Mel Kiper, Field Yates Reveal Updated 2027 NFL Draft Top 10 Big Board Rankings in New Video

With the college football season kicking off in less than a month, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates offered their top 10 players in the 2027 NFL draft class.

They both listed Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as the best talent on the board. The experts immediately diverged from there, with Kiper opting for Texas edge-rusher Colin Simmons at No. 2 and Yates going with Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.

Here's each of their Top 10s in full:

Mel Kiper Jr. 2027 Top 10

1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
2. Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
3. Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
4. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
5. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
6. Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
7. Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
8. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
9. Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
10. Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU

Field Yates 2027 Top 10

1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
2. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
3. Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
4. Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
5. Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
6. Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
7. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
8. Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU
9. Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
10. Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss

Smith was basically designated as a first-round prospect from the moment he stepped on the field with the Buckeyes. He had 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman, and he followed up with better numbers on average (87 receptions, 1,243 yards and 12 TDs) a season ago.

Keyshawn Johnson is the last wideout to go No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, and we're going on 30-plus years since that happened (1996).

The drought is likely to continue. For as talented as Smith is, the 2027 quarterback crop looks stronger than what was on offer this past spring.

Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker in the third spot for Yates was the biggest surprise.

The redshirt sophomore led the FBS in passing yards (4,379) and tied for the second-most touchdown passes (34) at North Texas in 2025. But he wasn't a heralded recruit coming out of high school, and he hasn't yet tested himself in a power conference.

Yates acknowledged Mestemaker could be a candidate for the 2028 class since he has so little experience relative to his peers. He has started only one season in college and was mostly a backup in high school.

Still, the first-round buzz is already there. Mestemaker didn't crack the Top 25 for Bleacher Report's early big board but was the projected No. 13 overall pick in B/R's newest mock.

Should Mestemaker struggle or decide to put off his NFL dreams for another year, QB-needy teams will still have some attractive options.

Moore could've been a top-five selection this year if he had declared, and now he has additional time to refine his game. Texas' Arch Manning, meanwhile, could vault into No. 1 if he keeps building on the encouraging second half he had in 2025.

Not included in Kiper and Yates' big board was Miami's Darian Mensah, the first overall pick in the B/R mock.

Mensah threw for 6,696 yards and 56 touchdowns while playing one year apiece at Tulane and Duke. Wide receiver Cooper Barkate followed him to South Florida, and he'll have the services of Malachi Toney.

Cam Ward parlayed his brief time at Miami into being the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, so it wouldn't be a complete shock if Mensah pulled off the same feat.