The 6-foot-6, 238-pound Green flashed dynamic receiving ability as a sophomore, hauling in 33 passes for 433 yards with seven touchdowns. Green has surprising speed and fluid athleticism for a big-bodied tight end. He could be a mismatch weapon in the NFL. As a freshman backing up Mason Taylor, Green caught four touchdowns with 101 yards on 13 catches. NFL advance scouts have Green’s 40-yard dash time projected to be 4.55 seconds, which is a fast time for a tight end with Green’s size.

While Kenyon Sadiq got the most attention, he wasn’t the only talented tight end on the Ducks, as Johnson flashed serious ability. Johnson (6-4, 245) has quality size and flashed athleticism and speed as a receiver. In 2025, he caught 32 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns. With Sadiq in the NFL, Johnson could produce more in 2026.

The preseason grades are not set in stone, and scouts will forget them soon. In the 2018 preseason, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams were not on the preseason watch list. Yet Murray became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and Williams went third a few months later. There have been other late-round projections, such as Joe Burrow, who ended up skyrocketing during the season. Other players had high preseason projections but were mid- or late-round picks months later. Thus, the value is more of a watch list than a reflection of players’ abilities. But entering the 2026 season, Green and Johnson are highly rated. Check out my latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft for projections based on NFL teams’ preseason watch list.

Moore was a dynamic point-producer for the Ducks in 2025, making plays with his arm and legs. In 2025, Moore completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Moore is a dangerous quarterback who is tough to defend. In 2023 with UCLA, Moore completed 54 percent of his passes for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Moore has a good arm and can throw some beautiful passes deep down the field. Moore has a lot of talent and upside, but against Indiana in the college football playoff, Moore struggled. He showed that he needs to improve his processing speed and was holding the ball too long, leading to taking unnecessary sacks. Team sources say that, having stood next to Moore (6-2, 215), he is nearly the same size as Rams quarterback Ty Simpson. Size was a criticism of Simpson, so Moore could have some of that next spring.

The 6-foot-3, 242-pound Sellers is known to have a great skill set with a power arm and running ability. In 2025, Sellers was hurt by an awful offensive line as he completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,437 yards with 13 touchdowns passing, eight interceptions, five rushing scores, and some yardage on the ground. In 2024, Sellers completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, and seven rushing touchdowns. Sellers needs to improve his accuracy and fundamentals as a pocket passer.

While recovering from a Lisfranc injury, Leavitt transferred to LSU for the 2026 season. In 2025, Leavitt completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,628 yards with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games before going out for the season in late October. In 2024, Leavitt did a good job of managing the game and using the playmakers at his disposal while leading Arizona State into the college football playoffs. He completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. Leavitt (6-2, 200) is not big, but he was an efficient passer and has some arm talent.

Sorsby (6-2, 238) started out his college career at Indiana and was a backup in 2022. In 2023, he saw some action, completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,587 yards with 15 touchdowns passing, four rushing, and five interceptions. After that season, he transferred to Cincinnati. In 2024, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. In 2025 with Cincinnati, Sorsby completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ran for nine touchdowns in each of his seasons with the Bearcats. Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech after the season, but entered treatment last April for a gambling addiction. Sorsby reportedly bet over $90,000 on pro and college sports, including making bets on his own team. Sorsby had a suspension from the Big 12. After successfully suing to be play, other teams in the Big 12 conference revolted, and the controversy caused Sorsby to seek entry into the NFL’s Supplemental Draft. The NFL declined to hold a Supplemental Draft and encouraged Sorsby to prepare for the 2027 NFL Draft.

The preseason grades are not set in stone, and scouts will forget them soon. In the 2018 preseason, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams were not on the preseason watch list. Yet Murray became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and Williams went third a few months later. There have been other late-round projections, such as Joe Burrow, who ended up skyrocketing during the season. Other players had high preseason projections but were mid- or late-round picks months later. Thus, the value is more of a watch list than a reflection of players’ abilities. But entering the 2026 season, these quarterbacks are highly rated. Some of them are in my my latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft, but some of them are not in the first round, and I have a different quarterback going in the first round not mentioned in the group above.

Sorsby started out his college career at Indiana and was a backup in 2022. In 2023, he saw some action, completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,587 yards with 15 touchdowns passing, four rushing, and five interceptions. After that season, he transferred to Cincinnati. In 2024, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. In 2025 with Cincinnati, Sorsby completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ran for nine touchdowns in each of his seasons with the Bearcats. Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech after the season, but was suspended because of his issues with gambling. Sorsby had a gambling addiction that caused him to go into rehab, and he bet on his own team in the past. After successfully suing to play, other teams in the Big 12 conference revolted, and the controversy caused Sorsby to seek entry into the NFL’s Supplemental Draft.

In reaching out to team sources, to see where they would project Sorsby. There was a lot of ambiguity.

“He’s got talent now,” said an assistant general manager. “I gave him a third-round grade last fall. He will get drafted later, red flag or not. The red flag is not good with owners and general managers. And next year’s quarterback class is loaded, but it takes just one team.”

“I thought he was a late first or solid second round quarterback last fall,” said a director of college scouting. “He would have been the third or fourth-rated quarterback in the past draft. But the gambling thing is a complete wild card. And no way of knowing what any team other than my own will do. A lot will be based off the NFL decision to: 1. Allow him to enter the supplemental draft. 2. If so, does that include any sort of suspension? 3. Teams w/ multiple 2-4 rd picks in ‘27 that need a QB would make the most sense.”

“Gambling is one of the known cardinal sins of sports and, along with not abusing women, kids, or stealing from teammates, usually included in most team mantras and mission statement as far as no-no’s,” said an area scout. “It wasn’t a 1 time slap on the wrist thing – it was done over a long period. It all depends on if a few hours of meeting with him convinces someone he’s truly remorseful. There’s no question he’s talented, but is it special enough to add the potential distraction or disruption that could come with it? All depends on who is willing to take the risk, especially if his issue was deemed real from a mental health perspective, and the mind behind what and why he did it regardless. He was being paid good money and still crafted a system to do it. That’s not just impulse, that’s working around the lines and not believing you’d get caught.

One director of player personnel (DPP) said he thought Sorsby would be a third-round pick. Another DPP said he thought he would be taken in the 4-6 round range. One national scout said a seventh-round grade. One area scout said a fifth-round pick. Overall, it sounds like Sorsby could be a mid to late-round pick in the Supplemental Draft if available.

Manning was a highly hyped prodigy for years before he started his college career at Texas. As the nephew of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, Arch Manning was one of the most highly coveted recruits in college football history. He picked Texas and initially was a backup to Quinn Ewers. He saw his first significant action in 2024 when Ewers was out with an injury. Manning completed 68 percent of his passes (61-of-90) for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had four rushing touchdowns. After the season, Texas gave the starting quarterback spot to Manning after they pushed Ewers out, urging him to enter the transfer portal or the NFL Draft.

To open the 2025 season, Manning struggled against Ohio State before beating up on some weak opponents. He underwhelmed in a loss to Florida, but rebounded with a solid performance to beat rival Oklahoma. In late October, the Longhorns were way down in the third quarter to Mississippi State, and Manning led a comeback win in overtime. Manning concluded the season with solid performances against Georgia, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Michigan. In 2025, Manning completed 61 percent of his passes for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He had 10 rushing touchdowns. At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Manning has the size that NFL teams like in a starting quarterback. Click here for a preseason scouting report on Manning..

The preseason grades are not set in stone, and scouts will forget them soon. In the 2018 preseason, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams were not on the preseason watch list. Yet Murray became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and Williams went third a few months later. There have been other late-round projections, such as Joe Burrow, who ended up skyrocketing during the season. Other players had high preseason projections but were mid- or late-round picks months later. Thus, the value is more of a watch list than a reflection of players’ abilities. But entering the 2026 season, Smith, Moore, and Stewart are the highest-graded prospects, and I have them all going off the board quickly in my latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft.

• There are a lot of teams that want to trade down in the 2026 NFL Draft, but it isn’t clear that there are a lot of teams that want to trade up. Last night, in speaking with an AFC director of player personnel of a team picking in the top half of the first round, they said they believe the Detroit Lions are looking to move up for Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor. Sources say the Lions would look to move up for Proctor, offering this year’s second-round pick and next year’s second-round pick. A key to potentially getting the trade down is seeing Proctor get past the Cleveland Browns at six. Perhaps the Lions are trying to disguise their true intentions, but general manager Brad Holmes did a big trade up for Jameson Williams, and some team sources think he will do that again for another Alabama product.

• The 2026 NFL Draft has zero mystery at the very top as the Las Vegas Raiders are selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. That pick has been known for months and makes for an anti-climactic opening night of the draft for Las Vegas. That is, unless the Raiders trade back into the first round from their second-round pick, the 36th overall selection. However, Las Vegas has a lot of holes on its roster, so giving up picks sounds unlikely. In speaking with sources, they say the Raiders’ preference would be to take a wide receiver early in the second round. They say they won’t force it and reach to fill the need, but all things being equal, they would take a receiving weapon for Mendoza at pick 36.

• Washington has had some interesting conversations this week. It sounds like trading down is still the preferred option if a quality deal is offered. If they don’t have a deal worth taking and they are forced to stick-and-pick, sources think they would take either Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate or Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Not all of their evaluators are high on Tate, but he would fill an immediate need and provide a long-term weapon for third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. Hence, some sources think that when push comes to shove, they would go with Tate. However, Styles could easily go ahead of pick seven and further push Washington towards Tate. The team absolutely loves Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and if he got to pick seven, sources say they would take him. Given the realistic options, sources think Washington will take Tate.

• Some teams are spooked by the back injury to Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. Those teams feel that surgery is inevitable, and Mauigoa should have the procedure immediately after the draft. Otherwise, they feel it could become a problem during his rookie season and could cut the season short. They think that if he has the surgery right away, he could miss the first month of the season, but could be back by the middle of the season without any long-term concerns. Other teams aren’t worried at all, so it will be interesting to see if this medial situation causes Mauigoa to slide.

• During the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, there have been a lot of projections of the Dallas Cowboys taking a defensive lineman with one of their first-round picks. In speaking with sources, a lot of options are in play for Dallas, and adding to the defensive line is a possibility. The Cowboys do like Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk, and he would continue the trend of Dallas getting bigger and more physical up front. It sounds like the Cowboys are not as high on Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor and Clemson end T.J. Parker. Dallas also really likes Miami defensive end Rueben Bain, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. However, that trio could all go in the top 10 and not make it to their pick at 12. Hence, the talk of the Cowboys having interest in trading up in the first round. The Cowboys have a lot of options to consider at 12 and 20, but they are focused on building up the defense.

• The Patriots went from picking 4th overall a year ago to picking 31st this year, and like a year ago, New England could be looking to add some help for young franchise quarterback Drake Maye. In the first round, the Patriots have offensive prospects in play for pick 31, including Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion. Concepcion has character concerns, but he is alive and not ruled out by New England. Defensively, the Patriots like some of the edge rush options that are potential late first-rounders like Aggies’ Cashius Howell, Missouri’s Zion Young, and UCF’s Malaki Lawrence. Picking so late in the first round, the Patriots have a lot of routes they could go, but those are some of the options under consideration.

• One of the mysterious picks in the first round is the 11th selection with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have many needs as this regime begins a massive rebuild. Thus, there are a lot of directions Miami could go in the first round at pick 11 and pick 30. In speaking with sources, it does not sound like the Dolphins are high on the top cornerbacks and could opt to wait to add cornerback talent. At pick 11, the Dolphins could sit tight and see what top talent falls in their lap and go with the best player available. Perhaps Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Miami Hurricanes defensive end Rueben Bain slips out of the top 10. If they did that, the slide could end with the Dolphins for one of them. They could also address the other line, and that is what I have them doing in my final 2026 NFL Mock Draft. Miami has a lot of options and routes they could go at pick 11. The Dolphins will also listen to offers, and if they moved down, some potential targets could include Penn State guard Vega Ioane and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. With two first-round picks and a lot of areas to address, Miami is a true wild card in the 2026 NFL Draft.