The 2027 NFL Draft is still months away, but teams are already making preparations for the future. Drew Mestemaker is in a competition to be the top quarterback taken. Mestemaker is one of many quarterbacks who could be taken in the first round in 2027.

Now, ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is giving his stamp of approval to Mestemaker as the top quarterback and one of the best players overall in the nation.

Kiper has the top player on his big board as Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith.

“Smith is very clearly the best player in this draft class,” Kiper wrote.

While Smith is the top player, he plays wide receiver, which means it is possible he does not go first overall. The last time a wide receiver went first overall was Keyshawn Johnson in the 1996 NFL Draft. If the team with the top pick needs a quarterback, the second player on Kiper's big board may be the pick.

“Mestemaker didn't even start at quarterback for his high school team; he was the punter, played some safety and was the backup QB. Then he walked on at North Texas in 2024 as a QB before becoming the starter in 2025. After throwing for more than 4,000 yards, Mestemaker transferred with coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State. It's an incredible story,” Kiper wrote. “His toolbox is also pretty incredible. I love the way he scans the field and bides his time in the pocket. Mestemaker has the big arm to make all of the throws, with 30 completions going for 20-plus yards this season (third in the FBS). But he also has the mobility to pick up nice chunks of yardage on the ground. Mestemaker shows linebacker-esque toughness and plays with a competitive edge. He doesn't turn 21 years old until January, and he has just 20 career starts to his name. So, there's a lot of untapped potential.”

Mestemaker is one of five quarterbacks ranked in the top 10 of Kiper's big board. Darian Mensah from Miami is ranked fourth, while Trinidad Chambliss from Ole Miss is sixth, CJ Carr from Notre Dame is eighth, and Austin Simmons from Missouri is tenth. Further down the board is Arch Manning, who is ranked 24th on the big board.

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“Manning has dropped to QB6 on my board — but he's still a top-25 player because of the skill set,” Kiper added. “But Manning is too inconsistent, especially when it comes to accuracy and decision-making. He's going to be a tough evaluation.”

Dante Moore from Oregon, who has been out with an injury, rounds out the big board, sitting at 25th.

There is still plenty of time between now and the end of the season, plus off-season evaluations that will determine the ultimate order of where players are selected.