churn rushing yardage. Where he excels, and where I think he’s probably second to only Moore in this class, is in his ability to read a defense and process in real time. That’s his elite trait - he makes some really advanced throws for a college quarterback, leading receivers open, throwing into tight windows, and throwing accurately under pressure. By season’s end, I won’t be surprised if we’re calling him the most NFL-ready quarterback in this class, and I already think he can start quite early in his NFL career.
Dante Moore, Oregon - Moore is the top dawg in this class heading into the 2026 season in my opinion. There is a calm demeanor to his game that no one else in this class has. The feet are calm, he makes an effort to reset them on the move, and he can execute the Oregon offense well under pressure. He occasionally puts the ball in harm’s way. But, I like his ability to run an offense, read and process in real time, and he’s talented enough as a passer to make every NFL throw. He can really rip the ball up the seam, and he can drop it in the bucket down the sideline. I wouldn’t say he’s the most dynamic rusher, but he has some wiggle and can make defenses pay if they don’t account for him. Some of his throws do seem a bit predetermined - like he’s locking in on his target off the snap and not doing anything to look off a safety or pump fake. He had an ugly interception in the Northwestern game because of this. But, those moments feel like blips to me. If I had to guess as to why Moore developed a reputation as a “boring” prospect among fans, I’d say it’s because he doesn’t have a lot of those splash/wow plays on his tape. He’s not the guy that’s accumulating SportsCenter Top 10 plays, but he’s just so consistently good that I don’t think you truly appreciate it unless you sit down with a candle lit and some brown water (neat) in hand and watch the way he manages a game. He’s NFL-ready and he’s talented enough to make an instant impact - I’m already excited about the possibility of seeing him pair up with Bobby Slowik in Miami.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina - I’ve heard analysts place Sellers as high as QB2 in this class, and while I can’t quite get there with him just yet, I do see the vision. My biggest hangup with Sellers is just how far he has to go in terms of ball placement. I think he’s better as a passer than some analysts will give him credit for, but he still has to become more accurate if he’s truly going to become the top-five-caliber quarterback he has the talent to become. Some of it is probably the byproduct of playing for multiple offensive coordinators behind a shoddy at best offensive line. I do get the sense that he’s more of the rein-it-in type than the start-from-scratch type. But, the inconsistent ball placement is an issue for me. That said, he has the most talented arm in this class. He can effortlessly sling the ball 50 yards down the field with the flick of a wrist. He can put zip on the underneath stuff to fire balls into closing windows quickly. And, though it’s not consistent, he does flash the ability to take some off the ball and throw with touch. His super power is in his rushing ability, where he has some juice, but more importantly, he’s so damn tough to bring down. He’s competitive as all get-out and when he gets moving, you just can’t stop him with a half-ass tackle attempt. With a good season and improvement in the accuracy department, there’s no doubt in my mind that Sellers will be a top 10 pick - he just has to realize that potential.
First Round Hopefuls
These guys need some work, but with a good year, they could ascend to that “headliner” first round status.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss - You can’t help but appreciate the stones on Trinidad Chambliss. I love his story, how he rose to the occasion at Ole Miss, and I do think he can really rip it as a passer. To me, there’s a little Bo Nix in his ability to run in the open field. But, the consistency when it comes to touch passes, and the accuracy when it comes to ball placement are both major question marks heading into 2026. He has talent, and he has heart - there’s no question about that. For me, it’s about the whole “playing quarterback” aspect of the evaluation that needs a little tweaking.
Sam Leavitt, LSU - Leavitt is equipped with pure talent - arm and legs alike. He can effortlessly drive the ball down the field, and he can throw some beautiful rainbows. As a runner, he has some juice too. I won’t argue with the fact that Leavitt is probably one of the 2-3 most talented quarterbacks in this class. But, there is a predetermined nature to his game - he seems to lock in on his target and stare them down. I can’t get a sense of what his natural feel for the position is like, and I think that leads to some inconsistent tape. Luckily, he’s working with Lane Kiffin at LSU this year, who has proven he can turn talent into first round draft picks. If Leavitt improves in how he reads defenses and runs an offense, he has the talent to be a top 10 pick.
Jayden Maiava, USC - There’s a polished quality to Maiava’s game that I didn’t necessarily expect to find when watching his tape. He has some really nice throws when he looks off a safety and then layers it over a linebacker. He seems comfortable under pressure, and is a decent timing thrower. He consistently puts the ball where only his guy can get it. He has some decent arm talent and wiggle as a runner, but I wouldn’t call him “dynamic.” My big hangup with him is how willing he is to allow his throwing motion to devolve quickly. He’s far too comfortable throwing across his body, off his back foot, etc. when the play breaks down. If he continues to show his strengths off at USC while showing he can rein in some of the reckless play, he could be a major riser this season.
Don’t Be Surprised If…
These are potential “buy low” candidates whose stock has fallen over the last year, but could right the ship quite easily because of their talent.
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA - He is undoubtedly one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in this class. He throws with natural torque, he runs with acceleration, and he has the confidence to throw any ball he needs to (for better or for worse). But, he has to improve the decision-making and show he can read a defense. If he does that, he could very well ascend to first round status.
John Mateer, Oklahoma - I make no apologies for how much I love John Mateer. I watched some of his Washington State tape thinking he’d be in the 2026 Draft, but he opted to go back to Oklahoma. Catching up on his fabled Michigan game got me hyped up for his potential. To me, his ceiling is Gardner Minshew’s ability to run an offense with Cam Ward’s mentality and arm talent. That’s based on tape though, and there’s an entire dynamic about who the person is that we can’t get from watching tape - so, with that in mind, we’re going to pretend we never heard him at SEC Media Days say, when asked about reading SEC defenses, “there’s not really any time to think. If someone is open you just throw it to them.” Mateer is consistently off with his timing, and he does make some reckless decisions that you just have to live with with a quarterback like him. But, he has the arm talent to play in the NFL. He’s built like a linebacker (which, I’ve heard some analysts say isn’t a good thing for the quarterback position (it can impact his torque and throwing motion)), and runs like a fullback. And, he can certainly run that Oklahoma offense. I think he’s underrated, but let’s see how he recovers from that thumb injury that led to some really bad tape down the stretch in 2025. If he irons out some of the decision-making stuff and can grow to be more of an anticipatory passer, I won’t be surprised if he’s the guy that sneaks into the last few picks of the first round.
Brendan Sorsby, Free Agent - Man, I get the hype. I really do. You watch just five plays of Sorsby, and you’re going to witness a little nugget that will have you salivating about his potential. He has an effortless rocket of an arm, he runs the ball like Josh Allen, and he makes a handful of legitimate WOW throws in every game. But, he is so raw in terms of his ball placement that it freaks me out. I’m no quarterback guru, so I don’t know what exactly he needs to change to get right, but he has some wild misses in every game. For every bucket, it feels like he has three wild misses, and that’s just too off for my liking. I think he’s a guy that needs to go somewhere where he can sit and develop for a while, but who knows? It only takes one team to really covet that skill set to make him a first rounder. I heard Todd McShay, on a recent episode of The McShay Show, say that he’s already been invited to the Senior Bowl, and most expect him to be there. He needs a killer week in Mobile to really get some of that first round buzz back.
Two Years of Eligibility Left
I didn’t do any tape study on these guys, despite seeing all of their names on mock drafts. I just don’t know that it’s an acceptable use of summer scouting time right now. The way the game is trending with NIL and the transfer portal, I think guys are going to lean towards staying in college longer. I won’t be surprised if a couple of these guys declare for 2027, but to me, why enter a loaded class and decrease your chances of going top 10 or in the first round? Declare in 2028 and maybe you’re the top dawg.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
DJ Lagway, Baylor
Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Tape Study Pending
I didn’t get around to these guys, but they each have their own fans in draft circles.
Josh Hoover, Indiana
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
Demond Williams, Washington
Still Exist
These guys figure to be a part of the 2027 class, and while they’re not exactly entering the season with a ton of buzz, they’ve all been heralded in their own right at some point along the way, and could theoretically benefit should they bounce back in 2025.
Jackson Arnold, UNLV
Byrum Brown, Auburn
Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
Noah Fifita, Arizona
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Conner Weigman, Houston
A Historic Class
The record for quarterbacks drafted in the first round is six (set in 1983 and matched in 2024). The record for quarterbacks drafted in a seven-round draft is 17. When the draft was at 12 rounds in 1976, 25 quarterbacks were drafted. I wouldn’t be surprised to see all three of those records broken next spring.
Where this class bucks the “next year’s class” curse is not in its depth of generational prospects. Instead, it is a brute force of sheer volume.
I just listed 25 quarterbacks! When I ask myself who among the list could theoretically make a push for a first round drafting…that is to say, “would it surprise me to see this guy go on a run that takes him to the first round?”…I look at 15 names and say “yeah, there’s a timeline in the multiverse where that could happen.” FIFTEEN NAMES! That’s not even including NC State’s CJ Bailey, who has his fair share of supporters. Personally, I think Bailey is more of a 2028 prospect, but who knows? Say what you will about Dylan Raiola, but he’s a talented kid that is technically eligible for the 2027 Draft. There’s Dylan Lonergan at Rutgers. There’s Jaden Rashada at Mississippi State. There’s Max Johnson at Georgia Southern. And, that’s not even taking the FCS crop of quarterbacks into account. There are 30+ bodies that could feasibly make a case for being drafted next spring. Somebody pick my jaw up off the floor.
I know you’re all probably chuckling at me here - “there goes Stoney and his affinity for late-round/UDFA players again.” And, I get that. I’ve earned that throughout the years. I don’t have an issue with it, and I do not apologize for it. But, I’m telling you all that when people say this is lining up to be a historic quarterback class, this is why - there are so many horses in the race that it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. They’re lining up at the track, and we’re only a few weeks away from guns firing and the race starting. It’s going to be fun to watch all season long.
If I had to go ahead and rank these guys based on who I’ve watched, I’d have ‘em at:
Dante Moore, Oregon
Darian Mensah, Miami
Arch Manning, Texas
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
John Mateer, Oklahoma