ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. was harshly criticized during the 2025 NFL Draft for focusing on quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ slide to Day 3. Kiper also angered the No. 1 overall pick’s college coach for the same reason.
During the ACC spring meetings, Action Network college football reporter Brett McMurphy spoke with University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal about Kiper discussing Sanders while hardly mentioning quarterback Cam Ward — the first overall pick, selected by the Tennessee Titans. Cristobal used the question as an opening to chide Kiper, saying he had spoken with “a million people” except the analyst.
“Never heard from him,” Cristobal said in Murphy’s post on X. “I don’t think I’ve ever talked to him.”
McMurphy noted that Cristobal wasn’t disappointed that Kiper ignored Ward and would be disappointed only if Ward felt the same way.
?Knowing Cam, he just wanted to hear the name, exactly where he was going and get to work,” Cristobal said.
Kiper was less than thrilled with Cristobal’s remarks and posted a response on X.
“Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn’t speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher — sixth on my Big Board — than any of the other draft experts,” Kiper said. “Interesting, isn’t it? And, oh, by the way, I didn’t speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense.”
During the ESPN draft broadcast, Kiper questioned why teams were passing over Sanders — especially the Giants, who traded up to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 pick. Sanders was the sixth quarterback selected in the draft, eventually falling to the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round.
During the broadcast, Kiper compared Sanders’ situation to the draft slides of quarterbacks Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Geno Smith, suggesting Sanders might be in a better position to succeed.
Cristobal wasn’t the only prominent figure upset over Kiper’s focus on Sanders. NFL analyst Warren Sharp compiled a nine-minute video clip of everything Kiper said about Sanders and wasn’t happy with the way he chose to spotlight Sanders instead of Ward and other first-round picks.
“Mel Kiper was angry last night,” Sharp said. “Instead of celebrating 32 kids seeing their dreams fulfilled … he tried to turn the whole production into a show about Shedeur Sanders not getting selected.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.