Can Jeremiah Smith or Julian Sayin Become the 2027 NFL Draft’s First Overall Pick?

We’re less than a month removed from the most recent NFL Draft, yet discussion surrounding next year’s event is already heating up.

And a couple of Ohio State Buckeyes appear to be right in the middle of the discussion.

Unanimous All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin are among the players who currently hold the shortest odds to become the first player selected overall in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Although neither is currently the favorite to go No. 1 -- something that will also depend on the team selecting, not to mention the upcoming season -- it’s worth noticing that both Buckeyes are among the six players with the shortest odds.

What does Jeremiah Smith need to do to go first overall in next year’s NFL Draft?

First part is easy: keep playing like Jeremiah Smith. Second part is hoping a team that already has a quarterback gets to pick first.

Perhaps the best wide receiver recruit since Randy Moss, Smith is also a super clean prospect who has revealed a fierce loyalty towards his school, even in this outrageous NIL era.

Online betting sites like BetMGM and Bet365 have him pegged at +800, while DraftKings and Betrivers see him at +1000. In all five cases he owns the fourth shortest odds, only behind quarterbacks Arch Manning, Dante Moore and C.J. Carr.

Just for reference, the next four players slotted after Smith are also quarterbacks: LaNorris Sellers, Sayin, Drew Mestemaker and Darian Mensah. That’s how good Smith is at his craft, even as quarterbacks have a built-in advantage when it comes to getting drafted high.

Even at this point of the NFL season, it’s quite easy to predict a few teams on the lookout for new passers when the next draft cycle comes, including the Jets, Cardinals, Steelers, Browns, Vikings and Falcons. Other teams that could potentially join that list include the Dolphins, Lions, Saints and Bucs.

Any of those teams ending up with the first overall pick would practically guarantee Smith isn’t the pick.

But suppose a team like the Raiders or Titans -- the last two teams who have held the first overall selection, both of them investing on a quarterback -- ends up atop the draft order: then Smith would surely be the choice, if a trade down doesn’t materialize.

Simply put, Smith is just too good of a player at a premium position to let slip, even in a quarterback-driven league.

What does Julian Sayin need to do to go first overall in next year’s NFL Draft?

Sayin has a tougher road ahead. He’s already facing criticism over his size -- he’s listed at 6’1’’ and 208 pounds on Ohio State’s website -- but chances are his actual numbers will come in below that once the 2027 Scouting Combine comes around.

As far as his tools go, he doesn’t own the strongest arm either, meaning he’ll need to build his case around a very cerebral-type of play, poise, getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately, and adding some mobility to the mix, much like 5’10’’, 204-pound Bryce Young did before being taken first overall by the Panthers in 2023.

As a first-year starter last season, Sayin was playing extremely well for the Buckeyes during the mid-part of the season. Starting with a Week 5 pounding on Washington, all the way up to a Week 10 hammering on Penn State, Sayin threw for 15 touchdowns with zero interceptions and 1,409 yards over a five-game span. Through those contests, he completed over 70 percent of his passes in all five matches, and went over 80 percent three times.

Then, he went through a slump that likely cost him a shot at the Heisman trophy, only throwing for one touchdown pass in four of his next six contests, including a notoriously bad two-interception performance against Miami at the CFP quarterfinals, when he completed a season-low 62.9 percent of his throws.

Currently sitting between the +1100 to +1800 range at the different betting sites, those odds reflect the diversity of opinions regarding Sayin’s status among the Class’ other passers. Can he put it all together and leapfrog the other top quarterback prospects, or will he be shut out of the first round completely?

Just like this year with Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik, there are bound to be a number of quarterbacks who will fall off considerably in terms of draft projection.

Sayin will need to work hard and close out the season strong in order to avoid becoming one of those slipping quarterbacks.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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