Mel Kiper shakes up Big Board Top 25 player rankings for 2024 NFL Draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. shook up his Big Board Top 25 player rankings for the 2024 NFL Draft now that the Senior Bowl is in the rearview mirror.

Up next is the NFL Scouting Combine, so there are sure to be more changes on the horizon. However, one thing’s for sure: the top 10 players are starting to separate themselves as the elite of the pack.

Let’s dive into the NFL Draft expert’s latest rankings!

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. Perhaps the Chicago Bears at this point?

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, if teams were so quarterback needy. 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. Jayden Daniels, QB – LSU

Daniels might have the argument to pass Drake 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. Kiper now has him in the driver’s seat as QB2.

Since the trend of a lot of these rookie quarterbacks to start right away, that might be the case for Daniels as well. It’ll remain to be seen how high he goes in the first round, but he might not last long.

4. Drake Maye, QB – North Carolina

Maye has an argument to be the second best quarterback in this draft class. At least, that’s been the general consensus all season until as of late following Daniels’ Heisman 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.

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. 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’s been a popular mock selection to the Los Angeles Chargers, which might be unfair with Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh right?

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 in a couple of months.

8. 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. Being a top 10 prospect overall is nothing to take lightly.

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.

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, but it’s pretty darn close.

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, EDGE – 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 Mel Kiper’s Big Board 2024

11. Brian Thomas Jr., WR – LSU
12. Cooper DeJean, CB – Iowa
13. Nate Wiggins, CB – Clemson
14. Terrion Arnold, CB – Alabama
15. Laiatu Latu, OLB – UCLA
16. Troy Fautanu, G – Washington
17. Quinyon Mitchell, CB – Toledo
18. Jared Verse, DE – Florida State
19. Taliese Fuaga, OT – Oregon State
20. JC Latham, OT – Alabama
21. Tyler Guyton, OT – Oklahoma
22. Keon Coleman, WR – Florida State
23. JJ McCarthy, QB – Michigan
24. Amarius Mims, OT – Georgia
25. Jordan Morgan, OT – Arizona

The countdown is on to April 25th when the NFL Draft kicks off. Another week in the books as the rankings take further shape.