NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Judy Battista and Ian Rapoport talk about Aaron Rodgers' finally speaking out regarding his future in the NFL and speak with Brian Baldinger about the potential fit of Travis Hunter on the Cleveland Browns. North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton joins the show to discuss how his skill set compares to to Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty and opens up about his final preparation for the NFL Draft! Stacey Dales joins the Insiders to break down the Bears' biggest needs and which direction they're leaning as the draft quickly approaches. They also discuss whether or not Lions GM Brad Holmes will make another splash in this year's draft. Plus, Marc Ross reveals his first and only mock draft and breaks down some of his most surprising selections. Finally, the Insiders share their most surprising first round selections they are hearing about around the league.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Aaron Rodgers has spoken and still is undecided about his future.
We will break down what the four time NFL MVP
said today, what he didn't say, what it all means
in Pittsburgh and beyond. With the NFL Draft now just
one week away, Travis Hunter is the unicorn of this draft.
(00:28):
Just ask the man who, quite possible will pick him
next week. Here from Browns GM Andrew Berry on his
plans for Hunter if Hunter's the man in Cleveland at
number two, and Brian Baaldinger's.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Thoughts on that match as well.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Another one of the most productive players in college football
these past couple of years played ball at North Carolina
and Bill Belichick actually tried to keep him there, but
o'marion Hampton decided to go to the draft anyway, and
tonight he joins us to talk about where he could
be headed next. Welcome inside with the Insiders alongside Judy
Batista and Ian Rappaport, I am Tom Pellisero.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
One week.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
One week from right now, the entire area around lambeau
Field will be absolutely jam packed, elbow to elbow with
people who may or may not be enjoying now A
couple of light beers in the semi cold of Green
Bay this time of year, we are in the final
countdown two, that momentous occasion where we could have several
(01:27):
quarterbacks taken in Round one, maybe the one by the
Steelers who are still waiting for an answer from Aaron Rodgers.
He came out of his silence today and appeared with
his good friend Pat McAfee on the Pat McAfee Show.
Discussed a lot of different things, a lot of different reports,
and at a time that he is still a free agent.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It does not sound like that's changing anytime soon.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I'll said it all. I have no problem.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Listen, you know from the jump it's you know, I'm
in a different phase of my life. I'm forty one
years old. I'm in a serious relationship. I have off
the field, off the field stuff going on that requires
my attention. I have personal commitments I made not knowing
what my future was going to look like after last year,
(02:15):
that that are important to me. And and I have,
you know, a couple of people in my inner inner
circle who are really battling some some difficult stuff. So
I have a lot of things that are that are
taking my attention and have beginning in really January away
from away from football, and that's been where I've been
(02:38):
focusing most of my attention on. You know, to make
a commitment to a team is a big thing. I'm
open to anything and attached to nothing. So so yeah,
retirement still could be, could be a possibility.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
There's a lot more to that interview, Ian, but I
was struck above all else by one thing when he
was at asked by Pat, hey, does this come down
to you're gonna play for the Steelers if you play
at all? Only a couple of years ago, when he
was asked a similar question about the Jets in this case,
he demurred entirely.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
What else did we learn in that interview?
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Yeah, that to me was the most noteworthy thing, besides
the fact that Aaron Rodgers basically had no decision, no announcement.
I know, when Pat mccabee comes out and says we're
gonna have a significant newsmaker, everyone's like, all right, well,
this is going to be the Aaron Rodgers announcement. There
was a lot of Aaron Rodgers, but it was most
certainly not an announcement, And in fact, what he didn't
say was to me just as important as what he
(03:37):
didn't say. He didn't have a decision. He didn't tell
us that it would be the Steelers or bust. He
didn't rule out retirement. And these things are all really
important because you're right. There have been a tonch of reports,
lots of articles, a lot of tweets, a lot of
discussion points over the last couple of months, all of
us trying to figure out what Aaron Rodgers is going
to do. And at each point when there's been an
(03:57):
opportunity to either narrow it down or clarify, it's like
there is some clarification, but we're left with more questions. So, yes,
it is the Steelers or maybe another team, or retirement.
There is no deadline. So if you, Judy, were expecting
a decision before the draft next week, you are certainly
not going to get it. It seems it seems the
(04:18):
Steelers are going to have to go into the draft
with this limbo. Still, if the Steelers take a quarterback
at twenty one, they've done all the quarterback homework, it's
not going to affect Aaron Rodgers said on the mcabee Show,
it's not going to affect his decision at all. So
if the Steelers take what, it's not gonna are now
I'm going to retire. This is everything he told us
in a nutshell, which is I know you're watching me,
(04:40):
I know you're interested. You're going to have to keep waiting. Meanwhile,
as he noted, he's not thinking about us very much
at all because he has so many personal things going
on in his life.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
Well, the person who I was thinking about when he
was discussing or not really discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers where
it's Arn't Runey the second, the owner of the pittsb
Burg Steelers, who back when we were all in Palm
Beach for the annual meeting that was sixteen days ago,
he met with the Pittsburgh Steelers beat reporters and at
that time, at that time he said it had taken
(05:12):
longer than he had expected.
Speaker 7 (05:13):
He said they would still wait, but not forever.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
He said at that time he thought it was looking
positive like it was going in their direction. Again, sixteen
days later, the Steelers, I would say, at that meeting
felt pretty good about where this was headed. I think
they felt fairly confident that at some point Aaron Rodgers
would be their quarterback. But obviously two weeks have gone
by and there's been no movement, and the takeaway listening
(05:40):
to Aaron Rodgers today was there is no end in
sight to this unless the Pittsburgh Steelers put an end
to this. He feels no pressure to make a decision,
he said, you know, he doesn't feel like he owes
teams an answer right away.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
So he clearly.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Does not feel an internal deadline or any internal pressure
to answer the teams. He doesn't feel like he is
holding teams hostage. He used that phrase a few times.
If you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, I do wonder internally if
they now are looking at their draft plans and saying,
you know what, if we weren't sure that we had
to take a quarterback before, do we have to revisit
(06:19):
that decision. Do we have to go into this draft
thinking maybe we need to take one of these quarterbacks
in the second tier or the third tier. Because it
really sounds uncertain with Aaron Rodgers right now.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So as much as passively, there was certainly a message
delivered about his interest level or his commitment at this
point to the Steelers, there was also a very direct
message about his old team, the Jets. Juty in the
first comments we've had from Rogers since Aaron glennon company
informed him that they were moving another direction.
Speaker 6 (06:51):
Well, he said that their meeting, which happened a few
days before the Super Bowl, lasted fifteen minutes. Aaron Rodgers
said that he flew on his own dime to the
New York area to have that meeting face to face.
He said that he thought there was a lack of
respect shown in that meeting. He basically said, well, if
it was only going to be fifteen minutes, and Aaron
(07:12):
Glenn told him like, yeah, we're going in a different direction,
couldn't we have done this on the phone. I mean,
I would quibble with that. I would say that always
face to face is more respectful than dropping somebody over
the phone. He certainly was not happy with how that
meeting went. I would say that the Jets are sort
of like shrugging their shoulders about this. They moved on
(07:33):
long ago. They turned the page basically ever since they
told Aaron Rodgers that they were turning in a different direction.
I don't really think they've spent much time thinking about
Aaron Rodgers since then. I will say this. Aaron Glenn
played for Bill Parcells in Dallas and in New York.
Bill Parcells is one of his mentors. When Aaron Glenn
got hired, I talked to Bill Parcells and he said
(07:55):
to me about Aaron Glenn, he doesn't mind being contentious.
He's not rude, but he will get his message across.
You never doubted who was in charge when Bill Parcells
was the coach, and I have a feeling we are
not going to ever doubt who is in charge as
long as Aaron Glenn is in charge of the New
York Jets.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
I mean message delivered about what the Jets wanted to do,
what they thought of Aaron Rodgers. Makeups are always pressed.
I are always messy. I broke up one time over
text message. It wasn't my fault, it was just how
it happened. Anyway, face to face is much better. That's
not the only thing we learned, though. Aaron Rodgers also
took the opportunity to shoot down a couple of reports
regarding a lot of things.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
It seemed.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I talked about how he was not, in fact waiting
for the Minnesota Vikings, not still waiting something Ben Roethlisberger
had opined about a week or so ago. He was
asked specifically about the Saints, didn't confirm her de and
I obviously the Saints and now have a quarterback question
with Derek Carr's future very much in doubt, and said
he's not looking for a lot of money, not looking
for a multi year deal. He would play for just
(08:57):
ten million dollars with certainly if it ends up being
the Steelers, no doubt, something they're gonna remember. Clear to
the air on a lot of things. Didn't clear the
air on whether he wants to play or where he's
gonna play, which you know is sort of the important
thing for his future in ours.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
We got plenty more to say about Aaron Rodgers, but
real quick before I let this point go here, Ian,
why did you break up with the girl over text?
And why was text the preferred form of communication in
that moment?
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It wasn't the preferred It was just the conversation led
us in a direction and it was either like pick
up the phone or just continue on, And the inertia
of the conversation took me to finish it out on TAKEE.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
It wasn't great.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
I'm not like that that proud of it, but such
as life, you know it's too bad.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Well you brought it up on national TV, so I'm
sure we will absolutely revisit this again sometime soon. Don't
mention it's one week out from the NFL Draft. We'll
have many more important things to talk about, including guys
like cam Lord, shaduor Sanders, Ashtroing Genty and Travis Hunter,
who after Award is the presumptive number one pick to
the Titans, could well be the second man off the board.
(10:07):
Hunter will be in Green Bay. The Browns own that
number two overall selection. One of the rare, rare people
that we've seen in the NFL. He's a wide receiver,
he is a cornerback. He is somebody that Andrew Berry says, well,
we really haven't seen before.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
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
(10:48):
outstanding player. If he's if he's a pitcher, he's a hitter,
he's an outstanding player. You obviously get a unicorn if
you use them both ways.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Be very similar to Otani.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
If Travis Hunter suffered a torn acl you still could
play one of the two positions.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Anyway. We'll let that slide. Decent enough comparison there.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Take a look at Bucky Brooks top five wide receiver
prospects in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, Travis Hunter
number one top corners. Also, Travis Hunter right there at
the top. Absolutely no surprise and certainly a very very
rare occasion as we bring our Brian Baldinger into the
conversation where you're talking about both these guys both positions
(11:27):
for one player being up at the top. Here, Baldi,
and we know that Travis Hunter wants to play both ways.
What in your mind is the feasibility of that and
really the reasonability to the club that's going to be
expending a lot of draft capital to get them.
Speaker 9 (11:42):
Well, I was at Schadure Santa's pro day when Travis
Hunter ran routes for him, and the entire Cleveland Brown
organization was there from Jimmy asm the Owner, Andrew Barrety,
Kevin Stefanski, and they were just smitten by watching him work.
I don't think he had to beat a sweat on
him and all those routes that he ran. But you
go back, like every day, I feel like I go
back and watch another piece of Travis Hunter. If you
(12:04):
watch him just in his interception reel, seven interceptions in
two years of Colorado, he's a thief. Like he baits
quarterbacks in college to throw it to one place, and
he beats him to the ball. Like that's an advanced skill.
You know, that's something Ed Reid did not. Everybody knows
how to bit a quarterback to get him to throw
it where they think they can throw it until he
(12:26):
takes away. But he also has that skill to go
get the ball. He's got terrific hams. You see it
on defense, you see an offense I can see. I
think you have to play in both ways because you're
going to see it in practice. If he lines up
in your starting corner against your number one wide receiver,
he might shut him down. He might make your quarterback
look bad. And then if you flip it and you
(12:46):
put him at receiver, against your number one corner. He
might make him look bad and at some point the
whole iron thing sharpens iron. Look, we're in the entertainment business.
I told Andrew Barry in Boulder, Colorado two weeks ago.
I said, I can't wait to do my first breakdown
on Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
He just laughed.
Speaker 9 (13:06):
He goes, we'll watch, and I going, you might very
well watch both sides because we've never seen anything like this.
When they say unicorn, we might actually need another term,
because I think people know what a unicorn is.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I think he's an advanced unicorn.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
You know what's interesting to me, Baldy is let's just
say the Cleveland Browns take him a number two. It's
obviously something they are considering. Trying to understand the value
of Travis Hunter is really difficult. You say, like, well,
if you're going to take a receiver at number two,
it has to be worth it.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
He has to be like Calvin Johnson.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Okay, what if you're taking Calvin Johnson and Patrick Peterson
or whoever high in the like, what's the actual value?
And it's hard to figure out because it hasn't existed before.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So for the Browns, if it ends up being the Browns.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
They're going to get theoretically a player that really has
not existed in the NFL. And I'm here for all
of that because that's pretty fun.
Speaker 9 (14:01):
Well real quick, yeah, I mean, I honestly like that
contract might be the most voluminous contract we've ever seen
because there's going to be incentives on both sides of
the ball, I'm sure, and if he reaches those the milestones,
you know, that contract could be inflated pretty quickly.
Speaker 6 (14:20):
I am not sure if you're Andrew Berry, how you
can possibly pass on somebody you just compared to show.
Hey Otani, I feel like once you say that out loud,
you're pretty much tipping your hand that this is the
guy you're going to draft.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
I am fascinated.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
And this came up at the annual meeting too, talking
to general managers and coaches there the different ways that
teams look at him and how they feel about the
possibility of him playing both ways. And just in the
last two days you've heard two gms say two pretty
different things. Joe Shane for the Giants yesterday said like, yeah,
I think he can play both ways. We would let
(14:55):
him play both ways. He seems to be unique. He
seems to have unique stamina. You would let him try
to do it. And then Andrew Berry, who has been
steadfast and saying, we think he's a wide receiver first,
and there would be a package for him on defense,
but wide receiver first, and the stamina would be something
of a concern. I am so interested to see what
team it is. If it's the Browns, great uh, and
(15:16):
how they approach this end, especially how they approach his
desire to play both ways full time.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I love that Travis Hunter is so good that Balding
didn't think unicorn was enough. He said he's an advanced unicorn.
Maybe he's got two horns, just kidding, that would be
a duocorn.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Here's Hampton stands a middle.
Speaker 9 (15:34):
Look.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Now it's a foot race.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Think's Lenny Han's gonna lose that foot race? Captain with
a steam breaks a tackle. Oh Marion Hampton.
Speaker 9 (15:47):
Oh, Marion Hampton would not give up.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Did pitch it to Hampton and he.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
Would touchdown Candy to tackle it.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Here's Hampden hurtled the man lobby and stores.
Speaker 8 (16:02):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Oh Marion Hampton is going to be bringing highlights like
that to one of the thirty two NFL teams very soon.
Take a look at Bucky Brooks's top five running back
prospects in the NFL Draft, which is one week away.
Of Marion Hampton checking in right there underneath Ashton genty
of Boise State. He's checking in with us right now
as well on the Insiders with me, Tom Pellicero and
Ian Rappaport. So, Mario, you grew up in North Carolina,
(16:26):
you go to the University of North Carolina. This is
the first time Panthers can take you, but this may
be the first time you're leaving.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Like, what are the emotions like.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Knowing that you're one week away from figuring out exactly
where you're going to be headed.
Speaker 10 (16:40):
I mean, yeah, I'm just excited to see where I'm
gonna end up. Means it's been a long process. I've
been thanking for it, So I mean, I'm excited it's
coming to It's coming to the end and get to
play ball.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
You've had several visits, We've talked about them. You've been
seemingly all around the NFL. Take us through what your
last two or three wait, two or three weeks have
been like, and then was there any particular place or
places where you like felt the most comfortable or felt
the most interest.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (17:11):
Yeah, I feel like all of them had like a different.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Type of style.
Speaker 10 (17:15):
I feel like all of them were in unique and
different kind of ways. So I feel like just going there,
going there being blessed enough to get those opportunities to
meet coaches, Bill connects and stuff like that has been amazing.
A lot of traveling, but I mean it's still blessing.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
So we got some numbers here from NFL research. I'm
just going to say this is a running back. I'm
not gonna say any names. This is a running back
in this class right here. First Power Conference player to
have three thousand rushing yards and thirty touchdowns of two
seasons span since Breeze Hall. First FBS player to have
fifteen ard rushing yards and fifteen touchdowns and back to
(17:50):
back seasons since Travis Etn and Jonathan Taylor. That's not
Ashton Genty, that's Omrion Hampton. Is there a case for you,
Omaron to be the first running back off the board
come next Thursday Night?
Speaker 10 (18:03):
For me, I just feel like I try to just
focus on ball, trying not to look at any of that.
I feel like whatever team fits me, piace Me is
gonna be the best fit for me. So I feel
like what every team fits me, I'm gonna be excited
for I know they're gonna get the best out of me.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
And then yeah, ye'es there.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Well, So I want to talk about you and Ashton
Genty a little bit, and there's obviously some other good
runners in this draft. Seems to be a really really
good running back class.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Can you take us.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Through what makes you special, what you've seen from Ashton
Genty on film, kind of compare and contrast a little
bit your styles for us.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (18:40):
Yeah, I feel like this class is very, very talented.
I feel like we all got like different type of
running styles. It kind of just depends on what the
team wants and there with their football team. So I
feel like me, I'm just excited to see all of
the running back the value of the position come back
in style, just like with the same and Derek Henry,
(19:01):
them just going out there showing what the running bent
position can do. So I fel like I'm just decided
to see it and bring that the position itself.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I'm Arion, you clearly bring you know, speed and elusiveness
to the tail, but a lot of those. How it's
the fun ones to me that we showed them that
reel off the top was you lowered a shoulder into somebody,
You moving a pile, you bouncing off dudes like a pinball.
What do you enjoy more making somebody miss or knocking
somebody back?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Uh?
Speaker 10 (19:30):
I would say, I would say, now you got to say,
run through somebody. It's always it's always good to run
through somebody. It's always good.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Look at this, you're there, any garman, you're you're breaking
arm tackles. It's a bad idea to arm tackle you.
I think it's the bottom line of these highlights right here.
How do you work on the technique? You know you
can't really they're not tackling you to the ground. I
don't think regularly in practice, how do you work on
the technique and making sure that first guy doesn't get
you on the ground.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, just a mindset thing.
Speaker 10 (20:01):
You just gotta uh, you gotta can't let the first
man tackle, You can't let get talk about arm tackles,
and then you just gotta in one on one situations,
you gotta win that one on one battle. So I
feel like just doing that on the off season getting
ready for it. Uh, doing stuff like balance different Jews.
This is stuff like that I feel like helps overall.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
So yeah, so you obviously went to North Carolina. North
Carolina has been in the news plenty over the course
of the past year with Bill Belichick. Now there, Uh
and one of the biggest story of not the biggest
story in college football. You do not get the chance
to play with Bill Belichick.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
But first of all, have.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
You interacted with him at all? And second, have you
thought about what it would have been like to play
with one of the NFL's legends.
Speaker 10 (20:50):
Yeah, yeah, Yeah, he's a good guy. Me and him
talked a couple of times, just over a few things.
We talked actually once the season got when he first
got hired, I was like one of the few people
first people he talked to and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
But I feel like, yeah, he's a good coach.
Speaker 10 (21:04):
I feel like it's hard to not want to come
to you and see it's I feel like it's easy
to recruit f him because he can just say he's
Bill belichick best coach. I mean, I feel like I'm
I'm excited to see what happened.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Really, so wait, now he's one of the first people
that he talks to after taking the job. Is he
at that point, o Marion, trying to trying to bring
you back, trying to convince you.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
What was his what was his sales pitch if he
made want to you?
Speaker 10 (21:29):
Yeah, Yeah, he talked to me a little bit trying
to get me back. But I kind of have my
mind made up. I talk with my family already, talk
to my agent. So it's been a dream of mind
play in the NFL. So I mean yeah, I feel
like I just had to take the opportunity to do it.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
So we are a week out from the draft today,
is I believe Thursday? Uh, your life is going to
change dramatically next Thursday.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Where are you going to be?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
What's it going to be like and what's kind of
your mindset going in?
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (21:58):
Yeah, I got a place Alan Riley, with my family.
I'm just being with my family at two coaches and
stuff like that, Adams on Small. Just be with the
guys who helped me out throughout this process because it's
a day for them too. So I feel like just
being there all together the Femina after like, is gonna
be really special.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Mario on your fun Dude to watch can't wait to
see you making plays in the NFL too. Good luck
next week, man, enjoy. We appreciate you being here.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yeah, I appreciate you for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Bears could use your running back, but is that their
perfect draft fit? At number ten, Stay Scales has answers.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Next on the Insider, Sick it Up, Sinking out six.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Follow the
journey of future NFL stars, and stay connected throughout the
off season with coverage of the NFL Draft and more,
all in one place. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL
dot com. Terms and conditions apply. Chicago Bear has already
made a bunch of big additions in this offseason, none
bigger than the new head coach Ben Johnson. They've remade
(23:05):
the offensive line, they beaped up the defensive front, and
now they got the number ten pick to continue adding.
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Piliserobrian Baldingers back.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
We bring in. Are Stacey Dale's there in Chicago? Number ten? Dales?
What are they going to do?
Speaker 9 (23:21):
Oh?
Speaker 12 (23:21):
Your guest is as good as mine. Listen, they got
seven picks. They've got four through seventy two, so they've
got a first, two seconds and a third and at
number ten. It's going to be interesting because it's been
from my knowledge, very interactive right with the new head coach,
Ben Johnson, his new defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, and Ryan Poulsen,
Ian Cunningham, the.
Speaker 7 (23:39):
GM and the assistant GM.
Speaker 12 (23:41):
So interactive that Dennis Allen actually talked today about how
Ryan Poles guys sat his group down, their group plus
his group, and they put up the board, the draft board,
so they have it assembled and kind of said, these
are the defensive players we like, and they went through
them and how those guys potentially will fit into this scheme.
And then, you know, just to take it a step further,
(24:03):
Decklan Doyle, the new offensive coordinator. We know Ben Johnson's
going to call the plays, but he discussed how the
standard has been so highly raised already in the building
by Ben Johnson. So what that tells me is these
new draftees have to have a standard. And so when
you're looking and staring down that number ten pick, if
you are the Chicago Bears, I fully expect them to
(24:23):
use it. I don't perhaps you know, they could move up,
perhaps they could move down a little bit, but that's
a golden.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
Pick, and it wouldn't put I wouldn't put.
Speaker 12 (24:31):
It past them if they don't go for let's say
a Will Campbell, the left tackle out of LSU to
go skill position once again with Ben Johnson's offense, and
it's all going to be about how.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
This board falls for the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 12 (24:46):
But if you're staring down, we just heard from great
interview with Oarmi and Hampton the running back, but there's
a lot of running backs that the Bears have looked at.
Ashton Genty right there at ten guys. When I spend
time with him at the combine, this is an old soul.
It feels like he's played in the NFL his personality
for ten years. Baldy, Like, that's how impressive and mature
(25:06):
this young man is. We know what he can do, contact,
balance extraordinary, yards after catch extraordinary.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
And then I'm staring down Tyler Warren Baldi.
Speaker 12 (25:14):
I mean, the guy was a left handed quarterback in
high school and he does.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
Everything on the field.
Speaker 12 (25:20):
When I talked to him at the combine and he
basically said to me, like learning offensively at the tight
end position is like a big picture for him because
he played quarterback, and so it's going to be super
interesting to see what the Bears do there at number ten.
Speaker 9 (25:35):
They would be like new monsters in Chicago. I mean
both those guys. First of all, Ashton gen gis the
biggest biceps on a running back I've ever.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Seen in my life.
Speaker 9 (25:44):
Like, I mean, everybody who's going to get like muscled
up just to try and be like I mean, they
would be two great picks. I mean, they're very talented players,
but I feel like there's still a real hole opposite
Montese Sweat on the defensive line Stacy, and this is
a deep draft, you know for defense line you're out
there at the combine. I was at the Senior Bowl
(26:05):
watching these guys, like Mike kel Williams was on a
path to be in the top ten. Kick now he
got a high ankle spraying Week one against Clemson. He
played through it, but he wasn't really the same guy
that we saw the year before. But I feel like, uh,
Montes and Michel would be That'd be a good alliteration
Montez and Michael out here, you know for the Bears
(26:25):
building his defense you know where you know a soldier field,
it's about defense.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
A lot of Sundays.
Speaker 9 (26:32):
I feel like this could be a good draft to
address it in a real need with that tenth pick
as well.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
You got a pretty good track record on the Lions
at this point, Stacy Dan Campbell Brad Holmes going into
another draft together, What do you expect from them at
twenty eight and beyond?
Speaker 12 (26:49):
Yeah, I love mikel by the way. I love that guy.
I want to sit in the draft room with the
Detroit Lions. I don't care if they pick late all
the time, because they're good. They are fascinating. Brad Holmes
is the wild card, right. You just don't know what you're.
Speaker 7 (27:04):
Getting with him.
Speaker 12 (27:05):
He spoke today, he is so unpredictable in the draft,
and I wanted to put together the whiteboard because I
just you got to get creative a week out from
the draft, and so I put together the whiteboard just
to show you what he's done and remind you what
he's done in the first round of the NFL Draft
in his era. Right in twenty one, they're sitting at seven,
He's like, I gotta have Pine Sewel.
Speaker 7 (27:26):
So he goes and gets him right away. I mean
that was his.
Speaker 12 (27:28):
First year, right, So you got to get the best
player available right there, and that's what he does. He
hates it if you ask him, are you going to
draft this position of need?
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Like?
Speaker 12 (27:35):
That's not his style, but he falls in love with players.
In twenty twenty two, right eight, Hutchins is sitting there
at number two, take him right, but instead of using
the thirty second pick, so they were going to have
to wait all the way to the end of the
first round. They love Jamison Williams, the wide receiver, despite
that injury coming into the pros.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
They moved all the way.
Speaker 12 (27:58):
Up to twelve and did some nifty trade work to
get him at number twelve, and that was massive, and
they targeted him. Brad Holmes said that today they wanted
him so badly they moved up that much.
Speaker 7 (28:09):
In twenty twenty three, here's where it gets interesting.
Speaker 12 (28:13):
They're sitting there at number six, right, We've seen him
take sewell, we've seen him take hutch and now they
moved down instead of using the six pick overall, they
moved down and get Gibbie and then at eighteen they
stay right there. They get Jack Campbell, the linebacker, and
then in twenty twenty four, another twenty ninth later pick,
and they love Terry On Arnold, Bradholms said today. We
(28:33):
had an affinity for him. We saw him play as
a starter last year at his rookie campaign. He's going
to be a hell of a player. They move up
to twenty four to get him. What is my point?
What are they going to do at twenty eighth overall
in this draft?
Speaker 7 (28:45):
They've got seven picks. They could do anything.
Speaker 12 (28:48):
And I want to sit in that draft room with
the Detroit Lions because Brad Holmes, it starts with him,
and he's a master at it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
He is.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
He's very good, very talented. Stacy, good job there.
Speaker 9 (28:58):
But you know, the last time we saw the line
and play Stacy, they scored thirty one points on offense
with a lot of the guys you just described. They
lost by two touchdowns to the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
They put it.
Speaker 9 (29:08):
They have forty five points that day, and they've got
issues on defense. Now, obviously they lose Aiden Hutchinson the
fifth game, they lose Marcus Davenport in the second game.
Zadaria Smith comes in, he's already gone. They've got need
a pass rusher. We think Aiden Hutchon we'll be back.
We don't know what you're going to get from Marcus
Davenport because he has a strong injury history. This is
(29:31):
a deep draft for defensive line. We have discussed that earlier.
Like I just think of a guy like Mike Green
was still there and you played him opposite of Hutching
what they have inside right now that could start to
rebuild their defense. I think they've got to do it
with a young player, and I know he's going to
draft the best player available and all that's which is true.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
If Mike Green is hanging around there.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Like, I just don't know that they could pass him
up with his ability to turn the corner bend and
get to the quarterback like he did at Marshall this
past season.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Baldi, Stacy, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
A lot more from the two of you in the
one week remaining until the NFL Draft. Right now, take
a sneak peek at our new content series where Brock
Purty and Daniel Jeremiah breakdown Shador Sanders and other NFL
draft prospects, all with the help of Toyota. Be sure
to check out going places presented by Toyota on DJ's
social accounts at Move the Sticks.
Speaker 13 (30:31):
Obviously, the expectations that he's had, you know, throughout his
college career and then taking Colorado to new heights like that.
You know, that's not easy. The knock is a little
bit of the arm strength, and then you know, holding
the ball took a lot of sacks with my experience
of playing, Like if I can show my guys you
know that I can get hit and then keep going,
that just shows a lot about you know, your leadership
(30:51):
and just being able to learn to get the ball
out play within the timing of the offense and concepts.
I think those are things that he has and will
continue to learn and development.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Ward back of the ends for a touchdown.
Speaker 14 (31:05):
I guess so, mister rival in space to the pot
on touchdown.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
War another one on one.
Speaker 14 (31:15):
Drops it over the shutter, throws into the ends Todd
ten yard line.
Speaker 8 (31:20):
Ward's gonna take off diving touchdown.
Speaker 14 (31:24):
Cam Ward, there's the wheels.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
So many mock draft creators probably can get the first
one right, as our Mark Cross almost certainly does. Cam
Ward likely going one to the Tennessee Titans. Mark Cross
unveils his first and only mock draft. We'll see if
he got the other thirty one picks right. If only
there was so many we could talk about it with.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
And he shows up.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
Mark, Welcome inside with the insiders. Let's go over your
first and only mock draft of this draft season. Three
quarterbacks going in the top ten. Obviously Cam out of surprise,
take me through the other two.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
What went into that decision?
Speaker 14 (32:04):
Yeah, Cam's and no brainer at one, the only player,
in my opinion, can transform a franchise. Now let's get
to number six with Shador Sanders and people say, well,
they just drafted have it just traded for Gino Smith?
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Well, there's precedent for this.
Speaker 14 (32:17):
Pete Carroll on twenty twelve had a big free agent
signing from the Green Bay Packers Matt Flynn. Yes, that
was a thing back then, but that same year drafted
Russell Wilson in the third round, who eventually became that
Russell Wilson. Well, so now you've got Gino, let's double
down and take Shador as our future quarterback. And also,
let's not forget Tom Brady, the minority owner is there
(32:39):
who has an extensive relationship with Shador and Dion that
cannot be discounted his presence there. Now we get to
number nine with Jackson Dart with the Saints and of
course the.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Derek car injury there.
Speaker 14 (32:52):
They drafted Spencer Rattler last year but showed some flashes,
but really doesn't seem to be the quarterback of the future.
Head coach Kellen Moore just came off the Super Bowl
with Billy who showed the ability to double down. Had
Carson Wentz drafted Jalen Hurts, now he's a Super Bowl MVP.
So now Kellen Moore putting his own stamp on the
(33:12):
Saints by drafting Jackson Dart.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
You say, is that a little bit too high?
Speaker 14 (33:16):
But we always see quarterback desperation in these drafts.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Let's look at picks two and three together. Today we
heard Brown's general manager Andrew Berry. He compared Travis Hunter
to show, hey, o'tani, you have the Browns going though
with Abdul Carter and the Giants taking Travis Hunter and
not taking a quarterback. Take me through both of those decisions.
Speaker 14 (33:42):
Well, look, Judy, as you know, I'm Perry Miles Garrett.
Without Duel Carter, it's a giant success. And that's what
we were border rays on the two Super Bowls. All
those guys up front, you go get it and everything
else stems from there. So I just cannot imagine a
world where the Browns are not looking at Miles Garrett
and looking at Dull Carter and say, we.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Have to get these two.
Speaker 14 (34:01):
Guys together to terrorize Joe Burrow and Lebar Jackson in
that division. And then it always seemed like, well, now
the Giants get the leftovers, and Travis Hunter's a heck
of a left over there to have if you get him,
and that I think he can help the Giants even
more so on the offensive side of the ball, pairing
him with elite neighbors and then spot play on defense.
(34:24):
And I shot away from giving them Shador Sanders there
because I just have real apprehension that the Giants ownership
in front office really want to take on that personality
and everything that comes with Shador Sanders in the building.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
I was going to move on to the Jets pick
at number seven for Ashton Genty, which I want you
to explain, but first, just give me a little more
Giants for a second. Do you see them coming back
in at the back half of one and taking a quarterback.
Speaker 14 (34:54):
Well, you know, Joe Shane did say he's comfortable, but
you know, everything's possible. They have to be looking at
all these quarterback extensively and knowing like, okay, Russ and
Jamis may just be one year, stop gaps. Is there
somebody there? It has to be the right person. It
can't just be a philosophy. If we got to get
a guy, it still has to be the right person,
the right quarterback that they feel can take the franchise
(35:16):
to another level.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
All right, we know what what about gent to the Jets?
Take me through that genty to the Jets?
Speaker 14 (35:24):
Back to genty with the Jets and working with new
head coaches, they always feel comfortable about where they were
before Philly. We got Andy Reid. He'd liked to do
things the way the Packers did it. So here is
Aaron Glenn. He was in Detroit. Of course, you know
they had the two headed monster. They're a thunder and
lightning of David Montgomery and Jamier Gibbs. So now he's saying, look,
(35:44):
I've already had Breeze Hall, but let's get bashing genty
in here. Even Allen that they also have a three
headed monster to go with justin fields. Now you've got
four runners there.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
We're going to play solid defense. But we want to.
Speaker 14 (35:57):
Pound the ball with our running quarterback and now a
dynamic backfield of a lot of dudes who.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Can take these snaps. Genty, you break the game open.
You are the guys.
Speaker 14 (36:06):
You do your specialty runs here to bring what you
have to the offense. So I think that was the
thinking there, Aaron Glenn knowing how they had success in
Detroit bringing that to New York.
Speaker 6 (36:19):
Last one for me, Mark, you only do one mock draft.
What was the hardest team to nail down when you
were doing this?
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Oh wow? So and I mentioned this in my article.
Speaker 14 (36:29):
When I was part of our groups there, we never
did mock drafts in our draft room. We just talked
about the groups of players who would be there before
we picked, and you kind of just count the numbers there.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
But I mean, there's a lot dudy.
Speaker 14 (36:42):
Even at two and three, just trying to figure out
what Cleveland's going to do. I know, we're really boiling
it down to these two but Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter.
But a lot of times you don't see a lot
of smoke with a team. They may go another direction.
So could Shador Sanders really still be in play for Cleveland?
Because no one's really been associating Chador Sanders with Cleveland.
(37:03):
So you know, overall, it's it's really a fun exercise
to talk through.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
And it's all easy, Judy.
Speaker 14 (37:09):
Just give a team, give a player to a team,
and next thing, you know, who cares.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
I don't have to be responsible for it.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Say what if Schadoor Sanders goes two to the Browns,
that is going to ruin all of the mock drafts,
including yours. But otherwise we'll expect thirty two of thirty
two all correct.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Mark, Thank you very much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Great stuff as always, Tom Peliasero take it away.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Thanks Sean for NFL prospects.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Dylan Gabriel quarterbacks Morgan and Luther Burden, the third receiver
from Missouri. The draft journey is the most demanding and
inspiring job interview process in the world of sports. Here's
a sneak peek as they embark on that draft journey
in Destination Green Bay, presented by Toyota Abriel.
Speaker 13 (37:53):
What's the grind, the work, the preparation, that's all the
funs are.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Du dude quarterback in FB Yes history.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
Everything I'll do is shop, prove I'm gonna bed.
Speaker 13 (38:04):
He's going to be electric, and everybody's gonna know.
Speaker 9 (38:06):
His name's so good with the ball in his hands.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
He really hasn't him yet be in the combine.
Speaker 12 (38:14):
Best players in the country by position, one after another.
Speaker 13 (38:17):
And you gotta put in the time, you gotta put
in the work.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
And that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
What they are interviewing for one of the best jobs
in the world.
Speaker 8 (38:30):
We're propping his body for the hardest four month period
of his life.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Any workout with you take you for granted, you know
it'll come back to haunt you. NFL is now on
the way.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
This is a night where dreams are made.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
This is what I'm going for. Once you get drafted,
it's game on.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Check out full episodes of Destination Green Bay, presented by
Toyota on the NFL's YouTube channel. The NFL announced global
country music superstar Brad Paisley will headline the NFL Draft
concert series presented by bud Light on Saturday, April twenty sixth.
Fans can register now for free access through the NFL
one Pass app or at NFL dot com slash Draft Access.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
You and I know you already got your tickets.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
All right, Tom, That's enough for you can't let you
lead a segment where you wrote the article. So let's
go over your five potential first round surprises. I read
the whole article from the top all the way to
the bottom, so I already know what you're gonna say.
But spot now, I really didn't, but I almost did.
I got almost down to the bottom. Give me your
favorite first round surprise.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
The name that's come up the most is Carson Schwessinger,
the linebacker from UCLA.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Friend of the show.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
He came on The Insiders a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 13 (39:47):
Here.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
This guy was a walk on at UCLA. Last year
was the first time he'd even been a starter, but
he was a butt Kiss Award finalist.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
He was one of the best and most.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Productive linebackers in the entire country. He can run, he
and covering, and play all three downs. He is not
a versatile edge rusher type like Jihad Campbell. There's a
bunch of teams now at the bottom of the first round,
Judy that all need off the ball. Linebacker Schwestinger could
fill a hole.
Speaker 6 (40:11):
My surprise pick is actually also on Tom's list, Shuck,
the quarterback from Louisville. I think it's inevitable with so
many teams needing quarterbacks that there's going to be a push,
especially at the bottom of the round. Could teams start
to come back into the bottom of the first round.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
I think Tyler Schuck.
Speaker 6 (40:31):
Is going to be well positioned. He was really productive.
He's a little bit older, injury questions, injury history to
be concerned about, but again, I think there is such
a desperate need for quarterbacks, we're going to see him.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
He's a lot older, but we call that experience and
I would agree with both of you guys on your
picks as you should agree with my pick. Ariance Urseri,
the Minnesota tackle right in Tom's backyard, didn't even put
him on his list. This is a guy that I
know teams like a lot more than the media knows.
You look late in the first round and figure out
who would maybe need to tackle. A team like the
(41:06):
Knnes City Chiefs come to mind. He is talented, he
is athletic. Maybe a little wrong, but this is a
guy the team's really like. I believe, potentially, maybe theoretically,
that he could go in the first round.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I've gotten burned before by people telling me the Chiefs
are definitely taking that offensive lineman at the bottom of
the first and then they just go and find another
guy who runs four too. Coming up on this show,
the Rams always have a unique location for their draft picks.
This season is definitely no exception.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
We'll explain next.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
On The Insiders, the Rams are making history by becoming
the first team to take their draft operations to a
fire station when they draft from the Los Angeles Fire
Department Air Operations, showcasing their commitment to first responders after
(41:57):
all they did to protect the city during the Stay
wildfires in January. Very cool from the La Rams. We
are one week out from the NFL Draft, yet all
I have on my mind, and in the final segment
is going back to when you texted that girl to
break up with her. You met your wife, Leah in
two thousand and six according to the Internet, so presumably
this was before that. Did you break up by texting
(42:19):
on a flip phone? Did you have to do the
T nine thing where you have to hit the number
two three times to get an F that I hadn't
have taken a while?
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Yeah, yeah, let me explain since we have a lot
of time left in the show. So basically, what you
do You're the phone down, so you would start to
hit the number
Aaron Rodgers has spoken and still is undecided about his future.
We will break down what the four time NFL MVP
said today, what he didn't say, what it all means
in Pittsburgh and beyond. With the NFL Draft now just
one week away, Travis Hunter is the unicorn of this draft.
(00:28):
Just ask the man who, quite possible will pick him
next week. Here from Browns GM Andrew Berry on his
plans for Hunter if Hunter's the man in Cleveland at
number two, and Brian Baaldinger's.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Thoughts on that match as well.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Another one of the most productive players in college football
these past couple of years played ball at North Carolina
and Bill Belichick actually tried to keep him there, but
o'marion Hampton decided to go to the draft anyway, and
tonight he joins us to talk about where he could
be headed next. Welcome inside with the Insiders alongside Judy
Batista and Ian Rappaport, I am Tom Pellisero.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
One week.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
One week from right now, the entire area around lambeau
Field will be absolutely jam packed, elbow to elbow with
people who may or may not be enjoying now A
couple of light beers in the semi cold of Green
Bay this time of year, we are in the final
countdown two, that momentous occasion where we could have several
(01:27):
quarterbacks taken in Round one, maybe the one by the
Steelers who are still waiting for an answer from Aaron Rodgers.
He came out of his silence today and appeared with
his good friend Pat McAfee on the Pat McAfee Show.
Discussed a lot of different things, a lot of different reports,
and at a time that he is still a free agent.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It does not sound like that's changing anytime soon.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I'll said it all. I have no problem.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Listen, you know from the jump it's you know, I'm
in a different phase of my life. I'm forty one
years old. I'm in a serious relationship. I have off
the field, off the field stuff going on that requires
my attention. I have personal commitments I made not knowing
what my future was going to look like after last year,
(02:15):
that that are important to me. And and I have,
you know, a couple of people in my inner inner
circle who are really battling some some difficult stuff. So
I have a lot of things that are that are
taking my attention and have beginning in really January away
from away from football, and that's been where I've been
(02:38):
focusing most of my attention on. You know, to make
a commitment to a team is a big thing. I'm
open to anything and attached to nothing. So so yeah,
retirement still could be, could be a possibility.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
There's a lot more to that interview, Ian, but I
was struck above all else by one thing when he
was at asked by Pat, hey, does this come down
to you're gonna play for the Steelers if you play
at all? Only a couple of years ago, when he
was asked a similar question about the Jets in this case,
he demurred entirely.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
What else did we learn in that interview?
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Yeah, that to me was the most noteworthy thing, besides
the fact that Aaron Rodgers basically had no decision, no announcement.
I know, when Pat mccabee comes out and says we're
gonna have a significant newsmaker, everyone's like, all right, well,
this is going to be the Aaron Rodgers announcement. There
was a lot of Aaron Rodgers, but it was most
certainly not an announcement, And in fact, what he didn't
say was to me just as important as what he
(03:37):
didn't say. He didn't have a decision. He didn't tell
us that it would be the Steelers or bust. He
didn't rule out retirement. And these things are all really
important because you're right. There have been a tonch of reports,
lots of articles, a lot of tweets, a lot of
discussion points over the last couple of months, all of
us trying to figure out what Aaron Rodgers is going
to do. And at each point when there's been an
(03:57):
opportunity to either narrow it down or clarify, it's like
there is some clarification, but we're left with more questions. So, yes,
it is the Steelers or maybe another team, or retirement.
There is no deadline. So if you, Judy, were expecting
a decision before the draft next week, you are certainly
not going to get it. It seems it seems the
(04:18):
Steelers are going to have to go into the draft
with this limbo. Still, if the Steelers take a quarterback
at twenty one, they've done all the quarterback homework, it's
not going to affect Aaron Rodgers said on the mcabee Show,
it's not going to affect his decision at all. So
if the Steelers take what, it's not gonna are now
I'm going to retire. This is everything he told us
in a nutshell, which is I know you're watching me,
(04:40):
I know you're interested. You're going to have to keep waiting. Meanwhile,
as he noted, he's not thinking about us very much
at all because he has so many personal things going
on in his life.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
Well, the person who I was thinking about when he
was discussing or not really discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers where
it's Arn't Runey the second, the owner of the pittsb
Burg Steelers, who back when we were all in Palm
Beach for the annual meeting that was sixteen days ago,
he met with the Pittsburgh Steelers beat reporters and at
that time, at that time he said it had taken
(05:12):
longer than he had expected.
Speaker 7 (05:13):
He said they would still wait, but not forever.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
He said at that time he thought it was looking
positive like it was going in their direction. Again, sixteen
days later, the Steelers, I would say, at that meeting
felt pretty good about where this was headed. I think
they felt fairly confident that at some point Aaron Rodgers
would be their quarterback. But obviously two weeks have gone
by and there's been no movement, and the takeaway listening
(05:40):
to Aaron Rodgers today was there is no end in
sight to this unless the Pittsburgh Steelers put an end
to this. He feels no pressure to make a decision,
he said, you know, he doesn't feel like he owes
teams an answer right away.
Speaker 7 (05:55):
So he clearly.
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Does not feel an internal deadline or any internal pressure
to answer the teams. He doesn't feel like he is
holding teams hostage. He used that phrase a few times.
If you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, I do wonder internally if
they now are looking at their draft plans and saying,
you know what, if we weren't sure that we had
to take a quarterback before, do we have to revisit
(06:19):
that decision. Do we have to go into this draft
thinking maybe we need to take one of these quarterbacks
in the second tier or the third tier. Because it
really sounds uncertain with Aaron Rodgers right now.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
So as much as passively, there was certainly a message
delivered about his interest level or his commitment at this
point to the Steelers, there was also a very direct
message about his old team, the Jets. Juty in the
first comments we've had from Rogers since Aaron glennon company
informed him that they were moving another direction.
Speaker 6 (06:51):
Well, he said that their meeting, which happened a few
days before the Super Bowl, lasted fifteen minutes. Aaron Rodgers
said that he flew on his own dime to the
New York area to have that meeting face to face.
He said that he thought there was a lack of
respect shown in that meeting. He basically said, well, if
it was only going to be fifteen minutes, and Aaron
(07:12):
Glenn told him like, yeah, we're going in a different direction,
couldn't we have done this on the phone. I mean,
I would quibble with that. I would say that always
face to face is more respectful than dropping somebody over
the phone. He certainly was not happy with how that
meeting went. I would say that the Jets are sort
of like shrugging their shoulders about this. They moved on
(07:33):
long ago. They turned the page basically ever since they
told Aaron Rodgers that they were turning in a different direction.
I don't really think they've spent much time thinking about
Aaron Rodgers since then. I will say this. Aaron Glenn
played for Bill Parcells in Dallas and in New York.
Bill Parcells is one of his mentors. When Aaron Glenn
got hired, I talked to Bill Parcells and he said
(07:55):
to me about Aaron Glenn, he doesn't mind being contentious.
He's not rude, but he will get his message across.
You never doubted who was in charge when Bill Parcells
was the coach, and I have a feeling we are
not going to ever doubt who is in charge as
long as Aaron Glenn is in charge of the New
York Jets.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
I mean message delivered about what the Jets wanted to do,
what they thought of Aaron Rodgers. Makeups are always pressed.
I are always messy. I broke up one time over
text message. It wasn't my fault, it was just how
it happened. Anyway, face to face is much better. That's
not the only thing we learned, though. Aaron Rodgers also
took the opportunity to shoot down a couple of reports
regarding a lot of things.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
It seemed.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I talked about how he was not, in fact waiting
for the Minnesota Vikings, not still waiting something Ben Roethlisberger
had opined about a week or so ago. He was
asked specifically about the Saints, didn't confirm her de and
I obviously the Saints and now have a quarterback question
with Derek Carr's future very much in doubt, and said
he's not looking for a lot of money, not looking
for a multi year deal. He would play for just
(08:57):
ten million dollars with certainly if it ends up being
the Steelers, no doubt, something they're gonna remember. Clear to
the air on a lot of things. Didn't clear the
air on whether he wants to play or where he's
gonna play, which you know is sort of the important
thing for his future in ours.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
We got plenty more to say about Aaron Rodgers, but
real quick before I let this point go here, Ian,
why did you break up with the girl over text?
And why was text the preferred form of communication in
that moment?
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It wasn't the preferred It was just the conversation led
us in a direction and it was either like pick
up the phone or just continue on, And the inertia
of the conversation took me to finish it out on TAKEE.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
It wasn't great.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
I'm not like that that proud of it, but such
as life, you know it's too bad.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Well you brought it up on national TV, so I'm
sure we will absolutely revisit this again sometime soon. Don't
mention it's one week out from the NFL Draft. We'll
have many more important things to talk about, including guys
like cam Lord, shaduor Sanders, Ashtroing Genty and Travis Hunter,
who after Award is the presumptive number one pick to
the Titans, could well be the second man off the board.
(10:07):
Hunter will be in Green Bay. The Browns own that
number two overall selection. One of the rare, rare people
that we've seen in the NFL. He's a wide receiver,
he is a cornerback. He is somebody that Andrew Berry says, well,
we really haven't seen before.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
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
(10:48):
outstanding player. If he's if he's a pitcher, he's a hitter,
he's an outstanding player. You obviously get a unicorn if
you use them both ways.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Be very similar to Otani.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
If Travis Hunter suffered a torn acl you still could
play one of the two positions.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Anyway. We'll let that slide. Decent enough comparison there.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Take a look at Bucky Brooks top five wide receiver
prospects in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, Travis Hunter
number one top corners. Also, Travis Hunter right there at
the top. Absolutely no surprise and certainly a very very
rare occasion as we bring our Brian Baldinger into the
conversation where you're talking about both these guys both positions
(11:27):
for one player being up at the top. Here, Baldi,
and we know that Travis Hunter wants to play both ways.
What in your mind is the feasibility of that and
really the reasonability to the club that's going to be
expending a lot of draft capital to get them.
Speaker 9 (11:42):
Well, I was at Schadure Santa's pro day when Travis
Hunter ran routes for him, and the entire Cleveland Brown
organization was there from Jimmy asm the Owner, Andrew Barrety,
Kevin Stefanski, and they were just smitten by watching him work.
I don't think he had to beat a sweat on
him and all those routes that he ran. But you
go back, like every day, I feel like I go
back and watch another piece of Travis Hunter. If you
(12:04):
watch him just in his interception reel, seven interceptions in
two years of Colorado, he's a thief. Like he baits
quarterbacks in college to throw it to one place, and
he beats him to the ball. Like that's an advanced skill.
You know, that's something Ed Reid did not. Everybody knows
how to bit a quarterback to get him to throw
it where they think they can throw it until he
(12:26):
takes away. But he also has that skill to go
get the ball. He's got terrific hams. You see it
on defense, you see an offense I can see. I
think you have to play in both ways because you're
going to see it in practice. If he lines up
in your starting corner against your number one wide receiver,
he might shut him down. He might make your quarterback
look bad. And then if you flip it and you
(12:46):
put him at receiver, against your number one corner. He
might make him look bad and at some point the
whole iron thing sharpens iron. Look, we're in the entertainment business.
I told Andrew Barry in Boulder, Colorado two weeks ago.
I said, I can't wait to do my first breakdown
on Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
He just laughed.
Speaker 9 (13:06):
He goes, we'll watch, and I going, you might very
well watch both sides because we've never seen anything like this.
When they say unicorn, we might actually need another term,
because I think people know what a unicorn is.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I think he's an advanced unicorn.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
You know what's interesting to me, Baldy is let's just
say the Cleveland Browns take him a number two. It's
obviously something they are considering. Trying to understand the value
of Travis Hunter is really difficult. You say, like, well,
if you're going to take a receiver at number two,
it has to be worth it.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
He has to be like Calvin Johnson.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Okay, what if you're taking Calvin Johnson and Patrick Peterson
or whoever high in the like, what's the actual value?
And it's hard to figure out because it hasn't existed before.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So for the Browns, if it ends up being the Browns.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
They're going to get theoretically a player that really has
not existed in the NFL. And I'm here for all
of that because that's pretty fun.
Speaker 9 (14:01):
Well real quick, yeah, I mean, I honestly like that
contract might be the most voluminous contract we've ever seen
because there's going to be incentives on both sides of
the ball, I'm sure, and if he reaches those the milestones,
you know, that contract could be inflated pretty quickly.
Speaker 6 (14:20):
I am not sure if you're Andrew Berry, how you
can possibly pass on somebody you just compared to show.
Hey Otani, I feel like once you say that out loud,
you're pretty much tipping your hand that this is the
guy you're going to draft.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
I am fascinated.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
And this came up at the annual meeting too, talking
to general managers and coaches there the different ways that
teams look at him and how they feel about the
possibility of him playing both ways. And just in the
last two days you've heard two gms say two pretty
different things. Joe Shane for the Giants yesterday said like, yeah,
I think he can play both ways. We would let
(14:55):
him play both ways. He seems to be unique. He
seems to have unique stamina. You would let him try
to do it. And then Andrew Berry, who has been
steadfast and saying, we think he's a wide receiver first,
and there would be a package for him on defense,
but wide receiver first, and the stamina would be something
of a concern. I am so interested to see what
team it is. If it's the Browns, great uh, and
(15:16):
how they approach this end, especially how they approach his
desire to play both ways full time.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
I love that Travis Hunter is so good that Balding
didn't think unicorn was enough. He said he's an advanced unicorn.
Maybe he's got two horns, just kidding, that would be
a duocorn.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Here's Hampton stands a middle.
Speaker 9 (15:34):
Look.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Now it's a foot race.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Think's Lenny Han's gonna lose that foot race? Captain with
a steam breaks a tackle. Oh Marion Hampton.
Speaker 9 (15:47):
Oh, Marion Hampton would not give up.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Did pitch it to Hampton and he.
Speaker 8 (15:53):
Would touchdown Candy to tackle it.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Here's Hampden hurtled the man lobby and stores.
Speaker 8 (16:02):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Oh Marion Hampton is going to be bringing highlights like
that to one of the thirty two NFL teams very soon.
Take a look at Bucky Brooks's top five running back
prospects in the NFL Draft, which is one week away.
Of Marion Hampton checking in right there underneath Ashton genty
of Boise State. He's checking in with us right now
as well on the Insiders with me, Tom Pellicero and
Ian Rappaport. So, Mario, you grew up in North Carolina,
(16:26):
you go to the University of North Carolina. This is
the first time Panthers can take you, but this may
be the first time you're leaving.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Like, what are the emotions like.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Knowing that you're one week away from figuring out exactly
where you're going to be headed.
Speaker 10 (16:40):
I mean, yeah, I'm just excited to see where I'm
gonna end up. Means it's been a long process. I've
been thanking for it, So I mean, I'm excited it's
coming to It's coming to the end and get to
play ball.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
You've had several visits, We've talked about them. You've been
seemingly all around the NFL. Take us through what your
last two or three wait, two or three weeks have
been like, and then was there any particular place or
places where you like felt the most comfortable or felt
the most interest.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (17:11):
Yeah, I feel like all of them had like a different.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Type of style.
Speaker 10 (17:15):
I feel like all of them were in unique and
different kind of ways. So I feel like just going there,
going there being blessed enough to get those opportunities to
meet coaches, Bill connects and stuff like that has been amazing.
A lot of traveling, but I mean it's still blessing.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
So we got some numbers here from NFL research. I'm
just going to say this is a running back. I'm
not gonna say any names. This is a running back
in this class right here. First Power Conference player to
have three thousand rushing yards and thirty touchdowns of two
seasons span since Breeze Hall. First FBS player to have
fifteen ard rushing yards and fifteen touchdowns and back to
(17:50):
back seasons since Travis Etn and Jonathan Taylor. That's not
Ashton Genty, that's Omrion Hampton. Is there a case for you,
Omaron to be the first running back off the board
come next Thursday Night?
Speaker 10 (18:03):
For me, I just feel like I try to just
focus on ball, trying not to look at any of that.
I feel like whatever team fits me, piace Me is
gonna be the best fit for me. So I feel
like what every team fits me, I'm gonna be excited
for I know they're gonna get the best out of me.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
And then yeah, ye'es there.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Well, So I want to talk about you and Ashton
Genty a little bit, and there's obviously some other good
runners in this draft. Seems to be a really really
good running back class.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Can you take us.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Through what makes you special, what you've seen from Ashton
Genty on film, kind of compare and contrast a little
bit your styles for us.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (18:40):
Yeah, I feel like this class is very, very talented.
I feel like we all got like different type of
running styles. It kind of just depends on what the
team wants and there with their football team. So I
feel like me, I'm just excited to see all of
the running back the value of the position come back
in style, just like with the same and Derek Henry,
(19:01):
them just going out there showing what the running bent
position can do. So I fel like I'm just decided
to see it and bring that the position itself.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I'm Arion, you clearly bring you know, speed and elusiveness
to the tail, but a lot of those. How it's
the fun ones to me that we showed them that
reel off the top was you lowered a shoulder into somebody,
You moving a pile, you bouncing off dudes like a pinball.
What do you enjoy more making somebody miss or knocking
somebody back?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Uh?
Speaker 10 (19:30):
I would say, I would say, now you got to say,
run through somebody. It's always it's always good to run
through somebody. It's always good.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Look at this, you're there, any garman, you're you're breaking
arm tackles. It's a bad idea to arm tackle you.
I think it's the bottom line of these highlights right here.
How do you work on the technique? You know you
can't really they're not tackling you to the ground. I
don't think regularly in practice, how do you work on
the technique and making sure that first guy doesn't get
you on the ground.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Yeah, just a mindset thing.
Speaker 10 (20:01):
You just gotta uh, you gotta can't let the first
man tackle, You can't let get talk about arm tackles,
and then you just gotta in one on one situations,
you gotta win that one on one battle. So I
feel like just doing that on the off season getting
ready for it. Uh, doing stuff like balance different Jews.
This is stuff like that I feel like helps overall.
Speaker 11 (20:22):
So yeah, so you obviously went to North Carolina. North
Carolina has been in the news plenty over the course
of the past year with Bill Belichick. Now there, Uh
and one of the biggest story of not the biggest
story in college football. You do not get the chance
to play with Bill Belichick.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
But first of all, have.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
You interacted with him at all? And second, have you
thought about what it would have been like to play
with one of the NFL's legends.
Speaker 10 (20:50):
Yeah, yeah, Yeah, he's a good guy. Me and him
talked a couple of times, just over a few things.
We talked actually once the season got when he first
got hired, I was like one of the few people
first people he talked to and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
But I feel like, yeah, he's a good coach.
Speaker 10 (21:04):
I feel like it's hard to not want to come
to you and see it's I feel like it's easy
to recruit f him because he can just say he's
Bill belichick best coach. I mean, I feel like I'm
I'm excited to see what happened.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Really, so wait, now he's one of the first people
that he talks to after taking the job. Is he
at that point, o Marion, trying to trying to bring
you back, trying to convince you.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
What was his what was his sales pitch if he
made want to you?
Speaker 10 (21:29):
Yeah, Yeah, he talked to me a little bit trying
to get me back. But I kind of have my
mind made up. I talk with my family already, talk
to my agent. So it's been a dream of mind
play in the NFL. So I mean yeah, I feel
like I just had to take the opportunity to do it.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
So we are a week out from the draft today,
is I believe Thursday? Uh, your life is going to
change dramatically next Thursday.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Where are you going to be?
Speaker 5 (21:53):
What's it going to be like and what's kind of
your mindset going in?
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 10 (21:58):
Yeah, I got a place Alan Riley, with my family.
I'm just being with my family at two coaches and
stuff like that, Adams on Small. Just be with the
guys who helped me out throughout this process because it's
a day for them too. So I feel like just
being there all together the Femina after like, is gonna
be really special.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Mario on your fun Dude to watch can't wait to
see you making plays in the NFL too. Good luck
next week, man, enjoy. We appreciate you being here.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yeah, I appreciate you for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Bears could use your running back, but is that their
perfect draft fit? At number ten, Stay Scales has answers.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Next on the Insider, Sick it Up, Sinking out six.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Get more of the NFL with NFL Plus. Follow the
journey of future NFL stars, and stay connected throughout the
off season with coverage of the NFL Draft and more,
all in one place. Subscribe today at plus dot NFL
dot com. Terms and conditions apply. Chicago Bear has already
made a bunch of big additions in this offseason, none
bigger than the new head coach Ben Johnson. They've remade
(23:05):
the offensive line, they beaped up the defensive front, and
now they got the number ten pick to continue adding.
Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Piliserobrian Baldingers back.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
We bring in. Are Stacey Dale's there in Chicago? Number ten? Dales?
What are they going to do?
Speaker 9 (23:21):
Oh?
Speaker 12 (23:21):
Your guest is as good as mine. Listen, they got
seven picks. They've got four through seventy two, so they've
got a first, two seconds and a third and at
number ten. It's going to be interesting because it's been
from my knowledge, very interactive right with the new head coach,
Ben Johnson, his new defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, and Ryan Poulsen,
Ian Cunningham, the.
Speaker 7 (23:39):
GM and the assistant GM.
Speaker 12 (23:41):
So interactive that Dennis Allen actually talked today about how
Ryan Poles guys sat his group down, their group plus
his group, and they put up the board, the draft board,
so they have it assembled and kind of said, these
are the defensive players we like, and they went through
them and how those guys potentially will fit into this scheme.
And then, you know, just to take it a step further,
(24:03):
Decklan Doyle, the new offensive coordinator. We know Ben Johnson's
going to call the plays, but he discussed how the
standard has been so highly raised already in the building
by Ben Johnson. So what that tells me is these
new draftees have to have a standard. And so when
you're looking and staring down that number ten pick, if
you are the Chicago Bears, I fully expect them to
(24:23):
use it. I don't perhaps you know, they could move up,
perhaps they could move down a little bit, but that's
a golden.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
Pick, and it wouldn't put I wouldn't put.
Speaker 12 (24:31):
It past them if they don't go for let's say
a Will Campbell, the left tackle out of LSU to
go skill position once again with Ben Johnson's offense, and
it's all going to be about how.
Speaker 7 (24:42):
This board falls for the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 12 (24:46):
But if you're staring down, we just heard from great
interview with Oarmi and Hampton the running back, but there's
a lot of running backs that the Bears have looked at.
Ashton Genty right there at ten guys. When I spend
time with him at the combine, this is an old soul.
It feels like he's played in the NFL his personality
for ten years. Baldy, Like, that's how impressive and mature
(25:06):
this young man is. We know what he can do, contact,
balance extraordinary, yards after catch extraordinary.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
And then I'm staring down Tyler Warren Baldi.
Speaker 12 (25:14):
I mean, the guy was a left handed quarterback in
high school and he does.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
Everything on the field.
Speaker 12 (25:20):
When I talked to him at the combine and he
basically said to me, like learning offensively at the tight
end position is like a big picture for him because
he played quarterback, and so it's going to be super
interesting to see what the Bears do there at number ten.
Speaker 9 (25:35):
They would be like new monsters in Chicago. I mean
both those guys. First of all, Ashton gen gis the
biggest biceps on a running back I've ever.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Seen in my life.
Speaker 9 (25:44):
Like, I mean, everybody who's going to get like muscled
up just to try and be like I mean, they
would be two great picks. I mean, they're very talented players,
but I feel like there's still a real hole opposite
Montese Sweat on the defensive line Stacy, and this is
a deep draft, you know for defense line you're out
there at the combine. I was at the Senior Bowl
(26:05):
watching these guys, like Mike kel Williams was on a
path to be in the top ten. Kick now he
got a high ankle spraying Week one against Clemson. He
played through it, but he wasn't really the same guy
that we saw the year before. But I feel like, uh,
Montes and Michel would be That'd be a good alliteration
Montez and Michael out here, you know for the Bears
(26:25):
building his defense you know where you know a soldier field,
it's about defense.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
A lot of Sundays.
Speaker 9 (26:32):
I feel like this could be a good draft to
address it in a real need with that tenth pick
as well.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
You got a pretty good track record on the Lions
at this point, Stacy Dan Campbell Brad Holmes going into
another draft together, What do you expect from them at
twenty eight and beyond?
Speaker 12 (26:49):
Yeah, I love mikel by the way. I love that guy.
I want to sit in the draft room with the
Detroit Lions. I don't care if they pick late all
the time, because they're good. They are fascinating. Brad Holmes
is the wild card, right. You just don't know what you're.
Speaker 7 (27:04):
Getting with him.
Speaker 12 (27:05):
He spoke today, he is so unpredictable in the draft,
and I wanted to put together the whiteboard because I
just you got to get creative a week out from
the draft, and so I put together the whiteboard just
to show you what he's done and remind you what
he's done in the first round of the NFL Draft
in his era. Right in twenty one, they're sitting at seven,
He's like, I gotta have Pine Sewel.
Speaker 7 (27:26):
So he goes and gets him right away. I mean
that was his.
Speaker 12 (27:28):
First year, right, So you got to get the best
player available right there, and that's what he does. He
hates it if you ask him, are you going to
draft this position of need?
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Like?
Speaker 12 (27:35):
That's not his style, but he falls in love with players.
In twenty twenty two, right eight, Hutchins is sitting there
at number two, take him right, but instead of using
the thirty second pick, so they were going to have
to wait all the way to the end of the
first round. They love Jamison Williams, the wide receiver, despite
that injury coming into the pros.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
They moved all the way.
Speaker 12 (27:58):
Up to twelve and did some nifty trade work to
get him at number twelve, and that was massive, and
they targeted him. Brad Holmes said that today they wanted
him so badly they moved up that much.
Speaker 7 (28:09):
In twenty twenty three, here's where it gets interesting.
Speaker 12 (28:13):
They're sitting there at number six, right, We've seen him
take sewell, we've seen him take hutch and now they
moved down instead of using the six pick overall, they
moved down and get Gibbie and then at eighteen they
stay right there. They get Jack Campbell, the linebacker, and
then in twenty twenty four, another twenty ninth later pick,
and they love Terry On Arnold, Bradholms said today. We
(28:33):
had an affinity for him. We saw him play as
a starter last year at his rookie campaign. He's going
to be a hell of a player. They move up
to twenty four to get him. What is my point?
What are they going to do at twenty eighth overall
in this draft?
Speaker 7 (28:45):
They've got seven picks. They could do anything.
Speaker 12 (28:48):
And I want to sit in that draft room with
the Detroit Lions because Brad Holmes, it starts with him,
and he's a master at it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
He is.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
He's very good, very talented. Stacy, good job there.
Speaker 9 (28:58):
But you know, the last time we saw the line
and play Stacy, they scored thirty one points on offense
with a lot of the guys you just described. They
lost by two touchdowns to the Washington Commanders.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
They put it.
Speaker 9 (29:08):
They have forty five points that day, and they've got
issues on defense. Now, obviously they lose Aiden Hutchinson the
fifth game, they lose Marcus Davenport in the second game.
Zadaria Smith comes in, he's already gone. They've got need
a pass rusher. We think Aiden Hutchon we'll be back.
We don't know what you're going to get from Marcus
Davenport because he has a strong injury history. This is
(29:31):
a deep draft for defensive line. We have discussed that earlier.
Like I just think of a guy like Mike Green
was still there and you played him opposite of Hutching
what they have inside right now that could start to
rebuild their defense. I think they've got to do it
with a young player, and I know he's going to
draft the best player available and all that's which is true.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
If Mike Green is hanging around there.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Like, I just don't know that they could pass him
up with his ability to turn the corner bend and
get to the quarterback like he did at Marshall this
past season.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Baldi, Stacy, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
A lot more from the two of you in the
one week remaining until the NFL Draft. Right now, take
a sneak peek at our new content series where Brock
Purty and Daniel Jeremiah breakdown Shador Sanders and other NFL
draft prospects, all with the help of Toyota. Be sure
to check out going places presented by Toyota on DJ's
social accounts at Move the Sticks.
Speaker 13 (30:31):
Obviously, the expectations that he's had, you know, throughout his
college career and then taking Colorado to new heights like that.
You know, that's not easy. The knock is a little
bit of the arm strength, and then you know, holding
the ball took a lot of sacks with my experience
of playing, Like if I can show my guys you
know that I can get hit and then keep going,
that just shows a lot about you know, your leadership
(30:51):
and just being able to learn to get the ball
out play within the timing of the offense and concepts.
I think those are things that he has and will
continue to learn and development.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Ward back of the ends for a touchdown.
Speaker 14 (31:05):
I guess so, mister rival in space to the pot
on touchdown.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
War another one on one.
Speaker 14 (31:15):
Drops it over the shutter, throws into the ends Todd
ten yard line.
Speaker 8 (31:20):
Ward's gonna take off diving touchdown.
Speaker 14 (31:24):
Cam Ward, there's the wheels.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
So many mock draft creators probably can get the first
one right, as our Mark Cross almost certainly does. Cam
Ward likely going one to the Tennessee Titans. Mark Cross
unveils his first and only mock draft. We'll see if
he got the other thirty one picks right. If only
there was so many we could talk about it with.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
And he shows up.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
Mark, Welcome inside with the insiders. Let's go over your
first and only mock draft of this draft season. Three
quarterbacks going in the top ten. Obviously Cam out of surprise,
take me through the other two.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
What went into that decision?
Speaker 14 (32:04):
Yeah, Cam's and no brainer at one, the only player,
in my opinion, can transform a franchise. Now let's get
to number six with Shador Sanders and people say, well,
they just drafted have it just traded for Gino Smith?
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Well, there's precedent for this.
Speaker 14 (32:17):
Pete Carroll on twenty twelve had a big free agent
signing from the Green Bay Packers Matt Flynn. Yes, that
was a thing back then, but that same year drafted
Russell Wilson in the third round, who eventually became that
Russell Wilson. Well, so now you've got Gino, let's double
down and take Shador as our future quarterback. And also,
let's not forget Tom Brady, the minority owner is there
(32:39):
who has an extensive relationship with Shador and Dion that
cannot be discounted his presence there. Now we get to
number nine with Jackson Dart with the Saints and of
course the.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Derek car injury there.
Speaker 14 (32:52):
They drafted Spencer Rattler last year but showed some flashes,
but really doesn't seem to be the quarterback of the future.
Head coach Kellen Moore just came off the Super Bowl
with Billy who showed the ability to double down. Had
Carson Wentz drafted Jalen Hurts, now he's a Super Bowl MVP.
So now Kellen Moore putting his own stamp on the
(33:12):
Saints by drafting Jackson Dart.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
You say, is that a little bit too high?
Speaker 14 (33:16):
But we always see quarterback desperation in these drafts.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Let's look at picks two and three together. Today we
heard Brown's general manager Andrew Berry. He compared Travis Hunter
to show, hey, o'tani, you have the Browns going though
with Abdul Carter and the Giants taking Travis Hunter and
not taking a quarterback. Take me through both of those decisions.
Speaker 14 (33:42):
Well, look, Judy, as you know, I'm Perry Miles Garrett.
Without Duel Carter, it's a giant success. And that's what
we were border rays on the two Super Bowls. All
those guys up front, you go get it and everything
else stems from there. So I just cannot imagine a
world where the Browns are not looking at Miles Garrett
and looking at Dull Carter and say, we.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Have to get these two.
Speaker 14 (34:01):
Guys together to terrorize Joe Burrow and Lebar Jackson in
that division. And then it always seemed like, well, now
the Giants get the leftovers, and Travis Hunter's a heck
of a left over there to have if you get him,
and that I think he can help the Giants even
more so on the offensive side of the ball, pairing
him with elite neighbors and then spot play on defense.
(34:24):
And I shot away from giving them Shador Sanders there
because I just have real apprehension that the Giants ownership
in front office really want to take on that personality
and everything that comes with Shador Sanders in the building.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
I was going to move on to the Jets pick
at number seven for Ashton Genty, which I want you
to explain, but first, just give me a little more
Giants for a second. Do you see them coming back
in at the back half of one and taking a quarterback.
Speaker 14 (34:54):
Well, you know, Joe Shane did say he's comfortable, but
you know, everything's possible. They have to be looking at
all these quarterback extensively and knowing like, okay, Russ and
Jamis may just be one year, stop gaps. Is there
somebody there? It has to be the right person. It
can't just be a philosophy. If we got to get
a guy, it still has to be the right person,
the right quarterback that they feel can take the franchise
(35:16):
to another level.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
All right, we know what what about gent to the Jets?
Take me through that genty to the Jets?
Speaker 14 (35:24):
Back to genty with the Jets and working with new
head coaches, they always feel comfortable about where they were
before Philly. We got Andy Reid. He'd liked to do
things the way the Packers did it. So here is
Aaron Glenn. He was in Detroit. Of course, you know
they had the two headed monster. They're a thunder and
lightning of David Montgomery and Jamier Gibbs. So now he's saying, look,
(35:44):
I've already had Breeze Hall, but let's get bashing genty
in here. Even Allen that they also have a three
headed monster to go with justin fields. Now you've got
four runners there.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
We're going to play solid defense. But we want to.
Speaker 14 (35:57):
Pound the ball with our running quarterback and now a
dynamic backfield of a lot of dudes who.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Can take these snaps. Genty, you break the game open.
You are the guys.
Speaker 14 (36:06):
You do your specialty runs here to bring what you
have to the offense. So I think that was the
thinking there, Aaron Glenn knowing how they had success in
Detroit bringing that to New York.
Speaker 6 (36:19):
Last one for me, Mark, you only do one mock draft.
What was the hardest team to nail down when you
were doing this?
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Oh wow? So and I mentioned this in my article.
Speaker 14 (36:29):
When I was part of our groups there, we never
did mock drafts in our draft room. We just talked
about the groups of players who would be there before
we picked, and you kind of just count the numbers there.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
But I mean, there's a lot dudy.
Speaker 14 (36:42):
Even at two and three, just trying to figure out
what Cleveland's going to do. I know, we're really boiling
it down to these two but Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter.
But a lot of times you don't see a lot
of smoke with a team. They may go another direction.
So could Shador Sanders really still be in play for Cleveland?
Because no one's really been associating Chador Sanders with Cleveland.
(37:03):
So you know, overall, it's it's really a fun exercise
to talk through.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
And it's all easy, Judy.
Speaker 14 (37:09):
Just give a team, give a player to a team,
and next thing, you know, who cares.
Speaker 3 (37:13):
I don't have to be responsible for it.
Speaker 5 (37:16):
Say what if Schadoor Sanders goes two to the Browns,
that is going to ruin all of the mock drafts,
including yours. But otherwise we'll expect thirty two of thirty
two all correct.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Mark, Thank you very much for joining us.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Great stuff as always, Tom Peliasero take it away.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Thanks Sean for NFL prospects.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Dylan Gabriel quarterbacks Morgan and Luther Burden, the third receiver
from Missouri. The draft journey is the most demanding and
inspiring job interview process in the world of sports. Here's
a sneak peek as they embark on that draft journey
in Destination Green Bay, presented by Toyota Abriel.
Speaker 13 (37:53):
What's the grind, the work, the preparation, that's all the
funs are.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Du dude quarterback in FB Yes history.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
Everything I'll do is shop, prove I'm gonna bed.
Speaker 13 (38:04):
He's going to be electric, and everybody's gonna know.
Speaker 9 (38:06):
His name's so good with the ball in his hands.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
He really hasn't him yet be in the combine.
Speaker 12 (38:14):
Best players in the country by position, one after another.
Speaker 13 (38:17):
And you gotta put in the time, you gotta put
in the work.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
And that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
What they are interviewing for one of the best jobs
in the world.
Speaker 8 (38:30):
We're propping his body for the hardest four month period
of his life.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Any workout with you take you for granted, you know
it'll come back to haunt you. NFL is now on
the way.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
This is a night where dreams are made.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
This is what I'm going for. Once you get drafted,
it's game on.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Check out full episodes of Destination Green Bay, presented by
Toyota on the NFL's YouTube channel. The NFL announced global
country music superstar Brad Paisley will headline the NFL Draft
concert series presented by bud Light on Saturday, April twenty sixth.
Fans can register now for free access through the NFL
one Pass app or at NFL dot com slash Draft Access.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
You and I know you already got your tickets.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
All right, Tom, That's enough for you can't let you
lead a segment where you wrote the article. So let's
go over your five potential first round surprises. I read
the whole article from the top all the way to
the bottom, so I already know what you're gonna say.
But spot now, I really didn't, but I almost did.
I got almost down to the bottom. Give me your
favorite first round surprise.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
The name that's come up the most is Carson Schwessinger,
the linebacker from UCLA.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Friend of the show.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
He came on The Insiders a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 13 (39:47):
Here.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
This guy was a walk on at UCLA. Last year
was the first time he'd even been a starter, but
he was a butt Kiss Award finalist.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
He was one of the best and most.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Productive linebackers in the entire country. He can run, he
and covering, and play all three downs. He is not
a versatile edge rusher type like Jihad Campbell. There's a
bunch of teams now at the bottom of the first round,
Judy that all need off the ball. Linebacker Schwestinger could
fill a hole.
Speaker 6 (40:11):
My surprise pick is actually also on Tom's list, Shuck,
the quarterback from Louisville. I think it's inevitable with so
many teams needing quarterbacks that there's going to be a push,
especially at the bottom of the round. Could teams start
to come back into the bottom of the first round.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
I think Tyler Schuck.
Speaker 6 (40:31):
Is going to be well positioned. He was really productive.
He's a little bit older, injury questions, injury history to
be concerned about, but again, I think there is such
a desperate need for quarterbacks, we're going to see him.
Speaker 5 (40:44):
He's a lot older, but we call that experience and
I would agree with both of you guys on your
picks as you should agree with my pick. Ariance Urseri,
the Minnesota tackle right in Tom's backyard, didn't even put
him on his list. This is a guy that I
know teams like a lot more than the media knows.
You look late in the first round and figure out
who would maybe need to tackle. A team like the
(41:06):
Knnes City Chiefs come to mind. He is talented, he
is athletic. Maybe a little wrong, but this is a
guy the team's really like. I believe, potentially, maybe theoretically,
that he could go in the first round.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I've gotten burned before by people telling me the Chiefs
are definitely taking that offensive lineman at the bottom of
the first and then they just go and find another
guy who runs four too. Coming up on this show,
the Rams always have a unique location for their draft picks.
This season is definitely no exception.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
We'll explain next.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
On The Insiders, the Rams are making history by becoming
the first team to take their draft operations to a
fire station when they draft from the Los Angeles Fire
Department Air Operations, showcasing their commitment to first responders after
(41:57):
all they did to protect the city during the Stay
wildfires in January. Very cool from the La Rams. We
are one week out from the NFL Draft, yet all
I have on my mind, and in the final segment
is going back to when you texted that girl to
break up with her. You met your wife, Leah in
two thousand and six according to the Internet, so presumably
this was before that. Did you break up by texting
(42:19):
on a flip phone? Did you have to do the
T nine thing where you have to hit the number
two three times to get an F that I hadn't
have taken a while?
Speaker 5 (42:27):
Yeah, yeah, let me explain since we have a lot
of time left in the show. So basically, what you
do You're the phone down, so you would start to
hit the number
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