Mel Kiper, Jr.

Melvin Adam "Mel" Kiper, Jr. (/ˈkaɪpər/; born July 25, 1960) is an American football analyst for ESPN. 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.

Career

Kiper said that Ernie Accorsi, the general manager of the then-Baltimore Colts, encouraged him to become a draft analyst. Accorsi told him that there was a market for draft information and that Kiper should convert his analysis into a business. Kiper and fellow draft analyst Todd McShay are often featured together and compare their mock drafts on ESPN programs.

Kiper also co-hosts a weekend show on ESPN Radio titled "Dari and Mel" with Dari Nowkhah.

Big Board

Kiper creates what he calls his "big board", on 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.

Video game appearances