It’s time for my first big board of the 2027 NFL Draft cycle. Usually, I post an initial big board in April or May, but this summer I wanted to take more time to get a grasp on the full scope of this class before publishing anything. Although still incomplete, today’s big board features 200 prospects, including ten players with first round evaluations.
I took a peek at some consensus rankings after I finished drafting this big board. This is probably the furthest gap between me and the consensus I’ve had during the past four or five years of summer scouting. Things might swing my way by the end of August, but I feel on an island with some of my evaluations.
I assembled these rankings using my grades based on each prospect’s 2025 tape and factored in my confidence in player growth and development. There are a few “calling my shot” prospects that I elevated up the board because I wanted them in the top 100.
Most prospects are interchangeable within their own tiers, so (for example) understand that the gap between players No. 45 and No. 65 is not that large at this time. Positional value did not play a meaningful role in these rankings. If I wanted to do a quarterback ranking, I would’ve done that separately. This is my attempt to stack players on a flat scale.
Medical and off-field concerns were not heavy factors in these rankings. We’re still in the early discovery part of the evaluation cycle. Those issues will start impacting prospect rankings when I have more information.
There are still lots of potential top 100 talents I need to evaluate. A full list of prospects I plan to prioritize throughout the remainder of the summer is available at the bottom of this article. I welcome any suggestions you might have for who else I should scout over the next two months.
I apologize for the lack of posts over the past two months. I have still been doing a lot of player evaluations behind the scenes, so regular NFL Draft content will begin being posted on this newsletter soon. My life has been very busy lately thanks to cross-country trips every month for work and beginning to explore home ownership.
Things should start to settle down going into July. Thank you for your patience.
1. Jeremiah Smith, WR Ohio State
2. Dylan Stewart, Edge South Carolina
3. Cam Coleman, WR Texas
4. Trevor Goosby, OT Texas
5. Leonard Moore, CB Notre Dame
6. Colin Simmons, Edge Texas
7. Jordan Seaton, OT LSU
8. David Stone, IDL Oklahoma
9. Justin Scott, IDL Miami
10. Drake Lindsey, QB Minnesota (Late)
Lindsey is only a redshirt sophomore and almost certainly will defer declaring for the NFL Draft until 2028 or 2029. He needs to improve his ability to process and remain cool under pressure, especially from the interior. Lindsey has a tremendous arm, which sometimes results in the ball sailing on him. He’s a true pocket passer with limited mobility and off-platform playmaking ability, but his arm strength and tremendous velocity give him access to windows other quarterbacks in this class struggle to hit. Lindsey displays unique touch and efficiency at the short and intermediate levels for a strong-armed, inexperienced quarterback.
11. Jamari Johnson, TE Oregon
12. Andrew Rappleyea, TE Penn State
Rappleyea will have a lot of competition for touches in Penn State’s tight end room, but he has the combination of size and explosiveness to stretch defenses downfield or create on low-depth touches. He needs to expand his route tree and improve his play strength to perfect his in-line capabilities. Rappleyea is a high-motor in-line blocker who overcomes technical deficiencies with effort. With more time on task, Rappleyea will become a matchup nightmare for defenses.
13. Jordan Ross, Edge LSU
14. Ellis Robinson IV, CB Georgia
15. Greg Johnson, G Minnesota
16. Nick Marsh, WR Indiana
17. Ahmad Hardy, RB Missouri (early)
18. Zabien Brown, CB Alabama
19. Brice Pollock, CB Texas Tech
20. Bryant Wesco Jr., WR Clemson
21. Yhonzae Pierre, Edge Alabama
22. Brauntae Johnson, S Notre Dame
23. Dante Moore, QB Oregon
24. KJ Bolden, S Georgia
25. Anthonie Knapp, G Notre Dame
26. OJ Frederique Jr., CB Miami
27. Marcus Neal Jr., S Penn State
28. Ahmad Moten Sr., IDL Miami
29. Will Echoles, IDL Ole Miss
30. Mike Matthews, WR Tennessee
31. Charlie Becker, WR Indiana
32. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB Notre Dame
33. Darian Mensah, QB Miami
Mensah is a surprisingly chaotic quarterback for a prospect who is regularly praised for his intelligence and execution. His ball placement favors the receiver’s leverage to avoid contested catches. He plays with consistent mechanics within the pocket and is quick enough to extend plays and generate second chance offense. Mensah lacks a rocket arm but consistently hits his receivers in stride on posts and fades. Turnovers are a problem for the Duke transfer. Lapses in vision and the tendency to invite pressure by holding the ball create volatile outcomes.
34. Kewan Lacy, RB Ole Miss
35. Charles Jagusah, G Notre Dame
Jagusah missed all of 2025 after a Utility Terrain Vehicle accident fractured the humerus in his left arm last summer. He has fewer than 200 career offensive snaps despite entering his redshirt junior season. Jagusah is a difficult player to get a handle on, but he’s one of the most athletic and gifted linemen in the country. He just needs to stay on the field.
36. A’Mauri Washington, IDL Oregon
37. Omarion Miller, WR Arizona State
38. Ryan Wingo, WR Texas
39. Trey’Dez Green, TE LSU
40. Jadan Baugh, RB Florida
41. PJ Williams, OT SMU
42. Bear Alexander, IDL Oregon
43. Cayden Green, G Missouri
44. Zach Lutmer, NB Iowa
45. Anthony Donkoh, OT/G Penn State
46. Quincy Rhodes Jr., Edge Arkansas
47. Bryce Young, Edge/DL Notre Dame
48. Boubacar Traore, Edge Notre Dame
49. Anto Saka, Edge Texas A&M
50. Benjamin Brahmer, TE Penn State
51. Sammy Brown, LB Clemson
52. Kelley Jones, CB Mississippi State
Jones is a large corner with the long strides and top speed to prevent receivers from testing him over the top. He dominates in the red zone and against inside releases off the line of scrimmage. However, he is more schematically limited than ideal top cornerback prospects. Jones’ awareness and length pop in zone assignments, but he struggles to decelerate and mirror receivers at the top of the stem in man coverage. His long strides and average foot speed make him vulnerable to proficient route runners.
53. Arch Manning, QB Texas
The number of total clean whiffs on open throws on Manning’s 2025 tape is concerning. His combination of arm strength, creativity, velocity, playmaking, and mobility is terrific, but Manning is far from a complete prospect. His touch and command of the pocket improved in 2025. Now his accuracy (especially downfield), ball placement, and eye discipline need to follow. Manning’s processing speed and ball control when throwing on the move need to be more consistent. As a redshirt junior, he looks more like a 2028 prospect heading into the upcoming season.
54. Trevor Lauck, OT/G Iowa
55. Ezomo Oratokhai, G/C Northwestern
56. Xavier Scott, DB Illinois
57. Koi Perich, S Oregon
58. Taylor Wein, Edge Oklahoma
59. LaNorris Sellers, QB South Carolina
60. Jacarrius Peak, OT/G South Carolina
61. Tavion Gadson, IDL Kentucky
62. Jontez Williams, CB USC
63. Damon Wilson II, Edge Miami
64. Jelani McDonald, S Texas
65. Knijeah Harris, G/C Florida
66. Eryx Daugherty, G Louisville
67. Evan Tengesdahl, G Cincinnati
68. Ian Moore, OT Ohio State
Moore has fewer than 200 career offensive snaps. He’s only a redshirt sophomore, and offensive tackles rarely declare after just one starting season. However, 2027 projects as a weak offensive tackle draft, and Moore possesses the agility, explosiveness, and foundational footwork/movement skills to put together a big year in pass protection.
69. DJ Hicks, IDL Texas A&M
70. Kade Pieper, C Iowa
71. Brendan Sorsby, QB Texas Tech
72. Mario Craver, WR Texas A&M
73. Jayden Maiava, QB USC
Maiava is nowhere near as clean of a quarterback as players like CJ Carr, Josh Hoover, or Julian Sayin. His lower body mechanics are all over the place, and everything from his ball placement to diagnosis of coverages is chaotic. However, he’s a playmaker with the mobility and comfort to create off-platform and warranted arm arrogance. Maiava’s ceiling gives him an advantage over some of his peers in this tier. It would be easier to be optimistic about his future if he wasn’t already a redshirt senior.
74. Theo Melin Ohrstrom, TE SMU
75. Keyjuan Brown, RB Louisville
76. Austin Siereveld, G Ohio State
77. John Henry Daley, Edge Michigan
78. Isaac Brown, RB Louisville
79. Stephiylan Green, IDL LSU
The Tigers have a loaded interior defensive line room that might push Green (a redshirt junior) toward the 2028 NFL Draft. Green possesses a rare combination of flexibility and bullish play strength. His pass rush needs to diversify since it currently revolves entirely around his bull rush. Green is a stout run defender who sets the point of attack and pries up and folds offensive linemen.
80. CJ Carr, QB Notre Dame
Carr is a touch passer capable of ramping up his velocity as needed, although his overall arm strength is still a significant question. He displays clean lower body mechanics and progresses through his reads at a good pace. His anticipation, timing, and ability to use his eyes to hold or move defenders improved throughout 2025. Carr’s decision making on extended dropbacks, accuracy off-platform, lapses in awareness of second level defenders, and inconsistent responses to pressure point toward the redshirt sophomore needing another two seasons to hit his ceiling as a prospect. The North Carolina State tape was by far Carr’s best. He failed to match it for the rest of 2025.
81. DJ Vonnahme, TE Iowa
82. Josh Hoover, QB Indiana
83. Teitum Tuioti, Edge Oregon
84. Zechariah Poyser, S Miami
85. McKale Boley, OT/G Virginia
86. Clev Lubin, Edge Louisville
87. Marquise Lightfoot, Edge Miami
88. Bray Hubbard, S Alabama
89. AJ Holmes Jr., IDL Texas Tech
90. Markis Deal, IDL TCU
91. Adon Shuler, S Notre Dame
92. Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge Oregon
93. Jayden Jackson, IDL Oklahoma
94. Kris Jones, Edge Boston College
95. Griffin Wilde, WR Northwestern
96. Desmeal Leigh, OT Youngstown State
Leigh not transferring to an FBS program makes him the leading FCS prospect for the 2027 class. His pad level and agility are two of the biggest questions about his profile, but he flashes arresting grip strength and impressive finishing power. Leigh’s play strength and physicality appeared to improve significantly from 2024 to 2025. His strike timing and placement also took strong steps in the right direction.
97. Christian Alliegro, LB Ohio State
98. Ashton Hampton, CB Clemson
Hampton has all of the athletic tools in the world to develop into a top 50 selection, but he was responsible for several frustrating coverage busts last season. He is still developing the mental side of the game, including his discipline and processing speed. His 2025 tape is disappointing considering his traits and ceiling. Hampton has a rare combination of size and speed but is a more fluid mover than other recent larger corners, like Devon Moore or Will Lee III.
99. Trinidad Chambliss, QB Ole Miss
100. Julian Sayin, QB Ohio State
It’s hard to say any quarterback in the country executed their offense cleaner than Sayin did in 2025, up until Ohio State ran into several challenges late in the season. Against teams capable of generating consistent pressure, including quick pressures, Sayin’s inability to create with his legs and mediocre arm strength took a toll on the Buckeyes. Sayin relies on timing and rhythm as a mechanically polished pocket passer. His anticipation, ball placement, touch, and general accuracy are all strengths. It just doesn’t appear they’re strong enough to overcome some of the limitations in his profile. Sayin is only a redshirt sophomore. He has time to improve his recognition of pressure looks, post-snap processing when under pressure, and eye discipline.
101. Justice Haynes, RB Georgia Tech
102. LJ Martin, RB BYU
103. Evan Stewart, WR Oregon
104. T.J. Moore, WR Clemson
105. Rasheem Biles, LB Texas
106. Drew Azzopardi, OT Washington
107. Nyck Harbor, WR South Carolina
108. Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR Alabama
109. Zion Branch, S Georgia
110. Hollywood Smothers, RB Texas
111. Ryan Baer, OT/G Pittsburgh
112. James Smith, IDL Ohio State
113. Iapani Laloulu, C Oregon
114. Jeremiah Hasley, TE Duke
115. Jyaire Hill, CB Michigan
116. London Humphreys, WR Georgia
117. Rylan Kennedy, Edge Florida State
Kennedy failed to break through Texas A&M’s loaded edge room, but he has the natural speed, explosiveness, and loose lower half to become a high-efficiency speed rusher. He currently profiles best as a designated pass rusher at the next level.
118. Jordan Marshall, RB Michigan
119. John Mateer, QB Oklahoma
120. Austin Romaine, LB Texas Tech
121. Christian Martin, OT/G Illinois
122. Quintrevion Wisner, RB Florida State
123. Princewill Umanmielen, Edge LSU
124. Ben Roberts, LB Texas Tech
125. Will Hammond, QB Texas Tech
Hammond is recovering from a torn ACL but takes over a talented offense in a weak conference. His inexperience is a real concern, but his flashes of ball placement, velocity on far hash throws, and improving touch reflect a player capable of contending for a future top 100 selection. Hammond is only a redshirt sophomore. Expect his name to be relevant in 2028 or 2029 discussions.
126. Will Heldt, Edge Clemson
Heldt has the size and power to be an edge-setting 4-3 defensive end, but he lacks the burst, bend, and true game-changing play strength to elevate above being a rotational prospect. Even his anchor at the point of attack is more inconsistent than widely acknowledged. Heldt’s motor covers for many of his shortcomings, but he lacks diverse ways to win as a rusher and is not a special run defender.
127. Qua Russaw, Edge Ohio State
128. Mateen Ibirogba, IDL Texas Tech
129. Xavier Chaplin, OT Florida State
130. Joe Barna, Edge Illinois
131. Chris Johnson Jr., RB Clemson
132. Suntarine Perkins, LB Ole Miss
133. Jermaine Mathews Jr., CB Ohio State
134. Kerry Brown, S Minnesota
135. Bryce Hawthorne, IDL Iowa
136. Raleek Brown, RB Texas
137. Ben Murawski, OT/G Michigan State
138. Kam Franklin, Edge Ole Miss
139. Lance Heard, OT Kentucky
Heard is a massive and powerful tackle who looks excellent in pads. His stout anchor and heavy, vicious hands lead to one-sided wins and highlight reel moments in pass protection. Unfortunately, his contributions in the run game remain inconsistent, and his work in pass protection is far from perfect. Heard’s size creates issues with his balance, change of direction, pad level, and range. Too many edge rushers are capable of exploiting Heard’s weaknesses, making the multi-time transfer an unlikely NFL starter.
140. Antwan Peek Jr., S Cincinnati
141. Teko Shoats, G Oklahoma State
142. Alexander Doost, G Arizona
143. AJ Green, Edge Louisville
144. Niki Prongos, OT Stanford
145. Adam Trick, Edge Texas Tech
146. Leighton Jones, G Iowa
147. Dalton Brooks, S Texas A&M
148. Whit Weeks, LB LSU
149. John Curry, NB/LB Texas Tech
150. Darius Taylor, RB Minnesota
151. Braelin Moore, C LSU
152. Langston Hardy, Edge Wake Forest
153. Kyle Altuner, C Virginia Tech
154. Jay’Vion Cole, CB Arizona
155. Anthony Smith, Edge Minnesota
156. Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Edge Ohio State
Jackson, Will Heldt, and Anthony Smith are three prospects with 4-3 defensive end size who just lack the traits to back up some of the hype they’ve received over the past two years. Jackson sports excellent arm length that helps him set the edge and set up long-arms or speed to power. However, he’s a high-hipped, stiff athlete with a disappointing power profile relative to his frame. His bull rushes often die on contact, and he lacks the counters to revive his attack. For a redshirt senior, Jackson’s pass rush plan is surprisingly underdeveloped.
157. LeVar Thornton Jr., CB Baylor
158. Drew Mestemaker, QB Oklahoma State
Mestemaker, along with Sam Leavitt below him, offers some fun backyard football playmaking off-platform. He’s not highly mobile but plays with the moxie and arm arrogance to turn crumbling plays into wins for the offense. Mestemaker has a non-traditional throwing motion and suffers from out of control lower body mechanics. His ball placement, especially over the middle of the field, leaves a lot to be desired. Mestemaker lacks the athleticism and arm strength/velocity to justify his arm arrogance and overcome his and stretches of scattershot accuracy. The redshirt sophomore will be pushed to the 2028 or 2029 class.
159. Sam Leavitt, QB LSU
160. Ashton Bethel-Roman, WR Texas A&M
161. Drayk Bowen, LB Notre Dame
162. Chris Peal, DB Syracuse
163. Braylon Staley, WR Tennessee
164. Aidan Chiles, QB Northwestern
165. Brody Foley, TE Louisville
166. Brett Norfleet, TE Missouri
167. Ikenna Ezeogu, Edge Penn State
168. Raion Strader, CB Pittsburgh
169. Stanquan Clark, LB Louisville
170. Davin Stoffel, TE Illinois
171. Christian Gray, CB/NB Notre Dame
172. Kip Lewis, LB Oklahoma
Lewis is an undersized linebacker who projects as a multi-unit special teams contributor in the NFL. His communication, processing speed, recognition, and motor all reflect his veteran leadership. Lewis offers some untapped potential in coverage but is unproven in demanding assignments. His underdeveloped coverage instincts, limited exposure in dynamic coverage roles, and play strength concerns, which are reflected in his inability to shed blocks and maintain positioning, severely limit his early-career role at the NFL level.
173 Nyziah Hunter, WR Nebraska
174. Gabe Burkle, TE Penn State
175. Michael Kilbane, Edge Northwestern
176. Bo Mascoe, CB Texas
177. Emmanuel Oyebadejo, DL Florida
178. Ben Taylor-Whitfield, OT TCU
179. John Nestor, CB Minnesota
180. Alex Honig, TE Northwestern
181. Sheridan Wilson, C Texas Tech
182. CJ Bailey, QB North Carolina State
Bailey has the modern frame and mobility teams love to over-draft. The junior has the physical skill set to justify a high selection, but he appears to be multiple years away from performing at the level of an NFL contributor. Bailey needs to develop his pocket management and performance under pressure. He displays flashes of anticipation and high-level ball placement on outs, fades, and corners, but things like his eye discipline, post-snap processing speed, ball placement over the middle of the field, touch, and vision all point to him being unprepared to operate an NFL offense.
183. Reis Kessel, TE North Dakota State
184. Beau Atkinson, Edge Ohio State
185. Isaiah Glasker, LB BYU
186. Calvin Clements, OT Kansas
187. Noah Josey, G Virginia
188. Jordan Mack, DL Baylor
189. Beau Johnson, OT/G Vanderbilt
190. Emmanuel Kojo Poku, G South Carolina
191. Owen Heinecke, LB Oklahoma
192. Jacob Ponton, OT Texas Tech
193. Kevin Jennings, QB SMU
194. Joseph Anderson, Edge Iowa
195. Marcel Reed, QB Texas A&M
196. T.J. Searcy, Edge Texas A&M
197. Kooper Ebel, LB Penn State
198. Kam Robinson, LB Virginia
199. Cole Rhett, OT Baylor
200. Caleb Herring, Edge South Carolina
Jaden Craig, QB TCU
Toby Payne, TE Marshall
Jaden Platt, TE Arkansas
Benji Gosnell, TE Virginia Tech
Caden Jensen, TE Louisiana
Hunter Provience, TE North Carolina State
Colin Sadler, G Clemson
Teague Andersen, OT/G North Carolina State
Ashton Beers, C Minnesota
Eli Coenen, IDL Michigan State
Blake Herold, IDL Kansas
Leroy Harris III, Edge Kansas
Micah Carter, Edge Louisville
Melkart Abou-Jaoude, Edge North Carolina
Tyler Thompson, Edge Louisville
Ibrahim Diawara, Edge Coastal Carolina
Nuer Gatkuoth, Edge Wake Forest
Zeke Durham-Campbell, Edge West Virginia
Matthew Bailey, S Illinois
Damon Walters, S Northwestern
Aidan Gousby, S Minnesota
Abu Kamara, S Yale
Nate Frazier, RB Georgia
Ethan Davis, TE Tennessee
Lawson Luckie, TE Georgia
Junior Sherrill, WR Vanderbilt
Luke Montgomery, G Ohio State
Xavier Atkins, LB Auburn
Demello Jones, CB Georgia
Ty Benefield, S LSU
Blake Frazier, OT Michigan
Emerson Mandell, OT Wisconsin
Jimarion McCrimon, OT North Carolina State
Wyatt Young, WR Oklahoma State
Ray Coney, LB Texas A&M
Ty’Anthony Smith, LB Texas
Boo Carter, NB Colorado
Byrum Brown, QB Auburn
Avery Johnson, QB Kansas State
Jeremiah Cobb, RB Auburn
Mark Fletcher Jr., RB Miami
Waymond Jordan, RB USC
Wayne Knight, RB UCLA
Rueben Owens II, RB Texas A&M
Antwan Raymond, RB Rutgers
Cooper Barkate, WR Miami
Jayce Brown, WR LSU
KJ Duff, WR Rutgers
Jordan Faison, WR Notre Dame
Isaiah Horton, WR Texas A&M
Kenny Johnson, WR Texas Tech
Duce Robinson, WR Florida State
Isaiah Sategna III, WR Oklahoma
Eric Singleton Jr., WR Florida
Ian Strong, WR Cal
Eugene Wilson III, WR LSU
Peter Clarke, TE Temple
Elija Lofton, TE Miami
Patrick Overmyer, TE Houston
Phillip Daniels, OT Ohio State
Ryder Langsdale, OT Rutgers
Elijah Paige, OT USC
Rahtrel Perry, OT Maryland
Howard Sampson, OT Texas Tech
Brandon Baker, G Texas
Dave Iuli, G Oregon
Alani Noa, G USC
Eddrick Houston, IDL Ohio State
Hero Kanu, IDL Texas
David Oke, IDL Arkansas
Keanu Tanuvasa, IDL BYU
Tyrique Tucker, IDL Indiana
John Walker, IDL Ohio State
Kameryn Crawford, Edge USC
Wendell Gregory, Edge Kansas State
Gabe Harris Jr., Edge Georgia
Jahiem Lawson, Edge Clemson
Tobi Osunsanmi, Edge Indiana
J’mond Tapp, Edge Memphis
Sahir West, Edge UCLA
Trey White, Edge Texas Tech
Maverick Baranowski, LB Minnesota
Amare Campbell, LB Tennessee
Arion Carter, LB Tennessee
Tye Niekamp, LB Illinois State
Cade Uluave, LB BYU
Raylen Wilson, LB Georgia
A.J. Harris, CB Indiana
Evan Johnson, CB BYU
Antonio Kite, CB Ole Miss
DJ McKinney, CB Notre Dame
Jamari Sharpe, CB Indiana
Vicari Swain, CB South Carolina
PJ Woodland, CB LSU
Khalil Barnes, NB Georgia
Boo Carter, NB Colorado
Peyton Bowen, S Oklahoma
Jeremiah Cooper, S Penn State
Amare Ferrell, S Indiana
Tao Johnson, S UCLA
Early Little Jr., S/NB Ohio State
Terry Moore, S Ohio State
Keon Sabb, S Alabama
Isaac Smith, S Mississippi State