Mel Kiper Jr. Oct 30, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

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Mel Kiper Jr. has served as an NFL draft analyst for ESPN since 1984. He is a regular contributor on "SportsCenter," ESPN studio shows and ESPN Radio. He is the co-host of the First Draft podcast , and he writes regularly for ESPN+.

I'm already getting excited for the 2027 NFL draft . This class could be really, really good. We have elite wide receivers, standout defenders and a bunch of excellent quarterback prospects. Roughly half the 2026 college football season is in the bank, and I'm updating my Big Board for 2027.

My normal disclaimer: This is not a mock draft. What follows isn't any form of prediction for when or where players will get picked once we hit Round 1 on April 29 in Washington D.C. Instead, this is simply my personal ranking of the best players in the class. The list below is based on my own evaluations from what I see on film and some conversations I've had around the NFL. And remember that a lot can change here.…