Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal and ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. sparked a public dispute over their coverage of quarterback Cam Ward, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 overall pick. Cristobal claimed he spoke to many people about Ward but not Kiper, while Kiper accused Cristobal of not engaging with him despite ranking Ward higher than other experts. The tension followed criticism of Kiper’s analysis during the draft, including his on-air conflict with Rece Davis over Shedeur Sanders’ fall from favor.
The Titans’ decision to select Ward as their first overall pick was seen as the easiest choice, but it was arguably under-covered compared to Shedeur Sanders’ slide. Sanders’ unexpected fall in draft rankings led to criticism of Kiper’s analysis, as he emphasized the surprise of Sanders’ drop. Kiper faced backlash for his comments, including a heated exchange with Rece Davis after the Browns selected Sanders in the fifth round.
Cristobal stated that neither he nor offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson had spoken to Kiper about Ward, despite the coach’s claim of speaking to