Wilson's 2027 NFL mock draft: Browns trade up for QB, five passers land in Round 1

Ohio State • Jr • 6'4" / 222 lbs

Best player in college football, best player in the draft. Don't overthink it.

Texas • Jr • 6'3" / 246 lbs

Simmons has that rare combination of first-step explosion, twitch and power. He's in the same conversation as other recent top-5 edge rushers — Will Anderson Jr., Abdul Carter, David Bailey. Tennessee gets a legitimate difference-maker off the edge.

Notre Dame • Jr • 6'2" / 197 lbs

Moore has the length and movement skills to match up in man coverage, but I love his instincts. He's also a willing, physical run defender, and my comp for him is Patrick Surtain II.

Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'3" / 205 lbs

Once again, a hyped-up QB class hasn't lived up to expectations, and the knock on Mensah will be the lack of competition he's faced so far this season. But it's hard to argue with what he's put on tape. He's been dominant just about every week.

South Carolina • Jr • 6'5" / 250 lbs

Stewart's game reminds me of James Pearce Jr., and he has the length, lateral quickness and motor to create problems from a bunch of different alignments. He's still developing his play strength, but the upside as a pass rusher is enormous. There will be off-field questions after the Alabama game, but it's hard to argue with the version of Stewart you get when he's locked in.

Oklahoma State • Soph • 6'3" / 215 lbs

I've said this for a month now, but if Arch Manning had Mestemaker's 2026 tape, he'd be QB1 by a large margin. Mestemaker is just 20 years old, but man, he does a lot of things really well. We'll see if he declares after '26 season or waits until next season, when he could take advantage of another weak QB class.

LSU • Jr • 6'5" / 311 lbs

Seaton is a terrific athlete for his size, with heavy hands and the ability to anchor against power. He's already a very good pass protector, and Houston can live with some run-blocking inconsistency while he continues to develop.

Ole Miss • Jr • 6'3" / 315 lbs

Echoles plays with violent hands, great leverage and a non-stop motor. He can line up across the interior, hold up against the run and get after the QB — exactly the kind of versatility and athleticism the Eagles like in their defensive linemen.

Kentucky • Sr • 6'6" / 325 lbs

Heard is a massive, powerful tackle who can swallow up pass rushers once he gets his hands on them, and he's surprisingly nimble for his size. There are some balance issues to clean up, but he brings real nastiness to the run game.

Georgia • Jr • 6'3" / 235 lbs

Cole flies all over the field and moves more like a defensive back than an off-ball LB. He has sideline-to-sideline juice, can take on blocks and consistently creates pressure off the edge — another versatile piece for the Jets' defense.

Tennessee • Jr • 6'2" / 305 lbs

Gilliam's get-off and relentless motor show up whether he's shooting a gap against the run or working his way into the backfield as a pass rusher, and he can be disruptive from different spots along the line.

Oregon • Sr • 6'3" / 220 lbs

Moore's done for the season, but he would've been QB2 had he come out after the '25 season. He can make every throw, excels on deep balls, and he does a good job of navigating the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. And while '26 was a disappointment, he still had 9 TDs and 0 interceptions. There are questions about what went wrong — and the concussion that ended his season — but he's a first-round talent.

USC • Jr • 6'7" / 315 lbs

Paige has had a strong '26 season for the Trojans and his balance, hand usage and ability to recover in pass protection really stand out. He's also athletic enough to get out in space and consistently finish blocks at the second level.

Indiana • Jr • 6'4" / 208 lbs

The Commanders need help in the WR room and no player has helped himself this draft cycle as much as Becker. He has a track background and makes impossible-looking back-shoulder catches look routine.

Texas • Jr • 6'3" / 204 lbs

My podcast co-host Ran Carthon compares Cam Coleman to George Pickens, and that feels spot on. There are times when Coleman can dominate, and other times when he looks completely uninterested. If he's focused, he can be unstoppable.

Iowa • Sr • 6'5" / 314 lbs

Lauck is a steady, physical tackle with heavy hands who anchors well, is obviously an effective zone-blocker, and could kick inside at the next level if needed.

Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'6" / 330 lbs

Okunlola isn't on a lot of folks' radar, but he will be. He plays with excellent leverage, anchors well in pass protection and is a dominant run blocker. He does need to work on finishing every rep in pass protection, but man, there's a lot to like.

Florida • Jr • 6'1" / 225 lbs

I've compared Baugh to Le'Veon Bell because of his patient approach to finding the hole before accelerating through it. In New England, he'd join Drake Maye in the backfield and solidify a RB room that has had some uncertainty this season with TreVeyon Henderson.

Georgia • Jr • 6'0" / 180 lbs

Robinson doesn't know — nor does he care — that he's only 180 lbs. In that sense, he's a combination of Denzel Ward and Devon Witherspoon. He's a twitchy, instinctive outside CB who can play man or zone and has the ball skills to turn tight coverage into takeaways.

Minnesota • Sr • 6'6" / 325 lbs

Johnson makes difficult reps look routine — balanced, patient, and hard to move once he gets his hands on a defender ... exactly what the Browns' interior OL needs.

Oklahoma • Jr • 6'3" / 315 lbs

Stone has not looked like himself through two months of the '26 season, and I can only attribute it to an August knee injury. His 2025 tape is first-round-worthy, and if he can get back to full health, he'll be in the mix for one of the first 32 players selected.

LSU • Jr • 6'7" / 242 lbs

Green is a better blocker than Kyle Pitts, and I love the idea of giving Jaxson Dart both Isaiah Likely and Green as pass-catching options.

Georgia • Jr • 6'0" / 195 lbs

The Bengals have shored up their defensive line, but the secondary could still use reinforcements. Bolden, who can line up all over the field, takes good angles to the ball, is an outstanding wrap-up tackler in space, and plays with outstanding range.

Oregon • Sr • 6'5" / 255 lbs

Nothing has gone right for Oregon this year, but I thought Johnson's '25 tape was better than Kenyon Sadiq's. He's a natural hands-catcher who can turn short throws into big gains because he's both slippery and hard to bring down in space. He also takes pride in blocking, which isn't always a thing with TEs coming into the league.

Texas • Sr • 6'7" / 325 lbs

Goosby's season is over after suffering a knee injury, and while he's one of the best athletic linemen in the class, his tape hasn't been as consistent as you'd hope. That said, he got better in '26 and has a chance to be a first-round pick.

Clemson • Jr • 6'2" / 205 lbs

Hampton wants to get his hands on receivers, disrupt their timing and make them work for everything. He's a physical press corner who also attacks the quick game, though he'll need to improve his transitions against faster WRs on downfield routes.

Alabama • Jr • 6'0" / 184 lbs

Coleman-Williams has yet to match his unforgettable freshman season, when we didn't know who was better, him or Jeremiah Smith. That ship has long since sailed, but RCW has also outplayed perceptions; he is electric out of his breaks, and his stop-start quickness makes him dangerous both as a route runner and after the catch. The drops were more of an issue last season, but he gives Tennessee a much-needed playmaking receiver (to go along with the one they just drafted in Carnell Tate).

Ole Miss • Sr • 6'0" / 210 lbs

The Steelers need a QB. This is not up for debate. But do they roll with '26 third-rounder Drew Allar? Would, say, 6-foot-4 Austin Simmons make more sense here? Or does Mike McCarthy roll the dice on Chambliss, who is not 6-foot but has played a lot of high-level SEC football and is a proven winner?

Notre Dame • Jr • 6'3" / 230 lbs

Viliamu-Asa suffered an ACL injury late in '25, but whoo boy, his tape is a lot of fun. He's physical taking on blocks, can rush off the edge and is surprisingly comfortable in coverage — a fun piece for Denver's defense.

USC • Sr • 6'4" / 230 lbs

I've been a big Maiava fan since last season. And I love the idea of a rhythm, pocket passer playing in KOC's offense. He's not going to blow you away with his physical tools but he does a lot of things at a very high level.

Indiana • Jr • 6'3" / 210 lbs

Marsh feels like a 49ers WR. He's big, physical, has contested-catch ability and can get after it as a blocker. The former Michigan St. transfer reminds me of the player he replaced: Elijah Sarratt.

Notre Dame • Sr • 6'5" / 253 lbs

The Bills would love some LB or secondary help, but Traore is the best player available. He's a hair-on-fire pass rusher who is also stout against the run. Given the Bills' overall defensive issues, you can never have enough guys capable of getting after the quarterback.