2026 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper makes sweeping changes to Big Board Top 25 player rankings

The 2025 college football season officially turns the page to November, the final month of the regular season, as it enters Week 10 this weekend. And for NFL Draft pundits like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., that means a newly-updated Big Board Top 25 ranking of college football’s top eligible prospects ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft next April.

Kiper released his latest Big Board Top 25 rankings Thursday morning, revealing his Top 25 overall prospects and Top 10 positional rankings for all 14 positions. And while he acknowledges a lot will change between now and April 23, the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft, this is how Kiper is currently ranking the best draft prospects in the 2026 class.

Kiper’s Top 4 held firm from his first Big Board rankings released after Week 7 of the college football season, with Oregon QB Dante Moore still leading the way at No. 1 overall. But ESPN’s longtime draft guru shakes things up, beginning at No. 5, where he elevated a fast-rising quarterback prospect that is climbing draft boards all across the NFL.

Check out Mel Kiper Jr.’s updated 2026 Big Board Top 25 player ranking after college football’s Week 9:

1. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

The 6-foot-3 Moore maintains a hold on Kiper’s No. 1 overall spot in his new Big Board rankings due to his overwhelming potential and elite play throughout the 2025 season. At just 20 years old, Moore ranks fifth in the Big Ten with a 71.4 completion percentage and is tied for eighth nationally with 19 touchdowns to just four interceptions.

Kiper: “Moore is a third-year sophomore with some impressive traits. His accuracy has been solid all season, and he shows good touch on his deep ball. Moore can throw from different arm angles with precision and delivers strikes while rolling either left or right out of the pocket.”

2. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

The 6-foot, 214-pound Love is a homerun threat every time he touches the ball, and currently ranks 10th nationally with 758 rushing yards and is tied for 13th nationally with nine rushing scores while averaging 6.11 yards per carry this season. Just as importantly, Love is a dynamic pass-catcher with 19 receptions for 197 yards and three receiving scores.

Kiper: “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 (35 forced missed tackles on the season). Once he gets into space, he can take it to the house with his breakaway speed, too.”

3. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Mendoza already has a legit NFL frame and has the game to match. The first-year Hoosiers starter — and former Cal transfer — leads the nation with 24 passing touchdowns to just three interceptions and ranks fifth nationally with a 72.9 completion percentage to go along with 1,923 passing yards through eight games this season.

Kiper: “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.”

4. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Kiper described the 6-foot-4, 243-pound Reese as “a big riser in this class” amid a breakout junior season in which he currently leads the Buckeyes’ FBS-best defense with 42 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries. Reese fits a similar mold to former Ohio State star James Laurinaitis, who is in his second season as the Buckeyes’ linebackers coach.

Kiper: “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 loose as a pass rusher.”

5. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (+11)

The first big change in Kiper’s Top 25 ranking comes at No. 5, where he elevated the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Simpson, who is turning heads in his first season as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback. Through eight games, Simpson leads the SEC and is tied for sixth nationally with 20 passing touchdowns to just one interception, and ranks second in the SEC with 2,184 yards on 67.8% passing.

Kiper: “His lack of experience might be a concern, as Simpson didn’t start a game until this season, but the production is hard to ignore. Simpson knows the game and competes on every down. He’s a battler who is always trying to make a play — sometimes to his detriment.”

6. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson (-1)

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Woods moves down slightly on Kiper’s new Big Board amid a disappointing junior season in the middle of Clemson’s mediocre defense. Through seven games, Woods has just 21 total tackles to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack in seven games this season.

Kiper: “Woods hasn’t been elite in 2025, but the skill set is exactly what NFL teams covet. He just needs to finish strong over the second half of the season. In the pros, Woods would fit nicely at 3-technique, though he has the versatility to move around on a defensive front.”

7. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (+1)

The 6-foot-2 Tyson is widely considered the draft’s top receiver prospect, and clearly Kiper agrees. Despite battling injuries, Tyson is currently tied for third nationally with a Big 12-leading 57 receptions to go along with 628 receiving yards and eight touchdowns through seven games this season.

Kiper: “The Colorado transfer has teamed up with quarterback Sam Leavitt to light up defenses for two seasons now. Tyson’s superpower is being open even when it looks like he’s completely blanketed. It makes him essentially uncoverable in the red zone.”

8. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (-1)

Downs has been among college football’s best overall defensive players the past three seasons, including leading Alabama with 107 total tackles as a true freshman before transferring following Nick Saban’s 2024 retirement. The 6-foot safety is the unquestioned leader of Ohio State’s top-ranked defense and ranks third on the team with 34 total tackles through seven games this season.

Kiper: “Downs — the brother of NFL wide receiver Josh Downs and the son of former NFL running back Gary Downs — is basically an extension of the defensive coordinator. His football knowledge shows in his play; it’s obvious when you watch him in the Ohio State defense.”

9. Makai Lemon, WR, USC (-3)

If Kiper likes Tyson, he really loves Lemon. Despite his 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame, Lemon has proven himself a big-time playmaker and currently ranks second nationally, averaging 108.3 receiving yards per game this season. Lemon ranks second in the Big Ten with 758 receiving yards and 48 receptions.

Kiper: “This kid is a warrior who plays with passion. I’d want Lemon on my roster. He snatches the ball away from his body in an attacking manner, then runs with a fierce approach after the catch.”

10. Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (-1)

Arguably the most imposing defensive player in college football this season, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound pass rusher has all the attributes and intangibles to be a multi-year All-Pro in the NFL. Through seven games, Bain ranks fifth on the Hurricanes roster with 28 tackles and 3.5 for loss to go along with two sacks and 32 quarterback pressures this season.

Kiper: “Bain is powerful and has really strong hands. He routinely gets the best of some very good offensive tackles, often with his dominant rip move, and he knows every trick in the book in getting home to the QB. Bain also shows speed and bend off the edge, and he takes good angles.”

Mel Kiper Jr.’s updated 2026 Big Board, Nos. 11-25

11. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (+1)
12. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah (-2)
13. David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech (+7)
14. Chris Bell, WR, Louisville (NR)
15. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (-1)
16. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (+2)
17. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee (-4)
18. Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn (-7)
19. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington (NR)
20. T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson (-5)
21. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
22. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
23. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson (-6)
24. A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon (-5)
25. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama