Saying the Atlanta Falcons lack a true franchise quarterback may be the understatement of the year. Hell, it may even be the understatement of the century. They're gonna give Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa a shot to turn things around in a better situation, but things already may be too far gone.
That won't really matter though unless they are able to stay healthy, let alone improve in Kevin Stefanski's offense. So suffice it to say, the Falcons are going to be doing serious homework on the quarterback prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft so they can start considering a long-term fix at QB.
Thankfully, the 2027 QB class is on track to be generational, and hopefully not in the way the 2021 QB class was. Dante Moore and Arch Manning are the household names, and LaNorris Sellers has received his fair share of buzz, but the most intriguing signal-caller in 2027 may not be any of them.
Miami's Darian Mensah is a name that Falcons fans should remember
We've seen in recent years how the eventual No. 1 pick didn't garner much buzz entering the season. This happened with both Cam Ward and Fernando Mendoza. And I think that this could happen for the third consecutive draft if Miami quarterback Darian Mensah takes another step forward in 2026.
In one of the strongest QB classes in recent memory, Mensah is flying under the radar. And that's probably because of helmet scouting. The 21-year-old started his college career at Tulane where he redshirted as a freshman, but led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and totaling 22 scores in 2024.
Mensah subsequently transferred to Duke, where he broke out. Not only did he lead Duke to a 9-5 record, his numbers took a major jump. Nearly 4,000 passing yards and 34 touchdowns with a team as untalented as Duke was is no easy feat, and now that he transferred to Miami, I expect his upward trajectory to continue to make him a 2027 first-round pick.
We've seen how transferring to Miami helps the draft stock of quarterbacks . You saw Ward in 2024 and Carson Beck in 2025 thrive for the Hurricanes, so the situation is perfect for Mensah. Not only are the weapons the most dynamic in the country, OC Shannon Dawson gets the most out of his QBs.
With Miami, Mensah will be surrounded by future first-round picks in wideout Malachi Toney and RB Mark Fletcher Jr.,but his favorite target from Duke, Cooper Barkate, also transferred to Miami. So frankly, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he finishes the season as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
The best part about Mensah is that he's a true dual-threat. He has the mobility to escape the pocket, but is at his best as a true pocket passer. He has good accuracy and ball placement, but the arm talent is something I expect to shine with a stronger supporting cast in Goral Gables this season.
Think about what this guy could accomplish in this Atlanta offense. He'd be learning from Stefanski and Tommy Rees, but the idea of Mensah working with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Zachariah Branch with the Falcons would make for one of the NFL's most dangerous offenses, especially compared to what Tua or Penix could accomplish.
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