Mel Kiper
American analyst
69
APPEARANCES
15
PODCASTS
Sep 9, 2026
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Now granted, San Jose State and Fresno State, but it's not one double A opponents here.
32:54
What do you need to see from him this season so that he doesn't have the same fate as he did last year as Texas gets ready to take on Ohio State?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Well, you would prefer to have the guy in place where an established guy at least had a chance, like Trubisky was brought into Tennessee because he was the number two pick overall, didn't get it done at the Bears, the level they wanted.
7 MINS LATER
Dave RothenbergHOST
Do you look at that it's Rams and everyone else, or do you think we're overblowing the Rams a little bit?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Well, you would prefer to have the guy in place where an established guy at least had a chance, like Trubisky was brought into Tennessee because he was the number two pick overall, didn't get it done at the Bears, the level they wanted.
7 MINS LATER
Dave RothenbergHOST
Do you look at that it's Rams and everyone else, or do you think we're overblowing the Rams a little bit?
Mia O'BrienHOST
In your estimation, who is in that next tier of quarterbacks who could start surprising us as early as this weekend?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
I think Darian Mensah, how does he do? He goes from Tulane to Duke, and then he goes to Miami.
34:35
And Mel, you already touched on the big three at the quarterback position, but why will this NFL Draft class be... from a talent standpoint, more accurately described than what we saw last year?
Mia O'BrienGUEST
In your estimation, who is in that next tier of quarterbacks who could start surprising us as early as this weekend?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
I think Darian Mensah, how does he do? He goes from Tulane to Duke, and then he goes to Miami.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
He's got all that talent, brings Cooper Barcate with him, with Tony and Fletcher.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
The O-line, even though they lost some guys, they like what they have up front.
30:47
And Mel, you already touched on the big three at the quarterback position, but why will this NFL Draft class be... from a talent standpoint, more accurately described than what we saw last year?
Mikey APANELIST
Mel, if I told you come draft time, Dante Moore and Arch Manning are not going to go number one, but a quarterback is, who would you put your money on? Wow.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
And if they can just manage it, and he doesn't have, you know, he's got good receivers, not the elite guy.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
They always are going to find a running back, but not anybody like Jeremiah Love.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Come on, Jeremiah Love, you can put him out at the slot or wide, and he's going to be phenomenal.
StugotzHOST
Mel, do you find yourself giving a potential NFL player a better grade because he comes from a certain program or school and been coached by a certain person? I ask that because it seems like Ohio State, all their guys that go to the NFL seem to be really good and productive players.
Mikey APANELIST
Mel, if I told you come draft time, Dante Moore and Arch Manning are not going to go number one, but a quarterback is, who would you put your money on? Wow.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
And if they can just manage it, and he doesn't have, you know, he's got good receivers, not the elite guy.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
They always are going to find a running back, but not anybody like Jeremiah Love.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Come on, Jeremiah Love, you can put him out at the slot or wide, and he's going to be phenomenal.
13 MINS LATER
StugotzHOST
If there's a concern about Arch Manning, do you have any concerns about Arch Manning, Mel? He's
Mikey APANELIST
Mel, if I told you come draft time, Dante Moore and Arch Manning are not going to go number one, but a quarterback is, who would you put your money on? Wow.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
And if they can just manage it, and he doesn't have, you know, he's got good receivers, not the elite guy.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
They always are going to find a running back, but not anybody like Jeremiah Love.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Come on, Jeremiah Love, you can put him out at the slot or wide, and he's going to be phenomenal.
13 MINS LATER
StugotzHOST
If there's a concern about Arch Manning, do you have any concerns about Arch Manning, Mel? He's
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
It's like getting a glimpse of everything that's going on and then studying it during the week.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
So during the week is when I do all my watching, where I'm watching a game and studying.
6 MINS LATER
Dari NowkhahHOST
How do you compare them as a team to the top dogs as you see them, or are they a top dog in the SEC, Melman?
Mike Golic Jr.HOST
When you start grading overall, how much of a distance is there from Jeremiah Smith and Leonard Moore to then the rest?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
So I would say Jeremiah Smith, you know, obviously he's projected down just a little bit because of the so-called projected need, and we don't know if these teams are going to need that.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
We do know Jeremiah Smith, he kind of had his freshman year and been a top guy.
Dave RothenbergHOST
But do you think that that is a safe bet to go into the season with a rookie as being one step away from possibly taking over the reins of your offense?
Mel KiperGUEST
I mean, these backup quarterbacks, I would rather go with a guy that has ability.
Mel KiperGUEST
You know, if you have a high pick next year, hey, could you have Brock Purdy? Could you have a Brock Purdy here? You always are wondering about your young quarterback.
Mel KiperGUEST
Nobody thought Drew Bledsoe, I mean, when he got hurt, that it was going to be Tom Brady stepping in and doing what he did as a sixth-round pick.
Dan GracaHOST
All right, so as far as Cade Klubnick, what was your scouting report coming into this NFL draft?
Rick DiPietroHOST
But do you think that that is a safe bet to go into the season with a rookie as being one step away from possibly taking over the reins of your offense?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
I mean, these backup quarterbacks, I would rather go with a guy that has ability.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
If you have a high pick next year, hey, could you have Brock Purdy? Could you have a Brock Purdy here? You always are wondering about your young quarterback.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Nobody thought Drew Bledsoe, I mean, when he got hurt, that it was going to be Tom Brady stepping in and doing what he did as a six-round pick.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
So you never know when you're going to catch lightning in a bottle, and I'm saying Klubnick's that guy, but They would like to know something by the time of the draft.
Dave RothenbergHOST
All right, so as far as Cade Klubnick, what was your scouting report coming into this NFL draft?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Early on it was a craziest play in Super Bowl history, was Johnny Unitas throws a pass intended for John- for Eddie Hinton.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
All Eddie Hinton's hands into, uh, deflected by, uh, Mel Renfro into John Mackey, Hall of Fame tight end's hands, and all of a sudden he's racing 75 yards for a touchdown.
7 MINS LATER
speaker_4ADVERTISER
[bell dings]
11 MINS LATER
speaker_12ADVERTISER
I don't.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
I, I would've gone about it a little differently, but hey, we're splitting hairs there.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Yeah, you go to Mekhi Lemon, would you want to try to maneuver to get Lemon after Sadik? Could you have done something there? But Omar Cooper Jr., this is really the guy that we're gonna be looking back on is Omar Cooper Jr., 'cause I thought he was a really good player.
13 MINS LATER
StugotzHOST
What'd you make of the Rams? Les Snead, Sean McVay, uh, getting back into the first round after getting McDuffie from the Chiefs, uh, and using that first round pick on Ty Simpson?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
The most tackles in a season, we go back to 2024, that Caleb Banks had was 21.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Now, of course, now we have the injury to deal with, with the foot, that he'll be fine coming back from that, hopefully.
27 MINS LATER
Dave RothenbergHOST
Is it Arch Moore one, two right now? And then who else will be up in that, you know, top purview of the first round?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Well, that's the guys, and, uh, you know, Arch has to get better with an accuracy standpoint and, and just a consistency stand...
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
You can't be at forty-five percent, forty-eight percent in games against, you know, inferior opponents.
5 MINS LATER
speaker_10CORRESPONDENT
Maybe take a guy in the first round that can help you win this year or next year instead of Ty Simpson.
Dave RothenbergHOST
Is it Arch, Moore, one, two right now, and then who else will be up in that, you know, top purview of the first round?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Well, that's the guys, and, you know, Arch has to get better with an accuracy standpoint and, and just a consistency stand...
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
He, he can't be at forty-five percent, forty-eight percent in games against, you know, inferior opponents.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
He was only sixty-one percent for the entire year, had like four or five games where he was under fifty.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
So he's gotta... that's gotta com- gotta happen in order to become the number one pick overall, number two pick overall.
5 MINS LATER
Dan GracaHOST
Maybe take a guy in the first round that can help you win this year or next year instead of Ty Simpson.
speaker_10PANELIST
How do you have them stacking up in this draft?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
You can put them all in a hat and pick out of the hat, and in any, any order you come up with I don't think anybody can argue with, you know, one, two, and three of those three guys.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
He's a fierce competitor, but he's not gonna test great, right? Tate, great polish, character, blocks, catches, but is he explosive enough? And then you got Tyson, who is explosive, looks the part, but he had the injury concerns.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
You could say, "Well, he had a few drops." Well, wide receivers will drop a pass every now and then.
7 MINS LATER
speaker_12PANELIST
Mm
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
As r- that guard spot, immediate starter and center, I, I don't rule that out for him.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
So if you want the guy who's a defined guard, you plug him in, you got maybe a Pro Bowl caliber guard.
8 MINS LATER
Clifton BrownHOST
Is there any possibility you think this year that the Ravens might do something surprising and maybe move up a spot or two if somebody's dropping at 11, 12, 13 who they really want? And if so, who do you think they might chase like that?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
And I also taught the NFL, because I came up with that philosophy 30 years ago, Stephen A, and then people were screaming at me saying, "You're crazy, you're nuts." And I had a rationale.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
And then you gotta adapt, right? Adapt or die, right? So these running backs became multi-dimensional.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Jeremiah Love could've been 84 instead of four and would've been a first round pick.
Stephen A. SmithHOST
Where does the truth lie, Mel Kiper Jr., as it pertains to Ty Simpson, particularly when you're talking about Pittsburgh at number 21?
Rick DiPietroHOST
Was there the hope that maybe they could tempt somebody into trying to come up to two to take Bailey?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
Arvel Reese is, you could, is just, you know, a guy that you say, "Wow." Bailey, just the production this year was excellent.
Rick DiPietroHOST
... that are, are close, or do you think there's a clear separation between, you know, one receiver and everyone else?
Rick DiPietroHOST
Was there the hope that maybe they could tempt somebody into trying to come up to two to take Bailey?
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
It's not easy because these are very good football players who have a ton of talent.
Rick DiPietroHOST
Mel, do you look at the wide receiver position as all these guys, the Tysons, Tates, Lemons, that are close? Or do you think there's a clear separation between one receiver and everyone else?
speaker_0UNKNOWN
He's a fierce competitor, but he's not gonna test great, right? Tate
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
TateGreat polish, character, blocks, catches, but is he explosive enough? And then you got Tyson, who is explosive, looks the part, but he had the injury concerns.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
He said, "Well, he had a few drops." Well, receivers will drop a pass every now and then.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
At the end of the day, I go back to a few years ago, when we had Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, Jordan Addison, and Quentin Johnston.
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
There were those that I respect that said, "None of those four should be first-round picks." Well, how'd that work out? That was a co- that was a comment that didn't turn out to be correct.
6 MINS LATER
speaker_1UNKNOWN
Mm
Mel Kiper Jr.GUEST
A lot of people, when I was doing radio when I was 18, 19, I think people thought I was 40.
7 MINS LATER
Bryan CurtisHOST
I thought, "Oh, my gosh, I have Mel's phone number." And I got my mom's credit card, Mel, and called you in Baltimore in order to get it.
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