It seems Mel Kiper Jr. didn’t see the need to reach out to anyone who knows Cam Ward well.
Miami’s head coach, Mario Cristobal, shared that despite Ward being the top pick, he hasn’t heard from ESPN’s main draft analyst leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Kiper has consistently highlighted Shedeur Sanders as his top quarterback in this draft class.
At an ACC Spring meeting on Wednesday, Cristobal commented, “I’ve never heard of him,” referring to Kiper. “I don’t think I’ve had a conversation with him.” According to Action Network, he claimed to have spoken to “one million people” about Ward, mentioning the numerous NFL teams and media he engaged with.
Kiper’s lack of outreach is particularly interesting given his previous criticisms throughout the draft process.
Veteran draft analysts have noted Sanders’ drop to the fifth round, suggesting that other quarterbacks, like Ward, have been somewhat overlooked.
Even when the Giants moved up to select Jackson Dirt at the 25th pick, Kiper seemed more focused on Sanders’ selection.
Pro Football Talk’s X account pointed out on draft night, “Cam Ward has been overlooked for weeks, but now he’s about to be drafted. So what about Mel Kiper discussing Shedeur Sanders?”
Ultimately, there was a significant gap of 143 picks between Ward and Sanders in the draft—both now stepping into new phases of their careers.
The Titans have put their trust in Ward, while Sanders is in a competitive situation in Cleveland, battling for the starting quarterback role, contingent on Deshaun Watson’s health.
Cristobal mentioned he wasn’t upset about Kiper’s stance on Ward. “My only concern was about how Cam felt,” he said, according to Action Network.
