🏈 Kiper's Big Board: Ranking NFL draft prospects

Coming off the College Football Playoff semifinals, I'm updating my top-25 Big Board ranking for the 2026 NFL draft class. And after quarterback Dante Moore announced he is returning to Oregon for another season, there is some movement at the top of the list. Of course, the class will still change a lot more between now and April 23 when Round 1 begins in Pittsburgh. Players will rise and fall over the coming months. This is how I see the top of the class right now, but I will keep this list updated throughout predraft events. I have scouting reports for the top 25 overall, and I have stacked the best of the best at every position at the bottom. A key note to please remember: This is not a mock draft or a prediction of where players will be drafted. These are my personal rankings focusing on talent -- the best players based on what I'm seeing and my own evaluations. Let's get started. (Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.) Jump to Kiper's positional rankings 1. Fernando Mendoza , QB, Indiana* Height: 6-5 | Weight: 225 | Prev. rank: 2 2025 stats over 15 games: 73.0% completion rate, 3,349 passing yards, 41 TD passes, 6 INTs, 6 rushing TDs Mendoza transferred to Indiana after playing two seasons at Cal, and his game has taken off. The key? He has cut down on sacks, with 22 so far this season after taking 41 in 2024. Mendoza is getting the ball out quicker. And while he doesn't have a huge arm, he can make all the necessary NFL-level throws. His ball placement is fantastic. I wouldn't consider him a dual threat, but Mendoza also has enough mobility to pick up first downs as a scrambler. 2. Jeremiyah Love , RB, Notre Dame* Height: 6-0 | Weight: 214 | Prev. rank: 3 2025 stats over 12 games: 199 carries, 1,372 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs, 27 catches, 280 receiving yards, 3 receiving TDs Love reminds me a lot of Reggie Bush. The 20-year-old has vision and burst between the tackles and to the outside, and he can break tackles with ease (60 forced missed tackles on the season). Once he gets into space, he can take it to the house with his breakaway speed too. But Love isn't only an outstanding runner. He also is a high-impact pass catcher. An NFL team will be able to flank him out wide and create a whole other dimension of the offense. 3. Arvell Reese , LB, Ohio State* Height: 6-4 | Weight: 243 | Prev. rank: 4 2025 stats over 14 games: 69 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 9 run stops, 2 pass breakups This is a complete football player. Reese jumps off the Ohio State tape, playing the game like a veteran. I see natural instincts at the linebacker position that allow him to make plays most guys just can't make, and he has the burst to get home when turned...

Preview: ~500 words