No one knows for sure how things might change during the upcoming college football season, but early indications are that the 2027 NFL Draft will be the strongest in years.Â
Quarterbacks â such as Texas Arch Manning, Oregons Dante Moore and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin â have dominated the early buzz because, well, theyre quarterbacks brimming with talent and potential. But the beauty of next year’s draft class is that it could offer several franchise-altering prospects at other positions, as well.Â
Ive ranked the top 10 non-QBs heading into the season and, as youd expect, all of them have a realistic chance at being a first-round pick next spring. Frankly, the top seven players would have been selected on Day 1 this year. As a bonus, I’ve included a pro comparison for each prospect.
Grading offensive linemen is more about fit and grit than analytics, but Green checks in with the numbers that even a stat geek can appreciate. The 6-foot-5, 324-pounder is a three-year starter dating back to his true freshman season at Oklahoma. He allowed just two sacks in 751 pass drops last year, his first at the premium left tackle position after spending his first two seasons inside at left guard, where he routinely delivered pancake blocks.Â
Green is a talented pass blocker, as well as a spark plug in the running game. He gains impressive depth in his kick-slide and has the lateral agility and core strength to handle counters. Im eager to see if he is even smoother in Year 2 at tackle. Between his girth, grip-strength, competitiveness and previous experience at guard, Green should offer his future NFL team plenty of roster flexibility.Â
Pro comp: Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Lacy went from a backup at Missouri to leading the entire country with 24 rushing touchdowns at Ole Miss last year. He is sudden and slippery, consistently zipping around and past would-be tacklers. His elusiveness generates plenty of highlight-reel worthy plays, but Lacy is also quite effective in short yardage, showing impressive leg drive, balance through contact and sheer determination to grind out the tough yards, too.Â
Along with his frequent trips to the end zone, the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder led the nation with 335 touches in 2025. There is no denying that Lacy was aided by the creative playcalling of former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. With Kiffin now in Baton Rouge, scouts are curious to see if Lacy can duplicate his remarkable sophomore campaign.Â
Pro comp: TreVeyon Henderson, New England PatriotsÂ
Robinson wasnt quite as flashy as the aforementioned Lacy last year, but he was close, earning FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors with four interceptions, tying for tops in the talent-rich SEC. Robinson is every bit the athletic phenom youd expect as a former five-star recruit out of IMG Academy. He has a tight, low backpedal and easy hip turn to track receivers downfield, showing impressive balance and burst out of his breaks and legitimate recovery speed when necessary. Hes also a surprisingly scrappy tackler.Â
A rarity for a young cornerback, Robinsons hands might be even better than his feet. Robinson can get a bit grabby downfield, but refs often let him compete because he locates the ball well, showing impressive hand-eye coordination to either catch it himself or rake it out of the hands of the intended receiver at the final moment. Interceptions against state rival Georgia Tech and this one versus Charlotte show Robinsons rare body control and extension to make tough grabs look easy.Â
Pro comp: Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles Rams
With all due respect to star quarterback Dante Moore, Washington is both literally and figuratively the biggest reason why Oregon has a chance to match Indiana from a year ago and win its first national championship in program history. He is the centerpiece of arguably the best defensi
