2027 NFL mock draft: Arizona Cardinals land Ohio State QB, not Arch Manning

With the 2026 NFL draft over, some are already turning their attention to the 2027 NFL draft. Arizona Cardinals might have some interest in that draft, as they are projected to be one of the worst teams in the league in 2026 and, in terms of odds to have the first overall pick in the draft, they are the most likely.

And so 2027 mock drafts are worth looking at.

PFF has a 2027 mock draft, and the Cardinals, having the longest odds to win the Super Bowl, have the first overall pick. If 2026 is as bad as it could be, they will need a quarterback. Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck will not be sufficient.

And while many will expect the first overall pick to be Texas quarterback Arch Manning, in this mock draft, the Cardinals do not get him. Instead, they land Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.

It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which the Cardinals are not searching for a quarterback near the top of next year’s draft, even though they selected Carson Beck in the third round this year. Sayin was the highest-graded FBS quarterback last season, but he will need another full year in the spotlight for the preseason national championship favorites. If this pure pocket passer replicates his play from last year, he should be a top selection.

There is a joke in here about the Cardinals and Ohio State players in the draft, especially when it comes to general manager Monti Ossenfort, although if the Cardinals are the worst team in the league, will Ossenfort still have the job?

That said, with C.J. Stroud seemingly having ended the run of failed Ohio State quarterbacks in the NFL, Sayin does have potential for a huge season in 2026. Now, he is undersized at 6-1 and about 210 pounds, so he doesn't match the physical preference for new head coach Mike LaFleur, so that will be something to note throughout the season and next offseason.