The Atlanta Falcons were the last team in the NFL to name a starting quarterback, but now they officially have one. On Monday, they announced that Tua Tagovailoa would get his opportunity against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday--which isn't easing anyone's concerns after his rough summer.
Tagovailoa will get a chance to turn his career around with the Falcons, but if things crash and burn, Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham will have to look at insurance. And I'm not referring to the still-rehabbing Michael Penix Jr., but more of a long-term fix to the quarterback purgatory Atlanta is in.
If Tua Tagovailoa starts all season (which feels unlikely), the Falcons will likely be really bad. Like one of the worst teams in football bad. And if that happens, they'll need to do their homework on the 2027 NFL Draft--who's quarterback class is in line to become one of the strongest in recent memory.
And these are the names the scouting department should be keeping a close eye on after the first week of the college football season.
The Atlanta Falcons need to take a close look at the QBs in the 2027 Draft
HMs: Trinidad Chambliss, Drew Mestemaker, LaNorris Sellers, Sam Leavitt
Texas QB Arch Manning
It's only right to start with perhaps the biggest name on this list. Arch Manning improved as the season progressed last season at Texas, and is back in the driver's seat to be the first QB selected in the 2027 Draft after the Longhorns made light work of Texas State on Saturday afternoon--but the real test will be on Saturday against Ohio State.
Even Arch Manning's family tree comes with NFL pedigree, and unlike the older models, the newer Manning has some mobility. Between the poise, the arm talent, and the pocket presence, the Falcons would probably have to pick first to land him, but he would be a dangerous fit in this Atlanta offense.
Oregon QB Dante Moore
The main person competing with Arch Manning to be the first QB drafted in 2027 is Oregon's Dante Moore. Contrary to popular belief, Moore didn't stay in college to avoid the Jets. He opted not to declare for the 2026 Draft because he knew his game needed more refinement at the college level.
And so far, it looks like that decision is a good one. Though the Ducks faced a scare from Boise State on Saturday, Moore still turned in a quality day, completing 28 of 37 attempts for 378 passing yards and three scores in his first game with a new offensive coordinator with Will Stein now in Lexington.
Like Arch, Dante Moore is surrounded by his fair share of talent at Oregon, but his mobility and ability to command an offense make him worth a top-five pick.
Miami QB Darian Mensah
You probably expected to hear these first two, but not this third name. After impressing at both Tulane and Duke, Darian Mensah was able to to transfer to Miami--and his draft stock is being helped by playing in Shannon Dawson's offense just like Cam Ward and Carson Beck in the years before him.
In his Hurricanes debut against Stanford, Mensah looked like the Heisman frontrunner. In a 45-6 blowout, he completed 27 of 30 pass attempts for 401 yards and five touchdowns--and he didn't even start the whole game they were up so much. That is about as perfect of a debut as you can get.
While Mensah isn't an elite runner, he's an impressive pocket passer with good size--and that ought to intrigue this coaching staff.
Notre Dame QB CJ Carr
Another player who has been starting to gain steam in the 2027 NFL Draft is Notre Dame's CJ Carr. After impressing in his first season as a starter last season, Carr was hoping to continue placing himself on the NFL radar--as right now, he's a fair amount behind the other signal-callers I named.
It wasn't the strongest showing for Carr in the 41-13 victory over Wisconsin at Lambeau Field, he completed 10-of-13 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in the second half. He was able to overcome a slow start to ignite Notre Dame's offense since he's always able to operate smoothly.
CJ Carr is a timing-and-rhythm passer who excels as a play-action passer, so he sounds like the perfect fit for this Stefanski offense.
USC QB Jayden Maiava
I was going to give Julian Sayin the last spot on this list, but nobody is bursting onto the scene more than USC's Jayden Maiava--who was one of the most efficient passers of the weekend despite losing his top two receivers-- reigning Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane--to the NFL.
In a 39-0 victory over Fresno State, Maiava completed 23 of 25 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns. While those numbers don't jump off the page, that doesn't tell the whole story. USC was up by so much that Lincoln Riley took Maiava out at the end of third quarter despite his elite day.
So if the Falcons want to land a sleeper name to be their next franchise QB, Jayden Maiava is there for the taking--and should find his way onto the Round 1 radar.
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