Jadan Baugh first RB off board in The Athletic's 2027 NFL mock draft

Florida running back Jadan Baugh broke out last season as one of the best rushers in the SEC, so much so that there's potential for him to be the first halfback off the board in the 2027 draft.

The Athletic recently put together a first-round mock draft, using the current Super Bowl odds for pick order. While there's still nearly a year until the 2027 draft, the 2026 draft just wrapped up, and spring practices are over. So, what better time to start this exercise?

Dane Brugler, who covers the NFL draft for The Athletic, has Baugh going at No. 22 to the Houston Texans.

"The first running back off the board in this mock, Baugh brings size, strength and quickness to the position," Brugler wrote. "He averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season and made his presence felt on third downs."

Baugh was the lone bright spot on Florida's offense for most of the season. He started all 12 games and posted 1,170 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries. He's the 10th player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards, capping off the season with a 266-yard explosion (second-most) against Florida State in the final game of the year. The conference and Associated Press named him to the All-SEC Second Team.

Billy Napier recruited Baugh to Florida, and former running backs coach Jabbar Juluke developed him. The big question this offseason for the Gators was whether Jon Sumrall could retain the star running back or not. Baugh re-signed with Florida in January, and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner expects to use him as the centerpiece of the offense.

If Baugh continues on the same progression track as he did last year, a first-round selection will be all but a certainty.