Tag: Mel Kiper Jr.

Mel Kiper Jr’s latest ESPN NFL Draft Big Board reveals his top QB

Who’s the top QB in this draft?

This is always a good reminder that the best players available in an NFL Draft aren’t always the quarterbacks.

But because NFL teams need a quarterback to build around, they sometimes reach. And that means the best players on paper might drop. In the latest NFL mock from our Christian D’Andrea, QBs Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders go Nos. 1 and 2.

But on Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest ESPN NFL Draft Big Board, he’s got Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter and Mason Graham ahead of the two big-name quarterbacks. And who’s the top QB? That would be Sanders (No. 4) over Ward (No. 5). Here’s his take on the Colorado QB:

You won’t find a tougher or more resilient quarterback prospect than Sanders, who took 99 sacks over the past two seasons but still put up really strong numbers. I’m always impressed watching him throw on the move, rolling either left or right. He is very accurate in those spots and has the arm to drive the ball. When his mechanics and footwork are sound, he can pick apart a defense. And while he’s not necessarily a major rushing threat, he can keep the chains moving with his legs when there is an opening.

Intriguing! Make sure to check out D’Andrea’s latest mock draft.

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49ers gamble on undersized OL in Mel Kiper mock draft

Could the 49ers find their left tackle heir apparent in the 2025 NFL draft?

In his initial 2025 first-round NFL mock draft, esteemed ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. projects San Francisco to address the offensive side of the football.

Kiper’s initial projection sees the 49ers scooping up talented Texas Longhorns offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with the No. 11 pick.

Banks just completed his junior season with Texas where he was recognized with both the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. A native of Humble, Texas, Banks is projected as Kiper’s second offensive lineman to come off the board.

Kiper’s lone hangup with Banks is how he might measure at the combine.

Banks has a ton of experience, having started 42 games over his college career — and he allowed only three sacks over that time. I’m curious to see his combine measurements — height might be a question mark if he’s 6-3 or shorter — but he has the movement traits and strength to seal off the edge in pass protection.

The 49ers still have Trent Williams locking down the left side for two more seasons, but he will be 37 at the start of next season. It’s time to start planning for the future. Plus, Banks could help on the right side for now, where the Niners have missed Mike McGlinchey (signed with Denver two years ago). – Kiper, ESPN.

Banks arrived in Austin with lofty expectations. Out of Summer Creek High School, Banks was a five-star signee and was ranked as the No. 6 player nationally according to On3 in the 2022 signing class.

Banks met and exceeded those forecasts, becoming the trustiest of security blankets for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers’ blind side.

As the 49ers look toward their future, drafting Banks could mean that San Francisco found its heir apparent to longtime superstar left tackle Trent Williams.

Williams is under contract for the next two seasons and the indication is that the All-Pro intends to play.

Still, the 49ers need to start making plans for life after Williams. Plus, Williams is coming off a 2024 season where he played in just 10 games as an ankle injury lingered over the back half of the year.

Drafting Banks would allow the 49ers to play him at right tackle alongside Williams. If Banks looks like a potential All-Pro during his first two seasons in the league, that might give the franchise the confidence to shift him over to left tackle as Williams’ eventual successor.

Or, Banks just locks in at right tackle long-term.

San Francisco really can’t go wrong upgrading its offensive or defensive lines and Banks looks like he has the makings of a franchise left tackle down the road.

Per Pro Football Focus, Banks allowed just 10 pressures this past season and he finished with an 86.0 offensive grade, which was tops among Texas’ offensive starters.

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Commanders land pass rusher in latest Mel Kiper mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicts that the Washington Commanders will land a pass rusher in his latest mock draft.

While the Washington Commanders remain focused on their post-season endeavors, a portion of the organization must focus on the future. Whether they win or lose, the 2025 NFL draft is still happening in April, and they have to evaluate their needs and which draftable players can fill that need.

One of the Commanders’ biggest weaknesses all season was their run defense. They were the third worst run defense in the NFL in 2024, allowing a total of 2,337 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, an average of 4.8 yards per carry. One of the ways they can address the run defense is with the draft, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper has a candidate in mind:

Nic Scourton, DE, Texas A&M

The Commanders are picking this late (and possibly later) largely because they got immediate star power from their 2024 first-round pick: quarterback Jayden Daniels. Can they take another step forward by acing their 2025 first-round selection? Scourton plays with power. And while he can get to the quarterback as a pass rusher (5 sacks), I really like this fit because of his run defense. Washington was chewed up for 4.8 yards allowed per rush this season, 28th in the league. But Scourton has the strength to set an edge against the run, and he finished the season with 14 tackles for loss and 11 run stops.

Even if the Commanders drop in the draft because they win on Sunday, there’s no reason to think that Scourton wouldn’t be available to them anyway. He’s a good fit for what the Commanders need and has the ability to make an immediate impact, which is rare among rookies.

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Rams address perhaps their biggest need in Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft

With Alaric Jackson’s contract expiring, the Rams may need a new left tackle and they add one in Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft of 2025

Looking at the Los Angeles Rams’ roster right now, they don’t necessarily have any glaring needs. Yes, they could use cornerback help, a pass-catching tight end, maybe another receiver and an inside linebacker, but the roster is set up for success in years to come.

Their biggest positional needs could very well change after free agency, though – especially with Alaric Jackson’s contract expiring. It’s possible the Rams will lose their stud left tackle in free agency, which will make that position their biggest hole.

It’s why ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Rams taking a left tackle in the first round of his initial mock draft of 2025. At No. 26 overall, Kiper gave the Rams Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr., but only after considering a quarterback at that spot for Los Angeles.

Here’s what Kiper wrote about the possibility of the Rams taking a quarterback at No. 26, despite there not being a clear-cut QB3 in the first round.

This is the primary spot where I considered including a third quarterback. All signs point to Matthew Stafford returning to the Rams next season and still playing at a high level. But he’s also going to be 37 when training camp starts. Retirement isn’t out of the question, and even if he does come back, Los Angeles would be smart to start making future plans. One of the league’s best draft-and-develop teams could choose to do that with one of the QB3 options: Syracuse’s Kyle McCord — who is rising after declaring for the draft — Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe would all be in the mix.

But … I’m not ready to put a third passer into Round 1, so I’m instead trying to help the Rams keep Stafford protected. Conerly has fantastic movement traits and maintains a clean pocket for his quarterback. He gave up just two sacks over three seasons in Eugene. He started two of those seasons and has been a consistent blindside wall.

After Cam Ward and Shadeur Sanders, there isn’t another quarterback worth taking at No. 26. There may not be a third quarterback taken at all in the first round. As badly as the Rams need to figure out a succession plan in the event that Stafford retires in the next two years, they shouldn’t reach for one out of necessity.

Conerly is the much more sensible selection, regardless of whether Stafford returns or not. If Jackson leaves and signs a massive contract elsewhere, which is a real possibility, the Rams will be left searching for their next left tackle. Conerly is capable of filling in right away and could solidify the line for the next four-plus years.

NFL mock draft from Mel Kiper Jr. has the Browns NOT taking a QB

Should the Browns do this?

The Cleveland Browns are in the most interesting spot in the 2025 NFL Draft.

At No. 2, they can take a QB to take over for Deshaun Watson, or they could take a talented player and look for a quarterback elsewhere, or they could trade down.

In the latest mock from our Christian D’Andrea — a top-five mini-mock — he had the Browns taking Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders at quarterback. But in Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock of the year for ESPN, he had Sanders’ teammate Travis Hunter going to Cleveland and Sanders going to the New York Giants at No. 3.

Why Hunter over Sanders? Here’s his take:

Know how I just said the Titans had the league’s second-worst QBR and INT total? Well, the Browns were the worst in both categories. Deshaun Watson also re-tore his right Achilles and Jameis Winston is a free agent, so taking Sanders isn’t out of the question. But I think Cleveland is more likely to address another hole here and find QB reinforcements in free agency and/or later in the draft. (Trading back for more picks with another QB-needy team could be part of the equation, too.)

Plus, Hunter is just that good. I see elite quickness and ball skills on both sides of the ball, traits that helped him to 15 touchdown catches and four interceptions this season. The Browns would likely use him primarily at receiver and then sprinkle him in at cornerback in specific situations.

Intriguing! Make sure to check out the latest mock draft from D’Andrea!

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Tony Dungy sets the record straight on the ‘Tampa 2’ defense

A debate about the two-high safeties defense—or, as you may know it, the “Tampa 2″—broke out on ESPN’s Get Up thanks to Mel Kiper Jr.

A debate about the two-high safeties defense—or, as you may know it, the “Tampa 2″—broke out on ESPN’s Get Up after Mel Kiper Jr. said it should be outlawed because he wants to see more downfield shots rather than bubble screens and checkdowns.

“The NFL is getting ruined by these two high safeties,” Kiper said.

Dan Orlovsky was tasked with explaining what this alignment was, and credited former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy for creating it, stating that “2-high safeties has been around for a long time, Tony Dungy made the ‘Tampa 2’ defense famous down there.”

While Dungy and the Buccaneers may have made it more of a household name to a wider audience, the former Buccaneers coach made sure to set the record straight. “Thanks, Dan, for including me in the legacy of Cover 2, but the Tampa version wasn’t near the beginning of the story,” Dungy said on his X account in response to Orlovsky’s history lesson.

The Cover 2 defense was actually introduced to the NFL in 1973, by Bud Carlson and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dungy would say, and the Hall of Fame coach took the Tampa version right out of their 1977 playbook, which he received as a rookie DB for the Steelers.

Dungy spent time interacting with comments and giving a history lesson on the defense and suspected that the defense was heralded as “Tampa 2” simply because “people hadn’t seen it in a while.”

Aaron Rodgers makes a funny Mel Kiper Jr. joke after ESPN expert’s bizarre safeties rant

This was funny.

Mel Kiper Jr. made some headlines on Thursday when he ranted on ESPN about how the NFL is getting ruined these days by the existence of two high safeties.

He talked about how he misses deep shots (missing that Justin Jefferson score from Week 2) and wants to see safeties closer to the line of scrimmage.

On Thursday night, after Aaron Rodgers beat the New England Patriots that included a TD throw to Garrett Wilson, the QB was asked about how he and Wilson hadn’t connected much.

His answer: “The entire focus of all three defenses we’ve played have been taking Garrett away. It’s been Mel Kiper‘s worst nightmare. Been a lot of cover 2, you know?”

LOL. So he’s seen the clip!

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NFL draft guru makes ridiculous assert about NFL defenses

Mel Kiper is mad about NFL defenses evolving to slow down all the passing offense.

When it comes to the NFL draft, there are few guys who carry the level of credibility that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. does. If you enjoy the massive amount of media coverage the NFL draft gets every year, you can thank Kiper for that.

But maybe, just maybe he should stick to scouting prospects. Kiper went on a tirade on ESPN’s Get Up about the growing trend in the NFL of using two deep safeties to mitigate the deep pass.

Kiper railed about how the league needs to ban two deep safeties for the good of the game and that it is somehow harmful to the NFL that teams haven’t figured out a new twist that really isn’t new at all.

https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1836779102923010226

Most interesting is Kiper tries to justify his position by talking about the 70s and 80s NFL but this was a time when smash-mouth football was the norm and those deep passes he referenced were rare. The league has taken great steps in recent years to incentivize teams to throw the football more so we have no issue with defenses adjusting to a pass-happy league. Offensive coordinators are on notice to figure out ways to either force those safeties down into the box or move the ball without it.

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Mel Kiper Jr. went on a furious tirade about every single mistake the Panthers made with Bryce Young

Mel Kiper Jr. was FURIOUS about how the Panthers screwed up Bryce Young.

It happened a little early, but Bryce Young is no longer the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback. It’s a massive organization failure that the former No. 1 overall legitimately had no traction in just 18 starts. And it’s emblematic of how most NFL first-round quarterbacks have tried and failed lately. (Plus, Young might have just not been good enough.)

But ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. refused to let the Panthers off the hook.

In an epic tirade during Get Up on Tuesday, Kiper exhaustively went through every single mistake the Panthers made with Young. From trading the farm to get him, then throwing him into the fire, to hanging him out dry developmentally when his professional career was already kinda hanging in the balance.

Kiper hit on every point about the Young debacle in Charlotte, and he didn’t tell a single lie:

The Panthers screwed up with Young. There should be no reason to believe their next chance will be any better. As far as analysts like Kiper are concerned, this iteration of Carolina probably can’t be trusted with another young quarterback.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. grades the Bucs’ 2024 NFL draft class

See what ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. thinks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 2024 NFL draft class

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added seven new players in the 2024 NFL draft, filling some of their biggest needs and bolstering their depth on both sides of the ball.

Every media outlet is already passing initial judgement on each team’s 2024 draft class, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is a fan of what the Bucs did this past weekend.

Kiper had high praise for first-round pick Graham Barton, and sees potential in second-rounder Chris Braswell:

The Bucs had a balanced first two days of the draft. Graham Barton (26) is my top-ranked center, and he’ll immediately help a run game that ranked 32nd in yards per attempt (3.4) last season. While he played left tackle at Duke, he has All-Pro upside at the pivot. Chris Braswell (57) has been underrated for the past few months. The edge rusher isn’t the flashiest player, but he is an all-around defender with an interesting skill set as a pass-rusher. Tampa Bay has to get better on the edge in 2024.

Grabbing Jalen McMillan in the third round was Kiper’s favorite pick that Tampa Bay made in the entire draft, but he was a bit cooler on the Bucs’ other earlier selections:

Wideout Jalen McMillan (92) was a steal at the end of Round 3. He could be an outstanding No. 3 receiver as a rookie before taking on a bigger role in 2025. Tykee Smith (89) went about a round earlier than I thought he would. At 5-foot-10, he’s undersized, but he does have some versatility. It sounds like the Bucs will play him in the slot. Running back Bucky Irving (125) won’t blow away defenders with his speed, but he can make quick cuts between the tackles.

McMillan is my favorite prospect in Tampa Bay’s class, but Barton should step in and be a top-10 center as a rookie. The Bucs got better this weekend.

Time will tell if Kiper’s opinion on Tampa Bay’s selections lines up with their eventual on-field impact for the Bucs, but for now, he’s clearly high on what the team added at key positions.

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