ESPN’s Mel Kiper releases 2015 NFL Draft big board

Today, ESPN’s NFL draft expert Mel Kiper released his first edition of the 2015 big board, a look at the top prospects for next year’s draft.

It is much too early to know or care who should be atop these types of lists…and yet, it’s impossible not to take a gander.

Mel’s top five includes:

1. Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston
2. Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi
3. Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory
4. Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota
5. USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams

These predictions are obviously taken with a grain of salt, but something important to remember is Mel has no idea which teams are selecting in these spots, and he has no information about underclassmen declaring early. Of the top five, only Ogbuehi is entering his final season.

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Some other big-name players to keep an eye on for the coming season, other than these five, include quarterbacks Bryce Petty and Brett Hundley. 2015 could be a huge year for first-round quarterbacks. We may also see a running back in the first round! Georgia’s Todd Gurley has the talent, but it remains to be seen if any NFL franchise will feel a running back is worth a first-round pick. Kiper has him slotted in as the 25th selection on his first big board.

The other group of players to follow are the guys who could have declared for this month’s draft but chose to return to school. Oregon DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu stands out as a guy who could have been the top corner in the 2014 draft. Was returning to school worth it? We’ll find out in 11 months!