2027 NFL Draft: The Best Edge Rusher in This Class and Revising Our QB1 Tiers

South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart needed only a handful of snaps to prove why he should be viewed as the top defensive player in next year’s draft.

I’ll admit I had some doubt about Stewart after he missed the first two games of the season due to a back injury. I was also caught up in Colin Simmons’s performances because all the Texas edge rusher does is deliver high production.

Stewart’s high upside and freakish athleticism is why I ranked him the No. 1 edge rusher on my initial big board. I’m no longer wavering after the 6'5", 250-pound Stewart flashed his potential on his first of 14 snaps last week, putting pressure on quarterback Kamario Taylor on Mississippi State’s first third down of the game. In the second quarter, Stewart displayed his elite strength and awareness when he knocked the guard back in time to force the running back into a tackle for loss.

Dylan Stewart takes on the pulling Guard and knocks him back for the South Carolina run stop pic.twitter.com/nWSavxDo8W
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 19, 2026

If Stewart doesn’t play another down again this season, that lone performance is probably enough for him to be a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. But if he continues to build off what he did against Mississippi State, there’s a strong chance he’ll go in the top five, perhaps even as high as the top three with how inconsistent some of the top quarterback prospects have been this season. (More on the QBs in a bit.)

If rebuilding NFL teams have doubts about the quarterbacks, they can always go with a slam-dunk nonquarterback prospect such as Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who went No. 1 in my mock draft 2.0. It’s starting to look like Stewart has the same ceiling and certainty as Smith.

Reassessing the first tier of quarterbacks

For a few weeks, I’ve said a third mystery quarterback will thrust himself into the first tier of prospects at the position alongside Texas’s Arch Manning and Oregon’s Dante Moore.

Now, I’m not even sure whether there’s a clear No. 1 or 2 quarterback prospect in this class. Moore struggled in the loss to Oklahoma State and was up-and-down against Boise State before rallying his team in the season opener. Manning has also been inconsistent with his passing mechanics. He had a strong second half in the signature win over Ohio State to quiet some of the critics, but followed that with a sloppy performance against UTSA last week.

That now has me thinking about the possibility of Moore and Manning being leapfrogged by Miami’s Darian Mensah and Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss. I’m not willing to go that far yet, but I think it’s time to put Mensah and Chambliss in the first tier.

For now, I have Notre Dame’s CJ Carr at the top of tier No. 2. Perhaps Carr can take Mensah’s spot in the first tier if he outplays him when the Fighting Irish and Hurricanes meet on Nov. 7. By the way, all five of these quarterbacks went in the top 10 of my latest mock draft.

Week 4 Risers and Fallers

RISERS

Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss

Echoles is the clear No. 1 prospect at his position after a dominant performance against LSU. He lived in the Tigers’ backfield with 2.5 tackles for loss, a half sack and five total tackles. It’s not common for a player as big as Echoles (6'3", 315 pounds) to move the way he does. He does it all as an interior defender who can stop the run and rush the passer. He’s well on his way to being a top-16 pick in next year’s draft. I had him going No. 13 in my latest mock draft.

Kingston Lopa, S, Cal

There’s been a surge of NFL scouts who have asked about Lopa, the enticing 6'5", 210-pound safety. He shot up draft boards after an FBS-leading five interceptions in three games. Lopa has also recorded 104 yards and one touchdown off those interception returns. He’s now being projected to be a Day 2 pick due to his size and ball skills. The coaches at Cal aren’t surprised by Lopa’s rise. Tosh Lupoi, the former Oregon defensive coach, convinced Lopa to join him with the Golden Bears after leaving the Ducks.

Florida State wide receiver Duce Robinson had six catches for 135 yards and a touchdown against Alabama last week. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State

Rutgers’s KJ Duff isn’t the only 6'6" receiver who has attracted NFL attention this season. Robinson, who is 6'6", 230 pounds, is off to a strong start, averaging 19.1 yards per reception. He effortlessly comes down with contested catches and has been doing it for four seasons, including his first two while at USC. Robinson racked up six catches for 135 yards and one touchdown against Alabama last week.

FALLERS

LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

Sellers continues to have issues with accuracy and ball security. In his first test of the season against Mississippi State, Sellers went 25-of-40 (62.5%) for 282 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also somewhat contained in the ground game with 14 carries for 52 yards. Sellers has the size (6'3", 238 pounds) and he’s athletically gifted, but he will be viewed as a risky project until he shows improvement as a passer.

Trey’Dez Green, TE, LSU

The 6'7", 237-pound Green could miss some time after sustaining an injury in the loss to Ole Miss. As for another concern that’s out of his control, Green’s quarterback, Sam Leavitt, has disappointed so far in his first season with the Tigers, throwing five interceptions in the first three games. Still, it might not matter how much Green contributes the rest of the way. Scouts are enamored with his upside as a pass catcher, and he’s considered a top-two prospect at his position.

Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson

It’s been a slow start for most players at Clemson, including Brown, a sideline-to-sideline playmaker. He did, however, pick up the pace against North Carolina last week, recording his first sack of the season. Still, the Tigers were expecting a lot more production from the 6'2", 235-pound Brown.

Games to watch with the draft in mind

California Golden Bears safety Kingston Lopa — Cal safety Kingston Lopa leads the FBS with five interceptions through three games. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clemson at Cal, 10:30 p.m. ET Friday

More eyes will be on Lopa to see whether he continues his interception streak against a formidable opponent. On the other side, this is a golden opportunity for edge rusher Will Heldt and Brown to break out of their early funk. However, cornerback Ashton Hampton has not disappointed. Hampton will have a challenge against Cal sophomore quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (someone to keep an eye on for the 2028 draft).

Texas at Tennessee, noon ET Saturday

This is another big spot for Manning to show he can be consistent against a top-25 opponent. It was a tale of two halves for Manning against Ohio State. It would go a long way if he shines for four quarters this week. Also, Tennessee offensive lineman Jesse Perry can help his stock with a strong performance against Simmons and the rest of Texas’s loaded defense.

Virginia Tech at Boston College, noon ET Saturday

I have this game circled for Virginia Tech tight end Luke Reynolds, who has 25 catches for 265 yards and four touchdowns this season. The Penn State transfer might be TE3 behind Oregon’s Jamari Johnson and Green.

Oklahoma at Georgia, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday

I wanted to see defensive tackle David Stone in this one, but he injured his knee in practice and his status for Saturday is up in the air. As for the Bulldogs, there are many names to watch on defense, including safety KJ Bolden, cornerback Ellis Robinson IV and linebacker Chris Cole.

Oregon at USC, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

There will be plenty of future NFL stars in this matchup, including the quarterbacks, Moore and USC’s Jayden Maiava. But I want to see more from Oregon’s defensive prospects who have been somewhat disappointing in the first quarter of the season: Teitum Tuioti, Matayo Uiagalelei, A’Mauri Washington and Koi Perich.

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