Wonderful tidbits on Mel Kiper Jr

[cheynehowell]

* He once snidely remarked of the Colts, "That's why [they] keep picking number two every year," after their 1994 second overall selection. Kiper was widely critical of the Colts’ pick that year, Marshall Faulk, who turned out to be such a bust that he is expected to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in the near future.

* In 2005, Kiper praised 8th overall selection, wide receiver Mike Williams, saying, "I'll see you at his Hall of Fame induction." Many people have yet to fully recognize the abilities Kiper saw in Williams. These people include coaches, fans, analysts, referees, the players on the teams he played for and against, and anyone else who has seen him in a football jersey. Williams’ journey to the Hall of Fame suffered a slight detour in 2007 when he stopped playing football and no one wanted to sign him.

* In 1999, he touted the potential of Oregon quarterback Akili Smith to exceed at the professional level. Fans have high hopes for Smith to have a great season this year and to make a big statement in his league.

* In 1998, Kiper argued that Ryan Leaf, 2nd overall pick, had an attitude that would be an asset in the NFL. He has since become one of professional football's most notable quarterbacks.

* In 2001, Kiper predicted a dismal 0-16 season for the New England Patriots. The team finished slightly better than that prediction, managing to win just one Super Bowl the entire season.

He thought Houston QB Andre Ware "was going to be a great NFL quarterback. Didn't turn out that way." Ware was chosen No. 7 overall by Detroit in 1990; he retired after six career NFL starts. Kiper considered Ohio State LB Chris Spielman "a decent-to-good player. I thought he was a fourth- or fifth-round pick." Spielman was taken 29th overall by Detroit; he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. "Had a great NFL career," Kiper says. "Chris always tells the story: When he woke up at 3 in the morning, he'd look at a picture of me he put on the wall and would do 300 sit-ups, 300 push-ups. It motivated him to say, This moron, this idiot, said I couldn't get it done.' "

Kiper rated TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson as tied for the 25th-best player in the 2001 draft, and only the third-best running back that year, behind Mississippi's Deuce McAllister and Wisconsin's Michael Bennett

. Tomlinson was chosen fifth overall by San Diego; he ranks second in NFL history with 126 TDs rushing and 14th with more than 11,000 yards rushing. McAllister has run for 49 TDs and 6,096 yards; Bennett has run for 13 TDs and 3,627 yards.

• Kiper had QBs Dan McGwire and Brett Favre rated evenly heading into the 1991 draft; San Diego State's McGwire (brother of baseball's Mark) was chosen No. 16 overall by Seattle; Southern Mississippi's Favre was taken in the second round, No. 33 overall, by Atlanta. McGwire made five NFL starts, the last in 1995; Favre was traded to Green Bay before the 1992 season and retired in February with one Super Bowl championship

and league records for career TD passes (464), completions (5,720), yards passing (65,127) and regular-season victories (169).

[Khyber53]

And yet, somehow Kiper still has enough time to groom his coif into a hairstyle that would put a televangelist to shame. I wonder if most of his insider info comes from his hairdresser.

[theyhateme45]

But being objective that man is paid to make predicitions about every player drafted ever year for awhile now....

I mean it still is a draft, you can't expect the man not to have some horrible predicitions....

No matter who were giving these predicitions there would always be some they horribly miss on.

[Kurb]

and he rarely talks down a player (IMO)

usually finds something good to say about every kid drafted

[SorthNarolina]

I'd like to see what all the other analysts thought at that time.

[Yaboychris28]

dont hate on kiper you cant always be right with predictions

[Yaboychris28]

and todd mcshay said jemarcus russel was the best thing since sliced bread

[Future of the Funchise]

I miss Akili Smith... I wonder what he's doing now-a-days

[jramsey4]

and he rarely talks down a player (IMO)

usually finds something good to say about every kid drafted

Thats a good way never to look completely wrong. Always say enough good about a prospect that if he blows up you can say "I did see something". Things like "He has all the tools but he might never realize his potential". If you leave things vague your never completely wrong.

[Sam Mills Fan]

He has a tough job. No one ever mentions how he usually gets the majority of his stuff right though.

I feel like I'm the only one out there that likes Mel Kiper Jr.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Haters gotta hate. Kiper gets paid to do a little research and be on TV to spit out opinions, while the OP probably works a dead end job and hates his life.

[jkeough]

Mike Williams has been invited to the Seachickens camp....maybe he will become something

[Dilla]

I miss Akili Smith... I wonder what he's doing now-a-days

He's working as a graduate assistant at Cal. Tedford was his coach at Oregon.

[The Question]