\u201cWhile Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor made their presence known, Moten was the Hurricanes\u2019 most impactful defensive lineman in the national championship game,\u201d Brugler said. \u201cIf he builds off that performance, you can pencil him in for the first round next April.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brugler added: \u201cMissouri\u2019s leader in sacks last season with nine, Wilson has the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Bain and Mesidor \u2014 but he has the talent to make a name for himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several other Canes could go in the first two rounds, including defensive tackle Justin Scott, running back Mark Fletcher Jr., defensive end Marquise Lightfoot and quarterback Darian Mensah.<\/p>\n
ESPN\u2019s Pete Thamel asked 10 NFL scouts to rank the 2027 quarterback class going into the season and gave three points for a first-place vote, two for a second, and one for a third. Mensah finished 10th. Here were the results<\/a>:<\/p>\n 1. Dante Moore, Oregon (24) 2. Arch Manning, Texas (16) T3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (5) T3. Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech (5) 5. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (3) T6. Frew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (2) T6. Sam Leavitt, LSU (2) T6. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (2) 9. Menshah, Miami (1)<\/p>\n Dolphins<\/p>\n Mocks a year before a draft seem somewhat pointless.<\/p>\n As perspective, here were Dane Brugler\u2019s top 10 picks in his way-too-early 2026 mock draft for The Athletic from a year ago: 1). Manning (stayed in school). 2). Sellers (stayed in school). 3). Utah tackle Spencer Fano (selected ninth by the Browns last week).<\/p>\n 4). Clemson edge player TJ Parker (35th pick by Buffalo). 5) Penn State QB Drew Allar (76th pick by Pittsburgh). 6). Auburn defensive tackle Keldric Faulk (31st pick by Tennessee).<\/p>\n 7). Ohio State\u2019s Caleb Downs (11th pick, by Dallas). 8). Alabama\u2019s Kadyn Proctor (12th pick by Dolphins). 9). UF offensive lineman Austin Barber (86th pick, Cleveland). 10). Oregon edge Matayo Uiagalelei (staying at Oregon).<\/p>\n For 2027, Brugler \u2014 a longtime draft analyst \u2014 has Arizona picking first and taking Manning; Miami selecting second and picking Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith; Cleveland selecting third and taking Oregon quarterback Moore, the Jets snapping up Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore fourth overall; and Tennessee choosing South Carolina edge player Dylan Stewart at No. 5.<\/p>\n The players rounding out Brugler\u2019s top 10: Texas receiver Cam Coleman, Texas edge player Colin Simmons, Oklahoma State QB Mestemaker, LSU offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and Oregon defensive tackle A\u2019Mauri Washington.<\/p>\n Heat<\/p>\n The Heat has a 4.8% chance to move from 13th to a top four-pick when the random-but-weighted draft lottery is conducted on May 10 (3 p.m., ABC).<\/p>\n If the Heat stays at 13, here are the players projected for Miami\u2019s range, per ESPN\u2019s Jeremy Woo\u2019s newest mock draft this week:<\/p>\n Woo has Miami taking Alabama combo guard Labaron Philon Jr., who averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists in 33 games: \u201cHe\u2019s a proven scorer with positional size.\u201d<\/p>\n Woo\u2019s picks from 10 to 12: Tennessee swing forward Nate Ament, New England Breakers swing forward Karim Lopez and Michigan swing forward Yaxel Lendeborg.<\/p>\n His picks from 14 to 16: Michigan center Aday Mara, Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance, Washington power forward\/center Hannes Steinbach and Houston power forward\/center Chris Cennac Jr.<\/p>\n The Heat can pick only first, second, third, fourth, 13th or 14th (in the highly unlikely event that Charlotte moves from 14 to the top four).<\/p>\n The Heat cannot trade the pick before the draft but hypothetically could select a player on behalf of another team to facilitate a prearranged trade that would be completed after the draft.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my Wednesday piece<\/a> with details about the Heat\u2019s blueprint moving forward.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my Wednesday piece<\/a> with lots of news from Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.<\/p>\n
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