With the NFL Draft just two days away, Mel Kiper Jr. has released his final "Big Board" for the top 150 players in this year's class.
Kiper has raved about Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throughout this year's draft process. That's not a huge surprise considering the Heisman Trophy winner completed 72% of his passes during the 2025 season for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions.
“Think about the biggest games, the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, the three playoff games. He had 10 touchdowns and only one pick with a 74% completion percentage. This kid is ready for the NFL because he benefitted from 35 starts,” Kiper said in January. “He’ll be 23 in October. Think about the Raiders and that division and the AFC in general with all those great quarterbacks. This is a heck of a place to start [for the Raiders]. The future with Mendoza would look bright for Raider Nation. I’d lock it in with pen, with exclamations points.”
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Kiper still has Mendoza ranked as his No. 1 overall prospect for this year's draft. Right behind him on the "Big Board" is none other than Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
"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 in the 2025 season)," Kiper wrote. "Once he gets into space, he can take it to the house with his 4.36 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 to the offense."
The rest of Kiper's top 10 is loaded with Ohio State stars, including Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese and Carnell Tate.
Mel Kiper predicts a blockbuster trade.
While nothing has been finalized yet, Kiper has the Dallas Cowboys trading both of their first-round picks to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the Nos. 6 and 39 overall picks. He then has them using that No. 6 pick on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
“Dallas wasn’t stopping anyone last season. It allowed 6.1 yards per play, second worst in the NFL. It allowed 30.1 points per game, worst in the NFL. And it was far and away the league’s least effective defense by EPA,” Kiper said. “We’ve all wondered whether the Cowboys would use both of their first-round picks on defense this month, but this trade up the board might have a greater impact, even if it means sacrificing one of those Day 1 selections. Styles is my No. 4 prospect, and he is explosive (43½-inch vertical jump), rangy (4.46 in the 40-yard dash) and productive (77 tackles last season).”
The NFL Draft will begin this Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
