Mel Kiper shakes up Big Board Top 25 player rankings for 2025 NFL Draft after Week 10

Another week of college football is arriving and ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has released another update for his 2025 NFL Draft Big Board. And while most of the players composing the Top 25 remained static, the order did not.

One player who was unranked in the previous Big Board has jumped into this week’s top 25. This did cause some shuffling around from the ESPN analyst, even causing for somebody else to move up a spot.

See Kiper’s full Top 25 Big Board rankings below.

1. Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter

Kiper still does not have a specific position locked down on Hunter. You have to imagine the debate will go on until the team that drafts him makes a specific designation.

But Hunter is still the No. 1 overall player on the ESPN analyst’s board. High-level traits are there at both cornerback and wide receiver.

2. Michigan CB Will Johnson

Johnson has been dealing with an injury in recent weeks, not playing since the Nov. 19 battle against Illinois. The Michigan defense has certainly missed him but when thinking big future, the injury is not a huge factor.

Plenty of NFL teams will be chomping at the bit to select Johnson come April. If not for Hunter, undoubtedly the best cornerback in the 2025 class.

3. Penn State OLB Abdul Carter

A Penn State outside linebacker wearing No. 11 is going to draw quite the comparisons. Carter might wind up being picked higher than Micah Parsons was too, checking it at No. 3 overall.

The transition from off-ball to on-ball has been smooth for Carter. He has 11.5 TFLs and six sacks to his name, leading the Nittany Lions in both by a wide margin.

4. Georgia OLB Mykel Williams

Williams has been on NFL radars for quite some time now. At one point, the Georgia pass rusher was considered a favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. Not too much drop-off here, ranking fourth for Kiper.

Traits have been Williams’ biggest quality but the production has started to show too. Injuries have been part of the story but getting healthy and making a run with Georgia will certainly only improve Williams’ stock.

5. Michigan DT Mason Graham

One-half of the best defensive tackle duo in college football, Graham is viewed as the better one. NFL franchises can never get enough elite bodies through the middle and Graham projects as one.

Kiper states he would like to see Graham’s pass rush ability shine to close out the year. However, everything he does from a technical standpoint checks the boxes.

6. Texas OT Kelvin Banks

Just one offensive tackle finds itself in Kiper’s top 10, with Banks taking the honors. Banks has been a staple at left tackle for Texas since his true freshman season, being a three-year starter.

An offensive lineman from Texas has not been drafted in the first round since 2022. A long streak is expected to come to an end when Banks hears his name selected.

7. Texas A&M DE Nic Scourton

One of the best matchups of the season might be the No. 6 player for Kiper going up against No. 7. Scourton has generated buzz since arriving in College Station and has been in backfields consistently.

Texas A&M got Scourton from Purdue via the NCAA transfer portal ahead of the year. It’s potentially been the move of the offseason as Scourton works his way to becoming a staple name.

8. Georgia S Malaki Starks

Another player who has been special since his true freshman campaign, Starks is finally draft eligible. Now in the midst of his third season, consistency at the back has been huge for Georgia.

No other safety ranks inside the top 25 for Kiper, let alone top 10. Somebody from the position has not been taken inside the top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017.

9. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

For a few seasons, we saw NFL teams move away from selecting running backs with high first-round picks. But trends have changed recently and Jeanty has an opportunity to be the next.

Jeanty still has a lot of games left to play this season, a few of which could wind up on the national stage. Getting to New York City would be quite the accomplishment too and maybe bump him up a couple draft boards.

10. Georgia OLB Jalon Walker

Walker is the second Georgia pass rusher ranked inside the top 10 by Kiper. This is where the numbers really start to pop as Walker leads the team with 4.5 sacks, adding 5.5 TFLs, and forcing two fumbles.

As shown by Kiper’s rankings, quality pass rushers are valued at the top of the draft. Walker has the potential to be a special player, no matter where he winds up.

Players Nos. 11 through 25

11. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
12. Miami QB Cam Ward
13. Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan
14. Tennessee OLB James Pearce Jr.
15. Michigan DT Kenneth Grant
16. Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen (+1)
17. Oregon DT Derrick Harmon (NR)
18. Missouri WR Luther Burden
19. LSU OT Will Campbell
20. East Carolina CB Shavon Revel
21. Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery (-5)
22. Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison (-1)
23. Penn State TE Tyler Warren (-1)
24. Michigan TE Colston Loveland
25. Ohio State OT Josh Simmons (-2)

And with just around month of the college football season still to go, there’s plenty more movement to come in Kiper’s Big Board.

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report