Mel Kiper, Jr.
 Kiper at the 2009 NFL Draft. |
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Melvin A. Kiper, Jr. |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | July 23, 1960 Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Football |
| Event(s) | NFL Draft |
| Partner | ESPN |
| Updated on 26 April 2012. | |
Mel Kiper Jr. (pronounced /ˈkaɪpər/) (born July 25, 1960 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.
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[edit] Career
With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com, Kiper's visibility increased. Kiper has said that Ernie Accorsi, the general manager of the then-Baltimore Colts, encouraged him to become a draft analyst. He says that Accorsi told him that there was a market for draft information and that Kiper should convert his expertise into a business.[1] Kiper and fellow draft analyst Todd McShay are often featured together and compare their mock drafts on ESPN programs.
During ESPN's coverage of 1994 NFL Draft, Kiper criticized the Indianapolis Colts for using their fifth overall pick on linebacker Trev Alberts, and not quarterback Trent Dilfer, whom Kiper labeled a "franchise quarterback".[2][3] In 1994, Kiper felt that the Colts, who had Jim Harbaugh, needed a quarterback, and should not have passed on Dilfer, calling them "the laughingstock of the league year-in and year-out."[4] Colts general manager Bill Tobin later shot back later in the broadcast, shouting "Who the hell is Mel Kiper?!" [5]
[edit] Big Board
Perhaps what Mel Kiper is most well known for his "big board" for which he ranks the top 25 players every week. During the ESPN draft coverage, Kiper's big board appears on the ticker, and updates automatically once a player is selected.
[edit] Video game appearances
- Kiper lent his voice to the videogame, ESPN NFL 2K5, as the NFL Draft expert in season mode, and also is "unlockable" as a Free Agent long-snapper in the game.
- Kiper appears in NFL Head Coach as the NFL Draft expert.[6]
- Kiper appears in Madden NFL 07-08 during the college draft workout period in the offseason.
[edit] References
- ^ Battista, Judy (2009-04-24). "The N.F.L. Draft Is the Kipers' Family Business". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/sports/football/24kiper.html?ref=sports.
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GSYqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0iwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6833,4971738&dq=bill+tobin+mel+kiper&hl=en
- ^ Chappell, Mike; Richards, Phil (2004). Tales from the Indianapolis Colts Sideline. Sports Publishing LLC. pp. 179–180. ISBN 1-58261-829-1, ISBN 978-1-58261-829-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=7_tOoiugyxMC&pg=RA1-PA179.
- ^ Chappell, Mike; Richards, Phil (2004). Tales from the Indianapolis Colts Sideline. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 180. ISBN 1-58261-829-1, ISBN 978-1-58261-829-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=7_tOoiugyxMC&pg=RA1-PA179.
- ^ ESPN.com - 18 years of draft memories
- ^ Ekberg, Brian. "E3 06: NFL Head Coach Hands-On". Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/sports/nflheadcoach/news.html?sid=6150930. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mel Kiper, Jr. |
