The 2027 NFL Draft race already has a shape to it, and it starts with the quarterbacks. This is the kind of draft cycle that can change a franchise in a hurry, which is why the fight for No. 1 overall matters so much. No team wants to end up there, but the club that does will at least get first crack at a quarterback class that has been hyped as loaded with potential franchise passers.
Five teams stand out as the likeliest contenders to wind up on top of the board: the Dolphins, Cardinals, Jets, Browns and Titans.
Miami looks built for a long year. Jeff Hafley is walking into a difficult situation, even if his background at Boston College suggests he can squeeze something out of a messy roster.
The Dolphins are the NFL’s youngest team, but youth alone does not equal talent, and there is simply too much missing across the board to expect much more than a season spent near the bottom of the AFC East. Malik Willis could still matter if he becomes a full-time starter, but the support around him is thin.
De'Von Achane can handle a heavy workload, yet the receiver room is described as the league’s worst. The schedule does the Dolphins no favors either, with two games each against the Bills and Patriots, plus matchups against the entire NFC North and AFC West.
Arizona has a few pieces worth liking, but not nearly enough to survive the NFC West. Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride and maybe a breakout from Marvin Harrison Jr. give the offense some juice, while Josh Sweat and Budda Baker provide defensive stability.
Still, the overall roster falls short of the standard in the division. Six division losses are in play, and the Cardinals are also projected to take on a long list of other contenders.
There is at least a late-season stretch that could offer some momentum, with the Jets, Saints and Vikings on the schedule from Weeks 15-17, but even that might not be enough to lift them out of the league’s basement.
The Jets are a little trickier. The front office made enough defensive additions to keep the floor from collapsing after an ugly 2025, but that does not mean the team is ready to climb.
Aaron Glenn won only three games in his first season, and a sluggish start could put his future in doubt. That creates a bigger question: is he the right coach to guide a rookie quarterback in 2026?
Even if Glenn stays, the offense has too many question marks. There is young talent there, but Geno Smith has to be trusted to bring it out, and that is not easy at this stage of his career.
On defense, Demario Davis and Minkah Fitzpatrick bring plenty of mileage and accomplishments, but veteran leadership can only carry so much weight when the group needs another gear.
Cleveland’s case is built around a defense that kept the team afloat at times last year, but the foundation looks shakier now. Myles Garrett is gone, and some regression feels inevitable.
Jared Verse could soften the blow, and the Browns still have strength in the secondary and at linebacker, but the margin for error is tiny because the offense could be brutal. The quarterback room remains the league’s worst, and Deshaun Watson is a major reason why.
Last season, that setup led to five wins and the No. 6 pick before Cleveland traded it to the Chiefs. This year could be even worse.
At the same time, the Browns have real young building blocks elsewhere and could be in position to choose their quarterback of the future. They just need to avoid missing on that decision again.
Then there’s Tennessee, which might have the most frustrating profile of all. On paper, the Titans look like a team that should be trending up.
They have a second-year former No. 1 overall pick at quarterback, a promising young receiving group, Jeffery Simmons anchoring the interior, and a coaching combination of Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll that could work beautifully. But the preseason did not back that up.
Ward went 13-for-24 for 126 yards and no touchdowns across two exhibition games. Saleh’s starting defense also had rough patches, including a game against the Seahawks in which Seattle’s No. 2 offense hit a 36-yard passing touchdown and practice-squad running back Jacardia Wright ripped off a 69-yard rushing score.
If those August signs carry over, Tennessee could be headed toward another early pick, and there will be plenty of questions about whether Ward is really the right leader for the group.
In Other News...
Dolphins Open This Season With A Brutal Outside Message
The Dolphins head into their season opener against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 13, carrying a harsh national view of where this team stands before a snap has been played. ESPNs Adam Schefter has even pointed to Miami as a favorite for the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, while preseason projections have the Dolphins landing somewhere in the 3-14 to 5-12 range.
Joe Schads preseason NFL power rankings slot Miami at 30th, a reminder of how little margin for error the team is getting from outside observers. Even with Malik Willis noted as a key offseason addition, the message from the broader league is clear: the Dolphins will have to prove they are better than the expectation attached to them from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Be Turning A Lingering O-Line Weakness Into A Strength
Jonah Savaiinaea spent his rookie year learning the hard way, but the Dolphins have seen a different version of the second-year guard this offseason. The added comfort has shown up on both sides of the line, and center Aaron Brewer has noticed the growth in pass protection and in the run game as Miami tries to firm up a spot that was too often a concern a year ago.
Kadyn Proctor has also given the Dolphins reason to believe there is more help coming on the interior, though the real test will arrive once the regular season starts and the pressure changes. For a team that has been looking for stability up front, the encouraging part is not just that one young lineman is progressing, but that there may be multiple options pushing the unit toward becoming a strength instead of a question. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Suddenly Have A Veteran Receiver Decision To Make
The Giants release of Darius Slayton created an immediate ripple across the veteran receiver market, and Miami is the kind of place where it naturally gets noticed. Slayton brings seven seasons of production with New York, along with 296 catches and 4,435 yards, and he also has a built-in connection to Dolphins wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert from their time together with the Giants.
For a Miami offense that can always use more proven depth at receiver, the fit is at least easy to picture. No move has been reported, but Slaytons availability gives the Dolphins another experienced option to weigh as they sort through their roster and look for help around a passing game that values reliable veterans as much as upside. [Read more 🡒]