There are two teams that will have the opportunity to automatically select two first round picks without having to trade up. Both of those teams also have two top-five picks. The Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals have an advantage on the first night of the draft. The biggest difference between these two teams is that the Cardinals will have to wait awhile for their second first-round pick at No. 27. After the 4th overall pick, Monti Ossenfort will be playing the waiting game for his second first-round pick.
In the last ten picks at #27, there have been seven defensive player picks and it is very possible that the Cardinals will add to this seeing as how it is expected that the early first round will be dominantly offensive players.
Here are the last ten No. 27 overall picks in the NFL draft.
2023: Anton Harrison, OL - Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars seem to have found themselves a franchise player on the offensive line in Anton Harrison. Starting in all 17 games last season, Harrison showed to be a rising pass blocker for the future. While there is still improvement needed for his run-blocking abilities, Harrison is a great fit for Jacksonville's offense line.
2022: Devin Lloyd, LB - Jacksonville Jaguars
A year prior to 2023, the Jaguars selected linebacker Devin Llyod who has been a fantastic asset to the defense in Jacksonville. In his rookie season, Lloyd recorded 3 interceptions, 8 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries and 115 total tackles. Last season, Lloyd recorded 7 pass deflections and 127 total tackles. Jacksonville has so far hit on back-to-back 27th picks in the draft and will be looking for more production as time goes on.
2021: Rashod Bateman, WR - Baltimore Ravens
It has not been the best tenure with the Ravens for Rashod Bateman. In three seasons with the Ravens, Bateman has 4 receiving touchdowns and under 1,200 receiving yards. His career high in receptions is 46 which is one of the disadvantages of being in a run-first offense. The biggest reason for his low production is injury. Last season was the first season where he played a near full season.As a first-round pick, Bateman has been a disappointment and he could very well be on his way out of Baltimore in the near future.
2020: Jordyn Brooks, LB - Seattle Seahawks
As a full-time starter starting in his second season, Brooks has improved each season with back-to-back double digit solo tackles from 2021-2022. He recorded his first pick-six last season and set a career high in sacks with 4.5 as well. Brooks was a questionable draft pick at the time but has overcome doubters since getting playing time in his career.
2019: Johnathan Abram, S - Oakland Raiders
It has been a disastrous start to Johnathan Abram’s career, who since being drafted to the Raiders in 2019 has been on 3 different teams since his tenure with the Raiders. In the middle of the 2022 season, Abram was released by the Raiders. Two days later, Abram was picked up by the Green Bay Packers before being released by the Packers in the same month. Then the Seattle Seahawks would claim Abram off of waivers. Abram would finish out that season with the Seahawks and then signed with the New Orleans Saints heading into last season.
Abram missed half of the season with the Saints. He has not been a great player so far in his career and his career may end sooner rather than later if no team is willing to sign him on a cheap contract.
2018: Rashaad Penny, RB - Seattle Seahawks
In five seasons with the Seahawks, Penny was never able to establish himself as a number one option in the backfield. His career high in rushing yards is 749 yards with 6 touchdowns. In 3 of his last 4 years, Penny has not been on the field more than 5 games in a season. Last season, Penny was with the Philadelphia Eagles where he only played in 3 games.
It is safe to say that Penny has not become a player that defensive coordinators have to gameplan for.
2017: Tre’Davious White, CB - Buffalo Bills
When the Bills traded away the 10th overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs (that turned into Patrick Mahomes), the Bills traded back to No. 27 where they would choose LSU cornerback Tre’Davious White. It was the first draft pick under Sean McDermott and it helped change the culture in Buffalo. In his first four seasons, White proved himself as a shutdown corner in the Buffalo defense and earned himself a contract extension that would keep White in Buffalo for the long-term future to help the Bills win their first Super Bowl.
In 2021, things started coming down for White after he tore his ACL on Thanksgiving where he would then miss the remainder of the season and over half of the 2022 season. This past season, there were big expectations for White since he had a true full offseason and in Week 4, White suffered yet another devastating injury with a torn achilles in Week 4 which would be the last time White would be seen in a Bills uniform as he was released this past week by the Bills.
2016: Kenny Clark, DT - Green Bay Packers
If you are thinking about a player who does not get enough credit for what he has done in this league, think about Packers’ defensive tackle Kenny Clark. In 8 seasons in Green Bay, Clark has racked up 380 total tackles, 34 sacks, 10 pass deflections from the line of scrimmage and 7 forced fumbles. Green Bay’s defense is always a unit that is underrated and it all starts with Clark in the middle of the defensive line.
Clark was a great value pick for the Packers and he shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
2015: Byron Jones, CB - Dallas Cowboys
When looking at Byron Jones’ career, it was not bad but it was not anything spectacular. Jones had a great combine coming into the NFL draft but injuries slowed him down quickly in his 7 year career with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. He was a Pro Bowler in 2018 while also earning second team All-Pro status. He was great in the back-end of the secondary when it came to stopping the run but inconsistent play brought down his production as his career progressed.
Jones has been out of the league since the end of the 2021 season due to injuries taking a toll on him.
2014: Deone Bucannon, DB - Arizona Cardinals
Ten years ago, the Cardinals found themselves picking at #27 and they selected defensive back Deone Bucannon who had a promising career with the Cardinals. However, Bucannon would play in Arizona for just 5 seasons after a decline in production on his fifth-year option year with the Cardinals. Bucannon went on to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice and the New York Giants. Bucannon’s last season was in 2020-2021 where he helped the Buccaneers go on a playoff run and eventually winning the Super Bowl.