Mel is the MF man, been a fan since 90

FY sounds like Ned Flanders

The show hurts with the loss of McShay, but it falls off a cliff with Yates as the counterpart to Kiper like an ACME anvil. Yates is like a high school essay. 80% crappy fluff that does mean anything, 10% of information we get off of NFL Live and similar shows, the last 10% is real meat for those who are more than a casual observer. Show would be better with the other guy Daniel who understands the role of the moderator and does not step on, or cut off, the entertaining ringleader Kiper. The show needs to evaluate adjustments for the show next year.

Enough of the Yates bashing. I’ve been surprised how fantastic he’s been as both host and analyst. You can tell the guy has legitimately done his homework and is passionate about the subject matter.

Mel loses connection allot over the year with bad internet connection. Can you make it where Yates and Kiper do podcast together? Seems like this has affected allot of episodes over the last few years. Also see they still have Todd Mcshay as a host on the information of the podcast.

I love Mel, the Godfather of the draft. He’s an icon within the NFL draft culture. Still at the top of his game and worth listening for him alone. Field is the consummate pro, super detail oriented, allows Mel to be the star and fills in around him perfectly as a good host should. I think he has an eye for talent too in his own right. But the reason for the 4 instead of 5 stars is what made this podcast and ESPNs draft coverage in general great was the debate format between Mel and Todd McShay. I am personally really disappointed to see Todd go. Not only was he incredibly insightful but he and Mel had great debate chemistry. It’s kind of like when you favorite band loses a key member and while they are still good, it’s just not quite the same. So still worth a listen, but we are SERIOUSLY missing Todd!

Once again ESPN is trying to make Yates an analyst. He is a mediocre show host when surrounded by actual analysts, but he is not an expert on the draft or fantasy football.

The information is fantastic, but the sound quality makes this a very hard listen. It sounds like they are recording the podcast from inside a phone booth. Come on ESPN, spend a little more on your talent. Update - ESPN letting McShay go was pretty much a death blow to this podcast.

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I’ve enjoyed this podcast for years, but can we dispense with pretending that Field Yates is a draft expert. We listen for Mel. Field Yates stop talking.

Headline says it all. Allowing Field to host and also use his actual scouting experience is a great move. Audio has improved vastly as well. Please keep this lineup. This is the one.

I’m sorry but Yates is awful. Need to get another host ASAP.

ESPN never should have parted ways with Todd McShay. He and Mel Kiper had such great chemistry together. The new guys they have, Miller and Reid (?), seem knowledgeable, but they lack the charisma of their predecessors. If you want some general info on prospects, this podcast is fine, but it’s not as entertaining as it was in prior years. I did listen to several episodes trying to give it a fair shake, but the Miller-Reid lineup just isn’t for me. Any show with Kiper is still worthwhile, but he’s not on most of these.

This show was Mel and Todd. Without them, you don’t have their chemistry, or knowledge. Disappointed and will no longer listen.

Enjoy the show but Field in the words of Jerry Seinfeld is too much of a “Fast Talker.” At times it is almost impossible to understand what he is saying.

The information you can and will get from this podcast is great… if you can get past the substandard audio that a sports mogul like ESPN puts out. You would think that a multi Billion dollar company would have state of the art recording equipment and be able to have their podcasts produced cleanly. I understand not every guest can be in a perfect situation but sometimes it sounds like Field Yates is using Apple headphones to record… I love the guests and the information that they share but I just think a better product should be put out by ESPN

Fired McShay…major mistake. This is the cheap version of Kiper/McShay.

When McShay and Kiper were on I was always frustrated there weren’t more episodes and more content. Now I find myself to be very meh about new episodes. No McShay was an obvious loss but now not even regular appearances from Mel? This pod was one of my favorites but Matt and Jordan can’t carry it like Mel and Todd used to. The fact Mel isn’t even on the pod artwork probably means they’re looking to push him out next. RIP First Draft pod.

This show has really fallen off. The new guys might as be talking something else because they’re not delivering what Todd McShay brought. I’m not convinced Jordan Reed knows more than my mailman.

All due respect, Mel and Todd were this podcast. Unfortunate to see both gone without much said at all.

Jordan is a dope.

Idk how espn can even release something with audio quality this bad. It’s like they’re recording on a karaoke machine. The analysts are so boring and deliver their bits like they just rolled out of bed and Yates comes in so hot in comparison. Infinitely worse this year than years past.

This used to be my go-to pod; however, with McShay gone, it’s sort of terrible. Def unsubscribing

Get rid of Todd, Todd, Todd and replace with a garbage diversity hire. ESPN just stinks.

It is so great to hear Jordan and Matt talk about college athletes, especially QBs. They are very knowledgeable and bring a fresh perspective. I love listening to them. However, it is embarrassing that in 2023 for ESPN the hosts audio is so bad, I thought something was wrong with my headphones. Come on ESPN

At least bring back Mel

I have loved this show for years, the whole crew, but with McShay fired from ESPN I’m out. Bad business.

I don’t care who else is on the show , listening to Mel talk about prospects with his enthusiasm is just great. The amount of detail and descriptions are incredible

This podcast has great content. But the production is unprofessional. Mel’s audio is terrible and Todd doesn’t use the mute when Mel talks. If Yates is producing he should be ashamed. Do they not listen prior to posting? Any kind of quality control. ESPN stop being box checkers and hacks. You have to put the work in or we will stop listening. Audio is better on my kids walkie talkies.

Your sound quality is beyond sub par you’re the biggest multimedia sports company in the world and you can’t figure out how to get everyone to mute their mic when not talking or have a producer do it the clicking is unbearable to listen to whenever Mel is talking. Absolutely insane. Every producer allowing this to continue should be fired immediately what a joke

Can someone please fix Mel’s mic issue it is now multiple episodes in a row. It is almost impossible to listen to. When mics work it is a 5/5

Overall solid podcast but the quality of the audio is horrible. It makes the podcast very hard to listen to

I get so excited to listen then half the time Mel’s audio feed is so bad I cant. You work for Disney get some equipment sent to Mel’s house fellas

Please for the love of God have Mel upgrade his call quality - painful. Also would definitely prefer a twice a week at least leading up to draft - didn’t get much coverage outside of the top 12 teams picking. Could’ve done more for the other teams

These stooges can’t get a decent audio feed for a remote Kiper. Lame. C’mon grandpas

This is ESPN? The sound is awful and there are ongoing extraneous sounds. Do you have any respect for your audience? Apparently not.

Audio issues make this something I can’t even listen to or watch. If I actually heard them I don’t think it would be worth the listen anyway.

Is this a joke, never heard such terrible audio and you go ahead and post it without stopping during recording. Can’t believe ESPN attaches their name to something of such embarrassingly terrible quality sound.

The connectivity issues are brutal at times. Love to hear deeper analysis on position groups, not just top of the draft regurgitation.

Once again, sounds like Kiper is in a cabin in the woods and McShay calling in from a walkie talkie

I really enjoy Mel and Todd’s commentary and Field’s hosting, but the sound quality and production on this podcast makes it really difficult to listen to. Someone is always coughing in the background, the volume levels are way off between speakers and a lot of other sound issues (on a recent episode Mel sounds like he is calling into the show from the International Space Station). I am guessing this is because they want to air the show live when recording, but they really need to figure how to make this podcast something people can actually listen to because it is amazing insights and information with some great personalities.

Biggest draft analysts in the game, so the prospect content is very good. But the audio quality is well below what should be ESPN’s standard. The schtick between McShay and Kiper has gotten cringe-worthy.

So much good trade info on this pod, I wish I could consistently hear it. the production quality has fallen off a hill, Todd eats and mumbles on mic constantly, Mel can’t figure out his Zoom audio, you can hear the defeat in Yates voice…hope they put more effort into this next year or else just scrap it

This is a very good podcast!! It would be an excellent one if McShay learned how mute his mic when he’s not talking and Mel didn’t have so many sound issues.

The bickering schtick between these grown men is so tedious and embarrassing for them. I know ESPN fosters this kind of drivel on their talk shows with morons like Stephen A, Bayless etc but Kiper and McShay should be above it. Talk draft like adults because that’s what real football fans want.

8-year-olds on YouTube have better post production

I CANT COUNT HOW EPISODES YOU CAN BLATANTLY HEAR HIM EATING. Every bite. MUTE UR MIC DUDE

Love all the people on the pod and they all have great knowledge. The production is horrible!!!! It seems like it’s all Todd’s mic either rustling through papers, slurping in my ear, smacking his lips. My god fix his mic!! Hard to believe such big names have such bad production

Love this show have listened for years no real complaints other than Mcshay needs to learn to mute his mic when he’s not talking, we hear every cough, bite of food and scuttle of papers Love the show

This was in my draft rotation for a few years, but when they literally just disappeared before last years draft and did zero recap I dropped it entirely.