Although there's been much talk about the upcoming draft, the 2027 NFL Draft could be one of the best ever assembled. A plethora of quarterbacks, skill and position players like Jeremiah Smith and Arch Manning could dominate the next generation of NFL stars. Draft analyst Jordan Reid explained on the This is Football Podcast about some of the names that could be eligible

“I’m going to read some names for you,” Reid said. “We talked about Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams, Arch Manning, who I think is going to come out in 2027. DJ Lagway, Dylan Stewart, Colin Simmons, Dylan Raiola, Cam Coleman, the receiver out of Auburn. K.J. Bolden, who is a freshman All-American at Georgia, Safety. Unbelievable class on paper.”

The first three names Reid listed off have dominated already. While Manning was the backup behind Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, he played two games in his absence. He threw eight touchdowns and two interceptions in two starts. Manning also took over for Ewers after he sustained an injury.

For Smith and Williams, both took the receiving world by storm. Williams had 865 yards and eight touchdowns as a 17-year old freshman. On the flip side, Smith finished the season with 70 catches for 1,224 yards. These two are only some of the glimpses in a loaded class.

Is it possible for the 2027 NFL Draft to be the best ever?

While these players are having great seasons, sustaining that success is the crucial element. That remains to be a mystery. However, there's evidence that the success will continue. For instance, an NFL executive raved about Smith's technique in his Rose Bowl performance against Oregon. Regardless, Reid believes that one group will prove if the 2027 NFL Draft class is legit.

“It depends on the development of the quarterbacks,” Reid said. “The skill guys are going to be just fine because of their athletic ability. If Raiola, Arch Manning, assuming he stays two years as the starter at Texas, and those other Quarterbacks develop how we think they can, I think it has the chance to be the best ever, just on paper. That’s assuming that all of those players stay on course with their development.”

If a franchise has a bad 2026-27 season, they might be ecstatic. It could cause them to tank for one of the quarterbacks or skill-position players. Still, even a lower first round pick could possibly be a Pro Bowl or All-Pro caliber player. As long as the development keeps occurring, the 2027 NFL Draft could be one of the best ever.