If there was one name that has become synonymous with NFL Draft coverage over the years, it is ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who has been a part of ESPN’s draft coverage since 1984. Most NFL fans look forward to seeing where he has players on his mock drafts, but Kiper Jr. takes more pride in where he ranks the players.
Kiper Jr. was a guest on the Rise And Schein podcast this week and he said that whenever he does analysis, he thinks as if he were running a 33rd team in the NFL.
“I just always try to be that 33rd team. Just giving an independent opinion on every player, what teams needed, what they were going to do, and just let the chips fall where they may. I always take great pride in rankings. Everybody gets into mock drafts, but how do you rate the players? Who are your guys that you rate a little higher in the league or you don’t rate quite as high? Those are what I always gravitated to.”
In this era of social media, Kiper Jr. told Schein that he tries not to worry about what the critics say about him and remembers in the early years of his draft coverage that people would say that he never smiled when he was on TV. To him, providing the information and giving his opinions are the most important things.
“I think just being who you are and don’t worry about all the critics and all the negativity and all the hate that’s going to be out there. I remember in the early years it was just being business-like. I always took it seriously. ‘He never smiles’. If you want comedy, it’s not me. I’m going to give you football information, I’m going to give you my opinions right or wrong, and I’m going to give them to you strongly and honestly. I don’t know how it came across, but I was just giving my opinion and I gave them decisively and strongly.”
Kiper Jr. will be a part of his 40th NFL Draft for ESPN when the event begins in Kansas City on April 27. He will be on the broadcast along with Mike Greenberg, Booger McFarland, and Louis Riddick.
