NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. will appear on ESPN’s TV show covering the tentpole event from his home studio in Maryland and not on location in Las Vegas as he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, he said Monday.
Kiper made the announcement on his Twitter page.
“I totally support everyone in determining what is best for their personal situation and I recognize the value of vaccines,” Kiper said in the statement. “Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history. I appreciate my colleagues, especially the production staff and my fellow commentators, for their support and flexibility. NFL fans are the most passionate in all of sports and I can’t wait for another great NFL Draft.”
This will be Kiper’s 39th NFL Draft broadcast on ESPN. The first round of the NFL Draft begins on April 28, with rounds 2-3 the following day and the final four rounds concluding the event on April 30.
Las Vegas was originally slated to host the 2020 draft, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed those plans, forcing that year’s draft to be held at a distance. To minimize altered plans, last year’s draft was held in Cleveland, with Vegas hosting the event in 2022.
Kiper, one of the most recognizable figures in NFL Draft media, has provided coverage of the event for ESPN since 1984.
USA Today
