On October 28, 2026, Albert Breer assessed the 2027 NFL quarterback draft class on The Herd, saying it lacks a clear top prospect of the Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck kind. He named C.J. Carr of Notre Dame and Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State as the two leaders for top-five or top-ten picks, with Arch Manning a wild card and injuries to Nico Iamaleava, Julian Sayin and Dante Moore reshaping the group. The same day, Todd McShay said he expects Manning, LaNorris Sellers and Sam Leavitt to return to school rather than enter the 2027 draft, a split over who is actually available. Two days later, Mahomes' quarterback coach likened Mestemaker to Mahomes and Josh Allen, raising his profile further.