Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is over and several Notre Dame players have new professional homes, it's officially time to look at who might go early in the 2027 draft and just how early that will be. In a sign that the Fighting Irish really do have a ton of talent lining the roster this fall, a CBS Sports Mock Draft has no fewer than three ND stars selected in the first round next spring.
Cooper Petagna put together his latest mock draft, and he didn't go beyond the first round, but that was enough for the Irish to beat their opening-round tally from this year. When it comes to Leonard Moore, it should surprise no one that he's in the group. However, the other two names at least make things quite interesting.
Notre Dame football defense powers early 2027 NFL Draft first-round buzz
Petagna believes Moore will also give Notre Dame back-to-back years where they have Top 5 selections. He believes the talented defensive back goes to the Tennessee Titans at No. 5. As an aside, the analyst believes the Titans are at least a year away from being playoff contenders.
"Arguably the most complete prospect in the country, Moore projects as one of the safest bets in next year's class. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he offers excellent size and length, and his combination of instincts and experience puts him firmly in the mix to be the first defensive player off the board in 2027," Petagna wrote.
At No. 14 in the draft, Petagna offered a bit of a surprise as he believes Boubacar Traore will be a Washington Commander: "After a torn ACL cut his season short two years ago, Traore responded with a team-high 7.5 sacks in 2025. A smooth mover at 6-foot-5 and 250-plus pounds, he consistently plays with more power than his frame suggests. His athleticism off the edge pairs with his ability to collapse the pocket and hold up against the run, giving him a versatile, Swiss Army knife profile."
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa gives Notre Dame football another first-round defender
Finally at No. 30, Petagna believes the Buffalo Bills won't be able to pass up linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa: "An on- and off-ball presence with a highly cerebral feel, Viliamu-Asa is one of the more well-rounded players on the board. His ability to provide situational pass-rush juice only adds to his value. He's coming off a torn ACL suffered in November but appears on track to return at full strength this fall."
Perhaps more surprising than both Traore and Viliamu-Asa pegged as first-round picks is that CJ Carr is not in that first round. The analyst doesn't mention why the Notre Dame quarterback is in the first round, and Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby is safely inside that group. One has to imagine the analyst doesn't believe Carr will go pro.
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