2027 NFL Draft Notebook: CJ Carr to Texans? 5 prospects who could shine in Week 1

Could Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr be the answer for the Houston Texans if C.J. Stroud fails to lead the team deep into the playoffs this season? With Stroud facing a pivotal year and the Texans seemingly far apart on a new contract, Houston could find itself looking at a quarterback like Heisman favorite Carr as a possible replacement in the 2027 NFL Draft.

In addition to looking at why CJ Carr might be the right CJ for the Texans moving forward, this week’s NFL Draft Notebook highlights five prospects to watch this week, including one who has a trait that reminds me of Joe Montana. This week’s article also looks at a pressing need for the Chicago Bears, a couple of underrated pass rushers and much more.

Why CJ Carr could fit with the Texans

One of the more talented teams in the NFL going into the season is the Houston Texans, who have an elite defense and are a true threat to make the Super Bowl this year. However, in order to make that run to Super Bowl 61, they are going to need much-improved play from quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Last year, Stroud was a below-average quarterback for most of the season and really struggled when it came to making quick reads and getting rid of the ball on time. This was incredibly evident in the Texans’ loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round. In that game, he completed only 43 percent of his passes and tossed four interceptions. If the Texans had been able to get a better performance out of Stroud, it is not hard to imagine them knocking off the Patriots and possibly making it all the way to last year’s Super Bowl.

Then, when you factor in that Stroud and the Texans seem far apart when it comes to signing a new contract, it is not hard to imagine Houston addressing the quarterback position in the 2027 NFL Draft.

One player the Texans will likely strongly consider in the 2027 NFL Draft is Notre Dame’s CJ Carr. Several reasons make Carr a potential upgrade over Stroud if Houston goes in that direction after the season. One of these is his high football IQ, with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman saying this about Carr: “He’s as intelligent of a football player you’ll be around, works extremely hard in his preparation.” This complete understanding of the game allows him to take care of the ball, as he threw only six interceptions last season.

In addition to being an elite processor, he has several other traits working in his favor, including impressive accuracy. Last season, he completed 67 percent of his passes and consistently hit his receivers in stride. In addition, he is a good athlete for a pocket passer who can buy extra time in the pocket or pick up yards on the ground.

So why would Carr possibly be available when the Texans are on the clock, which will likely be late in the first round? It really comes down to the fact that he lacks elite physical traits. This includes having just solid arm strength, and while he shows good pocket presence, he is not going to threaten many teams in the QB run game.

Still, Carr has the traits that would provide a nice contrast to Stroud and would be well worth the risk of the Texans’ first-round pick in the hopes that he is the man who can lead them to the promised land.

Five players to watch in Week 1

1. Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU

The most intriguing player to watch this week is LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt for several reasons. To start with, this will be his first game with the LSU Tigers after transferring over from Arizona State this offseason. It will also be his first game back healthy after missing the end of last season with a foot injury. Where Leavitt really impresses me is with his ability to move in the pocket, an area where he reminds me of Joe Montana. Look for Leavitt to lead LSU to an impressive victory over Clemson.

2. Makhi Hughes, RB, Houston

Another player who will be looking forward to a bounce-back season this year with his new team is Houston running back Makhi Hughes. Last season at Oregon, Hughes only carried the ball 17 times for the Ducks, but he was dominant in 2024 at Tulane, rushing for 1,401 yards and finding the end zone a total of 17 times. Now that he is back with Willie Fritz, who was his coach at Tulane and is now the coach at Houston, it should help him get back to his old form, with his first test coming this weekend against Oregon State.

3. Jayden Virgin-Morgan, OLB, Boise State

A team with a super tough challenge this week is Boise State, which takes on second-ranked Oregon. If the Broncos are going to keep this game close, they will need a big game from linebacker Jayden Virgin-Morgan, who is one of the top Group of Six prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. Last season, the 6-foot-3, 257-pound linebacker recorded 56 tackles while also leading the team in tackles for loss with 13 and sacks with six.

4. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville

The top game on Sunday to watch will be between Louisville and Ole Miss, and one reason why I expect the Cardinals to pull off the upset is the play of running back Isaac Brown. Brown was the most explosive running back in college football last season, with an 18.6 percent explosive rush rate, and averaged 8.8 yards per carry. While Brown is on the smaller side, he still should be a back who can see 10-15 carries a game in the NFL.

5. Micahi Danzy, WR, Florida State

A player who has already been named one of NFL Mocks' Sleepers of the Week is Florida State wide receiver Micahi Danzy, who led all Florida State wide receivers with four catches for 51 yards against New Mexico State. His deep speed was also on display last Saturday when he hauled in a 44-yard pass that easily could have been a touchdown with a better ball being thrown his way. Look for him to make at least one big play against SMU this week.

2027 NFL Draft news and notes

Sleeper of the Week

This week’s Sleeper of the Week is Missouri defensive end Darris Smith. Smith, who had only one start in his four-year career, started to see an uptick in production last season, pressuring the quarterback 30 times while picking up four sacks. This season, he should play a much bigger role now that Zion Young and Damon Wilson II, the team’s top two pass rushers last season, have moved on. With Smith also adding 25 pounds this offseason, he should have an opportunity to significantly boost his NFL Draft stock. 

Bears area of need

Look for the Chicago Bears to pay close attention to the cornerback position when it comes to 2027 NFL Draft targets. This is largely due in part to Kyler Gordon battling injuries over the past couple of seasons. Last season, he missed 14 games due to an assortment of injuries, and this year he could miss the entire season due to a calf injury. The fact that he could miss the better part of the last two seasons raises major questions about whether the Bears can count on him in the future. In terms of how high the Bears could address the position next season, a lot of that will depend on how rookie Malik Muhammad plays this year. 

Underrated

ESPN recently came out with its list of the top 100 players in college football, and there were a couple of surprises on the list, especially when it comes to the NFL Draft. One of these is Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams being ranked as the 99th-best player in college football. This is despite many people, including me, seeing him as a potential late first-round pick due to his ability to pick up yards after the catch, impressive speed and overall high upside. If he can do a better job of consistently bringing in the ball and staying engaged throughout the game, look for him to greatly outperform this low ranking.

Overrated 

While Coleman-Williams was ranked too low for my rankings, the opposite is true for USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who came in at No. 9 on the list. While he is coming off a strong season that saw him lead the FBS with a 91.2 QBR and lead the FBS with 37 completions on passes of 20 or more air yards, when it comes to pure talent, I see more of a Day 3 pick. This is mainly due to the fact that he lacks the mobility you want to see in an NFL quarterback, and at times his accuracy can be inconsistent, especially when his lower-body mechanics are not timed right. It will also be interesting to see if he can produce at a high level again this season despite losing his top two wide receivers, Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, who were both top-80 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

High upside pass rusher

An intriguing pass rusher for scouts to watch this season is new LSU defensive end Jordan Ross. Ross, who was a former five-star recruit and was projected to eventually be a top-16 NFL Draft pick by 247Sports, did not live up to that potential at Tennessee, having never started a game for the Vols. However, he was still a highly regarded transfer, as ESPN named him the 69th-best transfer in the portal due to his impressive burst off the ball and overall agility. The test for him this season will be to first earn a starting role with the Tigers and finally put up the type of production his raw skills show he is capable of. 

Off to a poor start

Well, the quarterback who I said was the most underrated going into the season is certainly off to a rough start. That quarterback is North Carolina State’s CJ Bailey, who may have just had the worst game of his career, completing 12 of 23 passes for 84 yards while also turning the ball over twice. However, when you watch his film from the game, he still showed NFL-quality traits, including impressive arm strength and good mobility. Where he must improve, though, is his footwork, as he often had happy feet in the pocket and was consistently in poor throwing positions. This, combined with the fact that Virginia was clearly the better team, led to his poor performance. 

Harsh words for top wide receiver

In Bruce Feldman’s latest Coaches Confidential for The Athletic, one Big Ten running backs coach had some harsh words for Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, saying, “Play Cover-2 over him and you take him out of the game. I think he’s closer to DK Metcalf than Jaxon Smith-Njigba.” While I don’t see Smith in the same way, it does raise some concerns that at least some coaches around the Big Ten see him that way.

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