The NFL Draft season usually starts with a whisper, but Mel Kiper Jr. just turned it into a full-blown shout. If you've been following the college football landscape this year, you know the script was basically written in stone back in September. We all thought we knew who the alpha dogs were.
Then the College Football Playoff semifinals happened.
Mel Kiper just dropped his updated mel kiper big board following those semifinals, and honestly, it’s a mess for the people who hate change. He basically took the old rankings, threw them in a blender, and hit the pulse button. The biggest headline? There is a new king at the top, and he plays for a school that usually isn't even in the conversation for the first overall pick.
The Heisman Effect: Fernando Mendoza’s Rise
It is official. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the new No. 1 on the mel kiper big board. If you told an NFL scout two years ago that a kid from Cal who transferred to Indiana would be the consensus top prospect, they would have laughed you out of the room.
But Mendoza isn't a joke anymore. He won the Heisman. He’s got the Hoosiers playing for a national title. Kiper is obsessed with his development, specifically how he "cracked the code" on avoiding mistakes. Look at the numbers: 41 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. In 2024, he was getting sacked 41 times; this year, he cut that almost in half by getting the ball out at light speed.
Kiper mentioned on Get Up recently that Mendoza has clearly separated himself. He’s 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and while he isn't a "dual threat" like some of the guys we've seen lately, he’s got that pocket presence that makes NFL GMs drool. The Raiders currently hold the No. 1 pick, and Kiper is already Pencil-ing Mendoza in as the face of that franchise.
The Dante Moore Dilemma
For the longest time, Oregon's Dante Moore was the golden boy. He was sitting at No. 1 on the mel kiper big board for months.
📖 Related: How to watch vikings game online free without the usual headache
Then things got weird.
Moore struggled in the Peach Bowl loss to Indiana. Turnovers became a massive issue, and it cost him the top spot. He’s still sitting at No. 2 overall because the "toolbox," as Kiper calls it, is just too good to ignore. He can throw from weird arm angles, he’s got great touch on the deep ball, and he’s only 20 years old.
However, there is a giant asterisk here. As of right now, Moore hasn't officially declared. There is a lot of chatter about him potentially returning to Oregon for 2026. If he does, this board is going to look completely different by February. But for now, Kiper is grading him as a pro, and he’s a blue-chip talent despite the recent slump.
Why Jeremiyah Love is the Reggie Bush of 2026
Running backs usually get pushed down the board. We know this. It’s the "positional value" argument that has dominated the NFL for a decade. But Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is forcing Kiper to break his own rules.
Love is sitting at No. 3 overall. That is insanely high for a back.
Kiper is literally comparing him to Reggie Bush. Think about that for a second. We’re talking about a kid who forced 60 missed tackles this season and averaged nearly seven yards a carry. But the reason he's this high on the mel kiper big board is the receiving. Love isn't just a guy who catches screens; you can line him up in the slot and he actually runs real routes. In an NFL that values versatility above everything else, Love is a unicorn.
👉 See also: Liechtenstein National Football Team: Why Their Struggles are Different Than You Think
The Defensive Disrupters: Reese and Bailey
You can't have a Big Board without some terrifying guys on the other side of the ball.
Arvell Reese from Ohio State is Kiper’s top-ranked defensive player at No. 4. He’s 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds. He looks like he was built in a lab to stop modern offenses. Kiper loves his "natural instincts," noting that he plays like a veteran rather than a college kid. He finished the season with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, which are solid numbers, but the tape shows he's basically the quarterback of that Buckeyes defense.
Then you have David Bailey at No. 6.
The Texas Tech linebacker is a transfer from Stanford who just exploded in Lubbock. He had 14.5 sacks this year alone. His pressure rate was over 20%, which is honestly kind of stupid when you realize how much teams were doubling him. Kiper has him as a pure "finisher," a guy who doesn't just get near the QB but actually puts them on the ground.
Mel's Top 10 at a Glance
To keep it simple, here is how the top of the board is shaking out right now:
- Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) - The Heisman winner and new favorite for No. 1 overall.
- Dante Moore (QB, Oregon) - Elite traits, but currently trending downward after the playoffs.
- Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) - A dynamic playmaker who Kiper says is "far and away" the best RB.
- Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State) - The consensus best defensive player on the board.
- Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami) - A "mauler" who allowed only one sack all season.
- David Bailey (OLB, Texas Tech) - A high-motor pass rusher with elite pressure stats.
- Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) - An extension of the coaching staff on the field.
- Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) - Versatile, physical, and a perfect modern NFL linebacker.
- Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) - The top receiver on the board in a slightly weaker WR class.
- Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon) - A matchup nightmare who just declared for the draft.
The Miami Surge
One thing that really stands out on the new mel kiper big board is how much he loves the Miami Hurricanes. They’ve got three players in the Top 25, led by offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 5.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo entender la tabla de Copa Oro y por qué los puntos no siempre cuentan la historia completa
Mauigoa is 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. He won the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy and has over 2,600 snaps under his belt. Kiper thinks he could play tackle in the NFL, but he also thinks he might be a Pro Bowl guard if a team wants to move him inside.
But don't overlook Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 14.
Kiper admits that scouts might be annoyed by Bain’s arm length, but he doesn't care. He calls Bain a "disruption" machine. He’s got these violent hands and a rip move that makes good tackles look like they’ve never played football before. The hustle is what sold Kiper—he basically said Bain never takes a single snap off.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Big Board
A lot of fans mistake the Big Board for a Mock Draft. They aren't the same thing. At all.
A Mock Draft is about where players will go based on team needs. The mel kiper big board is about who the best players are, regardless of what the Raiders or the Giants actually need. That’s why you see a running back like Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. Will he actually be drafted third? Probably not. But in Kiper’s eyes, he is the third-best football player in this entire class.
There are also some notable absences. Arch Manning is the one everyone asks about, but Kiper left him off the Top 25. Why? Because Manning hasn't shown the consistent elite production that guys like Mendoza or Moore have over a full season yet. It’s about the tape, not the last name.
Actionable Insights for Draft Fans
If you're trying to stay ahead of your dynasty league or just want to sound smart at the sports bar, here is what you should be watching over the next few weeks:
- Monitor the National Championship: Mendoza (Indiana) and Mauigoa (Miami) are going head-to-head. This is the "final exam." If Mendoza carves up that Miami defense, he locks in the No. 1 spot. If Mauigoa dominates the line of scrimmage, he could jump into the Top 3.
- Watch the Declaration Deadlines: The biggest domino is Dante Moore. If he stays at Oregon, the QB market gets very thin after Mendoza. This could cause guys like Alabama’s Ty Simpson (currently No. 16) to skyrocket.
- The "Undersized" Edge Risers: Keep an eye on Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey. The NFL is moving toward smaller, faster edge rushers. If their Combine numbers are elite, they will move even higher on Kiper's list.
- The Tight End Market: Kenyon Sadiq is the clear No. 1. If your team needs a weapon over the middle, he is the only "safe" bet in the early rounds according to the current board.
The mel kiper big board is going to change at least five more times before April. The Senior Bowl is coming up, then the Combine, and then the private workouts. But right now, the momentum is entirely with the kids from Indiana and Miami. The old guard of college football is being pushed aside for the guys who showed up when the lights were brightest in January.