2027 vs. 2026 NFL Draft class: Who has the better prospect at every position?

• **Prisco's team grades:** See which team got the only A+
• **Winners and losers:** Who shined and who fell short?
• **Full draft order:**All 257 picks by team
• **Grades:** Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6 • Round 7 Way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft: Arch Manning headlines loaded class of rising stars Cooper Petagna

  

QB: Arch Manning (Texas) vs. Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)

I broke down Manning's 2025 season in January and thought he finished looking like the prospect we were promised. Given he brings a stronger arm and better mobility than Mendoza, there would have been a real debate about who to take at the top of the draft had Manning declared. Thankfully, 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

Arch Manning 2025 Cut Ups pic.twitter.com/83D2xVL4Fl

— jeremiah🐦‍⬛ (@NewEraMiah) April 10, 2026

RB: Ahmad Hardy (Missouri) vs. Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)

Hardy is stylistically much closer to Ashton Jeanty than Jeremiyah 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 from the past two seasons, Hardy has the talent to be a first-rounder in his own right. Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy and Louisville's IIsaac Brown could join him among the top 32 as well. The only question is whether all the rising juniors will declare -- or if playing out eligibility becomes the new norm for running backs not going in the top 10.

Advantage: 2026

Ahmad Hardy 25 Carries, 300 RUYDS, 3 TDs vs Mississippi State Today.

Kid needs to be talked about more.pic.twitter.com/pnih7Hf429

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) November 16, 2025

WR: Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) vs. KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)

Do I even need to debate this one? Smith should surpass Malik Nabers and Ja'Marr Chase as the top WR1 prospect I've ever scouted. Heck, new Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman should easily clear the grade I gave Concepcion this draft cycle. Next year will have some serious high-end talent.

Advantage: 2027 (by a mile)

Jeremiah Smith fade/go receptions pic.twitter.com/hRIRRa6MeR

— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) July 31, 2025

TE: Trey'Dez Green (LSU) vs. Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon)

I went with Green for the sheer shock value he brings as a prospect. The 6-foot-7 tight end will likely measure with the longest wingspan ever for the position. He looks like a power forward on the field and is used like one. I doubt he'll be considered in a similar vein to Sadiq, though, who went No. 16 overall. There's a good chance the top option next year is Sadiq's former Oregon teammate Jamari Johnson, who has a massive 6-foot-5 frame himself.

Advantage: 2026

kinda hard to not notice Trey'Dez Green when watching LSU pic.twitter.com/BiteEhA1W1

— Nate Tice (@Nate\_Tice) March 31, 2026

OT: Trevor Goosby (Texas) vs. Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)

This one was already settled on my initial big board before 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 saw down the stretch, he'll be a top-five pick.

Advantage: 2027

Trevor Goosby (#74) Texas vs. Ohio State

Goosby is a left tackle prospect that is just scratching the surface of his potential. He is only in his redshirt sophomore season for the Longhorns. He was a member of the Feldman Freak list this year with a reported 1.44 10-yard split,… pic.twitter.com/AAyWxlShl3

— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) October 9, 2025

IOL: Kade Pieper (Iowa) vs. Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State)

Because interior offensive line play demands so much strength, projecting a year out can be difficult. Comparing Pieper to Ioane is also like comparing apples to oranges, since Ioane is a guard only while Pieper is a center only. Still, Pieper is a bit of a project, but he's the most athletic interior offensive lineman I've ever scouted. He'll thrive taking over for Logan Jones at center this year.

Advantage: 2026

Iowa All-American RG Kade Pieper transitioning to center as Logan Jones is Draft bound BOOSTS the ‘27 OC1 race

🎗️Pieper displayed 1st Round athleticism as a Redshirt Sophomore

🌾 Wanna hear country? He’s a hay bale toss champion

🎥 @Sam\_Teets33 pic.twitter.com/gGaPkWmWKg

— Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) January 16, 2026

EDGE: Colin Simmons (Texas) vs. Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami (FL))

While Bain was never going to be for everyone, Simmons will be. He is the prototype for the EDGE position in today's NFL. He has the length and twitch 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 deserves a shoutout as well, as he may be even more physically impressive than Simmons, albeit less refined. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder has freakish burst and bend for his size.

Advantage: 2027

Colin Simmons pic.twitter.com/GFpO3a74ex

— Owen Denny (@OwenDennyNFL) April 14, 2026

DT: David Stone (Oklahoma) vs. Peter Woods (Clemson)

Similar to the edge comparison, Stone is far more prototypical in his physical makeup. He's incredibly powerful for a true sophomore, with bull-rush reps all over his tape. He has the body type to play anywhere along the defensive interior, whereas Woods will be more limited to 3-technique. Defensive tackle is another position that demands a high level of strength, so when you see a youngster like Stone who already looks like a man among boys, you know he'll be drafted highly when he comes out.

Advantage: 2027

One play does not a prospect make, but my god you learn a lot about how impactful DT David Stone (0) is from this clip. pic.twitter.com/luPWdgFPfM

— Jon Helmkamp (@JonHelmkamp) April 27, 2026

LB: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (Notre Dame) vs. Sonny Styles (Ohio State)

We've got a long way to go in the 2027 linebacker class. Viliamu-Asa is the most prototypical box player right now, but Tennessee's Arion Carter, South Carolina's Fred Johnson and Clemson's Sammy Brown are all intriguing athletes who could develop into top picks at the position. None are as intriguing as Styles, though. The Ohio State linebacker is a true one-of-one athlete who will be tough to top anytime soon.

Advantage: 2026

I think Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (LB/EDGE) could be the guy in 2027 that isn’t getting discussed like the top rushers, but ends up in the top 10 like Arvell Reese is this year. pic.twitter.com/YwDyJ8lfDm

— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) April 6, 2026

CB: Leonard Moore (Notre Dame) vs. Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)

As great as McCoy's sophomore tape was, Moore's was even better. He allowed only 201 yards all season while following the opposing team's top receiver more often than not. Moore dominated 20th overall pick Makai Lemon in their matchup last fall. A fully healthy Moore is a likely top-five pick next year.

Advantage: 2027

Leonard Moore is elite. Definition of a blue chip CB prospect pic.twitter.com/NuF1LwAOI8

— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) April 27, 2026

Safety: Ty Benefield (LSU) vs. Caleb Downs (Ohio State)

I went back and forth between Georgia's KJ Bolden a and Benefield, the Boise transfer, but ultimately went with Benefield's more prototypical safety traits. It doesn't matter either way, because neither hold a candle to Downs, whose tape as a true freshman was better than these players' as sophomores and juniors.

Advantage: 2026

LSU safety Ty Benefield can hit. Lowers his shoulder and knocks the ball free from the best running back in the country here. pic.twitter.com/5d7AFjcFbA

— Will Rosenblatt (@rozenwill) February 9, 2026