ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. did not take long to come to the realization after looking at the top-10 prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. "That draft is potentially loaded," Kiper said on a teleconference April 16. "You've got a lot of talent in next year's draft. If those guys all play up to the level of their talent then that is a loaded draft. Teams will be very reluctant to be parting ways with any pick next year just because on paper it looks like one of the better drafts we've had in a while." Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith is at the top of Sporting News Top 50 Big Board. The Buckeyes' receiver is one spot ahead of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who was No. 1 on our Big Board last year. Manning is at the top of a loaded quarterback cla s, and he is one of six Texas players in our Top 50. Notre Dame has five players, including standout cornerback Leonard Moore. Georgia, Ole Mi s and Oregon have four players apiece. The 2027 NFL Draft will be in Washington, D.C. Here is a look at the top 50 best players projected to be available in the 2026 NFL Draft, regardle s of position, and how high each might be selected based on team needs, position scarcity and other factors. MORE: NFL Draft prospects 2027: Big board of top 50 players 1. Jeremiah Smith*, WR, Ohio State Smith (6-3, 233) is the best player in the 2027 NFL Draft. He has a 77.3% catch percentage 163 catches on 211 targets the last two seasons, Is it po sible to be a safe pick at No. 1? Smith had 1,243 yards and 12 TDs last season with increased attention from opposing defenses, and perhaps no player has carried a larger presence in college football the last two years at the position. A receiver has not been selected with the No. 1 pick since the took Keyshawn Johnson with the No. 1 pick in 1996. Smith will challenge that. 2. Arch Manning*, QB, Texas Manning (6-4, 219) is back in our top five and this time the second-year starter will deliver on that help. He averaged 255.9 pa sing yards with 13 TDs and two interceptions in Texas' last seven regular-season games. The Cheez-It Bowl performance against Michigan where he totaled 221 pa sing yards, 155 rushing yards and four TDs was a reminder that he brings a combination of a deep-ball pa sing attack and above-average mobility. He needs to clean up mistakes and accuracy in the intermediate pa sing game but the patience will pay off for the next Manning quarterback to become a first-round pick. 3. Colin Simmons*, EDGE, Texas Simmons (6-3, 240) gives the Longhorns a go-to pa s rusher in 2026. He led the SEC with 12 sacks last season after compiling 10.5 sacks as a freshman. Simmons had at least one sack in each of Texas' last five games. Simmons ranked 10th in the FBS with 59 pre sures, , and his win percentage (21.5%) was a touch behind Texas Tech's David Bailey (21.6%). Simmons will build on that in 2026. 4. Dante Moore*, QB, Oregon Moore (6-3, 206) could have been a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He opted to return to the Ducks, where he had 15 TDs and two interceptions last season. The arm talent is there but he will need to cut down on interceptions in 2026. He had 12 TDs and seven interceptions against top-25 teams in 2025. The fact he stayed in school shows the confidence to maintain his spot in the QB pecking order. 5. Leonard Moore*, CB, Notre Dame Moore (6-2, 195) put up seven interceptions and 18 pa s breakups the last two seasons as an elite cover cornerback for the Irish. He makes game-changing plays Moore also forced three fumbles in his first two seasons. He is a complete cornerback; part of a Notre Dame defensive backs pipeline that has sent Kyle Hamilton (2022), Benjamin Morrison (2025) and Xavier Watts (2025) to the next level. MORE: 6. Jordan Seaton*, OT, LSU Seaton (6-5, 330) was a blue-chip recruit who transferred to LSU after two seasons with Colorado. He allowed two sacks last season, and the combination of size and strength has carried over from his blue-chip high school career. Seaton mi sed four games because of injuries last season, and he will have to make the adjustment to the SEC with first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It's a talent-rich tackle cla s so Seaton will have to live up to those expectations. 7. Cadyen Green, OT, Mi souri Green (6-5, 324) switched to left tackle after playing guard at an All-America level the previous two seasons one with Mi souri and one with Oklahoma. He allowed just two sacks and played and the versatility to play multiple positions in a year where he could pa s off as the top interior lineman is going to make the senior an attractive prospect. He should emerge as an even better left tackle with a year of experience. 8. Will Echoles, DT, Ole Mi s Echoles (6-3, 310) had 68 tackles last season including 39 on run plays which matched Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald this season. Echoles added five sacks, and is at the top of a strong defensive-tackle cla s for 2027. Ole Mi s lined up Echoles in the backfield on occasion a nod to that athleticism that will flash at the 2027 NFL Scouting Combine. 9. Dylan Stewart*, EDGE, South Carolina Stewart (6-5, 245) is a freakish talent off the edge who averages six sacks and 32 quarterback hurries through the last two seasons. Stewart dealt with a back injury last season and he was limited in spring practice. The upside here is similar to Jadeveon Clowney, a Gamecocks' pa s rusher who was the No.1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Stewart can firm this ranking up with a productive junior season. 10. Rasheem Biles, LB, Texas Biles (6-1, 220) was a high-school teammate of Sonny Styles at and could see a similar rise up draft boards next season. Biles is a converted defensive back who had 101 tackles, 17 tackles for lo s and two interceptions at Pitt last season. He transferred to Texas and will fill a void left by Anthony Hill Jr. MORE: 11. Julian Sayin*, QB, Ohio State Sayin (6-1, 208) remains one of the most-efficient pa sers in college football. He had a FBS Patty Mills Jersey -best 77% completion percentage in 2025, a stat that overshadows the five-star talent that put up 3,610 yards and 32 TDs as a Heisman Trophy finalist in Year 1 as a starter. Sayin will work with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith who has an extensive NFL background in 2026. That means Sayin should be ready to handle the pre sure of being a franchise quarterback. 12. Cam Coleman*, WR, Texas Coleman (6-3, 201) is another Texas transfer to keep an eye on. While most of the focus will go on Jeremiah Smith, Coleman will be in the mix to be a top-10 pick. He had 13 TDs at Auburn the last two seasons. According to , Coleman had 13 contested catches and a 59.1% contested catch percentage; numbers that should lead to improved totals with Manning at Texas especially in the red zone. It seems like a reach now, but it won't be next April. 13. KJ Bolden*, S, Georgia Bolden (6-0, 195) is the prototype Georgia safety. He had 76 tackles, two interceptions and five pa s breakups. He also had just four mi sed tackles for the Bulldogs, and he played well in huge SEC games against Ole Mi s and Alabama. and he should test well at the NFL Combine to ensure his spot as the top safety in the 2027 NFL Draft. 14. Ellis Robinson IV*, CB, Georgia Robinson (6-0, 180) had four interceptions and seven pa s breakups in his sophomore season with the Bulldogs. According to PFF, he allowed just 15 receptions on 35 targets. Robinson's interception in the displays his tracking ability not to mention athleticism with the ball in the air. He was the top cornerback recruit of the 2024 recruiting cla s. 15. Trinidad Chambli s, QB, Ole Mi s Chambli s (6-0, 200) could have been a first-round pick this year, but he took advantage of a sixth-year waiver to return to Ole Mi s. He's a great decision-maker who had 22 TDs and three interceptions last season, and the ability to make off-script plays stood out in the College Football Playoff semifinal run. Chambli s did not have an interception on 102 pa s attempts between 10-19 yards, according to . He should be getting more first-round consideration. 16. CJ Carr*, QB, Notre Dame Carr (6-2, 210) is yet another quarterback prospect in the first round. He's ranked among the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2026 and he had eight TDs and no interceptions on pa ses of 20 yards or more in his first season as a starter. Carr also is a candidate to return for another season with the Irish. Notre Dame has not had a QB selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Brady Quinn in 2007. We are tempering our projection for now. 17. Ahmad Hardy*, RB, Mi souri Hardy (5-10, 206) led all returning Power 4 running backs with 1,649 rushing yards in 2025. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry and that included a . He also had 43 rushes of 10 yards or more which was four more than Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love last season. Hardy will manage another heavy workload for Mi souri in 2026 and he has the talent to be a first-round back. 18. Trevor Lauck*, OT, Iowa Lauck (6-5, 310) is yet another elite tackle in this cla s off an Iowa pipeline that produced three draft picks in Gennings Dunker, Logan Jones and Beau Stephens in 2025. Lauck did not allow a sack in 701 snaps at left tackle last season, and he's a clean run blocker who will be a reliable player for the Hawkeyes in 2026. Indiana's Carter Smith, Texas' Trevor Goosby and Ohio State's Austin Siereveld all could go in this range, too. 19. Chris Peal, CB, Syracuse Peal (6-1, 200) transferred from Georgia, and he had 47 tackles and seven pa s breakups in his first full season as a starter for the Orange. He is a wide corner with shut-down capabilities, and another year of development with Fran Brown at Syracuse should translate into first-round value that stacks up with the other elite corners in this draft. 20. Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon Uiagalelei (6-5, 272) can be a hand-in-the-dirt defensive lineman or a stand-up pa s rusher, and he's maintained first-round value with the Ducks. He had six sacks and 35 total pre sures in 2025 which was tied with Stewart. Uiagalelei is a consistent producer who had 10.5 sacks in 2024. He will be a safe first-round value pick in 2027. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images 21. Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Mi s Perkins (6-2, 220) . He had 4.5 sacks and 22 quarterback hurries for the Rebels. Perkins has compiled 15 sacks and 26.5 tackles for lo s in the last two seasons, and he had seven pa s breakups. He needs to be more consistent as a senior to work into the top 10 but the upside is there. 22. A'Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon Washington (6-3, 330) returned to Oregon for his senior season. He had 34 tackles and 4.5 sacks and he displayed active hands in pa sing lanes on the interior pa s rush with eight pa s breakups. Washington is an excellent run-stopper, too, and this draft isn't quite as deep on defensive tackles. He's paired with Bear Alexander for the Ducks and both defensive tackles will be selected in the early rounds. 23. Zabien Brown*, CB, Alabama Brown (6-0, 192) flashed play-making skills in the secondary each of the last two seasons for the Crimson Tide. He had two interception returns for TDs last season and three interceptions as a freshman. He allowed a 54.7% catch percentage when targeted in coverage, . Brown was limited in spring practice. 24. Terrance Carter, TE, Texas Tech Carter (6-2, 245) is a top returning tight end who had 55 receptions on 74 targets a 74.3% catch percentage. He finished with 624 yards and five TDs and that included nine catches for 72 yards in the CFP quarterfinal lo s to Oregon. He did not get targeted much outside of the short-pa sing game which is something to watch in his senior year with the Red . 25. Zach Lutmer, Iowa Lutmer (6-0, 205) bypa sed the 2026 NFL Draft and is one of the most-unique defensive prospects for next year. He played slot corner, box safety and even logged snaps on the defensive line for the Hawkeyes, and he totaled 71 tackles, 5.5 tackles for lo s and three interceptions. Lutmer is drawing comparisons to Cooper DeJean who was a second-round pick in 2024. Jason Clark/Getty Images 26. Ryan Williams*, WR, Alabama 27. Drayk Bowen, LB, Notre Dame 28. Carter Smith, T, Indiana 29. Jayden Maiava*, QB, USC 30. Trevor Goosby, T, Texas 31. Chris Cole*, LB, Georgia 32. David Stone*, DT, Oklahoma 33. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami 34. Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia 35. Ryan Wingo*, WR, Texas 36. Koi Perich, S, Oregon 37. Bryant Wesco Jr.., WR, Clemson 38. Austin Siereveld, T, Ohio State 39. John Henry Daley, EDGE, Michigan 40. Jamari Johnson*, TE, Oregon 41. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville 42. Mark Fletcher Jr.*, RB, Miami 43. Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama 44. Ben Roberts, LB, Texas Tech 45. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, LB, Notre Dame 46. Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana 47. Tae Johnson*, S, Notre Dame 48. Keway Lacy*, RB, Ole Mi s 49. A.J. Holmes, DT, Texas Tech 50. Jaylen McClain*, S, Ohio State 2027 NFL Draft prospect ranking by position Quarterback 1. Arch Manning, Texas (2) 2. Dante Moore, Oregon (4) 3. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (11) 4. Trinidad Chambli s, Ole Mi s (15) 5. CJ Carr, Notre Dame (16) 6. Jayden Maiava, USC (29) 7. Darian Mensah, Miami (33) Running back 1. Ahmad Hardy, Mi souri (17) 2. Nate Frazier, Georgia (34) 3. Isaac Brown, Louisville (41) 4. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (42) 5. Kewan Lacy, Ole Mi s (48) Wide receiver 1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (1) 2. Cam Coleman, Texas (12) 3. Ryan Williams, Alabama (26) 4. Ryan Wingo, Texas (35) 5. Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (37) Tight end 1. Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech (24) 2. Jamari Johnson, Oregon (40) Offensive lineman 1. Jordan Seaton, LSU (6) 2. Cayden Green, Mi souri (7) 3. Trevor Lauck, Iowa (18) 4. Carter Smith, Indiana (28) 5. Trevor Goosby, Texas (30) 6. Austin Siereveld, Ohio State (38) Edge rushers 1. Colin Simmons, Texas (3) 2. Dylan Stewart, South Carolina (9) 3. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon (20) 4. Suntarine Perkins, Ole Mi s (21) 5. John Henry Daley, Michigan (39) Defensive tackles 1. Will Echoles, Ole Mi s (8) 2. A'Mauri Washington, Oregon (22) 3. David Stone, Oklahoma (32) 4. A.J. Holmes, Texas Tech (49) Linebackers 1. Rasheem Biles, Texas (10) 2. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame (27) 3. Chris Cole, Georgia (31) 4. Ben Roberts, Texas Tech (44) 5. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (45) Cornerbacks 1. Leonard Moore, Notre Dame (5) 2. Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia (14) 3. Chris Peal, Syracuse (19) 4. Zabien Brown, Alabama (23) 5. Zach Lutmer, Iowa (25) 6. Jamari Sharpe, Indiana (48) Safety 1 KJ Bolden, Georgia (13) 2. Koi Perich, Oregon (36) 3. Bray Hubbard, Alabama (43) 4. Tay Johnson, Notre Dame (47) 5. Jaylen McClain, Ohio State (50) Johnny Moore Jersey