The 2027 quarterback race keeps shifting, and the latest shakeup has Drew Mestemaker sitting at the top.
What once looked like a class with so much depth it couldn’t possibly go wrong now comes with a pair of big questions hanging over it: are any of these quarterbacks true can’t-miss prospects, and will some of the biggest names even stay in school? It’ll be at least another month before there’s more clarity on who’s entering the draft and who’s coming back, but the pecking order already looks different than it did in September.
Mestemaker has been the biggest mover. Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State on Saturday, but the result did little to dent his stock.
The Cowboys put up 49 points, and Mestemaker drove what could have been a game-winning march before the defense gave it away in the final seconds. He finished with 323 passing yards and five touchdowns on the road, with his seventh interception of the season mixed in, and once again looked calm and in control.
There are still real questions about whether he’ll declare in 2027, but if he keeps playing like this, returning gets harder to justify.
Behind him, CJ Carr has kept his name in the first-round conversation without much margin for error. Notre Dame’s schedule hasn’t offered many clean chances to judge him, but he was sharp against Navy after an uneven outing versus BYU. Through eight starts, Carr has thrown only one interception, and if he keeps protecting the ball as the schedule stiffens, he could lock himself into high first-round territory.
Darian Mensah is right there in the mix, and this week brings a major test with Miami facing Carr and Notre Dame. The Hurricanes nearly slipped against North Carolina, though it would be tough to pin that on Mensah.
He threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-point effort, and his completion rate is still above 80 percent with just one interception. The arm strength questions are still there, but right now his placement is doing the heavy lifting.
Arch Manning also steadied himself after a rougher stretch. Against Mississippi State, the Texas quarterback threw three touchdowns and had just four incompletions, putting a multi-interception game behind him.
If he wants to push into top-10 territory, he needs more outings like that. Even then, the bigger question at season’s end may be whether he enters the draft at all.
Dante Moore’s season is already over after a concussion, and Oregon is presumably out of playoff contention. That leaves Moore with a decision to make soon: use his fifth year of eligibility or head to the NFL. His stock isn’t where it would have been a year ago, but the uncertainty around the class could work in his favor.
Trinidad Chambliss keeps forcing his way into the conversation at Ole Miss. Turnovers have popped up lately, but he answered against Auburn with 263 yards and three total touchdowns, including a strong day with his legs. His size and age will always be part of the evaluation, yet the production keeps showing up.
Jayden Maiava gave USC exactly the kind of response it needed after the Wisconsin game. Against Ohio State, the fourth-year quarterback didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he kept the ball out of harm’s way against a tough defense and finished with 222 yards on 22 attempts. That kind of performance should keep him in the Day 2 picture.
Julian Sayin’s absence against USC didn’t exactly help Ohio State. Freshman Luke Fahey had trouble moving the offense efficiently, and Jeremiah Smith’s production dipped without Sayin at quarterback. If Sayin doesn’t return this season, a move back to school could be on the table.
LaNorris Sellers continues to give NFL teams plenty to think about. Against Oklahoma, he threw two interceptions but also produced five total touchdowns, piling up 301 passing yards and 96 more on the ground. He’s looked more like the quarterback many once projected as a No. 1 pick lately, but he still isn’t polished enough for teams to take a major early gamble.
Austin Simmons rounds out the top 10. His SEC numbers still don’t jump off the page, but the traits that made him such a coveted high school prospect remain obvious enough to keep NFL people interested. Against Arkansas on Saturday, the former Ole Miss quarterback posted his first multi-touchdown game since Oct. 3, even though he only threw for 179 yards.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Fans Are Tired Of This CFP Schedule Double Standard
The latest round of College Football Playoff talk has put Notre Dames schedule back under a microscope, and the familiar debate over independence is flaring again. CFP chair Hunter Yuracheks comparison of Notre Dames slate with Indianas only added fuel, especially for fans who have watched the Irish get judged by a standard that seems to shift depending on the week and the team involved.
Joining the ACC is being floated as the easy answer, but the reality is more complicated than that. Notre Dame already has a scheduling agreement with the league, and a full move would not automatically turn the Irish into a schedule-strength juggernaut, especially if it came at the expense of the non-conference games that help define the programs identity. For a fan base tired of hearing the same criticism, the real frustration is that the fix being suggested may not fix much at all. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Defense Faces Its Toughest Test Without Its On-Field Leader
Notre Dames defense is heading into its biggest challenge of the season with a major piece missing, as senior captain and middle linebacker Drayk Bowen will sit out against No. 1 Miami because of a lower body injury. Bowen has been the on-field leader of the unit, so his absence shifts both the structure and the voice of a defense that has already had to navigate a string of injuries this season.
Senior linebacker Jaiden Ausberry is expected to shoulder more of the communication and leadership load in Bowens place, a significant responsibility in a matchup that will demand sharp alignment and quick adjustments. For a defense that has leaned on depth and experience all year, this is the kind of test that can expose every weakness, especially against an opponent with the speed and firepower Miami brings into the game. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Just Got A Huge Heisman Opening Before Miami Arrives
Malachi Toneys injury has already shifted the conversation around the Heisman race, and it matters for Notre Dame because Miami is coming into the spotlight with one of the nations most watched quarterbacks and receivers. Toney had been giving the Hurricanes another legitimate star to feature, and his expected absence changes the backdrop for a matchup that already carried plenty of weight for the Irish and their own young quarterback, CJ Carr.
For Notre Dame, the opening is less about celebrating an opponents setback than recognizing how quickly the Heisman picture can change in September. If Toney is sidelined for upcoming games, Miamis offense will have to redistribute production, and that can alter the way voters view Darian Mensah and other contenders around the country, including Carr and Jeremiah Smith. In a race this early, availability and opportunity can matter as much as highlight plays, and Miamis latest injury development only adds another layer to what was already a big stage. [Read more 🡒]