Yes, we just finished NFL Draft season a few weeks ago. But it’s never too soon to think about future prospects, especially when the 2027 quarterback class is projected to be absolutely loaded.
On an episode of the “Football 301” podcast,” Yahoo Sports draft experts Nate Tice was joined by fellow draft analyst Cory Kinnan, creator of the “Daft on Draft” Substack, to discuss all the top QBs expected to form the highly anticipated 2027 class.
Naturally, they start with the biggest name of the bunch.
Arch Manning, Texas
Draft Projection: QB1/high first-round pick.
Strengths: Possesses prototypical size and rare pocket movement skills; demonstrates advanced sack avoidance and the ability to throw from muddy pockets; has good core strength, enough arm talent to layer throws, and great ball placement, especially on deep balls. His elite aggression, competitiveness, and athleticism make him a true No. 1 pick candidate.
"He has every single trait or attribute that you would look for in a quarterback, starting at the size and the sack avoidance,” Kinnan said. “There are so many reps of, like, defensive linemen draped around his hips trying to get him to the ground and him still getting the ball off. He is a big dude, a big, big dude."
Weaknesses: Occasionally aims short throws too much, leading to mechanical shortcuts and inaccuracy in the quick game. He can sometimes be a bit too amped up on underneath throws, resulting in overthrows or excessive velocity.
Dante Moore, Oregon
Draft Projection: QB2/late first- to early second-round pick.
Strengths: Very accurate passer with professional-level lower and upper-body mechanics; displays good ball placement and creative progression reading, often able to creatively solve coverage challenges post-snap. Sound, efficient from the pocket, and generally makes good decisions.
Weaknesses: Needs to fill out his frame to enhance durability; struggles under pressure or when heated up, tending to play too safe or check down early when his comfort with a play breaks down. Athleticism is good but not standout, and he can drift in the pocket, losing structure.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Draft Projection: First-round potential with significant upside.
Strengths: Exceptional athlete with elite size and a rocket arm. Comfortable making plays out of structure, can create explosives through the air and on the ground; shows improving accuracy, especially on deep balls. Capable of turning negatives into positives even in tough offensive environments and has demonstrated growth in processing and quarterbacking skills.
"Even if he improves incrementally he's going to go in the first round. He's 6-foot-3, 240 with a rocket arm,” Kinnan said.
Weaknesses: Still more of a projection/theory than a finished product — play can be too safe, lacking “arm arrogance.” Needs to take more risks and leverage natural tools. Pre-snap work and hot-read processing can improve.
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
Draft Projection: Possibly top-25, may end up as a 2028 prospect.
Strengths: Effortless deep accuracy and the ability to layer throws with elite anticipation; possesses prototypical size and strength, throws with quick, efficient mechanics, and has experience under center. Shows real quarterback play and toughness in difficult situations.
Weaknesses: Not a plus athlete — moves like a classic pocket passer, limiting potential in poor supporting environments. Limited sample size in aggressive, downfield throws due to offensive line and scheme constraints.
"Drake Lindsey is the quarterback that I think you have to filter the most out to find positives for … he is running an offense that the offensive coordinator is calling plays be the way that he is because he's scared that his offensive line can't protect his quarterback," Kinnan said.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Draft Projection: Third-round placeholder; not viewed as a first-round franchise type.
Strengths: Extremely efficient and accurate in rhythm passing, anticipatory thrower, highly productive and runs a functional college offense well.
Weaknesses: Lacks NFL-level arm strength and athleticism, undersized, not creative or dynamic off-script. Needs to torque up to hit tight windows, which may not translate against tougher NFL defenses.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Draft Projection: Third-round placeholder; could go higher with a breakout.
Strengths: Aesthetically pleasing, tight mechanics, throws a tight spiral, has enough arm drive to make NFL throws, and shows professional footwork. Can throw in rhythm and displays quick mental processing post-snap.
Weaknesses: Reckless in decision-making under pressure; not asked to do much outside of confirming post-snap and firing. Creativity and athleticism are rarely apparent, and accuracy can spray unexpectedly on intermediate/deep attempts; tends to be hard on himself, which could affect poise.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
Draft Projection: Day 2 candidate (rounds 2-3), backup/spot starter profile.
Strengths: Tough, mentally resilient window-attacker who stands firm in the pocket. Moves well, can operate backside progressions efficiently, and shows surprising arm strength for his size. Keeps his cool after mistakes, with short memory between plays.
“He wants to win from the pocket and he's got a good arm … and he understands timing, he understands some ball placement,” Tice said.
Weaknesses: Undersized (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and will be an older prospect (age 24 by next year’s draft). Sometimes puts the ball into risky windows and can be overly aggressive, resulting in potential turnover-worthy throws.
