Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his updated 2027 NFL Big Board, and his top pick was a total no-brainer. But it wasn’t Arch Manning.
Manning’s slide down the rankings isn’t news anymore. He isn’t sniffing the top spot. In fact, he’s hanging around the tail end of Keiper’s board at No. 24.
Instead, it was Ohio State’s star wideout Jeremiah Smith at No. 1.
Jeremiah Smith on Top Of ESPN’s Big Board
“Smith is very clearly the best player in this draft class,” Keiper says, something hardly anyone can argue with at this point. “He’s big, fast, and physical, and he snatches the ball on the run cleanly. On 281 career targets, he has just six drops.
“And Smith has the body control to make tough catches. I love the way that he is always looking to improve, too. Smith worked on his after-the-catch skills heading into the 2026 season, and he has been able to make some things happen with the ball in his hands using his strength and speed.”
That spot became much more obvious after Smith’s performance vs. Indiana. He only caught four passes for 68 yards in the game, but his biggest play of the day was the decisive play in the Buckeyes 19-15 win over the Hoosiers.
Smith caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the end zone on fourth down despite being blanketed in coverage by Indiana defenders. That score gave the Buckeyes a 19-7 lead, and it proved to be decisive in the 19-15 win.
“Ohio State continues to feed him targets (north of 10 per game), and nobody can cover him,” Keiper added. “That was very apparent against Illinois in September, when he caught 12 balls for 217 yards and four touchdowns. In three seasons at Ohio State, he has 38 career touchdown catches, and he’s averaging 16.5 yards per catch. Just an incredible football player.”
Each week, Smith becomes more and more of a Heisman contender too. Manning isn’t even in the race anymore, and his Heisman stock is expected to fall even further after their loss to Florida on Saturday.
OSU’s Drew Mestemaker Following Closely Behind Smith
Instead of Manning, OU’s QB Drew Mestemaker is a bigger threat to Smith’s Heisman potential, and so is Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss.
Mestemaker ranked No. 2 overall on Keiper’s big board, with Chambliss following closely behind at No. 6.
“Mestemaker didn’t even start at quarterback for his high school team; he was the punter, played some safety and was the backup QB,” Keiper writes of the Sooners QB. “His toolbox is also pretty incredible. I love the way he scans the field and bides his time in the pocket. Mestemaker has the big arm to make all of the throws, with 30 completions going for 20-plus yards this season (third in the FBS).
“But he also has the mobility to pick up nice chunks of yardage on the ground. Mestemaker shows linebacker-esque toughness and plays with a competitive edge. He doesn’t turn 21 years old until January, and he has just 20 career starts to his name. So, there’s a lot of untapped potential.”
Whether Smith remains on top of the race or a QB overtakes him is the hottest button in the Heisman race right now. With the Week 7 wins and losses just setting in, the Heisman rankings are expected to grow as well.
ESPN Favors Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith Over Arch Manning at No. 1 Prospect