A fixture of NFL Draft coverage will not be onsite at the event in Las Vegas this year.
ESPN Senior NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. announced on Twitter Monday that he is unvaccinated for COVID-19. As a result, he will cover the upcoming draft from his home studio in Maryland.
I am looking forward to being part of the 2022 NFL Draft, my 39th for ESPN pic.twitter.com/C5ea9NjdqK
— Mel Kiper Jr. (@MelKiperESPN) April 18, 2022
“I completely support everyone determining what’s best for their individual circumstance and recognize the value of vaccines,” Kiper wrote in his statement.
“Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history. I appreciate my colleagues, particularly 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 year covering the draft for ESPN, and the second time he has done so virtually.
The 2020 draft was supposed to take place in Las Vegas before transitioning to a remote event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 NFL Draft was held in-person in Cleveland.
Kiper’s remote coverage should do little to hurt ratings, especially after viewership records were shattered in 2020.
Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft will kick off on April 28. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on April 29, followed by the remaining four rounds on April 30.
