2027 NFL Draft Buzz: Vikings in 2027 QB market as Dante Moore makes a case for QB1

The writing is on the wall that the Minnesota Vikings may be ready to move on from J. J. McCarthy, which could put them squarely in the 2027 NFL Draft quarterback market. In this week’s 2027 NFL Draft Buzz, we break down why the Vikings could be looking for a new rookie quarterback next April.

This week’s article also highlights why Dante Moore will enter next season as the top quarterback on the board, even in a loaded class. We also take a look at one of the more polarizing prospects in the class in Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams.

Vikings in the 2027 quarterback market

One team that could be in the 2027 quarterback market is the Vikings. The main reason is it’s starting to look like they’ve lost all faith in J. J. McCarthy, who they took with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They haven’t come out and said anything negative about him, but their actions say everything.

They brought in Kyler Murray as their likely starter and then re-signed Carson Wentz to a $3 million deal to lock in the backup role. So where does that leave McCarthy? Probably not in Minnesota long term, and it may be tough getting great value for him.

A big reason why is he’s been injury-prone since entering the league, and he already had real question marks coming out of Michigan. The Wolverines leaned on him less his final season, and back in 2022 he had serious accuracy issues, completing 50% or less of his passes in three of his final six games. That’s a big part of why I called him the most overrated quarterback in that draft class, and clearly I wasn’t alone in thinking that. One college assistant coach even told The Athletic, “J.J. McCarthy ain’t that guy. I don’t know what Jim Harbaugh is talking about. He’s out of his mind. If you’re freakin’ Kyle Shanahan you might like him, but in college football, I don’t know if he’s gonna get the job done.”

So how do the Vikings handle this going forward? Option A is Murray plays at a high level and locks down the job. If that happens, they’re set. But if he struggles like he did at times with the Arizona Cardinals, then this becomes a real need heading into the 2027 NFL Draft.

One name to watch, assuming the Vikings are picking late in the first round, which they should be based on their roster, is Julian Sayin out of Ohio State Buckeyes football. He’s an incredibly accurate passer who led the nation in completion percentage at 77.0% and finished second in QB rating at 177.46.

Dante Moore is the leader of the quarterback class

Going into the 2026 season, this is shaping up to be a strong quarterback class, with Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, LaNorris Sellers, and Brendan Sorsby all being talked about as first-round picks. But the leader of this group is Dante Moore.

Moore carries a high grade on my board for several reasons, and I still think he would have been the top quarterback off the board if he had stayed in school. First, he has a rocket for an arm and can challenge defenses vertically. Last season, he recorded 30 big-time throws according to PFF. He’s also a good athlete for a traditional pocket passer and can pick up yards on the ground when needed. On top of that, his leadership should help Oregon put together another strong season.

That said, there are areas Moore can improve this season. He needs to process defenses faster and go through his reads more efficiently. He also has to avoid forcing passes into tight coverage under pressure, which contributed to 10 interceptions last season. Footwork is another area he will likely focus on, as it caused him to miss some easy throws.

One possible landing spot for Moore in the 2027 NFL Draft is the New York Jets, who have a total of three first-round draft picks. If they don’t take Ty Simpson this year and they end up taking him with the second overall pick, they will still be looking for a quarterback in 2027. With plenty of draft ammunition, they could easily move up to get Moore even if they don’t have the number one overall pick.

Scouting Ryan Coleman-Williams 

One of the more polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft is Ryan Coleman-Williams. He came off his freshman season as a freshman All-American after catching 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. However, his production dropped significantly last season. His yards per catch fell by four yards, and his yards per game dropped 16 yards. So the question becomes: what type of NFL Draft prospect is Ryan Coleman-Williams?

Let’s start with the positives. There are plenty. He has homerun speed that can stretch any defense vertically, backed up by a 10.49 100-meter time he posted in high school. He is also an elusive receiver who can cut on a dime and has forced 28 missed tackles over his two years with the Crimson Tide, according to PFF. On top of that, he has a polished understanding of his routes and several different release techniques off the line of scrimmage.

But there are concerns, especially when watching last year’s film. The biggest one is his inability to consistently make the catch. Last season, he dropped 10 passes, the third-highest total in FBS. Two main issues drive this. First, he struggles to track the deep ball on vertical routes. Second, his hand positioning is often off, which leads to awkward catches or balls hitting his body.

Heading into the 2026 season, Coleman-Williams will likely carry a first-round grade on most boards because of his upside and elite physical tools. Still, he may be considered the third-best receiver in the class behind Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman.

Defensive tackle set to be stronger in the 2027 NFL Draft

One of the weaker positions in the 2026 NFL Draft is defensive tackle. In NFL Mock’s latest big board, there was not a single defensive tackle ranked among the top 20 players, with the highest-rated being Peter Woods at No. 23 overall. There also is not much depth at the top, as only three players carry first- or second-round grades.

Thankfully, the 2027 defensive tackle class looks much stronger, with a total of five defensive tackles earning first-round grades on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus board. While it is unlikely all five go that high, several are already standing out.

One of those players is A.J. Holmes Jr. from Texas Tech, who was recently rated as the top defensive tackle in college football by Pro Football Focus. What stands out about Holmes is his well-rounded game. Against the run, he does a good job holding the point of attack, and his 88.1 PFF run-defense grade ranked third in the country. He also shows good burst off the ball, which helped him record 4.5 sacks last season. With another strong year, Holmes has a good chance to be a high pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Another defensive tackle with high-end traits who is just starting to make an impact is David Stone from Oklahoma. After recording only six tackles in 2024, he led all Sooner defensive tackles with 42 tackles last season despite starting just two games. What will really excite NFL scouts is his explosiveness off the ball, especially for a 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive tackle.

A couple of other defensive tackles to watch are Tyrique Tucker from Indiana, Will Echoles from Ole Miss, and A’Mauri Washington from Oregon. As it stands, the 2027 NFL Draft looks like the better time to address defensive tackle, especially if a team can sign a veteran to fill the gap this season.

Chamber’s decision

It now looks like all obstacles are cleared for Trinidad Chambliss to return to Ole Miss next season after a three-justice panel from the Mississippi Supreme Court denied the NCAA’s petition to appeal a previous eligibility ruling. This is big news for Ole Miss, as Chambliss was the 2025 SEC Newcomer of the Year after throwing for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

While this is good news for Ole Miss, the question NFL fans want answered is how it impacts his draft stock. Looking at the 2026 class, this move could end up costing Chambliss millions. He had a real chance to be the third quarterback off the board this year, but now likely enters next season with a Day Three grade. That could mean the difference between being a second-round pick in 2026 and a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

That also assumes he repeats last season’s production, which will not be easy with Lane Kiffin now at LSU Tigers football. If his play drops off without that level of offensive coaching, there is a real chance his stock falls even further. In a worst-case scenario, he could even go undrafted next April.