2027 NFL Draft: 7 Rising Prospects NFL Fans Need to Know

By Daniel “The Draftnick” Rios

The 2027 NFL Draft class is starting to take shape, and while the same big names continue to dominate the headlines, a new group of prospects is forcing its way into the conversation. With us six weeks into the college football season, these players have seen their draft stock rise dramatically thanks to strong on-field performances.

Some were barely on the radar entering the season, while others had something to prove after transferring or struggling at their previous stops. Now, they’re making plays that NFL Scouts can’t ignore. These are the 2027 NFL Draft prospects fans need to learn before their rising stock turns them into household names.

Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri 

The first player everyone has to watch is Missouri QB Austin Simmons. He’s listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, giving him the size to be a legitimate NFL quarterback. Most college fans may remember him being the quarterback for Ole Miss early last season. Still, a left ankle injury sidelined him, and he eventually lost his job to Trinidad Chambliss.

After losing his job, Simmons transferred to Missouri this offseason and led the Tigers to a 4-1 record in five games. In the five games, Simmons has gone 93-of-138 for 1,290 yards with 13 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Watching Simmons’ tape, the first thing that stands out is the zip he puts on the ball. He puts the ball on a rope throughout the entire field and has shown he isn’t scared to push it over the middle. One of the biggest aspects that stands out when watching him is how he scans the entire field. Against Florida, he showed the ability to read the strong side of the concept and work to the backside read, then hit it. Simmons put the ball on a line and made the throw while getting hit.

Simmons is a name to know because he could legitimately get Top 10 love here soon.

Kwazi Gilmer, WR, Nebraska 

Kwazi Gilmer is a true junior and is in his first year at Nebraska. It took him a while to settle into the Nebraska offense, but he’s started to make his mark. This past weekend against Maryland, Gilmer had 11 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He’s a 6-foot-2, 195-pound receiver who can operate in the slot or out wide.

Nebraska has started to realize what kind of downfield threat Gilmer can be over the past two weeks. In the first three weeks, Gilmer averaged 1.72 yards per route run. Over the last two weeks, it spiked up to 3.38. It all makes sense given his overall speed, ball-tracking ability, and route running.

The one aspect of his game that has spiked concern is drops. Has four drops on the season, and that’s something that can severely hurt a receiver’s stock. Gilmer still needs to string together a full season of consistency, but so far in Nebraska. It’s working out; even if he doesn’t come out this year, he should get excitement heading into the 2027 season.

Chris Marshall, WR, Arkansas

Chris Marshall has had a long college career, spending five years at five schools. Marshall was a five-star recruit coming out of high schoola nd committed to Texas A&M. After starting two games in his freshman season, he transferred to Ole Miss in the offseason. Marshall violated team rules in the spring of 2023, which led him to take the JUCO route at Kilgore Junior College.

At Kilgore Junior College, Marshall played six games and caught 21 passes for 449 yards and five touchdowns. The experience led him to transfer back to Boise State, where he spent two years, and this past offseason he transferred to Arkansas. Through five games, Marshall has 35 receptions for 549 yards and two touchdowns.

Marshall is 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds and moves down the field smoothly. Has shown elite body control to go up and make contested catches. One aspect that worries me is his overall effort at times, especially when he knows he isn’t getting the ball. He can improve his ability to win underneath. But watching his tape early this season, his size and catch radius will intrigue teams; he could be a Day 2 pick.

Ashton Hampton, CB, Clemson 

Coming into the year, the clear No. 1 corner was Leonard Moore of Notre Dame. No. 2 was up for debate, but many people had Georgia corner Ellis Robinson IV. The No. 3 corner spot was up for grabs this college football season, and Clemson corner Ashton Hampton has started to separate himself.

We all know how good of a receiver Malachi Toney is for Miami, and this past weekend Hampton shut him down. Toney had three targets against Hampton, and Hampton allowed one catch, eight receiving yards and two pass breakups.

At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Hampton isn’t the smoothest corner off the line. His hips aren’t always that loose, but where he makes up for it is his length. He can be more patient off the line because of his willingness to get aggressive with receivers and disrupt them downfield. Maybe the most important part of his game is that he can come down and compete in the run game. Expect Hampton to get first-round love in the spring.

Devan Thompkins, DT, Alabama 

Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery. That’s the good part of the transfer portal nowadays. For Devan Thompkins, transferring from USC to Alabama has been the best decision he could’ve made for his career. Thompkins is thriving in this aggressive Kane Wommack scheme, having 16 pressures, three sacks and 12 run-stop tackles. In 2025, Thompkins had 22 total pressures and 19 run-stop tackles.

Thompkins came up with big play after big play against Mississippi State this weekend, showing a good ability to keep his pad level low as well as some upper body twitch that’s rare for his size. He’s 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds and plays like an edge rusher at the 3-tech position.

Emmanuel Oyebadejo, DL, Florida 

If Oyebadejo declares for the NFL Draft this spring, he’ll have one of the hottest stories throughout the entire cycle. He grew up in the UK and, just a couple of years ago, attended the University of Exeter as a first-year medical student.

A friend convinced him to watch Exeter’s American football team practice, and the coaching staff noticed his 6-foot-6, 299-pound frame. It all led to him playing on the Great Britain Lions’ U19 national team, which eventually led to him committing to Jacksonville State here in the States. His college career began in the 2024 season; he didn’t play a game due to an injury, but he played in all 14 in 2025. Florida caught the size of Oyebadejo, and he transferred there this offseason.

In four games, Oyebadejo has 11 pressures, four sacks and five run-stops. His athleticism for his size is breathtaking. He’s rushing off the edge, showing speed, hand usage, and the ability to dip his shoulder pad around the edge to get into the backfield. The crazy part is, he’s still so raw as a prospect. He didn’t start playing until he was 18. The sky’s the limit for Oyebadejo, but if he continues to produce at Florida, he can be one of the hottest Day 2 picks in April.

Lance Heard, OT, Kentucky

Tennessee fans may remember Lance Heard as an inconsistent pass blocker in his two years at the program. In two seasons, Heard gave up 42 pressures and five sacks with the Volunteers.

Everything he’s done with Kentucky has been powerful and consistent. Throughout five games, Heard has given up four pressures and zero sacks for the Kentucky offensive line. He’s faced tough edge rushers so far this season in Yhonzae Pierre from Alabama and the athletic duo of Anto Saka and Marco Jones. He dominated them all and had his best game of the season against South Carolina this past weekend.

Heard was an absolute monster in the run game, getting out in space and just running people over. Violence is important for offensive linemen, and Heard has it. If he can get more consistent with his balance in pass protection, Heard can elevate himself into the top three tackles conversation for the 2027 NFL Draft.