The 2027 NFL Draft conversation is heating up now that the college and NFL seasons are both more than halfway done. On the latest episode of Best Pod Available, my co-host Joe and I welcomed James Foster of jfosterdraft.com to continue our expert series.

Each of us brought controversial takes on the class.

Foster opened by arguing the defensive tackle class has been a bigger disappointment than the much-maligned quarterback group. That set the stage for a debate that touched nearly every position on the board. Here are the takes I brought to the table.

A record number of first-round safeties

Back in the 2007 NFL Draft, a record four safeties came off the board in the first round. LaRon Landry went 6th overall, Michael Griffin went 19th, Reggie Nelson went 21st, and Brandon Merriweather went 24th.

My controversial take is that this record falls in 2027, with at least five safeties going in the first round.

The volume in this class is what pushes me there. That group includes Cal’s Kingston Lopa, Notre Dame’s Brauntae Johnson, Georgia’s KJ Bolden, Texas’ Jelani McDonald, and Ohio State’s Jaylen McClain.

Tennessee’s Dejuan Lane could also work his way into the mix. From the sound of it, the NFL is enamored with Ty Benefield from LSU and BYU’s Faletau Satuala, so I can’t throw either of them out of the conversation.

Ty Bryant (Kentucky) has also had a good season. I don’t think he goes in the first round, but I like him as a likely third-round pick who sticks in the NFL for a long time.

If the league values these players inside the top 50, each of them has a legitimate shot at becoming a top-32 selection.

“I think I disagree with the specifics of the take, but in general I agree,” Foster said.

Foster has Lopa as his only safety with a first-round grade. However, he would get on board if the take were expanded to a record number of safeties in the top 50. He views both the safety and cornerback classes as incredibly deep on Day 2.

Joe DeLeone added a wrinkle that supports the take. Several position groups that normally fill first-round slots lack quality this year. That includes defensive tackle and a wide receiver class with only three players who have clear cases. If those spots open up, some of these unique safeties could get a bump.

Notre Dame’s safety decision has NFL implications

Foster’s second take involved three pairs of defensive backs from the same school. In each pair, he grades the player ranked lower on the consensus board higher than his teammate. One of those pairs belongs to Notre Dame. Foster prefers Luke Talich over Adon Shuler.

I’m there with him on that one. I loved Shuler coming into the season, but he has had a rough few games for the Fighting Irish. Tallich is 6-4, 221 pounds, has range from depth, and always seems to be around the football in good ways. There is a lot of upside to him as a sub-package player at the next level.

If you ask me, Talich is Notre Dame’s second-best safety right now. Johnson is not back healthy yet. When he returns, the Irish will have a hard decision to make between Tallich and Shuler as the second safety next to him. I would go with Tallich.

I also agree with Foster’s preference for Zeke Berry over Jyaire Hill at Michigan. Berry projects as a nickel in the NFL after playing plenty there this year. Hill looks a bit stiff to me.

Zereoue Williams is the best offensive prospect not named Jeremiah Smith

My last full take is that Utah offensive tackle Zereoue Williams is the best offensive prospect in this class outside of Jeremiah Smith. That puts him ahead of Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker.

There will be sample size questions. Williams had to sit behind Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu over the last couple of years, and from what I recall, he is a sixth-year player. It’s a strange profile. Still, he’s 6-7, 320 pounds, with plus length. His movement skills are more than sufficient for the NFL, even if they aren’t elite in change of direction or lateral mobility.

His core strength and ability to work with power are tremendous. For a player who hasn’t logged a ton of snaps, he frames well, and his hands are active and accurate. I think he’s going to be the first offensive tackle off the board.

Foster shares the enthusiasm but flipped Williams and Jordan Seaton (LSU) after the BYU-Utah game. Williams struggled with power on a handful of reps in that one. Seaton has climbed out of his funk over the last three games, which gave him a narrow lead as Foster’s OT1.

Rapid-fire takes

Before we wrapped, I got a few quick ones on the record:

1. Youngstown State will have as many prospects drafted as Michigan. Desmeal Leigh, EDGE/linebacker Michael Wells, and Beau Brunhard are the names to watch. 2. Chris Cole (Georgia) is a better overall prospect than Sonny Styles. 3. Xavier Gilliam (Tennessee) and Devan Thompkins (Alabama) both end up as top-15 picks. 4. Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) is still EDGE1.

Nobody co-signed the Youngstown State take, but I’m standing by it. This class has plenty to argue about, and we will see which of these takes look smart come April.