10 college players set for NFL Draft stock spikes

10 college – As the 2027 NFL Draft nears, a handful of college stars are positioned to see their draft stock rise this fall—especially those with the combination of production, physical traits, and clearer roles heading into the season.

Even 11 months out, the 2027 NFL Draft is already taking shape through players who look set to become early picks. The problem is that nothing ever stays stable for long. Fernando Mendoza. Carnell Tate and Arvell Reese were hardly household names last spring. yet each ended up making it into the top five in April.

That reminder matters now. Relative to other draft classes. next year’s group has a rare collection of established college football stars—quarterbacks. receivers and defensive standouts—who have generated consensus in way-too-early mock drafts. But the closer teams get to September. the more those mock-draft assumptions are tested by one thing: whether a player’s role and production match the hype.

Here are 10 more prospects whose stock could see a serious uptick this fall, as teams start eyeing how the 2027 class might sort itself.

RB Nate Frazier. Georgia— The Southeastern Conference is loaded with running backs. with Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy. Mississippi’s Kewan Lacy and Florida’s Jadan Baugh among the names already stirring attention. Frazier, though, is the one to watch without needing a starring role to matter. A former five-star recruit. he offers speed to turn the corner. along with the frame and contact balance to thrive working on the inside (5-10. 210 pounds). His breakaway speed sets him apart. and there’s also the question of what he can become as a receiver—an area described as unrealized potential.

WR Charlie Becker, Indiana— Indiana’s passing attack has been built around Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt, which limited Becker’s chances during the Hoosiers’ national title run. At 6-4 and 204 pounds, he still delivered in key spots. This fall. his opportunities are expected to grow as Indiana reconfigures its receiving corps for TCU transfer Josh Hoover. who takes over behind center for Fernando Mendoza. With Hoover’s tendency to attack downfield, Becker is positioned to show off his catch radius and jump-ball ability. The production line referenced is specific: Becker averaged 20 yards per catch and has room to build more polish and a larger body of work that could push him toward first-round consideration.

WR Isaiah Horton. Texas A&M— Horton has long looked like a featured weapon without ever fully getting the spotlight in the way an offense’s go-to target does. His time at Miami and Alabama is described as mostly complementary, aside from a three-touchdown outing last year against Auburn. At Texas A&M. he’s expected to make use of his physical tools at 6-4 and 208 pounds—especially his jump-ball skills. He’s also compared to Denzel Boston, the Washington product taken by the Cleveland Browns in the early second round. The expectation here is not that Horton instantly becomes the true go-to threat, since the offense returns Mario Craver. Still, the season is framed as his best platform to date to display the full range of his skill set.

TE Peter Clarke. Temple— The United Kingdom-based NFL Academy added a first draft pick in April: Miami Dolphins tight end Seydou Traore. Clarke is the next name in line to extend that early blueprint. A London product who started through flag football. he’s already shown comfort as a receiver. with 30 catches for 483 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. At 6-6 and 265 pounds. the article points to how he can bully defenders both in the run game and at the catch point. Clarke is also described as having “significant room for growth. ” with the broader demand for in-line threats that can change defensive calculations creating a favorable timing window.

TE Trey’Dez Green. LSU— Green’s reputation has been built more on highlights than a fully expanded body of work. Last season. though. he produced seven touchdowns on 33 catches for the Tigers. and the expectation is that 2026 could be when he shifts from curiosity to centerpiece. Lane Kiffin’s explosive offense and transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt’s “calculated aggressiveness” are cited as factors that should bring out the best in the 6-7. 240-pound target. The case for immediate value is also red-zone focused: Green is described as already an alluring option there. Refinement is needed, especially in blocking, but tight ends with catch radius and body control are portrayed as rare commodities.

OT Lance Heard. Kentucky— The 2027 class at offensive tackle has two standout names: Texas’ Trevor Goosby and LSU’s Jordan Seaton. both described as legitimate potential top-10 picks. Heard is framed as a long shot to surpass either one. but he could climb into a more unsettled second tier if he continues to rise. His path has also included stops that shape expectations: this would be his third stop within the SEC after stints at LSU and Tennessee. After a rocky start. he grew into a third-team All-Conference selection at Tennessee. and the article points to his continued ascent as a real possibility. With his combination of frame and footwork. he’s presented as a left tackle that could attract teams in search of upper-echelon traits.

DT James Smith. Ohio State— Defensive tackle could be one of the deepest and most talented positions for the 2027 class. and Smith is identified as one of the figures capable of strengthening the group. He is a transfer from Alabama and is attempting to “put everything together” in his final season. The only specific off-field signal referenced is his spring remark that the Big Ten was faster and more intense than the SEC. Now he’s expected to make more noise on the field as the replacement for Kayden McDonald—specifically. Smith is trying to emulate McDonald’s trajectory and style. The profile is clear: Smith is capable of controlling the action at the line of scrimmage or dispatching would-be blockers. with an outcome that could place him into “vaunted” defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s newest pro success story.

DE Anto Saka. Texas A&M— At Northwestern. Saka made steady contributions but never fully took over the spotlight. posting 12 sacks over three seasons. The article frames this new phase as his chance to showcase uncommon explosiveness. Saka is listed at 6-4 and 255 pounds. and the point is that he isn’t described as as pliable as Cashius Howell. whose departure leaves a sizable void in the Aggies’ pass rush. Even so. the combination of burst and determination is presented as enough to catch the eye of NFL teams that have gravitated toward defensive ends with traits similar to what Saka brings.

OLB Yhonzae Pierre, Alabama— Pierre’s breakthrough is tied to opportunity. After being given the starting nod a few contests into his third year with the Crimson Tide. he capitalized—collecting seven of his eight sacks in his final eight contests to finish as the team’s leader in the category. If that momentum carries into the new year. the argument is that he could carve out a spot among the class’s premier pass rushers. At 6-3 and 248 pounds. he may fit best in defenses that incorporate 3-4 looks. but the expectation is that continued production in the SEC would make his pro potential “readily evident.”.

CB Jyaire Hill. Michigan— Michigan’s defense is described as undergoing changes. with standout edge rusher John Henry Daley and cornerback Smith Snowden following Kyle Whittingham from Utah to Michigan. Yet Hill is presented as an important source of continuity. Listed at 6-2 and 190 pounds, he is described as capable of blanketing the Big Ten’s most physically imposing receivers. The concern is consistency: his reliance on physicality has rendered him an inconsistent presence on the back end. The path to improvement is straightforward—becoming savvier and more patient could vault his stock. particularly because. as the article puts it. few college corners are as well-equipped as Hill to take on the rigors of NFL coverage assignments.

A draft class can look set from a distance. but it rarely stays that way once roles sharpen and production is tested. The leap from next-to-unknown names into the top five in April is a reminder that the NFL Draft calendar rewards players who turn opportunity into measurable output—whether that’s through a clearer offensive setup. a defensive snap count that finally matches talent. or simply a season where the missing piece clicks.

2027 NFL Draft draft stock Aaron Rodgers college football prospects Nate Frazier Charlie Becker Isaiah Horton Peter Clarke Trey'Dez Green Lance Heard James Smith Anto Saka Yhonzae Pierre Jyaire Hill SEC Big Ten NFL scouting