Quarterbacks CJ Carr of Notre Dame and Arch Manning of Texas both recently improved their stock for the 2027 NFL Draft in the eyes of draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
Kiper released his latest big board ranking the top 25 prospects in the 2027 draft, and he moved Carr from No. 8 to No. 4, and Manning from No. 24 to No. 22 from his previous ranking.
Carr and Manning were two of seven quarterbacks in Kiper’s top 25, joining Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker (2), Miami’s Darian Mensah (7), Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss (20), Missouri’s Austin Simmons (21) and Oregon’s Dante Moore (23).
The top 10 prospects in the NFL Draft, based on Kiper’s latest rankings, are as follows:
1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
2. Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State
3. Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame
4. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
5. Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
6. Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson
7. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (Fla.)
8. Chris Cole, LB, Georgia
9. Charlie Becker, WR, Indiana
10. Xavier Gilliam, DT, Tennessee
Carr was behind Mensah in Kiper’s previous rankings, but he made an adjustment after Notre Dame’s 31-24 victory over then-No. 1 Miami last weekend.
Carr, 21, was excellent in this game against a top opponent, going 29 of 40 for 319 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
For the season, Carr completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,168 yards, 21 touchdowns and just one pick, making him a serious Heisman Trophy contender.
Manning entered the season as a popular Heisman pick, and while the many ups and downs he experienced may have put him out of contention, he has acquitted himself well recently.
The nephew of legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch led the Longhorns to three straight wins and the No. 6 ranking in the nation with a 7-2 record.
In the last two games against Mississippi State and Missouri, Manning has thrown six touchdown passes and no interceptions. He threw two picks in the previous win against then-No. 7 Ole Miss, but he also accounted for three total touchdowns.
Manning feels like he could be the ultimate boom-or-bust pick with a range of outcomes stretching from the best quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft to a player who can’t establish himself as a consistent NFL starter.
NFL teams in need of a quarterback will have a ton of options available to them in the 2027 draft, but there is no clear consensus on who is the best of the bunch.
Mestemaker may be the more popular pick, having maintained his second overall spot since Kiper’s last ranking, but even he is far from a slam dunk to pull off.
One storyline to watch as the draft draws closer is the record for most quarterbacks taken in a single first round. The current record is six, but based on Kiper’s rankings, a new record of seven could be possible.
Gn sports
