The 2027 NFL Draft class is finally coming into focus. We are now at a point in the college football season where it’s clear who the guarantees are to go early.

On top of that, a handful of risers are pushing into a first-round picture they weren’t part of in the preseason.

My co-host Joe DeLeone and I broke down the class on the latest episode of the Best Pod Available. Before getting to specific names, I wanted to lay out what I feel like I know about this group right now. Two of those things are positive, and one is very negative.

What we know about the 2027 NFL Draft class

Let’s rip off the Band-Aid first. This offensive tackle class is not good. I even tried to talk myself into Jordan Seaton (LSU) for a couple of weeks. After watching his game against Kentucky this past week, he looks exactly like the player I thought he was.

The defensive tackle class should end up being as good as we expected in the preseason, but it’s far more wide open than I originally thought. David Stone (Oklahoma), Ahmad Moten (Miami), and Will Echoles (Ole Miss) were the early names in that conversation. Now there are a couple of new faces, including a young man at Kentucky (Tavion Gadson), who make this group deep and exciting.

Here’s the thing about the safety class, though. Wide receiver or safety will likely end up as the deepest position in this draft, and I am enamored with the safeties. DeLeone pointed out that Brauntae Johnson (Notre Dame) has barely played and could still climb into the mix.

It wouldn’t stun either of us to see multiple safeties come off the board in the first round.

The guarantees in this class

DeLeone listed Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Leonard Moore (Notre Dame), Colin Simmons (Texas), and Ashton Hampton (Clemson) as the players who have locked themselves into the first round. The Hampton take might be hot for some, but I agree.

His film against Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney showed he can go toe-to-toe with a team’s top receiver and shut him down. I believe Hampton is the second-best corner in this class.

He hasn’t received much attention nationally yet. If you’ve watched him over the summer and throughout this season, though, the special traits are obvious. Don’t be surprised if his name starts flying up boards by December.

I would add wire receiver Charlie Becker (Indiana) to the list of locks. I don’t even know if he gets out of the top 15.

Chris Cole and Xavier Gilliam are rising fast

Georgia linebacker Chris Cole is finally getting the love he deserves. DeLeone has been on him for a while, and the Bulldogs have used him as a pressure piece who forces turnovers and always seems to find the football.

My comp for Cole is a strange one: he is the Nick Emmanwori of linebackers. I don’t think he will fit every defense. Some coordinators won’t know how to get the most out of him. However, a Mike Macdonald-level defensive mind could turn him into a tight end eraser, play him at Sam linebacker, and rush him all over the place. That team will get a difference maker.

There will be discourse about whether he can play a true stack backer spot. If a competent and creative defensive coordinator can’t figure out how to use Cole, that says more about the coordinator than the player.

Then there’s Tennessee defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam. I watched him a lot at Penn State when he entered the portal last offseason, and I wanted Notre Dame to land him after he visits South Bend. Full transparency, I did not think he was this player.

Gilliam already has five sacks and 10 tackles for loss while playing a lot of nose. That production at his position is almost unthinkable. His explosiveness, flexibility, and balance all stand out, and his ability to play from a consistent base is an underrated part of playing on the interior.

At 6-2, 300 pounds, Gilliam isn’t a traditional nose. Joe compared him to how Seattle uses Byron Murphy, and that makes sense. I don’t think Gilliam is quite as good against the run as Murphy, but he moves a little differently and might be even more explosive. Arkansas wasn’t the toughest opponent, but Gilliam was unblockable on almost every play.

I put the take out there, and I’m standing on it. Gilliam is DT1 for me. His movement skills are very Quinnen Williams-ish, and he could become that type of player if he keeps rising.

A Notre Dame riser and a Cal safety to watch

My homer pick is Notre Dame cornerback DJ McKinney.

His movement skills were always good, even during a down year at Colorado. The improvements he has made as a physical tackler against the run and against perimeter screens have been impressive. Teams aren’t targeting him much despite playing opposite Leonard Moore. McKinney could be one of the more unheralded Day 2 picks in the cornerback class.

Cal safety Kingston Lopa also deserves a mention. He may have gotten a little banged up recently, though he appeared to play in the last game. At 6-5 and over 200 pounds, Lope moves exceptionally well and doesn’t miss many tackles. He fits in that Kyle Hamilton-type mold with tremendous upside, and he could be a first-round pick.

We will see how things play out as the 2027 NFL Draft class keeps taking shape.