Wilson's 2027 NFL mock draft: Browns trade up for QB, five passers land in Round 1

Hey, fun story: Remember when the 2027 QB class was supposed to be loaded? We spent the summer talking about six or seven potential first-rounders, including two names — Dante Moore and Arch Manning — who entered the season as my QB1 and QB2. Two months later, Moore's season is over after suffering a concussion vs. USC in late September, and Manning has been so inconsistent we're wondering whether he should even enter the draft.

And, now, for the third straight draft cycle, the preseason QB hype hasn't come close to matching what we've seen on the field. That doesn't mean there aren't first-round passers in this class; it just means figuring out which ones deserve to be there.

Darian Mensah is my QB1, and while the competition Miami has faced leaves some (possibly many) questions unanswered, he's been consistently outstanding. Meanwhile, Drew Mestemaker has gone from a quarterback few people were talking about to the most buzzworthy one after a hot start in Stillwater. I wrote about him after he outplayed Moore and Oregon early in the season, and we'll have to see if he decides to return to school for 2027.

And it's worth remembering that my preseason First-Round Readiness Score (FRED) model was higher on Mensah, Mestemaker and Jayden Maiava (all first-rounders in this mock draft) than some of the bigger names in this class. Meanwhile, Moore and Manning entered the season with more questions than their preseason draft projections might have suggested. Two months through the season, and what we've seen on the field has largely backed up what the model was telling us.

Of course, there's one name we haven't talked about, and he happens to be the best player in this class. He's also not a quarterback. The last time a non-QB went No. 1 overall was in 2022 when the Jaguars took pass rusher Travon Walker. The last time a wide receiver was the first overall pick? Thirty-one years ago, when the Jets selected Keyshawn Johnson. Which brings us to Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, who has been dominant since the day he arrived in Columbus.

I wrote back in September about why passing on him might be taking a bigger risk than drafting him high. He's big, physical, can win at all three levels and makes ridiculous catches look routine. Think Julio Jones or Terrell Owens or Calvin Johnson.

And yes, the still-winless Chargers (and current holders of the top pick in the 2027 draft) already have Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey, and they've invested plenty of draft capital at receiver in recent years. Doesn't matter. Because if you have the No. 1 overall pick and no one willing to trade up, you're taking Smith a million times out of a million. This isn't about filling the biggest need on your roster; it's about adding the best player in the draft. And when that player is that much better than everyone else, why overthink it?

So where does that leave us? With five quarterbacks in this first-round mock, no Manning for the second straight mock draft, and plenty of questions left to answer. As for the non-QB positions, offensive tackle leads the way with six players in this mock draft, followed by wide receiver with five.

Keep reading to see how all 32 picks shake out. 

NFL Mock Draft

Rd-1 mock

Round 1 - Pick 1 Jeremiah Smith WR Ohio State • Jr • 6'4" / 222 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st REC 62 REYDS 1067 YDS/REC 17.2 TDS 13 Best player in college football, best player in the draft. Don't overthink it.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Colin Simmons EDGE Texas • Jr • 6'3" / 246 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd Simmons has that rare combination of first-step explosion, twitch and power. He's in the same conversation as other recent top-5 edge rushers — Will Anderson Jr., Abdul Carter, David Bailey. Tennessee gets a legitimate difference-maker off the edge.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Leonard Moore CB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'2" / 197 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Moore has the length and movement skills to match up in man coverage, but I love his instincts. He's also a willing, physical run defender, and my comp for him is Patrick Surtain II.

From Indianapolis Colts Round 1 - Pick 4 Darian Mensah QB Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'3" / 205 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 81st POSITION RNK 8th PAYDS 2425 RUYDS 109 INTS 1 TDS 27 Once again, a hyped-up QB class hasn't lived up to expectations, and the knock on Mensah will be the lack of competition he's faced so far this season. But it's hard to argue with what he's put on tape. He's been dominant just about every week.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Dylan Stewart EDGE South Carolina • Jr • 6'5" / 250 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st Stewart's game reminds me of James Pearce Jr., and he has the length, lateral quickness and motor to create problems from a bunch of different alignments. He's still developing his play strength, but the upside as a pass rusher is enormous. There will be off-field questions after the Alabama game, but it's hard to argue with the version of Stewart you get when he's locked in.

Mock Trade from Washington Commanders Round 1 - Pick 6 Drew Mestemaker QB Oklahoma State • Soph • 6'3" / 215 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 2649 RUYDS 166 INTS 7 TDS 27 I've said this for a month now, but if Arch Manning had Mestemaker's 2026 tape, he'd be QB1 by a large margin. Mestemaker is just 20 years old, but man, he does a lot of things really well. We'll see if he declares after '26 season or waits until next season, when he could take advantage of another weak QB class.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Jordan Seaton OT LSU • Jr • 6'5" / 311 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd Seaton is a terrific athlete for his size, with heavy hands and the ability to anchor against power. He's already a very good pass protector, and Houston can live with some run-blocking inconsistency while he continues to develop.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Will Echoles DL Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 315 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 2nd Echoles plays with violent hands, great leverage and a non-stop motor. He can line up across the interior, hold up against the run and get after the QB — exactly the kind of versatility and athleticism the Eagles like in their defensive linemen.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Lance Heard OT Kentucky • Sr • 6'6" / 325 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 3rd Heard is a massive, powerful tackle who can swallow up pass rushers once he gets his hands on them, and he's surprisingly nimble for his size. There are some balance issues to clean up, but he brings real nastiness to the run game.

From Dallas Cowboys Round 1 - Pick 10 Chris Cole LB Georgia • Jr • 6'3" / 235 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 1st Cole flies all over the field and moves more like a defensive back than an off-ball LB. He has sideline-to-sideline juice, can take on blocks and consistently creates pressure off the edge — another versatile piece for the Jets' defense.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Xavier Gilliam DL Tennessee • Jr • 6'2" / 305 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st Gilliam's get-off and relentless motor show up whether he's shooting a gap against the run or working his way into the backfield as a pass rusher, and he can be disruptive from different spots along the line.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Dante Moore QB Oregon • Sr • 6'3" / 220 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 45th POSITION RNK 5th Moore's done for the season, but he would've been QB2 had he come out after the '25 season. He can make every throw, excels on deep balls, and he does a good job of navigating the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. And while '26 was a disappointment, he still had 9 TDs and 0 interceptions. There are questions about what went wrong — and the concussion that ended his season — but he's a first-round talent.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Elijah Paige OT USC • Jr • 6'7" / 315 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 49th POSITION RNK 7th Paige has had a strong '26 season for the Trojans and his balance, hand usage and ability to recover in pass protection really stand out. He's also athletic enough to get out in space and consistently finish blocks at the second level.

Mock Trade from Cleveland Browns Round 1 - Pick 14 Charlie Becker WR Indiana • Jr • 6'4" / 208 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 50 REYDS 875 YDS/REC 17.5 TDS 9 The Commanders need help in the WR room and no player has helped himself this draft cycle as much as Becker. He has a track background and makes impossible-looking back-shoulder catches look routine.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Cam Coleman WR Texas • Jr • 6'3" / 204 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 23 REYDS 409 YDS/REC 17.8 TDS 7 My podcast co-host Ran Carthon compares Cam Coleman to George Pickens, and that feels spot on. There are times when Coleman can dominate, and other times when he looks completely uninterested. If he's focused, he can be unstoppable.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Trevor Lauck OT Iowa • Sr • 6'5" / 314 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 38th POSITION RNK 6th Lauck is a steady, physical tackle with heavy hands who anchors well, is obviously an effective zone-blocker, and could kick inside at the next level if needed.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Samson Okunlola OT Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'6" / 330 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 131st POSITION RNK 15th Okunlola isn't on a lot of folks' radar, but he will be. He plays with excellent leverage, anchors well in pass protection and is a dominant run blocker. He does need to work on finishing every rep in pass protection, but man, there's a lot to like.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Jadan Baugh RB Florida • Jr • 6'1" / 225 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 801 YDS/ATT 5.3 REYDS 59 TDS 13 I've compared Baugh to Le'Veon Bell because of his patient approach to finding the hole before accelerating through it. In New England, he'd join Drake Maye in the backfield and solidify a RB room that has had some uncertainty this season with TreVeyon Henderson.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Ellis Robinson IV CB Georgia • Jr • 6'0" / 180 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 3rd Robinson doesn't know — nor does he care — that he's only 180 lbs. In that sense, he's a combination of Denzel Ward and Devon Witherspoon. He's a twitchy, instinctive outside CB who can play man or zone and has the ball skills to turn tight coverage into takeaways.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Greg Johnson IOL Minnesota • Sr • 6'6" / 325 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 2nd Johnson makes difficult reps look routine — balanced, patient, and hard to move once he gets his hands on a defender ... exactly what the Browns' interior OL needs.

From Green Bay Packers Round 1 - Pick 21 David Stone DL Oklahoma • Jr • 6'3" / 315 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 40th POSITION RNK 5th Stone has not looked like himself through two months of the '26 season, and I can only attribute it to an August knee injury. His 2025 tape is first-round-worthy, and if he can get back to full health, he'll be in the mix for one of the first 32 players selected.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Trey'Dez Green TE LSU • Jr • 6'7" / 242 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 19 REYDS 272 YDS/REC 14.3 TDS 2 Green is a better blocker than Kyle Pitts, and I love the idea of giving Jaxson Dart both Isaiah Likely and Green as pass-catching options.

Round 1 - Pick 23 KJ Bolden S Georgia • Jr • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 107th POSITION RNK 7th The Bengals have shored up their defensive line, but the secondary could still use reinforcements. Bolden, who can line up all over the field, takes good angles to the ball, is an outstanding wrap-up tackler in space, and plays with outstanding range.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Jamari Johnson TE Oregon • Sr • 6'5" / 255 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 1st REC 26 REYDS 328 YDS/REC 12.6 TDS 3 Nothing has gone right for Oregon this year, but I thought Johnson's '25 tape was better than Kenyon Sadiq's. He's a natural hands-catcher who can turn short throws into big gains because he's both slippery and hard to bring down in space. He also takes pride in blocking, which isn't always a thing with TEs coming into the league.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Trevor Goosby OT Texas • Sr • 6'7" / 325 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st Goosby's season is over after suffering a knee injury, and while he's one of the best athletic linemen in the class, his tape hasn't been as consistent as you'd hope. That said, he got better in '26 and has a chance to be a first-round pick.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Ashton Hampton CB Clemson • Jr • 6'2" / 205 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd Hampton wants to get his hands on receivers, disrupt their timing and make them work for everything. He's a physical press corner who also attacks the quick game, though he'll need to improve his transitions against faster WRs on downfield routes.

From Chicago Bears Round 1 - Pick 27 Ryan Coleman-Williams WR Alabama • Jr • 6'0" / 184 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 106th POSITION RNK 12th REC 23 REYDS 415 YDS/REC 18 TDS 4 Coleman-Williams has yet to match his unforgettable freshman season, when we didn't know who was better, him or Jeremiah Smith. That ship has long since sailed, but RCW has also outplayed perceptions; he is electric out of his breaks, and his stop-start quickness makes him dangerous both as a route runner and after the catch. The drops were more of an issue last season, but he gives Tennessee a much-needed playmaking receiver (to go along with the one they just drafted in Carnell Tate).

Round 1 - Pick 28 Trinidad Chambliss QB Ole Miss • Sr • 6'0" / 210 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 4th PAYDS 2189 RUYDS 199 INTS 8 TDS 25 The Steelers need a QB. This is not up for debate. But do they roll with '26 third-rounder Drew Allar? Would, say, 6-foot-4 Austin Simmons make more sense here? Or does Mike McCarthy roll the dice on Chambliss, who is not 6-foot but has played a lot of high-level SEC football and is a proven winner?

Round 1 - Pick 29 Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa LB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'3" / 230 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 36th POSITION RNK 2nd Viliamu-Asa suffered an ACL injury late in '25, but whoo boy, his tape is a lot of fun. He's physical taking on blocks, can rush off the edge and is surprisingly comfortable in coverage — a fun piece for Denver's defense.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Jayden Maiava QB USC • Sr • 6'4" / 230 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 61st POSITION RNK 6th PAYDS 2525 RUYDS -71 INTS 5 TDS 22 I've been a big Maiava fan since last season. And I love the idea of a rhythm, pocket passer playing in KOC's offense. He's not going to blow you away with his physical tools but he does a lot of things at a very high level.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Nick Marsh WR Indiana • Jr • 6'3" / 210 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 62nd POSITION RNK 7th REC 38 REYDS 669 YDS/REC 17.6 TDS 8 Marsh feels like a 49ers WR. He's big, physical, has contested-catch ability and can get after it as a blocker. The former Michigan St. transfer reminds me of the player he replaced: Elijah Sarratt.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Boubacar Traore EDGE Notre Dame • Sr • 6'5" / 253 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 6th The Bills would love some LB or secondary help, but Traore is the best player available. He's a hair-on-fire pass rusher who is also stout against the run. Given the Bills' overall defensive issues, you can never have enough guys capable of getting after the quarterback.