The Athletic Ranks Jeremiah Smith No. 1, Arch Manning 10th in 2027 NFL Draft Top 50
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 19
The Athletic Ranks Jeremiah Smith No. 1, Arch Manning 10th in 2027 NFL Draft Top 50
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 19
Summary
Jeremiah Smith opened The Athletic’s preseason 2027 NFL Draft rankings at No. 1, with Ohio State’s 6-foot-3, 225-pound receiver labeled the top prospect entering the college season.
The list, released about a week before Week 0, reflects an early snapshot of a class clouded by NIL-era uncertainty over which underclassmen will actually declare.
Leonard Moore of Notre Dame ranked second, Dylan Stewart of South Carolina third, and Texas receiver Cam Coleman fourth, underscoring the class’s heavy top-end talent at receiver and edge rusher.
Arch Manning landed 10th after a shaky early 2025 and stronger finish, while fellow quarterbacks Dante Moore and CJ Carr also made the top 25 as evaluators watch for a top-five push this season.
Texas placed four players in the top 20, and Indiana put two receivers in the top 10, signaling how the 2026 college season could reshape the early 2027 draft board.