2027 NFL draft questions, latest intel, risers, CFB standouts

The biggest storylines coming out of Week 2 of the 2026 college football season include Michigan upsetting Oklahoma, Oregon falling to Oklahoma State and -- of course -- Texas mounting a massive fourth-quarter comeback to beat Ohio State.

But what about the top 2027 NFL draft prospects? Who stood out? Yes, the draft is still about seven months away, but our analysts are always looking down the road, taking early notes on top players and starting to stack their rankings for an exciting class.

With that in mind, Mel Kiper Jr. and Jordan Reid will size up CFB action through a draft-centric lens on Sundays all season long. They are answering lingering questions on the best 2027 prospects, sharing insights from scouts, picking out risers to watch and pulling back the curtain on their evaluation process. Here is what they saw and heard through Week 2.

Sept. 13

Oregon's Dante Moore lost. Texas' Arch Manning pulled off a comeback. Is there any movement at the top of the QB class?

Reid: We are only two weeks into the season and there's still plenty of evaluation time left, but Week 2 spoke loudly for the top of the 2027 quarterback class. Through two weeks, Moore -- and Oregon as a whole -- has looked extremely inconsistent. He got off to a woeful start in the surprising 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, going 1-of-6 for 9 yards in the first quarter. I saw three overthrows, and Moore didn't seem able to get comfortable. He was my top passer entering the season, but the QB1 race seems to have opened up a bit.

In fact, Manning is now my top-ranked quarterback. He led the Longhorns to 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter in an epic 24-23 comeback win over Ohio State. He made two impressive throws in the first half that weren't even completions. He placed the ball nicely on both the bizarre interception off Cam Coleman and the clear drop by Ryan Wingo down near the end zone. In the second half, Manning was 16-of-23 for 136 yards and one touchdown, and he was much more poised as he executed the offense.

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker made a statement. In his very first game against a Power 4 opponent, he finished with 317 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding another 109 yards and a score on the ground. Mestemaker -- along with Miami's Darian Mensah -- are certainly staking their own claims in the QB1 race. But I have Manning at the moment.

Kiper: I don't know that there even is a true QB1 right now. Remember when Moore looked like Superman against Penn State last season? I keep waiting for him to show that again, but he just hasn't taken over a game since then. And while Manning led the Longhorns back, but I want to see consistency across the whole game.

Mestemaker was definitely the better quarterback in that Oregon-Oklahoma State game, but he still has 17 career starts (and threw two interceptions for the second straight game). Notre Dame's CJ Carr and Miami's Mensah have looked awesome, but neither QB plays anyone of significance until they face each other ... in November (though Carr does get BYU next month). Sam Leavitt threw three interceptions for LSU against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, and NC State's CJ Bailey has had uneven play.

So far, this quarterback class -- one that was widely expected to be amazing -- has underwhelmed. There's still a lot of time. We're only through Week 2. But I want to see the group level up and play with more consistency. This is the reason i don't do rankings until October -- we have to let these guys play a bit.

Even in the loss, it was a huge game for Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith. What has impressed you most about his start to the season?

Reid: There aren't enough words to describe how special Smith is as a prospect. The most impressive part about his start is that everyone knows that the Buckeyes are going to target No. 4, and yet nobody has managed to stop him. He finished with eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown Saturday, meaning Smith has now surpassed 150-plus receiving yards in three consecutive games dating back to last season (he had 151, plus two touchdowns, last weekend vs. Ball State). That's the longest streak for an Ohio State receiver in at least the past 30 seasons, per ESPN Research.

Smith is capable of winning with speed or power, and he's a true mismatch for any coverage that secondaries attempt to play against him. He entered the season as the top prospect overall on my board and could end up with the highest grade that I've ever given out to a receiver.

Kiper: Smith has worked on becoming more dominant after the catch, and it's showing. He can power through with his physicality, but adding that YAC fear factor could make him even more of a problem for opponents. And Smith looks quicker and more dynamic once the ball is in his hands right now.

What else are you hearing this week?

Kiper: LSU edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen had three sacks and four tackles for loss against Louisiana Tech. At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, he shows impressive speed off the edge and just explodes out of the blocks. But he also shows a really good inside move to beat offensive tackles and even makes plays in pursuit. I think Umanmielen could still add weight to his frame -- he gets swallowed up at times -- but he has a track record of being disruptive. He could be a good rotational pass rusher in the NFL, and I'd slot him into the second-round range right now (though he could play his way into Round 1 if he keeps this up).

Reid: The scouting trail continued for me this weekend, as I made a stop in Minnesota to see the Gophers against Mississippi State. One prospect that I wanted to pay close attention to was Bulldogs cornerback Kelley Jones. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he checks a ton of boxes for pro secondaries. His length, technique and ball skills all carried over into the game; he had a pass breakup and caused plenty of trouble for wideouts at the line of scrimmage. Jones is viewed as a potential top-40 pick, and I believe that he can end up at the back end of Round 1.

Reid: Arizona State receiver Reed Harris keeps catching my eye. The Boston College transfer finished with nine catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns against Texas A&M. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he has an outstanding frame and showcased his long speed on a 58-yard touchdown. Harris is viewed as a middle-round prospect, but with continued production, he could find himself squarely in the Day 2 mix.

Kiper: I was impressed with Harris, too. He has length and big hands, and he tracks the ball really well. He has averaged 20.7 yards per catch over his career; big plays are his calling card. And while he's being used mainly outside, I think he could be a big slot receiver at the next level. I have a similar grade on Harris at the moment, Jordan -- he's probably in that late-Day 2, early-Day 3 range.

play

Cutter Boley finds Reed Harris for a 58-yard ASU TD

Kiper: We weren't even sure Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goosby would be playing early in the season, with the bone bruise in his knee after an August injury in practice. But he's out there, and he played solid on Saturday night against the Buckeyes. Goosby anchors well, making him tough to beat in pass protection. But despite not being the most athletic OT prospect, he also made a nice block in space. The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder remains very consistent, and he's a clear early-to-mid Round 1 guy.

Reid: Michigan edge rusher John Henry Daley was a major addition in the transfer portal for the Wolverines, and he showed why in the 17-10 upset victory over Oklahoma. At 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, he finished with a sack and three tackles for loss, as his tenacious effort and deep repertoire of pass-rush moves were on full display. Daley suffered a torn achilles last November while at Utah, and there were question marks about his overall explosiveness post-injury, but he has shown why many scouts believe he's a top-100 prospect with the potential to climb even higher.

Kiper: Alabama's Devan Thompkins is going to have a lot of NFL eyes on him this fall if he keeps playing this way. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he is probably a 3-4 defensive end in the pros. He can win off the edge, he can win with a rip move, and he can win with his bull rush. Despite his size, he can even drop into coverage, and he made a nice play there against Kentucky. Thompkins brings scheme versatility, and you'll see him move inside at times. But no matter where he lines up, he brings imposing size at the point of attack and plays with high intensity. Thompkins had two sacks Saturday. He's a second-round player with the potential to rise.

Kiper: I think Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons might be a 2028 guy because he has started only four games, but he has looked good so far this season. The Ole Miss transfer can spin it with the best of them, and the ball jumps out of the lefty's hand. He throws with accuracy and touch -- he's a pure passer. After three TD passes against Kansas on Friday night, he has a spotless 7-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season.