Feels crazy to say we are about a week away from College Football Week 0 games. With that said, the summer scouting period is over for the 2027 NFL Draft. The 20227 class as a whole has been hyped to the extreme, and while the top players deserve it, some don’t get the attention they deserve.

There isn’t a real “consensus” board at the moment, so everyone sees this class differently. Throughout summer scouting, it’s been fun to build one on my own, and I’ll have a top 50 board out sometime next week before the games begin.

After watching over 120 players this summer, it was hard to make a list of “my guys.” This class is loaded with talent, but these 10 players are who I’m willing to bet on during the 2026 college football season.

Demond Williams – Washington

Watching Demond Williams over this summer was just pure fun. Williams has an adequate arm, operates well in chaos, and has the speed of a running back. There are countless plays where he somehow gets out of pressure and starts to scramble, causing headaches for opposing defenses. Not only that, he makes off-platform throws, making it even harder to contain him outside the pocket.

The one limiting factor for Williams is his 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame. He’s probably closer to 5-foot-10, but his ability to truly operate as a pocket passer can improve. There were times when he was behind on making the right read, or he started to scramble too early. But then he’ll make a play avoiding two rushers, squaring up his shoulder and throwing a dime downfield.

Reality is, NFL teams will be wary of his size, and that’s his main limiting factor. Selfishly, I hope he succeeds and shows he can be a difference-maker against the top teams in his conference. The talent is there; it’s just about being more consistent and a more complete quarterback.

Hollywood Smothers – Texas

In 2025, I covered NC State for a brief stint. Watching the film back, those games were a joy to watch, and it was because of Hollywood Smothers.

Elusive.

That’s the best way to describe his game. When he gets that sliver of space, he may not have the top-end speed. But he has the vision and lateral agility to make defenders miss and had zero fumbles in 2025. He can also be used as a receiver.

I am worried about his vision between the tackles and the ability to fight through contact, but there’s a lot to love within his game.

Smothers transferred to Texas this offseason and will share a backfield with Raleek Brown. It’ll be exciting to see how Steve Sarkisian uses the pair.

Brody Foley – Louisville

Standing at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, Brody Foley has the size to thrive in the NFL. Foley was with Tulsa last season and had 533 yards with 13 contested catches. Ball tracking was the biggest trait that stood out, and his play in the back corner of the end zone against Temple was just fantastic.

Foley transferred to Louisville this season and returned to the Power 4 after originally committing to Indiana out of high school. He isn’t the most athletic player, but his physicality is what sets him apart. Tulsa used Foley as a goal-line back, trusting him to find gaps and use his size to get rushing touchdowns in the red zone, and it worked. It’ll be exciting to see if Foley can keep up his production and playmaking ability at Louisville this season.

Evan Tengesdahl – Cincinnati

It’s a weaker interior offensive line class, and quite frankly, many of the prospects were underwhelming. A couple showed flashes of greatness, and Evan Tengesdahl is one of them. He’s 6-foot-3 and 323 pounds and gave up zero sacks last season for Cincinnati.

Tengesdahl is at his best in the run game; it’s special to watch. For someone at 323 pounds, his range is just freakish. And he can operate in a zone or gap scheme, giving him scheme flexibility. Pass pro is there as well, with his good hands and strength, so he doesn’t get driven back easily. He has the range, but his overall speed can improve, and he needs to improve his pad height.

With a weaker interior offensive line class, Tengesdahl has a chance to skyrocket himself into the top of NFL scouting boards.

Will Heldt – Clemson

Clemson is looking for a bounce-back year in the ACC, and Will Heldt is an important piece of that puzzle. He’s 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, packing real NFL size and strength. At times last season, he looked better than TJ Parker, who was a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Heldt has all the answers to the test. He’s a smart edge rusher and can do just about anything. Win with his hands? Done. Bend around the edge? He can do it.

One of my favorite reps with Heldt was against South Carolina and LaNorris Sellers. Heldt rushed up the field, and Sellers tried to step up in the pocket, and Heldt spun right back into Sellers. Just shows the type of IQ Heldt always has on the field, making him one of my favorites in this class.

One aspect of his game I do worry about is the type of athlete he can be; he’ll have to show more flexibility and speed to be a top edge rusher in this next class.

Mateen Ibirogba – Texas Tech

Mateen Ibirgoba was the No. 1 interior defensive line transfer in the portal this past offseason. Ibirgoba was originally a zero-star recruit who played two seasons at Georgetown before transferring to Wake Forest. He spent two seasons at Wake Forest, starting 12 games in 2025. What he showed on tape is intriguing. The athleticism is all there. Get-off is fast, speed-to-close on quarterbacks, and he can line up anywhere along the line.

For Ibirgoba, the main thing for him is playing under control. He struggled to keep himself in plays at times, playing too upright and moving erratically. With Texas Tech having a good coaching staff, Ibirgoba is someone I’m willing to bet on for this season.

Ray Coney – Texas A&M

I should’ve put Ray Coney at the top of the list cause he’s easily my “top guy” in this class. The burst and size are just scary to watch on tape. Coney spent his 2025 season at Tulsa, starting 12 games and leading the team with 129 tackles. He made First-Team All-Conference and was a team captain, which caught Texas A&M’s eye.

Coney can blitz, play the run, and drop back into pass coverage, all while being 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. I cannot wait to see what Coney will do in Mike Elko’s defense, especially given the amount of talent it lost this past season. The Aggies completely rebuilt this defense and will need players like Coney to make a big impact.

Zach Lutmer – Iowa

Versatility is the name of the game for defensive backs nowadays, and Zach Lutmer can do just about anything in the backend. He’s 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds and played in the boundary, slot, and at safety for Iowa last season. Lutmer has a strong burst, allowing him to chase plays all over the field and track ball carriers to make plays in the run game. As a result, his eyes are very active, and he can read quarterbacks well in zone coverage.

One thing Lutmer needs to improve is his hip mobility and hand use. Will be too stagnant off the line at times and relies on his hands to recover. Still, Lutmer is one prospect I think can explode this season for Iowa, especially after being named Second-Team All-Big Ten last season.

Omarion Miller – Arizona State

We just saw Arizona State send a receiver to the NFL in Jordyn Tyson. Yes, injuries are already impacting his career, but there’s no doubt the type of talent he is. Omarion Miller saw that and decided it was time to make the transfer to the desert from cold Colorado.

Miller is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, with excellent downfield speed to hurt defenses. He’s best at tracking the ball over his shoulder, making catches down the sideline. His speed is scary, and he has the versatility to line up in the slot or the outside. Miller had 45 receptions last season, a number I expect to increase with Arizona State.

The bonus of Miller going to Arizona State is that Hines Ward will be coaching him.

Ty Benefield – LSU

I wrote about him this week in the top-five safety article. But my lord, is Ty Benefield a rocket. No matter the play, he’s coming downhill looking for someone to tackle. That’s a strength and a weakness. He’ll take himself out of plays at times because he’s so keen on coming downhill to make a play on the ball. There’s a rep against Air Force where he comes downhill and absolutely levels a lead blocker, showing the type of power he has.

Benefield is 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds and played at Boise State last seasOn. There, he was first-team All-Mountain West, and he led the team in tackles. He thrives more as a box safety and showed the ability to match up with tight ends. The bigger spotlight at LSU should put him on more radars as the season progresses.