For the first time this season, a wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, is sitting at +230 odds as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, breaking a long-standing trend of quarterbacks dominating the top spot. We’re talking four consecutive years, eight out of the last nine, and a whopping 10 of the last 12 drafts where a signal-caller like Fernando Mendoza (recently to the Las Vegas Raiders) heard his name called first. Smith’s rise is a huge deal, especially since we haven’t seen a wideout go first overall since Keyshawn Johnson way back in 1996! Could we actually see a receiver break this QB stranglehold?
Smith’s Historic Run Puts Him On Top
Look, Smith isn’t just “good,” he’s absolutely tearing it up, and the numbers don’t lie. His latest performance against Iowa was nothing short of historic, cementing his case as college football’s premier player. He hauled in 11 passes for 206 yards and punched in two touchdowns. Even crazier, he completed the Ohio State “triple crown,” becoming the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Think about that for a second. This wasn’t some fluke either. Just a few weeks prior, in Week 4 against Illinois, he went off for career highs with 12 catches, 217 yards, and four touchdowns! That put him in rarefied air, making him only the fourth Big Ten receiver since 2000 to drop 200-plus yards and four scores in a single game. He also tied Ohio State’s single-game receiving touchdown record, becoming the fifth Buckeye ever to catch four. The consistency is insane too: he’s recorded at least 150 receiving yards in four of his five games this season (151 against Ball State, 164 versus Texas, 217 against Illinois, and 206 versus Iowa). That ties David Boston’s Ohio State single-season record from 1998. He’s also the only player this season with at least 200 receiving yards in back-to-back games, joining Indiana’s Ty Fryfogle in 2020 as only the second in Big Ten history to do it. With a resume like that, is it even a question if he can climb all the way to No. 1? This kid might just be generational.
Manning’s Legacy Still Looms Large
Of course, you can’t talk about future No. 1 picks without bringing up the most famous name in quarterbacking. Arch Manning, grandson of Archie, and nephew to two No. 1 picks, Peyton and Eli, is still very much in the conversation, currently sitting at +420 odds alongside CJ Carr. The early odds actually had Arch as the favorite, and it’s easy to see why the buzz is still there. He took over as a collegiate starter for the first time last season at Texas, and while the stats might not scream “generational” immediately (61.4% completion, 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, 7 interceptions), he clearly found his rhythm as the season progressed. He threw five interceptions in the Longhorns’ first five games, but incredibly, tossed just two in their final eight contests. Plus, he racked up 15 touchdowns in those final eight games, showing that clutch gene that runs in the family. The Man(ning) of the Hour title could still very well belong to him, carrying that legendary name to the top of the draft board.
So, who’s it gonna be? Will the NFL stick to its quarterback-first mentality, or will Jeremiah Smith’s unparalleled dominance force a team to take a receiver at No. 1 for the first time in decades? Right now, the odds say Smith. But with Arch Manning and other talents like CJ Carr (+420), Drew Mestemaker (+650), Darian Mensah (+800), Trinidad Chambliss (+950), Austin Simmons (+2000), and Dante Moore (+2200) still on the board, this draft class is going to be one to watch. Every snap, every game, it’s all building towards that big day. It’s only October 8th, but the countdown to the 2027 NFL Draft is officially on!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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