FOX Sports’ projected 2027 NFL Draft first-round order starts with Jeremiah Smith going No. 1 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers, and it does not stop there. The mock has six quarterbacks taken in the opening round, a number that hints at how aggressively teams may chase the position if the board looked this way today.
The timing matters because this is a snapshot of where the league stands during the 2026 NFL season, not a finished draft board. The Chargers had scored nine touchdowns in seven games when the projection was published, a start that helps explain why they were tied to the top pick in the mock. The first five selections also show how far the order could swing: Colin Simmons to the Tennessee Titans at No. 2, Drew Mestemaker to the Miami Dolphins at No. 3, Leonard Moore to the New York Jets at No. 4 and Dylan Stewart to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 5.
The quarterback market is the real hook. At least eight of the 32 teams do not have their starting quarterback in place for 2027, and that is before accounting for how unstable some current situations already look. Malik Willis had thrown five touchdowns and six interceptions for the Dolphins through the first two months of the season, while the Titans had already moved on from Jeffery Simmons, who was now playing in Chicago. The Jets could wind up with three selections in the top 10, giving them a path to reshape the roster quickly if the projection held up.
That is also where the mock carries its own warning label. Some of the players listed, including quarterbacks, could still return to school instead of entering the NFL, and NIL opportunities make that decision easier to consider. In other words, the 2027 NFL Draft first-round order gives a sharp early read on demand, but it does not guarantee who will actually declare.
Philadelphia’s spot in the top five fits the same idea. The Eagles had generated just 10 sacks over their first eight games, second fewest in the NFL, which is the kind of pass-rush shortfall that can push a team toward premium talent early. For now, though, the biggest takeaway is simple: the mock draft is already shaping into a quarterback-heavy race, and the real suspense is which names remain in it when the 2027 NFL Draft finally arrives.
