1 week Ago
All night long, as team after team after team after team after team (do I have to do that 32 times?) passed on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the first round of the NFL Draft, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper sighed in disbelief. After all, Kiper had Sanders rated as his top quarterback. But Deion Sanders’ kid, who had been the target of biting criticism as the draft approached, kept sliding down the board.
And when the Giants — who had selected Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick — traded back into the first round to take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart over Sanders at No. 25, Kiper insisted he loved Dart — then told the world why that actually was a lie. In short, Kiper called the kid a choker.
“In big games, let me see you come up big,“ Kiper said . ”In two games when [Dart] faced a then-ranked opponent, LSU and Georgia, he completed less than 60% of his passes. .
.. [In those two games], he threw for two touchdowns and two picks.
“Then, when they were looking for a playoff spot in November, he completed less than 60% of his passes with two touchdowns and a couple of picks in that late meltdown against Florida. So, three big spots and he didn’t come up big. “Shedeur consistently did.
I love Jaxson Dart, but I love Shedeur. We’ll see how it works out.” Dart, 21, spent three seasons at Ole Miss after playing his first college season at USC.
He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2024, leading the conference in passing yards and setting a program record. He completed 69 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions last season as Ole Miss went 10-3. He also rushed for 495 yards with three TDs.
Kiper was roasted on Twitter/X for his QB cheerleading. “The money Deion and Shedeur spent on Mel Kiper was wasted,” former Fox News commentator Jason Whitlock snarked . Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk added , “Mel Kiper seems to be personally offended that Shedeur Sanders hasn’t been drafted yet.
" “Need a wellness check on Mel Kiper," Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde tweeted . “The only person madder right now about Shedeur not being picked is his dad.” MORE GIANTS COVERAGE How soon until Jaxson Dart replaces Russell Wilson as Giants’ starting QB? ESPN, NFL Network leak Ravens’ seven-round draft board for all to see NFL Draft 2025: How much did Shedeur Sanders’ ‘immaturity’ scare off Giants? Controversial host trashes Giants for Jaxson Dart pick: ‘Laughably sad’ Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust.
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