3 Miami Hurricanes Who Could See Their 2027 NFL Draft Stock Skyrocket

CORAL GABLES, FL - APRIL 18: Miami quarterback Darian Mensah (10) runs through drills prior to the Miami Hurricanes playing their spring game on April 18, 2026, at Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Miami Hurricanes aren't short on NFL talent entering the upcoming season.

In fact, after sending nine players to the NFL in the 2026 NFL Draft, Miami has another talented group preparing to make its case to scouts.

Some Hurricanes already have plenty of attention from NFL evaluators.

Ahmad Moten, Cooper Barkate and Damon Wilson II are among the few names receiving significant recognition in the early draft process and evaluation. Moten has been viewed as one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the country, while Wilson's pass-rushing ability has already put him on the early 2027 draft radar. Barkate, meanwhile, enters Miami after a 1,106-yard season at Duke and has been seen as one of the most slept-on wide receivers in the class.

Those players could certainly improve their draft stock after this season, but this isn't about the players who already have the most buzz.

Instead, I went in the direction of a few players that aren't as high in the early mock drafts and evaluation process as they should be.

Here are three Miami Hurricanes who I believe have a chance to skyrocket their NFL Draft stock over the course of the 2026 season.

1. Darian Mensah, QB

It's difficult to call Darian Mensah an under-the-radar prospect anymore, but after reading early mock drafts, he's still undervalued.

The Miami quarterback enters 2026 as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year after receiving 97 of 185 first-place votes from ACC media members. He is also coming off a 2025 season at Duke in which he threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns.

But there's a massive difference between being viewed as a great college quarterback and becoming a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect.

That's where Mensah has an opportunity to make a major jump.

Mensah has already proven that he can produce, as he carried Duke to win the ACC Championship last season. He had Barkate with him to help him out, but the rest of the roster around him could've been better, respectfully.

Now he's walking into an offense loaded with weapons.

Malachi Toney returns after a historic freshman season. Barkate followed Mensah from Duke to Miami after catching 72 passes for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Mark Fletcher Jr. gives Miami a proven running back behind him.

The pieces are there.

Now Mensah gets to show NFL scouts that he can consistently operate an offense with championship expectations.

Scouts aren't just going to evaluate his statistics. They'll be watching his decision-making, accuracy, pocket presence, ability to read defenses, and how he performs against Miami's toughest opponents.

And there's another factor working in his favor: Miami is expected to be in the national championship conversation.

If Mensah leads Miami deep into the College Football Playoff while producing at a high level, his name could quickly move up the boards.

He's already receiving recognition as one of the nation's top quarterbacks. Mensah has already been earning recognition as a Heisman candidate for this season and will have a great opportunity to do so. That will only boost his resume for the draft, too.

What could send his stock skyrocketing?

A season somewhere around:

• 4,000+ passing yards
• 40+ total touchdowns
• High completion percentage
• A deep CFP run
• Consistent performances against elite competition

If Mensah checks those boxes, NFL scouts are going to have a lot more to talk about. Fernando Mendoza only threw for a little more than 3,500 yards and ended up winning the Heisman and being the first overall pick.

With that being said, I do understand that this draft class is immensely stronger than last year's class, which was noticeably weaker. Mensah still has a chance to be a very high first-round pick if he accomplishes those feats.

My prediction: Mensah finishes as one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in the 2027 NFL Draft class and will be a top-ten draft pick.

2. Omar Thornton, DB

This is my sleeper pick.

Omar Thornton isn't going to enter the season with the same draft hype as Mensah, Moten, or Wilson.

That's exactly why I like him for this list.

Thornton transferred to Miami from Boston College and brings legitimate experience to a Hurricanes secondary that has high expectations entering the season.

Thornton has already shown the ability to produce.

But Miami gives him something Boston College couldn't necessarily provide, which is national exposure.

One of the bigger training camp stars has been Thornton, and all of his teammates in Coral Gables have been raving about the new addition.

The new AGENT 0 Omar Thornton is making hispresence felt

He is violent, he plays with violence. He is ready to hit you. Great at man coverage, great at zone coverage. He is a DOG!"#GoCanes#ItsAllAboutTheU _ pic.twitter.com/4Jtp6cfj42

- BLEED ORANGE AND GREEN (@Brabra_Savage24) August 17, 2026

Mario Cristobal had huge praise for Thornton during training camp. He brings a physical element that's different. It's very similar to what we had a year ago in the form of Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas," he said. Really smart football player...he's been awesome, and I really can't wait to watch him play."

If Thornton becomes a consistent playmaker in Miami's defense, his draft stock could rise simply because NFL scouts will have significantly more opportunities to watch him against high-level competition.

And Miami's defensive talent could help him.

With players like Ahmad Moten and Damon Wilson creating pressure up front, opposing quarterbacks could be forced into more difficult throws.

That's where defensive backs make their money.

If Thornton can consistently demonstrate his instincts, physicality and ability to make plays on the football, he could go from a relatively overlooked player to one of the more intriguing safety prospects in the ACC.

The Hurricanes have already been praised for their defensive talent heading into 2026, and Thornton is one of the players who could benefit tremendously from playing within that group.

What could send his stock skyrocketing?

Something like:

• 60+ tackles
• Multiple interceptions
• Consistent coverage production
• Hard hits
• Strong performances against Miami's biggest opponents
• A major role in Miami's defense

If he does that, scouts are going to notice.

My prediction: Thornton becomes one of the biggest defensive surprises on Miami's roster from a national perspective and enters the 2027 NFL Draft conversation as a legitimate safety prospect.

3. Mark Fletcher Jr., RB

Now we have my guy.

Mark Fletcher Jr. is already receiving significant recognition entering the season, including a spot on the Maxwell Award watch list and preseason All-ACC First Team honors.

But I still believe his NFL Draft stock can skyrocket with another dominant season.

Fletcher is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he rushed for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns.

And then he took his game to another level during Miami's College Football Playoff run, rushing for 507 yards during the postseason.

The CFP run really boosted his stock and put him on the radar among all the NFL scouts.

That type of production is difficult for NFL scouts to ignore.

Mark Fletcher Jr. lands on the 2026 Doak Walker Award list, and we've seen his explosiveness show up on game film.

We clocked the Miami RB at 21.0 mph on a 57-yard touchdown.

Here's what 21.0 mph looks like https://t.co/xugGsTH3LYpic.twitter.com/EByXIv1xkJ

- Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) August 18, 2026

Fletcher already has the physical profile NFL teams look for.

He's a powerful runner who can handle a significant workload, and he's proven that he can be productive against high-level competition.

But this could be the season where he goes from being viewed as one of the best backs in the class to the best back in the class.

Miami's offense is one of the most talented in the country.

Defenses won't be able to simply stack the box against Fletcher with Mensah at quarterback and weapons like Toney and Barkate on the outside.

That could create some very favorable running situations.

If Fletcher can combine his physical running style with improved consistency as a receiver and continue producing explosive plays, his stock could take another major step forward.

What could send his stock skyrocketing?

Something like:

• 1,200+ rushing yards
• 15+ total touchdowns
• 5+ yards per carry
• Another strong postseason

That would give NFL scouts a complete body of work and show them that he has great back-to-back seasons for the Canes.

My prediction: Fletcher outperforms his current draft projections and will be a late first-rounder/early second-round pick.