2027 vs 2026 NFL Draft comparisons: Top prospect at each position
You may have heard that the 2027 NFL Draft class could be a record. I’ve been running year-round simulations for a long time, and 2027 has the highest number of pre-season blue-chippers from any class I can remember.
That being said, injuries and prospects of returning to school can always change the look of a year.
I reviewed the top prospects at each position to compare their performance to the top prospects in this year’s class as things currently stand.
2026 NFL Draft Essentials
Way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft: Arch Manning headlines class loaded with rising stars
Cooper Petagna
I broke down Manning’s 2025 season in January and I thought he finished looking like the prospect we were promised. Given that he brings a stronger arm and better mobility than Mendoza, there would have been a real debate over who to take at the top of the draft if Manning had declared.
Luckily, we get another season of tape to properly evaluate the Texas quarterback. I’m staying out of the fray on this one.
Advantage: Too close to call
Hardy is stylistically much closer to Ashton Jeanty than to Jeremiah Love. The Missouri junior has elite contact balance and refuses to go down. While I wouldn’t put him in the same breath as either of the top 10 picks the last two seasons, Hardy has the talent to be a top pick in his own right.
Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy and Louisville’s IIsaac Brown could also join him in the top 32. The only question is whether all rising juniors will declare — or whether playing eligibility becomes the new norm for running backs who don’t fit into the top 10.
Advantage: 2026
Should I even debate this one? Smith should surpass Malik Nabers and Ja’Marr Chase as the best WR1 prospect I’ve ever scouted. Hell, new Texas receiver Cam Coleman should easily erase the grade I gave Concepcion this draft cycle. Next year we will have some serious high-end talent.
Advantage: 2027 (by a mile)
I chose Green for the shock value he brings as a perspective. The 6-foot-7 tight end will likely measure the longest wingspan ever for the position. He looks like a power forward on the field and is used as such. I doubt, however, that he would be considered in the same vein as Sadiq, who placed 16th overall.
There’s a good chance the best option next year will be Sadiq’s former Oregon teammate, Jamari Johnson, who has a massive 6-foot-5 frame himself.
Advantage: 2026
This was already settled on my initial big board before the final declarations. Trevor Goosby would have been my OT1 in the 2026 class but decided to return to Texas for a fourth season. If he improves on what we’ve seen over time, he’ll be a top-five pick.
Advantage: 2027
Because playing the interior offensive line requires so much strength, it can be difficult to project from year to year. Comparing Pieper to Ioane is also like comparing apples to oranges, since Ioane is only a goalkeeper while Pieper is only a center.
Still, Pieper is a bit of a project, but he is the most athletic interior offensive lineman I have ever scouted. He will succeed in replacing Logan Jones at center this year.
Advantage: 2026
While Bain was it will never be for everyoneSimmons will be. He is the prototype for the EDGE position in today’s NFL. It has the length and contraction to be a nightmare to protect against. He’s already racked up 105 pressures in two seasons at Texas, and I can’t wait to see what he does for an encore.
South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart also deserves credit, as he is perhaps even more physically impressive than Simmons, although less refined. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder has an odd burst and curvature for his size.
Advantage: 2027
Similar to the Edge comparison, Stone is much more prototypical in his physical makeup. He’s incredibly powerful for a true sophomore, with bull reps all over his tape. He has the body type to play anywhere on the defensive interior, while Woods will be more limited to the 3-technique.
Defensive tackle is another position that requires a high level of strength, so when you see a kid like Stone who already looks like a man among boys, you know he’s going to be drafted very highly when he comes out.
Advantage: 2027
We have a long way to go in the 2027 linebacker class. Viliamu-Asa is currently the most prototypical box-out player, but Tennessee’s Arion Carter, South Carolina’s Fred Johnson and Clemson’s Sammy Brown are all intriguing athletes who could become top picks at the position.
However, none are as intriguing as Styles. The Ohio State linebacker is a truly unique athlete who will be difficult to surpass anytime soon.
Advantage: 2026
As great as McCoy’s second tape was, Moore’s was even better. He allowed just 201 yards all season while more often than not trailing the opposing team’s best receiver. Moore dominated the 20th overall pick, Makai Lemon, in their matchup last fall. A fully healthy Moore is likely a top-five pick next year.
Advantage: 2027
I went back and forth between KJ Bolden a from Georgia and Benefield, the transfer from Boise, but ultimately settled on Benefield’s more prototypical safety features.
It doesn’t matter anyway, because neither holds a candle to Downs, whose tape as a true freshman was better than those players’ as sophomores and juniors.
Advantage: 2026
