Mel Kiper releases first 2024 NFL Draft Big Board Top 25 player rankings

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has released his first 2024 NFL Draft Big Board, featuring his Top 25 player rankings ahead of the college football season.

There’s no shortage of talent slated to be eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft, and it’s a certain that many NFL teams have their eyes on who they hope will be available to them when the time comes. Until then, it’s up to the athletes to work their way up draft boards, and prove to franchises they’re worth the immense investment.

Prior to his rankings, Kiper prefaced his projections by explaining his thought process, “There is a lot of projection involved here,” he wrote. “Many of these prospects have started only a handful of games, so I’m not writing up detailed scouting reports. I expect many of them to be stronger, faster and better as we get closer to the draft, so I’ll adjust my rankings as the season goes on.”

Nevertheless, Kiper’s first player rankings always provide a tremendous baseline, and many are in agreement on who the top players are slated to be eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft. Here’s who Kiper is putting at the forefront at the moment.

1) QB Caleb Williams, USC Trojans

The USC signal caller is the obvious choice for Kiper at the top spot, but he’ll be entering 2023 will unfathomable expectations. He likely could’ve been the first overall pick in the last two drafts if he was eligible, but his time will finally come in 2024.

Until then, Williams is the odds-on favorite to repeat as the Heisman winner, the Trojans have bigger aspirations than that. For their last season in the PAC-12, and Williams’ likely last season in Los Angeles, the program will be hoping to get to the College Football Playoff.

2) WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State Buckeyes

In the long line of Ohio State wide receivers, Harrison Jr. may be the most talented. When you look at some of the names, like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it doesn’t get more impressive than that.

A concussion in the College Football Playoff semifinal showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs has Harrison Jr. ready to prove what could’ve been if he didn’t get hurt. He’ll be a top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, as Kiper simply stated, “He has everything,” but until then he’ll carve up defenses for the Buckeyes.

3) OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State Nittany Lions

Instead of becoming a likely first rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft, Fashanu decided to come back for another season in Happy Valley. That’s looking like a solid decision, as the Nittany Lions are primed to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Kiper has continued to move him up his draft board, and now he’s entering the ESPN analyst’s top three. Additionally, Kiper believes the Penn State star is “still developing,” and can only get better as the season progresses.

4) QB Drake Maye, North Carolina Tar Heels

Maye bursted onto the scene last season, his first as the Tar Heels starting quarterback. Kiper believes Maye “looks the part of a big-time NFL quarterback,” and it’s easy to see why whenever you turn on North Carolina.

The biggest question mark for Kiper regarding Maye is who will be catching his passes. While he may not catch the aforementioned Williams as the top quarterback in the 2024 class, Kiper is enamored with the UNC thrower’s potential moving forward.

5) TE Brock Bowers, Georgia Bulldogs

The California kid has become arguably the best player in the SEC over his time in Athens. Bowers is simply unstoppable when the rock finds his hands, and there may not be a tougher matchup to game-plan for than the Bulldogs tight end. 

With 24 touchdowns over his first two seasons on the job, Bowers has proven without a shadow of a doubt to be one of the best players in the country. Kiper believes he’s a “matchup nightmare” for defenses, and expects more of the same in the NFL.

6) DE Jared Verse, Florida State Seminoles

There’s a ton of buzz around Florida State, and a lot of that can be traced back to Verse. He bursted onto the scene last season, shocking many as a transfer from Albany who took the ACC by storm.

With Verse leading the defense and quarterback Jordan Travis leading the offense, the sky is the limit for Mike Norvell’s team. He had nine sacks a year ago, and could explode for many more than that in 2023. Kiper believes he has all the potential in the world, “If he’s fully healthy this season, he could dominate,” wrote the ESPN analyst.

7) OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The son of Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer John Alt, it’s not rocket science to see why Joe Alt is one of Kiper’s top players. He’s the standard for a left tackle in college football, and will continue to be in 2023.

He didn’t allow a sack last season, even with some uneven quarterback play from the Fighting Irish. With Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman coming to town, he’ll have more opportunities to shine this season. Kiper is a fan of his technique and consistency, and doesn’t see him falling very far, if at all moving forward.

8) CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama Crimson Tide

After coming to Tuscaloosa with immense hype, McKinstry is making good on that. He’s not just a fan-favorite due to his nickname, but Kool-Aid’s play on the field has endeared him to Alabama faithful. 

While Kiper is impressed with the defensive back’s intangibles, “I want to see him improve his on-ball production,” wrote the ESPN analyst. If he can do that in 2023, the sky is the limit for McKinstry in the NFL.

9) OLB Chop Robinson, Penn State Nittany Lions

Robinson is one of the leaders on Penn State’s defense, a unit hoping to lead the Nittany Lions to greatness in 2023. The linebacker has gained the respect of his teammates, rivals and fans throughout his time in Happy Valley, and Kiper is taking notice.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up as the top edge rusher in the class,” wrote Kiper. High praise for Robinson, who will look to make good on that potential in 2023.

10) OT JC Latham, Alabama Crimson Tide

While Alabama has plenty of questions at quarterback, their offensive line is back to being one of the most talented units in all of college football. One of the biggest reasons why is because of Latham, who will be one of the most important players on the Crimson Tide.

Kiper believes his style will translate well to the NFL when the time comes. “Latham is a mountain of an offensive tackle who is light on his feet,” wrote Kiper, although he relented that Latham will likely be playing right tackle in the NFL.

Mel Kiper’s 2024 NFL Draft Big Board — 11-25:

11) CB Kalen King, Penn State Nittany Lions
12) OLB Dallas Turner, Alabama Crimson Tide
13) DT Leonard Taylor III, Miami Hurricanes
14) WR Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles
15) DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan Wolverines
16) DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois Fighting Illini
17) WR Malik Nabers, LSU Tigers
18) WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State Buckeyes
19) CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa Hawkeyes
20) QB Riley Leonard, Duke Blue Devils
21) QB Bo Nix, Oregon Ducks
22) OLB Laiatu Latu, UCLA Bruins
23) CB Josh Newton, TCU Horned Frogs
24) DE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State Buckeyes
25) OT Amarius Mims, Georgia Bulldogs

As you can see, the 2024 NFL Draft possesses some tremendous talent at many premium positions, and NFL teams will be salivating over their potential. It’s inevitable some names will work themselves up the board, and some talents will see their stock fall, but one thing is for sure, Mel Kiper Jr. recognizes their immense capabilities, and it’s going to be fun watching them cultivated throughout the next couple months.