Week 1 of the NFL season is on the horizon and we're about to enter the REAL start of the college football season this weekend. But it's not too early to peek at the talent expected to hear their names called in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Here is my first big board, ranking players Nos. 1-31 and a list of 10 to watch who could break into the mix later this season. Why 31 instead of 30? You'll see why I gave both of those ranked players, each quarterbacks, some shine.
Manning is an excellent athlete with size. He plays with a proper timing on plays when working from the pocket, but he can also throw consistently on the move and has the toughness and core strength to get any throw off no matter his platform or how muddy the pocket is or how he is getting hit. He has a good arm that he unlocks because of his creativity, ability to anticipate and willingness to push the football down the field. Manning's quick throwing motion unlocks underneath throws and he already has advanced feel in the pocket. He constantly keeps his eyes downfield, which allows him to get the ball off and avoid sacks, turning negative plays to positive, or even explosive ones.
His progression as a player was overlooked last year after an early-season loss to Ohio State and Texas having to gut out several wins, but his play, along with his tools, indicated a future No. 1 draft pick despite what looked like lackluster performances. There's a lot of hype, but he looks like he's worth it.
A force of nature at receiver, Smith has been a standout player and absurdly productive at every level of his career. He is strong, explosive, and has an excellent build that allows him to bounce off tackles and constantly eat up yards after the catch. His power as a player makes him dangerous on in-breakers that allow him to build up speed and get downhill in a hurry, and his speed and burst out of breaks make him dangerous. Even without pristine route refinement, Smith is still dominant. It's hard to compare any athlete to Julio Jones, and welp, here we are with Smith. At worst you're looking at a Josh Gordon-like player.
#player #like
Here is my first big board, ranking players Nos. 1-31 and a list of 10 to watch who could break into the mix later this season. Why 31 instead of 30? You'll see why I gave both of those ranked players, each quarterbacks, some shine.
Manning is an excellent athlete with size. He plays with a proper timing on plays when working from the pocket, but he can also throw consistently on the move and has the toughness and core strength to get any throw off no matter his platform or how muddy the pocket is or how he is getting hit. He has a good arm that he unlocks because of his creativity, ability to anticipate and willingness to push the football down the field. Manning's quick throwing motion unlocks underneath throws and he already has advanced feel in the pocket. He constantly keeps his eyes downfield, which allows him to get the ball off and avoid sacks, turning negative plays to positive, or even explosive ones.
His progression as a player was overlooked last year after an early-season loss to Ohio State and Texas having to gut out several wins, but his play, along with his tools, indicated a future No. 1 draft pick despite what looked like lackluster performances. There's a lot of hype, but he looks like he's worth it.
A force of nature at receiver, Smith has been a standout player and absurdly productive at every level of his career. He is strong, explosive, and has an excellent build that allows him to bounce off tackles and constantly eat up yards after the catch. His power as a player makes him dangerous on in-breakers that allow him to build up speed and get downhill in a hurry, and his speed and burst out of breaks make him dangerous. Even without pristine route refinement, Smith is still dominant. It's hard to compare any athlete to Julio Jones, and welp, here we are with Smith. At worst you're looking at a Josh Gordon-like player.
#player #like
2 months ago
