Wilson's 2027 NFL mock draft: Browns land Arch Manning, Dante Moore is first player off the board

Moore would have been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not decided to return to Oregon. He's No. 1 on my preseason big board, and my QB1 and that hasn't changed a week into the college football season. The bigger question is whether the Dolphins will be in the market for a QB or if Malik Willis is the long-term answer.

Smith is better than Marvin Harrison Jr. coming out of Ohio State. And if the rest of the 2026 season goes like 2024 and 2025, the comps to Julio Jones, Megatron and/or Terrell Owens will intensify. Obviously, the Cards could be in the QB business here unless Carson Beck pulls a Tyler Shough in 2026.

Arch finished the 2025 season strong after a sluggish start. He picked up where he left off in the '26 opener vs. Texas State. If we see more of that version of Manning, we'll spend much of the next seven months debating who is QB1.

Do you want Will Anderson Jr. or Patrick Surtain II here? That was the choice for me -- either Simmons, who is an elite, game-changing pass rusher, or Leonard Moore, who is as close to a shutdown corner as you'll find in today's game. The Raiders have spent a lot of resources trying to fix the secondary, so I'm leaning toward Simmons here. But it's close.

QB was an obvious consideration here, but a) the Jets have TWO more first-round picks in 2026, b) I think we see a bounce-back season from Geno Smith, and c) Leonard Moore might be the best pure football player in the class not named Jeremiah Smith.

Tennessee has some young pieces on the edge in Oladejo and Faulk, and there's always the possibility that Jermaine Johnson II is part of the longer-term plan. Echoles gives them something different inside -- a disruptive, powerful presence who can bolster the middle of the defense and take some pressure off the guys around him.

The Saints have to get younger off the edge. Chase Young isn't a long-term answer, this is Cam Jordan's swan song, and Stewart gives them the type of explosive, high-upside pass rusher that can contribute right away.

The easiest way to explain this: Coleman can be Tee Higgins to Malik Nabers' Ja'Marr Chase. He has the size and high-point ability to win outside, and pairing him with Nabers would give Jaxson Dart two very big problems for defenses to solve.

Tommy Tremble is in the final year of his current deal, and if Bryce Young is the long-term answer, they'll need to continue to surround him with playmakers.

Laremy Tunsil will be 33 next season and he won't play in 2026 because of a torn pectoral. Seaton, who transferred from Colorado to LSU, and has a chance to be OT1 in this class, will bookend 2025 first-rounder, RT Josh Conerly Jr.

Sayin is patient, accurate and already plays the position with a level of efficiency that historically has been a very good sign for future first-round quarterbacks; the question in 2026 is whether he can keep doing it while showing more when things break down around him.

Woo boy, this team suddenly has a ton of needs. They've tried to rebuild the defense and injuries (Jalon Walker) and off-field issues (James Pearce) have conspired against them. And while QB is a glaring question, is QB4 in this class an obvious upgrade (the answer is probably no better than "maybe")? Right tackle is on the to-do list as well, but for all the media love for Trevor Goosby, NFL teams have real concerns about him playing more consistently. If he shows that, he'll have a chance to be a top-15 pick. Which is all to say that Charlie Becker feels like the safest bet here, especially with not much depth behind Drake London.

"A high-motor defensive lineman with quick feet who can get off blocks early in the rep to be a consistent disruptive presence in the backfield" -- sounds like a perfect fit in a Todd Bowles defense.

Aaron Rodgers is playing his last season. Will Howard is a former sixth-round pick who wasn't drafted by Mike McCarthy. And while he did use a third-rounder on Drew Allar, that doesn't mean the Steelers will be out of the franchise QB business if one falls in their laps next April.

The Chargers are seemingly incapable of escaping the o-line injury bug. Lauck is one of the best tackles in the class, but like Kadyn Proctor, his immediate NFL future could be at guard depending on circumstances and need.

The 49ers zig when others expect them to zag when it comes to the draft. They could plan for life after Trent Williams here, or maybe add another receiver. Instead, they get the best back in the class in Jadan Baugh, who reminds me of in-his-prime Le'Veon Bell. That type of player in a Shanahan offense feels like a no-brainer.

Harrison Smith returning for another year is a fun story, but Benefield brings some Brian Flores-level physicality to the position along with deep-range coverage traits.

It would be easy to just keep adding offensive weapons for Joe Burrow, but no matter how many names they add to the defense, it never feels like enough. So we're going to continue focusing on that side of the ball; Scott plays with both power and savvy, has a non-stop motor and can win with a quick first step or by manhandling the offensive lineman in front of him into the QB's lap. Guessing he'll benefit from playing alongside Sexy Dexy.

Johnson is one of the cleanest interior offensive linemen in the class -- technically sound, balanced in pass protection and anchors well -- and he'd give New York another young piece to go with Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou up front.

Goosby is a high-end athlete, but he needs to be more technically sound and play with more consistency. In Dallas, he'll have an opportunity to play immediately if the team continues to be down on RT Terence Steele.

Washington is at his best attacking gaps, where his burst, strength, and motor let him disrupt plays before they develop. When he's locked in, he looks like a true difference-maker who can overwhelm blockers with both quickness and power. The biggest question facing the Bears heading into the season is on defense, and Washington shores up the middle of the D-line.

Even if/when the Pats re-up Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis is in his ninth season, and the depth behind them includes two rookies -- one a fifth-rounder and the other an undrafted free agent. Hampton is the most physical corner in the class and he'll fit right into the New England DB room.

Right tackle was also a consideration here, but Johnson is a real value here, fills a need, and could be Mahomes' security blanket while the Chiefs figure out how to get the most out of the WR room.

Antonio Johnson enters the season in the final year of his rookie deal, the other safety, Eric Murray, is in his 11th NFL season, and the depth consists of two second-year players who haven't seen much of the field. Bolden is an athletic, rangy safety with elite closing speed, instincts, and is a consistently solid tackler in the open field.

Coleman-Williams needs a bounce-back season after a forgettable 2025. If he looks more like the freshman standout we saw in '24 -- when we all thought he'd battle Jeremiah Smith for WR1 -- he'll be in the Day 1 conversation.

The Lions moved on from Terrion Arnold and need to get younger at cornerback. Safety was also a consideration here, but if Detroit can get healthy at the position, they have two of the best in Branch and Joseph. Robinson is a former five-star with elite ball skills who can excel in both man and off-coverage.

Pieper plays guard but also has taken snaps at center during his college career. He's a high-end athlete who would be a perfect fit in the Eagles' wide-zone scheme.

"Explosive" is the best way to describe Cole, who can create havoc from off-ball or rushing off the edge. He's a stout point-of-attack run defender and also flashes fluid coverage skills, and would fit right into a Vance Joseph defense.

At 24, Prongos is an older prospect, but there's also no squinting required to see what his ceiling looks like. He's technically sound, anchors well vs. power, uses his hands as well as anyone in the class, and could step into an interior offensive line role early in his career if needed.

At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Jackson feels like a Ravens edge rusher. He's a "get off the bus first" guy who flashes big-time ability, he just needs to put it all together to take the leap into Day 1.

Pierre doesn't know that he's only 244 pounds because he's a twitched-up pass rusher who plays with elite leverage, explosive bull-rush ability, and the ability to make plays from the edge or off-ball. Put another way: he feels like the perfect weapon for Mike MacDonald.

Offensive line could also be a target here for the Browns, but Moten Sr. is a disruptive interior presence who can both shoot gaps with his quickness and collapse the pocket with his power at the point of attack.