The 2026 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror. As is the case most years, a lot of the draft’s top storylines revolved around the quarterback position.
In particular, Ty Simpson going to the Los Angeles Rams in Round 1, the Arizona Cardinals taking a shot on Carson Beck at the start of Round 3, and Garrett Nussmeier falling to the end of the seventh round were some of the most noteworthy moments from this year’s draft.
For what was perceived as a weak quarterback class, there was a lot of attention given to that positional group in the national media. With the anticipated talent of the 2027 NFL Draft’s quarterback class, though, that spotlight should shine even brighter next year.
It’s very early in the 2027 pre-draft process, and a lot will change between now and next year’s draft once the 2026 college football season takes place. None of the quarterbacks project as surefire top picks like Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence did going into their final years at the collegiate level.
But heading into the summer, there are several QBs in college football who appear to have NFL starting-caliber traits. Which of those players takes the leap and lives up to the hype remains to be seen, but for now, this is how we would rank the top ten quarterbacks between the 2026 and 2027 NFL Draft classes.
Honorable Mentions
- DJ Lagway, Baylor, 2027
- Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, 2027
- Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 2026
- Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech, 2027
- Carson Beck, Miami (FL), 2026
- Drew Allar, Penn State, 2026
10) CJ Carr, Notre Dame, 2027
It’s entirely possible CJ Carr doesn’t declare for the 2027 NFL Draft. However, as an incoming redshirt sophomore with eligibility for next year’s class who’s also coming off a strong year with Notre Dame, the potential is there for him to rise up the ranks and declare for the draft early.
If you’re looking for elite arm talent, Carr probably won’t be your first choice in this class. He might struggle throwing into tight windows in the NFL, but he’s far more cerebral than he has any right to be at his age. He can execute reads past his first target, he has ideal mobility for a quarterback, and he’s a naturally accurate passer.
9) LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, 2027
There was first-round buzz for LaNorris Sellers going into the 2025 college football season, and it’s not hard to see why: his highs are as high as any quarterback in the nation. However, inconsistency during his redshirt sophomore year plagued him last year, and he made the smart decision to return to school to further hone his craft.
Sellers is a raw passer whose timing and decision-making aren’t always up to par, but the physical tools are the best of any quarterback on this list. He’s a 6’3″, 242-pound passer with a cannon of an arm and elite speed for his position. Though his accuracy can be shaky, the flashes he displays are as good as anyone in the 2027 NFL Draft.
8) Jayden Maiava, USC, 2027
Dating back to his freshman year at UNLV in 2023, it was clear that Jayden Maiava was a talented passer. He decided to stay in school for another year after a strong campaign at USC, which saw him rank first among all returning FBS quarterbacks with a 93.1 PFSN QB Impact Score.
Maiava was a gunslinger last year, for better or worse. On one hand, he trusts his arm way too much and can be careless with the ball, making rash decisions to the tune of 26 interceptions in 34 career games. On the other hand, he’s a well-built quarterback with a rocket arm, great mobility for his size, and ideal toughness in the pocket.
7) Ty Simpson, Alabama, 2026
The No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Ty Simpson broke onto the scene as a one-year starter who displayed a pro-ready skill set for such an inexperienced passer. He lands in an ideal situation to sit behind Matthew Stafford on the Rams’ roster for a year or two, projecting as a long-term starter after last year’s MVP retires.
For a one-year starter, Simpson is more experienced than most. He can read zone coverage well and identify the open man in soft spots of the coverage. The Alabama product is also a capable game manager who can distribute at a high level from short to intermediate ranges, even if his size and arm strength come into question when you watch him.
6) Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State, 2027
Perhaps no quarterback in college football had a more sudden rise in 2025 than Drew Mestemaker. A zero-star redshirt freshman at North Texas, Mestemaker led the NCAA in passing yards and parlayed that into a transfer to Oklahoma State to follow his head coach with the Mean Green, Eric Morris.
Mestemaker’s elastic arm can see him deliver off-platform throws way better than most. He throws with good timing and anticipation, and his creativity and agility shine when he has to work outside of structure. I’d like to see him work on scanning past his first read and improving his accuracy throwing to his left, but the tools are there for him to rise up this list.
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5) Darian Mensah, Miami (FL), 2027
Darian Mensah has done a good job of consistently climbing up the ladder over the course of his collegiate career. After performing well as a redshirt freshman at Tulane in 2024, he transferred to Duke and led them to a victory in the ACC Championship game. Now, he looks to help Miami return to the national championship as the second-best transfer portal QB in the nation.
With a lot of first-year starters representing the 2027 NFL Draft class going off 2025 tape, Mensah’s extra year of experience shows on tape. He has the ideal accuracy, timing, and arm strength needed to distribute the ball at all levels and make good decisions in a clean pocket. Though his judgment under pressure and his skinny frame are points of contention, Mensah looked really good in 2025 and projects well into 2026.
4) Julian Sayin, Ohio State, 2027
I stray a bit from the consensus with Julian Sayin, who is the eighth-ranked QB in PFSN’s NFL Draft HQ but ranks fourth on my big board early. However, his 90.8 QB Impact Score is the second-best among all returning FBS quarterbacks, and the 2025 fourth-place Heisman finisher has the supporting cast at Ohio State to elevate his play in 2026.
Similar to Carr, Sayin won’t wow you with elite physical attributes, including his average arm and smaller frame. That said, he’s a poised passer with pinpoint accuracy down the field, good pocket presence, and a decision-making process more advanced than most in college. The mental aspect has me intrigued by what Sayin could do in 2026.
3) Arch Manning, Texas, 2027
Heading into the 2025 collegiate season, many had Arch Manning as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It was always a major projection slotting him as a future top pick, and in some ways, it still is. But he showed significant improvement down the line for Texas last year, and with further development, he could live up to that hype.
The physical talent with Manning is obvious. He has an elastic arm with good zip behind his throws, he’s a much better athlete than his legendary uncles were in their day, and he’s displayed some stellar touch down the field in flashes. His footwork improved over the course of 2025, but following through and staying poised under duress will go a long way for him.
2) Dante Moore, Oregon, 2027
Had Dante Moore declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance he would’ve ended up a top-three selection. Both the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, who respectively picked at No. 2 and No. 3, enter the season with major QB concerns and likely would’ve liked a passer of his caliber. Instead, he heads back to Oregon as our early QB1 in the 2027 class.
With Moore’s inexperience and the player-friendly nature of the NIL era, it made sense financially and professionally for him to stay in school. He’s a bit skittish under pressure and can make some inaccurate throws in a collapsing pocket, but he has a live arm, above-average athleticism, and the creativity to make throws in and out of structure.
1) Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 2026
Fernando Mendoza was the No. 1 pick this year for a reason. Coming off a Heisman-winning campaign and an undefeated, national championship-winning season with Indiana, Mendoza was the easy choice for the Las Vegas Raiders for the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Not only that, but I’d argue he’s miles ahead of any 2027 quarterback at this stage.
From a fundamental perspective, Mendoza has just about everything you want in an NFL starting quarterback. He’s a tall passer with a nice arm, prototypical build, natural accuracy at all three levels of the field, and composure going through his progressions. Other passers might have better tools than he does, but nobody in the 2027 class is as well-rounded as he is.
