You know how it goes. Every year, around late January or February, we start obsessing over hair. Specifically, Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair. But once you get past the legendary coif, you’re looking at the guy who basically invented the draft industry. Now that we’re deep into the 2025 cycle, everyone is scrambling to see how his board has shifted after the dust settled on the college football season.
Honestly, the Mel Kiper mock draft 2025 projections have been a wild ride this year. Earlier in the process, we were all looking at a fairly static top five. Then the Heisman happened. Then the transfer portal chaos of last winter started to actually show its results on the field. If you’ve been following along on ESPN+, you’ve seen the names shifting like tectonic plates.
The Quarterback Conundrum: Ward vs. Sanders
It’s always about the QBs. Always.
For a long time, the debate was centered on whether the Tennessee Titans would actually pull the trigger on a signal-caller. In his latest updates, Kiper hasn’t blinked. He’s had Cam Ward from Miami as a cornerstone of the top five for months. Why? Because Ward’s tape at Miami was just different. He set school records, led the top-scoring offense in the country, and showed that "it" factor that scouts lose sleep over.
Then there’s the Shedeur Sanders of it all.
Kiper has been much higher on Shedeur than some of the "anonymous scouts" you see quoted in those mid-week blurbs. He’s consistently pegged Sanders as a top-10 lock, often landing him with the New York Giants. The logic is simple: the Giants need a reset, and Sanders finished his 2024 season completing 74% of his passes. You can't ignore that kind of accuracy, even if people want to talk about the "Coach Prime" circus. Kiper’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft essentially says, "Ignore the noise, look at the completion percentage."
The Two-Way Superstar No One Can Rank
Where do you even put Travis Hunter?
📖 Related: Darnell Mooney Fantasy Football: Why Most People Are Still Chasing 2024
Kiper has struggled with this—not because he doesn't like Hunter, but because he likes him too much at two different spots. On his most recent Big Board, Hunter is sitting at No. 1. Most mocks have him going to the Cleveland Browns at No. 2. Kiper thinks he’s an impact player from day one, likely more as a wide receiver in the NFL, though his cornerback instincts are clearly elite. It’s rare to see Kiper get this excited about a non-QB, but Hunter is a "unicorn" in every sense of the word.
Defensive Anchors and the Rise of the Trench Players
If you aren't picking a quarterback, you’re probably looking at the defensive line. That’s the Kiper way.
He has been beating the drum for Abdul Carter out of Penn State since last summer. He sees a lot of Micah Parsons in Carter—that twitchy, violent pass-rushing style that makes offensive tackles look like they’re moving in slow motion. In many of the Mel Kiper mock draft 2025 iterations, Carter doesn't slide past the New England Patriots or the Giants.
Then you have Mason Graham from Michigan.
Graham is a Kiper favorite because he’s "boring" in the best way. He’s an elite run-stuffer who can also collapse a pocket. Kiper has basically married Graham to the Jacksonville Jaguars in every mock draft he's released. The Jags were abysmal in yards allowed per play last year, and Graham is the "safe" pick that helps a defense stop bleeding points immediately.
Surprising Risers in the Latest Board
Every year there's a guy who "vaults" up the boards after the Senior Bowl and Combine. This year? It’s Armand Membou from Missouri and Ashton Jeanty from Boise State.
Kiper usually hates taking running backs in the first round. He thinks the value just isn't there. But Jeanty? Jeanty broke the system. With over 2,600 rushing yards last season and a carry-the-team-on-his-back mentality that got Boise State into the CFP, Kiper has him as a top-10 lock, often mocked to the Raiders. It’s a pick that Pete Carroll, now in the Raiders' orbit, would absolutely love.
Membou is the other one.
He was a "fringe" first-rounder for a while, but his athletic testing was off the charts. Kiper moved him into the top 10 for the New York Jets, reasoning that you have to protect whoever is under center, and Membou has the versatility to play tackle or guard.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Mocks
People get mad at Kiper. They say he’s "out of touch" or "just a mouthpiece for agents."
That’s mostly nonsense.
The thing about a Mel Kiper mock draft 2025 is that it isn’t necessarily what Mel would do if he were the GM. It’s what he’s hearing from his contacts around the league. When he puts a guy like Tyler Warren (Penn State TE) in the top 15, it’s because NFL teams are telling him they value that "matchup nightmare" profile more than a traditional WR2.
Also, look at the safety position. Malaki Starks from Georgia and Nick Emmanwori from South Carolina are high on his board, even though safeties usually slide. Kiper is signaling that this is a "weak" draft at certain premium spots, making the elite "non-premium" players much more valuable.
Actionable Draft Insights for Fans
If you’re trying to use Kiper’s board to win your local draft pool or just sound smarter at the bar, here’s how to read between the lines:
- Watch the "Run" on Tackles: Kiper has emphasized that after Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas), there is a massive drop-off. If your team needs a blindside protector and doesn't get one in the top 12, they're probably reaching.
- The Second-Tier QB Trap: Kiper is cautious about guys like Jaxson Dart or Quinn Ewers. He has them as late-first or early-second-rounders. If you see a team take them in the top 15, that’s a "panic" move, not a "value" move.
- Edge Rusher Scarcity: Beyond Abdul Carter and Jalon Walker, the "Elite" edge class is thin. Kiper has pointed out that the 2025 class is much stronger on the interior (DT) than the outside.
- Don't Ignore the Tight Ends: This is a "heavy" TE year. Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren are legitimate blue-chip prospects. In a world where Travis Kelce and George Kittle change games, Kiper expects these guys to go earlier than the "consensus" mock drafts suggest.
Keep an eye on the official ESPN "Big Board" updates as we head toward April. The players don't change much, but the rankings do as teams finish their medical checks and character evaluations. If a guy suddenly drops 10 spots on Mel's list without an injury, it usually means something came up in the "background" check that the public hasn't heard yet.
Pay attention to those subtle shifts. They’re usually the most accurate part of the whole process.
Next Steps for You: Check your team's current draft position and compare it to the "Best Player Available" on Kiper's Top 25. If there's a gap between their need and his ranking, start looking at potential trade-back scenarios—Mel is already predicting a high-volume trade year for 2025.