Looking Ahead To The 2027 Quarterback Carousel

By
Logan Ulrich
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In the NFL, it all comes back to the quarterback in the end. This is a list of the last 10 Super Bowl champion quarterbacks: 

It’s a pretty elite list of names. You could go back another decade and the same pattern would hold. Even the outliers — Foles, Darnold, etc — earned a ring because they played like the elite-level passers for a stretch. Foles infamously outdueled Brady in the Super Bowl, while Darnold was top ten or top five in most major passing categories in 2025. Championship teams can be built in a variety of ways, but the common ingredient is always a quarterback who makes plays when needed. 

That’s why teams invest so many resources in chasing the possibility of a franchise quarterback. It’s also why we find it worthwhile every year around this time to spin things forward and look at which quarterbacks could be on the move next offseason. 

Teams are becoming more and more aggressive in general with roster movement, and that has led to some big-time quarterback trades and signings since the turn of the decade. Brady left the Patriots in free agency to sign with the Buccaneers. There have been enormous blockbuster trades for guys like Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson and others. A healthy market for reclamation projects and castoffs has also developed, with Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith, Darnold and plenty more going from bust to quality starter. And of course, there’s still the draft, which used to be the only way to reliably find a long-term starter but remains an alluring way to hit it big with a young starter on a cost-controlled contract. 

All these avenues have run shallow the last couple of years, with weak draft classes and warty veterans. But 2027 has the potential to be absolutely massive in terms of quarterback movement. There is a scenario in which half of the league either has a new starting quarterback or drafts a new quarterback of the future in 2027. Even if that lofty projection falls short, there should be plenty of fireworks. 

Here’s a closer look: 

League QB Landscape

The first step in this annual exercise to figure out which teams might be in the quarterback market is to group all 32-plus passers into buckets. The teams lucky enough to have franchise quarterbacks are obviously not going to be looking to add. That’s just a small minority of squads, though. 

There’s also an investment factor. Teams that have sunk a big contract or premium draft pick into a quarterback will probably need a lot to push them to move on. It’s not impossible, as we saw the Dolphins and the Cardinals both eat a huge chunk of dead money to part ways with veterans this past offseason, but it’s a mitigating factor. 

Elite

Normally there’s not much to discuss about this group. These are the elite quarterbacks the rest of the league is chasing or trying to find. Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL but that didn’t stop the Chiefs from giving him a raise and most seem to expect him back Week 1, even if it takes him longer to regain his elite form. The Bengals seem to be taking a proactive approach to ensuring Burrow stays happy in Cincinnati. 

It’s worth watching the Ravens and Jackson, however. The two-time MVP has two years remaining on his contract, the one he and Baltimore agreed to back in 2022 after a protracted standoff. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti laid all his cards on the table publicly after the season and expressed his desire to get Jackson inked long-term before free agency in March. That deadline came and went without a deal and the Ravens restructured Jackson’s contract instead to create cap space. 

We don’t know why talks didn’t result in a deal. Jackson represents himself and keeps a notoriously tight circle. The Ravens are militaristic about avoiding leaks and guarding that trust. The quarterback did hint he’s not seeking a fully guaranteed contract, which was the major bone of contention in 2022. He also said in May he loves the Ravens and wants to be in Baltimore long-term. 

However, it’s worth noting Jackson has significant leverage on his side. He secured a no-tag clause on his last contract, meaning he could play out the remaining two years of his deal and reach unrestricted free agency and there’s no recourse for the Ravens — if that’s what he wants. He hasn’t overtly signaled anything along those lines, but a deal’s not done and something’s holding it up. Perhaps the Ravens are hesitant to tie up too much in a dual-threat quarterback who turned 29 this year and was noticeably impaired by injuries in 2025. 

Either way, this is a situation that bears watching. 

Established/Paid

The defining feature of this group of starters who fit along a wide range of accomplishments and ages is that each player’s team has expressed confidence in their status as a franchise quarterback by shelling out the big bucks. Nothing is absolute in the NFL but a mega contract for a quarterback counts for a lot. It’s a costly mistake for a team to walk back and not something most rush into. 

Nearly all of these quarterbacks are on rock-solid footing with their clubs. There are two possible exceptions worth noting, one more serious than the other. One is the Cowboys and Prescott, and it’s not really about anything Prescott has done on the field. The veteran continues to be one of the league’s most productive passers when healthy. The hangup comes from Dallas’ continued lack of postseason success and Prescott’s monster contract. 

Before Mahomes’ recent extension, Prescott paced all quarterbacks at $60 million a year. He earned that deal by betting on himself, playing out one franchise tag and forcing Dallas to tag him a second time before signing a massive deal. That second tag gave him a practical no-tag clause because of how prohibitive a third franchise tag is for NFL teams, and that resulted in his current monster deal ahead of a contract year in 2024.  

Prescott is under contract for three more seasons through 2028. Next offseason, a new deal will start to become a consideration for Dallas, but one that will be trickier to plan for than anything before. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ appetite for paying market-setting money to Prescott will be tested the longer Dallas goes without meaningful postseason success. 

As Prescott ages (33 this season), there will also be more concern about a long-term commitment. The Cowboys have toyed around with a few different young quarterbacks, probably more to find some semblance of leverage in contract talks against Prescott than any serious effort to find a successor. However, the older he gets, the more likely the Cowboys are to make a serious investment in a young passer. That could get bumped up if the team is worried about committing another major contract. 

Still, any drama with Prescott is probably years off. The Eagles and Hurts have sneakily been careening toward a possible make-or-break season in 2026. He’s the only quarterback in this bucket to win a Super Bowl, toppling Mahomes and the Chiefs just a year ago in 2025. Hurts is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Eagles history and an intense competitor. 

He also has a particular skill set with defined strengths — and weaknesses. Over time, those weaknesses have started to chafe other people around him on the offense. That friction played a direct role in why star WR A.J. Brown was just traded to the Patriots and why there’s a new offensive coordinator for the sixth time in seven years in Philadelphia. New OC Sean Mannion will be implementing a very different system than what Hurts has run in his NFL career to this point. 

If he takes to it, all’s well. If it’s not a good fit, then the Eagles might have some hard questions and tough decisions ahead. It’s notable that Hurts will have just two years left on his contract after this season, which is usually a point where teams want to get ahead of things and extend their quarterback. If Philadelphia slowplays a new deal, it will be telling. 

Arrow Up

The four quarterbacks here were all selected in the bumper 2024 class that featured a record-tying six first-round quarterbacks. So all four are still on their cheap rookie contract and all four will be eligible for a contract extension following the 2026 season. 

All four have been remarkably impressive so far. Maye’s star has shown the brightest. In his second season, he made a hard push for MVP and led the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl, where New England’s talent deficiency on the roster around him was ultimately exposed. Maye is the quarterback coaches would build in a lab if they could, with great size, a powerful arm and the second-reaction mobility that’s en vogue in the modern NFL. 

Williams and Daniels, the two players picked ahead of Maye, will be trying to nip at his heels. Daniels was brilliant as a rookie, leading Washington to the NFC title game and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. It was tougher sledding in 2025, including on the health front. If he stays healthy, though, he remains on a great track. Williams was the opposite with a challenging rookie year (understatement) and a breakout sophomore campaign after Chicago hired HC Ben Johnson. The duo put up explosive numbers in a playoff run and sights are set higher in 2026. 

Nix objectively just isn’t as talented as the other three players here, but he’s blown away the low expectations most had after Denver supposedly reached on him as the sixth quarterback drafted in 2024. He’s solid in most categories across the board — arm strength, mobility, decision-making, etc — and just as importantly is a great fit for HC Sean Payton’s offense. An unfortunate ankle injury at the end of a huge divisional round win against the Bills may have robbed Nix and the Broncos of a trip to the Super Bowl. 

Senior Citizens

Both Stafford and Rodgers are old enough that it’s an annual question whether they will continue to keep playing. In Rodgers’ case, he’s confirmed this upcoming season at 42 will be his last. Stafford is 38, playing at a much higher level and could conceivably have a few more years left in him. But the Rams are planning for the future, selecting Ty Simpson in a shocking first-round gambit this past April. His four-year rookie deal puts a little bit of a clock on Stafford, just like the Packers did when they drafted Love when Rodgers was 37. 

Middle Class

Quarterback deals have ballooned enough that there is now a defined middle class at the position — solid veterans who for one reason or another aren’t viewed as having the ceiling of some of their contemporaries, but remain unquestionably one of the 32 best at their position and deserving of a starting gig. 

Less money means less security, though. And in the case of someone like Mayfield, the player has a compelling argument based on his production that he deserves to be paid in the higher tier. This upcoming season is the final year of Mayfield’s contract in Tampa Bay and he has three quality seasons under his belt. 

Stat 2023 2024 2025
Cmp % 64.3 71.4 63.2
Yards 4,044 4,500 3,693
TDs 28 41 26
INT 10 16 11
ANY/A (rnk) 6.29 (12) 6.97 (9) 5.97 (22)
QBR (rnk) 55.1 (19) 58.4 (14) 61.3 (13)
PFF grade (rnk) 77.2 (20) 85.9 (6) 70.0 (25)
W/L 9-8 10-7 8-9

 

His last contract of $33 million a year has been a strong value for the Buccaneers. It’s not known what Mayfield is seeking for his next deal but it wouldn’t shock me to hear it’s $55 million a year at least, as the salary cap has grown substantially and quarterback salaries are poised to grow with it. Whatever his number, the Buccaneers are a long way from it right now, as Mayfield said recently. 

Tampa Bay has had nothing but positive things to say about Mayfield and his impact on the franchise. They’ve got to translate that into a contract that everyone is comfortable with, however, and Mayfield is the type of player who’s more than comfortable betting on himself, for better or worse. The Buccaneers do have the franchise tag available to them next year. It was a shade under $44 million this past year. 

Darnold signed a deal remarkably similar to Mayfield’s with the Seahawks last year. He also outplayed that deal, helping Seattle to a Super Bowl. Had things gone poorly, the Seahawks would have been able to move on with little penalty this offseason. But despite the success, they’re sticking to their organizational policy of not redoing a deal that has more than a year remaining. Another good season from Darnold, and he could be back at the negotiating table in 2027 with more leverage for a raise. 

The Colts made a gambit on Jones as a reclamation project to compete with former top pick Anthony Richardson. He took the lead almost as soon as he entered the building, winning over the coaching staff and his teammates, and for the first half of the season the Colts were the No. 1 offense in football. Things started to break down, though, and then the injury bug bit Jones again in the form of a torn Achilles. 

That didn’t stop Colts GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen, entering a playoffs-or-bust season in 2026, from committing a big-money deal to keep Jones in Indianapolis. The contract gives Jones more than he was slated to receive on the franchise tag, the cost the Colts paid for salary cap flexibility to re-sign other players. However, the deal contains no guarantees past this year. It’s sink or swim for just about everyone with the Colts this year, Jones included. 

Jury Out

The common thread here is all these quarterbacks remain on their rookie contracts and there’s some level of doubt regarding what their second contract, the one that will slot them in the leaguewide hierarchy, will look like. For the rookies like Mendoza or Simpson, it’s just because we haven’t seen them play at the NFL level yet. They’re blank slates. 

Others have more complicated resumes to parse. The top of that list is Stroud, the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year who looked poised to challenge the AFC’s elite passers for conference supremacy. Instead, Stroud has leveled off and arguably even regressed, even though the Texans have made the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. Houston’s defense might have been good enough to carry it to the Super Bowl this past year but Stroud’s five picks and five fumbles in two playoff games never gave the team a real chance. 

The Texans have picked up Stroud’s fifth-year option for 2027 but it’s telling that there’s been no real sense of urgency about getting him locked up on a long-term deal, even though he’s eligible. It’s hard to blame the Texans for wanting to see more before making that kind of commitment. That means this upcoming season may have a major impact on how long the two sides continue together. 

Young was the No. 1 pick ahead of Stroud and has had a much rougher time of things. He hit rock bottom when he was benched to begin his second season. However, Young kept with it, regained his starting spot and has worked his way back to some measure of respectability. The numbers aren’t gaudy and Carolina has generally just asked Young to be a game manager rather than carry the load on offense. But the Panthers snapped a seven-year playoff drought in 2025 and took the Rams to the brink in the wildcard round, and Young was an important part of that. 

The Panthers saw enough to exercise Young’s fifth-year option for 2027. There’s not been much movement for a contract extension past that, as both the team and Young seem content to play things out in 2026. That gives Young a chance to prove he has the kind of ceiling Carolina thought when it picked him No. 1, and it lets the team keep its options open in case it decides it needs to chase an upgrade. 

Penix and McCarthy have not played nearly as much as their other draft classmates in 2024. McCarthy missed his entire rookie year to an injury and was in and out of the lineup last year with various ailments as well. When he was under center, the results left a lot to be desired and there’s a reason the Vikings went after Kyler Murray, the heavy favorite to start even if the Vikings say it’s an open competition with McCarthy. 

Atlanta held Penix behind Kirk Cousins for most of his rookie year, turning things over late in the 2024 season. Penix was inconsistent as the full-time starter in 2025 before tearing his ACL for the third time in his football-playing career. Like McCarthy, he’s also embroiled in a competition with a veteran. However, the Falcons have a brand-new regime that does not have the same allegiance to Penix, and his injury rehab complicates things. Odds are, newcomer Tua Tagovailoa will get the nod Week 1. If and when Penix gets his shot, his future with the Falcons is riding on how he performs. 

Three quarterbacks from the class of 2025 (which was not highly regarded) will be starters in 2026. Two are coming in on a high note and will be trying to avoid the sophomore slump that can plague young passers. Dart generated a lot of buzz from his debut with the Giants, throwing just five interceptions and scoring 24 total touchdowns (15 in the air, nine on the ground). His rushing prowess was a two-edged sword, however, as durability was a major question mark from his first season. He also will be learning a new offense for a new coaching staff featuring HC John Harbaugh, OC Matt Nagy and senior staffer Greg Roman. 

Shough made a hard charge for Offensive Rookie of the Year despite starting just half the season. He was a 25-year-old rookie who was drafted in the second round with low expectations. Instead, he hit a groove once he hit the starting lineup and flashed an interesting two-way skillset. The Saints have tried to pump the brakes a little bit but there remains significant optimism about Shough’s potential in New Orleans. At the same time, the Saints have not made a big enough investment to stop them from looking elsewhere if he faceplants. 

Ward joined the recent trend of No. 1 picks who have ended up in absolutely terrible environments and struggled. There were flashes here and there but the Titans’ offense was a nightmare in 2025, leading to former HC Brian Callahan getting the axe at the first opportunity. Former Giants HC Brian Daboll will try to help Ward turn things around, and the NFL careers of both men have a lot riding on this upcoming season. 

The Titans do seem like they’ve improved Ward’s supporting cast to a degree, although new HC Robert Saleh had a lot of resources focused on his defense this offseason. Tennessee still has a lot invested in making sure Ward develops properly but the Titans have been dysfunctional for a few years now and it’s not out of the question Ward gets caught up in that as collateral damage. 

Reclamation Projects

As the costs for quarterbacks balloon, whether it’s salary or via blockbuster trade, a lot of teams have had success cutting against the grain with cheap bets on former top picks who have been deemed busts by the general public. That strategy works because, with precious few exceptions, most quarterbacks are sensitive to their supporting cast, including the offensive line, pass catchers, scheme and coaching staff. For top picks, talent isn’t usually the missing ingredient. Fit is, and a change of scenery has helped unlock that for a long list of players. 

This is the latest wave of reclamation projects. Murray wore out his welcome in Arizona and the Cardinals ate a decent chunk of dead money to cut him before they ended up on the hook for even more guarantees. However, he remains a unique talent, and the Vikings are a much better-run organization. Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell in particular has a reputation as a quarterback maximizer, the exact type of coach a player in Murray’s position wants to play for. This is a big year for him. 

The Dolphins went to some lengths to try to cater things to Tagovailoa in Miami, but things finally ran their course. Last year was poor both on the field and in the locker room for Tagovailoa, and when the Dolphins cleaned house with both GM Chris Grier and HC Mike McDaniel, it was not much of a surprise when Tagovailoa was released — even though it sparked an NFL record $99 million dead money hit. As a result, the Falcons get a no-risk dice roll on Tagovailoa while the Dolphins pay the freight. Any future contracts for Tagovailoa will depend on how he does in Atlanta, not just on the field but in the locker room too. 

While Murray and Tagovailoa signed minimum contracts because their former teams ate guaranteed salary to move on, Willis is in a different boat because he reached unrestricted free agency after some promising stints as a backup with the Packers, who got him in a dollar store preseason trade when the Titans were through with their former third-rounder. He actually got $45 million guaranteed across two seasons from the Dolphins, which is a pretty healthy commitment. It suggests Miami views this as a two-year audition. 

In an ideal world, that’s probably true. But should things go poorly in 2026 — and the Dolphins roster is barren right now because of all the dead money they took on to clean up the books this offseason — then the team is looking at having a high draft pick in a loaded class of quarterbacks. In that scenario, a $21.5 million salary for Willis, even guaranteed, won’t stop them if they think an upgrade is available. For Willis, the mission is simple. Play well enough and win enough games that the Dolphins are knocked far enough down the order to be out of range of drafting his replacement. 

Jones fits in this pool even though there’s already been some proof of concept of him as a successful reclamation QB with his stint as the starter for San Francisco last year while Purdy was injured. That was expected to spark notable trade interest, especially given the lack of inspiring options this offseason, but the 49ers either had too great an asking price or overplayed their hand (perhaps both). He remains as the backup for now and a heck of an insurance policy, with unrestricted free agency waiting in 2027 (assuming he’s not traded before the deadline should another team lose a quarterback to injury). 

Bridge QBs

Bridge quarterbacks help “bridge” a team from one player to the next at the position. They’re usually veterans with a fair amount of experience who fall somewhere in that 25-35 range relative to the rest of the league. They’re good enough to be a low-end starter or high-end backup, but for one reason or another aren’t seen as long-term solutions. 

Smith was supposed to give the Raiders a solid floor at quarterback, but instead he was snowed under all the dysfunction on offense in Las Vegas. There are some unfortunate parallels to the situation he’s walking into in New York. The Jets are rebuilding and eyeing the 2027 class with their three first-round picks, but HC Aaron Glenn can’t lose too many games this year, otherwise he won’t be the one picking the next quarterback. That’s where Smith comes in, to once again in theory provide a floor at the position. 

Cousins was signed to give the Raiders a runway to onboard Mendoza without rushing him in, as Las Vegas doesn’t want to become the latest team with the No. 1 pick to flounder and scar the rookie’s development. The team says it’s fine giving Mendoza a redshirt season; history says Mendoza will play sooner rather than later as the No. 1 pick. Either way, Cousins is on just a one-year pact. 

Brissett is the leader in the clubhouse for the Cardinals to replace Murray this season but he hasn’t actually been in the clubhouse all that much. The veteran has been staying away from voluntary OTAs to try and get an upgraded contract that reflects his status as the starter. That just about sums up where the Cardinals are this year. It’s going to be a long season. 

Contract Anchors

This is the final year of the five-year, $230 million, fully guaranteed contract that Cleveland gave Watson as part of the trade in 2022. Incredibly, despite poor play and multiple Achilles tears, Watson is probably going to start games for the Browns this year, either by winning the job Week 1 or in the natural course of the season. Technically that gives him a chance to revive his career but it would take something we haven’t seen from him in over half a decade. 

Dart Throws

Expectations are low for this group but odds are they’ll combine for a notable number of starts this year. All four are on rookie contracts as well, though Richardson and Levis will be free agents in 2027. That lends some intrigue. 

Teams Likely To Be In QB Market

Like the quarterbacks, we can bucket these teams too by degrees of projected need. 

Tanking? 

  • Cleveland Browns
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Miami Dolphins
  • New York Jets

NFL careers are too short for outright tanking like in other sports. Players and coaches have too much on the line and each game matters too much. But this year could test that theory, and front offices don’t quite have the same incentive structure. These four teams have not been built in a way that maximizes wins for the upcoming season, let’s just say that. 

Veterans with expiring deals

  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Minnesota Vikings

With Rodgers and Murray, Pittsburgh and Minnesota have one-year solutions at quarterback. Past that, it’s a big open question mark. There are young players on both rosters (McCarthy in Minnesota, Will Howard and third-rounder Drew Allar in Pittsburgh) but nothing that as of now would stop further additions in 2027. 

Our guy has to prove it

  • Carolina Panthers
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Tennessee Titans
  • Indianapolis Colts

There’s a range of situations here, but I would say none of these teams’ starters are safe if there’s a rough season and there’s an opportunity to upgrade next offseason. The closest might be the Titans and Ward since the No. 1 pick is a huge investment. Still, that could just mean the team brings in competition instead of an outright replacement. 

Contract drama

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Houston Texans
  • Baltimore Ravens

Tampa Bay doesn’t have Mayfield under contract past this season but does have the franchise tag available. Houston will have Stroud under contract for another season, but if the Texans feel unsure about a long-term deal, it might be worth exploring a trade. There’s a similar dynamic for the Ravens if they don’t feel good about getting a deal done for Jackson, although he has a no-trade clause that would significantly complicate things. 

Sophomore slump

  • New York Giants
  • New Orleans Saints

If Dart and/or Shough take a step back instead of a step forward, that could prompt some re-evaluations. However, both are still on cheap rookie contracts, so competition would be more likely than an outright replacement. 

Wildcard

  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are probably a ways away from their quarterback situation becoming an issue, but the Eagles and Hurts could be on the ropes after this year depending on how it goes. Hurts does have a no-trade clause, which gives him significant leverage in how things unfold. 

All told, over half the league is listed here. Not all of these teams will make changes in all likelihood, but with this many glaring or borderline situations, it’s fair to expect a healthy amount of quarterback movement next offseason. 

Supply

We’ve covered the potential demand for quarterbacks in 2027. Now it’s time for the other half of that equation. And any discussion of quarterbacks available next year has to start with the vaunted draft class. 

2027 Draft Class

It’s important to acknowledge off the bat that a lot can happen in a year. No college passer is a finished product, and it’s all too easy for June hype to fizzle if it’s not backed up by results in the fall. Last year was a perfect example. Several quarterbacks were getting first-round buzz and there was a sentiment that it was better to wait for 2026 rather than take the plunge in an underwhelming 2025 class (Ward, Dart, Shough). Instead, it ended up being viewed about the same, and there were teams that kicked the can on taking a passer this year to wait for a stronger group in 2027. 

So what makes 2027 different? In last year’s version of this article, we highlighted seven quarterbacks who were getting potential first-round buzz. Three went back to school. Three ended up sliding well past the first 32 picks. One went No. 1 overall, the first of two first-round quarterbacks this past April. The other wasn’t listed in last year’s article and capitalized on a strong season to strike while the iron was hot. 

This year, there are easily 12 quarterbacks who have first-round potential — a staggering number. At least two would have been first-rounders if they had declared this past year and will be trying to cement themselves as the No. 1 pick in the fall. The rest can grow their stock with successful seasons. The sheer depth of talent sets this group apart, even if as things stand today there’s not a “can’t miss” prospect on the level of how Caleb Williams or Trevor Lawrence were viewed. Even if attrition drags down two-thirds of the pool, that would still leave four first-round quarterbacks in 2027 — a robust number. 

The list of 12 isn’t an exhaustive list, either. Every year there are passers who come from relative anonymity to cement themselves as first-rounders. There are a few sleepers who could accomplish something similar in 2027. 

Our draft writer, Ethan Woodie, has already taken a preliminary look at the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2027 class. More in-depth scouting reports are available at that link. Here’s a higher-level view: 

  • Texas QB Arch Manning: Football royalty and the next generation of Manning, Arch is the nephew of Peyton and Eli and the grandson of Archie. The hype has probably outpaced the production so far but don’t mistake that for a lack of potential. Manning is a big-time talent who will be the No. 1 pick if he ties things together in 2026 (and if he actually declares. Both his uncles started three seasons.)
  • Oregon QB Dante Moore: Had he declared after this past season, he probably would have been the No. 2 pick. Instead, he went back to Oregon, perhaps to continue unfinished business, perhaps to try and avoid the Jets. Moore will be right back at the top of the draft if he picks up where he left off this past season. He fits somewhere on a spectrum between Teddy Bridgewater and C.J. Stroud. 
  • Miami QB Darian Mensah: A favorite of our draft writer Ethan, Mensah has steadily climbed the ladder of competition, going from a redshirt freshman starter at Tulane to leading Duke to an ACC championship last fall. Miami poached him to replace Beck and Mensah will look to help the Hurricanes continue to contend. He’s more like Cam Ward than Beck as a creative and audacious thrower. 
  • South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers: The 6-3, 240-pound redshirt junior can score from just about anywhere on the field with either his arm or his legs. He might be the most physically talented quarterback in this class, but he’s struggled to find consistency, particularly in the pocket. The NFL has had a mixed track record with these kinds of prospects. 
  • Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby: Before the gambling scandal that is tearing college football apart right now, Sorsby was known more in die-hard college and NFL circles as a potential shooting star who could rocket up draft boards if he took the Red Raiders as far as they thought he could. He has big-time arm talent and plus mobility. Sorsby will play this fall after an injunction against the NCAA with just a two-game suspension, but there will be a lot of unfriendly eyes and it’s fair to wonder what sort of on-field product Texas Tech is going to get. 
  • Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker: One of several potential “risers” in the 2027 class, Mestemaker put up video game numbers at North Texas and followed his coach to Oklahoma State. The early returns in the spring have been alluring. At 6-4 and 210 pounds, he’s got a snappy release and can scoot. If he carries over his success to a higher level of competition, the NFL will be very intrigued. 
  • Notre Dame QB CJ Carr: There’s some early love for Carr trickling out from NFL scouts after he had a quality debut season as a redshirt freshman starter for the Fighting Irish. He didn’t have to carry the offense, but he was efficient and flashed a playmaking streak at times, similar to past top picks like Zach Wilson and J.J. McCarthy. 
  • Ohio State QB Julian Sayin: In 2025 as a true sophomore, Sayin completed an astounding 77 percent of his pass attempts with 32 touchdowns for a wagon of an Ohio State team. All that talent has led to some second-guessing of Sayin, particularly because he faltered in the CFP and doesn’t have overwhelming physical tools. That sort of efficiency at a big program is what the NFL likes to see, though. 
  • USC QB Jayden Maiava: Our resident draft writer Ethan is quite high on Maiava but he’s not the only one around the industry. He’s an experienced passer with great touch from the pocket, and cemented the starting job for a solid USC program under HC Lincoln Riley, who has a good track record sending passers to the NFL. 
  • Oklahoma QB John Mateer: One of the hottest quarterbacks to start the season, a hand injury derailed Mateer and the Sooners, prompting him to return for another season. He replaced Cam Ward at Washington State the year before and put up prolific numbers as a dual-threat rusher/thrower. If he gets back to that level in 2026 at Oklahoma, he could shoot back up boards, especially because he’ll be pushing 40 starts if Oklahoma makes a deep run and the league loves experienced starters. 
  • Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss: Had Chambliss not secured an additional year of eligibility from the courts, it would have been fascinating to see how the NFL handled him. He was a one-year starter at Ferris State who landed at Ole Miss, was thrust into the starting lineup due to injury and never relinquished the job until the season ended in the national semifinal. Chambliss isn’t particularly big and doesn’t have an elite arm but he made so many plays with both his legs and his arm. In a weak 2026 draft, who knows what would have happened. The competition is fiercer in 2027 but if Chambliss has another magical season, his ceiling in the draft is much, much higher. 
  • UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava: A highly touted recruit who started out at Tennessee before a highly-publicized falling out related to NIL, Iamaleava landed at UCLA. He rode the rollercoaster with the Bruins who fired their top coaches after a dismal 0-4 start, got a mini bump with a three-game winning streak including an upset over then-No. 7 Penn State, then sagged to a 3-8 finish. Still, Iamaleava checks all the prototypical boxes that the NFL is looking for with his size, arm talent, athleticism, experience and pedigree. A successful season will push him into the early round discussion. 

Free Agents

Mayfield may be on an expiring contract but it’s probably unlikely he shakes free since Tampa Bay has the franchise tag available. Murray has a no-tag clause, so he has complete freedom to pick his next team if he has a good year with the Vikings — not to mention a lot of leverage for another big deal. 

Jones will be 28 in 2027 and his free agent market will be fascinating. He’s probably got a more limited ceiling than some players teams could pursue, as he’s a pocket-only passer with limited arm strength who has proven to be sensitive to his supporting cast. Still, a lot of teams run some version of the 49ers’ offense, making Jones projectable as a bridge option or lower-cost reclamation project. 

Tagovailoa must show he can have some level of success in a system not explicitly designed to highlight his strengths and hide his weaknesses. Cousins and Smith are near the end of the road. Watson might be too even though he’s younger. 

Fields was signed to give the Chiefs insurance as Mahomes rehabs his ACL, but in a best-case scenario for Kansas City, he doesn’t see the field. Oddly enough, that might actually help his stock, as he’s a player who the idea has always exceeded the reality. 

Potential Trades? 

I’ve covered Jackson and Hurts at a couple points above, so I won’t belabor things here except to note both have no-trade clauses that will make things tricky if Baltimore/Philadelphia want to try to maximize value and move on early. 

Stroud and Young are under contract in 2027 on deals that are cheap if they are still starters, but burdensome if they’re backups. I think it’s unlikely the Texans would look to trade Stroud unless things get really dicey in 2026. I don’t think Carolina is as committed to Young if he doesn’t take a step forward. 

If McCarthy and Penix don’t show some signs of reversing their current career trajectory, then they are probably destined for the reclamation project path. Both have the kind of talent that could be unlocked with a change of scenery.

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