Mel Kiper Jr.

You try to make the best guess you can. It doesn't matter how much research you do, you will be horribly wrong sometimes. The point is, do as much research as you can, and try to be wrong less often than the other guy.

That pretty much paraphrases what I've heard him say about the subject.

I think people need to get the fuck off Kiper. OK, his hair is an abortion, I'll give you that, but otherwise, I find him an entertaining and very well-informed expert on NFL draft issues.

Nobody and I mean NOBODY out-researches Kiper. Dude has so much information stored in his cranium it's a wonder he can remember his own name. It's totally not a matter of having a crack research team providing him with good notes. You watch or listen to him live, he comes out with deep facts right off the cuff about guys I've never even heard of, bang bang bang. This is not a mouthpiece, this a guy who really knows his shit.

Yeah, he's wrong sometimes. So what. Like I said, nobody gets 'em all right in the NFL draft. Kiper is paid to have an opinion and express it with reasonable eloquence, and that is exactly what he does.

Nobody wants to hear him sit up there and say, "Gee willikers, you know what I'm not really sure about that guy. I've never seen him play." Because that's probably true of about half the guys (maybe more) he comments about during Day One of the draft. To say nothing about Day Two. And if he did that it would get old REAL QUICK.

He is paid to have an opinion, right or wrong, and for that opinion to be as well-informed as possible. And this he does better than anybody else in the business. Name somebody better, I'll wait here. Dr. Z? Peter King? Puhleeze. You talk about pompous self-important assholes, that's Dr. Z for ya right there.