Mel Kiper Is No Longer Just A Mouthpiece
By Scott Allen
Nov 24, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (81) collide in mid air while attempting to catch a ball during the first half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Over the years we’ve all become accustomed to Mel Kiper Jr being the NFL Draft guru. He’s given us thousands of mock drafts and countless hours of television analysis on ESPN in regards to NFL Drafts. He is no longer that impressed with the Arizona Cardinals 2013 draft class. He originally graded them a B. However upon review after the season, he has downgraded them to a B-. His reasons are baseless.
The mouthpiece of the draft is now just another head case trying to get people to talk about him. Well, it worked. He downgraded the Cards draft class mainly because of linebacker Kevin Minter and guard Jonathan Cooper. He said Minter didn’t end up being as important as once thought, mainly because of the play of Karlos Dansby. Well, it was still a great pick. Minter didn’t play much because Dansby surprised and played very well. That was more really about Dansby than it was about Minter. Minter is young. He has a whole career in front of him. I don’t think you can downgrade a draft just because of how well someone else played at the same position.
Then there is Cooper. Cooper of course was lost for the season because of injury in the preseason. Still not a reason to downgrade a draft. He didn’t play. Not because he couldn’t at this level. It was because he was injured. You can’t predict those things. Grade the draft class a couple of years down the road once everyone has had some games under their belts.
I will reluctantly give Kiper credit for saying safety Tyrann Mathieu was the steal of the draft. I mean, we all pretty much knew that already. At least he sees that. He also liked running back Andre Ellington. Who didn’t? However what really got Kiper to downgrade was because he doesn’t know what the future will hold for those guys. Really? You’re going to downgrade because of what could happen? That is just plain ridiculous. What a head case.