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Mel Kiper Jr. Doesn’t Have Shedeur Sanders or Travis Hunter Going No. 1 in Debut Mock

Kiper has published his first mock.

Kyle Koster

University of Colorado Buffaloes football players Shedeur Sanders (L) and Travis Hunter (R) watch during the third period between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena.
University of Colorado Buffaloes football players Shedeur Sanders (L) and Travis Hunter (R) watch during the third period between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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As the NFL draft has become a year-long spoke on the ol' content wheel, audiences have learned that the top of the board is always an evolving process filled with intrigue. This year has the added bonus of having two players coached by Deion Sanders, including his son, with the talent and potential to belong in any conversation about who belongs at No. 1. Mel Kiper Jr. has hit the white smoke and broke the seal on his mock drafts and his first attempt to figure out which name will be called first by Roger Goodell has him landing on a somewhat surprising answer.

Kiper right now foresees the Tennessee Titans selecting quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 on the strength of a tremendous 2024 campaign with the Miami Hurricanes.

I was a fan of Will Levis when the Titans took him early on Day 2 in 2023, and there's still a chance he puts it all together. But he hasn't played nearly well enough to keep the job in Tennessee. The Titans had the NFL's second-worst QBR (37.3) and interception total (21) this season as they bounced between Levis and Mason Rudolph.

I'm sure new general manager Mike Borgonzi will listen to trade offers here, but his real decision should come down to Ward vs. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. I actually have Sanders ranked one spot ahead of Ward on my Big Board (No. 4 overall). Ward has the early top-pick buzz around the league, though, so that's where I'm leaning for now. He extends plays with his creativity, mobility and strong arm. Ward led the nation with 39 touchdown passes this season, and he'd help put the Titans back on track.

Kiper then has Hunter going No. 2 to the Browns and Sanders going No. 3 to the Giants.

There's so much game remaining in the mock-drafting world. Stocks will rise and fall and rise again based on whom the mock drafter spoke to last. Trades are very much in play and the allure of getting a franchise-changing player will only get stronger during the dog days of winter. But this is where we're starting.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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