Mel Kiper's rankings for top college football players in 2024 NFL Draft

An early look at Mel Kiper's Big Board of the best college football players ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft

There is still Championship Sunday and the Super Bowl to go on the schedule before we fully turn our attention to the 2024 NFL Draft, but with the draft deadline having already passed, we're within our rights to get a look ahead to the best players departing the college football ranks and announcing their intentions to turn pro.

ESPN mock-drafter extraordinaire Mel Kiper, Jr. went about adjusting his most recent Big Board, ranking the best players regardless of position coming into the draft. There were some changes in those rankings, but some general trends continue: namely, expect plenty of offensive players to go early, as well as players from the Big Ten and SEC.

1. Caleb Williams

USC quarterback

Kiper: "Williams is a fabulous playmaker, and there are 'wow' throws all over his tape, even going back to his freshman season at Oklahoma. He's incredible at escaping the pocket and making off-platform throws, excelling when plays break down."

2. Marvin Harrison, Jr.

Ohio State wide receiver

Kiper: "Harrison has everything, from outstanding size and stellar hands to incredible body control and blazing speed."

3. Drake Maye

North Carolina quarterback

Kiper: "He looks the part of a big-time NFL signal caller. He can make every throw with ease. He's accurate on the move and can pick up first downs with his legs."

4. Jayden Daniels

LSU quarterback

Kiper: "Daniels has rare ability as a dual-threat playmaker. He can evade, elude, and blow by defenders, but he also impressed with the way he can run through contact."

5. Rome Odunze

Washington wide receiver

Kiper: "I love his combination of size and speed. He's big, and he knows how to use his body to shield defenders."

6. Malik Nabers

LSU wide receiver

Kiper: "He has good hands and showed toughness in taking a shot while hauling in a catch over the middle of the field. He tracks the ball exceptionally well. He gets easy separation on cornerbacks."

7. Joe Alt

Notre Dame offensive tackle

Kiper: "He rarely gets caught out. He mirrors well in pass protection, adjusting easily to secondary moves from edge rushers. He does a great job keeping his huge frame between the defender and his quarterback."

8. Brock Bowers

Georgia tight end

Kiper: "Though he's not huge, he's a matchup nightmare for defenses. He has great hand-eye coordination and run-after-the-catch ability, and he can stretch the field down the seams."

9. Olu Fashanu

Penn State offensive tackle

Kiper: "In any other class, he might be the easy pick as the No. 1 overall prospect. That's what kind of talent he has. Fashanu has the size, footwork, and physical traits teams want in a high-end left tackle. He moves effortlessly and with urgency, getting his hands on second-level defenders with ease."

10. Dallas Turner

Alabama outside linebacker

Kiper: "He shows flashes of stellar pass-rush moves, and he's good at shedding blocks in the run game. He always has the physical traits to chase down running backs."

You can see Kiper's full rankings here.

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