NFL Draft Notebook: Dylan Stewart tops loaded 2027 edge class; Panthers eye TE help

The college football season is officially here, with Week 0 games being played this week. That means it is time to get fresh tape on the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft.

In this week’s NFL Draft Notebook, we take a closer look at the defensive end class, highlighting the top five players at the position and identifying a sleeper who could make a name for himself this season. 

We also examine why tight end could be a major need for the Carolina Panthers in the 2027 NFL Draft, explore the possibility of South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor making a position switch to tight end, and identify the position the Jacksonville Jaguars will have their scouts watching closely this fall.

2027 NFL Draft: Top five defensive ends

1. Dylan Stewart, South Carolina

A player with a very high upside is South Carolina defensive end Dylan Stewart, who has lived up to the hype ever since arriving as a five-star recruit. As a freshman, he was named a Freshman All-American after recording 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He followed that up last season by recording 12 tackles for loss and earning Second-Team All-SEC honors. When watching his film, the first thing that stands out is his impressive athletic ability, which allows him to turn the corner with ease and consistently beat offensive tackles off the ball. The one area I'd like to see him improve is his power. At times, his lack of hand usage keeps him from converting speed to power, limiting his effectiveness against stronger offensive tackles.

2. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon

One of the more complete defensive ends in the 2027 NFL Draft is Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei, who brings an impressive combination of size, power, and athleticism. At 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, he is one of the bigger edge defenders in the class and uses that size to consistently set the edge against the run. He also combines that power with an explosive first step, making him a dangerous pass rusher who has recorded 16.5 sacks over the past two seasons. When watching his film, his burst off the ball stands out, allowing him to win with both speed and power. The biggest area I'd like to see him improve is his tackling consistency, as he needs to play more under control after missing 32% of his tackle attempts last season, according to PFF. 

3. Anthony Smith, Minnesota

Minnesota's Anthony Smith surprised many evaluators by returning to school instead of entering the 2026 NFL Draft, giving him an opportunity to improve upon his late first-round projection after a dominant season in which he led the Big Ten with 12.5 sacks while recording 17.5 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, Smith has the size NFL teams covet and pairs it with impressive burst off the line of scrimmage, good strength, and surprising bend for a player of his frame. He is capable of lining up at both defensive end and defensive tackle, uses an effective swim move to generate pressure, and consistently sets a strong edge against the run. His biggest concern is his inconsistent tackling, but with another productive season, Smith has the tools to establish himself as one of the top defensive ends in the 2027 NFL Draft.

4. Princewill Umanmielen, LSU

While LSU's Princewill Umanmielen has yet to prove he can be a consistent starter after making just one start last season, he's a true difference-maker whenever he's on the field. Despite logging only 280 pass-rush snaps, he still finished third in the SEC with nine sacks and earned Third-Team All-SEC honors. His production reflects his biggest strength: getting after the quarterback with his impressive length, explosive burst off the ball, and impressive flexibility. To reach his full potential, though, he needs to become more consistent against the run and play with better control, as he misses too many tackles for my liking.

5. Teitum Tuioti, Oregon 

One of the most productive edge rushers in the 2027 NFL Draft class, Oregon's Teitum Tuioti enters the season after recording 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. His production is backed by several NFL-caliber traits, most notably his power. Tuioti consistently wins with a devastating long-arm move as a pass rusher and is equally effective setting the edge against the run. He earned an 80.0 PFF run-defense grade while leading all Power Four edge defenders with 47 defensive stops. His relentless motor also stands out, as he regularly finishes plays with second-effort sacks and quarterback pressures. The biggest question surrounding his projection is his lateral agility. Tuioti can look stiff at times, and quicker, more sudden offensive tackles have been able to challenge his change of direction. Despite that, his combination of production, power, and effort gives him one of the highest floors among edge defenders in the 2027 class.

2027 NFL Draft Sleeper of the Week: Melkart Abou Jaoude

This week's Sleeper of the Week is a player who has already established himself as one of the ACC's top defensive ends after just one season at the FBS level: North Carolina's Melkart Abou Jaoude.

After recording 8.5 sacks over two seasons at Delaware, Abou Jaoude made an immediate impact following his transfer to North Carolina. In 2025, he led the ACC with 10.5 sacks while earning Second-Team All-ACC honors, proving he could dominate against higher-level competition.

Despite that breakout season, Abou Jaoude continues to fly under the radar. Even after leading the conference in sacks, he was not selected as a preseason All-ACC player. The lack of recognition extends to the NFL Draft community as well. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus board, Abou Jaoude is currently ranked as the No. 1,012 prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, a surprisingly low ranking for a player with his level of production.

On my board, Abou Jaoude carries a sixth-round grade because of both his production and his NFL-caliber traits. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, he possesses outstanding power at the point of attack. His bull rush is his calling card, as he routinely drives offensive tackles backward with his strength. He also plays with excellent leverage and functional power, allowing him to set the edge and hold up well against the run. That combination makes him one of the more complete defensive ends in this draft class.

Another trait that stands out is his relentless motor. Abou Jaoude consistently chases plays from the backside and creates pressure through second and third efforts, giving offensive linemen very little margin for error.

So why is one of college football's most productive pass rushers still being overlooked?

The biggest concern is his athletic ceiling as a pass rusher. He lacks the first-step explosion and elite bend that prospects such as Dylan Stewart and Clev Lubin possess, relying primarily on power rather than speed or flexibility to win. While that may limit his upside, it should not overshadow what he already does well.

Even if he never develops into a high-end NFL starter, Abou Jaoude has the tools, effort, and production to become a quality rotational defensive end at the next level. That combination makes him one of the best sleeper prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Quick hits around the 2027 NFL Draft

• With the Carolina Panthers signing 33-year-old tight end Darren Waller to a one-year deal this week, highlighting just how thin the position is for the team, don’t be surprised if the Panthers address tight end early in the 2027 NFL Draft. One player who could make a ton of sense late in the first round or early in the second round is LSU’s Trey’Dez Green. Green should be in line for a breakout season under new head coach Lane Kiffin and with a much-improved quarterback situation with Sam Leavitt now at the helm. As a pro prospect, Green offers elite size and speed at 6-foot-7, 237 pounds while reportedly reaching 21.3 mph. His impressive agility also helped him set a school tight end record last season with seven touchdown receptions on just 33 catches.

• It will be interesting to see if some teams start viewing South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor as a potential move tight end in the NFL. Harbor would be an intriguing option for a creative offensive coordinator because of his ability to create matchup nightmares while possessing the size to hold up as an H-back or off-the-ball tight end at 6-foot-6, 243 pounds. Harbor, who was recently named Bruce Feldman’s Freak Athlete for the third time in his career, has been timed at 23.8 mph and has an 82.5-inch wingspan. That combination of size and athleticism could lead some teams to view him similarly to Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, who weighed just two pounds more when the Falcons selected him fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

• One area the Jacksonville Jaguars could look to address in the 2027 NFL Draft is the center position. That’s largely due to Robert Hainsey being a below-average starter who allowed 34 pressures last season and was ranked as Bleacher Report’s 28th-best center in the NFL. One player the Jaguars will likely be paying close attention to this season is Iowa’s Kade Pieper, who enters the season as the highest-rated center on my board and was named Bruce Feldman’s most athletic offensive lineman in college football. Pieper possesses an impressive combination of strength and athleticism, including a 680-pound squat and elite burst off the ball, which should give him the tools to develop into a high-quality NFL starter.

• A prospect who should be high on the Miami Dolphins’ radar this year is Texas outside linebacker Colin Simmons. The reason he makes so much sense for the Dolphins is that the team desperately needs to upgrade its pass rush, with Chop Robinson currently serving as its top edge defender after a disappointing season in which he recorded just four sacks following a 10-sack campaign in 2024. Meanwhile, Simmons is coming off a season in which he led the SEC with 12 sacks and earned first-team All-American honors. To say the least, the Longhorns’ pass rusher would be an immediate upgrade, and his explosive playing style should fit well in Jeff Hafley’s defense.

• One stat that could raise concerns for scouts evaluating Texas quarterback Arch Manning is his inaccuracy in the short passing game. Last season, Manning posted a 9% off-target rate on throws of 10 air yards or fewer, which ranked 17th-worst among FBS starters. A big reason for that was inconsistent lower-body mechanics, as he would often fail to get his feet set and put himself in an optimal throwing position. If Manning doesn’t make significant improvements in this area this season, it could be difficult for teams to view him as anything more than a late first-round pick.

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