One NFL Mock Draft after another has shown that one Notre Dame player or another will go very, very high in 2027. However, the “grandaddy of them all” in the mock draft world, Mel Kiper’s mock draft, does more than project where certain players like CJ Carr and Leonard Moore are expected to go. The number of players on the list also reminds us that the Fighting Irish have no excuse if they don’t make the College Football Playoff.
The ESPN analyst currently has five Fighting Irish players listed among the Top 5 players at their respective positions. CJ Carr is the No. 4 quarterback, Anthonie Knapp is the No. 3 interior offensive lineman, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is the No. 2 inside linebacker, Leonard Moore is the No. 1 cornerback, and Brauntae Johnson is the No. 1 safety in the draft class.
With the article updated on Friday, perhaps the most surprising tidbit from that list is that Johnson is still rated as the No. 1 player at his position. He hasn’t played since the Notre Dame season opener against Wisconsin and isn’t expected back for at least a few more weeks.
Kiper is clearly preparing for Johnson to return to full health and show he’s 100% before the NFL Combine and then the 2027 NFL Draft.
CJ Carr and Leonard Moore headline Notre Dame football’s loaded 2027 NFL Draft group
Even without Johnson seeing the field for more than one half of a game so far this year, Notre Dame has four starters among the best players at their positions in college football. That kind of talent all on one roster, especially an even split between offense and defense, is the latest sign yet that the Irish aren’t just ranked in the Top 10 through smoke and mirrors or by playing a weak schedule.
There’s enough talent on Notre Dame that the loss against BYU continues to be one that isn’t acceptable, and following that, a loss to Miami would also be unacceptable, even if the Hurricanes have plenty of talent of their own.
The pressure has increased quite a bit since that loss to the Cougars. It showed in head coach Marcus Freeman’s demeanor when he met the media on Monday afternoon. Coming off a bye week, Freeman didn’t look rested and ready. He looked like someone who spent the week worrying over every little detail and trying his best to figure out what went wrong in Provo.
With Leonard Moore slotted not just into the top spot at his position, but as the No. 3 overall pick, and CJ Carr as the No. 10 pick, Notre Dame needs to start winning games against opponents that have a pulse. Of course, they first need to beat heavy underdogs like Navy this weekend.
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