2025 NFL draft: Mel Kiper's favorite prospects by position - ESPN

Every April, as the NFL draft gets closer and I start to lock in my final Big Board rankings, I like to pick my favorite prospects at every position for the class. It has become a tradition, highlighting players I like more than the consensus, regardless of when they get drafted and where I have them ranked at their position.

What follows is not a list of the best overall prospects in the 2025 class, nor is it a list of the guys I consider the best at each position. I try not to go too obvious; in fact, none of these guys will be first-rounders. Instead, these are the prospects I've rated higher than other evaluators or higher in close debates within position groups. I've watched their tape over and over because I love the way they play the game. They are all underrated ballers.

Let's start with a Day 3 passer — and I'll project the range that each prospect is likely to be picked when the draft kicks off Thursday.

Jump to a position:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C
DT | DE | OLB | ILB | CB | S

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Gabriel is a winner. He won 46 of his 63 career starts over time at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon. There is a lot of good football on his tape. And Gabriel was terrific in 2024, throwing for 3,857 yards with 30 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He also ran in seven scores.

At 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Gabriel is a rhythm passer with pinpoint accuracy and really impressive timing. He sees the field well, makes quick decisions and gets the ball out on time and on target. He completed 72.9% of his throws last season (third in the nation), and he was off target 6.1% of the time (second best). And Gabriel doesn't throw interceptions or turn the ball over. In six seasons, he has