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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Michael Kadlick

Mel Kiper Jr. Is Going Against the Grain With His Top-Ranked QB in 2025 NFL Draft

Kiper Jr Mel Kiper Jr NFL Shedeur Sanders Cam Ward ESPN NFL Network The Insiders
Kiper Jr. has long been one of the top NFL draft talent evaluators. | Howard Smith-Imagn Images

While the vast majority of NFL draft evaluators and pundits have Miami's Cam Ward ranked as the 2025 class's No. 1 quarterback, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. is going against the grain.

In the long-time analyst's latest Big Board rankings on ESPN.com, he actually has former Colorado Buffalo Shedeur Sanders ranked as his top signal-caller heading into next week's draft. He explained what he likes about the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's The Insiders:

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