How 2027 NFL Draft Offensive Prospects Stack Up Against Recent Classes

The 2027 NFL draft class is the seventh cycle since the creation of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department. As hype continues to build around next April's group of talent, some context may be necessary to fully understand how good it may or may not be once the event begins in Washington, D.C.

"In speaking with scouts and executives this summer, I noticed more excitement than normal, and the upcoming 2027 class might actually live up to that standard-issue statement [of being loaded with talent]," ESPN's Jordan Reid reported.

Excitement has been amped up mainly because of a deep quarterback class that could feature a handful of first-round talents, as well as arguably the best singular talent B/R has evaluated to date.

Individually, the upcoming crop may not be top-tier across the board. In a vacuum, only one projection right now has a 2027 draft-eligible prospect as the top-rated player at his position compared to those previous six classes.

However, the potential exists within its entirety to be one of the best. The group has enough upside to rank among some of the top classes within the discussed time frame.

Keep in mind, the current evaluation process is in its infancy. The B/R scouts just finished their summer scouting. How each of the prospects respond during games through the postseason, all-star contests and the combine process will drastically influence perception.

As of now, everyone should be excited based on what the 2027 class can be, though it's not quite there yet.

Quarterbacks

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Miami's Darian Mensah

Top 2027 Prospect: Darian Mensah, Miami (8.5)

B/R Era Best: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (9.6)

The 2027 quarterback class is not necessarily producing the next Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence.

Instead, the breadth of possible depth may be on par or possibly even exceed the 2024 class—which set an NFL record with six quarterbacks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix) chosen in the first 12 selections.

Interestingly, that previous group didn't hold six first-round grades at the time. Need and fit eventually drove each of those prospects to their situations. The upcoming class legitimately could feature six first-round talents when all is said and done.

Currently, the B/R Scouting Department has four quarterbacks counted among its initial top-25 prospects. Darian Mensah, who transferred to Miami this offseason, tops the list.

"Mensah is a well-rounded quarterback with the skill set suited for NFL success," B/R scout Dame Parson said. "He is a mentally tough and poised quarterback, showing a high football IQ. He processes information quickly and delivers accurate passes all over the field."

The 21-year-old may lead the pack currently, but Texas' Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore are graded similarly as fellow top-10 options. Both are capable of earning the rarified status of QB1 by the end of the cycle.

Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss is lower in the rankings and may be undersized, but he showed last season that he can ball.

From there, numerous options exist with the ability to jump into the first-round conversation.

Drew Mestemaker is the nation's returning passer leader and is making a jump in competition from North Texas to Oklahoma State. South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers is the most physically gifted option. Ohio State's Julian Sayin can prove he's a legitimate high-level passer and not just a cog in the Buckeyes' machine with yet another outstanding season.

CJ Carr impressed during his first as QB1 at Notre Dame, with the opportunity to build on that performance. Minnesota's Drake Lindsey has NFL traits. Jayden Maiava is the latest in Lincoln Riley's QB pipeline.

Josh Hoover steps in for this year's No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, as the Indiana Hoosiers' latest transfer quarterback.

Multiple more names could still be mentioned with the potential to make a push upward as evaluations continue, hence why the fervor for this position class may be at an all-time high.

Running Backs

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Florida's Jadan Baugh

Top 2027 Prospect: Jadan Baugh, Florida (8.1)

B/R Era Best: Bijan Robinson, Texas/Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (9.0)

Much like the quarterback position, the upcoming running back class is exciting based on the all-around quality found among the group.

A season ago, the top two ball-carriers played on the same team. Notre Dame ultimately featured the only two first-round draft picks in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. This fall will be quite different, with three runners already found among B/R's top 20 prospects.

Three running backs haven't been taken in the first round since 2018. It's happened only once during the last 14 years.

Florida's Jadan Baugh, Missouri's Ahmad Hardy and Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy all ran for over 1,100 yards last season, primarily against SEC competition. The latter two finished second and third overall at 1,649 and 1,567 yards, respectively. Lacy's 24 rushing touchdowns also ranked second.

The biggest difference between those three and other top running back prospects is they're not the most natural or fluid receivers out of the backfield, which is a large reason why they're not mentioned in the same conversation as a Love or Bijan Robinson. All three are more traditional ball-carriers, who can contribute in the passing game some, but they're not viewed as legitimate offensive weapons.

Beyond those mentioned, the position's depth is impressive, too. Much like quarterback, multiple names could easily ascend throughout the process. Miami's Mark Fletcher Jr., Georgia's Nate Frazier, Texas' Raleek Brown, BYU's LJ Martin and Louisville's Isaac Brown find themselves among the next tier.

Wide Receivers

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Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith

Top 2027 Prospect: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (9.8)

B/R Era Best: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (9.7)

Twenty years will have passed from the time Calvin Johnson became the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft and the initial selections of the 2027 class. Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver prospect since Megatron became a pro.

The previous statement may come across as hyperbolic, especially with names like AJ Green, Julio Jones and Ja'Marr Chase sandwiched between those two points.

Purely from an evaluation standpoint, Smith is the highest-graded prospect ever by the B/R Scouting Department (so far), with every possibility of earning the actual designation as a "generational" talent.

Smith is a 6'4", 222-pound target. He's dominated from Day 1 at the collegiate level, with 163 catches for 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns in his first two seasons. He has the size, speed, athleticism, body control and hands to be a dominant NFL WR1. Interestingly, his current grade (9.8) surpasses Bleacher Report's previous high when Marvin Harrison Jr. carried a 9.7 throughout the 2024 cycle.

As always, the wide receiver position appears to be deep.

Smith is the headliner and the class' top overall talent. Texas' Cam Coleman is a legitimate top-10 option as well. If they were both to crack the top-five selections, they'd be the first duo to do so since Charles Rogers and Andre Johnson in 2003.

Nick Marsh may find himself in the top 10 as well with a standout season at Indiana. He presents the most physical play-style at the position. Whereas, South Carolina's Nyck Harbor is easily the most naturally gifted, albeit much further behind on the developmental curve.

Alabama's Ryan Coleman-Williams can reenter the conversation among the nation's top targets with more consistent performances this fall.

Big seasons could also be forthcoming from Rutgers' KJ Duff, Cal's Ian Strong, Texas A&M's Mario Craver, Indiana's Charlie Becker, Oklahoma State's Wyatt Young, Arizona State's Omarion Miller and the Clemson duo of Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore.

Tight Ends

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Oregon's Jamari Johnson

Top 2027 Prospect: Jamari Johnson, Oregon (8.0)

B/R Era Best: Kyle Pitts, Florida (9.4)

A shift in tight end evaluation occurred during the 2026 draft class. With the growing reliance on 12 and even 13 personnel, a greater emphasis was placed on traditional in-line options. Even so, how a tight end impacts the passing game retains the greatest value when evaluating the position.

As such, Oregon's Jamari Johnson and LSU's Trey'Dez Green should be sought-after targets, likely among next year's top-20 selections.

Johnson is a more fluid and natural receiver than former teammate Kenyon Sadiq, even though the latter was just TE1 in this year's class. Johnson's ability to adjust to passes and create after the catch makes him special. However, Sadiq is a far superior blocker.

Similarly, Green is a massive and exciting target. His 6'7" frame creates a massive catch radius to make him a quarterback's best friend. He's not going to be a true inline presence, though.

While NFL offenses may be shifting toward heavier personnel packages, Johnson and Green simply aren't strong two-way performers. Thus, organizations will likely be forced to look elsewhere later in the draft to find different skill sets.

Temple's Peter Clarke, Louisville's Brody Foley, Missouri's Brett Norfleet, Penn State's Benjamin Brahmer and Arkansas' Jaden Platt bring a little more bulk and physicality to the position.

Offensive Tackles

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Texas' Trevor Goosby

Top 2027 Prospect: Trevor Goosby, Texas (8.1)

B/R Era Best: Joe Alt, Notre Dame (9.1)

The era when a top-10 offensive tackle was a sure bet to become an elite blocker is long gone.

Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu were two of the highest graded offensive tackle prospects over the last six years. Neal is now viewed as a first-round bust, while Ekwonu is well on his way to being labeled the same. Conversely, Joe Alt is already a Pro Bowl-level performer, though he's coming off a season-ending injury.

The biggest issue in recent years is exactly where some of the top talents fit. Questions about length lingered with Spencer Fano and Will Campbell throughout the last two draft cycles. Fano looks to be transitioning well to left tackle in his first training camp, while Campbell's struggles during the postseason are well-documented (and partially injury-related).

For 2027, a pair of offensive tackles don't have the same question marks and bring significant growth potential to the premium position.

As of now, Texas' Trevor Goosby grades as OT1 and a top-10 prospect. The 6'7", 325-pound blocker showed significant development through his first full year as a starter in 2025. He's a natural left tackle with the movement skills and length to handle top edge-rushers.

Another year protecting Arch Manning's blind side, with Texas' increased national championship expectations, will place a microscope on Goosby's performance.

Meanwhile, Jordan Seaton should benefit greatly from a change of scenery. The 5-star recruit and transfer now finds himself at LSU, where he'll be the top lineman on a better roster and learn from a different coaching staff.

Seaton is the most naturally gifted blocker potentially available in next year's class. A strong showing in the SEC could easily push him atop the position rankings.

Depth at offensive tackle is always suspect, because it's hard to find that caliber of talent at any level.

However, a group that includes Iowa's Trevor Lauck, Ohio State's Austin Siereveld, Indiana's Carter Smith, Missouri's Cayden Green and SMU's PJ Williams can strengthen the position depending on how they're projected by NFL scouting staffs.

Interior Offensive Linemen

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Iowa's Kade Pieper

Top 2027 Prospect: Kade Pieper, Iowa (7.4)

B/R Era Best: Landon Dickerson, Alabama (8.7)

Interior offensive linemen don't drive the conversation when it comes to top prospects, because guard and center aren't considered premium positions.

Quenton Nelson was the last to hear his name called among a draft class' top-10 picks, and he was clearly a special talent. The 2027 crop will veer more toward traditional expectations.

In three of the last four draft classes, Iowa's Vega Ioane, Alabama's Tyler Booker and Northwestern's Peter Skoronski heard their names called among the top 15.

As it stands, none of the top pure interior prospects should be considered in the same range. Instead, the first guard and/or center options are more comfortably projected toward the second half of the opening frame.

Iowa's Kade Pieper leads the way. The 6'3", 298-pound blocker's burst off the snap and movement skills are outstanding. He'll transition from guard to center this fall, though. The move could eventually place him in a similar position to former Hawkeye Tyler Linderbaum. The Baltimore Ravens selected Linderbaum with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 class.

Beyond Pieper, some ambiguity exists because the group's makeup will depend on projections for certain prospects, as mentioned.

Cincinnati's Evan Tengesdahl, Minnesota's Greg Johnson, Ohio State's Luke Montgomery, Indiana's Drew Evans and Miami's Samson Okunlola should be counted among the nation's top guards. Over the ball, center options include Nebraska's Justin Evans, Ohio State's Carson Hinzman, Oregon's Iapani Laloulu and Texas Tech's Sheridan Wilson.