Mel Kiper too distracted by Shedeur Sanders as he barely praises Giants’ Jaxson Dart pick

New York Post - Apr 25th, 2025
Open on New York Post

In a surprising move during the NFL draft, the New York Giants traded up to select quarterback Jaxson Dart, passing over Shedeur Sanders, who was highly rated by ESPN's draft expert, Mel Kiper. Kiper expressed his surprise, emphasizing that while Dart has improved his stats under Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and possesses dual-threat capabilities, he has not consistently excelled in high-pressure games. Kiper highlighted Dart's underwhelming performances against key rivals LSU, Georgia, and Florida, suggesting that these moments raised doubts about his potential to succeed at the professional level.

The decision to pick Dart over Sanders, whom Kiper compared to legendary quarterbacks like Brett Favre and Joe Montana, indicates the Giants' preference for mobility under coach Brian Daboll. However, Kiper believes Sanders' ability to thrive under pressure makes him a better long-term prospect, suggesting the New Orleans Saints would be an ideal fit for Sanders. This draft decision could have significant implications for both the Giants and Sanders’ potential NFL career, as Kiper predicts Sanders will ultimately outperform Dart, despite the current draft order.

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RATING

7.2
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a detailed and timely analysis of the Giants' NFL draft decision, focusing on Mel Kiper's evaluation of Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders. It effectively presents Kiper's perspective, supported by specific statistics and comparisons, which are crucial for understanding the analysis. However, the article would benefit from a more balanced presentation by including additional viewpoints and contextual information. While it engages sports fans and those interested in the NFL draft, its impact and controversy potential are primarily limited to the sports community. Overall, the article is clear and well-structured, making it accessible to readers familiar with football.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article provides a detailed account of Mel Kiper's assessment of the Giants' draft pick, Jaxson Dart, and his preference for Shedeur Sanders. The claims about Dart's performance statistics, such as his completion percentages and touchdown records, are specific and can be verified against college football records. However, the article heavily relies on Kiper's subjective opinions, such as his belief that Sanders will outperform Dart in the NFL. These opinions are not verifiable facts and should be distinguished from the factual claims. Additionally, the comparisons made by Kiper between Sanders and legendary quarterbacks like Brett Favre and Joe Montana are speculative and not based on current data.

6
Balance

The article primarily presents Mel Kiper's viewpoint, which is critical of the Giants' decision to draft Jaxson Dart over Shedeur Sanders. While it provides a detailed account of Kiper's reasoning, it lacks perspectives from other analysts or the Giants' management, which could provide a more balanced view. By focusing solely on Kiper's critique, the article may give an impression of bias against Dart and the Giants' decision-making process. Including counterarguments or supportive views of Dart's potential could enhance the balance.

8
Clarity

The article is well-structured and uses clear language to convey Kiper's assessment of the draft picks. It logically presents Kiper's arguments, supported by specific statistics and comparisons. The tone remains neutral, focusing on Kiper's analysis without inserting the author's opinions. However, the article could benefit from clearer distinctions between factual claims and speculative opinions, helping readers to better understand the nature of the information presented.

8
Source quality

Mel Kiper is a well-known NFL draft analyst with a long history of providing insights into draft decisions, lending credibility to the article. The article appropriately attributes the opinions and assessments to Kiper, maintaining transparency about the source of the information. However, relying solely on one expert's perspective without incorporating other voices or data sources limits the breadth of the analysis. Including insights from additional analysts or statistical data could strengthen the article's reliability.

7
Transparency

The article clearly attributes the opinions and assessments to Mel Kiper, ensuring transparency about the source of the analysis. It also provides specific statistics and comparisons to support Kiper's claims, allowing readers to understand the basis of his arguments. However, the article could improve transparency by disclosing any potential biases Kiper might have, such as previous statements about the players or teams involved. Additionally, explaining the context of the draft and the players' backgrounds would provide readers with a fuller understanding of the situation.

Sources

  1. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25190184-mel-kiper-jr-questions-cowboys-and-giants-wowed-jags-after-2025-nfl-draft-day-1
  2. https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2025/story/_/id/44785183/2025-nfl-draft-analysis-every-selection
  3. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25184422-jaxson-dart-browns-tyler-shough-giants-mel-kiper-yates-2025-nfl-mock-draft
  4. https://corner.bigblueinteractive.com/index.php?mode=2&thread=653670