This is a look at how I rank the top 50 players in this draft. The rankings may not be in line with my most recent mock drafts. However, unlike other years, I have appropriated modern-day positional value on players into my rankings. In years past, this big board would be independent of positional value. For example, if a running back was eighth on my big board, I kept them eighth. I did not adjust for the fact that the running back position is being marginalized. That portion of my system has changed. These rankings now take positional value into account. I have also added where my first-round grades end, so you better understand how many true top prospects exist in this draft.

1) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Ohio State

They just don’t make ‘em like Masarai Marv anymore. He’s 6’3 with elite quickness against press coverage, he makes plays on 50/50 balls, and he’s a very fluid route runner. Harrison Jr understands how to set up corners and separate with footwork and his size at the top of the stem. He also has terrific YAC ability. There is a reason Harrison Jr is being talked about the way he is. 

2) Jayden Daniels, QB LSU

People may be sleeping on Daniels when it comes to the conversation of the top quarterback in this draft. Of the big three, he has the best mechanics when throwing the football. On top of that, he makes elite plays with his legs. What is most impressive about Daniels is his anticipation for his receivers out of their break when throwing the ball. It led to one of the most impressive statistical seasons ever last year at LSU. All three of the QBs are terrific, but if I am being nit-picky, I think Daniels is the best of them all. 

3) Rome Odunze, WR Washington

Odunze is an elite 50/50 player. He makes plays down the field with athleticism and he has the ability to high-point the ball extremely well. What is most impressive about Odunze is his knowledge of the game. It shows in his routes when he sets up defenders with footwork and fakes, and it shows when he flashes his hands late to the ball so the defenders can’t read the throw. In any other year, Odunze would be the top wideout taken.

4) Malik Nabers, WR LSU

In any other year, Malik Nabers could be the top wide receiver as well. The YAC king of this draft, Nabers is phenomenal with the ball in his hands. He can take the top off of the defense as well, but it’s his ability to beat multiple types of coverage that have some thinking he’s the real top receiver in this draft.

5) Drake Maye, QB North Carolina

It is true that Maye had struggles during his time at North Carolina. However, when you turn on the tape, your concerns go away. Maye showed the ability to slide in the pocket and create plays outside of the pocket. He has phenomenal arm talent and one of the best deep balls of any prospect in recent memory. Maye also displays good touch on his throws, and he understands when to take something off of his throws. Overall, Maye’s final year at UNC was very reminiscent of Justin Herbert’s final year at Oregon; the team may have underwhelmed, but the prospect is still elite.

6) Caleb Williams, QB USC

I do recognize Caleb’s upside, and if this Big Board was about who could be the biggest star in the right situation, Williams would probably be first. He’s an elite improviser outside of the pocket and he makes throws that others simply cannot make. My concern with playing him right away would be his hesitancy to come off of his first read or take the check down. He is so talented that sometimes he thinks he can make the impossible play, and it hurts him. If he were to start right away, he would probably still be a very good player. However, if he sits, like Patrick Mahomes did, he could be phenomenal.

7) Olu Fashanu, OT Penn State

Fashanu leads one of the best offensive line classes in a very long time. He is elite in pass protection. He understands how to gain leverage quickly against edge rushers, and his footwork in his vertical set is terrific. Fashanu’s collegiate resume is insane. In his final two years as a starter at Penn State he did not allow a sack! As a draft community, we tend to overthink things during draft season. Fashanu should not be one of those things.

8) Joe Alt, OT Notre Dame

Much like Fashanu, Joe Alt does not need overthinking. He possesses more power in his strikes than Fashanu does, which makes him more effective in the running game. It is also because of this power that he is able to translate to the right side if necessary. Alt is also a terrific pass protector in his own right; he allowed just 11 pressures and one sack after his freshman year at Notre Dame. He’s light on his feet, he can re-anchor, and he also has a great kickslide like Fashanu. Alt is a can’t miss tackle prospect.

9) Troy Fautanu, OL Washington

The reason Fautanu is higher on my board than others may have him is his versatility. Fautanu walls off edge rushers well because he has top-tier athleticism. However, he could also excel as a guard at the next level. Fautanu’s measurables are a little undersized for a left tackle, which was the case for Zack Martin back in the day. Instead of being a quality tackle, the Cowboys moved him to guard, where Martin became an all-pro. Fautanu can make a similar transition because of his intelligence and ability to gain leverage with quality strikes.

10) Taliese Fuaga, OT Oregon State

The elite power tackle in this draft is Taliese Fuaga. I am not as sold on his ability to transition to left tackle as the rest of the draft community is, but you cannot question the talent. He mauls opponents in the running game, driving back defenders instead of walling them off. In pass protection, he is at his best when he can get his hands on defenders quickly because he has elite grip strength. His long arms make him tough to get around if you are an opposing edge rusher. I think Fuaga is an elite right tackle, and I would not mess with that.

11) Brian Thomas Jr., WR LSU

In a normal year, Brian Thomas Jr would garner a lot of headlines. He runs very fluid routes, his release is sudden and he separates great at the top of the route. Thomas can take the top off of the defense as well, which is very important in today’s NFL. He also has a nose for the end zone; Thomas scored 17 touchdowns in his final season at LSU. There are a lot of years where Thomas would be a top 10 lock because he was the top receiver on the board.

12) Adonai Mitchell, WR Texas

Mitchell tested really well at the Combine, confirming that he has home-run ability to go with elite 50/50 skills. He’s a red zone threat because of those 50/50 skills and because he is incredibly tough to knock off of the catch point. Mitchell has size, speed, and he’s a much better route runner for a player with size than he is given credit for. I think Mitchell is a really good boundary receiver at the next level with the potential of being a true number one receiver.

13) Brock Bowers, TE Georgia

Bowers is an elite tight-end prospect. He’s competitive as a blocker, which allows him to line up in-line on passing downs. Bowers can hurt you from all over the field because he understands how to use his size and athleticism in his routes. I think if he had a bigger frame, I would have him higher on my list; he’s a little undersized. However, Bowers can do-it-all, which makes him very worthy of a high selection despite the fact that he is at a non-premium position.

14) Terrion Arnold, CB Alabama

The number one defensive player on my board is Terrion Arnold. He is a complete corner; Arnold has great footwork in off-coverage, he flips his hips effortlessly in coverage, and he has great ball skills. Arnold had five interceptions and 17 passes defended in 2023, which are both massive numbers. Arnold is also a smooth tackler. He has the goods to be an all-pro.

15) Quinyon Mitchell, CB Toledo

Quinyon Mitchell is the player I was most surprised by during this draft season. His footwork in and out of his backpedal is really good, but I was most impressed by his ability to be sticky in tight coverage. His hips flip effortlessly, and he has great ball skills. He proved his athleticism at the combine in Indianapolis with his straight-line speed. Mitchell has the upside of an all-pro corner at the next level.

16) Chop Robinson, EDGE Penn State

The biggest winner of the combine, in my eyes, was Chop Robinson. He showed elite athleticism during the athletic testing and on-field drills. The tape shows you a player with elite potential. His move-set is a little unpolished, but he has the ability to dip-and-bend off the edge. Robinson shows the ability to long-arm opposing linemen as well, and he can rush from the interior. What he showed at the combine was a talent that is truly untapped, and if given to the right team, Robinson can be the star of the draft.

17) Zak Zinter, IOL Michigan*

Zinter would have been a Top 40 lock if he had not broken his leg at the tail end of the season. He’s a complete player; Zinter’s footwork and intelligence make him effective in the run and pass game. The question for his draft stock will be how his medical checks out, and that’s why there is an asterisk next to his name. If he has the all clear, I think Zinter’s ability to re-anchor and lead the way in the running game make him well worthy of an early selection.

18) Amarius Mims, OT Georgia

I have mentioned in my mocks that Mims is not the player I usually like. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and Mims is the exception. Even though his tape is limited, Mims has amazing length for the tackle position. He walls off power rushers because he possesses tremendous power in his lower body and his hands. As his footwork continues to improve (because he is a great athlete with really good lower-body flexibility), he can eventually make the transition to left tackle. For now, he can start on the right side for any team.

19) Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL Oregon

Last year Joe Tippmann was someone higher on my personal board than others because he was a complete center that could also play guard. This year, that player is Jackson Powers-Johnson. He plays with balance and poise, and his ability to keep his weight when power rushers attack him allows him to re-direct opposing rushers. Anyone who plays multiple spots along the offensive line will always be higher on my board than the media’s. For me, that shows NFL level intelligence, which you cannot teach, despite the fact that teams try to.

20) Laiatu Latu, EDGE UCLA

Latu is the technician of the edge rusher class. He understands how to set up tackles that are expecting a particular move, and he has the ability to counter that. Whether it’s ripping inside, dipping on the outside, or just using his hands to gain leverage, Latu really does have all the moves. The biggest question mark is his medical issues. He was medically retired due to a neck injury, and returned to the game after neck fusion surgery. How teams will feel about that is a question. The tape, however, is unequivocally a first-round player.

21) Byron Murphy II, IDL Texas

This draft class has a few elite athletes along the interior of the defensive line. The headliner of those is Byron Murphy. His get-off is tremendous, and he has an uncanny ability to push/pull against players with more size because Murphy understands leverage and possesses a lot of power. Even against the run, Murphy is able to stack and shed despite being undersized. Do not be surprised if Murphy is the best defensive player in this draft class when it is all said and done.

22) Graham Barton, IOL Duke

By now, you should be very familiar with how I value offensive linemen; intelligence, footwork, and flexibility to play multiple positions. Barton checks all these boxes. He moved from Center to Left Tackle while at Duke, and excelled on the outside. However, in the NFL he will move back inside, and he should be able to do so fairly effortlessly. Barton is terrific in the running game. He’s able to drive defenders backward with a strong lower body and an understanding of leverage when he throws his hands. This is a really good player who likely goes in round one.

Editor’s Note: This is the end of my first-round grades.

23) Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL Illinois
24) Dallas Turner, EDGE Alabama
25) Ladd McConkey, WR Georgia
26) Jared Verse, EDGE Florida State
27) Cooper DeJean, CB Iowa
28) Junior Colson, LB Michigan
29) Kris Jenkins, IDL Michigan
30) Edgerrin Cooper, LB Texas A&M
31) JC Latham, OT Alabama
32) Payton Wilson, LB NC State
33) Zach Frazier, IOL West Virginia
34) Darius Robinson, DL Missouri
35) Trey Benson, RB Florida State
36) Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
37) Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB Alabama*
38) Jordan Morgan, OT Arizona
39) Xavier Leggette, WR South Carolina
40) Bo Nix, QB Oregon
41) Roman Wilson, WR Michigan
42) T’Vondre Sweat, IDL Texas
43) Kamari Lassiter, CB Georgia
44) Trevin Wallace, LB Kentucky
45) Michael Penix Jr., QB Washington
46) Jeremiah Trottier Jr., LB Clemson
47) Xavier Worthy, WR Texas
48) Nate Wiggins, CB Clemson
49) Blake Corum, RB Michigan
50) Braden Fiske, DL Florida State