Ben Leber on Draft Day #92Noon!

Ben Leber in studio with PA on draft day! What will the Vikings do?

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
Liber NFL Draft Bena Leber at NachoLiber via the tweet machine, Twin Cities
Live Today three to four thirty onChannel five. Some very nice behind the
scenes breakdowns and like sit downs onTwin Cities Live Today with the likes of

(00:28):
Jerseon Newton, Graham Barton and Iunderstand. Spencer Rattler I also will make
his appearance on Twin Cities Live Todaythree to four thirty, Channel five.
It is all draft, all thetime today on Channel five, right,
I mean, what you know youthrow out Spencer Raller like as if we
can get McCarthy. I know wegot right, we got McCarthy and we've
got we've got Drake May both onZoom you know, calling into twin Cy's

(00:52):
Live perfect and with Spencer Rattler.I mean I got pushed on Rattler at
at the combine in that you know, it's the It's it's a lot of
things that I've heard you and otherssay. Is that you know, we
got some personality quirks here, wehave a purported or alleged high opinion of
oneself and then you know there mayneed some humility made well. The NFL

(01:15):
mostly will will humble individuals, youknow, like like I'm listening to you
guys this morning with Caleb Williams entitlementand just ab CD and all the money
he made in the nil. Imean, you know this better than anybody,
and correct me if I'm wrong,because a quarterback's a different beast.
But players, they humble rookies andhumble players in practice and and and or

(01:40):
on the field. And like ifthat, if that's a problem with like
Rattler Williams or whomever. I mean, I envisioned the conversations being like like
say DJ Moore, Keenan Allen,a couple of super well respected veterans.
Dog, I don't care what youmade, who you are, where you
got drafted. You ain't doing thisright. And if you don't do it,
we're gonna have a problem behind thescenes here. And I ain't talking

(02:02):
about a fight. I'm just sayingthat we're gonna be off kilter. So
like like when it comes to thoselike say Caleb Williams and say, I
don't know, we're Spencer Ratler andthey lack self awareness, well, once
they get in there with the veterans, those problems have a way of fixing
themselves. Would you agree, youknow they do. I would say that,

(02:23):
you know, look, I don'tknow from firsthand experience because I'm not
a quarterback, but I would thinkthat it's harder for a quarterback, especially
a quarterback that's being asked to comeinto a team and lead that team on
day one, like Caleb Williams.Unlike Spencer Rattler, who you're using as
an example, He's gonna come in, he'll be a backup and he'll just
you know, hopefully you know,scrapping clauseway into like maybe a starting role

(02:46):
somewhere some someplace down the road.But for a guy like Caleb, it's
harder for these guys to come inand they say, here's the key to
the team. You need to beour leader on day one, and oh,
by the way, you need tohumble yourself. It's like, that's
that's harder to break a guy downlike that, even when when the veterans
get around and they're like, heyman, different league. You got to

(03:07):
earn our respect, you still havelike you're not the guy just yet.
You've got to put team first andnot you first. It's hard to do
that, I think when guys arejust given given that role as immediate leader
of the football team, and heis the franchise guy. I think for
a guy like Rattler or any ofthese other players, you can come in,

(03:28):
get humbled, get sort of proverballybroken down, and then build yourself
back up sort of quietly, youknow, in the weeds, and just
kind of working your way back up. You can you can't, you know,
metamorphois in that way. I thinkit's harder for a guy like Caleb
Williams. He is who he is, and I didn't know until I heard
you say this morning, simply becauseI put minimal time into Caleb Williams.

(03:50):
After a somebody from the AFC toldme at the combine that you know,
he he comes into the league andif he does it right, he's top
ten game one and moving forward hastop five, top three to him with
his skill set. But then allthe stuff that you you talked about that
you know, that started to emergethere too. But I didn't know Rattler

(04:10):
beat him out of his job inOklahoma, Yeah, or Kleeb couldn't beat
Spencer until until you said it thismorning. That's that's a little eye opening
here. Yeah, it's interesting howhow both of those guys have taken a
different path to the draft. Youknow, it's it's funny how and I
get that there's there's different draft selectionsand slots for these players. And the
player that I'll talk about his bowNicks. I've I think that he's a

(04:33):
better player than other people. Andthey'll say like, well, he was
so terrible at Auburn and all ofa sudden, now he goes to Oregon,
Like what was the difference he gotin a simplified scheme. But then
yet when you talk about Spencer Rattler, you're like, well, look at
this, look at this diamond onthe rough, Like it's the same situation.
He was really good at Oklahoma fora hot second and then he couldn't

(04:55):
stop turning the ball over, gotbenched, and then decide to transfer immediate
starter at South Carolina. There wasno competition there. They're like, look,
you're coming in here and here's yourjob. And you know, credit
to him, credit to the offensivescheme, the offensive coordinator. He goes
on and has a pretty good careerat South Carolina. Yet we want to
give him all the praise for havingbetter numbers, better productivity. Bow Nix

(05:18):
goes to a new team and allof a sudden, it's like, well,
I mean it's I mean, comeon, I mean it's Oregon,
right, Like it's a simplified offenseby anybody. Can you have those yards?
It short throws, it's not beingasked to do much like Oh,
so you love Spendler Rattler's Spencer Ratler'spath to the draft, but you hate
bo Nix's path. Yeah, ifyou can't have it both ways, that's

(05:40):
so perfect. Yeah, right,because that specifically in the day and age
of the transfer portal and nil andall that, different conversations are emerging.
Why somebody sec okay, more roughand tumble defense than the Pac twelve is
played in thirty years? Okay,so face I see what you're saying there.
But like you know, with romeA Doonza the Washington wide receiver,

(06:02):
So if the Bears go Caleb Williamsand then come back with that cat at
nine, I'm I've been thinking aboutit for two days because I mean you
were the first to tell me,because I haven't watched him play. He
has position flexibility, but out ofthe slot lookout. So you got like
DJ Moore and you got Keenan Allen. Say you go four wide, you
can split a Cole Comet or whomeverslot, and then you got a Doonsay

(06:26):
as part of a three or fourreceiver set with a quarterback who should be
pretty good off play action, withrunning backs who are decent enough. Now
they got DeAndre Swift. Ain't nobodytripping on him, but you know he's
better than a fair amount in theleague. I mean, if they go
williams Odonse, what do you think? Uh, then I'm looking at his
face. Then we better find away. We better find a way,

(06:50):
as the Vikings to get into thesecond round. Yeah, we're going to
trade up to like Finagle eight andnine and get like Terry and are Old
and quinnyon Mitchell bro I means Rusher. Look, I don't, man,
I mean we're we're we're gonna bea situation where we're gonna need to find
some corners and find them fast,because that's gonna be might happen very own,

(07:15):
I mean very very much could happen. I mean I think a lot
of people are kind of, youknow, mocking a lot of drafts where
that could have happened, where theyget the franchise quarterback, and they get
a guy like a Doomsay or somebodylike that that really bolsters their offense and
all and all of a sudden,you've got an you've got kind of a
rock star, at least on paper. They haven't proved anything yet, but
you know, an unbelievably talented offensivegroup with the Bears. And now they've

(07:39):
got to put everything together. Andthen you've got you've got the kiddies over
in Detroit building their super physical teamwith you know, their new signees,
and they're super happy and they're they'refeeling it, they're grooving. And then
you've got Green Bay who's super happywith Jordan Love and what they're doing.
They're building their roster, and allof a sudden, now we got to
start playing ketchup, especially defensively,you know, on in the defensive backfield

(08:01):
to compete with these guys. AndDune Say is unbelievable. I mean he's
he's a big body guy, youknow, all the things that go with
at long arms, big catch radius, all that other stuff. You know,
dude ran a four to three.I mean he's a six' to
three. Dude runs a four tothree. I think the one metric that
really stands out the last two years. If you take the last two years

(08:24):
when he was targeted as a quarterbackrating a one twenty two, Like he's
he's just a production machine. Everytime the ball is thrown his direction,
he's making plays. Well, thinkabout this, I mean from an ancillary
standpoint, and shame on teams iflike the president of a team or an
owner comes over the top and islike, well, I don't care how
much work the scouts and everybody hasput in, We're taking this guy.

(08:46):
So shame on teams that permit thatto happen. However, it can't be
disputed. A team in search ofbillions of taxpayer dollars to get a stadium
going william O doons and assuming theyboth work, well, that generates a
lot of excitement. Yes it does. And to get that cash and to
get certain constituents to potentially flip onopinions they have. Now, I mean,

(09:09):
you need excitement. Offense brings excitement. So I've just been thinking about
it that way a little bit too. Oh yeah, I mean, look,
I mean, I mean they area good offensive lineman, three techniques
and pass and badge guys ain't movingthe needle, like Williams to odoons for
a ninetieth time. This year,offense is sexy, man. I mean

(09:30):
that's it's like, it's like allthese teams, even when we were doing
the mock draft this morning, youknow there are several there's gonna be several
teams tonight that are going to betaking offensive tackle and an interier offensive linement,
and every year without fail, it'skind of like, all right,
cool, let's move on. Imean, it's not moving the needle.
It's not people aren't buying tickets.It's not like everybody's hammering the phones.

(09:50):
It's like foundational. It's foundational,and you're gonna be so happy that they
did it. And it's the onething that we talk about. You have
to build from the inside out,and we know that it has to be
done. But nobody is buy seasontickets in Chicago or otherwise. There you
go, and nobody's going to signsome petition to get the new Lakefront Dome
Stadium build because you drafted offensivelignment.Right, you do it because you're gonna

(10:11):
have a guy like Caleb and areceiver that he can throw to. We
need to stay calm this evening westart at six thirty. It's going to
be you charged and I think GabeHenderson the first half hour versus some TV
clump and then the then the firstpick will take place between seven and seven
and fifteen. It's going to bepacked. I heard you guys talk about
it. It's it's sold out.But we know from talking about this for

(10:33):
months and change, it may beyou know, add nauseum, quarterback this
and quarterback that. But the fanthis is unprecedented, at least in all
my years living here, all myyears doing a draft show that this is
this is significant. And we haveto stay calm this evening because I mean,
it's it's right out of the gateman Bear's cool, Washington cool.

(10:56):
But then when Washington's done, youknow we're just gonna you're sitting there looking
at that ticker to see like traytray tray trade. Then if it doesn't
happen there, we got to staycalm just in case they couldn't or weren't
interested in getting up there because Iend or we I mean, you're speaking
for you and if you know andyou're holding holding it, then a god,

(11:16):
bless you, congratulations, but bthey're just doing a really good job
keeping things quiet with what they wantto do this year. And then if
Arizona comes up and we don't seetray tray trade, we got to stay
calm. And that's because I'm envisioningone of two things happening tonight with five
six seven thousand people at US BankStadium for the draft party and the radio

(11:39):
show, which begins at six thirtyon KFAM Trade Up. Nobody. If
the trade up happens and it's thevikings to get a quarterback, ain't nobody
tripping on three first round picks.If that's not, that'll be the quick
twitch for some. The place isgoing to go nuts because it's an opportunity
to dream. Even those who listento nine to noon follow you and listen
to things you say. We beteverything Darnold starts Game one unless new quarterback

(12:03):
comes into training camp and just obliterateshim. But that's part of the dreamscape.
When you get up there and geta quarterback like that and they don't
play initially, which is fine,specifically when they're twenty one years of age,
it affords people an opportunity to dreamof what it's going to be like.
So I envision a second to noneeruption of positivity from fans of all

(12:28):
the two decades of draft shows thatI've hosted. On the other side,
if New England picks and Arizona picks, and the Chargers pick, and the
Giants pick, and then we havethe Titans and we're sitting there at eleven,
I mean, it's do you thinkthey'll boo? Do you think that
fans are so wound up and gearedup that this is gonna happen? And

(12:50):
I've never seen him play, butI just wanted to happen because it gives
me a chance to dream about mysquad. Do you think they'll boo vociferously
if doesn't happen, if we don'tmove up, or or we pick eleven?
Well, then do you think you'resaying we don't if we don't move
up. So that's thirty minutes.So let me add one thing. If

(13:11):
they take a quarterback at eleven,do you believe that there will be an
terruption? Yes? Okay, metoo, Yes, but you see what
I'm saying. Yeah, No,I see what you're saying. I mean,
look you as you laid that out. When the Patriots go on the
clock, the anticipation, the crescendobuilds. We have to stay calm.
We have to stay calm. I'mpreaching to myself. It is a simmer,

(13:31):
right, but you got my loinstingling a little bit, and I'm
really preaching about I'm purposely trying tobe mellow all right now, and not
like Project Loudly. I'm just I'mglad you have a triple header with Power
Trip, Twin Cities Live three tofour thirty Channel five, then the Life
Changer tonight, and I'm going toturn it into a two and a half
timer type day with some work inthe middle of the day, just to

(13:54):
stay calm. Okay, yeah,no, what we're saying, just I
heard something about Loin's tingle as he'spainting the picture of what's going to happen
tonight. There's going to be potentiallyyou have ten minutes while the Patriots on
the clock, maybe nothing happens,and then you've got Arizona on the clocks,

(14:15):
and that's twenty minutes on the clock, and then potentially you get to
Chargers on the clock or wouldn't donothing, hates us, hates us.
I don't see that. But you'vegot thirty minutes right there, in that
little block of just spine tingling,edge of your seat excitements. Take JJ
at six. Yeah, well,and then all of a sudden trade pops
up Denver Broncos and you're like,oh no, Like, I can't guys,

(14:41):
that's the thing, Like, I'mtrying to keep my cool because there's
a lot of things that could happen. I don't see that the Broncos are
going to leap frogust, but wejust don't know. I mean, there's
there's hopes, there's dreams, there'sthe the excitement of the disappointment. And
do I do I think that peopleare gonna boo? Absolutely, I mean,

(15:03):
if if they if it's not theperson that that individual, that group
of drunk individuals think the Vikings shouldget because the potential for quarterbacks is very
polarizing. It's very polarizing. Imean, there are people out there right
now listening that love Drake May andhate JJ McCarthy. Love McCarthy and hate
Drake May. And then then youstart start throwing in the idea of like,

(15:28):
well, if we don't get eitherone of those guys as panics the
guy, oh, should we justtrade back then or what about Bo Nicks
And we just thought we just mentionedhis name. So I think people have
fallen in love and got emotionally attachedto certain quarterbacks. It's not going to
be one hundred percent across the board. Everybody's going to be, you know,
jumping for joy. I just Ido think that there's going to be
excitement joy that if we move updraft any quarterback, because we're declaring like,

(15:52):
this is our guy, this isour guy for the foreseeable future,
and let's and let's ride with him. But for sure, there's gonna be
some disappointment, there's gonna be someexcitement. I'm hoping we're cracking beers and
we're celebrating. It's gonna be alot of fun. Man, that's sweet.
So I mentioned this to Pa earlierin the week, and we talked
about it Saturday when Saus and Idid a pre draft bit the idea.

(16:15):
People look at it kind of blackand white. It's like best case scenario,
worst case scenario, and however thatspectrum looks in between. Do you
see that there's a worst case scenario. Can you really wake up tomorrow morning,
regardless of what happens and say thatthis has been an absolute disaster.
Vikings not able to trade up tothree. You mentioned the way that people

(16:36):
fall in love with quarterbacks. People, I've fallen in love with scenarios,
right, So, and then ifthey stick and pick at eleven and twenty
three, they end up with acouple of defensive players. Is it worst
case scenario that they walked out withouta QB? At some point? Do
we have to wait six seven monthsand actually watch a season with these rookies
whoever is chosen, and see howthis plays out before you can even fathom

(16:57):
talking about it. I don't reallysee that worst case scenario, regardless of
the events that take place tonight,I don't see that fitting into the equation.
Have you looked at it that wayat all? You know? I
have a little bit, and Iagree with you. I don't think there's
a I mean, the worst casescenario, yes, is you walk away
and for some reason or another,you make some bad moves or lack of

(17:22):
movement, and you walk away withno quarterback. Even at twenty three,
something happens, whatever you walk itwith no that's worst. But I put
that scenario in that option less thanone percent, Like, I don't I'm
not even giving any thought because Ijust don't think that that's going to happen.
They're not going to allow that tohappen. Even if they miss at
eleven, they will find a wayto make that twenty third pick, either

(17:44):
you know, a quarterback or movingup in the draft from twenty three to
get a quarterback and to secure atleast walking away with what they think is
their future at that spot. Youknow, I think there are some some
scenarios that are less than ideal,but every single one of them involves a
quarterback being selected. And the thingis, I like, you know,

(18:07):
everybody has rankings on their quarterbacks.I think the worst case scenario, quote
unquote worst case scenario as we endup with bo Nicks. Outside of that,
I'm cool with anyone, any oneof the guys at the top,
you know. I I love Pennox. I've talked about him before. His
biggest thing to me is his injuryred flags. I don't even know personally
if I would put my reputation onhis knees and his shoulder and his knees

(18:32):
more specifically, because he's a taller, lankier guys, He's not, you
know, super strong build lower body, but he's athletic, and he's got
all these other things that we cantalk about tonight. But I like him
from a skill standpoint. I thinkhe fits us often to really, really
well. I just don't know ifI'd put my own reputation on drafting the
guy hoping that he's going to bethe guy for the next ten years,
and then he gets hurt and allof a sudden you find out that his

(18:53):
knees maybe are worse than you thoughtall of that stuff. So that being
said, I'm happy with Drake May, happy with McCarthy, and Pie in
the Sky Jaden Daniels is there.That's not going to happen, but we
would love to have that option aswell. Do you want the Minnesota Vikings
to trade up to number three withthe New England Patriots basically no matter what

(19:15):
they give up, But let's sayit's three first round picks. Do you
want that to happen this evening?I mean, I know that it all
depends on what they give up.If it's just say three first round picks,
Yeah, it's the swap. It'sa swap of three and eleven twenty
three next year's first Yes, forthat or three. Okay, I'm fine
with that compensation, and yes,I would love for that to happen.

(19:37):
I don't think the Patriots are goingto do it. Why I'm I'm in
the camp of this is a thisis a top heavy draft for quarterbacks.
Take the guy. Just take theguy. You need a quarterback. Everybody
knows it. Why cross your fingersand hope that you can get another quality
quarterback in next year's draft for freeagency. Just get the guy and build

(19:59):
around him. Get that. Youhave a lot of holes. Yes you
can. You can add a firstthis year, you can add a first
next year. That's that's two guysthat could are going to make your team
hopefully better. But you've got alot of other holes to fill. And
there's no other spot that makes everybodyelse better than that quarterback spot. So
that's including defensive players, including defensiveplayers. Moving forward with a with a

(20:19):
quarterback who probably won't play or playa lot this year, find you find
your franchise quarterback. I mean,if you've got an offense now that can
score points consistently, that absolutely helpsout the defense. You can win games
with lesser quality defensive players. Asyou take time to rebuild that roster and
still be competitive and win games becauseyou have a franchise quarterback. So I'm

(20:41):
in the camp of they're not goingto move unless unless the Vikings or somebody
else just throw them this insane,nonsensical value package that they're like, well,
we can't turn this down and we'restill going to get a quarterback at
eleven blah blah blah. So Ithink that they stay. I think that
the three first rounders is fine,and I like this idea no matter who

(21:04):
it is. If they think it'sJJ McCarthy, I'm all in yeah,
because that just means to me thatyou guys are committed. There's a plan.
You guys have said, you spentthe last four months plus evaluating these
guys, and you've locked in onthis is the best potential guy that we
have available. He's our guy,and we do not care what the critics
think. Take the Brad Holmes approach, don't care, don't care. This

(21:29):
guy fits what we're doing. He'sgot the right mental makeup, he fits
in our scheme. We may havequote unquote overdrafted him, don't care.
We're going to get our guy.I don't know. In closing, if
this is exactly how you answered Nordo'squestion about like worst case scenario. I
mean I like that approach because it'sthe other side of the album that really
has been underplayed, not thinking thatit's going to be super It can be

(21:52):
super easy to get a quarterback.Okay, you're trade up to three,
they say no, four and fivethey say no, Well you can take
Michael Pennix Junior or bon Nicks ateleven. So when I say it's easy
to get one, you can getone of those two, yes, at
eleven. So what would would andmaybe answered this if you did, I
apologize truly, is the worst casescenario for the Minnesota Vikings this evening just

(22:15):
Thursday, is if they leave thefirst round without a quarterback. Yes,
no quarterback taken, No quarterback taken. Right. I think it's the worst
case scenario because we don't have anyDay two picks as of right now.
And I'm not I'm not putting mymoney on the fact that you're going to
get a fourth round er that youthink it's going to be a franchise quarterback,
right, And you know, ifyou're if you're in that world and

(22:37):
you're those people that are like,well, look at Tom Broody, you
know, look what he did.And like, I think Cousins is a
is the go to example for adraft like this. I mean where if
you if you believe the depth isthere with maybe a little less than a
handful of quarterbacks taken Saturday to getsecond contracts as either starters or high end
backups. I mean Cousins was roundfour. So it's like, you know,

(23:00):
Cousins is top tennis, He's topten in the NFL. You know,
But obviously there are deficiencies that peopletalk about, lack of mobility,
things like that. But I meanif you were if you were to use
eleven and twenty three or move aroundand get whatever non quarterbacks you want.
So say you end up with Arnoldthe cornerback from from Alabama, I'm Jerson

(23:22):
Newton or Byron Murphy the second,you know, a couple of defensive guys,
Ram Barton super versatal offensive lineman fromDuke two of those, and then
I can tell you on Saturday likecasting the Gays, the Way of Faith
and the Gridiron Gospel, and youjust know this is going to happen.
If I could get you Kirk Cousins, something like that on Saturday. Would

(23:44):
you take it? No? Why? Because Cousins wasn't greatest for a few
years. Cousins Cousins needed. Imean, the thing that I the thing
that I would love I love aboutKirk is that like best he was,
He's constantly It's like it's like whatwe preach to our the youth, our
youth athletes, our college athletes,and certainly you know, it's harder once

(24:06):
you get in the NFL because theseguys all think then that they know something
and they know everything. But itis about continual daily improvement. That's it.
I mean, that's the that's thegrind I'm going in the lab.
I'm grinding like they really even knowwhat that means. It means it means
having this this laser beam focused attitudeand approach to life when it comes to

(24:29):
athletics, of getting better every singleday. And to do that, you
have to evaluate your own personal strengthsand weaknesses, which people don't want to
do. They don't want to lookat their weaknesses and own up to it.
Kirk Cousins has done that through hiswhole career. He wasn't a part,
He's not the player, the playerthat he was last year before he
got injured with US is one hundredand eighty degrees different than the player that

(24:52):
he came into as a young rookieas a fourth rounder, and dramatically different
than twenty seventeen when the Vikings wereat that X field and he threw for
a bunch and keen him beat himdespite back to back interceptions. He the
coach, the system, the Kubiak, the Stefanski, the O'Connell that turned
it around for Kirk, right,all of it. And and it doesn't

(25:14):
get turned around unless you have thementality of like, look, I get
it, I've got my warts.I need to I need to remove those
warts, and I need to makethose into positives. And that took a
lot of time. And I'm notsaying that guys can't do it on a
quicker on a quicker pace, Butwhy gamble, Why gamble with a fourth
round or beyond and just hope oh'scross our fingers and hope that JJ really

(25:37):
just like loves him. And youknow, our our offense and we've got
these studs on offense that are justgonna like kind of just sway in the
wind until this guy figures it out. Hell. No, I want a
dude that can play, you know, soon, relatively so relatively soon.
I know, I know Darnold canbe a guy for a year. Maybe
he's not the guy going forward.I want to I want a guy that

(25:57):
we can lean on for the nextten Listen to Ben with Pete Bursage,
Paul Charchion and yours truly this eveningfrom the House of Purple pain US Bank
Stadium. The Draft Show on KFAMbegins at six thirty and you can watch
him three to four thirty today onChannel five. It's TCL Yeah, you
know we The big focus, giventhe Minnesota Vikings could end up with Drake

(26:21):
May, is a focus on NorthCarolina barbecue, where today they'll focus on
brisket and burnt ends and how toproperly prepare them this spring. Can't wait
to work with you tonight watch youon TVC letter can't wait see it.
We're going to go to Detroit andthe voice of the Detroit Lions, Dan
Miller. Dan the man on thefan. He's in the belly of the

(26:41):
beast. He is the box forthe best team in the NFC North.
We'll see what he has to sayaround the corner. It's draft Day on KF