Remember during the 2025 NFL Draft when Mel Kiper Jr. barely showed Cam Ward any love when he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick? Of course you do. While Kiper didn't hesitate in saying Ward is a big-time talent, and a strong addition for the Titans, his focus was elsewhere.
Yup, Kiper couldn't stop talking about Shedeur Sanders while people were still celebrating the team-changing move by the Titans. People were livid with Kiper, who quite literally could not stop talking about Sanders, eventually taken on Day 3, and how he was the top QB for the draft class.
As it turns out, Kiper never really had that much interest in Ward in the first place? Things appear to be looking that way, as Mario Cristobal revealed that neither he nor offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson ever heard from Kiper during the pre-draft process. This is head-turning for so many different reasons.
Miami's Mario Cristobal said he spoke “to a million people” about No. 1 NFL draft pick Cam Ward – except one. “I can’t recall many NFL teams or TV people I didn’t speak to.” However, Cristobal & OC Shannon Dawson never spoke w/ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who was criticized for…
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 14, 2025
Mario Cristobal never hearing from Mel Kiper Jr. before the draft was a joke
Cristobal made it clear he wasn't upset or disappointed with Kiper. Having said that, it only makes his weak commentary during draft night even worse. Kiper was getting called out left and right for focusing on Sanders instead of giving Ward the kind of coverage he deserved.
Ward himself didn't care, as he was much more focused on his NFL dreams coming true. Ward was one and done with the Miami football team, but he put up some historic numbers for both Cristobal and Dawson. The transfer from Washington State was so much fun to watch.
It was an easy decision for the Titans to rock with Ward, as he's a superstar talent. He has already provided Titans fans with a ton of hope for the future. Things are looking great for Miami too, with Carson Beck ready to put on a show in 2025, while 5-star OT Jackson Cantwell is on the way for 2026.
As for Kiper, this latest update from Brett McMurphy has upset a lot of people and it indeed only makes things a bit worse for him. He was so locked in on Sanders that it seemed like he didn't even care about Ward. It was a shame and something ESPN needs to prevent from happening moving forward.