NFL general managers are going all-in on 2027 draft capital, and it’s making waves across the league. ESPN’s Field Yates dropped a bomb on the latest First Draft podcast: GMs are actually content selling off their 2028 picks to get more “skin in the game” for next year. This isn’t just some casual chatter, folks around the league are saying it’s no coincidence, hinting at a seriously hyped-up 2027 class.
Why Teams Are Obsessed With 2027 Already
Yates made it clear: teams want as many 2027 picks as they can get because premier players are coming. When you’ve got a draft loaded with potential franchise quarterbacks, even teams that don’t need a QB are looking at it like a goldmine. Think about it, if you’re a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, you want a dozen of these QBs to absolutely ball out and look like the next John Elway. Why? Because that means other incredible players get pushed down the board, right into your waiting arms. It’s smart, aggressive chess at its finest.
The contrast with the 2026 class is striking. Yates pointed to the Cincinnati Bengals’ move, where they gave up the No. 10 overall pick for Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler who actually had a down year in 2025. That trade reflected how the 2026 class wasn’t considered exceptional, especially at quarterback. Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson were the *only* QBs picked in the first two rounds that year. Talk about a drought!
The Quarterbacks and Beyond
But 2027? It’s a completely different story. Bleacher Report’s newest mock draft has *four* quarterbacks projected to go in the top eight picks: Miami’s Darian Mensah, Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr. ESPN’s longtime draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. also threw USC’s Jayden Maiava into the Day 1 conversation, and mentioned Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss as others who could snag a first-round grade. That’s a stacked class, my friends.
And it’s not just quarterbacks making noise. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith looked NFL-ready from the moment he debuted, earning a ridiculous 9.8 overall grade from the B/R NFL Scouting Department. Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore is already being called the best cornerback in college football. Plus, edge rushers like Texas’ Colin Simmons and South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart are set to make a massive impact at the next level. While nobody knows how any draft class will *actually* pan out this far in advance, it’s easy to see why NFL talent evaluators are buzzing. The league is already looking ahead, and man, does 2027 look good.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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