Mel Kiper Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. (/ˈkaɪpər/ KY-pər; born July 25, 1960)[1] is an analyst covering American football for ESPN. He has appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.[2]
Mel Kiper Jr. | |
|---|---|
Kiper in 2009 | |
| Born | July 25, 1960 |
| Alma mater | Essex Community College |
| Occupation | Football commentator |
| Employer | ESPN |
Career
Kiper said that Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the Baltimore Colts, encouraged him to become a draft analyst. Accorsi told him that there was a market for draft information and suggested that Kiper convert his analysis into a business.[3]
Kiper and fellow draft analyst Todd McShay are often featured together and compare their mock drafts on ESPN programs.[4]
Big Board
Kiper creates what he calls his "big board", on which he ranks the top 25 players every week.[5] During ESPN draft coverage, Kiper's big board appears on the ticker and updates automatically once a player is selected.[citation needed]
Video game appearances
- Kiper voices himself as the ESPN draft expert, and has his own mock draft in ESPN NFL 2K5 and is "unlockable" as a free agent longsnapper.[citation needed]
- Kiper appears in NFL Head Coach as a draft expert.[6]
- Kiper appears in Madden NFL 07 and 08 during the pre-draft workout period.[7]
Personal life
Kiper's wife Kim, whom he married in 1989, assists him in running Mel Kiper Enterprises from their Baltimore home.[8] They have one daughter together.[9]
References
- ^ "Mel Kiper Jr". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
Kiper, born July 25, 1960, attended Essex Community College in Baltimore.
- ^ "Mel Kiper's NFL draft hits and misses". ESPN.com. ESPN, Inc. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Battista, Judy (April 24, 2009). "The N.F.L. Draft Is the Kipers' Family Business". The New York Times.
- ^ Kiper, Mel Jr.; McShay, Todd (April 18, 2019). "Three-round 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Kiper, McShay go head-to-head". ESPN.com. ESPN, Inc. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Zucker, Joseph. "Mel Kiper 2019 Big Board: Nick Bosa Remains No. 1, Ed Oliver Drops Out of Top 5". bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ Ekberg, Brian. . Gamespot. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2007.
- ^ Arguello, Lorenzo (April 25, 2012). "How Mel Kiper Went From Controversial, No-Name Amateur Scout To The Biggest NFL Draft Guru On The Planet". Business Insider. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ Sports (April 25, 2012). "MEL KIPER JR: Life Story, From Amateur Scout To ESPN's Multi-Millionaire NFL Draft Expert". Business Insider. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ Kiper, Kim (April 18, 2001). "ESPN.com - Page2 - Mel-odramatic marriage". Espn.go.com. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
External links
- Mel Kiper Jr.'s website
- Mel Kiper Jr. at IMDb