2027 NFL Draft: Stock up, stock down after Week 1 of college football

Early September games typically mean routine blowouts for many of college football's elite teams, meaning not every highly ranked draft prospect gets an opportunity to materially alter their draft stock in Week 1.

Still, opening weekend is our first chance to see how prospects have developed over the offseason, particularly transfers adjusting to new surroundings and players taking on expanded roles in what could well be their final year of college football.

There was a particular focus on the quarterbacks. Eight signal-callers currently sit inside the top 70 of PFF’s 2027 NFL Draft Big Board, and their season-opening performances ranged from dominant to concerning.

Here are the biggest risers and fallers from Week 1.

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Stock Up: QB Sam Leavitt, LSU

The Lane Kiffin show in Baton Rouge looked as dangerous as advertised in LSU’s 41-point rout of Clemson in the most highly anticipated matchup of Week 1. Despite a new head coach and one of the largest portal turnovers in the FBS, LSU looked like a team that had been playing together for years.

Much of LSU’s dominance came on the ground, and Leavitt’s passing box score hardly jumped off the page. He completed just 57% of his passes, threw an interception and finished with an 81.0 passer rating. But the interception was not necessarily his fault, while four of his 12 incompletions came on drops. Leavitt ultimately earned an 88.1 overall grade for this outing.

His rushing ability was a major catalyst. Leavitt ran for 113 yards, 85 of which came after contact, and he found the end zone twice as a runner. He also forced Dabo Swinney’s usually disciplined defense to miss tackles on five separate occasions.

Leavitt entered the season as one of several quarterbacks with a legitimate chance to climb toward the top of the 2027 class. Week 1 provided an early demonstration of the athleticism and dual-threat ability that could help him get there.

Stock Down: QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

Mestemaker entered the season ranked above Sam Leavitt on PFF’s big board and as a legitimate contender to become a first-round pick, but that may not remain the case for long.

There was considerable optimism surrounding Oklahoma State after it brought over several key pieces from last season’s North Texas offense. Instead, the Cowboys came crashing back to reality with an opening-weekend loss to Tulsa, rendering much of the hype surrounding a potential Week 2 upset of Oregon moot.

Mestemaker’s 50.6 overall PFF grade in his Oklahoma State debut was the fifth-lowest mark among starting Power Four quarterbacks in Week 1. He had no shortage of opportunities, considering he dropped back to throw 54 times, but he produced just one big-time throw alongside three turnover-worthy plays, two of which resulted in interceptions.

Mestemaker’s 6.6-yard average depth of target was more than two full yards shallower than his average from last season’s FBS-leading attack. Fortunately, he has an entire season to make amends, and a strong performance against one of the best teams in the country next weekend would be an ideal place to start. For now, though, the early signs of a seamless transition to the Power Four are not promising.

Stock Up: QB Darian Mensah, Miami (FL)

Stanford is far from the best team the Hurricanes will face this season, but this was a picture-perfect start for last season’s National Championship runners-up. The 400 yards and five touchdowns will look great on Darian Mensah’s very legitimate Heisman résumé, assuming his superstar sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney doesn’t beat him to the award.

Mensah’s 93.0 PFF passing grade was the highest among all FBS quarterbacks in Week 1. More importantly, he snapped a seven-game streak dating back to last season in which he had recorded at least one turnover-worthy play. Completing 87% of his passes across 32 dropbacks is not something to be scoffed at, regardless of the caliber of competition.

Size concerns will remain an ever-present part of the conversation surrounding Mensah’s draft stock, but performances like this will make him increasingly difficult for NFL evaluators to ignore.

Stock Down: CB Christian Gray, Notre Dame

Playing in the nickel on a defense that boasts fifth-overall prospect Leonard Moore at outside cornerback means Christian Gray can expect opposing offenses to send plenty of targets his way. Wisconsin caught him out on multiple occasions in Week 1, gaining multiple first downs through his coverage. That included one particularly bad rep when Malachi Coleman beat Gray nastily on a double move.

Gray is one of the few players inside PFF’s top 100 who does not enter the season with a particularly strong recent grading profile. He earned just a 52.5 overall PFF grade last season. There was plenty to like about his play as a freshman, but that was four years ago now. 

This is an important season for Gray to re-establish himself as a legitimate NFL prospect, and he will face passing attacks considerably more dangerous than Wisconsin’s as the year progresses.

Stock Up: ED Jordan Ross, LSU

Ross rushed the passer just 15 times against Clemson but made those opportunities count, generating four pressures and a sack. However, it was the one passing snap he didn’t rush the passer that helped propel Ross to a 94.0 overall PFF grade. When he dropped into coverage, intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, Ross gave LSU commanding control of the game, and they never relinquished that control.

At Tennessee last season, Ross dropped into coverage on 10% of his snaps. His versatility is a genuine asset that will appeal to NFL evaluators. He is an exceptional athlete, something that was on full display during his interception return, and LSU’s defensive structure should give him plenty of opportunities to showcase pass-rushing upside as opponents play from behind.

Before this game, Ross had recorded just 13 pressures in his college career. He arrived as a once highly touted recruit with significant expectations, but laying down this early marker in his first season as a starter was pivotal for his draft stock.

Stock Down: S Corey Myrick, Clemson

Myrick was the highest-graded FBS safety last season during a breakout year at Southern Miss, earning himself a transfer and a starting role in Clemson’s defense. Unfortunately, allowing 51 points in your debut is about as difficult a start as he could have imagined.

Myrick was far from the worst player on an abysmal Clemson defense. His 59.1 PFF grade ranked 11th among the 18 Clemson defenders to play at least 25 snaps. Still, allowing 53 receiving yards in coverage and three first downs makes for difficult reading for PFF’s fifth-ranked safety in the 2027 draft.

The jump from Southern Miss to being thrown straight into the cauldron of a marquee matchup in Death Valley was always going to be tricky. Myrick will get an opportunity to settle in against familiar Sun Belt opposition in Georgia Southern next weekend.