NFL Draft Slant: Jeremiah Smith separates himself atop 2027 class, plus a Bills QB sleeper

Week 5 of the college football season is officially in the books, and surprise, surprise, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was nearly impossible to defend again this week. His performance against a tough Iowa defense made an increasingly strong case that he is the top player in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Smith was not the only draft prospect who made headlines this weekend, however. In this week’s NFL Draft Slant, we take a closer look at what makes Smith so impressive, an injury to one of the top defensive prospects in the class, a late-round quarterback who could be an intriguing fit for the Buffalo Bills and a physically gifted receiver who desperately needs to turn his traits into production.

Jeremiah Smith has separated himself from the 2027 NFL Draft class

It is becoming clearer with each passing week that Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the top prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft. In his latest outing against a tough Iowa defense, Smith hauled in 11 receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns, further cementing his status as one of the most dominant players in college football. The performance also made him Ohio State’s all-time leader in career receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

What makes Smith’s production even more impressive is the amount of attention defenses give him every week. Despite constantly being the focal point of opposing game plans, he continues to produce at an elite level. Smith has now recorded back-to-back 200-yard receiving games, becoming just the second player in Big Ten history to accomplish the feat in consecutive games.

When looking at how his game translates to the NFL, there are several traits that make Smith look like a potential generational prospect. One of them is his physicality. At 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, Smith routinely outmuscles defensive backs at the catch point and is second in the FBS with nine contested catches, according to PFF.

In addition to his ability to physically dominate defensive backs, Smith has some of the surest hands in college football. Over his three-year career, he has dropped just two percent of the passes thrown his way. A major reason for that consistency is his ability to attack the football with his hands rather than allowing it to get into his body. That skill allows him to make difficult catches in traffic while also tracking the deep ball with impressive consistency.

Smith’s big-play ability is another reason why his NFL ceiling is so high. He has already recorded four receptions of 40-plus yards through five games this season, including a 57-yard touchdown against Iowa. According to PFF, Smith also leads the entire FBS with 71 explosive receptions of 15-plus yards since the start of the 2024 season. His ability to consistently create explosive plays while also winning contested catches makes him one of the most complete receiver prospects to enter the NFL Draft in years. 

At this point, Smith has separated himself from the rest of the 2027 draft class. If Tennessee or Miami ends up holding the No. 1 overall pick, expect Smith to be firmly in the conversation to become the first player selected in the draft.

Injury puts the spotlight on top cornerback Leonard Moore

While the top player in the 2027 NFL Draft produced yet another outstanding game, the news was not nearly as positive for one of the draft’s top defensive prospects, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore.

Moore was targeted a season-high seven times against North Carolina, allowing five completions. He also suffered an injury late in the fourth quarter, leaving the game with just over two minutes remaining. It is still unclear how severe the injury is or whether it will force him to miss time, but it is certainly something NFL scouts will be watching closely in the coming weeks.

When healthy, Moore is an elite cornerback capable of shutting down his side of the field. His coverage ability is evident in the way opposing quarterbacks have largely avoided him at times this season. In two of Notre Dame’s five wins, Moore was targeted just once, a clear indication of the respect opposing offenses have for his coverage skills.

At 6-foot-2, Moore possesses an impressive combination of size and athleticism. His elite agility allows him to stay in stride with receivers despite his larger frame, while his ball skills make him a constant threat to create turnovers. The 2025 All-American showed that playmaking ability last season by recording five interceptions in just 10 games.

The injury is now the biggest immediate question surrounding Moore. If he is able to return quickly and get back to his usual level of play, he should remain firmly in the conversation as one of the top defensive prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft.

A late-round quarterback the Buffalo Bills should watch

My favorite late-round quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft continues to be Florida Atlantic’s Caden Veltkamp, and he once again showed why on Saturday. Against Texas Southern, Veltkamp completed 13 of 16 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns, putting together another highly efficient performance.

While Texas Southern is certainly not the toughest opponent on FAU’s schedule, Veltkamp has also produced against much stronger competition. He threw for 286 yards and five touchdowns against Navy and completed 65 percent of his passes against Florida in the season opener. Even more impressive, Veltkamp has posted a PFF passing grade above 90.0 in three of FAU’s five games this season.

As a professional prospect, Veltkamp has the tools to develop into a Day 3 pick, starting with his impressive arm strength. He has recorded 12 big-time throws according to PFF this season, which ranks second nationally. When watching his film, it is easy to see why. Veltkamp consistently delivers the ball with excellent touch and velocity down the field and has one of the prettier deep balls in college football.

It also helps that Veltkamp possesses ideal size for an NFL quarterback at 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds. Despite his frame, he is not a statue in the pocket. He shows enough mobility to extend plays and pick up yards when necessary, giving him another dimension beyond simply operating from the pocket.

Perhaps the biggest positive development this season has been Veltkamp's improvement with ball security. Interceptions were one of his biggest concerns entering the season after he threw 17 picks last year. Through five games this season, however, he has thrown just two interceptions, both of which came in FAU's season-opening loss to Florida. That type of improvement is important for a quarterback hoping to make the jump to the NFL.

One team to watch as a potential fit for Veltkamp is the Buffalo Bills. Obviously, the Bills are set with Josh Allen as their starter, but their current backup, Kyle Allen, is 30 years old and has struggled when forced into extended action throughout his career. Adding a quarterback like Veltkamp on Day 3 would give Buffalo an intriguing developmental option with legitimate arm talent, NFL size and significant upside.

Nyck Harbor needs to turn rare traits into production

One of the most physically gifted prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft is South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who has been named to Bruce Feldman’s annual Freak List three times during his career, including this season. Unfortunately, those extraordinary physical traits have yet to consistently translate into production on the field.

Through the first five games of the season, Harbor has been held below 45 receiving yards in every game except South Carolina’s season-opening win over Kent State. He once again struggled to make an impact Saturday, catching just two passes for 26 yards in the Gamecocks’ 35-34 loss to Kentucky.

When scouting Harbor, there are several reasons for his inconsistent production. The first is his hands. He has already been credited with four drops this season, dropping 23 percent of the passes thrown his way. A major issue is that Harbor too often allows the ball to get into his body rather than attacking it with his hands, which has resulted in too many missed opportunities.

Another concern is his movement skills. At 6-foot-6 and 243 pounds, Harbor has an imposing frame, but he can look stiff when changing direction. That lack of agility makes it difficult for him to make sharp cuts at the top of his routes and limits his ability to consistently create separation from defensive backs.

Harbor’s lack of production will undoubtedly hurt his NFL Draft stock, but his rare physical tools should still make him an intriguing mid-round prospect. His combination of size, a reported 35-inch vertical jump and elite straight-line speed is difficult for NFL teams to ignore. The question is whether a team can develop those traits into consistent production.

One team that could make sense for Harbor is the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia has shown a willingness to bet on elite athletic traits, and adding a 6-foot-6 receiver with Harbor’s physical profile could give its receiving corps a different dimension.

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