2027 Rookie Big Board | Pre-Season Top 50 Dynasty Prospects

This entry is part 18 of 19 in the series Dynasty Rookie Big Board | Nerds' Writing Staff

The 2027 rookie class has been on the dynasty radar for years, and we are finally entering the college football season that will determine how these prospects are viewed by the NFL. It is time for the first 2027 Rookie Big Board of the year!

Ohio State superstar Jeremiah Smith headlines a class loaded with high-end wide receiver talent, while quarterbacks Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Julian Sayin give SuperFlex managers plenty of hope. The running back group also has several legitimate contenders to emerge near the top of rookie drafts.

There is still an entire college football season, the NFL Draft process, and landing spots ahead of us. Plenty will change. For now, here is Garret Price’s way-too-early 2027 Rookie Big Board ahead of Week 1 of the College Football season.

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1. Jeremiah Smith | WR | Ohio State

H 6’3” | W 223
2025: 87 REC | 1,243 REC YDS | 12 REC TD

If there has ever been a more obvious number one overall pick in fantasy football, a year before the player is even drafted, I can’t think of one. Jeremiah Smith is the total package. He has the size at 6’3”, 223 pounds. He has the speed to beat defenders deep, the footwork to win at the short and intermediate levels, the strength you look for, and the production to back it all up.

If you see anyone putting a player other than Jeremiah Smith at the top of their big board right now, it is simply for clicks, because not only is he the best player in this class, he might be the best wide receiver to come out of college since Calvin Johnson.

2. Arch Manning | QB | Texas

Heading into the 2026 college football season, Arch Manning seems to be the front runner in the 2027 class to be QB1. He has the size, he has the tools, and he has the pedigree. The biggest thing for this kid is to show consistency across the whole schedule and to lead his talented team to a college football playoff berth. For most of last season, Manning would beat up on lesser opponents like San Jose St., Sam Houston, and Arkansas (993 pass yards, 11 TDs, 1 int) while looking extremely mortal vs. the big dogs like Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas A&M (600 pass yards, 3 TDs, 2 ints).

The big perk for fantasy football is, he is much better athletically than either of his uncles. He rushed for nearly 400 yards last season, including over 150 vs. a good Michigan defense. If Arch Manning shows moderate improvement against the better schools and matures as a leader, he could absolutely be the 1st pick off of the board in the 2027 NFL Draft, which means a lock for a top 5 dynasty SuperFlex pick.

3. Cam Coleman | WR | Texas

H 6’3” | W 204
2025: 56 REC | 708 REC YDS | 5 REC TD

In most classes, Cam Coleman would be the clear WR1. At 6’3″ and over 200 pounds, this physical specimen was the no. 2 wide receiver in his high school class, just behind Jeremiah Smith, and finds himself in that same position once again. He began his career at Auburn where, despite putting up solid numbers behind poor quarterback play, he now has an opportunity to team up with Arch Manning at Texas, which should allow him to reach his full potential this season.

Coleman has the opportunity to be an absolute monster in the end zone, but he is much more than just a jump ball specialist. He has the speed, length, and agility to profile as one of the top receivers not only in this class, but among the best we’ve seen over the past four to five years. Missing out on Jeremiah Smith would certainly sting, but Cam Coleman is one heck of a consolation prize.

4. Ahmad Hardy | RB | Missouri

H 5’10” | W 210
2025: 256 ATT | 1,649 RUSH YDS | 16 RUSH TD | 6.4 YPA | 6 REC | 22 REC YDS

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Before the sad/scary gunshot wound that Ahmed Hardy sustained this offseason, he was the no. 1 back after his All-American 2025 season. It’s still unclear if Hardy will be suiting up Week 1 or not, and if so, what exactly he will look like, but until we have more information, I’ll be leaving him as RB1.

On the field, Hardy was an absolute monster in 2025, rushing for over 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has above-average contact balance, great vision, and enough speed to break off some big plays. At 210 lbs, I’d love to see him add another 3-5 pounds to really fit the traditional workhorse build for NFL teams. The only big on-field concern is that he had very little passing game usage, which could hurt him at the next level.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEP 27 LSU at Ole Miss - Dynasty Nerds — Kewan Lacy Photo by Andy AltenburgerIcon Sportswire

5. Kewan Lacy | RB | Ole Miss

H 5’11” | W 205
2025: 306 ATT | 1,567 RUSH YDS | 24 RUSH TD | 5.1 YPA | 29 REC | 177 REC YDS

A lot of credit for the success of the 2025 Ole Miss team will go to Trinidad Chambliss or Lane Kiffin, but a great deal of credit should be funneled toward Kewan Lacy as well. The former 3-star running back has had a meteoric rise, accounting for over 330 total touches this season that resulted in over 1,700 total yards and 24 touchdowns.

At 205 lbs, Lacy is slightly undersized, but he didn’t let that hold him back, seemingly getting stronger as the year went on and putting up big numbers against top-tier competition like Florida, Georgia, and Miami. He has a chance to be one of the most well-rounded and most electric backs in the 2027 class.

6. Dante Moore | QB | Oregon

It looked like Dante Moore was going to be a top 5 pick in last year’s NFL Draft (likely the 2nd pick), but he decided to go back to school to refine his skills. While it will be difficult to improve his general draft stock, I do believe that he did the best thing for his personal development. He is incredibly solid in many areas but very few where he is high end for NFL purposes.

While Moore was efficient as a passer, there were many lower aDOT throws, and he seemed to be affected by pressure as much, if not more, than most of the top QBs in the class. For fantasy, I’d like to see him use his legs more, as it seems that there is some untapped athletic ability in his game.

7. Julian Sayin | QB | Ohio State

Julian Sayin started his career at Alabama (but quickly left after Nick Saban retired) and sat behind Will Howard for a season. However, in his 2nd full year, he became the starter for Ohio State and never looked back. He posted an incredible 77% completion percentage and threw for over 3,600 yards and 32 touchdowns. He is an accurate passer of the football and has a very quick release.

However, Sayin’s ceiling is a bit limited compared to some of the other quarterbacks in this class. First, he is listed at 6’1″, so he is likely a tad shorter, which is typically a concern for NFL teams. Next, he isn’t much of an athlete, so the rushing is almost nonexistent. He can’t do much about those 2 things, but can fix his aggressiveness. Often it looked like he was playing not to lose, or to not make a mistake, rather than putting on his cape and leading his team. If he can change that mentality in 2026, his intelligence and pinpoint accuracy could make him an elite passer of the football, which is attractive for fantasy even if he isn’t running.

8. Nick Marsh | WR | Indiana

H 6’3” | W 213
2025: 59 REC | 662 REC YDS | 6 REC TD

Nick Marsh spent the first couple years of his career at Michigan State where, despite being a productive player, the quarterback play clearly held him back. That should all change now that he has an opportunity to join the Indiana Hoosiers. Under Kurt Cignetti, and with new quarterback Josh Hoover, Nick Marsh is going to have far more opportunities to not only continue doing what he does best, winning contested catches, attacking jump balls, and dominating at the catch point, but also a chance to show he’s a better athlete than he’s perhaps been given credit for.

Watching Marsh play, he gives me vibes of Denzel Mims coming out, where everyone knew he was elite at the catch point but had questions about the rest of his game. I think Nick Marsh is cut from the same cloth and has a chance to be just as good, if not better.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEP 20 Syracuse at Clemson - Dynasty Nerds — Bryant Wesco Jr Photo by John ByrumIcon Sportswire

9. Bryant Wesco Jr. | WR | Clemson

H 6’2” | W 195
2025: 31 REC | 537 REC YDS | 6 REC TD

Despite being the second of the two marquee wide receivers in the 2024 recruiting class, I actually like Bryant Wesco Jr. more than his talented teammate TJ Moore. It looked like Wesco was in the process of becoming the true no. 1 at Clemson before an unfortunate injury sidelined him for roughly half of the 2025 season.

Wesco has crazy high upside. He is fast, tall, and explosive, and gets open with ease, which could make him a legitimate first-round prospect in the coming Draft. His only real concerns are a lean build that lacks ideal physicality and a drop problem in 2025 that will need to be cleaned up before the next level.

10. Ryan Coleman-Williams | WR | Alabama

H 6’0” | W 178
2025: 49 REC | 689 REC YDS | 4 REC TD

As a true freshman, Ryan Coleman-Williams was a revelation for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The 17-year old was playing like a seasoned veteran in some of the biggest and most hostile environments college football has to offer. However, he cooled off as the season progressed, and by his sophomore campaign took a backseat to Germie Bernard, who ended up being a 2nd Round pick in the NFL Draft.

In 2026, we need to see an improved version of Coleman-Williams. The movement skills and body control are NFL-ready, however the physicality seemed too much for him at times and his ball skills looked mediocre. The ceiling is absolutely there for this kid, but the floor is concerning.

11. Jayden Maiava | QB | USC

At 6’4″ and 230 lbs, Jayden Maiava is built like a true NFL prototype. To go along with his size, he has a legit NFL arm and some rushing upside with 6 rushing touchdowns in 2025. Maiava began his career at UNLV, but he quickly attracted the attention of some larger schools. Eventually, USC beat out Georgia for his services and the rest is history.

While Maiava has all the raw tools that you would look for in a QB, there are still some concerns. The largest of those concerns is his decision-making. He threw 10 interceptions in 2025 and could have had plenty more based on his tape study. Despite this, Jayden Maiava still posted a 65.8% completion percentage, showing that his accuracy is solid if he can rein in the gunslinger mentality.

12. Jadan Baugh | RB | Florida

Jadan Baugh isn’t currently my RB1 in the class, but he might be my favorite. At 6’1″ 231 lbs, Baugh plays with the physicality and tenacity that cannot be taught. Think early Broncos days Javonte Williams. The kinda guy that could run by you but would rather take the shortest route from A to B and just run through you.

He doesn’t have amazing long speed but has really good feet and does accelerate well in short areas. He also does great work in the receiving game with 33 receptions in 2025 (tops among the big-name prospects in the class) to go along with 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. If he can improve upon his great 2025 season, Baugh could easily be one of, if not the top back in the 2027 class.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOV 01 Rutgers at Illinois - Dynasty Nerds — KJ Duff Photo by James BlackIcon Sportswire

13. KJ Duff | WR | Rutgers

H 6’6” | W 225
2025: 60 REC | 1,084 REC YDS | 7 REC TD

When you are looking for the prototypical outside jump ball receiver, KJ Duff is your guy. At 6’6”, 225 pounds, he absolutely has the frame of a tight end but the movement skills of a wide receiver. He is not going to blow anyone away with his speed, but defensive backs have a very difficult time guarding him even when they are in position. His length and reach make it nearly impossible for most defenders to cover him in the red zone.

With Ian Strong transferring to Cal, Duff will get a chance to prove he can carry the no. 1 load in a strong Big Ten Conference. The main question that will remain for NFL teams is whether he is a good enough athlete to be a true full-time wide receiver, or whether his tight end recruiting profile points to that being the better long-term route for him at the next level.

14. Nate Frazier | RB | Georgia

Nate Frazier was one of the highest-rated running backs in his class coming out of high school and wasted no time becoming a popular name at the college football level. As a true freshman at Georgia, Frazier put up 671 yards and 8 touchdowns on only 133 carries. As a sophomore, he upped the ante and rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and showed a bit more in the receiving game.

Despite having solid size at 5’10” and 210 lbs, there are many that believe that Frazier will be one of, if not the fastest back in this class. Georgia has had a knack for churning out high-end RBs at the next level. We might have another to add to that long list in Nate Frazier.

15. Trinidad Chambliss | QB | Ole Miss

If I had mentioned the name Trinidad Chambliss 12 months ago, no one outside of the most committed Ole Miss fans would have any clue who I was talking about. Despite his journey from DII football and not even getting the starting nod until the 3rd game, Chambliss put up an impressive 3,937 yards through the air and another 527 yards on the ground.

It looked as if he may enter the NFL Draft in 2026, but a judge granted him an additional year of eligibility, which may ease the nerves of NFL GMs that were going to have to draft a kid off of only 13 college starts. However, those 13 starts were really good. He showed great dual-threat ability as a plus athlete but also showed that he could win with his arm, not just his legs alone.

16. LaNorris Sellers | QB | South Carolina

The key term when discussing LaNorris Sellers is “ceiling.” When it comes to the total package of physical traits, it’s hard to find something that is lacking for the 6’3″, 238 lb dual-threat quarterback.

Despite all of the physical prowess, something hasn’t quite clicked yet for the RS junior from South Carolina. Sellers was actually worse in almost every single major category in 2025, including pass yards, completion percentage, touchdowns, interceptions, and rushing yards. At times he relies on his athletic ability too heavily, while other times it seems fair to just ask whether or not his supporting cast is pulling him down. Either way, his fantasy football upside is very high. We are just hoping to get Jalen Hurts and not Anthony Richardson.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL OCT 05 SMU at Louisville - Dynasty Nerds — Isaac Brown Photo by Michael AllioIcon Sportswire

17. Isaac Brown | RB | Louisville

H 5’9” | W 190
2025: 101 ATT | 884 RUSH YDS | 7 RUSH TD | 8.8 YPA | 13 REC | 48 REC YDS

Typically, a 5’9″, 190lb running back would not be a player who sits very high on my list. However, after watching just a little bit of Isaac Brown’s tape, it is crystal clear that this is an electric playmaker who absolutely has a role at the next level.

Brown broke out as a true freshman at Louisville in 2024 and has not looked back since. Despite a smaller workload in 2025 due to injuries, he still put up 884 yards on only 101 carries, nearly nine yards per rush. He also demonstrated his ability to find the end zone, hauling in seven touchdowns. And I think the best is yet to come, particularly in the passing game, where his receiving ability remains largely untapped, and where he could really make his money at the NFL level.

18. Justice Haynes | RB | Georgia Tech

H 5’11” | W 210
2025: 121 ATT | 857 RUSH YDS | 10 RUSH TD | 7.1 YPA | 13 REC | 50 REC YDS

After being one of the most highly sought-after running backs in his high school recruiting class, Justice Haynes’ career has been a bit up and down to this point. He started off at Alabama where, despite showing some promise, things didn’t work out, and he moved on to Michigan, and that’s where we really saw him start to flourish. Unfortunately, midway through the 2024 season, injuries derailed his year, and he was shut down entirely for the 2025 campaign. This offseason, Georgia Tech picked him up, giving him an opportunity to start fresh.

At 5’11”, 210lbs he has the requisite size and build to be a quality player. And from what I saw on tape, he has plus vision, can make big plays, and is more than capable of picking up tough yards in short-yardage situations. He may not be the biggest name in this class anymore, but I think he’s a solid player who is going to make an NFL team better.

19. CJ Carr | QB | Notre Dame

Unlike many of the players in this class, it seems like CJ Carr is a pretty clear eval. The grandson of former UM Head Coach Lloyd Carr is a very clean prospect. You can tell he has the knowledge of someone with football in the family, and he makes a lot of good decisions.

The difficult part with Carr is, how much upside does the kid have? He doesn’t make bad decisions, gets the ball out quick, and plays with good timing and rhythm. However, he isn’t much of an athlete, has a slight frame, and a good-but-not-great arm. He feels like a true “high floor, low ceiling” prospect.

20. Jamari Johnson | TE | Oregon

H 6’5” | W 257
2025: 32 REC | 510 REC YDS | 3 REC TD

Oregon isn’t typically thought of as a tight end factory, but after both Terrence Ferguson and Kenyon Sadiq being highly sought-after prospects in back-to-back seasons, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that there’s another one waiting in the wings. Jamari Johnson already showed a lot last season, and now with Sadiq out of the way, he has a chance to greatly improve upon his 32 receptions, 510 yards, and 3 touchdowns in 2025.

He has the size. He has the build. He has the speed. Really, all that’s missing from his profile at this point is consistency at this level. If he can put that together, Oregon could very well produce back-to-back first-round tight ends, which would be remarkable for any program, let alone one not traditionally known for the position.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOV 28 Texas AM at Texas - Dynasty Nerds — Mario Craver Photo by David BuonoIcon Sportswire

21. Mario Craver | WR | Texas A&M

H 5’9” | W 165
2025: 59 REC | 917 REC YDS | 4 REC TD

Mario Craver might not be a household name yet, but that was partly because he was overshadowed by his teammate and now first-round draft pick KC Concepcion. Craver has an opportunity to blaze his own path. While most of the other wide receivers in this class are big and physically imposing, Craver wins with speed, elusiveness, and the ability to make things happen in the open field.

While smaller-framed wide receivers do exist in the NFL, we haven’t seen as many of them find long-term success, and that could be what causes Mario Craver to slip a little on draft boards. At only five-foot-nine and 165 pounds, he is going to need to prove that he can legitimately be a top-tier weapon for an NFL offense.

22. Charlie Becker | WR | Indiana

H 6’4” | W 207
2025: 34 REC | 679 REC YDS | 4 REC TD

After being a relatively unknown commodity, Charlie Becker really showed out in the second half of the 2025 season. With a good frame and big-play ability, Becker has a chance to be a real breakout candidate this season. He is now competing with Nick Marsh, the transfer from Michigan State, for targets, but we’ve already seen that this offense can support two wide receivers with legitimate NFL upside.

The biggest concern for Becker is the small sample size. We did not get to see him in a consistent role over the course of the season, and he is going to need to prove that he can separate and make plays consistently to crack the elite tier of this class.

23. Mark Fletcher | RB | Miami

After an incredible College Football Playoff run, it looked like Mark Fletcher was going to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, and he would have been one of the biggest names and best players in that class had he decided to come out. However, he chose to refine his game and return to school for one more year at the University of Miami.

This former four-star recruit is truly built to be a workhorse back at six-foot-two, 225 pounds. It comes as no surprise that a running back this big doesn’t possess elite speed. However, he’s more than adequate in that area and has good feet for his size. He profiles more as a first-and-second-down bruiser, which works well if he’s in an offense that can feed him short-yardage opportunities and get him involved in the red zone. He’s probably not a player who will be featured heavily in the passing game, though he does appear capable of contributing as a receiver, as evidenced by his 17 receptions, 140 yards, and 2 touchdowns last season.

24. Trey’Dez Green | TE | LSU

H 6’7” | W 237
2025: 33 REC | 433 REC YDS | 7 REC TD

At 6’7″, you would be forgiven for thinking that Trey’Dez Green was a basketball player, and in fact, he actually was, having played basketball at LSU before joining the football team. You can see that basketball background all over his tape, and especially in the end zone, where the rebounding skills he developed on the hardwood have truly translated to the football field. Seven touchdown receptions are a testament to just that.

Green may have some cleaning up to do when it comes to the finer points of playing the tight end position, but the ceiling for this kid is outrageous. If you are looking for traits, this is your guy.

25. TJ Moore | WR | Clemson

H 6’3” | W 200
2025: 52 REC | 837 REC YDS | 4 REC TD

Despite the possibility that TJ Moore is not the top receiver in his offense this year, it would not be fair to simply label him as the other guy. With over 800 yards in his sophomore campaign, Moore showed that he can be a physical presence who makes big plays and wins in contested catch situations.

He is going to need to show that he is a more complete player to solidify his spot in this class. With so many boundary “X” type receivers in this class, a one-trick pony may have a harder time separating from the pack.

2027 Rookie Big Board | 26 – 50 NFL Rookie Prospects

Rank	Player	Pos.	School	H	W
26	Omarion Miller	WR	Arizona State	6’2”	210
27	Fluff Bothwell	RB	Mississippi State	5’10”	230
28	John Mateer	QB	Oklahoma	6’1”	224
29	Cam Cook	RB	West Virginia	5’11”	195
30	Jordan Marshall	RB	Michigan	5’11”	216
31	Ryan Wingo	WR	Texas	6’2”	214
32	Eugene Wilson II	WR	LSU	5’10”	194
33	Duce Robinson	WR	Florida State	6’6”	222
34	Eric Singleton Jr.	WR	Florida	5’10”	180
35	King Miller	RB	USC	6’0”	210
36	LJ Martin	RB	BYU	6’2”	220
37	Darian Mensah	QB	Miami	6’3”	205
38	DeSean Bishop	RB	Tennessee	5’10”	208
39	Mike Matthews	WR	Tennessee	6’1”	200
40	Waymond Jordan	RB	USC	5’9”	210
41	Braylon Staley	WR	Tennessee	6’0”	190
42	Jayce Brown	WR	LSU	6’0”	179
43	Nico Iamaleava	QB	UCLA	6’6”	215
44	DJ Lagway	QB	Baylor	6’3”	247
45	Benjamin Brahmer	TE	Penn State	6’7”	255
46	Makhi Hughes	RB	Houston	5’11”	210
47	Ian Strong	WR	Cal	6’3”	211
48	Nyck Harbor	WR	South Carolina	6’5”	235
49	Rocco Becht	QB	Penn State	6’1”	210
50	Darius Taylor	RB	Minnesota	6’0”	215

The 2027 Rookie Class Is Just Getting Started

Jeremiah Smith enters the season in a tier of his own, but the race behind him could change dramatically over the next several months. Arch Manning has a path to becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, Cam Coleman has the profile of an elite NFL wide receiver prospect, and several running backs have a legitimate opportunity to emerge as the best player at their position.

This is only the beginning. Breakouts, injuries, disappointing seasons, the NFL Combine, draft capital, and eventual landing spots will reshape the 2027 dynasty landscape several times before these players ever appear in a rookie draft.

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