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Football analyst- Mel Kiper has served as an NFL draft analyst for ESPN since 1984. He is a regular contributor on "SportsCenter," ESPN studio shows and ESPN Radio. He is the co-host of the First Draft podcast, and he writes regularly for ESPN+.
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senior NFL draft analyst- Todd McShay is a senior NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting reports on the nation's top pro prospects. He also serves as a college football field analyst on Saturdays in the fall. Todd joined ESPN in 2006 and contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live, College Football Live and ESPN Radio. He is a Massachusetts native and was a backup quarterback at the University of Richmond. You can follow Todd on Twitter via @McShay13.
Each week during the college football season, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay kick off the week by settling a debate, and then look at emerging NFL prospects and peek ahead to next week.
The discussion: If the season ended today, and you had to set up a four-team playoff, who's in it?
Mel Kiper: I'll give you three teams you might expect, and one you might not.
No. 1 seed: Alabama is the first seed, but if the Crimson Tide played against Florida State on a neutral field tomorrow, I think it's pretty close to a pick 'em. This is a worthy No. 1 team in America, but not a dominant one, and I think LSU showed the defense is far from invincible. Where Bama is scary is how much it can physically impose its will, particularly late, as we saw against LSU, with that offensive line.