NFL teams are trimming down to their final 53-man rosters, which should expose weaknesses across the league. As the season plays out, some of those needs could take care of themselves as the 2026 NFL Draft class settles into their roles. It’s a given there will be first-year players who emerge and exceed expectations, while others may not live up to them.
That’s why they play the games, right?
What we do know is the 2027 NFL Draft class projects to be deep with talent at several key positions. We know about the quarterbacks, with top names like Arch Manning and Dante Moore headlining a deep class of signal-callers. We also know the wide receiver class, led by Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman, will be loaded.
But what about other key positions like edge rusher, cornerback, offensive tackle and running back? Where will that elite talent land in the top 10 of the 2027 NFL Draft?
Over the past few weeks, NFL Mocks has made projections for who will go where in the top 10. We have also projected landing spots for the top quarterbacks and wide receivers in specialty mock drafts. In this final Top 10 mock before shifting to our traditional full first-round mock, we address each team’s projected top needs in 2027.
The draft order is determined by Tankathon.
The 2027 NFL Draft Top 10 starts with a quarterback decision
No. 1 Arizona Cardinals: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
NFL Mocks is sticking with Dante Moore as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft as long as the Arizona Cardinals are in position to land the top selection. No shade to 2026 third-round pick Carson Beck.
The battle between Moore, Manning and whichever other quarterback emerges as a potential prize at the top of the draft will ultimately come down to fit and how the team holding the No. 1 pick views each prospect.
With the skillset and experience Moore will have following the 2026 season at Oregon, he should be equipped to step into a starting role right away, especially with the talent Arizona already has at other key offensive positions.
Adding Moore to an offense featuring Jeremiyah Love at running back, Trey McBride at tight end and Marvin Harrison Jr. at wide receiver looks intriguing on paper. It would then be up to Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur to blend all that talent together effectively.
No. 2 Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith goes No. 2 to the Miami Dolphins.
The trajectory of the 2027 NFL Draft will change as both the college football and NFL seasons progress. One factor to watch will be how Malik Willis performs as the starter for the Dolphins. If he establishes himself, Miami could focus its top draft capital on another position. If he doesn’t, the Dolphins could be right there in the mix for one of the top quarterbacks.
In this early Top 10 projection, the assumption is Willis proves himself in Miami, leading the Dolphins to add an alpha at wide receiver.
Smith is a generational wide receiver prospect with the talent and game-changing ability to elevate the Dolphins’ offense while helping Willis take another step as a quarterback.
No. 3 New York Jets: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
With three first-round picks, the Jets could own this draft. If there is a quarterback they must have, they will have the draft capital to move up and get that player.
Fortunately, in this projection, the Jets won’t need to make a move as Arch Manning falls right into their laps with the No. 3 overall pick.
Obviously, another quarterback could emerge as a more intriguing option, but any team selecting either Moore or Manning will be getting a QB with the talent and skill set to develop into a Day 1 starter.
In Manning, the Jets get a quarterback with an elite arm, athleticism and mobility in the pocket. Jets fans may immediately think of Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson, who were also top-three picks carrying plenty of promise, but Manning brings more athleticism and is savvier when navigating the pocket.
If he has the coaching, talent and structure around him, Manning should be set up for more success in New York. Another advantage? He can lean on his uncle Eli Manning when it comes to dealing with the pressure of playing quarterback in the New York market.
Browns shake up the 2027 NFL Draft QB race
No. 4 Cleveland Browns: Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (FL)
The Browns’ decision to start Deshaun Watson over young quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel means neither young QB was ready to take command of the starting role. It also means neither can be penciled in as the future of the position just yet.
That should keep Cleveland firmly in the 2027 quarterback conversation.
With the No. 4 overall pick, the Browns take a swing on Miami quarterback Darian Mensah.
At this stage, Mensah may be a surprise pick in the top 10, but the tools are there. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Mensah is a surgeon with his accuracy over the middle of the field and plays with toughness, poise and impressive post-snap processing from the pocket.
As a timing-based rhythm passer, Mensah would fit right into what head coach Todd Monken likes to do offensively. With the playmakers Cleveland should have around him, Mensah could be the missing piece at quarterback for the Browns’ offense.
No. 5 Tennessee Titans: Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
The Titans will continue building around Cam Ward, but with another top-10 pick, they go with a stud on the defensive side of the ball.
In previous mock drafts, that player has been Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons. But Dylan Stewart headlines a loaded 2027 EDGE class, and in this edition of the Top 10 NFL Mock Draft, Tennessee lands the South Carolina star.
With a defensive-minded head coach like Robert Saleh, the Titans will have their eyes on both Simmons and Stewart. Each prospect possesses the explosive speed off the edge Tennessee will be looking for, but Stewart wins out here because of his freakish athleticism and upside as a traditional defensive end.
In a 4-3 base defense, Stewart and 2026 first-round pick Keldric Faulk would give Saleh's defense a potentially dangerous young pass-rushing duo off the edge.
No. 6 Las Vegas Raiders: Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
The 2027 NFL Draft projects to be deep with wide receiver talent, which could enable the Raiders to address another major need early.
With the No. 6 overall pick, Las Vegas adds Texas star Colin Simmons as its pass rusher of the future. With Jeremiah Smith already off the board, the selection becomes easier for a Raiders team that could be looking to add reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball.
Of course, what happens with Maxx Crosby throughout the upcoming season will say a lot about what the Raiders do come April.
If Crosby remains in the mix, a Simmons-Crosby pass-rushing duo would make Raiders fans salivate. Simmons could learn from the veteran pass rusher while putting his own elite skillset on display in Vegas.
At 6-foot-2, 246 pounds, Simmons is coming off a standout season with the Longhorns in which he led the SEC with 12.0 sacks. With prototypical burst and speed off the edge, Simmons could serve as the perfect successor to Crosby whenever that transition becomes necessary.
No. 7 Atlanta Falcons: Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
The Falcons land their ideal No. 2 receiver with the selection of Cam Coleman at No. 7 overall.
If Atlanta has its solution at quarterback, wide receiver should be one of the team's top positional needs entering the draft. With Drake London as the top target, Kyle Pitts holding it down at tight end and Bijan Robinson bringing a dual-threat punch out of the backfield, adding Coleman would make the offense even more explosive and complete.
Falcons fans spent years watching Julio Jones dominate opposing secondaries. In Coleman, they would be getting a prospect with a similar combination of size and athleticism as an "X" receiver who could take plenty of attention away from both London and Pitts.
With 2026 third-round pick Zachariah Branch holding it down in the slot, this could be the draft selection the rest of the NFC South doesn't want to see happen.
Three intriguing fits close out the 2027 NFL Draft Top 10
No. 8 New Orleans Saints: Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
With one of the top wide receiver prospects landing in the division, it is fitting that the New Orleans Saints counter by landing the top cornerback.
In addressing one of their projected top needs entering 2027, the Saints get their potential lockdown corner in Notre Dame star Leonard Moore.
With his size, scheme versatility and elite ball skills, Moore would add another young piece to a secondary featuring Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley.
The key will be whether McKinstry departs in free agency. If he does, the selection of Moore becomes that much more important, as suddenly the Saints would be looking for someone capable of stepping in immediately as their CB1.
Moore has the swagger to go along with the play on the field. With the wide receiver talent throughout the NFC South, his length and disruptive nature in the passing game could be too intriguing for the Saints to pass up if they are indeed selecting in the top 10.
No. 9 Pittsburgh Steelers: Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
The Pittsburgh Steelers are an X-factor in the 2027 quarterback watch.
If Aaron Rodgers has one more solid-to-elite season left in him, the Steelers shouldn't be selecting this high. But according to Tankathon's current order, Pittsburgh projects to be selecting in the top 10. If that comes to fruition, Julian Sayin is the pick.
While most eyes will be on elite quarterback talents like Manning and Moore, the second tier of first-round prospects could give the Steelers some fascinating options.
Unless Drew Allar really emerges as the future in Pittsburgh, Mike McCarthy and company would be smart to add another young arm to the mix. Sayin doesn't have the starting experience of some of the other top quarterback prospects, but he has shown an impressive ability to recognize defensive rotations and deliver the football with accuracy.
The concern is his size, but Sayin could be too talented in other areas for a quarterback-minded coach like McCarthy to pass up.
No. 10 Carolina Panthers: Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
The first offensive tackle comes off the board at No. 10 with Trevor Goosby landing with the Carolina Panthers.
Unless Bryce Young takes a step back, left tackle could emerge as Carolina's top need with Rasheed Walker a potential free agent in 2027. With 2026 draft pick Monroe Freeling locking up the right side, the Panthers get their potential blindside protector in Goosby, one of the top offensive tackles entering the 2026 college football season.
A lower-leg injury suffered during Longhorns fall camp has sparked some concern, but Goosby is a rare talent when healthy.
Along with his prototypical frame for the position, Goosby is tremendously athletic and has a resume that includes holding his own against some of the elite pass rushers in the SEC.
If the Panthers build off their recent progress and continue to play inspired football under Dave Canales, adding another young anchor to the offensive line could make Carolina an offense to watch, especially if Young continues to progress as the starting quarterback.
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