The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class starts with Texas signal caller Arch Manning, but NFL scouts are already identifying several under-the-radar passers who could surge into the first round. Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin round out the top tier of a class loaded with potential.

While questions remain about the overall depth, early scouting conversations suggest this group should be significantly stronger than what the 2026 NFL Draft produced. In speaking to several scouts over the last week, three quarterbacks kept surfacing as candidates to make a significant climb.

Every year, a quarterback or two makes a dramatic rise and becomes a hot commodity. Jayden Daniels did it. Cam Ward did it when he went first overall to the Tennessee Titans during the 2025 NFL Draft. The pattern repeats itself, and scouts are already placing early bets on who that player could be next spring.

Oklahoma QB John Mateer

The first name mentioned most frequently was Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer. For those who have followed his career, Moteer was once a backup for Cam Ward at Washington State. After a dynamic 2024 season as the Cougars’ starter, Moteer headed to Norman to become the starting quarterback under offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

His 2025 season was a roller coaster. It started impressively, highlighted by a standout performance against Michigan. After an elbow injury, however, the season went sideways, and questions about his health combined with some wonky decision-making halted the momentum he had built toward potentially entering the 2026 draft.

With a fresh offseason, many are betting on Mateer getting back to the form he showed against the Wolverines. One scout I spoke to was asked whether he was optimistic about a bounce-back. His reply was clear.

“Absolutely. Like I’ve said before, based on the character stuff, he’s the guy I bet on to figure it out the most,” the scout said.

That scout added that several evaluators have thrown out the name Bo Nix when discussing Mateer. While Mateer’s physical tools are considered even better than what Nix possessed, the intangibles are what separate him.

From a leadership perspective and work ethic standpoint, Mateer appears to check every box. If those tools and intangibles come together this season, he could be a player we’re talking about in the early rounds. Scouts are putting high preseason grades on him with the hope that he takes a substantial jump.

UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava

Another quarterback carrying high NFL preseason grades despite an uneven 2025 season is former Tennessee and now UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former five-star recruit is a tall, angular passer at 6-4.5, 210 pounds with all the requisite talent you would want, which shouldn’t be a surprise given his five-star pedigree.

Everyone remembers the messy divorce from the University of Tennessee, which centered around NIL payments and eventually led to the two sides parting ways. Iamaleava ended up back in his home state of California, but his first year with the Bruins was incredibly uneven. There were encouraging moments, including his game against Penn State, and others that left a lot to be desired.

The talent is still all there. Iamaleava possesses an incredibly strong arm, some eye-popping touch throws on film, and legitimate athleticism for a quarterback his size. If he can put all those tools together, he could become a massive riser in the 2027 class. Or he could be a player who still carries the “what-if” label after this coming season.

NC State QB CJ Bailey

The last quarterback mentioned was NC State signal caller CJ Bailey. There seems to be some debate about just how strong his arm is, but he is a player who has continued to add solid weight to his 6-6 frame, which should only improve his general arm strength as he gets stronger.

Whether you believe his arm is a plus trait or not, there is no questioning that Bailey has legitimate athleticism to work both in and outside of structure. He is a fearless thrower with no issue attacking the middle of the field and outside the numbers. Bailey has shown great signs over the last two seasons for NC State.

As a true junior, there is no guarantee he enters the 2027 NFL Draft, but he has piqued the interest of several scouts around the league. If he doesn’t declare, he could become a massive transfer portal target. It wouldn’t be shocking if schools like Miami came calling should he decide to return for the 2027 college football season, especially considering he is originally from the state of Florida, where he attended Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood. Either way, Bailey is certainly worth keeping a close eye on this upcoming season.

The 2027 quarterback class has star power at the top with Manning, but these three names could reshape the first-round conversation by the time we reach next spring.