Mel Kiper Jr Biography
Mel Kiper Jr (born: Melvin Adam Kiper Jr) is an American football analyst working for ESPN. He has appeared on the network’s annual NFL draft coverage since 1984 where he provides in-depth information on the nation’s potential draft picks.
As an actor, Mel is known for Jerry Maguire (1996), Draft Day (2014) and Arli$$ (1996).
Mel has said that general manager Ernie Accorsi encouraged him to become a draft analyst. Ernie went ahead to tell him that there is a market for draft information and suggested that Kiper convert his analysis into a business. Together with fellow draft analyst Todd McShay, they are often featured comparing their mock drafts on ESPN programs.
Mel Kiper Jr Age
Melvin Adam Kiper Jr. was born on July 25, 1960 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.s. The football analyst is 58 years old as of 2018.
Mel Kiper Jr Family
Kiper was born to Mel Kiper Sr. and Rheta Kiper.
Mel Kiper Jr Photo
Mel Kiper Jr Wife
Since 1989, Mel has been married to Kim Valdes since November 1989. Kim assists him in running Mel Kiper Enterprises from their Baltimore home. The couple has one daughter together.
Mel Kiper Jr Big Board
Mel creates what he calls his “big board”, on which he ranks the top 25 players every week. During ESPN draft coverage, his big board appears on the ticker and also updates automatically once a player is selected.
Mel Kiper Jr Net Worth
The sports analyst has an estimated net worth of $7 million dollars.
Mel Kiper Jr Salary
Kiper’s net worth is not yet revealed.
Mel Kiper Jr Mock Draft | 2019 NFL mock drafts
1. Arizona Cardinals
McShay’s pick: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
The NFL’s worst offense in 2018 needs serious renovations. Buckle up for the explosive playmaking of Murray in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Kiper’s pick: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Best. Player. Available. Bosa is the No. 1 prospect in this class, and he’ll help off the edge in any defense.
3. New York Jets
McShay’s pick: Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
The Jets badly need some pass-rushing off the edge, so while I think Quinnen Williams is the better player, I’d take Allen and his 17 sacks for Kentucky last season.
4. Oakland Raiders
Kiper’s pick: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
It should be Allen or Williams for the Raiders. And Jon Gruden will love Williams.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McShay’s pick: Devin White, ILB, LSU
Kwon Alexander is gone, so the Buccaneers could certainly use the sideline-to-sideline range of White. He had 123 tackles at LSU last season.
6. New York Giants
Kiper’s pick: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
If I’m the GM, I’m taking a quarterback here. Haskins could be a star in New York, and he grew up a Giants fan. Take him, Dave Gettleman!
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
McShay’s pick: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
I could have taken Jawaan Taylor here, but bottom line, Hockenson is a big, fast playmaker. And Nick Foles and the Jaguars need them. Only the Cardinals were worse on offense in 2018.
8. Detroit Lions
Kiper’s pick: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
This is an easy replacement for Ezekiel Ansah. Line him up next to Trey Flowers, and the Lions’ defense will be improved.
9. Buffalo Bills
McShay’s pick: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
The Bills allowed 17 rushing touchdowns last season, and Oliver excels in a one-gap scheme like Buffalo’s 4-3 defense.
10. Denver Broncos
Kiper’s pick: Devin Bush, ILB, Michigan
I thought about quarterback with Drew Lock still on the board. But Bush helps Denver right now, and I love the fit in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defense.
Mel Kiper Jr Draft Grades
ROUND/PICK | NAME | POS | COLLEGE |
2/34 | Rock Ya-Sin | CB | Temple |
2/49 | Ben Banogu | DE | TCU |
2/59 | Parris Campbell | WR | Ohio State |
3/89 | Bobby Okereke | OLB | Stanford |
4/109 | Khari Willis | S | Michigan State |
5/144 | Marvell Tell III | S | USC |
5/164 | E.J. Speed | OLB | Tarleton State |
6/199 | Gerri Green | OLB | Mississippi State |
7/240 | Jackson Barton | OT | Utah |
7/246 | Javon Patterson | C | Ole Miss |
Frank Caliendo Mel Kiper Jr | Mel Kiper Jr Impression
Mel Kiper Jr Interview
Adopted from: si.com
Interviewer: You’ve been in this business since 1978. How many combines have you covered, and how has it changed in those years?
Mel Kiper Jr: I’ve never been to the combine. You can’t watch anything, it’s a waste. My time is better spent watching tape of players than wasting time at the combine where you can’t get in to see the guys. I can’t get into the event, none of us can get into the event, it is only for the select NFL people. All you can do is stand outside and wait for the kids to come out. That’s a waste of time for me. You get the results from it, which is all you need. We all can get the results, we are able to watch it on TV now. Back in the day, you didn’t have a chance to see it, you just got the results and they are all measurables, so I don’t need to see guys catching the football, I’ve watched them catch a football their whole career. I don’t need to see all the drills in that environment, I don’t need to see quarterbacks throwing to receivers they have never thrown to before, that tells me nothing. There are a lot of things with the combine that really are misleading when you watch kids their whole career. I think the measurables for the underclassmen are very important because when kids come out early, you have no idea what their height, weight, speed and overall athleticism is. The strength numbers, the athletic numbers and the speed numbers, you don’t know what any of that is because they haven’t been tested yet and the seniors already had in the spring. So for the almost 100 underclassmen, a lot of whom figure very high in the draft, that’s the first time you really get to see and find out accurate measurables.
Interviewer: Is there anything that could change about the combine that would make you consider going in person?
Mel Kiper Jr: No, all you are looking at are the results. I don’t care what a kid does in shorts and t-shirt, it really is about what they are doing with pads on. When I get the results, I look to see if their measurables are in-range. You have parameters at each position, is the speed where it needs to be? Is the strength where it needs to be? As long as they are within those parameters, they are fine. But I’ve always said, Tom Brady had a 24-inch vertical and ran a 5.24 40. It was the slowest 40 time and the worst vertical of any quarterback I’ve written up in 35 years and he is the greatest quarterback of all time. So, measurables for a lot of positions are very overrated, especially for quarterbacks. For quarterbacks, Tom Brady proved that you don’t need to care if a player is outside the range.
Interviewer: For which position groups are the measurables most important?
Mel Kiper Jr: Corners and wide receivers, the speed guys. You want a vertical threat with your receiver and the speed factor for those guys is important. For corners to be able to match up in coverage is very important. You want linebackers who are able to run and cover. The quickness and speed of the pass rusher, there are certain parameters over the years, if you are in a parameter, you can be a great pass rusher, if you are outside the parameters for speed, you are going to struggle a bit. Offensive linemen you don’t care that much. Running backs, I mean Emmitt Smith ran a 4.6 40, so I’m not really worried too much, it’s more about quickness than speed for running backs. Tight ends are now glorified wide receivers, so the parameters are important for them as well. It’s important for the corners, receivers, speed edge rushers, and now linebackers, because you need to cover, you need to run with guys who are fast coming out of college. And now the linebacker is almost like a glorified defensive back position.
Interviewer: Which guys will generate the most buzz at the combine this year?
Mel Kiper Jr:Â You look for guys who have a lot to prove, the underclassmen:
I’m curious to see Jabrill Peppers from Michigan, he is the most interesting guy at the combine. Is he a safety? Is he a linebacker? Are you going to use him on offense or use him to play the return game? If he tests off the charts, all of the sudden now people don’t care as much if he is a tweener, or a wild card. If he doesn’t test great, then that tweener label will hurt him. The combine is very important for Peppers.
[Alabama CB] Marlon Humphrey didn’t have a great year in coverage, but he should test well. His father, Bobby Humphrey, was an outstanding running back at Alabama and played in the NFL. Marlon Humphrey should test great, he should run well and vertical an impressive number. I think he is one that I am going to watch very closely because I think he could move up a bit if he tests well.