Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Kiper won’t be a shill for NFL

Only three more scouting days till football's version of Christmas.

It's the NFL draft, a time when head coaches and general managers sprint down the staircase and rip open the wrapping paper to see what kind of loot they scored. And if the kid down the street gets better stuff, Christmas sucks.

Every spring, the magnitude of the NFL draft seems to get closer to that of Christmas. Football scouting junkies plant themselves like poinsetias before their TV sets for hours upon hours, watching as each NFL team stocks its roster with fresh college talent.

ESPN provides 17 hours of live coverage from New York. The draft kicks off Saturday, running from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. ESPN2 picks it up for the rest of the night until 7 p.m. On Sunday, ESPN starts it up again, going from 8-10 a.m., before tossing it back to ESPN2 until the last player is selected around 3 p.m.

In addition to host Chris Berman and analysts Joe Theismann and Craig James, Mel Kiper is back for his 13th year to tell viewers whether a team just got a glitzy gadget or a lump of coal.

"There's always something that breaks on draft day and there's always some controversy," Kiper said.

Kiper was personally attacked on-air two years ago when Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Tobin called him a know-nothing.

"I make some bold comments," Kiper said. "I'm not afraid to ruffle feathers or fire somebody up. I'm never going to be shill for anybody in the NFL."

That said, Kiper calls it a "lousy year for fullbacks," but still projects a bumper crop of running backs this year. He claims Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George of Ohio State is the "most underrated player in the draft."

Defensively, he points to "a poor linebacking crop" as evidenced by his ranking of UNLV's Rossie Johnson -- a dog last year -- among the top 15 linebackers in the country.

Kiper and ESPN producer Fred Gaudelli see embattled Nebraska running back Lawrence Phillips and new Miami Dolphins head coach Jimmy Johnson as the storylines to watch Saturday.

Phillips is widely regarded by NFL officials as the best player in the draft. But last fall, after police accused him of knocking down his ex-girlfriend and dragging her by the hair down three flights of stairs, Phillips pleaded no contest to assault and trespassing charges.

"Phillips would be special if it weren't for the off-the-field problems," said Kiper, who predicts the New York Jets will select Southern Cal receiver Keyshawn Johnson No. 1. "The sky is the limit for what this kid can achieve."

While it is uncertain where Phillips will be Saturday, ESPN will be with him. At first the NFL did not welcome Phillips to the draft site, The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, but was later invited. As of Tuesday, his attendance was uncertain.

"It's our No. 1 priority to be with Lawrence Phillips on draft day, no matter where he is," Gaudelli said.

Johnson, who holds the 20th overall selection, became known for his drafting genius after turning a Dallas Cowboys team that went 1-15 in his first year into back-to-back Super Bowl champs four years later.

"He went into Dallas and built a Super Bowl team from scratch," Gaudelli said. "You're going to see Jimmy Johnson do something on draft day. I'll be shocked if he sits there at 20."

Viewers will be able to witness Johnson's every move with one of ESPN's four "War Room Cams." The other three clubs to peer in on are Dallas, Arizona and Tampa Bay.

Static

* DRAFT MARATHON: ESPN's NFL draft extravaganza is a combined 17 hours: 10 on Saturday, seven on Sunday. "I can't think of another program, other than the Jerry Lewis telethon, where you're forced to be live for that long," draft day producer Fred Gaudelli said. "From a technical standpoint it's really integrated and challenging. You have to make sure you're not surprised by anything." To be prepared, highlight packages of 125 players are ready to roll. Filling in the time are features and special reports from remote sites. Analysts Sterling Sharpe and Tom Jackson also will appear in technical spots with top players, demonstrating the finer differences between the college and NFL games. ... New to this year's coverage is studio analyst Mike Lombardi, the former Cleveland Browns personnel director. "We think he's going to add a perspective we never had in the past," Gaudelli said. "He went through the combine and has personally scouted and evaluated over 400 players. We're excited about that."

* AROUND THE DIAL: Prime Sports added the Los Angeles Clippers to its stable Tuesday and will show 45 games next season. ... Revered Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully will receive the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award when the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presents its sports Emmy Awards Monday night.

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