There is now less than a month until the 2024 NFL Draft. Yesterday on ESPN’s First Draft, Mel Kiper and Feild Yates broke down Mel’s top 25 prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft. Here we will react to Kiper’s top 25 to see who made it in and who was left out.
Mel Kiper’s Top 25
While there are 32 picks in the first round of the NFL Draft Mel Kiper gives us his top 25. This means that it is very likely that every one of these prospects will be selected in the first round. Kiper is one of the most well-known draft analysts as he was one of the first people to dive deep into the upcoming NFL draft and its prospects.
Who stands out?
Out of Mel Kiper’s top 25, I would say that the majority are consensus top picks. Players like Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr, and Jayden Daniels are all in Kiper’s top five. The further you move down the board, the more some players start to stick out. While it seems that Brian Thomas Jr is a lock to be a top 25 pick, Kiper has the LSU receiver at number 11 on his board. Thomas Jr blew up the combine but still seems to be a tier down from the top receivers. Evidentially, Kiper feels that Thomas is a lot closer to Rome Odunze than most.
Thomas is not the only receiver that sticks out on Mel Kiper’s big board. Xavier Worthy is the other receiver who stands out and makes it into Kiper’s top 25. In March, Worthy broke the record for fastest 40-yard dash when he ran a 4.21. As of right now Worthy is regarded as a fringe first-round pick with the likelihood of falling into the second. It seems that Kiper believes that Worthy is worth a mid to late first-round pick and lands at number 17 on his list.
The final player that stands out the most on Mel Kiper’s big board is TJ Tampa. Tampa is a cornerback who played his collegiate career at Iowa State. Tampa is the final player on Kiper’s list and lands at number 25. He is a physical corner who can cover while still making plays in the run game. The knock-on Tampa is that he lacks the top speed to keep up with NFL receivers. Tampa is the fifth corner on Kiper’s list and just two spots behind fellow defensive back Nate Wiggins.
Who was left out?
With only 25 players being selected for this list, it is obvious that some top prospects did not make the cut. Most of the players that were left off the list are considered to be fringe first-round picks, but some seem to be locked for first-round picks. Amarius Mims was left off the list most likely due to injury and not having much starting experience. Another player who was left off of Mel Kiper’s top 25 was Je’Zhan Newton. Newton was regarded as the top interior defensive line prospect in this year’s class but has slipped due to injury and the rise of Byron Murphy.
There are also lots of other players that Mel left off of his big board. Either way, there are only 25 players that could make the list and most of his picks seem to be consensus. If you are looking for more NFL draft content, follow me on X @ChaseGrimm28, and if you are just looking for more football in general check out more from Gridiron Heroics.