Mike Renner· Aug 4, 2026
A CBS Sports scouting piece ranks the top 10 linebackers of the 2027 NFL Draft class, assigning early draft grades to each: Sammy Brown as the clear LB1 with a first-round grade, Atkins and Viliamu-Asa on early Day 2, and a cluster of early Day 3 grades. It also predicts Tennessee's Arion Carter will be drafted among the top 10 linebackers whenever he declares.
“The No. 1 prospect in the class I don't see changing, though, as he could play his way into a top half of Round 1 selection.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
13 checkable claims — 10 mock draft picks, 2 position order calls and 1 top player list — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
13 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Mock Draft PicksTony RojasAug 4, 2026
Tony Rojas to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)
“Early grade: Day 2 ... if he's even the same guy he was last year you can put him down safely as a Day 2 pick.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksSammy BrownAug 4, 2026
Sammy Brown to be picked “Round 1”
“Early grade: Round 1 — Brown has all the makings of a first-round linebacker”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksJordan HallAug 4, 2026
Jordan Hall to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)
“Player type: Two-down linebacker / Early grade: Early Day 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Position Order CallsSammy BrownAug 4, 2026
Sammy Brown to be 1st linebacker off the board
“The No. 1 prospect in the class I don't see changing, though, as he could play his way into a top half of Round 1 selection.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Arion Carter to be among the top 10 linebackers linebacker off the board
“I can almost guarantee that Carter is going to be drafted among the top 10 linebackers when he declares.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksJalen GrahamAug 4, 2026
Jalen Graham to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)
“Player type: Weakside linebacker / Early grade: Early Day 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksFred JohnsonAug 4, 2026
Fred Johnson to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)
“Player type: Do-it-all middle linebacker / Early grade: Early Day 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksKyngstonn Viliamu-AsaAug 4, 2026
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)
“Player type: Hybrid rusher / Early grade: Early Day 2”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksXavier AtkinsAug 4, 2026
Xavier Atkins to be picked “Early Day 2” (picks 33–67)
“Player type: Weakside linebacker / Early grade: Early Day 2”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksCade UluaveAug 4, 2026
Cade Uluave to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)
“Player type: Heat-seeking missile / Early grade: Early Day 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Top Player ListsAug 4, 2026
“Top 10 linebackers of the 2027 draft class, ranked from Sammy Brown (Clemson) through Jordan Hall (Michigan State), with Perkins noted as "No. 5 on this list".”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksWest WeeksAug 4, 2026
West Weeks to be picked “Early Day 3” (picks 101–179)
“Player type: Versatile linebacker / Early grade: Early Day 3”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Mock Draft PicksSuntarine PerkinsAug 4, 2026
Suntarine Perkins to be picked “Day 2” (picks 33–100)
“Player type: To be determined / Early grade: Day 2”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- John MiddlekauffGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Middlekauff expects blowout wins for Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami in Week 3, picks Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh in the AFC North matchup, and takes Tennessee over the Giants if Jameis Winston is taking snaps.
- Colin CowherdGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0The co-host (identified only as "Mitchell") made his own Week 3 picks, including blowout wins for Seattle and San Francisco, Cincinnati 27-17, Detroit 37-13, Denver 24-21 over the Rams, and predicted Jonah Coleman takes over the Broncos' running back role.
- Tyler SullivanScore Predictions · Tennessee TitansClose · 45Sullivan projects final scores for every Week 3 game, including a Bills blowout of the reeling Chargers, a Chiefs rout in Miami, a Seahawks win over a Mariota-led Washington, and the Saints beating the Raiders in their home opener. He also expects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart all to be sidelined in Week 3, with Marcus Mariota starting for Washington.
- Lane MillsGame Outcome Picks · Tennessee TitansMiss · 0Mills predicts the Titans finish 2026 at 6-11 (2-4 in the AFC South), missing the playoffs, with specific wins over the Jets, Giants, Browns, Jaguars, Raiders and Colts, and names Wan'Dale Robinson team MVP with another 1,000-yard, seven-touchdown season as Cam Ward's top receiver.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Fred JohnsonHit · 100In his second Eagles 53-man roster projection nine practices into training camp, Kerr names 35 roster locks and eight more players likely to make the team, plus depth-chart calls at backup quarterback, RB3, No. 3 guard and backup center.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Fred JohnsonHit · 100Kerr's updated 53-man roster projection for the Eagles after eight training camp practices, naming which players make the team at each position plus depth-chart placements like Wicks as WR2, Mundt as TE2, Kendall as third guard, Bell as third tackle, and Epps/Carter battling to start at safety.
More mock draft picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Ryan WilsonMock Draft Picks · J.J. McCarthyMiss · 37Recalling his pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes he had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given him a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands.
- Lance ZierleinMock Draft Picks · Jeremiyah LoveHit · 100Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Max IheanachorHit · 88Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Gregg RosenthalMock Draft Picks · K.C. ConcepcionClose · 68Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Keyron CrawfordHit · 81In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Carnell TateHit · 92Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day.