The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class is in a strange spot.

Several of the biggest names in college football have underwhelmed, and the list of passers who could realistically go in the first round is getting smaller by the week. That includes South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Texas’ Arch Manning, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr.

On the latest episode of Best Pod Available, my co-host Joe DeLeone and I looked at the quarterback class from a different angle. Which of these players need to transfer, and which ones should go back to school instead of declaring?

Bryce Underwood needs a change of scenery

Joe started with Underwood, and his take was blunt. Although he isn’t eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, his struggles have been widely discussed.

He believes Underwood needs to leave Michigan because the system was never built for him. In DeLeone’s view, the offense fits a smaller, quicker quarterback, not a massive athlete like Underwood. He wants Underwood to land somewhere with a proven track record of quarterback development.

It’s hard to argue with the results. For two years now, this has looked like a square peg in a round hole. If you ask me, it feels like Underwood should have just gone to LSU. Long-term decisions should sometimes matter more than short-term money.

I don’t want to put all of this on head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck, though. Things were also volatile under Sherrone Moore the year before.

At the same time, I don’t buy the growing narrative that Underwood can’t play. Too many people are ready to write off former 5-star quarterbacks the moment they struggle.

For the first time since high school, Underwood has been humbled. How he handles that matters. I don’t have a perfect destination in mind, but I think a change of scenery is needed. This should be a clean breakup rather than a messy one. Neither side is on the same page right now.

Bo Nix is the obvious blueprint. He was a highly touted recruit who struggled through coaching changes at Auburn. People rolled their eyes when he went to Oregon, and he turned himself into a first-round pick.

Should Arch Manning leave Steve Sarkisian?

Texas announced Monday that KJ Lacey will see an increase in first-team reps. That sparked a bigger conversation about Manning.

Joe believes this is Sarkisian trying to shift blame for his failure to develop Manning. He pointed to Quinn Ewers falling much further than a former 5-star with his traits should have.

He also wants Manning to get away from Sarkisian entirely. Indiana stood out to him as a destination because of the way that staff got the most out of Fernando Mendoza.

I agree that this falls more on Sarkisian than on Manning, although Manning doesn’t get a free pass. He has had too many down games. My question is whether Manning is the type to leave at all. He has that cool, calm, collected demeanor that suggests he might just choose to work through the peaks and valleys.

We did agree on one thing. Manning should not declare. He isn’t ready, and there’s no reason to rush a quarterback into the NFL before he is a sustainable product.

LaNorris Sellers might be the exception

LaNorris Sellers is the trickiest case. Joe put him on the transfer list after a strong game, although he noted that it came against a bad Florida defense. A big showing against Tennessee could change the conversation.

I think declaring could still be on the table. Someone will gamble on a 6-3, 245-pound quarterback with a rocket arm and real athleticism, and there is something to be said for getting him into an NFL system.

Still, if he goes back to school, it can’t be at South Carolina. He has stagnated under Shane Beamer. Sellers feels like a Miami reclamation project to me.

Why CJ Carr shouldn’t rush to the NFL

Joe also grouped Carr with Missouri’s Austin Simmons and DJ Lagway (Baylor). All three have the tools to be first-round picks someday, but none of them need to jump into this class.

On Carr specifically, I thought he played poorly against BYU. He missed multiple touchdowns and left a lot of points on the board. That included the strange spike that turned into a turnover.

For me, the Nov. 7 game against Miami is the breaking point for his decision. NFL evaluators will focus on Carr’s games against top-25 teams like BYU, Miami, and SMU. They won’t be focused on Purdue or Michigan State. A playoff run would add to that resume as well.

Carr is a redshirt sophomore. He doesn’t have to be perfect right now, and NFL teams will love his clean release, clean mechanics, and pedigree. Unless he has a dynamite outing against Miami and Notre Dame beats the Hurricanes, I think declaring after two years as a starter would be a mistake.

The NFL is going to draft Carr high whether he comes out in 2027 or 2028. There’s no reason for him to be in a rush. Notre Dame fans should keep a close eye on that Miami game.