Big Blue View
The 2027 NFL Draft is one of the most hotly anticipated in recent memory, and that’s being driven by a quarterback class that’s already being compared to those of 1983, 2018, and 2024.
The New York Giants shouldn’t be paying particular attention to the quarterbacks this year. The hope is that Jaxson Dart will take the next step in his development and realize the star potential he flashed as a rookie. However, this class has historic potential that will drive teams’ decisions and could force talented players at other positions down the board to the Giants.
So while our preview of this year’s college season — and next spring’s draft — will concentrate on positions of (potential) need for the Giants, we have to be at least aware of the quarterback class.
Dante Moore (Oregon) – Moore almost declared for the 2026 draft as a red-shirt sophomore, but ultimately decided that he would be better served by going back to school and getting another year of experience. Even so, Moore was in contention with Fernando Mendoza to be QB1 and was praised for his poise in the pocket and being a natural thrower of the football. He has plus (though not quite elite) arm talent with good accuracy, precision, and velocity, and is also a plus athlete.
Arch Manning (Texas) – No player was under more pressure than Arch Manning last year, and it definitely showed at the beginning of the year. The scion of the First Family of Football was disappointing (to say the least) to start Texas’ season, but did improve as the season wore on. He has the tools to be an elite prospect with size, arm talent, athleticism, and football IQ that could draw comparisons to Andrew Luck — if he takes the next step and realizes his potential.
The top tier of quarterbacks is enough to get the national media excited for the upcoming draft, but it’s this tier, however, that is getting scouts hyped. This second tier of quarterbacks who could take the next step to jump into the top tier or establish a strong second tier is what could make this class historic. Any one of these quarterbacks has the potential to establish himself as a first-round talent with a strong year.
Sam Leavitt (LSU) – Leavitt was promising at Arizona State over the last two years, but it was also clear that he still has untapped upside. Leavitt transferring to LSU should help him. While Lane Kiffin’s offense gets dinged for being too simplistic for the NFL, he’s also shown over the last two years to be willing to incorporate “Pro” concepts when the quarterback can handle it.
John Mateer (Oklahoma) – Mateer is an unconventional quarterback who resembles nothing quite so much as a mashup of Baker Mayfield and Philip Rivers. He lacks elite measurables and his throwing motion is fugly, but it also works. He struggled with a thumb injury last year,...
