April 23, 2025 • 10 mins
USA Today's Jeff Risdon joins the show to talk all things NFL Draft. The guys discuss what the Texans could do with their first-round pick. Who does Jeff have on "With the No. 25 pick" on the penultimate date of the series? Is wide receiver actually a more suitable position to take at No. 25?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
NFL Draft Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
That's what we've done at four o'clock each and every
day beginning last week and running through now today. A
little bit different today, though, we're not going to tell
you who the Texans could draft for the twenty fifth
pick for another fifteen minutes, although our guest Jeff Risden
of the NFL Draft Wire and Lions Wire could certainly
lend his thoughts on that discussion.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
But Jeff, I appreciate you joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'd rather start here because there's a couple of names
of interest to us locally. You wrote a piece the
other day about boom bust prospects. Why would a guy
like Luther Burden wide receiver out of Missouri and Nick
Skirt and the edge from Texas A and M.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Why did they fit in that category?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
For you?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
You know, I think there's such a wide range of
outcomes with both of them, and you kind of saw
it with both of them in their college career. They
both had spectacular twenty twenty threes. Burden at Missouri and
then you know s Gorton when he was still at Purdue.
They both changed and didn't play as well in twenty
twenty four. Some of that was the rules that they
(00:59):
were in. Some of it in s Gordon's case was
he got a lot bigger and it didn't suit him
very well.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
It didn't didn't help his game.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
So you're gambling that the player that was there two
years ago is going to be the one that you're
drafting instead of the most recent edition that you watched.
And that's look, sometimes that does happen that there are
plenty of examples of successful cases of that, but you
also have to watch and be careful that they that
that track of not being as good as they were continues.
(01:28):
And like you know, again, both of these guys preseason
were in top ten in mock drafts. I don't think
you're going to see either of them in many first
rounds becoming the mock drafts that are coming out now.
I think they're both solidly you know, twenty five to
forty overall, but you know that's that's a little bit different.
So they they are certainly players who you know, again
(01:49):
high ceiling, but the floor is probably a little bit
lower than what a lot of fans would like to
admit to.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
The boom bust comp you used for a wide receiver
for Luther Burden should paint a very clear picture of
the ends of the spectrum. Could be the next time
on Ross Saint Brown or the next Laviska channel. I
think that perfectly encapsulates what you have just told us.
I'm curious about another player who they're varying opinions on
because of his last most recent season, although in his
case it was due to injury. How do you view
(02:17):
Josh Simmons the tackle as he heads into this draft,
all things considered, and especially since you're not drafting him
for just this immediate season, but for his long term future.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
You know, as long as his knee gets back and
it was a Pateeller tendon and tendon injuries are worse
than the ligament injuries you tear an ACL I don't
want to say that it's nothing, but it's a lot
easier to recover from that than a tendon. Tendon's take
longer to heal, and they don't always you know, the
surgery isn't always as successful if he wasn't hurt. He's
the best offensive lineman in this class, in my opinion.
(02:50):
I think he's better than Will Campbell. I think he's
certainly better than Calvin Banks.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
He proved that at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
You know, just his ability to lock down any style
of pass rush.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Uh that that that's what makes him fantastic.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
So I I still think he belongs in the top
twenty and if he's there for Houston at twenty five
and have to jump ahead a little bit, but he's
gotta be under consideration that it sounds like he will
be cleared to play this year. But again, you know,
coming off of an injury, you have to wonder. You
have to have that trepidation in your in your draft room.
(03:27):
But man, he's I love the guy I think he
is before again, before injury, he was a top five
player for me. With the injury that drops him down
a little bit and you have to you have to wonder.
But my god, that that guy is a special tackle
talent and I wouldn't overlook that.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Jeff Risden of NFL Draft Wire joining us here on
Sports Talk seven ninety. Jeff, just your thoughts on what
the Texans were trying to accomplish with the Laramie Tunsul
trade and and just what you're in other words, who's
the best guy that will be available to them or
they could go and get to try and solve what
(04:05):
is kind of a Rubik's cube right now when it
comes to the Texans, I feel like there's all this talent,
but yet the most important position group that's not the
quarterback is clearly what they need to address.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, and you know they certainly need. I think they
give you some wide receiver help as well. But that
offensive line, they've got some pieces, But how do they
all fit? Where do they fit? When do they fit together?
That that's where Josh Simmons would come in. You know, Banks,
You're gonna have to You're gonna have to move up
to get Kelvin Banks and.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Could there is firepower there.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
He certainly makes a lot of sense as but I
think he's a left tackle only, and I see a
lot of people, you know, want to move him into guard.
My question with that is the biggest detriment to his
game is that he plays way too narrow. That doesn't
help inside, That doesn't get better when you move inside.
That's a that's a bigger problem inside. But he can
certainly be your starting left tackle right away. Uh, there
(04:57):
are you know, if you want to wait around, you
can get like ariante Ursery, you can get that. There's
a few second round tackles, and I will say Donovan
Jackson from Ohio State who kicked outside and took Josh
Simmon's spot, and after giving up two sacks against Penn
State in his first game playing left tackles since he
(05:18):
was in high school, he didn't allow a pressure or
a hit throughout the entire college football playoff.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Think about that, man, that this was a guy who
was a left.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Guard was gonna be a really good one and he
was literally perfect in the biggest stage at left tackle.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I think that should mean something. He's a guy that I.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Would very strongly encourage the Texans to look at, and
if Nick Cassari was looking for Ohio State players, he's
certainly one that I would consider it twenty five, though
I do think that's probably gonna wind up being a
little bit earlier than what you see him go. But man,
if you can finagle that somehow out of a second
round pick, that'd be spectacular.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I think maybe a move up in the second round
from where they are currently at fifty eight might allow
that to happen some more, probably before for if they
were going to do so, they don't have to look
very far for him, considering he's from Houston, and it
would mark a third consecutive draft where Nick Cassario has
plucked a player from Ohio State CJ. Stroud and Kate
Stover before him. And there's a real good chance they
will do it again because we haven't even mentioned a
(06:15):
mechag Buka, who certainly seems like he might be a
good fit for this offense, playing alongside Nico Collins and
obviously playing once again with CJ.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Do you view him a little bit like Jackson from
a where he fits in the draft, maybe twenty five's
a touch too high, or do you think that might
be an actual sweet spot for where you might see
some receivers, You might see that top tier of receivers
end and this might be the place to take him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
The receivers in the past are weird, you know, because
I think we've come to the conclusion now that that
Matthew Golden is going to be gone in the top
fifteen or so, and it feels like Ted McMillan is
going to be in that range as well. And then
then you're looking at at eg Booka, probably the next
best guy for most teams, and I have had him
(07:01):
in three of my four mock drafts at twenty five
to Houston, I love the fit for all the reasons
you just said. You know, he's got the chemistry built in.
He is a He's not going to be an alpha dog,
but you kind of don't need that.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Like he can play so well off of those types
of guys.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
This guy who's played with incredible talent around, who understands
how to be part of an ensemble, who understands how
to do the little things to help not just himself
but his teammates. Very tenacious blockers, very smart, savvy guy.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I would love it if he were there as a teaser.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
He is the pick in my mock draft, my final
mock draft for the Texans at twenty five. I see
no reason to change that. That was something talking to
Houston folks down at the combine in Indianapolis. That was
a popular pairing back then. And look, obviously there's offensive
line needs.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I do think it's weird to say this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I think the draft might be deeper at offensive line
that as a wide receiver in terms of getting immediate
pat guys. And look, this is a Texans team that
can win another division title and win playoff games.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Plural next year, if.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
You can get a booka to be part of that,
that that certainly helps that that that status going forward.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
No, I can't.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
I mean that is music to my ears and Wex
would tell you as we talk about this draft, I'm like,
if the if the Texans took nothing but offensive lineman,
even though that's crazy to think about, and a draft
where you have so many picks, I'd be happy with that.
But since you brought it up in the wide receiver situation,
do you have a guy that you feel like would
(08:34):
fit well with C. J. Stroud over others because we
kind of had this debate yesterday about a couple of guys.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Yeah, either Iowa State guy honestly, Jalen Nole or Jayden Higgins.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think we're both good fits there.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Tory Horton from Colorado State is a guy who can
be He doesn't necessarily fit with Collins all that well,
but I think Stroud would would love him. If you're
looking a little bit deeper, I'll go to a guy.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. I'll go
to a guy in my backyard.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Isaac Taslaw, who started at Hillsdale D two school wound
up at Arkansas. He can play the power slot, he
can play outside. He's big, but he is he doesn't
play like a big guy. He's a fun guy that
he can get late in the draft, probably fourth or
fifth round. Incredible family, wonderful worker, very tenacious blocker. There's
(09:23):
a lot of those sorts of role players. You want
to go real deep and you want to get a
slot receiver. Fton Chisholm out of Eastern Washington, my goodness,
or Hobart from Texas State, a nothing guy from familiar
he down there. Those guys are always open from like
five to eight yards down the field.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
C J. Strout can use that.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Certainly, something to consider beyond just where everybody discussed the
first round. And there are three picks that'll come on
Friday night. See if any of those names pop up.
I have a feeling that they will. Jeff, we certainly
appreciate the time, have already enjoyed your coverage, and we'll
keep it tuned in there over the next handful of days.
Jeff Rizden join us here on the A team. Jeff,
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Well, Putters, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it.
NFL Draft Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
That's what we've done at four o'clock each and every
day beginning last week and running through now today. A
little bit different today, though, we're not going to tell
you who the Texans could draft for the twenty fifth
pick for another fifteen minutes, although our guest Jeff Risden
of the NFL Draft Wire and Lions Wire could certainly
lend his thoughts on that discussion.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
But Jeff, I appreciate you joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'd rather start here because there's a couple of names
of interest to us locally. You wrote a piece the
other day about boom bust prospects. Why would a guy
like Luther Burden wide receiver out of Missouri and Nick
Skirt and the edge from Texas A and M.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Why did they fit in that category?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
For you?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
You know, I think there's such a wide range of
outcomes with both of them, and you kind of saw
it with both of them in their college career. They
both had spectacular twenty twenty threes. Burden at Missouri and
then you know s Gorton when he was still at Purdue.
They both changed and didn't play as well in twenty
twenty four. Some of that was the rules that they
(00:59):
were in. Some of it in s Gordon's case was
he got a lot bigger and it didn't suit him
very well.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
It didn't didn't help his game.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
So you're gambling that the player that was there two
years ago is going to be the one that you're
drafting instead of the most recent edition that you watched.
And that's look, sometimes that does happen that there are
plenty of examples of successful cases of that, but you
also have to watch and be careful that they that
that track of not being as good as they were continues.
(01:28):
And like you know, again, both of these guys preseason
were in top ten in mock drafts. I don't think
you're going to see either of them in many first
rounds becoming the mock drafts that are coming out now.
I think they're both solidly you know, twenty five to
forty overall, but you know that's that's a little bit different.
So they they are certainly players who you know, again
(01:49):
high ceiling, but the floor is probably a little bit
lower than what a lot of fans would like to
admit to.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
The boom bust comp you used for a wide receiver
for Luther Burden should paint a very clear picture of
the ends of the spectrum. Could be the next time
on Ross Saint Brown or the next Laviska channel. I
think that perfectly encapsulates what you have just told us.
I'm curious about another player who they're varying opinions on
because of his last most recent season, although in his
case it was due to injury. How do you view
(02:17):
Josh Simmons the tackle as he heads into this draft,
all things considered, and especially since you're not drafting him
for just this immediate season, but for his long term future.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
You know, as long as his knee gets back and
it was a Pateeller tendon and tendon injuries are worse
than the ligament injuries you tear an ACL I don't
want to say that it's nothing, but it's a lot
easier to recover from that than a tendon. Tendon's take
longer to heal, and they don't always you know, the
surgery isn't always as successful if he wasn't hurt. He's
the best offensive lineman in this class, in my opinion.
(02:50):
I think he's better than Will Campbell. I think he's
certainly better than Calvin Banks.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
He proved that at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
You know, just his ability to lock down any style
of pass rush.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Uh that that that's what makes him fantastic.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
So I I still think he belongs in the top
twenty and if he's there for Houston at twenty five
and have to jump ahead a little bit, but he's
gotta be under consideration that it sounds like he will
be cleared to play this year. But again, you know,
coming off of an injury, you have to wonder. You
have to have that trepidation in your in your draft room.
(03:27):
But man, he's I love the guy I think he
is before again, before injury, he was a top five
player for me. With the injury that drops him down
a little bit and you have to you have to wonder.
But my god, that that guy is a special tackle
talent and I wouldn't overlook that.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Jeff Risden of NFL Draft Wire joining us here on
Sports Talk seven ninety. Jeff, just your thoughts on what
the Texans were trying to accomplish with the Laramie Tunsul
trade and and just what you're in other words, who's
the best guy that will be available to them or
they could go and get to try and solve what
(04:05):
is kind of a Rubik's cube right now when it
comes to the Texans, I feel like there's all this talent,
but yet the most important position group that's not the
quarterback is clearly what they need to address.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yeah, and you know they certainly need. I think they
give you some wide receiver help as well. But that
offensive line, they've got some pieces, But how do they
all fit? Where do they fit? When do they fit together?
That that's where Josh Simmons would come in. You know, Banks,
You're gonna have to You're gonna have to move up
to get Kelvin Banks and.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Could there is firepower there.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
He certainly makes a lot of sense as but I
think he's a left tackle only, and I see a
lot of people, you know, want to move him into guard.
My question with that is the biggest detriment to his
game is that he plays way too narrow. That doesn't
help inside, That doesn't get better when you move inside.
That's a that's a bigger problem inside. But he can
certainly be your starting left tackle right away. Uh, there
(04:57):
are you know, if you want to wait around, you
can get like ariante Ursery, you can get that. There's
a few second round tackles, and I will say Donovan
Jackson from Ohio State who kicked outside and took Josh
Simmon's spot, and after giving up two sacks against Penn
State in his first game playing left tackles since he
(05:18):
was in high school, he didn't allow a pressure or
a hit throughout the entire college football playoff.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Think about that, man, that this was a guy who
was a left.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
Guard was gonna be a really good one and he
was literally perfect in the biggest stage at left tackle.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I think that should mean something. He's a guy that I.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Would very strongly encourage the Texans to look at, and
if Nick Cassari was looking for Ohio State players, he's
certainly one that I would consider it twenty five, though
I do think that's probably gonna wind up being a
little bit earlier than what you see him go. But man,
if you can finagle that somehow out of a second
round pick, that'd be spectacular.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I think maybe a move up in the second round
from where they are currently at fifty eight might allow
that to happen some more, probably before for if they
were going to do so, they don't have to look
very far for him, considering he's from Houston, and it
would mark a third consecutive draft where Nick Cassario has
plucked a player from Ohio State CJ. Stroud and Kate
Stover before him. And there's a real good chance they
will do it again because we haven't even mentioned a
(06:15):
mechag Buka, who certainly seems like he might be a
good fit for this offense, playing alongside Nico Collins and
obviously playing once again with CJ.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Do you view him a little bit like Jackson from
a where he fits in the draft, maybe twenty five's
a touch too high, or do you think that might
be an actual sweet spot for where you might see
some receivers, You might see that top tier of receivers
end and this might be the place to take him.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
The receivers in the past are weird, you know, because
I think we've come to the conclusion now that that
Matthew Golden is going to be gone in the top
fifteen or so, and it feels like Ted McMillan is
going to be in that range as well. And then
then you're looking at at eg Booka, probably the next
best guy for most teams, and I have had him
(07:01):
in three of my four mock drafts at twenty five
to Houston, I love the fit for all the reasons
you just said. You know, he's got the chemistry built in.
He is a He's not going to be an alpha dog,
but you kind of don't need that.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Like he can play so well off of those types
of guys.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
This guy who's played with incredible talent around, who understands
how to be part of an ensemble, who understands how
to do the little things to help not just himself
but his teammates. Very tenacious blockers, very smart, savvy guy.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I would love it if he were there as a teaser.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
He is the pick in my mock draft, my final
mock draft for the Texans at twenty five. I see
no reason to change that. That was something talking to
Houston folks down at the combine in Indianapolis. That was
a popular pairing back then. And look, obviously there's offensive
line needs.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I do think it's weird to say this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I think the draft might be deeper at offensive line
that as a wide receiver in terms of getting immediate
pat guys. And look, this is a Texans team that
can win another division title and win playoff games.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Plural next year, if.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
You can get a booka to be part of that,
that that certainly helps that that that status going forward.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
No, I can't.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
I mean that is music to my ears and Wex
would tell you as we talk about this draft, I'm like,
if the if the Texans took nothing but offensive lineman,
even though that's crazy to think about, and a draft
where you have so many picks, I'd be happy with that.
But since you brought it up in the wide receiver situation,
do you have a guy that you feel like would
(08:34):
fit well with C. J. Stroud over others because we
kind of had this debate yesterday about a couple of guys.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Yeah, either Iowa State guy honestly, Jalen Nole or Jayden Higgins.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I think we're both good fits there.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Tory Horton from Colorado State is a guy who can
be He doesn't necessarily fit with Collins all that well,
but I think Stroud would would love him. If you're
looking a little bit deeper, I'll go to a guy.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I live in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. I'll go
to a guy in my backyard.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Isaac Taslaw, who started at Hillsdale D two school wound
up at Arkansas. He can play the power slot, he
can play outside. He's big, but he is he doesn't
play like a big guy. He's a fun guy that
he can get late in the draft, probably fourth or
fifth round. Incredible family, wonderful worker, very tenacious blocker. There's
(09:23):
a lot of those sorts of role players. You want
to go real deep and you want to get a
slot receiver. Fton Chisholm out of Eastern Washington, my goodness,
or Hobart from Texas State, a nothing guy from familiar
he down there. Those guys are always open from like
five to eight yards down the field.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
C J. Strout can use that.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Certainly, something to consider beyond just where everybody discussed the
first round. And there are three picks that'll come on
Friday night. See if any of those names pop up.
I have a feeling that they will. Jeff, we certainly
appreciate the time, have already enjoyed your coverage, and we'll
keep it tuned in there over the next handful of days.
Jeff Rizden join us here on the A team. Jeff,
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Well, Putters, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it.
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