Is the Drake Lindsey 1st-Round Buzz Already Getting Out of Control?

A third analyst labeled Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) warms up before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

When renowned quarterback coach Quincy Avery called Drake Lindsey a "future first-round pick" last August, many people looked the other way. Less than one year later, respected draft analysts Nate Tice and Mike Renner have jumped on the bandwagon, and NFL Insider Jordan Schultz became the latest to consider Lindsey a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Is the hype already getting out of control?

Schultz posted a top-20 big board for the 2027 NFL Draft on Wednesday, and he said the list was constructed after talking with some college scouts and evaluators. Lindsey is No. 17, which is the fourth quarterback, behind Arch Manning, Dante Moore and Julian Sayin.

Here’s an early look at my 2027 NFL Draft big board after talking to some college scouts and evaluators: pic.twitter.com/wOjzXAaGyH

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 27, 2026

Tice called him the 24th-best prospect in the class in April, while Renner had him going No. 4 overall to the Cleveland Browns in a mock draft. Schultz is now the third major name in the draft community to consider Lindsey a potential first-round prospect.

Lindsey had a solid redshirt freshman campaign in 2025. He completed 63.2% of his passes for 2,382 yards, 24 total touchdowns and six interceptions. He had an objectively impressive season for a first-year starter in the Big Ten, and he showed a ton of promise, but it was clear that there were still a lot of areas for improvement. Where is the first-round hype coming from?

Well, he's 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. Anyone who follows the NFL Draft closely knows that scouts love traits, especially when the draft is still 10 months away. If Lindsey shows significant improvement this season with the Gophers, scouts will begin to salivate about his potential in an NFL system. His hype as a prospect includes a lot of projection at this point in the process.

Gophers fans will remember when Todd McShay projected Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner as a potential first-round pick in a way-too-early 2017 NFL mock draft. That hype quickly fizzled out after Leidner had a pretty mediocre senior season. Lindsey's situation feels different.

Lindsey still has three years of college eligibility remaining, but as a redshirt freshman, he will technically be allowed to declare for the draft after this season. If he takes a major leap this offseason, like many scouts appear to think he can, he will have a major decision to make.

The 2027 NFL Draft is already expected to be loaded with quarterback talent, so a return to college would appear to be far more likely for a player with only two years as a starter under his belt. Whether it's the NFL or college football in 2027, Lindsey could be looking at a huge payday next offseason if he plays up to his potential in 2026.