The most anticipated NFL draft class in years now might end up as one of the more puzzling crops of incoming pro talent – at least when it comes to quarterbacks.
That dynamic seemed impossible just a few months ago, as Texas' Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore seemed to be out ahead of the pack as the clear-cut top two prospects at the position. While there still seemed to be room for challenges, the duo looked poised to follow in the steps of Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, who delivered on lofty preseason expectations to become two of the featured figures in 2024, the league's last marquee collection of passers in a single draft.
Now, however, what seemed certain to be a celebrated group isn't offering much of a sense of certainty.
Manning's
struggles have been well-documented, with the signal-caller coming under intense scrutiny amid his missteps during a two-game skid for the Longhorns. And on Tuesday, Oct. 26, Oregon coach Dan Lanning announced Moore was not expected to return this season after the signal-caller suffered a concussion a month earlier against USC.
Where, then, does that leave a quarterback class seemingly without a definitive headliner?
With plenty sure to change over the coming months, here's our look at the top 10 quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft as things stand right now:
1. Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
When I pegged Mestemaker as the top quarterback in this class a couple of weeks ago in my October mock draft, it felt like going out on a slight limb. Now, that might be close to the consensus opinion.
The North Texas transfer hasn't been perfect in acclimating to a higher level of competition, but he's separated himself as the most promising passer prospect in this class. Confidence courses through the 6-3, 215-pounder, who always seems to be on the hunt for big plays. With the ability to deliver strikes on the move, Mestemaker can make plays out of structure just as easily as he can from within it. Sometimes his aggression tilts into hubris, and a reining in of his playing style might be necessary at the next level. Still, it seems clear that a player many had ticketed for 2028 is making the strongest case of any quarterback to be taken in the top five.
2. Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi
As a passer who will turn 25 before his rookie year and might be generously listed at 6-0, Chambliss always figured to be a polarizing draft prospect. But at a time when many of his peers have faltered, the former Division-II transfer has continued to compel teams to look past his shortcomings and focus instead on what he can offer as an offensive catalyst.
Chambliss stands out above the competition as college football's premier playmaker at quarterback. He's uniquely adept at taxing defenses out of structure, where his mobility and creativity shine through and create favorable big-play opportunities. But Chambliss is also perfectly content to dice defenses from the pocket, where he comfortably attacks over the middle despite his subpar height. Teams should love his composure in the face of pressure – though he's wavered a bit there in stretches this year – as well as his track record for raising his game against top competition and late in close contests. This is the performance profile of a clear first-round passer. The only question should be how high he can rise.
3. Austin Simmons, Missouri
Even the rise of Mestemaker, who was considered a potential first-round pick coming into the season, can't compare to that of Simmons. Having lost his starting job at Mississippi to Chambliss following an ankle injury last season, the 6-4, 220-pounder looked to relaunch his career elsewhere in the SEC with Missouri. He's looked fully at home in his new scheme, slinging 14 touchdowns and some of the most impressive highlight-reel throws seen at the collegiate level this season.
It should come as no surprise that the former college baseball player can zip passes to the sideline and into tight windows with ease. With the confidence to attack all over the field, Simmons can leave a defense feeling overextended in how much ground it has to cover to contain him. Processing problems are to be expected for a player with just nine career starts, and that shortage of experience could point him toward a spot in the 2028 class rather than next year's group. But Simmons, who graduated from high school two years early and is still only 20, has remarkable capacity for growth, and his astonishing progress thus far has forced teams to keep tabs on him.
4. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
At 6-2 and 215 pounds with middling arm strength, Carr might be the most unremarkable passer on this list when it comes to physical tools. That, of course, is only a fraction of the equation at the position.
Carr combines an advanced ability for reading defenses with pinpoint accuracy to keep Notre Dame's offense running smoothly even when it faces turbulence. That strikes a sharp contrast to many 2027 quarterback prospects, who tend to offer greater variance – and less reliability – on a down-to-down basis. Teams will have to grapple with how highly they're willing to invest in a player who doesn't offer premier traits. Carr, however, could be particularly appealing to the franchises gravitating more toward a pro-ready solution than a project.
5. Darian Mensah, Miami (Fla.)
Having completed 81.4% of his passes while throwing for 22 touchdowns and just one interception, Mensah has proven himself to be a lethal triggerman in Miami's high-powered offense. Yet the degree of difficulty in picking apart a slate of clearly outmatched defenses has been minimal. And between a scheme that readily affords him quick hits and simple solutions – many of them produced by star wide receiver Malachi Toney – the two-time transfer from Duke and Tulane has seldom had to stray from his comfort zone.
Much of Mensah's evaluation should be determined by the back half of the season, when he figures to face much more difficult challenges. But with arm velocity that's probably passable at best, Mensah has to answer for how he'll respond when his margin for error is greatly reduced. A continued climb up the rankings is possible if he maintains his trajectory, but a tumble would likely follow if he slips up.
6. Dante Moore, Oregon
In spurning an opportunity to be the potential No. 2 pick in last year's draft in order to return to what looked like a stacked roster, Moore seemed headed for a coronation at the collegiate level. With his 2026 season now over, however, there's a distinct lack of resolution on what should have been this draft class' most straightforward assessments.
Consistently in command, Moore showed plenty last season for the Ducks to suggest he can be a high-level facilitator for a pro offense. He's quick, smooth and precise in everything he does. But the 6-3, 220-pound quarterback entered the year needing to show he could more comfortably respond to pressure after his College Football Playoff semifinal meltdown against Indiana, and he only amplified concerns in that category with his limited run this fall. Where does that leave him now that he won't have a chance to exhibit any further growth this season? Moore shouldn't become an afterthought in this class, as he easily could find himself in the top tier of prospects at his position. But plenty feels up in the air for him at the moment, and clarity might not come for some time.
7. Arch Manning, Texas
As the preseason favorite to be the No. 1 pick, Manning figured to be the main attraction for one of the most captivating quarterback classes in recent history. Instead, his stunted growth has thrown his own draft stock and the position group as a whole into a state of uncertainty.
Trying to pin down Manning on a given week is an exercise in futility, as he demonstrated in a win over Mississippi that he shouldn't be fully written off. And while another late-season surge can't be ruled out, there's no question that he's too often veered into recklessness and failed to master the essential components of consistent quarterback play. Manning is still capable of achieving scintillating highs when he chooses the right spots to attack downfield, uncorking throws that few others could connect on. But it might be worth tabling any talk of his pro potential until Manning establishes himself as a trustworthy and consistent signal-caller against his current competition.
8. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
September struggles seemed to point toward the vexing dual-threat talent returning to the collegiate level for another year, even if that didn't mean coming back to South Carolina. But in helping the Gamecocks turn their season around by toppling Florida and Tennessee, Sellers has served up a reminder of just how captivating his singular athleticism makes him as a pro prospect.
Two plays in particular helped justify the hyperbole that inevitably follows Sellers. At the end of the first half, he unleashed a Hail Mary that traveled from his own 34-yard line to the back of the opposing end zone. Though that pass fell incomplete, his next double-take-inducing play wouldn't be in vain. With his team facing a third-and-goal while trailing in the final two minutes, Sellers powered through one would-be tackler and flung his body into the end zone as another attempted to get him to the ground.
AN ABSOLUTELY INSANE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT BY LANORRIS SELLERS 🤯@GamecockFB x 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/Utim1MBwZz
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 24, 2026
Those flashes, however, can only do so much to compensate for his lack of development in several other critical areas. He's looked far too tentative at times while still managing to commit baffling turnovers. NFL teams might prefer that he show more growth with his processing and decision-making before venturing to the pros. But even with abundant room to grow, the alluring tools are sure to earn him plenty of consideration as a developmental option regardless of when he declares.
9. Brendan Sorsby, formerly Texas Tech/Cincinnati
What better way to address the unknowability of this quarterback class than by broaching its most difficult case? Even more so than Manning or Moore, Sorsby will challenge how NFL teams account for outliers at the position. The 6-3, 235-pound signal-caller certainly seemed to shape up as a rarity heading into the season, when his blend of mobility and downfield passing prowess looked likely to position him as a first-round pick. Then, a gambling scandal left him locked out of college football, and a subsequent shutdown of a path to the supplemental draft placed him in purgatory until the spring. With so much faith entailed in his pro projection, Sorsby figures to be this year's most challenging evaluation. But so long as teams are comfortable with what their deep dives turn up, he can't be overlooked by any franchise with enough confidence in its ability to bring along and support a supremely talented passer.
10. Jayden Maiava, USC
When everything is in harmony around him, it's easy to see the appeal of the 6-4, 230-pound pocket passer. A deft distributor with a knack for delivering passes with the right amount of touch and velocity, Maiava tends to be efficient above all else. His limitations surface, however, when he's knocked out of rhythm. Though he can buy some second chances, creativity doesn't always come easily to him. His mechanics can also come unglued at times. Maiava might have a hard time catching other players on this list, though he could become of greater interest to teams if a number of the top prospects at the position return to school.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2027 NFL Draft QB rankings reset by Dante Moore, Arch Manning doubt
