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The 2025 NFL Draft is now a few weeks old, but the discourse surrounding it has not let up. The rookies have already gotten acclimated to their new teams, showing up to mini camp last week and starting to showcase their skills to their head coaches. Given that the quarterback position is the most important in football, all eyes were on Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders as they began their NFL careers.
Sanders has already performed well in camp and said all the right things, which has his draft slide in the national spotlight once again. College football is back in half-full swing as well, with head coaches holding interviews at spring meetings. University of Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal was of particular note to football reporters, as they wanted his thoughts on how his former quarterback, Ward, was handling his transition to the NFL. Instead, he delivered a damning revelation about ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
Cristobal said that he spoke to almost every major NFL team and national TV reporters in the lead-up to the draft and after. Kiper never reached out to him and never bothered to get any information about Ward.
Never heard from him. I don't think I've ever talked to him. The only reason I would be disappointed, was if Cam was, but knowing Cam, he just wanted to hear the name and exactly where he was going and get to work.
Mel Kiper Jr. continues to deal with criticism from Shedeur Sanders draft night praise
Kiper's incessant praise of Sanders, and an overall level of shock in regard to his draft slide, rubbed many fans the wrong way. What stood out more than anything was Kiper, and other broadcasts, barely talking about Ward while he was announced as the first overall pick. Instead, Sanders was the topic of choice, even while Ward was walking the stage.
Kiper only got more animated as the picks went by and Sanders remained on the board. Fans became annoyed, with some even wondering if the ESPN analyst had gotten paid by the Sanders family to constantly speak about Shedeur and portray him as a victim of the NFL as a whole.
That may be a big stretch, but it sounds like Cristobal doesn't understand why Kiper didn't pay attention to Ward in the draft buildup. Then, during Ward's shining moment, he once again ignored the player. It's odd in everyone's eyes.