Mel Kiper’s repeated focus on Chedure Sanders’ draft slides during the 2025 NFL Draft has annoyed some viewers.
This frustration echoed in the comments of Rece Davis, who remarked that shouting into the void about league decisions was, perhaps, a futile exercise. He tried to steer Kiper back to what was actually happening on ESPN broadcasts.
Davis, after anchoring the coverage for rounds 4-7, insisted there’s no animosity among the team during his recent appearance on Outkick’s show. “I didn’t realize there was a problem until I started receiving texts,” he shared. “It’s just part of the job; sometimes we challenge each other’s viewpoints for the sake of the show. Mel’s fantastic to work with.”
On day two of the draft, ESPN’s lead analysts struggled to grasp why the former Colorado quarterback was slipping in selections.
“I don’t understand it,” Kiper stated. “We’ve never seen a top player fall this far. It’s unprecedented in 47 years for a quarterback to drop to the fourth round like this.”
Even after Sanders was picked by the Browns as the 144th overall selection, Kiper remained incredulous, describing the NFL’s evaluation as “ignorance.”
In a noteworthy exchange, Kiper exclaimed, “The NFL has been ignorant about quarterback ratings for 50 years!”
Davis responded, “That’s the point, Mel. It’s not about judging whether those picks are right or wrong; it’s about accepting that reality. Now Chedure Sanders has to navigate that.”
Further on, Davis clarified, “I’m not saying what Pete Thamel accuses me of doing. I can critique based on what I see. The situation in Detroit likely stems from something that happened in the pre-draft process related to Sanders. We can’t assume teams would choose players who weren’t 100% committed to becoming franchise quarterbacks.”
Sanders certainly faced challenges, from navigating issues related to his father, Deion Sanders, to struggling in some NFL interviews due to inattentiveness.
Nonetheless, Kiper maintained strong confidence in Sanders, placing him fifth on his draft big board.
