The 2026 NFL Draft isn’t even a month in the rearview mirror yet, but we’re already onto the 2027 class here at PFSN. Preparing for the draft is a year-round activity for all 32 teams, and we take that same approach with our draft coverage.
Now that the top free agents have signed and the draft has concluded, it’s pretty clear which positions are areas of need for each team going into the 2026 NFL season. A lot can change between now and next April, and a lot surely will. That said, now’s a fun opportunity to take an early look at what next year’s class might look like.
The order used for these selections is the same order utilized in PFSN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator, which is based on early Super Bowl betting odds. If you think your team is picking too high in this mock, you still have the entire regular season to watch them prove the bettors wrong.
Without further ado, here is PFSN’s latest (incredibly early) 2027 NFL Mock Draft.
1) Arizona Cardinals
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Though the Arizona Cardinals drafted Carson Beck early in the third round, they’d take a quarterback if they end up with the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. They have no financial ties to Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew beyond this year, and a Round 3 selection isn’t enough to warrant investing in your franchise quarterback of the future.
Dante Moore started living up to that five-star pedigree in his first year starting for Oregon. He has an elastic arm that gets good velocity behind his throws off-platform, he’s creative out of structure, he has ideal athleticism for the quarterback position, and he demonstrated really nice timing in his throws down the field. His post-snap processing was inconsistent in 2025, but with another year to fine-tune his game, he has No. 1 pick potential.
2) Miami Dolphins
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Would the Miami Dolphins move on from Malik Willis if they pick this high in 2027? It’s certainly a possibility. That said, releasing him next offseason would cost the team money, rather than save them any cap space. They might want to ride with him at quarterback for another year and take a blue-chip prospect elsewhere.
It was genuinely difficult to find a weakness in Jeremiah Smith’s game last year. He’s a giant receiver at 6’3″ and 223 pounds with expected physicality and the ball skills and catch radius to win above the rim. However, he’s also an elite athlete with great deep speed, good explosiveness, shooting laterally out of his breaks, and good stem work early in his route. Smith also has great hands and adjusts his approach to get open vs. man or zone.
3) New York Jets
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
At 35 years old and coming off a year that saw him finish No. 34 in the NFL in PFSN QB Impact Scoring, Geno Smith is not the long-term answer for the New York Jets at quarterback. They didn’t get the chance to draft a QB early with such a thin class at the position in the 2026 draft, but that changes in this 2027 mock draft.
Projecting Arch Manning as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was incredibly unfair. It took him a while to get mentally acclimated as Texas’ new starting quarterback last year, but he found his groove down the stretch. He’s a well-built passer with a strong arm, impressive athletic ability, and a natural sense of timing down the field.
4) Cleveland Browns
Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
Similar to the Dolphins, I could see the Cleveland Browns abandoning their quarterback experiment if they pick this high next April. However, with Dante Moore and Arch Manning both off the board, one could argue that the better pure value on the board would come at a different position.
A unanimous All-American in 2025, Leonard Moore built upon his freshman All-American year by tallying five interceptions last season. The 6’2″, 194-pounder is a smooth mover with fluid hips, quick feet in his backpedal, and very good deep speed defending vertical route concepts.
5) Las Vegas Raiders
Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
The Las Vegas Raiders still have Maxx Crosby after their trade with Baltimore fell through, and they signed Kwity Paye to a three-year deal this offseason. That said, if you have the opportunity to take a blue-chip edge rusher to give yourself a potentially elite group of defensive linemen, that’s going to be very hard to pass up.
In his first two seasons at Texas, Colin Simmons tallied 21.0 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. He’s an elite athlete off the edge with ideal acceleration and flexibility to turn the corner and threaten on the outside speed rush. His pass-rushing arsenal runs deep, his motor is red hot, and he has good awareness against the run to offset his average size.
6) Atlanta Falcons
Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
Coming out of 2025, the Atlanta Falcons got impressive production out of James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker off the edge in their rookie seasons. But Pearce has already proven to be a potential concern off the field, and Atlanta used four different edge rushers on over 30% of snaps last year. They’d have a heavy rotation either way, so you can’t pass up the value of this pick here in this mock draft.
Dylan Stewart is a lengthy edge rusher with elite athleticism off the edge and a well-built frame that carries his 245 pounds very well at 6’5″. His bend at the top of his arc is great, and he does a good job of sifting through blocks in the run game. He’s also a capable turnover creator, having forced six fumbles in his first two years at South Carolina.
7) Tennessee Titans
Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
The Tennessee Titans took some steps forward in fixing their offense, drafting Carnell Tate and signing Wan’Dale Robinson to help improve their group of wide receivers. Though they have some rising offensive linemen up front, left tackle Dan Moore Jr. finished just No. 61 among offensive tackles in PFSN’s OL Impact Scoring. They’ll be in the market for a replacement if he repeats that performance in 2026.
Had Trevor Goosby declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance we could’ve seen eight offensive tackles picked in the first round. His inexperience as a first-year starter showed sometimes last year, but he’s an incredibly nimble pass protector with prototypical size and length. He also has the core strength needed to absorb power; he has all the physical tools of a long-term starting left tackle.
8) Carolina Panthers
Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
Many were surprised the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs in 2025, and they have a chance to repeat as NFC South champions this year. If they pick within the top-10 like they do in this mock draft, though, it will probably be because their passing attack failed to take the next step.
Much like Kenyon Sadiq before him, Jamari Johnson showed elite traits as Oregon’s second-string tight end last year. He was particularly productive in the playoffs with eight catches, 149 yards, and a touchdown in the Ducks’ two games. He’s a sure-handed pass catcher with elite vertical speed, ball skills, and lateral quickness coming out of his breaks.
9) New Orleans Saints
Zabien Brown, CB, Alabama
On the first day of the draft, the Chiefs moved up from No. 9 to No. 6 overall to select LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. One of the teams they jumped in front of was the New Orleans Saints, who had the No. 8 overall pick and needed cornerback help. The Saints still got great value taking Jordyn Tyson in the first round, but cornerback remains a need.
With an allowed passer rating of 71.0 in his first two seasons at Alabama, Zabien Brown is a playmaker in coverage who took both of his interceptions back for touchdowns in 2025. He’s sticky in man coverage and can stay in a receiver’s hip pocket with good hip fluidity and route-recognition capabilities. If he improves his effectiveness in off coverage, a top-10 pick is possible.
10) New York Giants
David Stone, DT, Oklahoma
With a defensive front featuring Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Arvell Reese, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the New York Giants might have the best pass rush in the NFL in 2026. However, Thibodeaux is a free agent next offseason, and after trading Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati, defensive tackle remains a massive need for the Giants.
Oklahoma had some talented defensive linemen last year in R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, Damonic Williams, and Taylor Wein. David Stone was easily the best of the bunch in 2025. He led the Power 4 with an 85.9 PFSN DT Impact Score, dominating the interior with elite first-step acceleration, pro-ready pad level, and quick hands that can shed blocks in many different ways.
11) Washington Commanders
KJ Bolden, S, Georgia
The Washington Commanders overhauled their front seven this offseason, with five of their projected seven starters having been added over the last few months. However, safety still remains a need on their defense, even after they signed Nick Cross to slide into their starting lineup.
KJ Bolden is a versatile defensive back who can line up all over the defensive backfield and make plays, which speaks to his quick mental trigger. His coverage instincts are really impressive, demonstrating fluid hips, good longitudinal agility, proper form as a tackler, and range as a single-high safety.
12) New York Jets (via Colts)
Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
D’Angelo Ponds should be an exciting addition to the Jets’ secondary, but their outside cornerbacks in a post-Sauce Gardner world leave a lot to be desired. Nahshon Wright was a Pro Bowler for his interception-generating ability, but was wildly inconsistent, giving up big plays in coverage, while Brandon Stephens failed to crack the top 75 in PFSN’s CB Impact Scoring.
With five interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2025, Ellis Robinson IV has ball skills like a wide receiver. His body control, hands, and ball-tracking skills are all very impressive for a cornerback. Additionally, he’s an aggressive decision-maker in coverage who acts upon his reads decisively and shows willingness as a downhill tackler.
13) Minnesota Vikings
Tae Johnson, S, Notre Dame
Bringing back Harrison Smith remains an option for the Minnesota Vikings for 2026, but they’re going to need to invest in the safety position with the long haul in mind sooner rather than later. The secondary, in general, remains a major need, seeing as they didn’t invest much capital in what was a weakness on their defense in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Considering the safety talent in the 2026 class, it’s even more remarkable that Tae Johnson led the nation in PFSN Safety Impact Scoring by a considerable margin last year. He’s a tall, lengthy safety with a large catch radius, and that size helps him as a tackler to the tune of a 3.6% missed tackle rate in 2025. His versatility and ball skills will also entice NFL teams.
14) Pittsburgh Steelers
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
It’s a foregone conclusion that Aaron Rodgers will eventually re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers and be their starting quarterback in 2026. However, he’ll be 43 in December, and as impossible as it might seem sometimes, he will retire from the NFL eventually. The Steelers need to be prepared for when that time comes.
Drew Mestemaker’s rise from a zero-star recruit to a potential first-round NFL talent says a lot about his work ethic. He dominated at North Texas last year, using his elastic arm and stellar deep touch to take the top off opposing defenses. His mechanics are a work in progress, and he’s inefficient throwing to his left, but he has the arm strength, timing, and mental toughness to project well in the pros in due time.
15) New York Jets (via Cowboys)
Kade Pieper, C/OG, Iowa
The Jets have two talented, young offensive tackles in Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. Joe Tippmann has developed into a solid starting guard, and there’s upside in signing Dylan Parham in free agency. That said, with Tippmann slated to hit free agency next offseason and a potential release of center Josh Myers clearing up $5.5 million in cap space, New York might want to invest in their interior offensive line in this mock draft.
Early in the 2027 NFL Draft process, Kade Pieper is my top interior offensive lineman. Switching to center for Iowa this year, he dominated at guard with his elite athleticism, coordination, blocking on the move, and accurate strike placement at the initial point of contact. Whether it’s at center or guard, he should be a Day 1 starter in the pros.
16) Chicago Bears
Ahmad Moten Sr., DT, Miami (FL)
It’s safe to say the Chicago Bears’ defensive line will look much different in 2027 than it does this year, and that’s probably a good thing. Cutting ties with disappointing free agent signings Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett would save a combined $28.5 million in cap space, and Gervon Dexter will be a free agent. As flashy as his sack totals may be, he’s inconsistent in generating pressure and is a liability against the run.
With a 25.4% win rate against true pass sets in 2025, Ahmad Moten Sr. is a defensive tackle who can get it done on all three downs. He’s quick off the snap, low to the ground, powerful in his lower half, and has a diverse arsenal of moves he can use to stack and shed blocks. If he can cut down on his missed tackles, he has top-10 potential in this class.
17) Cincinnati Bengals
Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
After aggressively attacking it through free agency, the draft, and their trade for Dexter Lawrence, the Cincinnati Bengals’ porous defense is in much better shape on paper than it was last year. That’s not to say it’s a finished product yet, but their moves this offseason make it less dire for them to use their 2027 first-round pick on that side of the ball.
A former five-star recruit at Colorado, Jordan Seaton is in good hands transferring to LSU this offseason. He had some rough patches early in his collegiate career, but evened out down the stretch in 2025. He has prototypical size and length for an offensive tackle, showcasing ideal physicality and tremendous mobility for someone who was listed at 330 pounds.
18) Jacksonville Jaguars
Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Which Brian Thomas Jr. should the Jacksonville Jaguars expect in 2026? After a stellar rookie year in 2024, BTJ took a sizable step back in his second season in the NFL. If he doesn’t bounce back to his previous production, the Jaguars could look to ship him out and take another shot on a potential WR1 for Trevor Lawrence.
Cam Coleman was a standout at Auburn for two seasons and projects as Arch Manning’s WR1 at Texas this year. He’s 6’3″ and 201 pounds with the physicality and ball skills needed to win on the 50/50 ball. He attacks the ball in the air like a power forward, he bends the stem well to exploit leverage points, and he has better deep speed than most receivers his size.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss
There’s potential for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to settle in along the interior defensive line, but there’s risk attached with the group that surrounds Vita Vea. A’Shawn Robinson is a short-term addition at this stage of his NFL career, and Calijah Kancey played in just three games last year due to injury. The hope should be that Kancey can stay healthy and continue to shine, but if he doesn’t, the need will be huge.
Having led all Power 4 defensive tackles with 39 pressures in 2025, Will Echoles heads into 2026 a proven commodity as a pass rusher. His pad level and body control are still a bit suboptimal, but he has impressive first-step quickness, closing speed as a defender in space, and the ability to stack and shed offensive linemen in the trenches.
20) Denver Broncos
Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson
With Dre Greenlaw gone, the Denver Broncos are hoping that Justin Strnad can step in and provide quality starting play opposite Alex Singleton. However, in five seasons with the team, Strnad has only started in a combined 21 games. As a full-year starting option, he’s pretty unproven for somebody who turns 30 years old in August.
My early top linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft, Sammy Brown, is a reliable, physical tackler who has combined for 186 tackles, 10.0 sacks, and 25.0 tackles for a loss in his first two years at Clemson. He’s still developing in coverage, but his straight-line athleticism, combined with his tackling form, play strength, and instincts against the run, project him well in the NFL.
21) Houston Texans
Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
The Houston Texans traded for David Montgomery this offseason, and Woody Marks showed some promise as a rookie in 2025. That said, the 2027 NFL Draft appears to be loaded at the running back position. You could certainly argue that Mizzou’s Ahmad Hardy or Florida’s Jadan Baugh are deserving of first-round looks, but this is the only first-round running back in this mock draft.
Kewan Lacy is an explosive running back with impressive creativity as a downhill runner, outside of the tackles, and out in the open field. His agility and full-field ball-carrier vision make him very tough to stop with the dynamic cuts he’s able to make. He’s also competitive as a pass blocker and tough to bring down with the ball in his hands.
22) Philadelphia Eagles
Carter Smith, OG, Indiana
Tyler Steen proved to be a perfectly capable starting guard upon entering the Philadelphia Eagles’ lineup in 2025. However, he’s slated to hit free agency in 2027, and with impending extensions for Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, and Quinyon Mitchell on the horizon, the Eagles could let him walk and aim to find a cheaper replacement in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Though Carter Smith plays left tackle for Indiana, I have him projected as a guard because of his lack of length. He should be able to thrive on the interior, as he wins with consistent hand placement and proper weight distribution at the point of attack. He demonstrates good spatial awareness as a pass protector and as a zone-run blocker, and his sturdy anchor makes it tough for opponents to convert speed to power against him.
23) Detroit Lions
Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State
I loved the Detroit Lions adding Keith Abney II in the fifth round, as it was great value at a position with much uncertainty on their roster. Terrion Arnold hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing through his first two NFL seasons, and D.J. Reed had a career-low 76.7 PFSN CB Impact Score in 2025 in his first year in Detroit.
Listed at 6’4″ and 195 pounds, Kelley Jones is a tall, lanky cornerback with elite height and length for his position. That physical advantage gives him a large catch radius, which he maximizes with good ball-tracking skills and a competitive edge at the catch point. He shows good foot speed in his backpedal and good tackling skills for someone with a high center of gravity and skinny frame.
24) Los Angeles Chargers
Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
Wide receiver might not be a glaring need for the Los Angeles Chargers right now, but it could be by 2027. Quentin Johnston has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, and dealing him would open up a hole in their offense. Ladd McConkey’s production took a step back in 2025, and last year’s second-round pick, Tre’ Harris, had an average rookie season.
Though it’s off a small sample size, Charlie Becker looked like a future NFL starter in the second half of the 2025 season for Indiana. With Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt both in the NFL, Becker will hope to use his 6’4″, 209-pound frame to excel above the rim. He has fantastic hands, very good ball skills, and he can work the stem to exploit leverage points against different coverage looks.
25) New England Patriots
Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State
As of this writing, the New England Patriots’ top wide receiver is Romeo Doubs. Swapping out Stefon Diggs for him feels like a downgrade in the starting lineup. Kayshon Boutte is a solid enough starter, but the Patriots still lack a true WR1 on their offense. There could be hope that Kyle Williams breaks out in Year 2, but with only 10 catches as a rookie, that’s a major projection.
Had Omarion Miller had better quarterback play at Colorado, there’s no telling how productive he could’ve been in 2025. He’s 6’2″ and 210 pounds, showing off the size, physicality, and elite ball-tracking skills to win on the jump ball and contort himself to back-shoulder grabs. He has great vision and underrated agility after the catch, and he can identify soft spots against zone coverage and work himself open.
26) San Francisco 49ers
Yhonzae Pierre, EDGE, Alabama
Both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams missed significant time due to injury for the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive line in 2026. It’s possible both of them stay healthy, Bosa bounces back to his Pro Bowl self, and Williams lives up to his first-round potential. That said, in an era where defensive line depth is key, even that shouldn’t rule out the 49ers taking another stud to add to the rotation.
With 8.0 sacks in 2025, Yhonzae Pierre was a breakout contributor for Alabama as a redshirt sophomore. His physicality and tackling form can improve, but he’s a lengthy, twitched-up edge rusher with an explosive first step, ideal flexibility turning the corner, and the gap awareness to stack and shed blocks and make stops in the run game.
27) Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson
DaRon Bland has dealt with injuries and regression in play since his All-Pro campaign in 2023. Cobie Durant gives the Dallas Cowboys a new face in the secondary, but he’s only had one season above the NFL’s top 64 in PFSN’s CB Impact Scoring in his previous four seasons in the league. The Cowboys had a lot of needs on defense, so you can’t fix them all in one year, but cornerback figures to be a weakness heading into 2026.
Going into 2026, Ashton Hampton has allowed a passer rating of just 62.4 when targeted during his time at Clemson. He’s 6’2″ and 200 pounds, using his prototypical build to jam receivers near the line of scrimmage and compete at the catch point. He’s a reliable form tackler who can hit hard as a downhill defender, and his mental trigger shows up well covering underneath.
28) Kansas City Chiefs
Jacarrius Peak, OT, South Carolina
With left tackle Josh Simmons having been a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs should be patient with the rocky first year he had in the NFL. That said, he ranked No. 58 among all tackles in OL Impact Scoring, and right tackle Jaylon Moore fared much worse with a No. 98 ranking and a pure F grade. For a team that’s pushing to contend, having such a concerning tackle tandem could really hold them back.
Jacarrius Peak had an impressive 87.2 PFSN OL Impact Score for NC State in 2025, grading above several early-round picks from the 2026 NFL Draft. He now heads to South Carolina, where he hopes to further hone his craft. His hand usage needs work, but he’s an explosive athlete with quick feet in pass protection and impressive raw power.
29) Baltimore Ravens
A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
Travis Jones is a high-quality starter at defensive tackle, and the Baltimore Ravens are paying him accordingly right now. That said, the rest of their interior defensive line is a concern. Both Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. missed most of 2025 due to injury, and they’ll be 29 and 30, respectively, by year’s end. The Ravens could use a long-term upgrade in the defensive trenches.
The 6’3″, 330-pound A’Mauri Washington is a squatty defensive tackle who has the frame of a nose tackle but the backfield penetration ability of a 3-technique. I’d like to see his spatial awareness in the run game improve, because if he can do that, he’ll add more polish to a game that already shows off impressive first-step quickness and raw physicality in the trenches.
30) Seattle Seahawks
Quincy Rhodes Jr., EDGE, Arkansas
Having lost Boye Mafe to Cincinnati in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks are down one key contributor from their loaded defensive line that helped lead them to a Super Bowl victory last season. Their pass rush should remain strong in 2026, but Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall will both be free agents in the 2027 NFL offseason. DeMarcus Lawrence is also 34, so the Seahawks will need multiple investments off the edge going forward.
Quincy Rhodes Jr. broke out for Arkansas with 8.0 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last year, and he decided to pass on the 2026 NFL Draft and stay in school another year. That could end up propelling him into Round 1 if he develops at the rate he did last year. He’s 6’6″ and 275 pounds with long arms, powerful hands, a quick first step, and the versatility to play in any alignment along the defensive line.
31) Buffalo Bills
Mario Craver, WR, Texas A&M
Is the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver room any better than it was in 2025? It’s certainly different. They traded for DJ Moore, but he’s coming off the worst statistical season of his career last year with the Bears. They drafted Skyler Bell in the fourth round, and while that was good value to get him where they did, they still have a desperate need for a real WR1 to get their offense over the hump.
At 5’9″ and 165 pounds, Mario Craver is certainly undersized for the wide receiver position. That said, he might be the most dynamic receiver in the 2027 class. He’s a speedy, twitched-up weapon who can create separation vertically and underneath with elite speed, sharp lateral cuts, and good stem work. He doesn’t have bad hands, and he’s quite tough after the catch.
32) Los Angeles Rams
Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama
In the short term, wide receiver isn’t really a need for the Los Angeles Rams. Truth be told, they don’t really have many needs right now. The position could become a weakness in the long run, however. Davante Adams is a free agent next year, and with several key players needing extensions in the 2027 offseason (Puka Nacua included), he’s likely on the way out, opening up a big need for a WR2 once the Rams inevitably extend Nacua.
Expectations were high for Ryan Coleman-Williams going into 2025, and he didn’t quite live up to them. His drops remain a big issue, and his skinnier frame proves to be an issue at times.
However, he has phenomenal body control and impressive ball skills attacking the ball in the air. He’s a high-level athlete with his explosiveness coming out of his breaks, great vision after the catch, and tremendous deep speed.
