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.

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. 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". 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." Colts general manager Bill Tobin later shot back later in the broadcast, shouting "Who the hell is Mel Kiper?!"

Trev Kendall Alberts (born August 8, 1970) is an American sports administrator and the director of athletics at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Alberts is a former American college and professional football player. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, and earned All-American honors at linebacker. He played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, after having been fifth overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. Later, he became a television and print college football commentator, most notably working alongside Mark May on ESPN's College GameDay Scoreboard show.

Alberts was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He attended Northern University High School in Cedar Falls, where he played for the Northern University Panthers high school football team.

While attending the University of Nebraska, he played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team from 1990 to 1993. Following his senior season in 1993, he was awarded the Dick Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Trophy as the top college linebacker; Alberts was also recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, after recording 15 quarterback sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 38 quarterback hurries. Despite an injury early in the eleventh game of the season against the Oklahoma Sooners, Alberts returned with a cast on his arm for the national championship game against Florida State in the Orange Bowl. Although the Seminoles won 18-16, Alberts had a dominant performance with three sacks of Heisman Trophy-winner Charlie Ward (FSU quarterbacks were sacked only five times during the 1993 regular season).

Skip Bayless (born John Bayless II on December 4, 1951) is a sports journalist and television personality. Bayless regularly appears on ESPN2's ESPN First Take and its afternoon show 1st and 10. Bayless previously wrote regular columns for ESPN.com and its "Page 2" section. He is perhaps best known for his strong opinions and sometimes controversial stances on professional athletes.

Bayless was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The first child of John and Levita Bayless, he was named John Edward Bayless II on his birth certificate, but his father immediately began calling him Skip or Skipper. The name stuck, and Skip Bayless was never called John by his parents. He eventually had his name legally changed to Skip. His brother is the chef, restaurateur and TV personality Rick Bayless.

Bayless as a junior, along with Jerry Waugh, Jim Hill, and Tony Robinson led Junior Varsity (JV)'s Northwest Classen High School basketball team.

Bayless averaged 1.4 points per game as a senior playing basketball at Northwest Classen High School.

Charles "Chip" Kelly (born November 25, 1963) is the head football coach at the University of Oregon. Widely regarded as one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football today, the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 2010 Sporting News Coach of the Year and 2010 Associated Press Coach of the Year was previously the offensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks.

Kelly is a native of Manchester, New Hampshire, attended Manchester Central High School and earned his B.Sc. in physical education from the University of New Hampshire in 1990.

He broke into the coaching ranks in 1990 at Columbia University, where he served as secondary and special teams coach for the freshman team. The next year he was outside linebackers and strong safeties coach for the varsity team. In 1992 he went to the University of New Hampshire as the running backs coach. He left to become the defensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins University for one season. He returned to his alma mater as the running backs coach for the next 3 seasons (1994–96). He changed to the offensive line coach for two seasons (1997–98).

Patrick De'mon Peterson (born July 11, 1990) is an American football cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Louisiana State University, earned All-American honors, and was recognized as the best college defensive back in the country. He was drafted fifth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Peterson attended Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Florida, where he played running back and defensive back for the Blanche Ely Mighty Tigers high school football team. In his junior campaign he recorded 11 total touchdowns on offense, while recording seven interceptions and 54 tackles on defense. He also returned three kick-offs for touchdowns and added 10 rushes for 213 yards. As a senior, Peterson compiled 733 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns (9 rushing, one kick return and one punt return). Defensively, he had 21 tackles and five interceptions.

Besides numerous All-American team selections, Peterson was named “Defensive Player of the Year” by USA Today. He also participated in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.