A draft prospect's outlook can shift significantly in a short time, and that holds true in virtually every sport. However, in the NFL Draft, things can change in as little as one game for potential quarterback prospects, specifically. While no single matchup hurt Texas quarterback Arch Manning, his first five games of the Longhorns' 2026 season appear to have impacted his 2027 NFL Draft stock. The same can also be true in a positive way, and the proof is Ole Miss signal-caller Trinidad Chambliss.
When popular ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper unveiled his 2027 big board, the top-25 prospects featured a whopping seven quarterbacks. The good news for Manning? He's on that list. The bad news? He's the sixth of seven quarterbacks listed, at No. 24, ahead
of only Oregon's Dante Moore, No. 25.
Here's the rundown of Kiper's seven quarterbacks in his top-25 NFL Draft prospects for 2027, and where they currently stand:
- Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State (No. 2 overall)
- Darian Mensah, Miami (No. 4)
- Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (No. 6)
- CJ Carr, Notre Dame (No. 8)
- Austin Simmons, Missouri (No. 10)
- Arch Manning, Texas (No. 24)
- Dante Moore, Oregon (No. 25)
There are several takeaways from this list, but first, it's worth noting that Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is (correctly) No. 1 overall.
As for the quarterbacks, the gap between Simmons at No. 10 and Manning at No. 24 is notable. It's a big drop for the Texas signal-caller, and an impressive jump for several others, specifically Chambliss. When looking back at a few preseason 2027 NFL mock drafts, the shift for Manning and Chambliss is eye-opening. ESPN's Jordan Reid posted his mock draft just under two months ago, with Manning projected as the No. 2 pick.
Obviously, much has changed since that point. But with Manning slated to go No. 2 to the Arizona Cardinals, Chambliss' name was nowhere to be found. Now, it may not surprise fans if the final result is the Ole Miss star being selected ahead of Manning.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Mel Kiper's NFL Draft big board flips the script on Arch Manning and Trinidad Chambliss
