Mel Kiper Jr., Football analyst 4y

Kiper's 2020 NFL draft rankings: Top 25 prospects Big Board and best 10 at every position

NFL, NFL Draft, College Football

With the debut of my Mock Draft 1.0 for the 2020 NFL draft, it's time to update my rankings. Below, I have a new Big Board -- my top 25 prospects overall as it stands right now -- plus my list of the top 10 prospects at every position.

It's still early, of course, and NFL teams just got the full list of underclassmen entering the draft, which means this pool for the class is now set. And, as we creep closer to the start of Round 1 in April, the top 30 picks also have been finalized, with only Super Bowl LIV up in the air for the final two spots of the first round.

Keep in mind that the NFL combine, which starts next month, is an important evaluation tool for teams, which means these rankings could change a lot by March. Let's dig into the Big Board:

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Position rankings

1. Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

HT: 6-foot-5 | WT: 265 | Previously: 1

Young, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, is a dominant pass-rusher whose 16.5 sacks broke the Buckeyes' single-season record. He had a phenomenal season and is the clear top prospect in the class. Now, does that mean he'll go No. 1? No, because we know how much teams value quarterbacks, and LSU's Joe Burrow is the favorite to go to the Bengals. The NFL loves twitchy edge rushers who can get after quarterbacks, though, and that's Young. He caught my eye as a true freshman in 2017, and he really came on in 2018, picking up the production with Nick Bosa sidelined; Young finished with 9.5 sacks and 14.5 total tackles for loss that season.


2. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

HT: 6-foot-3 | WT: 215 | Previously: 2

Burrow's final line in his Heisman-winning season: 60 touchdown passes with just six interceptions while completing 76.3% of his passes. Those are unreal numbers. Oh, and he led 15-0 LSU to a national title. I don't think there's any doubt now that Burrow has cemented his spot as the top quarterback in this draft. His improvement was been one of the greatest stories of the season after he started 2019 as a fringe NFL prospect. With a great release, much better accuracy at all levels of the field and enough athleticism to maneuver the pocket to evade rushers, Burrow reminds me of Tony Romo. Coaches rave about his leadership and toughness too. The Ohio native should look good in orange and black.

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