Mel Kiper Jr. Clashes with Miami Coach Over Cam Ward’s NFL Draft Spotlight

ESPN’s NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. and Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal traded verbal jabs Wednesday over the coverage of quarterback Cam Ward, the Tennessee Titans’ No. 1 overall pick in last month’s draft. Ward, a former Heisman contender, was an obvious choice for the Titans, yet the spotlight shifted to Shedeur Sanders’ surprising slide to the fifth round, sparking heated debates.

Kiper, known for his bold draft takes, faced backlash for focusing on Sanders’ fall, even clashing on-air with colleague Rece Davis. Cristobal, however, threw shade, claiming he never spoke to Kiper about Ward despite talking to 'a million people,' per The Action Network. 'I don’t think I’ve ever talked to him,' Cristobal said, shrugging off any disappointment unless Ward himself was upset.

Kiper didn’t hold back, firing back on X: 'Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn’t speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any other draft experts. Interesting isn’t it.' He added a zesty, 'I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense,' marking his first X post since April 23.

As Ward gears up to likely start for the Titans against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 7, this spat highlights the high stakes and egos in NFL Draft season, where words fly as fast as the football.