NFL Exec Rips Quality of 2027 Draft QB Class Amid Arch Manning's Struggles, Mestemaker & Mensah Hype

The 2027 class of quarterback prospects was once projected to be a generational collection of talent, but the luster has quickly worn off.

Charles Robinson of NFL Blue Book spoke to a longtime NFL executive who had some harsh words for the 2027 quarterback class, calling out the likes of Texas' Arch Manning, Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker, Miami's Darian Mensah and Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss.

"It's almost the same story as last year," the exec said. "All the hype and buildup without people really asking the experts who have known all along that there were issues with all these guys. It's so bad across the landscape of college football that the NFL is actually excited about a former walk-on [in Mestemaker], who never started a varsity game at quarterback in high school."

The exec continued: "Mestemaker and a triple [school] player in [Miami's Darian] Mensah are likely at the top now, along with a 5-foot-10 Ferris State transfer [in Trinidad Chambliss], who got pinned in the pocket on Saturday and looked really average for most of the game. … There's more money involved than ever before and the quality of quarterback play is down at the college level."

After choosing to forgo the 2026 NFL draft, Manning has struggled to find consistency this season and hasn't lived up to his legendary family name. Other highly touted talents like Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Notre Dame's CJ Carr also haven't met expectations, leaving the door open for Mestemaker, Mensah and Chambliss to emerge as potential first-round picks.

The 2027 class took another hit on Monday when it was announced that Oregon's Dante Moore will be shut down for the remainder of the year while he recovers from a concussion. Moore likely would've been a top-two selection if he entered the 2026 draft.

There's still a lot of time left in the 2026 college football season, so some of these quarterbacks could separate themselves from the pack over the next few weeks. For now, it sounds like NFL scouts aren't very impressed.