Over my last few 2027 NFL mock drafts, I have projected trades that I think are both practical and fun.
This time, using PFN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator, let’s play the board as it lies and project the first round without any trades.
1) Arizona Cardinals
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Dante Moore came back to Oregon with something to prove, and the Ducks look primed to improve on what turned out to be a disappointing finish to the 2025-26 season.
Moore is a smooth operator off-platform and out of structure, with nimble mobility and impressive arm elasticity. As an operator, he showcased notable growth in 2025. He’s a competent pre-snap processor who can discern coverage styles and depths, and post-snap, he’s shown he can bait safeties out of position with his eyes, as well as sift through two-on-one spacing and throw receivers open with proper placement.
He has flashed massive potential at times and shown why another year in college could be a valuable experience for him. I think he will put in the necessary work and win some more important games this season, which will only further solidify his position atop the 2027 NFL Draft.
2) Miami Dolphins
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
A player rarely comes into college with as much hype as Jeremiah Smith, but ever since he was a blue-chip high school prospect, he has answered the bell time and time again. He has already won a national championship, and he has little to prove on the field. Through his first two collegiate seasons, Smith has totaled 163 catches for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Smith is impressively fluid and sudden for his size, with a natural nuance and feel for spatial manipulation that exceeds his years. Smith isn’t as consistent as a RAC threat, and there’s still room to reach a higher echelon as an intermediate stem artist on comebacks and curls, but he looks born to be a true WR1, offensive alpha, and blue-chip weapon in the NFL.
3) New York Jets
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
At 6’4″ and 226 pounds, Arch Manning is an elite creative threat with high-level arm talent and platform freedom, and he flashes exciting operational comfort, with glimpses of impressive pocket maneuverability, navigation, pre-snap discernment, and coverage diagnosis.
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Manning’s 2025 season was a massive step in the right direction, and the Round 1 buzz that was premature last summer is now truly warranted. To me, this looks like the New York Jets get their next great quarterback, along with some solid offensive weapons, to be a force sooner rather than later.
4) Cleveland Browns
Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Cam Coleman was a five-star recruit out of high school and has a highlight reel oozing with potential. Coleman was affected by poor quarterback play during his first two collegiate seasons at Auburn. However, his film still had him in the first-round conversation, and now he has an incredible opportunity as Manning’s WR1 at Texas.
At around 6’3″ and 200 pounds, with near-33″ arms, Coleman has the build of an X-receiver, and the athletic profile of one, too. He’s a venerable long-strider in the vertical plane but is also an impressive short-area athlete with excellent quickness, twitch, deceleration capacity, and hip fluidity for his size.
If he can improve on his drop rate from a season ago, he will be not only a blue-chip prospect for the Longhorns but a star in the NFL. The Browns will be pleased to bring in someone to try to revive the offense and excite the fans.
5) Las Vegas Raiders
Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
At a listed 6’5″ and 245 pounds, with near-34″ arms, Stewart’s explosiveness off the line is more akin to teleportation. He’s exceedingly twitchy and light on his feet, with elite hip fluidity, ankle flexion, and torso reduction for his size, and his combination of explosion, length, and consistent lower-body load can yield overwhelming power.
Stewart’s sheer physical potential is the core of his evaluation; he has a near-unmatched blend of explosiveness, lateral agility, quickness, bend, length, and relentless motor, and there are glimpses of proper pass-rush execution with angle manipulation, stunt efficiency, upper-lower synergy, and power production.
Overall, Stewart has room to keep expanding his counter arsenal and improve his hand precision, and if the Las Vegas Raiders keep Maxx Crosby, this one-two punch could be a force immediately. But even if Crosby moves on, Stewart would fill a key need.
6) Atlanta Falcons
Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
The Atlanta Falcons have a pair of injury-prone lefties under center, but I don’t think the story is fully written on Michael Penix Jr. quite yet. A wise investment for Penix and Bijan Robinson would be a premier offensive tackle to solidify the offensive line for the next decade. That’s where Jordan Seaton comes in.
Seaton is an explosive, twitched-up, rangy athlete at his size, and doubles as a heavy-handed combatant with excellent elbow load and force efficiency on punches. In pass protection, Seaton has a stellar, synergistic feel and patient, nuanced hands; he can latch and anchor rushers with well-timed circle punches after matching up, or flash hands to bait extensions before gathering. And in the run game, Seaton is angle-sound and adaptable. He is a high-motor player with all the tools to be a franchise cornerstone.
7) Tennessee Titans
Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
While he’s often considered slightly undersized, that didn’t stop Colin Simmons from posting a PFN EDGE Impact Score of 86.9 (fourth-best in the nation) and earning First Team All-SEC and Second Team All-American honors. While he has no relation to Jeffery Simmons, they could be a nightmare for offensive lines if they team up in Tennessee.
Simmons is a banshee on the rush with an insatiable playmaking motor, and those central qualities are magnified by his hyper-elite first-step explosiveness, long-track acceleration, tight cornering ability, effervescent twitch, and lateral explosive range.
Even at his size, tackles still need to respect his speed-to-power, which opens up opportunities for Simmons to manipulate and exploit timing and angle advantages. Simmons has the rush intelligence to bait tackles out of position with initial rush angles, stutter steps, and feints. His propulsive explosion, bend, and power pose devastating threats once out of position.
8) Carolina Panthers
Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
In a draft with very few true No. 1 cornerbacks and a multitude of teams needing to invest in the position, Leonard Moore projects as a scheme and alignment-diverse CB1 with All-Pro upside. Pairing Moore with Jaycee Horn could be a dangerous duo for a long time.
At 6’2″ and 197 pounds, Moore is long and lean, with a compelling mix of long-strider explosiveness, reactive quickness and twitch, and swivel fluidity. He has a natural mirror-motor and instant reaction in press, and perfectly blends the line between patient, disciplined, and physical.
Meanwhile, in zone coverage, he has excellent two-on-one route awareness and spatial reasoning, and he is explosive on the click-and-close overtop breaks. At the catch point, Moore resembles a wide receiver with truly elite ball skills and catch-point control; he has 7 career INTs to date, along with a career forced incompletion percentage of almost 20%.
9) New Orleans Saints
Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
One way to ensure that your franchise quarterback’s career is as long as possible is protecting him and giving him time to execute. Tyler Shough has shown flashes, and Trevor Goosby has the kind of potential to successfully protect his blindside for a very long time.
Goosby has a strong sense of patience, timing, and upper-lower sync as a pass protector, but can improve at adapting, replacing his hands, and incorporating more counter strategies when rushers change the picture mid-rep. To that end, his tendency to grab against apex rushers who attain superior leverage renders him penalty-prone at times. Nevertheless, Goosby has an impact-starter projection at a premium position, with two-phase security and left-right flex.
10) New York Giants
Justin Scott, DT, Miami (FL)
Justin Scott would once again give the New York Giants a powerful presence up front, making life easier for everyone around him. He is the next star in Miami’s pipeline of talented defensive linemen, which has pumped out stars for years.
Projecting as a scheme-diverse defensive tackle with vast alignment versatility, elite run defense utility, stunting and slanting value, and independent pass-rush upside, Scott has immediate impact-NFL-starter potential right off the bat.
11) Washington Commanders
Tae Johnson, S, Notre Dame
The Washington Commanders adding to their defense would go a long way toward returning this team to contention. Tae Johnson is an incredible athlete and offers range and versatility to a defense that clearly needs an impact player.
Johnson allowed just 0.4 yards per coverage snap and a measly opposing QB rating of 51.7, missed just 6.5% of his tackles, and forced an incompletion on 17.6% of targets. The numbers are elite, and the film follows suit.
At 6’2″, 200 pounds, Johnson is long, well-built, and athletic, with a tantalizing blend of short-area quickness, foot speed on recalibration, swivel fluidity, and explosive long-strider range.
12) New York Jets
David Stone, DT, Oklahoma
At 6’3″ and 315 pounds, with near-elite proportional length, David Stone has a lab-built combination of natural leverage, compact mass, and power capacity, all of which are magnified by his otherworldly first-step explosiveness off the line.
With his explosiveness, size, power profile, and unhinged motor, he’s a double-team magnet and can draw attention from 0-tech to 3-tech and 4i. He’s a consistent pocket pusher on the attack with a devastating bull-rush, and his line-resetting power serves as an asset in run defense, where he can both puncture gaps and reverse displacement in its tracks.
13) Minnesota Vikings
Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
The Minnesota Vikings get their guy here in Ellis Robinson IV, grabbing a big-time corner who has a lot of big-game experience. He is athletic, has ideal size and ball skills, and he has shown he can do it at the highest levels of Division I college football in the SEC.
At 6’0″ and 180 pounds, Robinson is light and lean but possesses decent proportional length to go along with exceptional explosiveness, long speed, and elite coverage mobility. Robinson possesses snappy, short-area fluidity, the ability to recalibrate his base on demand, the ability to sink, malleability on breaks, and a reactive coil that instantly recovers leverage in read-and-react situations.
14) Pittsburgh Steelers
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
After years of messing around with veterans and holding out for Aaron Rodgers’ plans, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally find their franchise quarterback in Drew Mestemaker, the impressive transfer from North Texas who could be the best pick in the draft if he lands in this range.
In 14 games started, Mestemaker led the Mean Green to a record of 12-2, while passing for an FBS-leading 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions with a nearly 70% completion rate and nearly 10 yards per attempt, and while adding 5 additional scores on the ground. Mestemaker seems like the prototypical new-age quarterback, and he would be a great get for the Steelers.
15) New York Jets
Austin Siereveld, OG, Ohio State
At 6’5″ and 325 pounds, Austin Siereveld has impressive mass, and while his proportional length is closer to average, he compensates with high-level compact power, rotational torque at contact, and overwhelming leg drive post-contact. At Ohio State, he has primarily played at tackle, but he projects better at guard (or center) long-term.
He’s a born displacer in the run game with elite contact authority and a tough, gritty style of play. And in pass protection, he’s relatively synergetic, acquires leverage well, naturally plays with controlled lean, and has shown he can erode opposing extensions with snatches and heavy-handed chops.
16) Chicago Bears
Ahmad Moten Sr., DT, Miami (FL)
The Chicago Bears missed out on Dexter Lawrence II, but that just means they still need to address the trenches and Ahmad Moten Sr. out of Miami could be the solution. Moten adds size and explosiveness to the Bears’ line while filling a glaring need.
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It was a wise decision for Moten to return to Miami for another season, as he now gets a chance to shine without Rueben Bain Jr. as the leader of the defensive line. Instead, the disruptive duo of Moten and Scott will form a two-headed monster and get all of the buzz.
17) Cincinnati Bengals
Jamari Johnson, TE, Oregon
After pulling off a blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence II and using their first two draft picks on defensive players (EDGE Cashius Howell and CB Tacario Davis), the Cincinnati Bengals give superstar quarterback Joe Burrow another dynamic weapon on offense.
Oregon’s Jamari Johnson is the full package in terms of blocking and receiving, and in an offense with players like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, he should get opportunities in space to show off his impressive athleticism.
18) Jacksonville Jaguars
Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
In what seemed like a move that made sense for both sides, the Jacksonville Jaguars moved on from Travis Etienne Jr. this offseason and will run with a decently unproven backfield for the 2026-27 season.
After this season, I expect them to select the first running back off the board, Kewan Lacy. Lacy is explosive, dynamic, and can bring it in the passing game, too. Lacy has the potential to be an elite back in this league, and this is a great landing spot for him to thrive immediately.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quincy Rhodes Jr., EDGE, Arkansas
Quincy Rhodes Jr. had the opportunity to enter the 2026 NFL Draft or transfer to Oklahoma or Kansas State. Instead, he ultimately decided to return to Arkansas for one more year, and that may be just what the doctor ordered to get him into the first round.
Rhodes is 6’6″ with elite length to keep tackles off him, allowing him to generate a ton of pressure. While the Buccaneers just drafted Rueben Bain Jr. to place alongside YaYa Diaby, the latter is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
20) Denver Broncos
KJ Bolden, S, Georgia
KJ Bolden projects as a defensive leader and “glue guy” whose role and phase versatility, physicality, football IQ, and range yield impact-starter upside. As a mover, he operates at a controlled pace that sometimes masks his top-end athleticism. But in quick-reaction and chase scenarios, his short-area twitch, swivel fluidity, hip sink, springy explosion, and long-strider speed shine.
In support, he’s patient yet decisive, angle-disciplined, and a sure tackler in the open field despite his leaner frame. In coverage, he’s intelligent, incredibly natural in managing spacing and hip alignment in zone, smooth and effortless on his pedal, and quick to close gaps off his plant-and-drive once passers commit.
21) Houston Texans
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
In the shock of the draft, the Houston Texans spend a first-round pick on Notre Dame QB CJ Carr in an effort to upgrade a position that they thought they had locked down. However, C.J. Stroud’s uneven development has people questioning whether he is still the guy long-term. If Stroud struggles this year, the Texans could look to move on after the 2027 season when his contract is up.
Carr has immense upside and is very poised and mature in his progressions. If he needs to make athletic plays, he can. Carr is extremely accurate, and selecting him in the first round means his contract will have a fifth-year team option, giving them plenty of time to develop him before fully giving him the keys to the offense.
22) Philadelphia Eagles
Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
With the Philadelphia Eagles locking up their defensive tackles and, in turn, solidifying their defense in the interim, I expect them to add another weapon on offense. Charlie Becker seized a starting role when Elijah Sarratt went down with a hamstring injury, then formed a three-man rotation with Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. once Sarratt returned. The sample size was small, but the numbers were absolutely dominant, and the film is very exciting. He finished the season with 34 catches for 679 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Becker is still emerging and needs to produce over a full season, but the flashes have been very promising. As a bonus, he’s an elite run blocker with universal alignment flexibility. Becker’s value as a blocker in a system that rewards those skills also solidifies the pick.
23) Detroit Lions
OJ Frederique Jr., CB, Miami (FL)
One of the most interesting prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft is Miami’s OJ Frederique Jr. The Detroit Lions are desperate to find some secondary players who can stay on the field and be staples in their defense.
At 6’0″ and 185 pounds, Frederique is close to average size, with below-average lean mass and middling length. But as a mover, he distinguishes himself with hyperactive quicks, twitch, and propulsive explosiveness both on the vertical plane and when closing downhill in support.
Frederique has the raw tools and temperament to be an absolute gnat in man coverage, with the schematic versatility and multi-phase upside to be an impact starter worth Round 1 capital if he has another year of sustained production and high-level play.
24) Los Angeles Chargers
A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
A’Mauri Washington would go a long way toward enhancing the physicality in the middle of the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive line, a trait that Jim Harbaugh covets in his defenses.
Washington is a clogger; he takes manpower, strength, and skill to overcome, and in doing that, he leaves opportunities for his teammates. But that isn’t all he is good for, as he has been an impactful interior defender for Oregon. He has an extremely high floor along with Pro Bowl upside.
25) New England Patriots
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
The New England Patriots have never been afraid to go off the board to get their guy, and I think Ahmad Hardy could be a franchise back for them, with home-run ability on any run. With their franchise quarterback in place and a pretty sound team around him, selecting Hardy would make the offense even more dynamic.
This pick may surprise some at this stage of scouting, but I think Hardy has an elite skill set that could take the New England offense to the next level.
26) San Francisco 49ers
Kade Pieper, C, Iowa
Even though the center position doesn’t always get the first-round love it may deserve, the San Francisco 49ers are always very scheme-aware when drafting their linemen, and always make sure to bring high football IQ guys into the building.
Kade Pieper is impactful against both the pass and the run, and I see him as a Day 1 contributor, with the upside to be a very reliable piece for a very long time.
27) Dallas Cowboys
Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson
Ashton Hampton isn’t afraid to take chances in coverage, hawking the ball and trying to make a game-changing play. He is a solid athlete whose size, fluidity, physicality, and technical versatility combine to grant quality starter upside on the boundary.
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At 6’2″ and 200 pounds, Hampton is surprisingly balanced and fluid as a mover, with excellent swivel freedom and foot speed. He boasts a high level of technical variability, with the skills to match and dictate in press coverage, orient to WRs in off-man, or pedal, kick-slide, and manage 2-on-1s in zone. Hampton presents as a fast processor and an instinctive two-phase defender, who can trigger quickly in support, engage blocks with voracious targeted physicality, and secure solo tackles.
Hampton would be a perfect fit for the Dallas Cowboys, who have been trying to upgrade their defense after they finished dead last in PFN’s Defense Impact Score last season.
28) Kansas City Chiefs
Melvin Siani, OT, Texas
Melvin Siani is an elite athlete with high-level explosiveness and range, as well as menacing power capacity that’s magnified by his leg drive and rotational torque. In the run game, Siani thrives out on the move, where his leg action and explosiveness can feed into power sustain, and in pass protection, he acquits himself well for a younger blocker.
While his outside hand can get stronger, and his inconsistent hand replacement can lead to grabs and holds, he’s shown he can get depth on his kick, match and redirect, and feign strikes to bait rushers into more predictable paths before anchoring. Siani needs to keep improving his upper-lower synergy, and especially in the running game, upright pad-level drift and streaky balance can be issues. But with more growth, Siani has early-round and impact starter upside at left tackle or right tackle, and I think he will realize it pretty quickly.
29) Baltimore Ravens
Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida
With Derrick Henry beginning to look human at 32 years old and the team needing to maintain its power-run style of play, Jadan Baugh could be the long-term solution for the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield.
Having physical back to counter Lamar Jackson’s elite athleticism allows the Ravens to wear down opposing defenses and then run all over them. Baugh is 6’1″ and 228 pounds, and he has freakish athleticism, both in terms of long speed and explosiveness. His combination of size and athleticism is rare, and he complements that physical talent with impressive vision, creative IQ, and pass-down value.
30) Seattle Seahawks
Cayden Green, OG, Missouri
After winning the Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks lost their top rusher and immediately replaced him in the first round with an extremely talented back in Jadarian Price. A year later, I expect them to solidify the offensive front to continue their perfect balance between a consistent run game and solid pass protection.
Cayden Green is a perfect fit for this role as an experienced, powerful lineman who could be a force for years to come. Green’s offensive tackle experience insulates his depth and flex value, but his ceiling is highest at guard, where he can become an impact starter.
31) Buffalo Bills
Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana
Nick Marsh transferred to Indiana, and it shouldn’t be long before he is catching passes from an NFL quarterback. At 6’3″ and 213 pounds, Marsh wows with his combination of size and speed.
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He fits the build that the Buffalo Bills like to draft, and he has an impressive catch radius. I am expecting a breakout season from Marsh, and then he can take what he learns from Curt Cignetti and cash in come draft time.
32) Cleveland Browns
Drake Lindsey, QB, Minnesota
Drake Lindsey is an up-and-coming QB prospect with a ton of upside. Lindsey originally joined the Golden Gophers as a three-star recruit in 2024, but won the starting QB job as a redshirt freshman in 2025 and led his team to an 8-5 record in 13 starts, as well as a bowl victory. He turned in a respectable PFN QB Impact score of 77.8, and his 0.5 EPA per dropback in close-game scenarios was 15th among passers with at least 10 starts.
The sample size is small, and there are still areas in which Lindsey can improve, to be sure. But he fits the bill of the old-school, big-armed pocket passer. If Shedeur Sanders doesn’t wow this season, don’t be surprised if the Browns decide to go in a different direction.
