The way-too-early 2027 NFL draft first round mock drafts are starting to flow in, and CBS Sports has three Notre Dame players they expect to hear their names getting called early.
Cooper Petagna made their list, and he expect the Irish to see one more than what the 2026 draft’s had with two first-round selections. The highest Notre Dame player that he has going in is cornerback Leonard Moore, who is projected to be pick No. 5 to the Tennessee Titans. Petagna thinks that the star defenders “combination of instincts and experience puts him firmly in the mix to be the first defensive players off the board.”
Edge rusher Boubacar Traore is his next Irish player he thinks will get taken, as he has him at No. 14 to the Washington Commanders. Petagna sees him as a “Swiss Army knife profile,” meaning he can play both the run and rush the passer just as effectively.
The third player he sees from Notre Dame being taken is Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who is coming off an injury that ended his 2026 season early. His talent has never been a question, as Petagna sees him as “one of the more well-rounded players on the board.”
The clear omission is quarterback CJ Carr, and I’m not exactly sure why. The redshirt sophomore is coming off an impressive first season as a starter, and is draft eligible after this year. Petagna has Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby getting pick No. 8, after Texas’ Arch Manning going No. 1 and Oregon’s Dante Moore going No. 2.
I think that Carr is better than all three, and leaving him off his list is a big miss. Maybe he’s unsure if Carr will leave, but if you are a quarterback with two seasons of elite production, most likely you are gone. Moore did come back after having a great season with the Ducks, but he’s an anomaly. When we look back around this time next fall, Petagna isn’t going to be happy with the fact that he left off Carr.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: CBS Sports has 3 Notre Dame stars in ‘27 1st round but a big omission
Reporting by Michael Chen , Fighting Irish Wire / Fighting Irish Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
