2027 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Trade Deadline, Where Do Teams Stand?

[We’re a good chunk of the way through the college football regular season and halfway through the NFL season — which means that teams have reshuffled the draft order following the trade deadline, and it’s time for another 2027 NFL Mock Draft.

James Foster uses his extensive scouting notes to construct his second mock draft of the year as we approach tank time for NFL teams.]

Justin Herbert is having a disastrous season, but I still have more confidence he’ll return to form than I do in any 2027 quarterback prospect. The Chargers play it safe and select Jeremiah Smith, a generational X-receiver with rare ball skills and athletic tools. Though he makes most of his impact on the vertical plane, Smith is an underrated route runner — he’s explosive out of breaks and fluid for his size, and his nuance and footwork improved significantly in 2026. 

After starting the year on a historic pace, his production and efficiency have leveled off a bit with Luke Fahey under center. But his total body of work is strong enough to justify the first overall pick.

While Dylan Stewart’s (on-field) immaturity makes this less of a slam-dunk, he’s the most physically talented edge rusher in this class, and the Titans can’t afford to pass on him. Stewart is an electric athlete with game-breaking physical tools and the size and tenacity to thrive on early downs. His dangerous blend of power and speed creates a multidirectional threat, and his salesmanship makes it difficult to anticipate his move early in the rep.

His measurables are adequate, but not elite and will likely make him an inconsistent edge-setter at the next level. But he offsets his modest size with a relentless motor and rugged play demeanor, fearlessly taking on pullers and sprinting to the ball in backside pursuit.

The Malik Willis signing didn’t pan out, and the Dolphins placed him on injured reserve on Tuesday, so they’ll likely be in the quarterback market this offseason. Most teams will be hesitant to draft a quarterback with 11 career starts this early, but Austin Simmons’ arm talent and mental makeup overshadow his lack of experience. He re-signed with Missouri this week, but the extension doesn’t preclude him from declaring for the draft.

A former baseball player, Simmons is a bold anticipatory thrower with elite velocity to fit the ball into tight windows and an impressive feel for targeting the middle of the field. While he’s surgical within structure, his playmaking instincts are unproven, and he hasn’t yet scrambled in SEC play. His recent stat lines have been underwhelming, and he’s completed just 56.2% of his passes across the last four games. However, that has very little to do with accuracy, as he leads Power-4 quarterbacks in dropped passes (13) and drop rate (13.7%) over that timespan.

The Jets have built a solid offensive infrastructure but still need a franchise quarterback, and Drew Mestemaker is the only available option who is worth a top-ten pick. Mestemaker didn’t start in high school, but you wouldn’t know that from watching his tape. 

He operates pro-style passing concepts, reads the entire field, and attacks the middle of the field with the timing and conviction of a seasoned veteran. He has an NFL-caliber arm with above-average range and an elastic release that makes difficult off-platform throws, though his velocity is mediocre. Mestemaker is a good athlete who can escape pressure and is worth featuring on designed runs. He’s also significantly improved his pocket presence this year, cutting his pressure-to-sack rate from 14.7% to 8.6% in 2026.

Mestemaker’s decision-making is erratic, however, as he often predetermines throws without identifying the coverage. Through Week 10, he leads Power-4 quarterbacks with 17 Turnover-Worthy Plays and a 4.7% Turnover-Worthy Play rate, per PFF.

The Eagles select LSU tackle Jordan Seaton, replacing Lane Johnson with another top-five pick. Markel Bell currently has the third-lowest Pass-Block Win Rate in the NFL and is probably better suited as a swing tackle.

With prototypical measurables and elite movement skills, Seaton is comfortably the most gifted athlete in this tackle class. He has rare foot speed and endless pocket range to protect the outside track, along with the technical polish to maximize his physical tools. He’s proficient with a wide range of techniques, and his precise hand placement and unpredictable strike timing make speed rushes futile. 

But after dropping ~25 lbs this offseason, his anchor has become a clear weakness. Kentucky’s power rushers wrecked him in Week 6, his worst performance to date, and he's struggled most of the year to set his anchor without ceding ground deep into the pocket. His last two games (Auburn/Alabama) have been excellent, however, as he’s started using his hands proactively to neutralize bull rushes before they materialize. Assuming this trend continues, I expect Seaton to be the first tackle off the board.

The Jets have more pressing needs at other positions, but Leonard Moore is the only blue-chip prospect available, and the value is too enticing to turn down. Moore checks every box as a cover corner, with great-to-elite size, speed, fluidity, footwork, and ball skills. He lives on an island, playing 37.5% of his snaps in press, the tenth-highest rate among FBS corners. 

He uses his physicality and technical nuance to erase opponents at the line of scrimmage, and his rare mirror skills to blanket the stem and route break. Despite flashing significant development as a tackler and run defender in Week 1, he’s regressed back to his prior form (average) over the last six games.

None of the Commanders’ edge rushers rank in the top-60 in Pass Rush Win Rate, and Colin Simmons gives their rotation some much-needed juice. Aside from Stewart, Simmons has the best bend and first-step explosiveness in this class. 

He has a lethal ghost move and two-hand swipe, plus a sudden inside move to punish tackles for oversetting. While he struggles to convert speed to power against stronger opponents, he’s flashed a decent bull rush, and his hump move is an effective counter when tackles lean too far upfield. Simmons is a disruptive run defender who can make plays behind the line of scrimmage, but he struggles to set a firm edge and gets washed out by sustained contact.

The Buccaneers select Charlie Becker, adding an alpha to a receiving corps currently full of secondary and tertiary options. Becker is an elite deep threat whose dominance on the vertical plane and at the catch point is unrivaled by any receiver not named Jeremiah Smith. 

He torches press with decisive releases, explodes into his stems, and has the track speed to pull away from man coverage within a few steps. On 123 career targets, he has zero drops and a 65.7% contested catch rate, and his body control makes him unrecoverable on back shoulder fades. 

Becker’s route tree has very few branches, and for most of his career, rounded cuts and mediocre technical nuance have hindered his separation. But he’s shown considerable improvement over the last few weeks, as his intermediate routes have been noticeably crisper and more efficient, and his route tree has gradually expanded.

While he still lacks the physicality to disconnect from tight coverage at the break point, he’s started creating consistent separation against off coverage.

The Cardinals fill their need at right tackle with Zereoue Williams, one of the biggest risers of the year. After spending most of his career buried on Utah’s depth chart behind future first-rounders Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, Williams entered his final year of eligibility with just 71 offensive snaps under his belt. But he’s emerged as a potential Day One pick himself and is currently a top-15 prospect on my board. 

Williams has an enormous frame, long arms, and refined hand usage for such an inexperienced player. Through the first eight games, he had no issues winning leverage against power and setting a firm anchor, despite his tall stature. But in Week 10, BYU’s edge rushers were able to work underneath his pads and displace him several times — if that becomes a trend, I’ll have to move Williams down the board.

The Falcons take Jackson Harris, adding a dynamic boundary receiver opposite of Drake London. After a slow start, Harris has broken out in conference play and emerged as a top-four receiver in the 2027 class. In six SEC matchups, he’s recorded 39 receptions for 651 yards and seven touchdowns, and he’s averaging 3.06 yards per route run. Jeremiah Smith is the only Power-4 receiver with more yards since Week 4.

Harris is a glider with the size and ball skills to win above the rim and the movement skills to separate on a diverse route tree. He uses crafty footwork to create release angles against press and shapeshifts to avoid contact at the line of scrimmage, although he needs to do a better job minimizing contact at the top of the stem and cleanly transitioning out of the break. He’s slippery after the catch and has the top gear to house quick receptions when given a crease. Harris has four drops this year but has caught ten of his fourteen contested targets.