April 18, 2025 • 39 mins
Hour Two of the Good Morning Football Podcast begins with Travis Hunter considering playing offense and defense. Hosts Jamie Erdahl, Will Blackmon, Tony Jefferson and Yogi Roth discuss the WR's available in the upcoming Draft. Prospect Gunner Helm looks forward to his upcoming NFL career, while we hear Jaxson Dart talk about his preparations for the Draft.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
That's right, it's Good Morning Football GMFB.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Everybody welcome in sixties from the twenty twenty five NFL
Draft in Green Bay. But we've been gifted with a
handful of NFL veterans current players at the table.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
This week.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We had Nick across from the Colts for a couple
of days. Tony Jefferson is sitting here and he just
casually drops on us that the Chargers report to OTA's
on Monday, And here you are sitting with us on
a Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Are you ready?
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Now?
Speaker 6 (00:44):
I'm stressed for I'm ready. I got my workouts about
the week.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
I made sure I worked out last weekend so that
you know, these two days that I do miss, you
know I'll get him in.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
So you've reached a point in your career where you're
not worried whatsoever that Harbaugh is seeing you on TV
and that he's going to be like barking at you
on Monday, like what are you doing on GMFB last week?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
You're not worried.
Speaker 7 (01:04):
I'm worried about that.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh my gosh, how's the Chargers defense going?
Speaker 8 (01:07):
To be this year number one, number one, number one.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You heard it here a goal. That's the goal. Tony
Jefferson at the Helm.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Good morning to you, Ian Rappaport, our insider assigned to
us this week. It's going to be busy for you
next week, Ian, as we might see some movement with
the draft order players and teams jockeying for position. One
team is still jockeying for a quarterback perhaps, and that
is the fact that the Steelers are still talking with
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
And Aaron Rodgers with the.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Steelers made a TV appearance on Thursday. We hadn't heard
from him in a while. What is the update with
Rodgers now?
Speaker 9 (01:37):
The update, after many, many, many minutes of storytime with
Aaron Rodgers on the Pat McAfee show, is that there
has been no decision, no deadline, no timeline, and it
certainly seems no end in sight for Aaron Rodgers for
the Pittsburgh Steelers or.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Whoever he ends up playing for.
Speaker 8 (01:53):
And I say whoever he.
Speaker 9 (01:54):
Ends up playing for, because that was a big part
of this conversation with Pat. You know, I think we
all thought and maybe still think that if Aaron Rodgers
are going to play in the twenty twenty five season.
Is going to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers or no one.
McAfee asked him that and he would not say that. Obviously,
the New Orleans Saints still evy quarterback need there. There's
been rumors that he was waiting for the Minnesota Vikings,
(02:16):
perhaps if JJ McCarthy wasn't, but they think he is.
Rogers denied that one, but wouldn't say it's the Steelers
or bus.
Speaker 7 (02:23):
Leaving the door completely open.
Speaker 9 (02:25):
Also said retirement is still a possibility, So no decision,
no timeline, not waiting for the Vikings. Also, I should
mention he's not waiting for a big time a long
term deal.
Speaker 8 (02:37):
Said he played for ten million.
Speaker 9 (02:38):
Dollars or something like that, indicating that it's really about
wanting to play, not about the money. Aaron Rodgers also
said he's got a lot going on in his personal life,
which is where he spends most of his time thinking
rather than football. He said he has not basically led
on any team. He doesn't think he's holding them hostage.
He's just not ready to make.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
A decision yet.
Speaker 9 (03:00):
He said committing to a team would be a big thing,
so he is not there.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Yet so he is waiting.
Speaker 9 (03:06):
We are waiting, and now we will see what the
Pittsburgh Steelers do in the draft at twenty one.
Speaker 8 (03:11):
Do they take a quarterback?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
The irony here ian is that years ago Rogers was
playing for the Packers when they drafted Jordan Love right
in front of him. And now the Steelers have to
make a decision whether or not to draft a quarterback.
Yet he might still opt into playing for them, And
there he is sitting in a room with a drafted quarterback.
It's very strange. We're going to follow the whole thing
rap sheet. We appreciate you. Until then, let's play three
and out. We got first sound. We're looking at the
(03:34):
Cleveland Browns, who currently have the second overall pick in
next week's NFL draft. Their GM Andrew Berry, said that
they wouldn't limit two ways star Travis Hunter to just
one side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Need a good parallel to make.
Speaker 10 (03:46):
We wouldn't necessarily put a cap or a governor in
terms of like what he could do. You know, we
would want to be smart in terms of how we
how we started him out. You know, I think I've
mentioned before, you know, we would see his first home
as receiver in a second home, you know, on the
defense at the ball, and I'm going to use a crossboard. Now,
it's a little bit like Otani right where. You know,
when he's playing one side, he's he's an outstanding players.
(04:07):
If he's a pitcher, he's a hitter, he's an outstanding player.
You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
And Otani is a guy that you build an entire
organization around.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Will Black And why does that make you chuckle?
Speaker 11 (04:18):
Because mister Barry looks very happy talking about Travis Hunter.
He looks very, very comfortable. He looks like, actually, he
sounds like matter of fact, he knows. He has a
plan for Travis Hunter. So it looks like to me,
they're gonna go get another playmaker on the off side
of the football. Drafting Travis Hunter is going to be
like getting a quarterback. He's gonna put butts in the seat.
It's gonna be outstanding. He's gonna sell jerseys. I mean,
(04:40):
it's gonna be outstanding.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
So unicorn, he has a plan. I mean, Travis Hunter.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Might be in Cleveland and he's smiling and Pi He's like,
I know, number two, he's gonna fall right to me,
like he's he's chilling man.
Speaker 6 (04:54):
So yes, it's just funny to me.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
That's why I think he's so rare.
Speaker 12 (05:00):
And I'm with you, like I watched that and I'm like,
he's going to the Browns pretation at least. And I
love the fact that they're going to play him in
a place where he's just always been his entire career.
He doesn't know any different, and I don't think you
want to change that too much for a guy early on.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
You want him to walk into that facility and.
Speaker 12 (05:16):
Feel as though he could be the version of himself
that won the Heisman that has changed the game in
terms of how people look at it.
Speaker 7 (05:22):
Of might be possible Kenned NFL player, but play both
of ways.
Speaker 12 (05:25):
You never even had this conversation like Dion did it.
But that wasn't the conversation coming out of the draft
in that regard Charles Woodson, who was Special Teams and defense,
this is so unique and I love what he said.
I think the context of it, I'm looking forward and
playing on the perimeter, right he said that too.
Speaker 7 (05:41):
That's not where a lot of cons well gun to
use them, is what you said. So I'm all in.
Speaker 12 (05:46):
I love where he came from, and I'm glad that
he didn't try to have the gamesmanship as the Yeah,
I just kind of like the honesty.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
We're evaluating everybody and we're trying to get in. He's
just like, no, he's awesome, man.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Yeah, it's so hard not to not to be on
the same side as Andrew here, Like he's he's telling
us exactly and echoing everything we're saying.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
This dude is rare.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
His ability to be able to play offense and defense
is rare, and they're going to have the opportunity to Okay,
maybe they do bring him in and they like him
as receiver and they get a couple reps a receiver
like let's see, let's see in my corner a little bit.
This drive and having that having that versatility is going
to do so much, not only for their team but
(06:28):
for the organization and just giving that given that spark
that the team needs. I think this guy at number
two for the Browns makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
So we heard there's different theories on how to go
about this. If you draft Travis Hunter, a lot of
people would say it might be easy for him to
be the defensive guy with some wide receiver packages within
the offense. If you listen Andrew Berry there kind of
sounds like the opposite. Maybe he goes more offense. And
then so if you play him defensively just in certain packages,
how do you go about that? You pick one guy,
you pick say like Travis, just go out there and
(06:56):
lock down one person. He doesn't have to worry about
the rest of the defense rounding him.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, So for me, it'd be a little tougher if
he's the offensive guy than implementing him on defense, because
it's like, Okay, we're going to take a corner out
who's already been in the game. So I think that'll
be you know, the x's and o's they'd have to
deal with.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
But like I said, yes, I.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Like him as a corner best corner, and then implement
hing them on offense.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
All right, So that's a two way star.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Travis Hunter Are There's a one position group specifically in
the last ten years that has absolutely blossomed, and that's
the tight end. Soince twenty fourteen, there's been three tight
ends drafted in the top ten er Key Run, TJ. Howkinson,
and Kyle Pitts. We all know how this thing has
unfolded for Hawkinson, at least going from the Lions to
the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
That's where he got drafted. That's where there's a little
lion as to his name.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Now we're looking at Penn State's Tyler Warren, who could
potentially go in the top ten. Is this guy the
best receiver in this year's NFL draft? Am I seriously
asking that question that way?
Speaker 7 (07:54):
I think you should.
Speaker 12 (07:55):
I think when you look at what he's done his
body of work, he played tight end, okay, true in
line tight end, he flexed out, he played in the backfield.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Can line have a quarterback he light to have at center?
Speaker 12 (08:05):
On a snap against he was seeing caught a touchdown
fast and a unique formation.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
Ultimately, I think when you look at him and.
Speaker 12 (08:10):
When I cop him to the other skill guys, I
think it's the surest thing among them. If we look
seven years from now, who's got the most Pro Bowl appearances?
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I think it'd be Tyler Warren.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (08:19):
You look at the way the NFL is trending. I mean,
you're playing in it right now.
Speaker 12 (08:22):
Teams love to tight end, said, they want to run
the football, they want to be unique there. They can
do things that other person that grow up and you
know what it does on stressing the defense. And then
I just talked to some people at Penn State yesterday said,
tell me about his personality.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
What is the most humble, hard.
Speaker 12 (08:36):
Working guy that we've had in a long time, Never
asked for a free giveaway. He's a great teammate, soft spoken,
dramatically loyal.
Speaker 7 (08:43):
I talked to your team yesterday in the NFL and
I'm like, go get him.
Speaker 12 (08:46):
These the surest thing I think among all the players
we're talking about on the offensive side of the football
in the top ten, Yeah.
Speaker 11 (08:52):
I think honestly, he's the most versatile offensive player in
this entire draft.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
I mean you see all his highlights.
Speaker 11 (08:57):
He lines about running back, quarterback, obviously, tight end, receiver.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
You can put him anywhere.
Speaker 11 (09:02):
We talked to names like Gronkowski, We talk about Travis Kelcey,
we talk about Kittles.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
He almost sounds.
Speaker 11 (09:08):
Like a New England Patriot at four. That's who Rabel knows.
Guys like that. He's stuff like that. You just signed
Harold Langie, you know, to be a pass rusher. This
is a deep defensive line draft class and you're trying
to get your quarterback some more weapons. So I can
see him going four to the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Yeah, having a six to six tight end and being
a safety and going against a guy who moves like
a wide receiver is a tough, tough matchup. So I
see this dude being a really impactful player, kind of
like brock Bowers was last year, just coming in just
immediate impact. He has that ability, He's earned that respect,
he's earned the right to be involved in questions like
this to see the best receiver in the draft.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Yeah, it almost feel shameful putting up a list of
tight ends and have been drafted recently and not including
brock Bowers. But he was the thirteenth pick, not in
the top tens. That's why Barers wasn't on that full screen. Slo,
we're talking tight ends in this year's NFL draft class,
and Gunner Helm the guests that we have on next segment,
we are so sorry we had just had to talk
about your fellow tight end. That way, we will get
(10:06):
to all of your skills and talents. Because we are
six days away from Night one of the twenty twenty
five NFL Draft, presented by bud Light. You can see
all seven rounds over three days on NFL Network or
you can stream it on the go.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
On NFL Plus. Still come on our show.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Like I mentioned, we got a ton of big time
prospects joining. Mississippi Quarterback Jackson Dart had some free time
this week and he stops by to talk about how
the SEC prepared him for the NFL, his current his
former head coach Lane Kiffin, and some good time parallels
that he makes to his life at how it translates
to the football field. It hit that snag by gunner Helm.
(10:43):
We're talking to Texas tight end. He had a breakout
year for the Longhorns. We can ask him about his
potential for playing for his hometown, gutting through an injury
that he suffered at the Combine, and how he can
make a name for himself the next level.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Gunner Helm hanging out in the wings.
Speaker 13 (10:57):
Ere up next, Buddy good Football.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Our next guest is a long horned single season record
holder for catches and receiving yards by a tight end.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Gave a big warm gem of feed.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Welcome to Texas is Gunnerm.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
What's up?
Speaker 14 (11:22):
Gunner Hey you guys doing Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It's great to see you. Gunner.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
If I say the name Carrie Strug to you, does
that mean anything?
Speaker 14 (11:29):
Uh? No, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Okay, well listen to me.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Carrie Strug had a generational Olympic performance in which she
took a vault, she sprained her ankle, and then she
had to go back and do another vault, stick the
landing and win an Olympic gold for Team USA. It's
kind of like what you did at the combine. Okay,
so you suffered a bad ankle sprain right out the gate,
you didn't tell anybody, and you still went on to
compete in all the drills. Are you feeling like you
had a Carry Strug moment in the at the combine?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
What that thing?
Speaker 14 (11:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 15 (11:55):
I mean obviously it's not on the level that the Olympic,
but yeah, you know it was. Uh, you know, everything
happens for a reason. That's just what I kind of
keep telling myself. You know, it's all about the process.
For me, it's always been about the process and trusting
the process. And you know, being a kid from Greenwood Village, Colorado,
there was just oh wow, I was just going to
pull myself.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
Out of that.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
You know, I was enjoying it and uh, I just
wanted to compete.
Speaker 14 (12:16):
At the end of the day.
Speaker 12 (12:17):
That was a talk about the process your offense, I know,
is a process to learn. Stettartigian. He is a brilliant
play caller in all of college football. I've known him
for over twenty years. He often references that the tight
end position is one of more challenging positions within this
scheme and all the things that you to do this
past season, how do you think that's prepared you to
now take this next step go to the NFL.
Speaker 14 (12:38):
Oh Jesus, you know, it's everything.
Speaker 15 (12:40):
You know, it offers so much diversity to not only
my game, but really just every tight end in our room.
You know, we're we're polling, we're blocking the front side
of gap, we're blocking the front side of zone. We're
in the vertical passing game, we're in the backfield, we're
pass protecting, we're you know, split blocking where you know,
running medium short passing game, we're running tight end screens.
I mean, it's everything that you could possibly want if
(13:01):
you're a tight end in an offense, and you know,
it's just it was a great situation for me.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
Gun, what's up Will Blackman? Here?
Speaker 11 (13:06):
Of course, everyone everyone loves scoring touchdowns. But what I
respect about you you also love to mix it up
in the trenches. So I'm going to ask you what
gives you a bigger thrill catching touchdowns or getting a
pancake block to spring your running back for a long run.
Speaker 8 (13:19):
You know what?
Speaker 15 (13:19):
You know, what I've always believed in truly is and
it's going to sound pretty cliche, but you know, the
team we win either way.
Speaker 8 (13:25):
You know, whether that's in the run game.
Speaker 15 (13:28):
If you know, if I if I play every play
in the in line and block you know for the
running backs and spring a long run, I get the same,
you know, feeling of excitement and success and catching a touchdown.
You know, we all benefit the same at the end
of the day. And that's kind of what's been instilled
into our team at the University of Texas, and I
think coach Sark and the coaching staff do a great
job of that, just you know, being a team player
(13:48):
and being a player led team.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Yo, Gunner, if you didn't know, I went to owe
you ORNs down and we faced off when I was
in the Big twelve and now we're both in the SEC.
Talk about a little bit. How's it been going against
like the big time deepensit ends and the CEC. And
how's helped pipe you for the NFL.
Speaker 14 (14:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 8 (14:08):
You know, obviously, the SEC is the SEC. There's no
off week.
Speaker 15 (14:13):
You know, you got the Florida's, you got the even
you know, all every team in the SEC is good.
Speaker 14 (14:18):
You know, it's mostly blue blood.
Speaker 15 (14:19):
So you go into every week preparing as if it's
you know, just a just another game, but in the
back of your mind it's, you know, wow, this guy's
you know, projected top ten.
Speaker 14 (14:28):
Wow, this guy's projected first round.
Speaker 10 (14:29):
Wow.
Speaker 15 (14:30):
You know this is this is a great opportunity for
me to put, you know, good stuff on tape.
Speaker 8 (14:33):
And that's just kind of how you went into every week.
Speaker 14 (14:35):
You know, you're.
Speaker 15 (14:36):
Blocking, you're past protecting against the best addressers in the.
Speaker 8 (14:39):
Country weekend and week out. So you got to stay
on your game.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I'm gonna hold up my paper while I ask you.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So, how did Texas and Oklahoma fair this season?
Speaker 14 (14:50):
For sure?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:52):
They Oh I thought.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
You didn't ask him because I thought Oklahoma lost to Texas.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
No, that's not how it went. Such a gentleman, such
a gentleman.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
Wow, And you're a gentleman too, Gunnar, nice work. You
come from a very athletic family, So trash talking, which
I've been attempting to do with you during this interview,
probably comes as first stature. You have three sisters, you
have excelled at a very high levels.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Can you give them some love?
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And what the sibling rivalries maybe were like in the
Helm household growing up?
Speaker 14 (15:20):
Oh?
Speaker 15 (15:20):
Yeah, it was all It was always competitive, you know,
even if it was an Easter egg hunt.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
I mean I got tackled by.
Speaker 15 (15:26):
My oldest sister trying to find the golden egg one
year and got pretty hurt. But it toughed me up,
and she still get up about it. But it's just
one of the many things that shaped me into the person.
Speaker 14 (15:36):
That I am today.
Speaker 15 (15:37):
You know, I think it's a misconception that you grew
up soft with three sisters, but I definitely think they
toughed me up.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Awesome.
Speaker 12 (15:44):
They contributed to the stiff arm that we've seen. Yeah,
plate Man, we were talking earlier in the show about quarterbacks.
Quen you Weres came up as somebody who might be
a sleeper in this year's draft.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
You play with him.
Speaker 12 (15:56):
Give us your evaluation of what you've seen not only
just as your quarterback throwing you dimes every weekend, but
the guy you worked out with in the off season,
you've seen in meetings in training camp and the man
you really got to know.
Speaker 15 (16:08):
Yeah, I mean I say it all the time, Quinn
is one of my best friends off the field, and
I think you know, having that chemistry with your quarterback
is super important. But you know the thing I respect
most about Quinn is you know, no matter how bad
or constructive the media was to him, he always came
in you know, the building every day with the same
same head on straight, same mindset that he just wanted
to win. He just wanted to, you know, be a
(16:29):
part of this great team and continue to put in place,
you know, this vision that coach Stark had for us.
Speaker 8 (16:34):
So that was one of the things I respected most
about him.
Speaker 15 (16:36):
You know, he's just a competitor, he's a baller, he's
a super easy you got to talk to. Whenever he
open his mouth, everybody listened, and that's a great trait
to have.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
Gunner.
Speaker 11 (16:44):
You had a pre drive visit with the Broncos, your
hometown team, so I know you would love to play
for any team that drafts you.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
But how special would it be.
Speaker 11 (16:51):
To put on the blue and orange every week?
Speaker 14 (16:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 15 (16:54):
I mean growing up just south of Denver, you know,
I'll never forget going out to Douve Valley and seeing
those practices during camp and when they're in camp, and
obviously going to the games growing up.
Speaker 14 (17:02):
But you know, it'd be just so surreal.
Speaker 15 (17:04):
Know, this process has taught me a lot of things,
and one of them is, you know, not to get
caught up and you know old being a fan of.
Speaker 14 (17:11):
An old team.
Speaker 15 (17:12):
And you know, as I got to college, obviously didn't
get many Broncos games down in Austin, so didn't fully
watch them a whole lot in college. You know, I
caught them on red zone whenever I could. But you know,
it would be just such a dream come true, just
like playing for any team in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
So got it right now in every NFL facility, GMF
GMF B is on TV right now. If you had
any last remarks, that's to tell any GM coach they're
watching on TV, what would you tell them right now
on why they should draft you, why you should be
on their team.
Speaker 15 (17:43):
You know, I think that when I got to Texas,
it was a It was a pretty broken culture, and
it was a pretty broken team. And it was a
team of a lot of guys that didn't want to
play for the University of Texas, if that makes sense.
And we had a group of guys that really stuck
through it. And you know, the twenty twenty one class
and guys like Jake Majors and Alfred Collins and Vernon
Brodon obviously John a and David Benda, some older guys
(18:06):
like that that really helped set in place this vision
of a culture that Coach Stark wanted to put in place.
And you know, we just stuck at it every year. Obviously,
we got better every year. Our GPA went up every year,
our leadership went up every year. So I would just say,
I'm a culture guy. I'm a locker room guy. I
want to win. I've come from, you know, a winning
program in high school. I've come from a winning program
in college, and I'd like to say that I left
(18:28):
University of Texas in a better place than I found.
Speaker 10 (18:30):
It.
Speaker 14 (18:31):
Really just said I'm a competitor.
Speaker 15 (18:32):
You know, I'm a danga football player and I love
to I guess rest my hat.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
On that Connor that was an incredibly impressive answer. Seriously,
so many times we asked these guys, this is my
third year doing these prospects interviews before the NFL Draft,
and it's not their faults because the way the question
is framed, But speak on yourself and what do you
want to tell the gms? And inherently the answer starts
with the player and maybe ends with their time in
(18:57):
the program. And for you to have flipped that and
made it about the program first and finished with yourself,
I think speaks volumes more than just the words that
you said. So Gunnar, you're awesome. Congratulations man, and we
wish you the best.
Speaker 14 (19:09):
Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
This was an honor, the crossover event of this season.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
It's still happening.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
It wraps up today as NFL Network Draft BOURU. Daniel
Jeremiah makes an appearance on the Mina Kime Show. And
you saw Mina Kyns on one of our podcasts on NFL.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Network yesterday, which was so cool.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
You can catch DJ on NFL Networks coverage of the
draft beginning Thursday. I was on a conference call with
DJ yesterday. The man never stops working this time of year.
It's his whole calendar. It's his Christmas, New Year's and
Halloween all combined. DJ, we love you and you're doing
God's work for NFL prospects. The Road to the Draft
is the Ultimate job interview for Oregon quarterback Dylan Gabriel
(19:49):
and Missouri wide receiver Luther Burdon the third, The NFL
Scouting Combine was one of the biggest tests yet getting
exclusive behind the scenes look at these two prospects take
on the biggest stage of their pre draft journey. In
this episode of Destination Green Bay presented by twy, The.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Combine begins today.
Speaker 16 (20:11):
About to head to Indy to his combine zone.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Another guy.
Speaker 15 (20:14):
I'm looking forward to see one of the top guys.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
I definitely think I'm preferred.
Speaker 16 (20:19):
You know, all the whole work I put in, you
don't have this opportunity to, you know, be able to
showcase my skills in front of the whole World's very opportunity.
Speaker 7 (20:30):
Appreciate.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
Go see how Indy man peace out.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And we are here the twenty twenty five NFL Scouting Combine.
Speaker 8 (20:40):
It's the beat.
Speaker 16 (20:40):
Everything's working too for It's every kid's dream to make
it to NFL Combine and go crazy and.
Speaker 14 (20:47):
You got to go make it happen. So I'm gonna
let it fly, take a deep breath, and game on.
Speaker 7 (20:57):
So I'm gonna feel confident myself.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
You're gonna confident in the work I put in and
Watchtop now.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
It's been Draft Top all week long, NonStop, and there's
a ton of big names that we have covered on GMFB.
But let's go non quarterback under the radar. Guys, everybody
has to pick one around the table. Yogi, I start
with you.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Challenge extended accepted.
Speaker 12 (21:22):
Jay Towea, defensive lineman from UCLA. I think he's a sleeper,
is a four year starter. He's a massive human being.
You play one gap defense, two gap defense every time
Carson Swetzinger made a tackles because this man was taking
up two blocks every single snappy group playing rugby and
tongue that moll to America USA in twenty eleven. He's
(21:43):
got this sense of gratitude for the craft that is amazing.
Writs a little bit of great games to make speak
up and get him early like in the fourth you
get him later.
Speaker 7 (21:51):
He's an absolute seal.
Speaker 17 (21:53):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
J Touea okay from UCLA. Well who you got?
Speaker 11 (21:55):
I'm gonna go to a defensive lineman from Nebraska, Ty Robinson.
We're gonna stick with the big man category. So again
we have a theme here. Oh you show the bull game. Yes,
I was off this sideline.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
And literally, I look.
Speaker 11 (22:08):
There are a few players where I'm like, look at
this dude, and I look, I'm like, that is the
biggest human being I've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He was, He's six but like six six eight.
Speaker 11 (22:16):
He ran a four to eight at the combine and
he just literally grabbed our alnement with one hand and just.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
Threw them all over the place. This guy was a menace.
Speaker 11 (22:25):
And I hate that every single highlight is against us, like.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
What are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
But he is he is just just a He's like
the Juggernaut. That's what I'm a big Marvel guy. He's
like the Juggernaut.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Did I just see one of the highlights?
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Heed his hand in the dirt but behind the defensive line.
Speaker 6 (22:38):
I'm telling you took a full back.
Speaker 11 (22:40):
Yeah, yes, he lined up everywhere that I'm telling you, Jamie,
this might be one of the largest human beings I
have ever seen.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
This guy is a machine, a machine.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Amazing all right, Tony, let me guess an Oklahoma guy.
Speaker 16 (22:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Yeah, make a trip down to Norman, Oklahoma, Billy Bowman Junior.
That name alone should get him drafted in the top
two rounds.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
He is a shows so much.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
To Jilly and back end ball skills, reacts really well.
I like him in the open field tackling. He does
a great job communicating in the back end. I saw
him a lot of times getting guys lined up and
even if you don't want them to play deep, he
can come down and play at that nickel spot. So
that versatility really brings a lot to the table. Look
(23:23):
at him just being around the ball. Always found himself
in the end zone a couple times in his career.
I really like this guy. I think he's going to
be a good asset for defense in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
You keep up a relationship with these guys, you go
back and talk to them or watch them, or do you.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Do you know this kid specific personally like Washington?
Speaker 6 (23:39):
Yeah, Tony Jefferson nil.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
You know that's yeah, collective, you know, Tony, we got
to get involved, you don't we the SEC.
Speaker 6 (23:48):
Stick my hand in.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
There, all right.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
That was just a handful of under the radar guys
non quarterback position. But that's because the next segment on
GMFB you're going to hear from a quarterback. It's one
of the greatest to come out of the SEC, at
least this season, in this draft class. But he's got
a crazy story behind him in Jackson Dart, the Old
Miss quarterback who finished his career being coached by Lane Kiffen.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't have a journey behind him.
(24:11):
It's Jackson Dart. Where's he going to get drafted? Get
to know a little bit better on g must be.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Next Good Morning Football.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
He can rip it, he can pull it, and he's
going to do all those things in the NFL next season.
It's Old Miss quarterback Jackson Dart.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Jackson?
Speaker 7 (24:37):
Warning to you Dart?
Speaker 14 (24:39):
Good morning. I'll hi y'all doing.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
We're awesome.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
But perhaps in this moment in time, one week until
the NFL Draft, how are you? This is quite the process.
It's quite the time for you in your life. Just
high holding up with all this.
Speaker 17 (24:51):
Yeah, I feel like I've had like a whirlwind of
emotions a little bit, going from place to place, honestly,
from my coast to coast, really, you know, just visiting
teams and you know, having little workouts and whatnot. So
I'm really wishing the draft it was like tomorrow, so
we could, you know, see where we're all going and whatnot.
But you know, trying to just enjoy the process. And
my family has been great, you know, a support system
(25:12):
around me, so you know, they've helped guide me through it.
Speaker 16 (25:14):
All.
Speaker 12 (25:14):
Right, let's talk about the process for you. I went
back to an old high school evl I had on
you and at the time it was Fordam, it was
Louisiana Latavillette, Like, you weren't this biggest star.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
That you are now in advance the draft.
Speaker 12 (25:27):
Can you share the belief system that you had in
yourself at that point and now where we sit today,
how that has become your reality.
Speaker 17 (25:33):
Yeah, it's definitely kind of crazy to look back at
the journey, and like you said, you know, I remember
being in that headspace when I didn't have a lot,
and you know, at one point, you know, honestly, I
was thinking I was just going to have to go
play baseball because things just weren't working out as much
on the football side of things.
Speaker 14 (25:48):
So quite honestly, it's never really been a doubt.
Speaker 17 (25:50):
You know, this has been something that I've dreamed of
my whole life, And I remember going back to preschool
and writing down what do you want to be one day?
Speaker 14 (25:55):
And you know, I want to be a super Bowl
winning quarterback.
Speaker 17 (25:57):
So didn't really quite expect anything less than what it
is now, but really just grateful and humble for the opportunity.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Jackson to Jefferson safety for the Chargers. You play for
one of the top play callers in college football with
Lane Kiffin, and you've been quoted in comparing him to
Yoda from Star Wars. Yeah, how was coach Kiffen? How's
he helped you like mold you into the quarterback yard today?
And like what about him is like your style of coach?
Speaker 14 (26:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (26:24):
I think it's just really cool to look back on,
you know, kind of our journey that we've had together,
from the moment that he recruited me to going from
season to season. And I think one thing that really
intrigued me when I committed to him was just, you know,
how he was able to adapt his offenses around his
talent and his quarterback. And you can see it through
the three seasons that I played with him, Like each
year the offense changed just a little bit and we
(26:46):
added new things, you know, got rid of different tendencies,
and I think that that's really unique for a coach,
and you know, really, you know, it is a tribute
to him and his knowledge of how he's able to
understand the game and really coordinate and pair and offense
around his quarterback and the talent that he has around it.
And you know, I love my I'm there and me
and Coach Kiff have such a great relationship on and
(27:07):
off the field, and just really grateful.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
For my time Jackson.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
A couple of years back, I was on the SEC
on CBS sideline. It was before you got to Ole Miss,
and I had an Ole Miss Alabama game assignment. It
was it was in Tuscaloosa. Lane Kiffin comes out of
the locker room. He's got to do the pre game
pre kick interview with me, and instead of answering whatever
question I laid out for him at the time, he
instead decides to lay a one liner down and toss
(27:32):
his headset as it happens, and get.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Your popcorn ready.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
The game didn't go great for Old Miss, but it
was a classic landkiff in moment and that he wanted
to make this an electric feeling for ole miss What
is a one liner or a lesson that you learned
from Lane that you will take into the NFL that
has shaped you as a quarterback.
Speaker 17 (27:50):
Geez, that's kind of hard to think of just one liners.
But you know, there's definitely a lot of things that
I'll take from him. You know, really, if you ever
ask him a question, he always just says, maybe puis.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
I think that's one thing.
Speaker 17 (28:01):
That I kind of like to use now, you know,
and people kind of get confused by it because you know,
you never really know what he's thinking.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
He's famously noncommittal.
Speaker 17 (28:09):
Yeah, no doubt. I mean, you guys know him just
as much as I do. I mean, you never know
what's going on inside of that. So you know, I'm
going to take a lot from my time playing with him,
you know, off the field too, just the time that
we spent and you know, the bond that we had
was special.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
You keep mentioning off the field. Sounds like you guys
have played pickleball together? What's that like?
Speaker 17 (28:28):
Yeah, you know, we actually we've had I think in
the past three days we had like nine matchups and
he has He's only won one game, so I think
he was probably excited that I left Oxford because now.
Speaker 14 (28:39):
I can try to get away.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Well, you, there is no maybe in the fact that
you were about to get paid like an NFL player.
What's going on with your partnership with Crocs as you
entered the next phase of your life.
Speaker 17 (28:51):
Yeah, Crocs has been you know, I've been riding with
Crocs since I was young. Whether it was like me
going to AAU basketball tournaments back in the day or whatever,
it was like it was such a comforting footwear and whatnot.
So it's you know, it's helped me in my recovery.
It's helped me in like little pregame fits and whatnot.
Speaker 14 (29:09):
So, you know, really happy to be partnered with them.
Speaker 17 (29:11):
And it definitely hits culls to home with how much
that I've used them in the past.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
Okay, so you grew up in Utah. You're there today
right now. You just got back home. Then he came
out to USC and then he went down to where
Jamie spent a lot of her career in the Yes
c CE man, what was that league like in terms
of preparing you for the moment that you're about to
enter in the NFL.
Speaker 17 (29:32):
Jeez, I feel like it's definitely prepared me the best
way that I could be prepared you. For the longest time,
you know, the SEC has been the best conference in
all college football, so you know, each and every week
you're going up against the best competition and the best
coaching so as well as the best.
Speaker 14 (29:46):
You know, game day environments.
Speaker 17 (29:48):
So you know, I think with all those factors involved,
I definitely feel like it's going to prepare me. But yeah,
the football is just different in the South. I don't
really know how to describe it. You kind of have
to you have to live it or see it to
really understand it. But I was blessed out, you know,
my time there, and I wouldn't want to spend my
time anywhere else, that's for sure.
Speaker 5 (30:05):
Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah the Goat said he loves loves
the way you play the game, your ability to create
off the script, plays, execute the design runs. Do you
feel that's something you offer to teams and you bring
like a different aspect to the table for other QB prospects.
Speaker 14 (30:23):
Yeah, I just think that I'm a versatile player.
Speaker 17 (30:25):
I feel like I can just do a lot of
different things and which kind of makes me unique.
Speaker 14 (30:29):
Especially.
Speaker 17 (30:29):
I don't think a lot of people even talk about it.
But you know, I'm going to be the youngest quarterback
in the NFL next year. So I'm just going to
continue to grow and get better each and every year.
And so I'm still developing, and you know, I think that,
you know, my ceiling is really high. So I'm really
excited to get with the team, be coached, you know,
as hard as possible, and continue to develop my skill
set to make me the best player that I could
(30:49):
be for a team.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Jackson, I'm always fascinated by football players because you guys
go out there and you play this physical, intense game.
Then you have these hobbies like golf. We're fishing, for example.
That takes an immense amount of patience and you have
to keep your body still, you have to sit for.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
A very long time.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
You are an avid outdoorsman and fishing is your game.
What is the bigger thrill catching a big fish or
throwing a big touchdown pass.
Speaker 17 (31:16):
It's just be real, like, there's nothing that compares to
a touchdown pass.
Speaker 14 (31:19):
I mean, I love fishing, but there's nothing that compares
to that feeling.
Speaker 17 (31:23):
Now that Yeah, that was a good That was a
great feeling.
Speaker 14 (31:27):
That's a lake trout.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
It's a casual lake trout, I think. I mean that
is yeah, catch and release. What are we doing with that?
Speaker 14 (31:34):
Oh? Absolutely?
Speaker 17 (31:35):
You know those fish can get like really old into
like they're wow, thirties to fifties. So you know you
definitely catch and release those because there's such prehistoric animals
and definitely got to respect them in that regard.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Okay, okay, here's the question.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
You know, we got all these really weird quarterback warm
up drills or the guys that do in the deck
and like with the hips, do you ever do like
the fish and the rich Like, is that something how
you warm up your shoulder?
Speaker 6 (31:56):
Maybe?
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Is that like your quarterback warm up?
Speaker 14 (31:59):
No, but maybe I could try it.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
You know, I think we're on something.
Speaker 14 (32:02):
You showed me how to do that again. I think I.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
See what you're trying to do when I'm not going
to do it.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
But I think you definitely showed it and you can
make a name for yourself. I'm just kicking ideas around
the table time.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
You know how big it is for the game day outfits.
You know, it's very important. I G that's that's where
we see who's really balling with the fits and fashion.
I hear you put your your fashion together before the season.
Tell me about that process.
Speaker 17 (32:29):
Yeah, I think it really just starts from my mom.
My Mom, she's kind of implemented me into the fashion
world since I was young, and you know, even when
I was like in elementary school, she was the one
that was like laying out outfits for me. So, you know,
I was just kind of having that relationship and whatnot,
and then being able to go and have the.
Speaker 14 (32:46):
Walk of Champions at Ole Miss.
Speaker 17 (32:48):
You definitely gave us some opportunities to kind of show
and express, you know, kind of the taste that we
like in the fashion world. So it was definitely fun
because that also brought us closer and you know, having
content communication throughout the off season and putting those fits together.
Speaker 14 (33:02):
So it was fun.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Okay, So in that spirit, what's up with the juice hat?
What's the origination there?
Speaker 14 (33:07):
It's just that, right I see, all.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
I can think of as juice and bling when I
look at Jackson Dart. Right now, Jackson, this as you said,
you wire's the draft is tomorrow. You want to know
what your future holds. This might be your last opportunity
to speak to GMS or coaches. What's the most most
important thing you want people to know about the Jackson
Dark quarterback experience.
Speaker 17 (33:25):
I think the biggest thing is you're going to get,
you know, somebody who cares about every little thing when
he steps into the office or when he steps into
a room with his teammates.
Speaker 14 (33:33):
That's one thing that you know can really separate great.
Speaker 17 (33:36):
Players from just good and average players is just you know,
your accountability, your self discipline and consistency and everything that
you do. Everybody at that level is going to have
a special and unique traits of talent. But you know
what is it that pushes you and makes you even better?
Think that it's my work ethic and how I'm able
to lead a group of men. And at the same time,
you know, I'm ultimate competitors, so you know, I would
(33:57):
never want to go against me, and you know, I
know that teams you know.
Speaker 14 (34:01):
That's something they've always said. But I'm gonna do whatever
it takes to win. And now I'm gonna one a
super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (34:05):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Tony is very impressed by that. That's a great, great approach.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Yeah, I like this guy. Besides your are bro, You're
You're you're good.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
He's got the juice all right, Jackson's art. Everybody, we
appreciate you. We can't wait to hear your name. Come
back on GMT when you know who you're playing for.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Best of luck, say healthy Jackson.
Speaker 14 (34:24):
Yeah, thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Absolutely think about that warm up cast to release.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
It's trying to bait me in it.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
And again, look at.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Wark.
Speaker 7 (34:40):
He looks sport's gonna take off. Where's the Whales?
Speaker 4 (34:44):
Cam war quarter back.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
To the outside.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
He's interced to Travis Hunter, cornerback, wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
He's the best player at college, Travis Hunter.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
God heare Tony.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Ab Dual Carter's edge. Thanks stopping.
Speaker 10 (35:12):
Carter.
Speaker 12 (35:13):
See stops Ashton Genty running back?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
You want to run for ash gend.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Ashton Genty is given Tony Jefferson the sweats over here
about trying to tackle him next season.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Listen to get it right.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
I'm sure my shot.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
That's a first round running back right there in Ashton Genty.
Will Blackmann's been with us all week long.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Will.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
You're crushing it at the TV game. However, you also
have a second job, maybe a third job, because you're
also a husband and a dad, But what else do
you spend your time doing that applies You're going to
try to make a parallel here to football.
Speaker 11 (35:52):
You said crushing in the TV game, but also crushing grapes.
For those who've been following my career, I am in
the somula business. I have a company called black Man
Cella's actually just released my wine on Friday. So there's
a process during wine making. We call it primary fermentation
and second dary ffmentitation. During the primary fermentation, it gets exciting,
(36:12):
right the yeast combines with.
Speaker 6 (36:14):
The sugar and then therefore you get alcohol.
Speaker 11 (36:16):
And there's a second part, second day fermentation, where there's
still thirty percent yeast left and we convert the rest
of that to alcohol, and that's where the wine, you know,
becomes more full, more round, and more exciting. So my
point is first round is going to be off the gate, exciting,
amazing players. But there's still some guys later on, maybe
late in the second round, maybe day three, who knows
(36:38):
what's happening. So I have a list of four guys
in the secondary part of the permitation that's going to
be exciting.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
So let's go with the first player.
Speaker 11 (36:46):
We're gonna go wide receiver from San Jose State, Nick Nash.
This man, you don't understand. He was a quarterback first.
He was a quarterback pretty much three is of his career,
and then he switched to receiver, and lo and behold.
He led the nation last year in yards and touchdown reception.
He is absolutely fantastic. You don't really hear much about him.
(37:07):
People were up in arms. Well, he didn't win the Blitannikoff.
But however, he's gonna go to a team and be very,
very very productive. So expect him to go somewhere later
on and do well. So the second person I have,
and I again, this is a theme here. I've been
coaching against these guys. So I'm gonna go to Syracuse,
New York. Arondez gass In the second bloodline, Fatherers, receiver
(37:27):
from Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (37:29):
This was an amazing Ki. Listen, I'm gonna be quiet here.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Look at this inside hand.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
I was in shock.
Speaker 11 (37:34):
Usually most things don't impress me, but I was in shock.
He was all acc As a freshman, he set records.
He's six five, two forty and he can line up
all over the place. He might line up at the
X Sometimes he will be a mismatch for a lot
of guys. Again, somebody that they would love to have
later on in the draft. We're gonna go with my
third person here. You gonna hear a lot of accolades.
(37:55):
We're gonna go to Oklahoma State running back Ali Gordon.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
Guys.
Speaker 11 (37:59):
He won Dope Walker in twenty twenty three. He is
probably ranked on the bottom half of people's lyft when
comes the runner backs. He's going to go somewhere and
be very productive. He compares himself to Derek Henry, meaning
he embraces the contact. He always falls forward. He's going
to do a great job. And the last person we
have here is cornerback Quincy Riley out of Louisville, somebody
(38:21):
who has thirteen PBUs He ran a full fourth a
combine with a strained groin.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
His cornerback coach to Steve Ellison.
Speaker 11 (38:29):
He has guys he coached like Red Blankenship, Ja Varius Ward,
and you mentioned Tony Kevin Byern. Those are three solid,
absolutely outstanding individuals in the NFL. Chrinsy Riley, He's going
to go to a team. He's a four down type
of player. He's gonna line up all over the backfield.
We talked about Elijah Molden, somebody you played with who
just got paid similar role.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
He's going to be like that.
Speaker 11 (38:49):
So those are my four guys that we have that
are going to be outstanding for players who aren't.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Going to be Probably maybe they will be, but not
in the first round.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
The secondary fermentation guys that it might need a little
bit longer to baronate, if you will, and then ferment.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Right.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
Sorry, that's tight end from syracusey don't and click it
today and.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
That's just a big wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (39:12):
But hey, you line up everywhere.
Speaker 11 (39:13):
Let's tell you what though, that's when you wind down
with will great things happen?
Speaker 3 (39:17):
You look at that the TXO.
Speaker 11 (39:21):
That we don't have wine in the morning. People you
know Vegas, maybe you do, but here we don't.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Absolutely, well, well done will this week Tony Jefferson, thank
you so much, Jogie Ron, We appreciate you. The NFL
Draft is just days away. Jim ATB has you set up.
Have an awesome weekend. We are running it back next week.
Kyle Brant will be back to talk everything draft and
the show. We'll head to Green Bay as well. Have
a good week, and everybody cheers, jeers,
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning Football.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
That's right, it's Good Morning Football GMFB.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Everybody welcome in sixties from the twenty twenty five NFL
Draft in Green Bay. But we've been gifted with a
handful of NFL veterans current players at the table.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
This week.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
We had Nick across from the Colts for a couple
of days. Tony Jefferson is sitting here and he just
casually drops on us that the Chargers report to OTA's
on Monday, And here you are sitting with us on
a Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Are you ready?
Speaker 5 (00:44):
Now?
Speaker 6 (00:44):
I'm stressed for I'm ready. I got my workouts about
the week.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
I made sure I worked out last weekend so that
you know, these two days that I do miss, you
know I'll get him in.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
So you've reached a point in your career where you're
not worried whatsoever that Harbaugh is seeing you on TV
and that he's going to be like barking at you
on Monday, like what are you doing on GMFB last week?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
You're not worried.
Speaker 7 (01:04):
I'm worried about that.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Oh my gosh, how's the Chargers defense going?
Speaker 8 (01:07):
To be this year number one, number one, number one.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You heard it here a goal. That's the goal. Tony
Jefferson at the Helm.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Good morning to you, Ian Rappaport, our insider assigned to
us this week. It's going to be busy for you
next week, Ian, as we might see some movement with
the draft order players and teams jockeying for position. One
team is still jockeying for a quarterback perhaps, and that
is the fact that the Steelers are still talking with
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
And Aaron Rodgers with the.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Steelers made a TV appearance on Thursday. We hadn't heard
from him in a while. What is the update with
Rodgers now?
Speaker 9 (01:37):
The update, after many, many, many minutes of storytime with
Aaron Rodgers on the Pat McAfee show, is that there
has been no decision, no deadline, no timeline, and it
certainly seems no end in sight for Aaron Rodgers for
the Pittsburgh Steelers or.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Whoever he ends up playing for.
Speaker 8 (01:53):
And I say whoever he.
Speaker 9 (01:54):
Ends up playing for, because that was a big part
of this conversation with Pat. You know, I think we
all thought and maybe still think that if Aaron Rodgers
are going to play in the twenty twenty five season.
Is going to be for the Pittsburgh Steelers or no one.
McAfee asked him that and he would not say that. Obviously,
the New Orleans Saints still evy quarterback need there. There's
been rumors that he was waiting for the Minnesota Vikings,
(02:16):
perhaps if JJ McCarthy wasn't, but they think he is.
Rogers denied that one, but wouldn't say it's the Steelers
or bus.
Speaker 7 (02:23):
Leaving the door completely open.
Speaker 9 (02:25):
Also said retirement is still a possibility, So no decision,
no timeline, not waiting for the Vikings. Also, I should
mention he's not waiting for a big time a long
term deal.
Speaker 8 (02:37):
Said he played for ten million.
Speaker 9 (02:38):
Dollars or something like that, indicating that it's really about
wanting to play, not about the money. Aaron Rodgers also
said he's got a lot going on in his personal life,
which is where he spends most of his time thinking
rather than football. He said he has not basically led
on any team. He doesn't think he's holding them hostage.
He's just not ready to make.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
A decision yet.
Speaker 9 (03:00):
He said committing to a team would be a big thing,
so he is not there.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Yet so he is waiting.
Speaker 9 (03:06):
We are waiting, and now we will see what the
Pittsburgh Steelers do in the draft at twenty one.
Speaker 8 (03:11):
Do they take a quarterback?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
The irony here ian is that years ago Rogers was
playing for the Packers when they drafted Jordan Love right
in front of him. And now the Steelers have to
make a decision whether or not to draft a quarterback.
Yet he might still opt into playing for them, And
there he is sitting in a room with a drafted quarterback.
It's very strange. We're going to follow the whole thing
rap sheet. We appreciate you. Until then, let's play three
and out. We got first sound. We're looking at the
(03:34):
Cleveland Browns, who currently have the second overall pick in
next week's NFL draft. Their GM Andrew Berry, said that
they wouldn't limit two ways star Travis Hunter to just
one side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Need a good parallel to make.
Speaker 10 (03:46):
We wouldn't necessarily put a cap or a governor in
terms of like what he could do. You know, we
would want to be smart in terms of how we
how we started him out. You know, I think I've
mentioned before, you know, we would see his first home
as receiver in a second home, you know, on the
defense at the ball, and I'm going to use a crossboard. Now,
it's a little bit like Otani right where. You know,
when he's playing one side, he's he's an outstanding players.
(04:07):
If he's a pitcher, he's a hitter, he's an outstanding player.
You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
And Otani is a guy that you build an entire
organization around.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Will Black And why does that make you chuckle?
Speaker 11 (04:18):
Because mister Barry looks very happy talking about Travis Hunter.
He looks very, very comfortable. He looks like, actually, he
sounds like matter of fact, he knows. He has a
plan for Travis Hunter. So it looks like to me,
they're gonna go get another playmaker on the off side
of the football. Drafting Travis Hunter is going to be
like getting a quarterback. He's gonna put butts in the seat.
It's gonna be outstanding. He's gonna sell jerseys. I mean,
(04:40):
it's gonna be outstanding.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
So unicorn, he has a plan. I mean, Travis Hunter.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Might be in Cleveland and he's smiling and Pi He's like,
I know, number two, he's gonna fall right to me,
like he's he's chilling man.
Speaker 6 (04:54):
So yes, it's just funny to me.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
That's why I think he's so rare.
Speaker 12 (05:00):
And I'm with you, like I watched that and I'm like,
he's going to the Browns pretation at least. And I
love the fact that they're going to play him in
a place where he's just always been his entire career.
He doesn't know any different, and I don't think you
want to change that too much for a guy early on.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
You want him to walk into that facility and.
Speaker 12 (05:16):
Feel as though he could be the version of himself
that won the Heisman that has changed the game in
terms of how people look at it.
Speaker 7 (05:22):
Of might be possible Kenned NFL player, but play both
of ways.
Speaker 12 (05:25):
You never even had this conversation like Dion did it.
But that wasn't the conversation coming out of the draft
in that regard Charles Woodson, who was Special Teams and defense,
this is so unique and I love what he said.
I think the context of it, I'm looking forward and
playing on the perimeter, right he said that too.
Speaker 7 (05:41):
That's not where a lot of cons well gun to
use them, is what you said. So I'm all in.
Speaker 12 (05:46):
I love where he came from, and I'm glad that
he didn't try to have the gamesmanship as the Yeah,
I just kind of like the honesty.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
We're evaluating everybody and we're trying to get in. He's
just like, no, he's awesome, man.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Yeah, it's so hard not to not to be on
the same side as Andrew here, Like he's he's telling
us exactly and echoing everything we're saying.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
This dude is rare.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
His ability to be able to play offense and defense
is rare, and they're going to have the opportunity to Okay,
maybe they do bring him in and they like him
as receiver and they get a couple reps a receiver
like let's see, let's see in my corner a little bit.
This drive and having that having that versatility is going
to do so much, not only for their team but
(06:28):
for the organization and just giving that given that spark
that the team needs. I think this guy at number
two for the Browns makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
So we heard there's different theories on how to go
about this. If you draft Travis Hunter, a lot of
people would say it might be easy for him to
be the defensive guy with some wide receiver packages within
the offense. If you listen Andrew Berry there kind of
sounds like the opposite. Maybe he goes more offense. And
then so if you play him defensively just in certain packages,
how do you go about that? You pick one guy,
you pick say like Travis, just go out there and
(06:56):
lock down one person. He doesn't have to worry about
the rest of the defense rounding him.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, So for me, it'd be a little tougher if
he's the offensive guy than implementing him on defense, because
it's like, Okay, we're going to take a corner out
who's already been in the game. So I think that'll
be you know, the x's and o's they'd have to
deal with.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
But like I said, yes, I.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Like him as a corner best corner, and then implement
hing them on offense.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
All right, So that's a two way star.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Travis Hunter Are There's a one position group specifically in
the last ten years that has absolutely blossomed, and that's
the tight end. Soince twenty fourteen, there's been three tight
ends drafted in the top ten er Key Run, TJ. Howkinson,
and Kyle Pitts. We all know how this thing has
unfolded for Hawkinson, at least going from the Lions to
the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
That's where he got drafted. That's where there's a little
lion as to his name.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Now we're looking at Penn State's Tyler Warren, who could
potentially go in the top ten. Is this guy the
best receiver in this year's NFL draft? Am I seriously
asking that question that way?
Speaker 7 (07:54):
I think you should.
Speaker 12 (07:55):
I think when you look at what he's done his
body of work, he played tight end, okay, true in
line tight end, he flexed out, he played in the backfield.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Can line have a quarterback he light to have at center?
Speaker 12 (08:05):
On a snap against he was seeing caught a touchdown
fast and a unique formation.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
Ultimately, I think when you look at him and.
Speaker 12 (08:10):
When I cop him to the other skill guys, I
think it's the surest thing among them. If we look
seven years from now, who's got the most Pro Bowl appearances?
Speaker 7 (08:17):
I think it'd be Tyler Warren.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (08:19):
You look at the way the NFL is trending. I mean,
you're playing in it right now.
Speaker 12 (08:22):
Teams love to tight end, said, they want to run
the football, they want to be unique there. They can
do things that other person that grow up and you
know what it does on stressing the defense. And then
I just talked to some people at Penn State yesterday said,
tell me about his personality.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
What is the most humble, hard.
Speaker 12 (08:36):
Working guy that we've had in a long time, Never
asked for a free giveaway. He's a great teammate, soft spoken,
dramatically loyal.
Speaker 7 (08:43):
I talked to your team yesterday in the NFL and
I'm like, go get him.
Speaker 12 (08:46):
These the surest thing I think among all the players
we're talking about on the offensive side of the football
in the top ten, Yeah.
Speaker 11 (08:52):
I think honestly, he's the most versatile offensive player in
this entire draft.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
I mean you see all his highlights.
Speaker 11 (08:57):
He lines about running back, quarterback, obviously, tight end, receiver.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
You can put him anywhere.
Speaker 11 (09:02):
We talked to names like Gronkowski, We talk about Travis Kelcey,
we talk about Kittles.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
He almost sounds.
Speaker 11 (09:08):
Like a New England Patriot at four. That's who Rabel knows.
Guys like that. He's stuff like that. You just signed
Harold Langie, you know, to be a pass rusher. This
is a deep defensive line draft class and you're trying
to get your quarterback some more weapons. So I can
see him going four to the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Yeah, having a six to six tight end and being
a safety and going against a guy who moves like
a wide receiver is a tough, tough matchup. So I
see this dude being a really impactful player, kind of
like brock Bowers was last year, just coming in just
immediate impact. He has that ability, He's earned that respect,
he's earned the right to be involved in questions like
this to see the best receiver in the draft.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Yeah, it almost feel shameful putting up a list of
tight ends and have been drafted recently and not including
brock Bowers. But he was the thirteenth pick, not in
the top tens. That's why Barers wasn't on that full screen. Slo,
we're talking tight ends in this year's NFL draft class,
and Gunner Helm the guests that we have on next segment,
we are so sorry we had just had to talk
about your fellow tight end. That way, we will get
(10:06):
to all of your skills and talents. Because we are
six days away from Night one of the twenty twenty
five NFL Draft, presented by bud Light. You can see
all seven rounds over three days on NFL Network or
you can stream it on the go.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
On NFL Plus. Still come on our show.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Like I mentioned, we got a ton of big time
prospects joining. Mississippi Quarterback Jackson Dart had some free time
this week and he stops by to talk about how
the SEC prepared him for the NFL, his current his
former head coach Lane Kiffin, and some good time parallels
that he makes to his life at how it translates
to the football field. It hit that snag by gunner Helm.
(10:43):
We're talking to Texas tight end. He had a breakout
year for the Longhorns. We can ask him about his
potential for playing for his hometown, gutting through an injury
that he suffered at the Combine, and how he can
make a name for himself the next level.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Gunner Helm hanging out in the wings.
Speaker 13 (10:57):
Ere up next, Buddy good Football.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Our next guest is a long horned single season record
holder for catches and receiving yards by a tight end.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Gave a big warm gem of feed.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Welcome to Texas is Gunnerm.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
What's up?
Speaker 14 (11:22):
Gunner Hey you guys doing Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It's great to see you. Gunner.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
If I say the name Carrie Strug to you, does
that mean anything?
Speaker 14 (11:29):
Uh? No, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Okay, well listen to me.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
Carrie Strug had a generational Olympic performance in which she
took a vault, she sprained her ankle, and then she
had to go back and do another vault, stick the
landing and win an Olympic gold for Team USA. It's
kind of like what you did at the combine. Okay,
so you suffered a bad ankle sprain right out the gate,
you didn't tell anybody, and you still went on to
compete in all the drills. Are you feeling like you
had a Carry Strug moment in the at the combine?
Speaker 3 (11:53):
What that thing?
Speaker 14 (11:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 15 (11:55):
I mean obviously it's not on the level that the Olympic,
but yeah, you know it was. Uh, you know, everything
happens for a reason. That's just what I kind of
keep telling myself. You know, it's all about the process.
For me, it's always been about the process and trusting
the process. And you know, being a kid from Greenwood Village, Colorado,
there was just oh wow, I was just going to
pull myself.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
Out of that.
Speaker 8 (12:14):
You know, I was enjoying it and uh, I just
wanted to compete.
Speaker 14 (12:16):
At the end of the day.
Speaker 12 (12:17):
That was a talk about the process your offense, I know,
is a process to learn. Stettartigian. He is a brilliant
play caller in all of college football. I've known him
for over twenty years. He often references that the tight
end position is one of more challenging positions within this
scheme and all the things that you to do this
past season, how do you think that's prepared you to
now take this next step go to the NFL.
Speaker 14 (12:38):
Oh Jesus, you know, it's everything.
Speaker 15 (12:40):
You know, it offers so much diversity to not only
my game, but really just every tight end in our room.
You know, we're we're polling, we're blocking the front side
of gap, we're blocking the front side of zone. We're
in the vertical passing game, we're in the backfield, we're
pass protecting, we're you know, split blocking where you know,
running medium short passing game, we're running tight end screens.
I mean, it's everything that you could possibly want if
(13:01):
you're a tight end in an offense, and you know,
it's just it was a great situation for me.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
Gun, what's up Will Blackman? Here?
Speaker 11 (13:06):
Of course, everyone everyone loves scoring touchdowns. But what I
respect about you you also love to mix it up
in the trenches. So I'm going to ask you what
gives you a bigger thrill catching touchdowns or getting a
pancake block to spring your running back for a long run.
Speaker 8 (13:19):
You know what?
Speaker 15 (13:19):
You know, what I've always believed in truly is and
it's going to sound pretty cliche, but you know, the
team we win either way.
Speaker 8 (13:25):
You know, whether that's in the run game.
Speaker 15 (13:28):
If you know, if I if I play every play
in the in line and block you know for the
running backs and spring a long run, I get the same,
you know, feeling of excitement and success and catching a touchdown.
You know, we all benefit the same at the end
of the day. And that's kind of what's been instilled
into our team at the University of Texas, and I
think coach Sark and the coaching staff do a great
job of that, just you know, being a team player
(13:48):
and being a player led team.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Yo, Gunner, if you didn't know, I went to owe
you ORNs down and we faced off when I was
in the Big twelve and now we're both in the SEC.
Talk about a little bit. How's it been going against
like the big time deepensit ends and the CEC. And
how's helped pipe you for the NFL.
Speaker 14 (14:08):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 8 (14:08):
You know, obviously, the SEC is the SEC. There's no
off week.
Speaker 15 (14:13):
You know, you got the Florida's, you got the even
you know, all every team in the SEC is good.
Speaker 14 (14:18):
You know, it's mostly blue blood.
Speaker 15 (14:19):
So you go into every week preparing as if it's
you know, just a just another game, but in the
back of your mind it's, you know, wow, this guy's
you know, projected top ten.
Speaker 14 (14:28):
Wow, this guy's projected first round.
Speaker 10 (14:29):
Wow.
Speaker 15 (14:30):
You know this is this is a great opportunity for
me to put, you know, good stuff on tape.
Speaker 8 (14:33):
And that's just kind of how you went into every week.
Speaker 14 (14:35):
You know, you're.
Speaker 15 (14:36):
Blocking, you're past protecting against the best addressers in the.
Speaker 8 (14:39):
Country weekend and week out. So you got to stay
on your game.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I'm gonna hold up my paper while I ask you.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
So, how did Texas and Oklahoma fair this season?
Speaker 14 (14:50):
For sure?
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (14:52):
They Oh I thought.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
You didn't ask him because I thought Oklahoma lost to Texas.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
No, that's not how it went. Such a gentleman, such
a gentleman.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
Wow, And you're a gentleman too, Gunnar, nice work. You
come from a very athletic family, So trash talking, which
I've been attempting to do with you during this interview,
probably comes as first stature. You have three sisters, you
have excelled at a very high levels.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Can you give them some love?
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And what the sibling rivalries maybe were like in the
Helm household growing up?
Speaker 14 (15:20):
Oh?
Speaker 15 (15:20):
Yeah, it was all It was always competitive, you know,
even if it was an Easter egg hunt.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
I mean I got tackled by.
Speaker 15 (15:26):
My oldest sister trying to find the golden egg one
year and got pretty hurt. But it toughed me up,
and she still get up about it. But it's just
one of the many things that shaped me into the person.
Speaker 14 (15:36):
That I am today.
Speaker 15 (15:37):
You know, I think it's a misconception that you grew
up soft with three sisters, but I definitely think they
toughed me up.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Awesome.
Speaker 12 (15:44):
They contributed to the stiff arm that we've seen. Yeah,
plate Man, we were talking earlier in the show about quarterbacks.
Quen you Weres came up as somebody who might be
a sleeper in this year's draft.
Speaker 7 (15:56):
You play with him.
Speaker 12 (15:56):
Give us your evaluation of what you've seen not only
just as your quarterback throwing you dimes every weekend, but
the guy you worked out with in the off season,
you've seen in meetings in training camp and the man
you really got to know.
Speaker 15 (16:08):
Yeah, I mean I say it all the time, Quinn
is one of my best friends off the field, and
I think you know, having that chemistry with your quarterback
is super important. But you know the thing I respect
most about Quinn is you know, no matter how bad
or constructive the media was to him, he always came
in you know, the building every day with the same
same head on straight, same mindset that he just wanted
to win. He just wanted to, you know, be a
(16:29):
part of this great team and continue to put in place,
you know, this vision that coach Stark had for us.
Speaker 8 (16:34):
So that was one of the things I respected most
about him.
Speaker 15 (16:36):
You know, he's just a competitor, he's a baller, he's
a super easy you got to talk to. Whenever he
open his mouth, everybody listened, and that's a great trait
to have.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
Gunner.
Speaker 11 (16:44):
You had a pre drive visit with the Broncos, your
hometown team, so I know you would love to play
for any team that drafts you.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
But how special would it be.
Speaker 11 (16:51):
To put on the blue and orange every week?
Speaker 14 (16:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 15 (16:54):
I mean growing up just south of Denver, you know,
I'll never forget going out to Douve Valley and seeing
those practices during camp and when they're in camp, and
obviously going to the games growing up.
Speaker 14 (17:02):
But you know, it'd be just so surreal.
Speaker 15 (17:04):
Know, this process has taught me a lot of things,
and one of them is, you know, not to get
caught up and you know old being a fan of.
Speaker 14 (17:11):
An old team.
Speaker 15 (17:12):
And you know, as I got to college, obviously didn't
get many Broncos games down in Austin, so didn't fully
watch them a whole lot in college. You know, I
caught them on red zone whenever I could. But you know,
it would be just such a dream come true, just
like playing for any team in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
So got it right now in every NFL facility, GMF
GMF B is on TV right now. If you had
any last remarks, that's to tell any GM coach they're
watching on TV, what would you tell them right now
on why they should draft you, why you should be
on their team.
Speaker 15 (17:43):
You know, I think that when I got to Texas,
it was a It was a pretty broken culture, and
it was a pretty broken team. And it was a
team of a lot of guys that didn't want to
play for the University of Texas, if that makes sense.
And we had a group of guys that really stuck
through it. And you know, the twenty twenty one class
and guys like Jake Majors and Alfred Collins and Vernon
Brodon obviously John a and David Benda, some older guys
(18:06):
like that that really helped set in place this vision
of a culture that Coach Stark wanted to put in place.
And you know, we just stuck at it every year. Obviously,
we got better every year. Our GPA went up every year,
our leadership went up every year. So I would just say,
I'm a culture guy. I'm a locker room guy. I
want to win. I've come from, you know, a winning
program in high school. I've come from a winning program
in college, and I'd like to say that I left
(18:28):
University of Texas in a better place than I found.
Speaker 10 (18:30):
It.
Speaker 14 (18:31):
Really just said I'm a competitor.
Speaker 15 (18:32):
You know, I'm a danga football player and I love
to I guess rest my hat.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
On that Connor that was an incredibly impressive answer. Seriously,
so many times we asked these guys, this is my
third year doing these prospects interviews before the NFL Draft,
and it's not their faults because the way the question
is framed, But speak on yourself and what do you
want to tell the gms? And inherently the answer starts
with the player and maybe ends with their time in
(18:57):
the program. And for you to have flipped that and
made it about the program first and finished with yourself,
I think speaks volumes more than just the words that
you said. So Gunnar, you're awesome. Congratulations man, and we
wish you the best.
Speaker 14 (19:09):
Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
This was an honor, the crossover event of this season.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
It's still happening.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
It wraps up today as NFL Network Draft BOURU. Daniel
Jeremiah makes an appearance on the Mina Kime Show. And
you saw Mina Kyns on one of our podcasts on NFL.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Network yesterday, which was so cool.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
You can catch DJ on NFL Networks coverage of the
draft beginning Thursday. I was on a conference call with
DJ yesterday. The man never stops working this time of year.
It's his whole calendar. It's his Christmas, New Year's and
Halloween all combined. DJ, we love you and you're doing
God's work for NFL prospects. The Road to the Draft
is the Ultimate job interview for Oregon quarterback Dylan Gabriel
(19:49):
and Missouri wide receiver Luther Burdon the third, The NFL
Scouting Combine was one of the biggest tests yet getting
exclusive behind the scenes look at these two prospects take
on the biggest stage of their pre draft journey. In
this episode of Destination Green Bay presented by twy, The.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Combine begins today.
Speaker 16 (20:11):
About to head to Indy to his combine zone.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Another guy.
Speaker 15 (20:14):
I'm looking forward to see one of the top guys.
Speaker 7 (20:17):
I definitely think I'm preferred.
Speaker 16 (20:19):
You know, all the whole work I put in, you
don't have this opportunity to, you know, be able to
showcase my skills in front of the whole World's very opportunity.
Speaker 7 (20:30):
Appreciate.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
Go see how Indy man peace out.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And we are here the twenty twenty five NFL Scouting Combine.
Speaker 8 (20:40):
It's the beat.
Speaker 16 (20:40):
Everything's working too for It's every kid's dream to make
it to NFL Combine and go crazy and.
Speaker 14 (20:47):
You got to go make it happen. So I'm gonna
let it fly, take a deep breath, and game on.
Speaker 7 (20:57):
So I'm gonna feel confident myself.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
You're gonna confident in the work I put in and
Watchtop now.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
It's been Draft Top all week long, NonStop, and there's
a ton of big names that we have covered on GMFB.
But let's go non quarterback under the radar. Guys, everybody
has to pick one around the table. Yogi, I start
with you.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Challenge extended accepted.
Speaker 12 (21:22):
Jay Towea, defensive lineman from UCLA. I think he's a sleeper,
is a four year starter. He's a massive human being.
You play one gap defense, two gap defense every time
Carson Swetzinger made a tackles because this man was taking
up two blocks every single snappy group playing rugby and
tongue that moll to America USA in twenty eleven. He's
(21:43):
got this sense of gratitude for the craft that is amazing.
Writs a little bit of great games to make speak
up and get him early like in the fourth you
get him later.
Speaker 7 (21:51):
He's an absolute seal.
Speaker 17 (21:53):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
J Touea okay from UCLA. Well who you got?
Speaker 11 (21:55):
I'm gonna go to a defensive lineman from Nebraska, Ty Robinson.
We're gonna stick with the big man category. So again
we have a theme here. Oh you show the bull game. Yes,
I was off this sideline.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
And literally, I look.
Speaker 11 (22:08):
There are a few players where I'm like, look at
this dude, and I look, I'm like, that is the
biggest human being I've ever seen.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He was, He's six but like six six eight.
Speaker 11 (22:16):
He ran a four to eight at the combine and
he just literally grabbed our alnement with one hand and just.
Speaker 6 (22:22):
Threw them all over the place. This guy was a menace.
Speaker 11 (22:25):
And I hate that every single highlight is against us, like.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
What are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
But he is he is just just a He's like
the Juggernaut. That's what I'm a big Marvel guy. He's
like the Juggernaut.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Did I just see one of the highlights?
Speaker 4 (22:35):
Heed his hand in the dirt but behind the defensive line.
Speaker 6 (22:38):
I'm telling you took a full back.
Speaker 11 (22:40):
Yeah, yes, he lined up everywhere that I'm telling you, Jamie,
this might be one of the largest human beings I
have ever seen.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
This guy is a machine, a machine.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Amazing all right, Tony, let me guess an Oklahoma guy.
Speaker 16 (22:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Yeah, make a trip down to Norman, Oklahoma, Billy Bowman Junior.
That name alone should get him drafted in the top
two rounds.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
He is a shows so much.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
To Jilly and back end ball skills, reacts really well.
I like him in the open field tackling. He does
a great job communicating in the back end. I saw
him a lot of times getting guys lined up and
even if you don't want them to play deep, he
can come down and play at that nickel spot. So
that versatility really brings a lot to the table. Look
(23:23):
at him just being around the ball. Always found himself
in the end zone a couple times in his career.
I really like this guy. I think he's going to
be a good asset for defense in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
You keep up a relationship with these guys, you go
back and talk to them or watch them, or do you.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Do you know this kid specific personally like Washington?
Speaker 6 (23:39):
Yeah, Tony Jefferson nil.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
You know that's yeah, collective, you know, Tony, we got
to get involved, you don't we the SEC.
Speaker 6 (23:48):
Stick my hand in.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
There, all right.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
That was just a handful of under the radar guys
non quarterback position. But that's because the next segment on
GMFB you're going to hear from a quarterback. It's one
of the greatest to come out of the SEC, at
least this season, in this draft class. But he's got
a crazy story behind him in Jackson Dart, the Old
Miss quarterback who finished his career being coached by Lane Kiffen.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't have a journey behind him.
(24:11):
It's Jackson Dart. Where's he going to get drafted? Get
to know a little bit better on g must be.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Next Good Morning Football.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
He can rip it, he can pull it, and he's
going to do all those things in the NFL next season.
It's Old Miss quarterback Jackson Dart.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Jackson?
Speaker 7 (24:37):
Warning to you Dart?
Speaker 14 (24:39):
Good morning. I'll hi y'all doing.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
We're awesome.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
But perhaps in this moment in time, one week until
the NFL Draft, how are you? This is quite the process.
It's quite the time for you in your life. Just
high holding up with all this.
Speaker 17 (24:51):
Yeah, I feel like I've had like a whirlwind of
emotions a little bit, going from place to place, honestly,
from my coast to coast, really, you know, just visiting
teams and you know, having little workouts and whatnot. So
I'm really wishing the draft it was like tomorrow, so
we could, you know, see where we're all going and whatnot.
But you know, trying to just enjoy the process. And
my family has been great, you know, a support system
(25:12):
around me, so you know, they've helped guide me through it.
Speaker 16 (25:14):
All.
Speaker 12 (25:14):
Right, let's talk about the process for you. I went
back to an old high school evl I had on
you and at the time it was Fordam, it was
Louisiana Latavillette, Like, you weren't this biggest star.
Speaker 7 (25:24):
That you are now in advance the draft.
Speaker 12 (25:27):
Can you share the belief system that you had in
yourself at that point and now where we sit today,
how that has become your reality.
Speaker 17 (25:33):
Yeah, it's definitely kind of crazy to look back at
the journey, and like you said, you know, I remember
being in that headspace when I didn't have a lot,
and you know, at one point, you know, honestly, I
was thinking I was just going to have to go
play baseball because things just weren't working out as much
on the football side of things.
Speaker 14 (25:48):
So quite honestly, it's never really been a doubt.
Speaker 17 (25:50):
You know, this has been something that I've dreamed of
my whole life, And I remember going back to preschool
and writing down what do you want to be one day?
Speaker 14 (25:55):
And you know, I want to be a super Bowl
winning quarterback.
Speaker 17 (25:57):
So didn't really quite expect anything less than what it
is now, but really just grateful and humble for the opportunity.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Jackson to Jefferson safety for the Chargers. You play for
one of the top play callers in college football with
Lane Kiffin, and you've been quoted in comparing him to
Yoda from Star Wars. Yeah, how was coach Kiffen? How's
he helped you like mold you into the quarterback yard today?
And like what about him is like your style of coach?
Speaker 14 (26:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (26:24):
I think it's just really cool to look back on,
you know, kind of our journey that we've had together,
from the moment that he recruited me to going from
season to season. And I think one thing that really
intrigued me when I committed to him was just, you know,
how he was able to adapt his offenses around his
talent and his quarterback. And you can see it through
the three seasons that I played with him, Like each
year the offense changed just a little bit and we
(26:46):
added new things, you know, got rid of different tendencies,
and I think that that's really unique for a coach,
and you know, really, you know, it is a tribute
to him and his knowledge of how he's able to
understand the game and really coordinate and pair and offense
around his quarterback and the talent that he has around it.
And you know, I love my I'm there and me
and Coach Kiff have such a great relationship on and
(27:07):
off the field, and just really grateful.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
For my time Jackson.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
A couple of years back, I was on the SEC
on CBS sideline. It was before you got to Ole Miss,
and I had an Ole Miss Alabama game assignment. It
was it was in Tuscaloosa. Lane Kiffin comes out of
the locker room. He's got to do the pre game
pre kick interview with me, and instead of answering whatever
question I laid out for him at the time, he
instead decides to lay a one liner down and toss
(27:32):
his headset as it happens, and get.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Your popcorn ready.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
The game didn't go great for Old Miss, but it
was a classic landkiff in moment and that he wanted
to make this an electric feeling for ole miss What
is a one liner or a lesson that you learned
from Lane that you will take into the NFL that
has shaped you as a quarterback.
Speaker 17 (27:50):
Geez, that's kind of hard to think of just one liners.
But you know, there's definitely a lot of things that
I'll take from him. You know, really, if you ever
ask him a question, he always just says, maybe puis.
Speaker 14 (27:58):
I think that's one thing.
Speaker 17 (28:01):
That I kind of like to use now, you know,
and people kind of get confused by it because you know,
you never really know what he's thinking.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
He's famously noncommittal.
Speaker 17 (28:09):
Yeah, no doubt. I mean, you guys know him just
as much as I do. I mean, you never know
what's going on inside of that. So you know, I'm
going to take a lot from my time playing with him,
you know, off the field too, just the time that
we spent and you know, the bond that we had
was special.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
You keep mentioning off the field. Sounds like you guys
have played pickleball together? What's that like?
Speaker 17 (28:28):
Yeah, you know, we actually we've had I think in
the past three days we had like nine matchups and
he has He's only won one game, so I think
he was probably excited that I left Oxford because now.
Speaker 14 (28:39):
I can try to get away.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
Well, you, there is no maybe in the fact that
you were about to get paid like an NFL player.
What's going on with your partnership with Crocs as you
entered the next phase of your life.
Speaker 17 (28:51):
Yeah, Crocs has been you know, I've been riding with
Crocs since I was young. Whether it was like me
going to AAU basketball tournaments back in the day or whatever,
it was like it was such a comforting footwear and whatnot.
So it's you know, it's helped me in my recovery.
It's helped me in like little pregame fits and whatnot.
Speaker 14 (29:09):
So, you know, really happy to be partnered with them.
Speaker 17 (29:11):
And it definitely hits culls to home with how much
that I've used them in the past.
Speaker 12 (29:14):
Okay, so you grew up in Utah. You're there today
right now. You just got back home. Then he came
out to USC and then he went down to where
Jamie spent a lot of her career in the Yes
c CE man, what was that league like in terms
of preparing you for the moment that you're about to
enter in the NFL.
Speaker 17 (29:32):
Jeez, I feel like it's definitely prepared me the best
way that I could be prepared you. For the longest time,
you know, the SEC has been the best conference in
all college football, so you know, each and every week
you're going up against the best competition and the best
coaching so as well as the best.
Speaker 14 (29:46):
You know, game day environments.
Speaker 17 (29:48):
So you know, I think with all those factors involved,
I definitely feel like it's going to prepare me. But yeah,
the football is just different in the South. I don't
really know how to describe it. You kind of have
to you have to live it or see it to
really understand it. But I was blessed out, you know,
my time there, and I wouldn't want to spend my
time anywhere else, that's for sure.
Speaker 5 (30:05):
Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah the Goat said he loves loves
the way you play the game, your ability to create
off the script, plays, execute the design runs. Do you
feel that's something you offer to teams and you bring
like a different aspect to the table for other QB prospects.
Speaker 14 (30:23):
Yeah, I just think that I'm a versatile player.
Speaker 17 (30:25):
I feel like I can just do a lot of
different things and which kind of makes me unique.
Speaker 14 (30:29):
Especially.
Speaker 17 (30:29):
I don't think a lot of people even talk about it.
But you know, I'm going to be the youngest quarterback
in the NFL next year. So I'm just going to
continue to grow and get better each and every year.
And so I'm still developing, and you know, I think that,
you know, my ceiling is really high. So I'm really
excited to get with the team, be coached, you know,
as hard as possible, and continue to develop my skill
set to make me the best player that I could
(30:49):
be for a team.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Jackson, I'm always fascinated by football players because you guys
go out there and you play this physical, intense game.
Then you have these hobbies like golf. We're fishing, for example.
That takes an immense amount of patience and you have
to keep your body still, you have to sit for.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
A very long time.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
You are an avid outdoorsman and fishing is your game.
What is the bigger thrill catching a big fish or
throwing a big touchdown pass.
Speaker 17 (31:16):
It's just be real, like, there's nothing that compares to
a touchdown pass.
Speaker 14 (31:19):
I mean, I love fishing, but there's nothing that compares
to that feeling.
Speaker 17 (31:23):
Now that Yeah, that was a good That was a
great feeling.
Speaker 14 (31:27):
That's a lake trout.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
It's a casual lake trout, I think. I mean that
is yeah, catch and release. What are we doing with that?
Speaker 14 (31:34):
Oh? Absolutely?
Speaker 17 (31:35):
You know those fish can get like really old into
like they're wow, thirties to fifties. So you know you
definitely catch and release those because there's such prehistoric animals
and definitely got to respect them in that regard.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Okay, okay, here's the question.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
You know, we got all these really weird quarterback warm
up drills or the guys that do in the deck
and like with the hips, do you ever do like
the fish and the rich Like, is that something how
you warm up your shoulder?
Speaker 6 (31:56):
Maybe?
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Is that like your quarterback warm up?
Speaker 14 (31:59):
No, but maybe I could try it.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
You know, I think we're on something.
Speaker 14 (32:02):
You showed me how to do that again. I think I.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
See what you're trying to do when I'm not going
to do it.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
But I think you definitely showed it and you can
make a name for yourself. I'm just kicking ideas around
the table time.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
You know how big it is for the game day outfits.
You know, it's very important. I G that's that's where
we see who's really balling with the fits and fashion.
I hear you put your your fashion together before the season.
Tell me about that process.
Speaker 17 (32:29):
Yeah, I think it really just starts from my mom.
My Mom, she's kind of implemented me into the fashion
world since I was young, and you know, even when
I was like in elementary school, she was the one
that was like laying out outfits for me. So, you know,
I was just kind of having that relationship and whatnot,
and then being able to go and have the.
Speaker 14 (32:46):
Walk of Champions at Ole Miss.
Speaker 17 (32:48):
You definitely gave us some opportunities to kind of show
and express, you know, kind of the taste that we
like in the fashion world. So it was definitely fun
because that also brought us closer and you know, having
content communication throughout the off season and putting those fits together.
Speaker 14 (33:02):
So it was fun.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Okay, So in that spirit, what's up with the juice hat?
What's the origination there?
Speaker 14 (33:07):
It's just that, right I see, all.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
I can think of as juice and bling when I
look at Jackson Dart. Right now, Jackson, this as you said,
you wire's the draft is tomorrow. You want to know
what your future holds. This might be your last opportunity
to speak to GMS or coaches. What's the most most
important thing you want people to know about the Jackson
Dark quarterback experience.
Speaker 17 (33:25):
I think the biggest thing is you're going to get,
you know, somebody who cares about every little thing when
he steps into the office or when he steps into
a room with his teammates.
Speaker 14 (33:33):
That's one thing that you know can really separate great.
Speaker 17 (33:36):
Players from just good and average players is just you know,
your accountability, your self discipline and consistency and everything that
you do. Everybody at that level is going to have
a special and unique traits of talent. But you know
what is it that pushes you and makes you even better?
Think that it's my work ethic and how I'm able
to lead a group of men. And at the same time,
you know, I'm ultimate competitors, so you know, I would
(33:57):
never want to go against me, and you know, I
know that teams you know.
Speaker 14 (34:01):
That's something they've always said. But I'm gonna do whatever
it takes to win. And now I'm gonna one a
super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (34:05):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Tony is very impressed by that. That's a great, great approach.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
Yeah, I like this guy. Besides your are bro, You're
You're you're good.
Speaker 6 (34:14):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
He's got the juice all right, Jackson's art. Everybody, we
appreciate you. We can't wait to hear your name. Come
back on GMT when you know who you're playing for.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Best of luck, say healthy Jackson.
Speaker 14 (34:24):
Yeah, thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Absolutely think about that warm up cast to release.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
It's trying to bait me in it.
Speaker 7 (34:33):
And again, look at.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Wark.
Speaker 7 (34:40):
He looks sport's gonna take off. Where's the Whales?
Speaker 4 (34:44):
Cam war quarter back.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
To the outside.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
He's interced to Travis Hunter, cornerback, wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
He's the best player at college, Travis Hunter.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
God heare Tony.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Ab Dual Carter's edge. Thanks stopping.
Speaker 10 (35:12):
Carter.
Speaker 12 (35:13):
See stops Ashton Genty running back?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
You want to run for ash gend.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Ashton Genty is given Tony Jefferson the sweats over here
about trying to tackle him next season.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Listen to get it right.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
I'm sure my shot.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
That's a first round running back right there in Ashton Genty.
Will Blackmann's been with us all week long.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Will.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
You're crushing it at the TV game. However, you also
have a second job, maybe a third job, because you're
also a husband and a dad, But what else do
you spend your time doing that applies You're going to
try to make a parallel here to football.
Speaker 11 (35:52):
You said crushing in the TV game, but also crushing grapes.
For those who've been following my career, I am in
the somula business. I have a company called black Man
Cella's actually just released my wine on Friday. So there's
a process during wine making. We call it primary fermentation
and second dary ffmentitation. During the primary fermentation, it gets exciting,
(36:12):
right the yeast combines with.
Speaker 6 (36:14):
The sugar and then therefore you get alcohol.
Speaker 11 (36:16):
And there's a second part, second day fermentation, where there's
still thirty percent yeast left and we convert the rest
of that to alcohol, and that's where the wine, you know,
becomes more full, more round, and more exciting. So my
point is first round is going to be off the gate, exciting,
amazing players. But there's still some guys later on, maybe
late in the second round, maybe day three, who knows
(36:38):
what's happening. So I have a list of four guys
in the secondary part of the permitation that's going to
be exciting.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
So let's go with the first player.
Speaker 11 (36:46):
We're gonna go wide receiver from San Jose State, Nick Nash.
This man, you don't understand. He was a quarterback first.
He was a quarterback pretty much three is of his career,
and then he switched to receiver, and lo and behold.
He led the nation last year in yards and touchdown reception.
He is absolutely fantastic. You don't really hear much about him.
(37:07):
People were up in arms. Well, he didn't win the Blitannikoff.
But however, he's gonna go to a team and be very,
very very productive. So expect him to go somewhere later
on and do well. So the second person I have,
and I again, this is a theme here. I've been
coaching against these guys. So I'm gonna go to Syracuse,
New York. Arondez gass In the second bloodline, Fatherers, receiver
(37:27):
from Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (37:29):
This was an amazing Ki. Listen, I'm gonna be quiet here.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Look at this inside hand.
Speaker 6 (37:33):
I was in shock.
Speaker 11 (37:34):
Usually most things don't impress me, but I was in shock.
He was all acc As a freshman, he set records.
He's six five, two forty and he can line up
all over the place. He might line up at the
X Sometimes he will be a mismatch for a lot
of guys. Again, somebody that they would love to have
later on in the draft. We're gonna go with my
third person here. You gonna hear a lot of accolades.
(37:55):
We're gonna go to Oklahoma State running back Ali Gordon.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
Guys.
Speaker 11 (37:59):
He won Dope Walker in twenty twenty three. He is
probably ranked on the bottom half of people's lyft when
comes the runner backs. He's going to go somewhere and
be very productive. He compares himself to Derek Henry, meaning
he embraces the contact. He always falls forward. He's going
to do a great job. And the last person we
have here is cornerback Quincy Riley out of Louisville, somebody
(38:21):
who has thirteen PBUs He ran a full fourth a
combine with a strained groin.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
His cornerback coach to Steve Ellison.
Speaker 11 (38:29):
He has guys he coached like Red Blankenship, Ja Varius Ward,
and you mentioned Tony Kevin Byern. Those are three solid,
absolutely outstanding individuals in the NFL. Chrinsy Riley, He's going
to go to a team. He's a four down type
of player. He's gonna line up all over the backfield.
We talked about Elijah Molden, somebody you played with who
just got paid similar role.
Speaker 6 (38:48):
He's going to be like that.
Speaker 11 (38:49):
So those are my four guys that we have that
are going to be outstanding for players who aren't.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Going to be Probably maybe they will be, but not
in the first round.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
The secondary fermentation guys that it might need a little
bit longer to baronate, if you will, and then ferment.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Right.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
Sorry, that's tight end from syracusey don't and click it
today and.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
That's just a big wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (39:12):
But hey, you line up everywhere.
Speaker 11 (39:13):
Let's tell you what though, that's when you wind down
with will great things happen?
Speaker 3 (39:17):
You look at that the TXO.
Speaker 11 (39:21):
That we don't have wine in the morning. People you
know Vegas, maybe you do, but here we don't.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Absolutely, well, well done will this week Tony Jefferson, thank
you so much, Jogie Ron, We appreciate you. The NFL
Draft is just days away. Jim ATB has you set up.
Have an awesome weekend. We are running it back next week.
Kyle Brant will be back to talk everything draft and
the show. We'll head to Green Bay as well. Have
a good week, and everybody cheers, jeers,
Hosts And Creators
Jamie Erdahl
Jason McCourty
Kyle Brandt
Peter Schrager
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Dateline NBC
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!