Who is Mel Kiper? NFL analyst gets slammed for controversial rule change proposal

NFL analyst Mel Kiper has come under fire for suggesting the league to implement a rule change. Kiper, who believes that two-high safety defenses should be banned from the NFL, has said that the rule takes away explosive plays at a high rate.

Kiper also believes that defensive strategy makes offensive football more boring to watch, as quarterbacks dink and dunk their way down the field rather than take deep shots against the coverage.

While many football fans slammed Kiper for suggesting the controversial rule change, some are also curious to learn more about the analyst.

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All we know about NFL analyst Mel Kiper

NFL analyst Mek Kiper - Source: Getty

Mel Kiper is one of the most renowned draft analysts in the country, having appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984.

Kiper was born on July 25, 1960, in Baltimore Maryland, to Mel Kiper Sr. and Rhea Kiper. He attended Calvert Hall College High School before graduating from Essex Community College.

As per reports, Kiper was preparing draft reports while he was a student in high school. He met Ernie Accorsi, who was the assistant general manager of the Baltimore Colts at the time, and was told to convert his analysis into business, as there was a market for draft information.

In 1984, Kiper signed a reported $400 contract with ESPN to cover draft analysis for the company. He has been with the broadcast company for more than 40 years, providing insightful analysis for each year's NFL draft.

Despite being recognized as a draft expert, Kiper has been criticized for the low accuracy of his predictions at regular intervals in his career. At the 2023 draft, the analyst correctly predicted only one of the 31 draftees in the first round after updating his analysis on the morning of the draft day.

Kiper has been married to Kim since 1989, and she helps him in running his company, 'Mel Kiper Enterprises' from their residence in Baltimore. Kiper and Kim have one daughter together.