Did Week 6 of college football just turn the 2027 NFL Draft quarterback race upside down?
With Notre Dame's CJ Carr and Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker continuing to shine and Texas quarterback Arch Manning stumbling again, the conversation is certainly changing.
So, let's talk about it.
Before the season started, this was supposed to be a two-quarterback race at the top of a talented and deep QB class. Both Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore were considered the prizes of the class.
They still might be.
But with Moore sidelined and Manning doing everything possible to lose his grip on the top spot, the door has been left wide open. Other quarterbacks are not just closing the gap. They are making a serious case to be the first QB off the board.
In this week's 2027 NFL Draft QB Power 5 Rankings, there's a new king of the hill, a former favorite barely holding on and a quarterback race that is getting more interesting by the week.
2027 NFL Draft QB rankings: The top 5
Rank | Quarterback | School |
|---|---|---|
1 | CJ Carr | Notre Dame |
2 | Darian Mensah | Miami |
3 | Drew Mestemaker | Oklahoma State |
4 | Julian Sayin | Ohio State |
5 | Arch Manning | Texas |
No. 1 CJ Carr, Notre Dame
It's time to give CJ Carr his flowers and the No. 1 spot in our 2027 NFL Draft Power 5 Rankings.
When it comes to what to expect week to week, you know what you get with Carr, who has been consistently solid in leading the No. 3-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish to an undefeated record through the first six weeks of the season.
In the team's 58-7 blowout victory over Stanford, Carr completed 70 percent of his passes for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also showed off his sneaky athleticism by rushing for 41 yards on 5 carries.
With the quarterback race really coming into play, Carr's consistency, accuracy and decision-making are what set him apart and put him at No. 1 in this week's rankings. Although he hasn't faced his toughest matchups yet, he has passed every test thrown his way. Carr not only has the Heisman in his sights, but he could end up as the first quarterback off the board if he declares for the 2027 NFL Draft.
No. 2 Darian Mensah, Miami
Mensah mania is going to have a lot to say about that. In fact, the only thing stopping the hot arm of Mensah was a bye week.
With a matchup against Florida State on the horizon, Mensah has an opportunity ahead of him to prove he is a serious contender to be the top QB off the board. The past few weeks, we have seen him shatter completion records, bury opposing offenses prior to halftime and make explosive plays with both his arm and legs.
The question when it comes to Mensah is how he will perform and bounce back once he faces adversity or a defense that really challenges the Hurricanes offense. We thought that test would be Clemson, but the 41-13 steamrolling of the ACC rival didn't give Mensah the resistance we were looking for. But, then again, maybe he's just that good.
Although he did nothing to deserve dropping a spot, except rest, Mensah hasn't really been in high-stakes pressure situations. Perhaps a showdown with CJ Carr and Notre Dame will show whether he is the real deal or just a talented arm with explosive playmakers around him making life easy.
No. 3 Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Talk about bouncing back. After a tough Week 1 and debut performance in an Oklahoma State uniform, Drew Mestemaker is showing the nation that he is a real contender to be the top quarterback off the board if he decides to declare for the 2027 NFL Draft.
After a bye week, Mestemaker was back at it against the UCF Knights in Week 6. In a 42-28 victory, Mestemaker completed 19 of 28 passes for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added an 11-yard touchdown run to further showcase his dual-threat ability.
In earning an overall PFF grade above 89.0 for the third consecutive game, what stands out about Mestemaker is his efficiency and the fact that he did outduel Dante Moore in Oklahoma State's early upset win over Oregon. With his big arm and playmaking ability with his legs, NFL teams are starting to pay serious attention to Mestemaker as at least a top-10 pick.
In a big matchup against No. 20 Houston in Week 7, Mestemaker will have an opportunity to showcase his talent on the national stage once again. If he puts together another game like he had against Oregon against another quality opponent, the hype train will start to pick up even more steam.
No. 4 Julian Sayin, Ohio State
When you have the best wide receiver on the planet, playing quarterback every week is fun and easy. But let's not downplay the talent of Julian Sayin.
With a depleted offensive line in Ohio State's 45-16 win over Maryland, Sayin threw for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns. Of course, two of those touchdowns were connections to Jeremiah Smith, but Sayin did spread the ball around by delivering a 68-yard touchdown strike to tight end Nate Roberts and another one to Mason Williams.
I think scouts and critics of Sayin need to see a lot more of him getting the ball to other players and not just being a part of Smith's weekly highlight reel. While there are other quarterbacks playing well enough to knock Sayin out of the top 5, he has been a consistent performer like Carr and Mensah. He is really doing everything you can ask of him, with his only real drawback being his otherworldly wide receiver.
It does, however, take a talented quarterback to get the ball to playmakers in spots where they can excel. Sayin has been doing that for a season and a half. I'll say he's an underrated QB prospect with much to prove at the next level.
No. 5 Arch Manning, Texas
Another quarterback prospect with a lot to prove going forward is Arch Manning. Despite falling to No. 5 in our power rankings, the Texas quarterback is still considered a favorite to be the top quarterback off the board come the 2027 NFL Draft.
QB-needy teams certainly have other options, but will the potential of Manning outweigh his mistakes come draft time?
That is becoming a bigger question by the week.
In Week 6, the highs and lows of Manning were on full display in Texas' 27-24 upset loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.
Manning threw for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns, but it was the two costly interceptions, one that was run back for a pick-six, that are putting some doubt on Manning as the top QB in the 2027 NFL Draft class. Whether he is even a top-two or top-three quarterback is becoming a serious question.
Again, the talent is there, the big plays are there, but so are the huge mistakes. How he bounces back and performs going forward will tell a lot about Manning's resilience.
After nearly getting past Tennessee and then losing to Oklahoma, Manning now finds himself barely holding on to the No. 5 spot.
Who could crash the top five?
While Dante Moore's status for Week 7 is uncertain, one thing that is becoming clear is that he won't be facing a QB controversy. Although Dylan Raiola stepped in and carried the offense in the win against USC, he struggled mightily in the Week 6 loss to UCLA.
So did Brock Thomas.
What this means is Oregon needs Moore back under center to salvage the season. This could be what solidifies Moore as the top QB in the draft class. If he comes back and leads Oregon on a run, he could be the story of the 2026 season, especially if Oregon somehow runs the table and gets back into the national championship conversation.
Speaking of national championships, Josh Hoover is a name to keep an eye on.
Although he is not putting up explosive stats week to week, Hoover has the reigning national champion Indiana Hoosiers undefeated. In Week 6, Hoover orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback against Nebraska with two big touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to Nick Marsh, one for 75 yards and the other a game-winning 44-yard touchdown pass.
While stepping in and filling the shoes of Fernando Mendoza was a tough task, Hoover is creating his own magic and showing his clutch ability in keeping his Hoosiers undefeated.
Let's not forget Trinidad Chambliss, who invaded the top 5 just a couple of weeks ago. In leading No. 9 Ole Miss to a 52-17 victory over Vanderbilt, Chambliss strengthened his Heisman Trophy bid with a three-touchdown performance.
USC's Jayden Maiava also had a stellar performance in Week 6. In a road victory over Penn State, Maiava torched the Nittany Lions, passing for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback race is far from over
That's nine quarterbacks with first-round talent who continue to change the QB race on a weekly basis.
With as many as 14 NFL teams potentially facing quarterback decisions, the 2027 NFL Draft class is starting to live up to the hype. The biggest question is no longer just who will be the first quarterback off the board, but how many could hear their names called in the first round.
For now, CJ Carr sits on top of the mountain, but with Darian Mensah breathing down his neck, Drew Mestemaker gaining momentum and Arch Manning fighting to stay in the conversation, how long will he stay there?
If the first six weeks have taught us anything, it's that no quarterback is safe at the top of these rankings.
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