Sayin Headlines Impressive 2027 QB Class

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published May 7, 2026, 8:02 AM

Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

• Height: 6’1”
• Weight: 208 pounds
• Games Played: 18
• Passing Yards: 3,694
• Touchdowns: 33
• Interceptions: 8
• Completion Percentage: 75.9%

Sensational Debut Season in Columbus

In 2024, veteran quarterback Will Howard controlled the offense for Ohio State, leaving Sayin in a developmental role where he appeared in five games and attempted just 12 passes. Once Howard departed for the NFL following his selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sayin stepped into the spotlight and immediately stabilized the Buckeyes offense.

One of the most important indicators when evaluating quarterback prospects is completion percentage, particularly when paired with aggressive downfield decision-making. Sayin’s 75.9 percent completion rate places him in rare company and mirrors the efficiency displayed by Joe Burrow during his historic 2019 Heisman Trophy campaign, when Burrow completed 76.3 percent of his passes.

Scouting Report

The defining trait in Sayin’s game is his football intelligence and operational control. “High football IQ” is often overused in quarterback evaluations, but with Sayin it consistently shows up on tape through anticipation, timing, and spatial awareness. He processes quickly and plays with the tempo of a quarterback already operating ahead of the defense.

There is very little wasted movement in his game. The feet stay connected to the progression, the shoulders remain balanced through traffic, and he consistently throws from stable platforms. Sayin understands how to manipulate coverage defenders with subtle movement rather than relying solely on arm strength. The small details stand out — a quick shoulder tilt, a pump fake, or holding a safety for an extra beat before attacking the opposite window.

The arm talent is good rather than overwhelming, but the placement, touch, and timing consistently maximize the throw. He layers the football effectively between coverage levels and shows advanced anticipation working the intermediate portions of the field. The poise under pressure is also noticeable, particularly how calm he remains while navigating collapsing pockets.

Physically, Sayin may not possess the rare velocity or off-platform explosiveness some quarterbacks in the 2027 class bring to the table, but his game is built on precision, rhythm, and efficiency. He wins with command of the offense and the ability to consistently stay on schedule.

Ohio State’s Search for Quarterback Validation

Ohio State has produced elite college quarterbacks over the last decade but translating that success to the NFL has been inconsistent. Since Terrelle Pryor entered the league as a third-round Supplemental Draft selection in 2011, the Buckeyes have produced multiple high-profile prospects without consistently delivering long-term NFL success.

Between 2019 and 2023, Ohio State produced three first-round quarterbacks. C.J. Stroud has validated his draft status after being selected second overall in 2023, while Justin Fields and Dwayne Haskins struggled to fully justify their first-round expectations.

Sayin feels different stylistically. His game is rooted less in projection and more in polish. The physical ceiling may not create the same pre-draft buzz as some of the bigger-armed quarterbacks in the class, but the efficiency, instincts, and command suggest a quarterback capable of becoming one of the safest and most complete evaluations in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

• Height: 6’3
• Weight: 206
• Games: 29
• Passing Yards: 5,224
• Touchdowns: 41
• Interceptions: 19
• Pass Completion %: 65.9% (72.1 two years in Oregon)

Stellar Year One at Oregon

After arriving at UCLA as a true freshman in 2023, Dante Moore appeared in nine games with five starts, flashing the natural arm talent that made him one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the country. Following the season, Moore transferred to Oregon, where his role in 2024 was limited behind an established veteran presence. He appeared in five games and attempted only eight passes.

Because of the small sample size during his first year in Eugene, the evaluation leans heavily on his 2025 tape and how his trajectory continues to develop entering the 2026 season. The physical tools are undeniable, but the refinement of his overall operation will ultimately determine how high his ceiling climbs.

Scouting Report

Moore plays with suddenness and urgency in everything he does. The release is compact, the feet are active, and the football explodes out of his hand with rare velocity. Even on off-target throws, the arm strength immediately jumps off the screen because of the RPMs and pure drive behind the football.

He is especially advanced at manipulating defenders with his eyes and upper-body mechanics. Moore will subtly hold a safety to one side with a head nod or shoulder lean before quickly resetting and firing into the middle of the field. There’s natural creativity to his game, and he’s comfortable attacking tight throwing windows that many quarterbacks won’t even attempt.

The biggest area needing refinement is overall ball placement and pacing. At times, Moore trusts his arm talent too much, leading to unnecessary velocity on routine throws where touch and trajectory would better serve the concept. The accuracy can run hot and cold because he relies heavily on arm strength instead of consistently layering throws with anticipation and timing. There are also stretches where the football comes out without a clean spiral, particularly when forced off-platform.

Thoughts Moving Forward

From a traits standpoint, Moore is difficult to match. The athletic ability, twitchy mechanics, and top-tier arm talent give him one of the highest ceilings among quarterback prospects entering the 2027 NFL Draft conversation.

The next phase of his development centers on discipline within the structure of the offense. Improving touch, learning when to take velocity off the football, and becoming more mechanically consistent from snap to snap will dictate whether he becomes an exciting talent or a complete NFL quarterback.

Purely on upside, few quarterbacks in the country can rival what Moore brings to the table. If the coaching staff can continue refining the details of his game, he has every tool necessary to contend for the top quarterback spot in the 2027 class.

Arch Manning, QB, Texas Longhorns football

• Height: 6’4”
• Weight: 219 pounds
• Games Played: 25
• Passing Yards: 3,519
• Touchdowns: 35
• Interceptions: 9
• Completion Percentage: 62.3%

It Should Have Happened By Now

Manning arrived in Austin in 2023 carrying one of the most recognizable names in football history. At the time, Quinn Ewers controlled the Longhorns offense and was widely projected as a future first- or second-round NFL Draft selection. Instead, Ewers slid into the seventh round, serving as another reminder that early quarterback projections rarely unfold as expected.

Now entering his fourth season at Texas, Manning steps into a critical stage of his development. The flashes have been there, the pedigree is unquestioned, but the consistency and overall command still need to catch up to the expectations surrounding him.

Scouting Report

Mechanically, Manning is one of the cleaner quarterback prospects in the 2027 class. The setup, balance, and throwing operation all look polished, which should come as no surprise considering the influence of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning throughout his development.

He possesses ideal NFL size at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds with enough athletic ability to stress defenses outside the pocket. Manning moves well for his frame and shows good spatial awareness once protection begins to deteriorate. On designed quarterback runs, he displays patience allowing blocks to develop, along with enough acceleration to create chunk yardage when lanes open.

The arm talent is good, though not consistently dominant. There are stretches where the ball placement drifts and routine throws become unnecessarily difficult. At times, Manning appears too casual with his mechanics, relying more on natural ability than disciplined execution. Against Sam Houston, he missed a clean pocket throw to receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. by driving the football at his feet despite having ample space to properly step into the throw. Those are the types of missed opportunities evaluators will continue to monitor closely.

When everything is synced up, however, the ceiling is obvious. The footwork, mobility, processing ability, and natural feel for the position all project favorably to the next level.

The March for Arch

Texas opens the 2026 season against Texas State Bobcats football on September 5, and the pressure surrounding Manning will immediately intensify. A fast start is essential, not only for Texas but for Manning’s individual trajectory entering the heart of the 2027 NFL Draft discussion.

The tools are there. The physical traits, football upbringing, and flashes of high-level quarterback play are all evident on tape. What remains is putting every piece together consistently over the course of an entire season.

Right now, Manning still feels like a quarterback whose toolbox is loaded but not fully organized. If the game slows down for him and the accuracy stabilizes, the player many expected to see years ago could finally emerge. And if that happens, his rise into the upper tier of the 2027 quarterback class could happen quickly.

Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State

• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 211 pounds
• Games Played: 19
• Passing Yards: 4,841
• Touchdowns: 36
• Interceptions: 11
• Completion Percentage: 68.6%

New Kid on the Block

Mestemaker arrives in Stillwater this fall set to make his debut at Boone Pickens Stadium as the next quarterback to pilot Oklahoma State’s offense. The 2025 Burlsworth Trophy winner, awarded annually to the nation’s top former walk-on, also captured Conference USA Player of the Year honors at North Texas before making the jump to the Big 12.

Among the quarterbacks eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft, few changed situations with more intrigue attached to them. The transition from North Texas to Oklahoma State places Mestemaker under a brighter spotlight and against a higher level of weekly competition. How quickly he adapts will play a major role in shaping his NFL evaluation.

Scouting Report

Mestemaker shows strong field awareness and consistently works through progressions with composed eyes. He keeps active feet in the pocket and throws with confidence and rhythm. The arm talent is better than advertised. While Oregon’s Dante Moore may possess the most pure velocity among the top 2027 quarterback prospects, Mestemaker generates enough RPMs to challenge tight coverage windows.

What consistently stands out is his touch. He layers throws naturally and places the football where receivers can continue through the catch point. The ball comes out clean with impressive trajectory control, especially on intermediate concepts.

Athletically, he is more functional than dynamic as a runner, but the acceleration out of the pocket is sneaky quick. He can evade initial pressure, extend plays and pick up chunk yardage when coverage opens lanes. He is not overly elusive in space, but he is mobile enough to stress defenses outside structure.

CUSA to Big 12

The transition from North Texas to Oklahoma State also comes with built-in familiarity. Former North Texas head coach Eric Morris now joins Mestemaker in Stillwater, giving the Cowboys an offensive architect already familiar with the quarterback’s strengths and developmental areas.

That continuity matters. Morris understands how to maximize Mestemaker’s timing, touch and vertical passing ability within structure. The move to the Big 12 should provide a stronger measuring stick for NFL scouts evaluating how his traits translate against elevated competition.

If Mestemaker bypasses the 2027 NFL Draft, there is a realistic path for his stock to climb even higher entering the 2028 cycle.

CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame

• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 210 pounds
• Games Played: 13
• Passing Yards: 2,741
• Touchdowns: 24
• Interceptions: 6
• Completion Percentage: 66.6%

One Hit Wonder?

Carr was nothing short of sensational considering 2025 was the first time he threw an official pass in the NCAA. With a whopping 168.1 quarterbacking rate, Carr zero disappoint in the hearts of the Fighting Irish. The backfield that consisted of two first round picks in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price should expose Carr to a much different level of attention than in 2025.

Scouting Report

Watch his throw against Miami (FL) to Micah Gilbert for a touchdown. Carr eludes the Hurricanes pass rush Ahmad Moten Sr. while keeping Rueben Bain Jr. at bay. Carr scrambles, zig zagging backwards all the way to the Irish 29-yard line. There he turns up field and releases from a 20-yard-line (on the run) the touchdown to Gilbert. That one play captures plenty. Pocket awareness, throwing on the run, and mobility in the pocket.

Notre Lacks Impressive QB List for NFL

Between 2007-2025, five quarterbacks from Notre Dame were drafted. Brady Quinn in round one, in 2007, followed by two second round picks, Jimmy Clausen (2010/second round) and DeShone Kizer (2017/second round). Ian Book was taken in 2021 in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and in 2025 Riley Loenard was taken in round six. Carr looks every bid impressive as those names above him, hopefully he carves out a much more successful NFL career.

 

 

 

 

 

Carr continues to climb up early rankings and is firmly in the second tier pushing toward the top.

He has been included among the quarterbacks with legitimate first-round projections in early evaluations, with scouts pointing to his mechanics, anticipation, and command of the offense.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com