Shocking early 2027 NFL Draft grades add fuel to the fire regarding the polarization of the upcoming quarterback class

The 2026 NFL Draft is hardly in the rearview, but the 2027 NFL Draft is already shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory. Here’s some intel on the quarterback position.

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer
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Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The 2026 draft has been in the rearview for only a month, but the anticipation for the 2027 NFL Draft class is already growing leaps and bounds.

While a whole season’s worth of games can change projections and drive outcomes, many both in the league and who cover the draft for a living believe the 2027 class will be one of the best in recent memory. Of course, it’s quarterbacks who drive the most interest for the marquee event, and the class looks to be stacked head to toe. To gauge where things stand early on in the process, I received feedback from an area scout at BLESTO, a service that the NFL often uses to get a jump on the upcoming class. Here were his rankings for some of the class:

2027 NFL Draft way-too-early QB Rankings (via BLESTO Scout)

  1. Brendan Sorsby, mid 1st round
  2. Drew Mestemaker, late 1st round
  3. Sam Leavitt, 2nd round
  4. John Mateer, late 3rd round
  5. Arch Manning, 4th round

To see Sorsby atop the list is no surprise. He had plenty of fans around the league ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, and could have been a first-round pick.

“If Brendan Sorsby was in the 2026 draft, he would have been the 21st pick at worst, a source told A to Z Sports. “Everyone in the portal wanted this guy, and the league loved him.”

The surprises start with Drew Mestemaker at No. 2. The toolsy passer transferred to Oklahoma State this offseason from North Texas, and the anticipation is sky high.

He’s got cartoonish arm strength with the ability to lace the football both off-platform and with his feet set. He’s a sturdy passer at 6-4 and close to 220 pounds, and he can maneuver both in and out of structure. He will have to clean up some fundamentals and processing, but at only 20 years old, the arrow is pointing up.

Arch Manning’s 2025 Stats

  • 3,163 passing yards, 399 rushing yards.
  • 36 total touchdowns.
  • 144.9 passer rating with 61.4% completition percentage.

Now for the big surprise in these rankings. Both John Mateer and Sam Leavitt are experienced passers, and many believe that what you see is what you get with those two.

Arch Manning is different, however. After a slow start in Austin last season, Manning picked it up down the stretch, with many believing he would have been QB No.2 in the draft had he declared.

Armed with even more talent like Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers, Manning is widely projected to be a first-round, if not first-overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

That opinion is clearly not shared by everyone, and Manning will need to come out firing and maintain his hype this go-round to beat out the likes of Dante Moore and possibly others. Time will tell if Manning can live up to his surname come the draft.

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