Mel Kiper Jr.Sep 4, 2026, 06:55 AM ET
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Week 1 of the 2026 college football season is here, and I can't wait to spend every Saturday watching top prospects for the 2027 NFL draft class. It's an exciting group of players, starting with the quarterbacks.

I don't have a Big Board quite yet -- I like to see a few weeks' worth of games before I roll that out -- and I won't put together an official mock draft for a while. But I do like to make some way-too-early predictions before the season really ramps up (though Week 0 brought some fun, too). Things will certainly change; I had Clemson with four first-round picks in this space last August, and that didn't quite play out. But it's still good to map out how the draft landscape looks roughly eight months out.

How many QBs will go on Day 1? Which schools could take over the draft? Which position could be sneaky deep? And who could emerge from the FCS ranks? Here are 10 predictions for the 2027 draft -- plus my picks for the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl champions as an added bonus.

1. There will be at least five first-round quarterbacks.

Every summer, we hype the QB class. We talk about how multiple NFL teams will be able to find legit franchise passers in Round 1 the following April. It was the same case heading into the 2025 season. Sometimes the quarterback group lives up to all that hype, but oftentimes a few of the signal-callers don't take the projected step forward, opt to return to school or just fall flat.

The 2026 group fizzled, but the excitement around the 2027 class seems real. That's at least in part because a handful of the quarterbacks we thought might come out in 2026 decided to stay in college for another go-around after it was clear they needed more experience and to refine some parts of their games. That means more prepared passers and less projection in 2027. And I'll go out on a limb and say we get five -- maybe even six -- quarterbacks in Round 1 next April.

We've seen sudden breakouts rise to the No. 1 pick in recent years -- like Fernando Mendoza and Joe Burrow -- but it looks like a two-QB race to go first overall right now. First, we have Oregon's Dante Moore, who is only 21 years old, has a ton of support around him and has 20 career starts under his belt. He has phenomenal mechanics and makes every throw look effortless with his arm strength. Moore can place the ball anywhere with his touch and accuracy, too; his 71.8% completion percentage ranked fifth in the FBS last season. If he can play better in the big games, he could be QB1.

Everyone knows about Texas' Arch Manning by now, and he's also a potential No. 1 pick. Like Moore, he has a lot of talent around him, and he comes into 2026 with 15 career starts to his name. He's dangerous with his legs (10 rushing scores last season), and he can make throws rolling out either direction. But I want to see the accuracy jump this year -- you can't be hitting 61.4% of your passes in college and expect to be accurate against tighter pro-level coverage. I'm looking for Manning to complete more of those easy throws and let his athleticism shine.

Beyond Moore and Manning, I feel pretty solid on Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker and USC's Jayden Maiava going Day 1 ... right now. Sayin is incredibly accurate, and his arm strength is better than advertised. I see some Brock Purdy to his game. Mestemaker is only 20 years old and joins the Cowboys from North Texas, so there is an unknown there -- but I love the traits. And Maiava looked amazing in Week 0, going 25-of-29 for 286 yards and scoring three total touchdowns in a win over San Jose State. He's big and powerful with a live arm.

Then we get into the "maybe" category. Could Notre Dame's CJ Carr build on last season despite losing all of his top offensive skill players to the NFL? Will Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss show enough this season for teams to be OK with his smaller 6-foot frame and the fact that he'll be 25 years old before throwing an NFL pass? South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and UCLA's Nico Iamaleava were each mentioned in last year's predictions file, but they were inconsistent in 2025 and went back to school. Can they take the next step? And I think Miami's Darian Mensah, NC State's CJ Bailey and LSU's Sam Leavitt could all thrive enough to join the conversation, too.

There's probably a dozen guys who could get into Round 1, but that doesn't mean anything unless some of these QBs actually perform. It's probably going to be five first-round quarterbacks when it's all said and done, but I'll leave the door open for someone to rise.

2. Texas, Miami and Georgia will dominate the draft.

Any of these schools could have around 15 players go across the seven rounds. Oregon has really good top-end talent -- receiver Evan Stewart, tight end Jamari Johnson, center Iapani Laloulu, guard Dave Iuli, defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington, edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei and safety Koi Perich jump to mind -- but the Ducks probably fall slightly behind the Longhorns, Hurricanes and Bulldogs in quantity.

From Miami, I'll highlight cornerback Romanas Frederique Jr. and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. -- they are both very talented. But I also like Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher Jr., tight end Elija Lofton, edge rusher Damon Wilson II, safety Omar Thornton, defensive lineman Armondo Blount and edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot a lot.

Texas obviously has Manning, but receiver Cam Coleman, offensive tackle Trevor Goosby and edge rusher Colin Simmons could also go very early. Rasheem Biles might be one of the best off-ball linebackers in college football, Jelani McDonald is going to be high on my safety board, and tackle Melvin Siani is going to be key in opening running lanes for both Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.

Georgia doesn't have as many elite prospects. But the list of players with draftable grades is lengthy. Here's a few: cornerback Ellis Robinson IV, running back Nate Frazier, linebackers Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole, safety KJ Bolden and kicker Peyton Woodring.

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Pate: This year is title or bust for Arch Manning, Texas

3. Georgia will have two first-round DBs.

Let's stay with the Bulldogs for a moment. This might not seem wild, but consider that Georgia has never had two defensive backs go in Round 1 of the same draft. It almost happened in 2021, but after Eric Stokes went 29th, Tyson Campbell just missed and went 33rd to open Day 2. But I think we're going to see Robinson and Bolden both go on Day 1 in 2027.

Bolden reminds me a little of Malaki Starks, another safety who patrolled deep for Georgia before going 27th overall in 2025. He makes plays all over the field with his range. The 6-foot, 195-pound junior has three career interceptions over two years, and his 76 tackles ranked second on the team last season. He's a steady player.

Robinson, meanwhile, could easily be in the top 10 or 15 if he plays up to his ability. He had an elite recruiting grade coming out of high school, and after playing just 48 defensive snaps as a freshman, Robinson (6-0, 180) picked off four passes in 2025 as a sophomore. I thought he was more consistent in coverage. I don't think it's completely out of the question for Robinson to push Notre Dame's Leonard Moore for CB1 status.

4. Safety is going to be loaded.

No one is talking about the safeties. It's all about the quarterbacks and some really elite players at cornerback, edge rusher and wide receiver. But I love this safety group, and I think NFL teams are going to have a ton of options at the position. I have roughly 15 safeties graded in Rounds 1-4 right now, including Bolden. The position is both strong at the top and deep.

Notre Dame has two of the biggest names: Brauntae Johnson and Adon Shuler. And they play different styles. Johnson is going to wow everyone at the combine with his athleticism, range and speed. He had four interceptions last season, including a pick-six. He can match and cover on the back end, using his length and burst to make plays.

Shuler, though, is more of a hard-nosed throwback. He's tough and physical, and he hits with power. He had more than 50 tackles for the second straight season in 2025. But don't sleep on his ball skills -- Shuler has five interceptions and 10 pass breakups over the past two years. He's an opportunistic and rugged baller for the Fighting Irish.

5. Jadan Baugh will be RB1.

OK, here's a bolder one. There are a bunch of really good running backs, including Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy. But I'm projecting Baugh to be the first running back off the board -- in the middle part of Round 1. The Florida standout has averaged 5.2 yards per carry over two seasons in Gainesville, and he totaled 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground last season. But the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder also makes plays out of the backfield as a pass catcher, with 33 receptions for 210 yards and two more scores in 2025.

I just finished watching more tape on Baugh, and I really think he has it all. He moves the chains when he needs to, but he also has the breakaway speed, vision, burst and overall shiftiness to hit home runs. And Baugh is impossible to bring down, with 81 forced missed tackles last season. Lacy, Miami's Fletcher and Missouri's Ahmad Hardy will all get a lot of attention, but Baugh has the talent to come off the board first at the position.

6. Mark Fletcher Jr. will be the highest drafted Miami running back since Willis McGahee.

McGahee went 23rd in 2003. Fletcher likely won't go that high -- I have a second-round grade on him -- but he should get picked earlier than the likes of Frank Gore (No. 65, 2005), Lamar Miller (No. 97, 2012) and Duke Johnson (No. 77, 2015).

Fletcher ran for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns last season (with another 140 yards and two scores as a pass catcher), but a lot of that came over four College Football Playoff games. He had 507 yards in the four contests, and he ran for two scores in the title game. His yards per carry jumped from 5.1 during the regular season to 6.8 in the CFP.

I expect Fletcher to pick up where he left off. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he can dish out punishment on contact. But he's also agile for his size and has the explosion to break off big runs. He went for 10-plus yards 36 times last season, tied for 11th in the country. Fletcher will run you over, but he also has the change-of-direction skills to find open lanes.

7. KJ Duff will be the highest drafted Rutgers skill position player since Kenny Britt.

Britt was 30th overall in 2009. Yes, offensive lineman Anthony Davis (No. 11) and safety Devin McCourty (No. 27) went earlier the following year, but no skill-position player has gone in Round 1 since Britt. The closest were receiver Mohamed Sanu (No. 83, 2012), tight end Tyler Kroft (No. 85, 2015) and Leonte Carroo (No. 86, 2016). But after watching his tape, I think Duff has a legit chance to clip Round 1.

Duff is the definition of matchup nightmare. He's 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, and any offensive coordinator would love being able to use him as a wideout, "move" tight end or even H-back. He caught 60 balls last season for 1,084 yards (10th in the country), and his 18.1 yards per catch sums up his big-play ability pretty well. Duff uses his size to box out defenders, adjusts well to off-target throws and has the soft hands to complete the catch.

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Texas' Coleman are the pretty clear Nos. 1-2 on wide receiver boards right now, but things open up after them. If Duff has a big year, he could fall in the Nos. 3-5 range among wideouts come April.

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'What a catch!' KJ Duff with an unbelievable catch with one hand

8. At least three tight ends will get first-round consideration.

Oregon's Johnson is the big name here. He had 510 yards last season at a 15.9 per-catch clip -- despite sharing the tight end spotlight with Kenyon Sadiq, who just went 16th to the Jets in April. At 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds, Johnson has a wide receiver skill set in a tight end's body. Johnson runs well and has a wide catch radius. He's going to be Moore's best friend in that Oregon offense this season.

I see some Kyle Pitts Sr. in LSU's Trey'Dez Green and some T.J. Hockenson in Iowa's DJ Vonnahme. Both join Johnson in carrying a first-round grade. And don't sleep on Texas Tech's Terrance Carter Jr. He was phenomenal last season, displaying some good after-the-catch ability. I have Carter in Round 2 right now, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him join these other three in the Day 1 conversation. This tight end class looks good.

9. Mario Craver is going to rise ... fast.

I can't get enough of Craver's film. People aren't talking about the Texas A&M receiver enough. But he's a star in the making, and I could see him emerging as a first-round candidate. Everyone needs to flip on the Aggies tape and start paying attention to this guy.

I'm not saying he's Zay Flowers, but Craver has similar explosiveness. He's a dynamo with the ball in his hands, and despite being 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, he displays strength and toughness. Craver plays bigger than his measureables, breaking tackles for extra yards after the catch. Texas A&M featured KC Concepcion last season, but Craver still put up 917 yards (15.5 per reception) and scored five total touchdowns (one rushing). I think we'll see him in the return game more this fall, too, which will only up his draft stock. I love his game -- and come April, I will be joined by a lot of people around the league.

10. Five FCS players will make draft noise.

This is basically my FCS watch list. All five players are probably Day 3 picks, but they all could be contributors at the next level. In no particular order ...

Desmeal Leigh, OT, Youngstown State: Including last Thursday's game against Mercyhurst, Leigh has 39 career starts -- all at left tackle. He's 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, but I see good movement for his size. He keeps getting better, and my early projection would be the fourth or fifth round.
Marquis Buchanan, WR, Rhode Island: You might recognize this name as an "Orange crusher" from the "First Draft" podcast. Buchanan could become the second Rhode Island draft pick in the past 40 years (Isaiah Coulter, 2020) after leading the FCS in receiving in 2025 with 1,337 yards. At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, he can play wherever. His catch radius, YAC traits and deep ball skill set should all get interest from NFL scouts. He got off to a good start in 2026 with 72 yards and a touchdown against Merrimack.
Ty Pennington, QB, Northern Arizona: We haven't heard a Northern Arizona player called on draft weekend since kicker Paul Ernster in 2005, but Pennington has a chance as a late-rounder. He transferred from Pittsburg State in 2024 and has looked great for the Lumberjacks in two seasons. Pennington is accurate and makes good decisions; he refuses to throw interceptions, with just seven over 25 games with the team (including one in Northern Arizona's opener against Eastern Washington on Saturday). And at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he can beat you with his legs, too.
Abu Kamara, S, Yale: He's an instinctive player with five interceptions and 180 tackles over three seasons. Kamara can get into the backfield to create some disruption, too. The 6-foot, 208-pounder had 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season.
Lance Rucker, Edge, North Dakota: Rucker is a little banged-up, but he's a dang good pass rusher off the edge. His tape shows burst, strength and speed-to-power. At 6-foot-3, 244 pounds, he's explosive with great bend. In 14 games last season, Rucker had 11.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. But a foot injury could keep him out for a little while.

Bonus: Championship picks

The Oregon Ducks will win the national championship. I have Moore, Johnson & Co. navigating through the CFP and taking down Notre Dame in the title game. This roster has a lot of really good players who opted to return to school, and Stewart is back off his knee injury to help Moore.

The Cincinnati Bengals will win the Super Bowl. I love my Ravens, but this feels like a big Bengals season to me. Joe Burrow is healthy with two elite receivers at his disposal, and Cincinnati put some resources into the defense this offseason. I see the Bengals beating the Cowboys in Los Angeles next February.

Let's predict the NFL draft -- eight months early: Kiper's 10 big preseason takes

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