Mel Kiper Jr. 2026 NFL Draft Big Board Gets Top-5 Shakeup After Dante Moore Returns to Oregon

After Dante Moore's announcement that he will be returning to Oregon for the 2026 season, ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. had no choice but to revamp his big board for this year.

Kiper released his updated player rankings for the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday with a new top five:

1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
2. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
3. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
4. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
5. David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech

A transfer from Stanford, Bailey cracked the top five thanks to his stellar senior season with the Red Raiders. He recorded 76 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a whopping 71 quarterback pressures. He had totaled 14.5 sacks in his three seasons with Stanford. He led the nation with a 20.2 percent pressure rate.

Moore was presumed to be the No. 2 quarterback in this year's class behind Mendoza, and many expected the New York Jets to be eyeing him with the No. 2 pick. Instead, he will now be a part of a loaded 2027 draft class that is expected also to include quarterback prospects like Texas' Arch Manning and Ohio State's Julian Sayin.

"With this decision, mainly all my life has just been about being as most prepared as I can for any situation I go into," Moore said of his decision on SportsCenter. "And when it comes to me making my decision, I just want to do what's best for my situation, especially as a quarterback."

The 2026 NFL draft will commence on April 23 in Pittsburgh, so it will be fun to see how the rankings change between now and then.