Mel Kiper's Eventual Replacement At ESPN Has Already Emerged

Apr 28, 2011; New York, NY, USA; ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-Imagn Images © Howard Smith-Imagn Images

Mel Kiper's Eventual Replacement At ESPN Has Already Emerged

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Apr 24, 2026 6:45 PM ET

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Although he's showing no signs of slowing down, there'll come a point where ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. finally retires from covering the NFL Draft.

Kiper has been anchoring ESPN's coverage of the NFL Draft since 1984. Despite being 65 years old, his energy in the booth is second to none during the draft. It doesn't matter if he's analyzing the No. 1 overall pick or Mr. Irrelevant, he's going to provide in-depth breakdowns for viewers at home.

"His breadth of knowledge is unmatched and his pre-draft predictions are frequently the most accurate in the business, often as high as 80 percent correct in his first-round selections," Kiper's bio for ESPN states. "His continuous, year-long research includes watching 20 to 25 college games each week. Observing so many games throughout the season provides Kiper with even more in-depth knowledge, in addition to what he gathers through lengthy discussions with coaches, players and team executives from around the National Football League and within the college ranks."

Kiper has not yet announced when he'll step down as ESPN's lead draft analyst. Whenever the time comes though, Daniel Jeremiah is considered the favorite to replace him.

Michael McCarthy and Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported that Jeremiah is firmly on ESPN's radar.

Daniel Jeremiah would be a worthy replacement.

Don't get us wrong, replacing a legend like Kiper won't be easy. Jeremiah, however, has proven himself as a great analyst.

Jeremiah has been an exceptional draft analyst for NFL Network since May 2012. Prior to landing that gig, he was a scout for the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.

Do you think Jeremiah is the right analyst to eventually replace Kiper at ESPN?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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