2027 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Early Prospects and College Players to Track

The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class arrived with modest expectations — no prospect was viewed as a surefire Week 1 starter, and all five first-round quarterbacks landed in situations where they would compete for jobs. The 2027 class is already generating significantly more enthusiasm. With the college football season three weeks from kickoff, a deep and talented group of quarterback prospects has scouts circling key dates on the calendar. Here are the early names to know — and the questions each must answer this fall.

Drew Allar, Penn State

Drew Allar enters the 2026 season as the consensus top quarterback prospect in the 2027 draft class — and the gap between him and the field is meaningful. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds with a laser arm that can make every throw in the book, Allar possesses the physical tools that NFL evaluators covet in a franchise quarterback. His 2025 season was a breakthrough: he led Penn State to the College Football Playoff, posted a 29-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and demonstrated improved pocket movement that addressed the primary criticism of his game. The 2026 season is about sustaining that level of play and proving that 2025 was not an outlier. Penn State’s schedule — which includes a non-conference game against Notre Dame and the usual Big Ten gauntlet — will give Allar plenty of opportunities to impress scouts. If he replicates his 2025 production, he is the betting favorite to go No. 1 overall.

Cade Klubnik, Clemson

Cade Klubnik has been on the NFL radar since he led Clemson to an ACC championship as a sophomore, and his 2025 season — while statistically solid — left evaluators wanting more. The arm talent is undeniable, and Klubnik’s improvement as a downfield passer has been steady, but the inconsistencies that appeared in big games against Georgia and Florida State have raised questions about his ceiling. A strong 2026 season — one in which Klubnik carries a Clemson offense that lost several key contributors to the NFL — would solidify his first-round grade and potentially push him into the top-10 conversation. If the inconsistencies persist, Klubnik could find himself in the Day 2 range where several talented but flawed quarterbacks have landed in recent drafts. Clemson’s opening game against LSU in Atlanta is the first major test of Klubnik’s draft season.

Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee

Nico Iamaleava has everything NFL teams want in a modern quarterback — size, arm strength, mobility, and the kind of off-platform creativity that has become essential at the next level. What he does not have is a full season of elite production against SEC competition. Iamaleava’s 2025 campaign showed flashes of brilliance — particularly in Tennessee’s upset of Alabama — but the week-to-week consistency that separates first-round picks from developmental prospects has not yet materialized. The 2026 season is Iamaleava’s chance to put it all together. Tennessee’s offense under head coach Josh Heupel is quarterback-friendly and designed to generate explosive plays; if Iamaleava can marry his physical gifts with improved decision-making and ball security, he has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the class. Scouts will be watching Tennessee’s September games against Georgia and Florida as early litmus tests.

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

LaNorris Sellers is the dark horse of the 2027 quarterback class — a big-armed, physically imposing passer who has generated significant buzz among scouts who have studied his tape. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Sellers has the build of a linebacker and the arm of a pocket passer, and his rushing ability adds a dimension that makes him difficult to game-plan against. The question is sample size: Sellers entered the 2025 season as South Carolina’s starter but missed time with an injury, and his body of work against top competition is relatively thin. The 2026 season is an extended job interview — and South Carolina’s schedule, which includes games against Clemson, Georgia, and Texas A&M, will give him the platform to make his case. If Sellers puts together a complete season, he could rise from Day 3 consideration into the first-round conversation — the kind of ascent that Jalen Hurts and Joe Burrow made in recent draft cycles.

The Next Tier: Manning, Underwood, and the Development Projects

Beyond the clear top four, the 2027 quarterback class is deep with intriguing but unproven talent. Arch Manning (Texas) has the name and the pedigree but only one season as a college starter to build his draft resume — if he plays well, he could enter the first-round conversation. Bryce Underwood (Michigan) is a true freshman with the physical tools of a future top-10 pick, but declaring after one season would be an ambitious timeline even for a prospect of his caliber. DJ Lagway (Florida) could enter the draft conversation if he builds on his promising 2025 campaign and new offensive coordinator Dan Mullen maximizes his talent in Gainesville. And several Power Four quarterbacks who do not yet appear on draft boards — the Kenny Picketts and Hendon Hookers of the 2027 cycle — could emerge with strong senior seasons. The 2027 quarterback class is not the 2024 class — there is no Caleb Williams-level prospect at the top — but the depth is better than 2026, and the college season will determine which of these names ascend into the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick.

Sources

1. ESPN — 2027 NFL Draft: Early position rankings and top prospects (July 2026)
2. Pro Football Focus — Way-too-early 2027 NFL Draft big board: Top 50 prospects (July 2026)
3. Bleacher Report — 2027 NFL Mock Draft: Way-Too-Early Predictions for Next Class (June 2026)
4. The Athletic — Early look at the 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class (July 2026)