Mel Kiper's 2025 NFL Draft Big Board and Examining Final Rankings Before Round 1

Mock draft season is in the books. The 2025 NFL draft is finally here.

Round one kicks off Thursday night, when franchises and fanbases will hope to align themselves with fortune-changing superstars. Some will find building blocks, some will go bust and most will land somewhere in between.

Before the festivities get going, though, draft experts have put together their final thoughts on this class. And that obviously includes ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., a pioneering force in the industry.

We're breaking down Kiper's final big board here by highlighting key prospects and impact positions.

The Top 10

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File

Let's start with the stars, shall we?

1. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
2. Abdul Carter, OLB, Penn State
3. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
4. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
5. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
6. Cam Ward, QB, Miami
7. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
8. Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
9. Will Campbell, OT, LSU
10. Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

Kiper noted that Hunter went "wire to wire at the top of the list" and declared the reigning Heisman Trophy winner "special." Kiper credited the two-way star for having "a great feel for the game on offense and defense" and liked his chances to "make an impact both ways."

As for Jeanty, the Heisman runner-up, Kiper cited his "excellent balance and toughness, which help him skirt past the first line of defense and through traffic." Kiper also cautioned to not "sleep on his receiving skills," which the analyst believes could Jeanty to become "a true all-purpose back in the NFL."

If there's an eye-opener in this group, it's having Sanders over Ward. While this is a big board, it still feels noteworthy that Ward is almost always the first pick on any mock you'll find, including the latest from the B/R NFL Scouting Department. Sanders' draft stock, meanwhile, tends to be all over the place.

Still, Kiper wrote that "you won't find a tougher or more resilient quarterback prospect than Sanders," adding, "I'm always impressed watching him throw on the move." With Ward, Kiper wrote, "I like his toughness, swagger and confidence" and also credited him for throwing "with accuracy and velocity from different arm angles."

The Quarterbacks

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Given the importance of this position and the mystery box nature of this quarterback class, let's see how Kiper, who had 150 total prospects on his final big board, ranked his top 10 signal-callers.

1. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (Fifth overall)
2. Cam Ward, Miami (Sixth)
3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (28th)
4. Tyler Shough, Louisville (46th)
5. Jalen Milroe, Alabama (64th)
6. Kyle McCord, Syracuse (120th)
7. Will Howard, Ohio State (130th)
8. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (unranked)
9. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
10. Quinn Ewers, Texas

While the Ward-vs.-Sanders debate feels settled for now—it would be shocking to see the Tennessee Titans do anything with the No. 1 pick other than invest it in Ward—it will be a fun one to follow over the course of their careers. Both are electric talents with some question marks. There are myriad ways in which their NFL existences could play out.

Moving past the top two, Dart is, rankings-wise, the only other quarterback in the first round discussion for Kiper. While the analyst only provided scouting reports on his top 25 prospects, he previously wrote that Dart "can hit receivers' strike zones on a rope, and his ability to throw on the run is fun to watch."

For comparison's sake, the final big board from the B/R NFL Scouting Department had the same prospects in the top three, although with Ward over Sanders. However, while Kiper slotted Shough fourth at the position and 46th overall, the B/R scouting team put him seventh among quarterbacks and 113th overall.

The Pass-Catchers

AP Photo/Barry Reeger

Since this isn't the greatest quarterback class by any stretch, front offices might instead focus on finding players who can impact that position. Few players have a more direct effect on quarterbacks than the ones on the receiving ends of their passes, so let's see how Kiper stacked up his top five prospects at both wide receiver and tight end.

Wide Receiver

1. Travis Hunter, Colorado (first overall)
2. Matthew Golden, Texas (16th)
3. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona (19th)
4. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (31st)
5. Luther Burden III, Missouri (36th)

While Kiper touched on Hunter's two-way ability, he also said this ranking was for Hunter as a receiver. In that role, Kiper praised Hunter's "tremendous hand-eye coordination and elite ball skills" while also writing "his physical traits and quickness are off the charts."

Kiper called Golden "a terrific route runner who is smooth getting in and out of his breaks" but also touched on his big-play ability. "With his 4.29 speed, he can beat just about anyone in a foot race."

Tight End

1. Tyler Warren, Penn State (seventh)
2. Colston Loveland, Michigan (12th)
3. Elijah Arroyo, Miami (37th)
4. Mason Taylor, LSU (41st)
5. Terrance Ferguson, Oregon (80th)

Warren is, in Kiper's words, "super versatile." Kiper touched on Warren's ability to line up almost anywhere and also noted, "he's a reliable pass-catcher, and once the ball is in his hands, he can break free."

As for Loveland, Kiper said he'll be a fit for anyone "looking for a tight end who can consistently stretch the deep middle part of the field." Kiper went on to call Loveland "a difficult matchup for defenses" and noted he "averaged nearly nine targets per game."