Mel Kiper updates Big Board Top-25 NFL Draft player rankings after underclassmen deadline passes
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. updated his top 25 players on his Big Board ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft and there were some changes.
It’s not like Kiper changed his top player, but he shifted his top 10 rankings around a bit. Now, there’s at least a clearer picture of who is the best of the best, in terms of the next crop of NFL stars.
Let’s dive into Kiper Jr.’s top 25 players in the 2024 NFL Draft as per his latest Big Board.
1. Caleb Williams, QB – USC
This one should surprise no one if you’ve been following the draft process leading into the upcoming spring. The former Heisman Trophy winner is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, by someone.
The USC star broke out as a freshman at Oklahoma before achieving superstardom with the Trojans as a sophomore. Sure, he wasn’t as good in 2023 but myriad factors sent USC packing early this year. Williams is surely the top prospect.
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR – Ohio State
Here’s a guy who has the argument to be the top selection over Williams though. Harrison Jr. is as good of a wide receiver prospect seen in recent memory.
He has the name recognition from his Hall of Fame father, but the younger Harrison certainly carved out his own path with the Buckeyes. Instant star it seems like once he gets to the NFL.
3. Drake Maye, QB – North Carolina
Maye is definitely the second best quarterback prospect in this draft. At least, that’s been the general consensus all season.
Maye has all of the tools and the prototypical size to succeed at the NFL. It’s a question of where he will go and how early he will be selected by a quarterback-needy team.
4. Jayden Daniels, QB – LSU
Daniels might have the argument to pass Maye in this year’s draft after his Heisman campaign. The LSU quarterback always had dual threat abilities, but they were on a different level this past season.
Since the trend of a lot of these rookie quarterbacks to start right away, that might be the case for Daniels as well. But being the third quarterback in the top four players, it’ll remain to be seen how high he goes in the first round.
5. Rome Odunze, WR – Washington
Odunze is the other wide receiver people need to talk about. He was a stud at Washington, helping the Huskies get to the national title game this season.
Odunze can run the entire route tree and he’s certainly NFL-ready for whoever selects him this spring. He was Michael Penix Jr.’s favorite target after all.
6. Malik Nabers, WR – LSU
Don’t forget about Nabers, who had just as good, if not a better season catching passes. He was the main target for Daniels all year long, helping his quarterback win the Heisman.
Like Odunze, he can run the entire route tree and can really stretch the field. Depending upon your evaluation, it might be a toss up between Nabers and the others.
7. Joe Alt, OT – Notre Dame
Kiper raved about Alt when noting on a recent podcast that the tackles No. 15 ranking in his previous Big Board wasn’t entirely reflective of his stature. The new rankings make that sentiment more than clear.
Alt is expected to continue a lineage of Notre Dame linemen going to the NFL. He’s not the same level of athlete as Ole Fashanu (more on him later) and a few years older, but he’s got as strong a track record as any tackle in the draft.
8. Brock Bowers, TE – Georgia
Bowers is the top tight end in the draft class and it’s not even close. Overall, he’s one of the best players regardless of which side of the ball.
He can do it all as a pass catcher, a blocker and heck, a ball carrier. Bowers is a day one starter for whomever selects him a few months.
9. Olu Fashanu, OT – Penn State
Fashanu is big, can move and is young, all things NFL teams coveted that can’t be taught, either. However, he’s behind Alt in this set of rankings.
Fashanu was actually draft eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft, but chose to come back to school as he would’ve been just 20 at the time of the draft. A year later, he’s still an enticing NFL prospect, and he just turned 21 in early December.
10. Dallas Turner, OLB – Alabama
Turner is a demon off the edge and one of the best rushers we’ve seen in a few years. Kiper has him in the top 10 now, receiving more recognition.
He starred for Alabama and helped the Crimson Tide get back to the playoff this season. Like a lot of guys before him, he’s a day one starter and likely to be a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
Rest of the Top 25 players on Big Board per Mel Kiper Jr.
11. Brian Thomas Jr., WR – LSU
12. Cooper DeJean, CB – Iowa
13. Keon Coleman, WR – Florida State
14. Nate Wiggins, CB – Clemson
15. Troy Fautanu, G – Washington
16. Laiatu Latu, OLB – UCLA
17. Michael Penix Jr., QB – Washington
18. Jared Verse, DE – Florida State
19. Taliese Fuaga, OT – Oregon State
20. JC Latham, OT – Alabama
21. T’Vondre Sweat, DT – Texas
22. Amarius Mims, OT – Georgia
23. Tyler Guyton, OT – Oklahoma
24. Jer’Zhan Newton, DT – Illinois
25. Jordan Morgan, OT – Arizona
All of these players are most likely going to be selected in the first round, barring something unforeseen. It seems like NFL teams have a lot of talent to choose from in 2024.