April 17, 2025 • 45 mins
On this episode of the BPA, NFL Network Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah joins the show to talk about his favorite draft prospects and who he thinks could be the best fit for the Browns. Andrew and Jason talk about what to expect as the draft approaches!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, are you leaning in the direction because now
that you have the wandering eye not suggesting, you're on
the apps and you're swiping, no one's looking at your front.
But are you leaning towards a new number one ranking?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. We
are we breaking news dj No because I haven't I
haven't called I haven't called the person that I'm in
the ranking relationship with yet and broken that news. We
are one week away, friends, your long annual springtime nightmare
is almost over. The build up for the draft is
(00:33):
almost done. As we sit here today and say, welcome
to the best podcast available. We are one week away
from the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
My name is Andrews. Siciliano. The home office, Jason Gibbs
is in the Cross Country Mortgage Campus. It is it's
starting to feel like draft weather. Gibbee, good morning, an hour.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Finally, finally, you know, we got teased a little bit.
It was we hit seventy, then a couple of days
of snow. We had snow showers on Wednesday morning. I
went to bed. Tuesday night, I took the dogs out
of like eleven. It was like flurrying. I'm like, this
is ridiculous. Later in the week, back up near we'll
be pushing the mid seventies and it's the roller coaster
(01:19):
that is Cleveland, Ohio weather. But yeah, now we're turning
the corner. Hopefully we're turning the corner for two reasons.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Number one, the Guardians game on Sunday was their first
home game, and they won them all except this one,
in which the weather, the temperature got into the fifties.
Big clap for that one. And number two, we're turning
the page because Joe Flacco is back gibing. Let's let's
let's go back. And obviously, as we tape this, it's
a week after basically, so the excitement is slightly muted
(01:48):
and not the same reaction we all had the morning
the news drop. I am at the West Coast office.
I kind of in that semi conscious, almost waking up stage.
Kept hearing my phone on my nightstand and like, what
the heck is going on? I mean, has there been
(02:09):
a natural disaster. By the way, we had an earthquake
here yesterday. It is something else amiss And I looked
at it, I'm like, oh, it's Joe Flacco and there's
a picture of him from two years ago in a
regional jet ducking his head, something I've never had to do.
Leaving the plane at Hopkins, we are back. Getate where
(02:29):
were you and what was the immediate reaction And was
there a celebration in the street despite the snow flurries.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yes, absolutely there was a There was a tangible difference
in people's attitudes. I mean it was noticeable. It was
everybody was excited. My phone, like yours, went off NonStop.
I was literally getting ready to walk out the door
to get to the office. My phone buzzed and I
(03:00):
was I was running around trying to get ready. My
wife's like, hey, something's going on. Your phone is going
berserk and I'm like, well, that's never great on a Friday.
I don't want the phone going crazy on a Friday.
Picked it up, I said, honey, he's back. My wife
does not get excited for a lot of things football wise.
(03:20):
She's supportive, she loves watching the games, she knows the
players and all that stuff. She's like, he's back, but
he's back, Are you kidding? Is that real? And I'm like,
he's Joe Flacco's back. And I got the biggest hut.
I'm like, all right, I'm second fiddle to Joe Flacco
this week. But all right, perfect, great, uh, excited, ecstatic. Look,
(03:46):
it's a veteran in the locker room. What's not forget
he's forty years old. Uh, he can still play at
a high level though. Uh. He proved that last year
in Indianapolis. And you know, we know what he did
a couple of years ago, and we know the cut
type of guy he is in this locker room. Players
follow him. He's a leader. I think he fits exactly
(04:08):
with what Kevin Stefanski is trying to do with this offense.
And I think everybody in the city is happy that
he is back here as a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns,
which again is just crazy to me to think about
when how many years do we go up against him
in Baltimore and he's back He's a Browns quarterback again.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yeah, there are so many levels of crazy to this.
Let me just hear my initial reaction, which was, all right,
this is good. I didn't run around the house like
all right, sirely, this is good. There is a fun
factor to this that cannot be died. There's also a
pick factor. I mean, let's not deny that as well.
He threw plenty of those last year in Indianapolis. And
there is a weird coming full circle here as well
(04:53):
about how the Giants blew it late in the season
and the Browns are picking ahead of the Giants. It
was the Giants who had lost to the We get
unpacked that we have plenty of time to unpack that
at a minimum. Like you said, this is a veteran
in the building, and listen, I'm kind of bullish on
Kenny Pickett, but I think this allays some of the
fears of the people. Though, what are We're not going
(05:13):
with Kenny Pickett week?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
What are you?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
There is a possibility, but there's also a strong possibility
here of Joe Flacco. Yes, the leadership thing, the sigh
of relief popularity factor here is well. I also want
to excuse me, pump the brakes that if it goes
well and fingers crossed it does, and maybe the Browns
got off to a good early start. I just want
to caution Sports Talk Radio now, let's not go down
(05:37):
the well what if we were doing this last year
road pretty early? Let's just steer clear of that. Last
year is over. Focus forward, moving forward only, Okay, moving
forward only. If Aaron Rodgers goes to the Steelers. The
Browns can now rest easy. Their quarterback is two years younger.
(05:58):
Think about that, then, Aaron Rogers. For everyone who thought
that Aaron Rodgers was too old last year, he's going
to be too old with the Steelers. Fear not. Joe
Flacco is like two years younger, which which I think
is a good thing. But yes, the offense, which we assume,
which Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Reese have both alluded to
(06:19):
on this pod or in the bark tank, that we
are going to run, this is a good fit. It
is an affordable deal. While in no way do I
think that Kirk Cousins is going to happen, this still
partially keeps the door open. Again, I don't think it's
going to happen. I think that ship is sailed. But
(06:40):
this contract does not make let me phrase it this way,
this contract does not make any other quarterback move impossible. Okay,
there aren't many others you could possibly do at this point.
It's the draft or bust. But let's say Derek Carr
were to come free, which I suggest last week, but
(07:00):
seems unlikely now because of news of reported news of
a shoulder injury. There is no other quarterback move that
is impossible because this is a very very cap friendly deal.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, you've got pick it. Who's a still on a
rookie deal? Two point six million fleco'es on a one
year deal incentive laden great. I would love for him
to hit every one of those incentives. Absolutely, that would
be fantastic. Absolutely. I don't think you could put the
Kirk Cousins thing to bed. Maybe this year you can.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I thought about next year, I would that's a good point.
I hadn't even thought about next year on focusing day.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I guaranteed money is you know, I mean it could
lead to something down the road like that.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Listen, there are a lot of what ifs. I think,
really and and as we get to the draft and
let's set it up. We didn't tell you Daniel Jeremiah
were bearing the lead. My good friend from NFL Network
from Move the Sticks, from NFL Networks draft coverage padre
apologist Daniel Jeremiah, one of the world's best humans, has
(08:09):
never cursed. Is a cheap date like just wants to
order Chick fil a and go back to his hotel
room like Dangl. Jeremiah will be here coming up shortly. Also,
speaking of the draft, I know there are a lot
of what ifs, Okay, Like what if Tennessee had screwed
(08:29):
it up in one week eighteen that Sunday and we
were picking one. What if the quarterbacks coming out were
a little bit different than the ones that did come out,
Like what if cam Ward went out last year like
many people thought he would. Now this is only a
Shore Sanders or Jackson Dart draft. Look, there are a
lot of what ifs. You can't look at the what ifs.
(08:50):
You could only look at the fact that you got
Joe Flacco and there's a potential for drafting another quarterback
and there's Kenny Pickett and this is not I don't
think where I'm going to assume Andrew Berry thought we
would land three months ago. I can't put words in
his mouth, but it's where we are and I'm okay
(09:10):
with it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Absolutely. I like it. Go get go, get a young arm.
You want to go get two, you got ten picks,
be my guest. Yeah, if you want to take one
in round two, then I would be right. Based on
what we talked about from a percentage standpoint last week
in terms of a quarterback going into either the first
or second round. Take one on Friday, take one on Saturday. Fine, like,
(09:34):
let's see what we have and who we can develop,
and let's see what's going on with Kenny Pickett. He
had some strong comments at the Pit's spring game.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
I'm not here to hang out.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Yeah, I don't know. The cafe is awful good? Maybe
you do?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
You know I love the That's that's talk show fodder,
screaming head fodder. Right, I get it. I'm not here
to hang out. All He's thrown out the gauntlet. He
wants to start. May I offer the opposite opinion, which is,
what do you want the guy to say? I'm here
to hang out? Yeah? If I get the job, I
get the job. Imagine the reaction if it was that,
(10:11):
of course you want to start, and of course you're
not there to hang out. But speaking of our text threat,
I did note that that should be the T shirt.
I'm not here to hang out.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I'm fine with that. I wear that.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
You'd wear that?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Sure? All right? Why not? Can I wear that during
the Eagles joint practices?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Boy?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
That'd be great. I'm fine, right boy. I don't mind
wearing things crazy things like that, And every Hawaiian shirt
with every one of the faces from our content and
production team on it. I have no problem wearing that either.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I just gave away to charity a rams all work
the Rams into this, because you guys know, I worked
for the Rams forever Rams Hawaiian shirt. We had a
preseason game in Hawaii year ago and on television we
had they made us Hawaiian shirts with the little logo.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It was good, But then after I got back, I'm like,
am I gotta wear this around? I'm not like Andy
Reid here wearing the random Hawaiian shirt around town while
going to the grocery store.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
What about your walk on the beach?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Come on, it's all those free walk on the beach
pre I had way too much time on my hand,
and I look like the odd neighbor who talks to
himself while walking. So, by the way, for the record,
I run before those like I go through my workout,
and that is my post workout run walk.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I run.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Everyone thinks that. Everyone thinks that I'm this old man
that just goes on walks. I just want to make
it like.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
The other day you posted one you had a backback,
you were on a serious hike.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
There was something I was in. I was in the
San Gabriel Mountains.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Yes, like that's a that's a big deal. I'm not
doing that. I'm walking down the street to my bar
and having a bucket of bud lights. Like that's I'm
not doing And I'm gonna walk back home after safety first.
That's that's where I'm at. Like I didn't realize you
went for a run. You're overachieving back and off.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I mean, you know you know this. Maybe you don't
know this, will you? For those who know, Gibbey is
is on the first bus to the stadium. Okay, so
Gibby is on his way to the stadium, bright and
early when we are on the road, and then Nathan
and I and Jerrod take what we call the early
bus with a bunch of the players going over.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Our first bus is usually five or six hours.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Yeah, it's it's ridiculous. You are there laying the groundwork
and doing all the the all the dirty work for
which you do not receive enough praise. Okay, so we
thank you, But very often on Sunday morning, I get
up and that's when I take a walk. That's when
I do like the slow walk on the road. Clear
the head, get a cup of coffee. You know, some
(13:03):
towns I don't like to do it, but other towns,
you know, clear the head. Right, Everything's okay. These beach
walks that you see on the social media, is they
are after a run. Why am I getting defensive about this?
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I don't know either.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Coming up in a couple of minutes our thoughts on
Andrew Berry's pre draft press conference that is coming later
this week. However, in the interim, the afore mentioned best
draft analyst available, I am stunned that we were able
to get Daniel Jeremiah the night after the Padres. And
(13:43):
we're recording this on Tuesday, the night after the Padres
went to eleven and zero at home and ran their
best record in baseball to fourteen and three. DJ, Did
you sleep? You know what a Sickoh?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I am?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I finished all the stuff. I had some draft stuff
I had to get done. So I finished that and
I saw the So I had the game on the back,
but I really got to dive in and really watch it.
Towards the end. That's normal, right, that's what normal people do.
What what not normal people do is wait to go
to sleep until the required time has passed that I
can consume the Cubs call of Fernando tattoos two home runs.
(14:22):
That's the level of sicko that I am. Because you
want to hear their tears. I want to hear Sean
Bi have some angst, and I want to hear Sutcliffe
just struggle through that.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
A little bit. You want to hear the pain in
their voice.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
That's I admit it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
That's not normal.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
That's sick I respect that.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I respect that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I also obviously respect your draft knowledge is why you're here,
and we appreciate that you you squeeze time in here
the week before the draft. This isn't like mid February.
This is the week before the draft. So I'm going
to thank you in advance. Do we agree before we
get started? Obviously, Brown centric here the Joe Flacco signing,
it's awesome, like it's let's like, let's party like it's
(15:02):
twenty twenty three. But it doesn't necessarily affect what they
do at number two? Right, we agree with that?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Yeah, I don't think that you could read into that,
and'll say that that has any bearing, But I was
beginning to think they were leaning in a certain direction
before that move, and that didn't do anything to dissuade me.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Okay, so let's get to that. Assuming cam Ward Daniel Jeremiah,
NFL Network Draft expert of course official info here. Assuming
it's cam Ward at one, the Browns are on the clock,
what do you do.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well, I've, you know, long been an advocate of Abdul
Carter with that selection, Abdol Carter's been my top player
through the whole process, immediately followed by Travis Hunter. If
it was me, you're taking one of those two guys,
I don't think personally there's a wrong answer with whatever
direction you go. I have to do my final update, Andrew,
and to say that I've been in a I've been
(15:49):
like in a committed ranking relationship with Abdil Carter for
a very long time. But at the Colorado Pro Day,
which we covered, I started to have that wandering eye
for the first time. And now it sounds really bizarre
as a reason for this, but again, I love both players.
When I saw Travis Hunter at the end of that
workout going through a quick brisk workout at wide receiver
(16:10):
where all the movement you could see it on tape.
That's nothing a surprise there, the ball skills, all that
stuff great. The guy did not have a beat of
sweat on his body at the end of the workout,
and I just looked at it and thought, that is
this guy is a cyborg like he is different? And
I started thinking of the creative ways. If you're Cleveland,
I would major him personally on offense, minor him on defense.
I'm in the minority on that. Most people would flip that,
(16:33):
but it would just be it would just be such
a fun toy for them to have and to play
with that. I'm starting to lean in that direction.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
All right?
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Are you leaning in the direction? Because now that you
have the wandering eye not suggesting, you're on the apps
and you're swiping, no one's looking at your front. But
are you leaning towards a new number one ranking?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Are we breaking news DJ?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
No, because I haven't.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I haven't called I haven't called the person that I'm
in the ranking relationship with yet and broken that news
to him.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So online, I don't I mean, there's nothing worse than
finding out.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, come on, I can't be I can't have Andrew
put this out there. And then it's just like I
need to take my time, really pray about it, and
then I'll make my final decison.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Okay, Because like if Abdul Carter saw on ig By
the way that you were hanging out with Travis Punner.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
And I don't know that you can hide it. I
mean it's literally like I already know what I'm gonna get.
I'm gonna get the meme of the you know.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
The three people walk older.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah, that's that's coming. That's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
All right, Well, there you have it. So you might
have Travis Hunter number one. Is he Now, let's try this.
Would he be because I know Matthew Golden's in the conversation,
you're maybe not on the on the tech McMillan train.
Would he be wide receiver one or is he simply
player one?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Now he's wide receiver one for me?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Is he? Is he cornerback one?
Speaker 2 (17:59):
He's cornerback one for me as well, provided that you
know you use him properly. You know, I think there's
you know, there is some context to these things. And
you know, I don't think he's a press man. Leave
him alone, don't worry about that side of the field guy.
That's not who he is. I think he's better as
an off corner. I think he's better when he can
take in the whole picture, uses instincts and make plays
on the ball. He's excellent at setting traps, all those things.
(18:22):
I still think he's more developmental as a corner. I
think he's you know, everybody said, well, you know it's
a package he plays. No, no, no, This guy can
do everything on offense. I think you can play him inside,
you can play him outside. He can go up and
play above the rim, he can separate. Like to me,
I I'm way more comfortable saying right now, he's going
to make an immediate impact and you're gonna notice it
(18:43):
on offense.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
We're talking to Daniel Jeremiah'm my friend from NFL Network. Here.
Let's dive a little deeper there, because you know Jim Schwartz, well,
you know what he likes to do defensively. Can Travis
Hunter if he has to, can he play man? Can
he can he fit into the defense stylistically? Because I've
heard a lot of people and you kind of just
said it there. That's say he's more of his own
corner than a man corner. And you know what Schwartz
(19:06):
he likes to do.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, well, and that's why I say there's the development,
the work in progress. I don't think there's anything that
would limit him from being an excellent press corner. He
is not a press corner right now, so that to me,
is going to require more patients to be able to
plug him in there and let him do that. Now,
I also know I've been around Schwartz, I've known him forever.
Like he's obviously Georgetown, he's very smart. He would figure
(19:31):
out ways to put him advantageous positions until he can
continue to grow and develop and do what he ultimately
wants to do with him. So that, to me, would
would not be prohibitive at all. But I also think
if you're the Browns, Gosh, you go to the stadium
and you're calling games and you look out there off
the year Jerry Judy had on one side, and now
you've got Travis Hunter on the other, and you know,
(19:53):
we'll see you. I'm sure we'll get into what they
could do at the quarterback position in this draft, which
would be a plus Travis Hunter, not as Travis Hunter,
meaning you're not taking a quarterback, just as an alternate
plan that you could still have some somebody that you
get excited about on the young side of things there
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Real quick, you can't play Hunter inside, can you. He's
got to play outside, right, We're talking corner, not wide out,
Oh corner, you know. I don't.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I don't want him play them inside. No to me,
I just think you'd get them get them outside. To me,
the corner thing, especially if you want to use them
on both sides of the ball. If you're playing inside,
you're in a lot of runfits, You're going to be
making a lot of tackles, and that's a big, rugged
division that you're playing in. I don't necessarily want him
taking on all that wear and tear.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
We're getting to the Browns quarterback thing here in a second,
real quick. But this is actually kind of related to
dj SO news broke on Monday. If you want to
call it news breaking that the Giants would have a
private workout with Shador Sanders. Is it news that they're
having the workout or is it news that they want
us to know about the workout?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Here's the thing in this time of year, and I'm
glad you brought this up. I talk somebody in the Giants'
personnel department last week and they told me about this workout,
like over a week ago. I think some people think
like this has not been on the calendar and it
was like, oh, we got to go workout shit or
Sanders in two days. Like this has been on the calendar.
This has been planned for a long time. This was
always going to be part of their process. So I
(21:16):
think it's a big nothing. I think it's just this
is the time of year where they could work it
out schedule wise, to work him out now, letting people
know people are gonna find out. You really think like
you're going to have a workout with a quarterback and
that's not going to get out.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
That's all now.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
But you know how this whole machine works right out.
Like you know I read today, excuse me, the Steelers
have another running back in for a thirty visit. Nine
of their thirty visits have been running backs. Granted, they
need a running back, we all know that. But you
also know from working with the Browns, the Eagles, the
Ravens that so much of the last ten days. Now
(21:50):
we're at day nine. To Costa had a presser today.
Dan Morgan had a presser today. So much of this
final countdown is just information or more importantly, disinformation.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Over I would say that would be my initial thought,
except that our buddy Jack Andraid, who does research and
who's the best in the business at NFL network. Over
the last few years, I've had him and he's amazing
at it. I've had him watch all of these press
conferences and tell me and send me takeaways from him,
like what are the big takeaways that you took? And
(22:23):
what I learned from that, Andrew is we're giving these
guys way too much credit as tod poker players. A
lot of times that information coming from that, and they've
done and gone in that exact same direction on the draft,
and I've been able to on the set and be like, well,
they said they needed to this and this is exactly
what they just did. So I think sometimes we're giving
them too much credit for diversion. In other words, the
(22:44):
Steelers are going to take a running back at some
point in time, and probably sooner than later. May not
be at twenty one, but may be at twenty one.
May be at twenty one, but sooner than later.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
All Right, The Steelers and the Browns are kind of
tied in together here because the Steelers also are potential
quarterback team in twenty one. The Browns are certainly a
potential quarterback team at thirty three. What do you think
happens at thirty three? Do they have to trade back
up if there's a guy that they want, do they
have to get ahead of twenty one? How do you
read the bottom of night one? And really I guess
the start with the Browns at the top of Friday.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I think it's going to be of just my opinion
as we sit right now, and however many days out
we are from the draft. Right now, I would love
to be the Denver Broncos because as it feels to me,
it feels like two to three not taking quarterbacks, and
that is those two teams. Then realizing, okay, we do
like Jackson Dart's the name to be fully transparent here,
(23:37):
Jackson Dart connected with both both places, with the Giants
and with the Browns, and the destination is north of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers are picking at number twenty one,
the Denver Broncos are picking at twenty, so that to
me would be the team that could conceivably hold all
the chips if those two teams and the Browns and
the Giants want to come up for Jackson Dart. I've
(23:59):
made the case when people talk about do you take
a quarterback at three? Do you trade back if you're
those teams and just you know, if you're not comfortable,
if you'd like they say you're a Jackson Dark team,
you don't want to take him at three, you have
two options. We can trade back and take him, or
we can trade back in and take him. And you'll
know this as someone who's followed that team for a
long time. I came in there right after the year
(24:20):
after the what is not known as the Brady Quinn Draft.
It's known as the Joe Thomas Draft because Joe Thomas
was the first person to speak at that press conference.
As your first pick. It's a different situation when you
do that and then you have a quarterback come along
the year before I got to Baltimore. It's not known
as the Kyle Boller draft. You know that for sure.
It's known as a Cherell Suggs draft. They got one
they got one sure thing in the bucket and then
(24:42):
they took their swing and looking those two swings didn't
work out, but they walked away with with the sheer thing.
I think that's where this draft is headed, where you're
going to see both the Giants and the Browns get
the two sure things in the draft and whatever order
they come off and Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter and
then it's but you know what, we still want to
be aggressive, will take our swing, but that guy is
going to be second to speak.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
And the Browns do have the two threes. They got
one from a Buffalo from Mari Cooper, which had the
time pell painful. It was kind of not waving the
white flag, but it was the surest sign that this
season is not going where you thought it was going
to go. But now with that extra three, you have
that ammunition. You also traded away the five for Kenny Pickett.
As for Jackson Dart, your comp for him, I think
(25:24):
would surprise some Browns fans. Your comp is and you're
not suggesting he's going to win a Super Bowl tomorrow,
but your comp's Jalen Hurts. Yeah, And I raised eyebrows
and I knew it would and I wasn't it. As
my son would say, it wasn't rage bait. It was
it was literally the comparison of a player in terms
(25:45):
of let's start with the body type, their strong, sturdy guys,
and then you look at guys who got better each
and every year that throughout their careers.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think you can look at the same thing there. Now,
obviously Hurts is a is a better athlete, but man
Jackson Dart ran for a bunch of yards in the
in the SEC and he can move around and do
things from that standpoint, and then maybe most of all
was the wiring. When you talk to people around both
of them, it was I don't want to say like
not you know, he's never going to fail, but it
(26:13):
was you can buy into the person. Like everybody talks
about how competitive they are, they're they're good leaders, they're
they're wired the right way. So you're betting on the
person as much as the player. That's where the comparison
came in for me.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Also, when you think about betting, if you were to
take Janalin Milroe, and honestly, I'm surprised he accepted the
invitation of Green Bay, But if you take Jayalen Milroe somewhere,
whether it's at thirty three or elsewhere, someone's going to
take them. Likely by the end of Friday, you're getting
that lottery ticket. DJ. What is Jalen Milroe's ceiling?
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I mean as a as a runner, he's got a
Lamar Jackson's ceiling. Like that's you know, different body type,
but that type of you know, this guy looks faster
than everybody else on the field. Speed like he's that's different.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
So I mean, I.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Guess you would have to say that's the that's the
ultimate ultimate man. He it all came together, it all
clicked for him, which sounds lofty. Uh, you know, a
guy who's won multiple MVPs, But that's if it all clicks,
you know. But he's not entering into this process nearly
as accomplished as Lamar Jackson was. But that's the that's
the dream, that's the goal.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
You surprised he went to Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, I don't know, you know, on that on that deal,
I don't know what the thought process is behind the
invitations on some of those where it's do you want
to have a couple guys hangover for day two, like
just to have somebody else to bring up on the podium.
It's a lot of names, Like you're saying seventeen, I
think they're what seventeen invites or something along those lines
like that's the odds are that somebody's not, you know,
(27:47):
going in the first round when you have that many
guys invited. So I I just don't know what the
you know, what the logic was? Are you asking me
what I will I be shocked if he's a first
round pick. Yes, I would be shocked if he's a
first round pick, but I've been shocked before.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Would you if you had to choose right now between
Jackson Dart and Tyler Shuck. Let's assume they're both there
at thirty three, what would you do?
Speaker 2 (28:11):
I would take Dart. And it's not the people say, oh,
it's just because he's younger or no. And I mean
the injuries, the injuries and the durability bother me more
with Shuck than the than the age does. And I'm
I'm going to always push back when people say, yeah,
they're freak injuries. Injuries are injuries to me. Even in
a draft room, you don't differentiate like there's guys get
(28:31):
hurt and they get hurt more often than other people,
and that's the problem. So that's what concerns me there now.
He is big, he's got a strong arm, he's.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
A good athlete.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
There are tools the age I don't really care about.
I can understand why teams would would have him over Dart.
For me, I just think Jackson Dart is still on
that climb, still on that ascent, and I just feel
like I've got a guy who I've seen get the
absolute credit kicked out of him and get back up.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
So I hate to use the phrase hot take because
that's not what I try to do. But the one
thing that I get pushed back from when I put
this on social media, and I'm not trying to make
some bold prediction. I'm not gonna like do a victory
lap if I'm right. I honestly don't care if I'm right,
but I know you kind of are of like mine.
But it's the opinion that Jackson Dark could go before
(29:16):
Shadoor Sanders nine days out, DJ, what do you think
the odds of that happening.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Are fifty to fifty.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I mean, I think there's a legit possibility that he
ends up going ahead of Shdor Sanders, So you know
that's from just talking to different teams. And that's the
other thing is like, look, it only takes one team.
That's the answer to the question if you want to
take the easy way out, is that, yeah, you cant
have thirty one teams feel one way. If the one
team feels the other way and they pick them, then
that does it. I'm just telling you there are numerous
(29:46):
teams that have him over Shado or Sanders, so I
can't be surprised if that's the way that this ends
up falling when it all goes down, I have Shador
over him on my list, but I would say it's
a coin flip.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Talking to Janel's am, I here, how many running backs
go Thursday three three? Do you think Traveon's there at
thirty three for the Brons?
Speaker 2 (30:06):
I don't. I don't. It's it's very similar to the
Jamiir Gibbs draft where everybody liked Jamiir Gibbs and everybody
and and I read it as everybody likes him. Everybody
likes him, but you know, nobody's committed that they would
take him, you know, super high. But everybody likes him.
And then the Lesson is usually when everybody likes him,
(30:27):
somebody's gonna get some courage and go ahead and just
do it. And for someone that has the value that
he does as a home run hitter, and someone that's
unbelievable is you know, as a pass protector and catch
the ball. Everybody's trying to find the mismatch players.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Sean Payton notoriously came out and said he wants to
find his joker.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
In the draft.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And that's what this guy is. He's a mismatch player
and a draft that's not real sexy. It's a hard
you know, it's it's not hard to see teams fall
in love with this kid.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Well, the other thing too with him is and you
know this with rookie running backs, any coach will ask you,
can I trust my rookie running back on third day?
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Can I trust him? In pass pro? Traveon Henderson isn't
just good at pass protection, like he is a violent
pass protector.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Yeah, he's a I use the phrase I wrote it
in my notes, which I'd never done before. It's like
there's a matrix quality to his pass protection. Whereas when
he hits guys, you see the slow motion armed flailing
up in the air because he buckles people and he's
one of the best pass protecting running backs I've evaluated period,
Like he's outstanding in that department.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
All right, two things left here and we appreciate your time.
Number One, what is the biggest surprise to come from
Thursday night? Like, if you had to write your NFL
dot com headline for Friday morning, other than the obvious
where the quarterbacks go? Or maybe maybe that's the headline.
I don't know, but like, what's the wow moment? If
there is one?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Gosh, the wow moment, that's why it's a wow moment. Right,
They're hard to predict what the wow that's gonna be. Well,
I'll say this selfishly knowing that they won't do it,
but I'd love to see the Cowboys just do something interesting.
You've been so boring. I know they've had their winning years,
(32:12):
and I know we all joke about it, and you have,
I have, everybody has about Gosh, we just talked about
the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Why are we like.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
We're gonna have to talk about him anyways? So how
about do something interesting for once, Like let's see them
be aggressive and go up and make some Splash in
the draft. Whether that's trying to maybe move up a
few spots for Ash and Gent to bring him into
the mix, I don't know what it looks like, but
I just know we're gonna talk about the Cowboys. It
would be sure. It would be friendly of them to
give us something fun to talk about.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
They're picking twelve.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
We are contractually obligated, yes night, we actually are. We're
contractually obligated to discuss the Dallas Cowboys. And then, finally,
because I believe Anchorman was filmed in San Diego, right
where you sit right now, If you kiper Matt Miller,
Field Yate, Stane Brugler, if you guys all met in
(33:01):
a back alley, would anyone would anyone kill a man
or the trident? And if so, who oh? I wouldn't
trust Field Yates? Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (33:12):
First of all, he's in phenomenal shape.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Start there.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
The guy is in great shape, and he used to
be a bigger guy, so he's got bigger guy muscles,
but he's leaned up, so I think he could fight
all day long. And I just think that everything's I
love Field. He's the nicest guy in the world. There's
some deep rooted anger in there, and I think he's
suppressed it for a long period of time. And I'm
telling you you don't want to be around when that
comes out.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
And he's got the fantastic hair. Now he's grown out
the hair for draft season.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
It's not moving. He'll just have splashes of the rest
of our blood on him and his hair will not
have moved.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Almost like our dear friend Charles Davis. Maybe I should
have put him in there as well. And you and
I both agree he is the nicest man on earth.
He is America's But also there's an angry Chuck in there.
That's what I'm getting.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Chuck in there.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
There's angry Chuck in there. And when you see evil
Chuck come out, you best get out of the way.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah, And I think just out of respect Kuyper, they'd
leave Kuiper alive. Like nobody's messing with mel like appreciate
we all have our gigs because of you, So hands off, man,
you just get sit a sandwich and watch the rest
of us doke it out over here.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
There is a show, and it will be a show
on Thursday night next week in Green Bay. Daniel Jeremiah
will be there hopefully with puppies by Saturday, but with
Ridge Eason undoubt on Thursday, Friday and Saturday all day
long for the NFL Draft twenty twenty five edition. Please
watch on NFL Networking. You're gonna be an ESPN this
week as well, doing all that. Love you man, glad
(34:36):
we did this, break a leg.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
You're the best, brother, Love you man.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
He's the best, all right, Give me a lot to
unpack there. Number one, It certainly seems that Daniel Jeremiah
is leaning towards making Travis Hunter his number one overall player,
which would be nice. He also has a Heisman Trophy,
which is also nice. But of all the awards on
his shelf, DJ's number one in his top fifty is
probably the best honter wide receiver or corner. The answer
(35:02):
is yes both. He also told NFL Network or former
NFL Network Research in turn, Garrett Total, who now writes
for CBS, that if he can't play both ways, he
basically wants to quit. By the way, I'm happy for Garrett.
I love the kid. The Browns would play him at
(35:22):
both at this point. There isn't a team that would
say we're not going to play you at both. The
Browns would play them at both, and Andrew Barry has said
if you go back to the combine, they see him
primarily as a wide receiver, which is good because they
need him primarily as a rookie as a wide receiver. Remember,
(35:43):
Martin Emerson is up for a contract extension. He was
not a first round pick. This is going to be
a year number four. Greg Newsom is in year five
of his initial rookie first round deal. He's on the
fifth year option. So there is potential at corner maybe
in two years, but this year give a I am
fine with him as a wide receiver moonlighting as a corner.
(36:05):
Although I know, and I've made this point too, it's
kind of easier the other way around.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
Yeah, I mean Gerrod was on Cleveland Browns Daily or
the earlier this week, Brown's analyst, sideline reporter, guy that's
played some corner in his day, and he said it.
Charles Davis was also on Cleveland Browns Daily this week
and kind of said the same thing. The most impact
that Hunter can have is definitely wide receiver, especially for
(36:33):
this football team. The greatest impact he can have his
wide receiver. It's is it an easier endeavor than corner probably,
but as Gerard said, technique matters at corner like and
you need reps upon reps and upon reps. And he
said having to divide reps between wide receiver and corner
(36:55):
could actually hurt his development as a corner in the
National Football League because you're taking away some of the
valuable things that you know, he needs to know. It's
a lot of level. It's a lot, man.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I mean, he averaged eleven hundred snaps a year the
last two years for Colorado. I don't think that's gonna happen.
He's gonna play both ways at the Browns take him.
And by the way, we're not we're not telling you
that we already know the pick. My gut tells me
that's the pick, because that is the collective, that is
the group think right now in the draft o sphere.
All right, that's what I believe. If it's Abdul Carter,
(37:29):
I'll be happy as well. I've kind of built myself up. However,
did Travis Hunter. Matt Harmon, who I respect a lot,
does does great work. Check him out his YouTube page,
check him out on Twitter. He primarily focuses on wide receivers,
you know, getting off the line versus certain coverage separation
(37:50):
at the top of the route. Things like that, as
at all all kinds of numbers, said that looking at
Travis Hunter the last two years, his get off off
the line, his operation against Pressman is the best he's seen.
Basically the comp is obj I mean that's saying a lot.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Well and then throwing mel Kiper earlier this week on
ESPN Cleveland saying Travis Hunter's got my highest draft rates
since John Elway. Great.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
I mean, so John Elway ruined my childhood. Here's the thing,
Travis Hunters face. Yes, Travis Hunter would enrich my adulthood.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
How about this? I like, I like that, Yeah, because
he ruined he ruined both.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I once told John Elway and he really didn't know
me from Adam at this point, very young in my career,
I was at a at an event at the Super
Bowl and I bellied up to the bar to order
a drink and he was right there. We had a
mutual friend. I dropped that mutual friend's name. He really
seemed unimpressed, and then I said, as he may have
told you, you ruined my childhood, and he was like,
all right, took.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
His beer and left. That sounds about right for him.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Since we've connected. He's a nice enough guy. I have
no personal animus, but he ruined my childhood. Yeah one
ruined my child did yep? And Rich Carlos missed the kick,
Yeah you did.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
But I mean that this is the praise that's being
thrown upon him, and Abduall Carter's got a lot of
praise as well. I don't I don't want to short
change Abduall Carter because clearly he is a top level
talent and there's a reason why he's been number one
on Daniel Jeremiah's Top fifty board for most, if not all,
of the draft process. He's a great player. I just
(39:43):
think for what we need, Travis Hunter makes the most
sense totally.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
And there's a difference between drafting for need and drafting
the best player available. Obviously, this is the best podcast
available you you understand the whole concept. Taking Travis Hunter
over Abdul Carter is not drafting for need. It is
taking the best player available. And the rankings with Carter
(40:09):
and Hunter have been pretty much identical from everyone who
does this. As DJ said, he is not only wide
receiver one he is cornerback one. I mean, it's an
embarrassment of riches. It's on you and on your building
to figure out how to handle it. And don't please
(40:29):
misread anyone listening. What Hunter said is kind of a
veiled threat to teams. You have to play me both. No, no, no, okay.
The guy's a good kid. He truly truly your draft
for character drafting Travis Hunter for character is a great pick,
just my opinion. And he's also really good at football,
(40:52):
really good at football. Bit and that's a win win. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Who knows. I don't know what will happen next week
when we kick off this podcast. Maybe everything changes over
the next five days.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Well, let's lay out between now and then real quick
on Thursday, and we're recording this on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Andrew Berry is going to speak. It is his typical
pre draft presser. Almost every team does this, as you've
seen them trickle in during the week. There aren't many headlines.
Vrabel did one in New England rather than Elliott Wolf
(41:30):
claimed he didn't know what the Titans or Browns who
were doing the Browns probably the Titans. There's no way
obviously he doesn't know what they are doing. The one
in Carolina is interesting. Dan Morgan wouldn't comment on whether
or not they would pick up a fifth year option
on left tackle Ikiakwanu. Those are due May first. I mean,
(41:50):
that's really just I think draft lying season here. Why
tell anyone they're picking eight right ahead of the Saints.
Let people guess they're in a great position with news
of the Derek Carr injury. And then there's the Miami presser,
which got contentious with Jalen Ramsey, with Tyreek Hill, with
whatever they were asked whether or not they're going to rebuild.
(42:11):
I mean, it got ugly. I do not expect any
major headline out of Andrew Barry's presser. And that's not
a knock on him. It's simply the fact that he
is known, and this is a compliment to hold his
cards close to his vest.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Well. And I think you're not gonna get anything draft
wise that we're not going to talk about it, and
you're gonna have a thirty minute presser, but you could
get a nugget or two based on you know, is
someone going to ask him about Greg Newsom yep? And that,
and you know the option years or you know, an extension,
(42:48):
an extension for MJ you know some of these other guys.
You know, I'm sure he's gonna get in a jub question.
So I mean that it's probably gonna be more about
the current roster and NFL free agency than it is
learning anything really about the draft.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And then the players are back in the building next
week for the first stage to the offseason program that
there's no football, nothing like that. It's all lifting weights
and working out. But they're back of the building and
Kevin Stefanski will have a presser pre draft next Wednesday,
last week or next week as well. Yours truly will
(43:25):
be there at the Cross Country Mortgage campus handing out
Hawaiian T shirts with the words We're not here to
hang out on them.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
I love it, I love it, love it. You know
I need a big one. I need a large one.
And then you, as philis said, I needed to run.
I need to take a phage off of your book
and do a little running myself.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
You texted how's your chess game? As well?
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Well. I don't know if you've seen it, but Abdull
Carter beats Stefanski in chess.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
When you know I missed that.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
Oh yes, that's why I said, how's your chess game?
Coach Kevin Stefanski doesn't lose at chess very much. He
is an esteem chess player. I did not Bill Carr
beat him in his visit here.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Hold on, do we think Stefanski took a dive?
Speaker 3 (44:14):
I don't see coach taking a dive. I don't think
he's that guy.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
I think he's I mean, you build up the young
players here ingratiating yourself to the potential second overall pick,
just saying they went to rival high schools.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Could he stomach that?
Speaker 3 (44:32):
I don't know. I don't see coach allowing someone.
Speaker 1 (44:36):
Just to who would win. Stefanski and Amari Cooper back
in the day.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
They it was very competitive. A got him once or twice.
I know coach got his fair share of victories as well.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Has coach ever played Stephen Kwan? I don't have an
answer for you, because good Stephen Kuan is. I don't
want to say he's elite. I think you can he's
He's damn good. That's a charity events defans against Stephen
Kwan for.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
Coaches foundation to watch them play chess.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
I've never called play by play on chess. Let's do it,
Let's do it. I like you, all right, all right,
I like it as well. This is another rambling edition
of the best podcast available. Thank you to Daniel Jeremiah.
Coming up next week, it is finally mercifully Draft week
and we'll be joining you live from the Cross Country
(45:37):
Mortgage Campus Live debatable, but cross Country Mortgage Campus not
enjoy your final weekend before the draft festivities for Jason Gibbs.
My name is Andrews Siciliano.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
So long.
All right, are you leaning in the direction because now
that you have the wandering eye not suggesting, you're on
the apps and you're swiping, no one's looking at your front.
But are you leaning towards a new number one ranking?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. We
are we breaking news dj No because I haven't I
haven't called I haven't called the person that I'm in
the ranking relationship with yet and broken that news. We
are one week away, friends, your long annual springtime nightmare
is almost over. The build up for the draft is
(00:33):
almost done. As we sit here today and say, welcome
to the best podcast available. We are one week away
from the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
My name is Andrews. Siciliano. The home office, Jason Gibbs
is in the Cross Country Mortgage Campus. It is it's
starting to feel like draft weather. Gibbee, good morning, an hour.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Finally, finally, you know, we got teased a little bit.
It was we hit seventy, then a couple of days
of snow. We had snow showers on Wednesday morning. I
went to bed. Tuesday night, I took the dogs out
of like eleven. It was like flurrying. I'm like, this
is ridiculous. Later in the week, back up near we'll
be pushing the mid seventies and it's the roller coaster
(01:19):
that is Cleveland, Ohio weather. But yeah, now we're turning
the corner. Hopefully we're turning the corner for two reasons.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Number one, the Guardians game on Sunday was their first
home game, and they won them all except this one,
in which the weather, the temperature got into the fifties.
Big clap for that one. And number two, we're turning
the page because Joe Flacco is back gibing. Let's let's
let's go back. And obviously, as we tape this, it's
a week after basically, so the excitement is slightly muted
(01:48):
and not the same reaction we all had the morning
the news drop. I am at the West Coast office.
I kind of in that semi conscious, almost waking up stage.
Kept hearing my phone on my nightstand and like, what
the heck is going on? I mean, has there been
(02:09):
a natural disaster. By the way, we had an earthquake
here yesterday. It is something else amiss And I looked
at it, I'm like, oh, it's Joe Flacco and there's
a picture of him from two years ago in a
regional jet ducking his head, something I've never had to do.
Leaving the plane at Hopkins, we are back. Getate where
(02:29):
were you and what was the immediate reaction And was
there a celebration in the street despite the snow flurries.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yes, absolutely there was a There was a tangible difference
in people's attitudes. I mean it was noticeable. It was
everybody was excited. My phone, like yours, went off NonStop.
I was literally getting ready to walk out the door
to get to the office. My phone buzzed and I
(03:00):
was I was running around trying to get ready. My
wife's like, hey, something's going on. Your phone is going
berserk and I'm like, well, that's never great on a Friday.
I don't want the phone going crazy on a Friday.
Picked it up, I said, honey, he's back. My wife
does not get excited for a lot of things football wise.
(03:20):
She's supportive, she loves watching the games, she knows the
players and all that stuff. She's like, he's back, but
he's back, Are you kidding? Is that real? And I'm like,
he's Joe Flacco's back. And I got the biggest hut.
I'm like, all right, I'm second fiddle to Joe Flacco
this week. But all right, perfect, great, uh, excited, ecstatic. Look,
(03:46):
it's a veteran in the locker room. What's not forget
he's forty years old. Uh, he can still play at
a high level though. Uh. He proved that last year
in Indianapolis. And you know, we know what he did
a couple of years ago, and we know the cut
type of guy he is in this locker room. Players
follow him. He's a leader. I think he fits exactly
(04:08):
with what Kevin Stefanski is trying to do with this offense.
And I think everybody in the city is happy that
he is back here as a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns,
which again is just crazy to me to think about
when how many years do we go up against him
in Baltimore and he's back He's a Browns quarterback again.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yeah, there are so many levels of crazy to this.
Let me just hear my initial reaction, which was, all right,
this is good. I didn't run around the house like
all right, sirely, this is good. There is a fun
factor to this that cannot be died. There's also a
pick factor. I mean, let's not deny that as well.
He threw plenty of those last year in Indianapolis. And
there is a weird coming full circle here as well
(04:53):
about how the Giants blew it late in the season
and the Browns are picking ahead of the Giants. It
was the Giants who had lost to the We get
unpacked that we have plenty of time to unpack that
at a minimum. Like you said, this is a veteran
in the building, and listen, I'm kind of bullish on
Kenny Pickett, but I think this allays some of the
fears of the people. Though, what are We're not going
(05:13):
with Kenny Pickett week?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
What are you?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
There is a possibility, but there's also a strong possibility
here of Joe Flacco. Yes, the leadership thing, the sigh
of relief popularity factor here is well. I also want
to excuse me, pump the brakes that if it goes
well and fingers crossed it does, and maybe the Browns
got off to a good early start. I just want
to caution Sports Talk Radio now, let's not go down
(05:37):
the well what if we were doing this last year
road pretty early? Let's just steer clear of that. Last
year is over. Focus forward, moving forward only, Okay, moving
forward only. If Aaron Rodgers goes to the Steelers. The
Browns can now rest easy. Their quarterback is two years younger.
(05:58):
Think about that, then, Aaron Rogers. For everyone who thought
that Aaron Rodgers was too old last year, he's going
to be too old with the Steelers. Fear not. Joe
Flacco is like two years younger, which which I think
is a good thing. But yes, the offense, which we assume,
which Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Reese have both alluded to
(06:19):
on this pod or in the bark tank, that we
are going to run, this is a good fit. It
is an affordable deal. While in no way do I
think that Kirk Cousins is going to happen, this still
partially keeps the door open. Again, I don't think it's
going to happen. I think that ship is sailed. But
(06:40):
this contract does not make let me phrase it this way,
this contract does not make any other quarterback move impossible. Okay,
there aren't many others you could possibly do at this point.
It's the draft or bust. But let's say Derek Carr
were to come free, which I suggest last week, but
(07:00):
seems unlikely now because of news of reported news of
a shoulder injury. There is no other quarterback move that
is impossible because this is a very very cap friendly deal.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, you've got pick it. Who's a still on a
rookie deal? Two point six million fleco'es on a one
year deal incentive laden great. I would love for him
to hit every one of those incentives. Absolutely, that would
be fantastic. Absolutely. I don't think you could put the
Kirk Cousins thing to bed. Maybe this year you can.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I thought about next year, I would that's a good point.
I hadn't even thought about next year on focusing day.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I guaranteed money is you know, I mean it could
lead to something down the road like that.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Listen, there are a lot of what ifs. I think,
really and and as we get to the draft and
let's set it up. We didn't tell you Daniel Jeremiah
were bearing the lead. My good friend from NFL Network
from Move the Sticks, from NFL Networks draft coverage padre
apologist Daniel Jeremiah, one of the world's best humans, has
(08:09):
never cursed. Is a cheap date like just wants to
order Chick fil a and go back to his hotel
room like Dangl. Jeremiah will be here coming up shortly. Also,
speaking of the draft, I know there are a lot
of what ifs, Okay, Like what if Tennessee had screwed
(08:29):
it up in one week eighteen that Sunday and we
were picking one. What if the quarterbacks coming out were
a little bit different than the ones that did come out,
Like what if cam Ward went out last year like
many people thought he would. Now this is only a
Shore Sanders or Jackson Dart draft. Look, there are a
lot of what ifs. You can't look at the what ifs.
(08:50):
You could only look at the fact that you got
Joe Flacco and there's a potential for drafting another quarterback
and there's Kenny Pickett and this is not I don't
think where I'm going to assume Andrew Berry thought we
would land three months ago. I can't put words in
his mouth, but it's where we are and I'm okay
(09:10):
with it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Absolutely. I like it. Go get go, get a young arm.
You want to go get two, you got ten picks,
be my guest. Yeah, if you want to take one
in round two, then I would be right. Based on
what we talked about from a percentage standpoint last week
in terms of a quarterback going into either the first
or second round. Take one on Friday, take one on Saturday. Fine, like,
(09:34):
let's see what we have and who we can develop,
and let's see what's going on with Kenny Pickett. He
had some strong comments at the Pit's spring game.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
I'm not here to hang out.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Yeah, I don't know. The cafe is awful good? Maybe
you do?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
You know I love the That's that's talk show fodder,
screaming head fodder. Right, I get it. I'm not here
to hang out. All He's thrown out the gauntlet. He
wants to start. May I offer the opposite opinion, which is,
what do you want the guy to say? I'm here
to hang out? Yeah? If I get the job, I
get the job. Imagine the reaction if it was that,
(10:11):
of course you want to start, and of course you're
not there to hang out. But speaking of our text threat,
I did note that that should be the T shirt.
I'm not here to hang out.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I'm fine with that. I wear that.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
You'd wear that?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Sure? All right? Why not? Can I wear that during
the Eagles joint practices?
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Boy?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
That'd be great. I'm fine, right boy. I don't mind
wearing things crazy things like that, And every Hawaiian shirt
with every one of the faces from our content and
production team on it. I have no problem wearing that either.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I just gave away to charity a rams all work
the Rams into this, because you guys know, I worked
for the Rams forever Rams Hawaiian shirt. We had a
preseason game in Hawaii year ago and on television we
had they made us Hawaiian shirts with the little logo.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It was good, But then after I got back, I'm like,
am I gotta wear this around? I'm not like Andy
Reid here wearing the random Hawaiian shirt around town while
going to the grocery store.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
What about your walk on the beach?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Come on, it's all those free walk on the beach
pre I had way too much time on my hand,
and I look like the odd neighbor who talks to
himself while walking. So, by the way, for the record,
I run before those like I go through my workout,
and that is my post workout run walk.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I run.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Everyone thinks that. Everyone thinks that I'm this old man
that just goes on walks. I just want to make
it like.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
The other day you posted one you had a backback,
you were on a serious hike.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
There was something I was in. I was in the
San Gabriel Mountains.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Yes, like that's a that's a big deal. I'm not
doing that. I'm walking down the street to my bar
and having a bucket of bud lights. Like that's I'm
not doing And I'm gonna walk back home after safety first.
That's that's where I'm at. Like I didn't realize you
went for a run. You're overachieving back and off.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
I mean, you know you know this. Maybe you don't
know this, will you? For those who know, Gibbey is
is on the first bus to the stadium. Okay, so
Gibby is on his way to the stadium, bright and
early when we are on the road, and then Nathan
and I and Jerrod take what we call the early
bus with a bunch of the players going over.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Our first bus is usually five or six hours.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Yeah, it's it's ridiculous. You are there laying the groundwork
and doing all the the all the dirty work for
which you do not receive enough praise. Okay, so we
thank you, But very often on Sunday morning, I get
up and that's when I take a walk. That's when
I do like the slow walk on the road. Clear
the head, get a cup of coffee. You know, some
(13:03):
towns I don't like to do it, but other towns,
you know, clear the head. Right, Everything's okay. These beach
walks that you see on the social media, is they
are after a run. Why am I getting defensive about this?
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I don't know either.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Coming up in a couple of minutes our thoughts on
Andrew Berry's pre draft press conference that is coming later
this week. However, in the interim, the afore mentioned best
draft analyst available, I am stunned that we were able
to get Daniel Jeremiah the night after the Padres. And
(13:43):
we're recording this on Tuesday, the night after the Padres
went to eleven and zero at home and ran their
best record in baseball to fourteen and three. DJ, Did
you sleep? You know what a Sickoh?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I am?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I finished all the stuff. I had some draft stuff
I had to get done. So I finished that and
I saw the So I had the game on the back,
but I really got to dive in and really watch it.
Towards the end. That's normal, right, that's what normal people do.
What what not normal people do is wait to go
to sleep until the required time has passed that I
can consume the Cubs call of Fernando tattoos two home runs.
(14:22):
That's the level of sicko that I am. Because you
want to hear their tears. I want to hear Sean
Bi have some angst, and I want to hear Sutcliffe
just struggle through that.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
A little bit. You want to hear the pain in
their voice.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
That's I admit it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
That's not normal.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
That's sick I respect that.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
I respect that.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
I also obviously respect your draft knowledge is why you're here,
and we appreciate that you you squeeze time in here
the week before the draft. This isn't like mid February.
This is the week before the draft. So I'm going
to thank you in advance. Do we agree before we
get started? Obviously, Brown centric here the Joe Flacco signing,
it's awesome, like it's let's like, let's party like it's
(15:02):
twenty twenty three. But it doesn't necessarily affect what they
do at number two? Right, we agree with that?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Yeah, I don't think that you could read into that,
and'll say that that has any bearing, But I was
beginning to think they were leaning in a certain direction
before that move, and that didn't do anything to dissuade me.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Okay, so let's get to that. Assuming cam Ward Daniel Jeremiah,
NFL Network Draft expert of course official info here. Assuming
it's cam Ward at one, the Browns are on the clock,
what do you do.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well, I've, you know, long been an advocate of Abdul
Carter with that selection, Abdol Carter's been my top player
through the whole process, immediately followed by Travis Hunter. If
it was me, you're taking one of those two guys,
I don't think personally there's a wrong answer with whatever
direction you go. I have to do my final update, Andrew,
and to say that I've been in a I've been
(15:49):
like in a committed ranking relationship with Abdil Carter for
a very long time. But at the Colorado Pro Day,
which we covered, I started to have that wandering eye
for the first time. And now it sounds really bizarre
as a reason for this, but again, I love both players.
When I saw Travis Hunter at the end of that
workout going through a quick brisk workout at wide receiver
(16:10):
where all the movement you could see it on tape.
That's nothing a surprise there, the ball skills, all that
stuff great. The guy did not have a beat of
sweat on his body at the end of the workout,
and I just looked at it and thought, that is
this guy is a cyborg like he is different? And
I started thinking of the creative ways. If you're Cleveland,
I would major him personally on offense, minor him on defense.
I'm in the minority on that. Most people would flip that,
(16:33):
but it would just be it would just be such
a fun toy for them to have and to play
with that. I'm starting to lean in that direction.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
All right?
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Are you leaning in the direction? Because now that you
have the wandering eye not suggesting, you're on the apps
and you're swiping, no one's looking at your front. But
are you leaning towards a new number one ranking?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Are we breaking news DJ?
Speaker 3 (16:59):
No, because I haven't.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I haven't called I haven't called the person that I'm
in the ranking relationship with yet and broken that news
to him.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
So online, I don't I mean, there's nothing worse than
finding out.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, come on, I can't be I can't have Andrew
put this out there. And then it's just like I
need to take my time, really pray about it, and
then I'll make my final decison.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Okay, Because like if Abdul Carter saw on ig By
the way that you were hanging out with Travis Punner.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
And I don't know that you can hide it. I
mean it's literally like I already know what I'm gonna get.
I'm gonna get the meme of the you know.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
The three people walk older.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah, that's that's coming. That's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
All right, Well, there you have it. So you might
have Travis Hunter number one. Is he Now, let's try this.
Would he be because I know Matthew Golden's in the conversation,
you're maybe not on the on the tech McMillan train.
Would he be wide receiver one or is he simply
player one?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Now he's wide receiver one for me?
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Is he? Is he cornerback one?
Speaker 2 (17:59):
He's cornerback one for me as well, provided that you
know you use him properly. You know, I think there's
you know, there is some context to these things. And
you know, I don't think he's a press man. Leave
him alone, don't worry about that side of the field guy.
That's not who he is. I think he's better as
an off corner. I think he's better when he can
take in the whole picture, uses instincts and make plays
on the ball. He's excellent at setting traps, all those things.
(18:22):
I still think he's more developmental as a corner. I
think he's you know, everybody said, well, you know it's
a package he plays. No, no, no, This guy can
do everything on offense. I think you can play him inside,
you can play him outside. He can go up and
play above the rim, he can separate. Like to me,
I I'm way more comfortable saying right now, he's going
to make an immediate impact and you're gonna notice it
(18:43):
on offense.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
We're talking to Daniel Jeremiah'm my friend from NFL Network. Here.
Let's dive a little deeper there, because you know Jim Schwartz, well,
you know what he likes to do defensively. Can Travis
Hunter if he has to, can he play man? Can
he can he fit into the defense stylistically? Because I've
heard a lot of people and you kind of just
said it there. That's say he's more of his own
corner than a man corner. And you know what Schwartz
(19:06):
he likes to do.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, well, and that's why I say there's the development,
the work in progress. I don't think there's anything that
would limit him from being an excellent press corner. He
is not a press corner right now, so that to me,
is going to require more patients to be able to
plug him in there and let him do that. Now,
I also know I've been around Schwartz, I've known him forever.
Like he's obviously Georgetown, he's very smart. He would figure
(19:31):
out ways to put him advantageous positions until he can
continue to grow and develop and do what he ultimately
wants to do with him. So that, to me, would
would not be prohibitive at all. But I also think
if you're the Browns, Gosh, you go to the stadium
and you're calling games and you look out there off
the year Jerry Judy had on one side, and now
you've got Travis Hunter on the other, and you know,
(19:53):
we'll see you. I'm sure we'll get into what they
could do at the quarterback position in this draft, which
would be a plus Travis Hunter, not as Travis Hunter,
meaning you're not taking a quarterback, just as an alternate
plan that you could still have some somebody that you
get excited about on the young side of things there
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Real quick, you can't play Hunter inside, can you. He's
got to play outside, right, We're talking corner, not wide out,
Oh corner, you know. I don't.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I don't want him play them inside. No to me,
I just think you'd get them get them outside. To me,
the corner thing, especially if you want to use them
on both sides of the ball. If you're playing inside,
you're in a lot of runfits, You're going to be
making a lot of tackles, and that's a big, rugged
division that you're playing in. I don't necessarily want him
taking on all that wear and tear.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
We're getting to the Browns quarterback thing here in a second,
real quick. But this is actually kind of related to
dj SO news broke on Monday. If you want to
call it news breaking that the Giants would have a
private workout with Shador Sanders. Is it news that they're
having the workout or is it news that they want
us to know about the workout?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Here's the thing in this time of year, and I'm
glad you brought this up. I talk somebody in the Giants'
personnel department last week and they told me about this workout,
like over a week ago. I think some people think
like this has not been on the calendar and it
was like, oh, we got to go workout shit or
Sanders in two days. Like this has been on the calendar.
This has been planned for a long time. This was
always going to be part of their process. So I
(21:16):
think it's a big nothing. I think it's just this
is the time of year where they could work it
out schedule wise, to work him out now, letting people
know people are gonna find out. You really think like
you're going to have a workout with a quarterback and
that's not going to get out.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
That's all now.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
But you know how this whole machine works right out.
Like you know I read today, excuse me, the Steelers
have another running back in for a thirty visit. Nine
of their thirty visits have been running backs. Granted, they
need a running back, we all know that. But you
also know from working with the Browns, the Eagles, the
Ravens that so much of the last ten days. Now
(21:50):
we're at day nine. To Costa had a presser today.
Dan Morgan had a presser today. So much of this
final countdown is just information or more importantly, disinformation.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Over I would say that would be my initial thought,
except that our buddy Jack Andraid, who does research and
who's the best in the business at NFL network. Over
the last few years, I've had him and he's amazing
at it. I've had him watch all of these press
conferences and tell me and send me takeaways from him,
like what are the big takeaways that you took? And
(22:23):
what I learned from that, Andrew is we're giving these
guys way too much credit as tod poker players. A
lot of times that information coming from that, and they've
done and gone in that exact same direction on the draft,
and I've been able to on the set and be like, well,
they said they needed to this and this is exactly
what they just did. So I think sometimes we're giving
them too much credit for diversion. In other words, the
(22:44):
Steelers are going to take a running back at some
point in time, and probably sooner than later. May not
be at twenty one, but may be at twenty one.
May be at twenty one, but sooner than later.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
All Right, The Steelers and the Browns are kind of
tied in together here because the Steelers also are potential
quarterback team in twenty one. The Browns are certainly a
potential quarterback team at thirty three. What do you think
happens at thirty three? Do they have to trade back
up if there's a guy that they want, do they
have to get ahead of twenty one? How do you
read the bottom of night one? And really I guess
the start with the Browns at the top of Friday.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I think it's going to be of just my opinion
as we sit right now, and however many days out
we are from the draft. Right now, I would love
to be the Denver Broncos because as it feels to me,
it feels like two to three not taking quarterbacks, and
that is those two teams. Then realizing, okay, we do
like Jackson Dart's the name to be fully transparent here,
(23:37):
Jackson Dart connected with both both places, with the Giants
and with the Browns, and the destination is north of
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers are picking at number twenty one,
the Denver Broncos are picking at twenty, so that to
me would be the team that could conceivably hold all
the chips if those two teams and the Browns and
the Giants want to come up for Jackson Dart. I've
(23:59):
made the case when people talk about do you take
a quarterback at three? Do you trade back if you're
those teams and just you know, if you're not comfortable,
if you'd like they say you're a Jackson Dark team,
you don't want to take him at three, you have
two options. We can trade back and take him, or
we can trade back in and take him. And you'll
know this as someone who's followed that team for a
long time. I came in there right after the year
(24:20):
after the what is not known as the Brady Quinn Draft.
It's known as the Joe Thomas Draft because Joe Thomas
was the first person to speak at that press conference.
As your first pick. It's a different situation when you
do that and then you have a quarterback come along
the year before I got to Baltimore. It's not known
as the Kyle Boller draft. You know that for sure.
It's known as a Cherell Suggs draft. They got one
they got one sure thing in the bucket and then
(24:42):
they took their swing and looking those two swings didn't
work out, but they walked away with with the sheer thing.
I think that's where this draft is headed, where you're
going to see both the Giants and the Browns get
the two sure things in the draft and whatever order
they come off and Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter and
then it's but you know what, we still want to
be aggressive, will take our swing, but that guy is
going to be second to speak.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
And the Browns do have the two threes. They got
one from a Buffalo from Mari Cooper, which had the
time pell painful. It was kind of not waving the
white flag, but it was the surest sign that this
season is not going where you thought it was going
to go. But now with that extra three, you have
that ammunition. You also traded away the five for Kenny Pickett.
As for Jackson Dart, your comp for him, I think
(25:24):
would surprise some Browns fans. Your comp is and you're
not suggesting he's going to win a Super Bowl tomorrow,
but your comp's Jalen Hurts. Yeah, And I raised eyebrows
and I knew it would and I wasn't it. As
my son would say, it wasn't rage bait. It was
it was literally the comparison of a player in terms
(25:45):
of let's start with the body type, their strong, sturdy guys,
and then you look at guys who got better each
and every year that throughout their careers.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
I think you can look at the same thing there. Now,
obviously Hurts is a is a better athlete, but man
Jackson Dart ran for a bunch of yards in the
in the SEC and he can move around and do
things from that standpoint, and then maybe most of all
was the wiring. When you talk to people around both
of them, it was I don't want to say like
not you know, he's never going to fail, but it
(26:13):
was you can buy into the person. Like everybody talks
about how competitive they are, they're they're good leaders, they're
they're wired the right way. So you're betting on the
person as much as the player. That's where the comparison
came in for me.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Also, when you think about betting, if you were to
take Janalin Milroe, and honestly, I'm surprised he accepted the
invitation of Green Bay, But if you take Jayalen Milroe somewhere,
whether it's at thirty three or elsewhere, someone's going to
take them. Likely by the end of Friday, you're getting
that lottery ticket. DJ. What is Jalen Milroe's ceiling?
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I mean as a as a runner, he's got a
Lamar Jackson's ceiling. Like that's you know, different body type,
but that type of you know, this guy looks faster
than everybody else on the field. Speed like he's that's different.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
So I mean, I.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Guess you would have to say that's the that's the
ultimate ultimate man. He it all came together, it all
clicked for him, which sounds lofty. Uh, you know, a
guy who's won multiple MVPs, But that's if it all clicks,
you know. But he's not entering into this process nearly
as accomplished as Lamar Jackson was. But that's the that's
the dream, that's the goal.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
You surprised he went to Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, I don't know, you know, on that on that deal,
I don't know what the thought process is behind the
invitations on some of those where it's do you want
to have a couple guys hangover for day two, like
just to have somebody else to bring up on the podium.
It's a lot of names, Like you're saying seventeen, I
think they're what seventeen invites or something along those lines
like that's the odds are that somebody's not, you know,
(27:47):
going in the first round when you have that many
guys invited. So I I just don't know what the
you know, what the logic was? Are you asking me
what I will I be shocked if he's a first
round pick. Yes, I would be shocked if he's a
first round pick, but I've been shocked before.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Would you if you had to choose right now between
Jackson Dart and Tyler Shuck. Let's assume they're both there
at thirty three, what would you do?
Speaker 2 (28:11):
I would take Dart. And it's not the people say, oh,
it's just because he's younger or no. And I mean
the injuries, the injuries and the durability bother me more
with Shuck than the than the age does. And I'm
I'm going to always push back when people say, yeah,
they're freak injuries. Injuries are injuries to me. Even in
a draft room, you don't differentiate like there's guys get
(28:31):
hurt and they get hurt more often than other people,
and that's the problem. So that's what concerns me there now.
He is big, he's got a strong arm, he's.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
A good athlete.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
There are tools the age I don't really care about.
I can understand why teams would would have him over Dart.
For me, I just think Jackson Dart is still on
that climb, still on that ascent, and I just feel
like I've got a guy who I've seen get the
absolute credit kicked out of him and get back up.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
So I hate to use the phrase hot take because
that's not what I try to do. But the one
thing that I get pushed back from when I put
this on social media, and I'm not trying to make
some bold prediction. I'm not gonna like do a victory
lap if I'm right. I honestly don't care if I'm right,
but I know you kind of are of like mine.
But it's the opinion that Jackson Dark could go before
(29:16):
Shadoor Sanders nine days out, DJ, what do you think
the odds of that happening.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Are fifty to fifty.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
I mean, I think there's a legit possibility that he
ends up going ahead of Shdor Sanders, So you know
that's from just talking to different teams. And that's the
other thing is like, look, it only takes one team.
That's the answer to the question if you want to
take the easy way out, is that, yeah, you cant
have thirty one teams feel one way. If the one
team feels the other way and they pick them, then
that does it. I'm just telling you there are numerous
(29:46):
teams that have him over Shado or Sanders, so I
can't be surprised if that's the way that this ends
up falling when it all goes down, I have Shador
over him on my list, but I would say it's
a coin flip.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Talking to Janel's am, I here, how many running backs
go Thursday three three? Do you think Traveon's there at
thirty three for the Brons?
Speaker 2 (30:06):
I don't. I don't. It's it's very similar to the
Jamiir Gibbs draft where everybody liked Jamiir Gibbs and everybody
and and I read it as everybody likes him. Everybody
likes him, but you know, nobody's committed that they would
take him, you know, super high. But everybody likes him.
And then the Lesson is usually when everybody likes him,
(30:27):
somebody's gonna get some courage and go ahead and just
do it. And for someone that has the value that
he does as a home run hitter, and someone that's
unbelievable is you know, as a pass protector and catch
the ball. Everybody's trying to find the mismatch players.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Sean Payton notoriously came out and said he wants to
find his joker.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
In the draft.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And that's what this guy is. He's a mismatch player
and a draft that's not real sexy. It's a hard
you know, it's it's not hard to see teams fall
in love with this kid.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Well, the other thing too with him is and you
know this with rookie running backs, any coach will ask you,
can I trust my rookie running back on third day?
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Right?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Can I trust him? In pass pro? Traveon Henderson isn't
just good at pass protection, like he is a violent
pass protector.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Yeah, he's a I use the phrase I wrote it
in my notes, which I'd never done before. It's like
there's a matrix quality to his pass protection. Whereas when
he hits guys, you see the slow motion armed flailing
up in the air because he buckles people and he's
one of the best pass protecting running backs I've evaluated period,
Like he's outstanding in that department.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
All right, two things left here and we appreciate your time.
Number One, what is the biggest surprise to come from
Thursday night? Like, if you had to write your NFL
dot com headline for Friday morning, other than the obvious
where the quarterbacks go? Or maybe maybe that's the headline.
I don't know, but like, what's the wow moment? If
there is one?
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Gosh, the wow moment, that's why it's a wow moment. Right,
They're hard to predict what the wow that's gonna be. Well,
I'll say this selfishly knowing that they won't do it,
but I'd love to see the Cowboys just do something interesting.
You've been so boring. I know they've had their winning years,
(32:12):
and I know we all joke about it, and you have,
I have, everybody has about Gosh, we just talked about
the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Why are we like.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
We're gonna have to talk about him anyways? So how
about do something interesting for once, Like let's see them
be aggressive and go up and make some Splash in
the draft. Whether that's trying to maybe move up a
few spots for Ash and Gent to bring him into
the mix, I don't know what it looks like, but
I just know we're gonna talk about the Cowboys. It
would be sure. It would be friendly of them to
give us something fun to talk about.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
They're picking twelve.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
We are contractually obligated, yes night, we actually are. We're
contractually obligated to discuss the Dallas Cowboys. And then, finally,
because I believe Anchorman was filmed in San Diego, right
where you sit right now, If you kiper Matt Miller,
Field Yate, Stane Brugler, if you guys all met in
(33:01):
a back alley, would anyone would anyone kill a man
or the trident? And if so, who oh? I wouldn't
trust Field Yates? Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2 (33:12):
First of all, he's in phenomenal shape.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Start there.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
The guy is in great shape, and he used to
be a bigger guy, so he's got bigger guy muscles,
but he's leaned up, so I think he could fight
all day long. And I just think that everything's I
love Field. He's the nicest guy in the world. There's
some deep rooted anger in there, and I think he's
suppressed it for a long period of time. And I'm
telling you you don't want to be around when that
comes out.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
And he's got the fantastic hair. Now he's grown out
the hair for draft season.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
It's not moving. He'll just have splashes of the rest
of our blood on him and his hair will not
have moved.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
Almost like our dear friend Charles Davis. Maybe I should
have put him in there as well. And you and
I both agree he is the nicest man on earth.
He is America's But also there's an angry Chuck in there.
That's what I'm getting.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Chuck in there.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
There's angry Chuck in there. And when you see evil
Chuck come out, you best get out of the way.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah, And I think just out of respect Kuyper, they'd
leave Kuiper alive. Like nobody's messing with mel like appreciate
we all have our gigs because of you, So hands off, man,
you just get sit a sandwich and watch the rest
of us doke it out over here.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
There is a show, and it will be a show
on Thursday night next week in Green Bay. Daniel Jeremiah
will be there hopefully with puppies by Saturday, but with
Ridge Eason undoubt on Thursday, Friday and Saturday all day
long for the NFL Draft twenty twenty five edition. Please
watch on NFL Networking. You're gonna be an ESPN this
week as well, doing all that. Love you man, glad
(34:36):
we did this, break a leg.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
You're the best, brother, Love you man.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
He's the best, all right, Give me a lot to
unpack there. Number one, It certainly seems that Daniel Jeremiah
is leaning towards making Travis Hunter his number one overall player,
which would be nice. He also has a Heisman Trophy,
which is also nice. But of all the awards on
his shelf, DJ's number one in his top fifty is
probably the best honter wide receiver or corner. The answer
(35:02):
is yes both. He also told NFL Network or former
NFL Network Research in turn, Garrett Total, who now writes
for CBS, that if he can't play both ways, he
basically wants to quit. By the way, I'm happy for Garrett.
I love the kid. The Browns would play him at
(35:22):
both at this point. There isn't a team that would
say we're not going to play you at both. The
Browns would play them at both, and Andrew Barry has said
if you go back to the combine, they see him
primarily as a wide receiver, which is good because they
need him primarily as a rookie as a wide receiver. Remember,
(35:43):
Martin Emerson is up for a contract extension. He was
not a first round pick. This is going to be
a year number four. Greg Newsom is in year five
of his initial rookie first round deal. He's on the
fifth year option. So there is potential at corner maybe
in two years, but this year give a I am
fine with him as a wide receiver moonlighting as a corner.
(36:05):
Although I know, and I've made this point too, it's
kind of easier the other way around.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
Yeah, I mean Gerrod was on Cleveland Browns Daily or
the earlier this week, Brown's analyst, sideline reporter, guy that's
played some corner in his day, and he said it.
Charles Davis was also on Cleveland Browns Daily this week
and kind of said the same thing. The most impact
that Hunter can have is definitely wide receiver, especially for
(36:33):
this football team. The greatest impact he can have his
wide receiver. It's is it an easier endeavor than corner probably,
but as Gerard said, technique matters at corner like and
you need reps upon reps and upon reps. And he
said having to divide reps between wide receiver and corner
(36:55):
could actually hurt his development as a corner in the
National Football League because you're taking away some of the
valuable things that you know, he needs to know. It's
a lot of level. It's a lot, man.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I mean, he averaged eleven hundred snaps a year the
last two years for Colorado. I don't think that's gonna happen.
He's gonna play both ways at the Browns take him.
And by the way, we're not we're not telling you
that we already know the pick. My gut tells me
that's the pick, because that is the collective, that is
the group think right now in the draft o sphere.
All right, that's what I believe. If it's Abdul Carter,
(37:29):
I'll be happy as well. I've kind of built myself up. However,
did Travis Hunter. Matt Harmon, who I respect a lot,
does does great work. Check him out his YouTube page,
check him out on Twitter. He primarily focuses on wide receivers,
you know, getting off the line versus certain coverage separation
(37:50):
at the top of the route. Things like that, as
at all all kinds of numbers, said that looking at
Travis Hunter the last two years, his get off off
the line, his operation against Pressman is the best he's seen.
Basically the comp is obj I mean that's saying a lot.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Well and then throwing mel Kiper earlier this week on
ESPN Cleveland saying Travis Hunter's got my highest draft rates
since John Elway. Great.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
I mean, so John Elway ruined my childhood. Here's the thing,
Travis Hunters face. Yes, Travis Hunter would enrich my adulthood.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
How about this? I like, I like that, Yeah, because
he ruined he ruined both.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I once told John Elway and he really didn't know
me from Adam at this point, very young in my career,
I was at a at an event at the Super
Bowl and I bellied up to the bar to order
a drink and he was right there. We had a
mutual friend. I dropped that mutual friend's name. He really
seemed unimpressed, and then I said, as he may have
told you, you ruined my childhood, and he was like,
all right, took.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
His beer and left. That sounds about right for him.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Since we've connected. He's a nice enough guy. I have
no personal animus, but he ruined my childhood. Yeah one
ruined my child did yep? And Rich Carlos missed the kick,
Yeah you did.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
But I mean that this is the praise that's being
thrown upon him, and Abduall Carter's got a lot of
praise as well. I don't I don't want to short
change Abduall Carter because clearly he is a top level
talent and there's a reason why he's been number one
on Daniel Jeremiah's Top fifty board for most, if not all,
of the draft process. He's a great player. I just
(39:43):
think for what we need, Travis Hunter makes the most
sense totally.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
And there's a difference between drafting for need and drafting
the best player available. Obviously, this is the best podcast
available you you understand the whole concept. Taking Travis Hunter
over Abdul Carter is not drafting for need. It is
taking the best player available. And the rankings with Carter
(40:09):
and Hunter have been pretty much identical from everyone who
does this. As DJ said, he is not only wide
receiver one he is cornerback one. I mean, it's an
embarrassment of riches. It's on you and on your building
to figure out how to handle it. And don't please
(40:29):
misread anyone listening. What Hunter said is kind of a
veiled threat to teams. You have to play me both. No, no, no, okay.
The guy's a good kid. He truly truly your draft
for character drafting Travis Hunter for character is a great pick,
just my opinion. And he's also really good at football,
(40:52):
really good at football. Bit and that's a win win. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, So.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Who knows. I don't know what will happen next week
when we kick off this podcast. Maybe everything changes over
the next five days.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Well, let's lay out between now and then real quick
on Thursday, and we're recording this on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Andrew Berry is going to speak. It is his typical
pre draft presser. Almost every team does this, as you've
seen them trickle in during the week. There aren't many headlines.
Vrabel did one in New England rather than Elliott Wolf
(41:30):
claimed he didn't know what the Titans or Browns who
were doing the Browns probably the Titans. There's no way
obviously he doesn't know what they are doing. The one
in Carolina is interesting. Dan Morgan wouldn't comment on whether
or not they would pick up a fifth year option
on left tackle Ikiakwanu. Those are due May first. I mean,
(41:50):
that's really just I think draft lying season here. Why
tell anyone they're picking eight right ahead of the Saints.
Let people guess they're in a great position with news
of the Derek Carr injury. And then there's the Miami presser,
which got contentious with Jalen Ramsey, with Tyreek Hill, with
whatever they were asked whether or not they're going to rebuild.
(42:11):
I mean, it got ugly. I do not expect any
major headline out of Andrew Barry's presser. And that's not
a knock on him. It's simply the fact that he
is known, and this is a compliment to hold his
cards close to his vest.
Speaker 3 (42:27):
Well. And I think you're not gonna get anything draft
wise that we're not going to talk about it, and
you're gonna have a thirty minute presser, but you could
get a nugget or two based on you know, is
someone going to ask him about Greg Newsom yep? And that,
and you know the option years or you know, an extension,
(42:48):
an extension for MJ you know some of these other guys.
You know, I'm sure he's gonna get in a jub question.
So I mean that it's probably gonna be more about
the current roster and NFL free agency than it is
learning anything really about the draft.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And then the players are back in the building next
week for the first stage to the offseason program that
there's no football, nothing like that. It's all lifting weights
and working out. But they're back of the building and
Kevin Stefanski will have a presser pre draft next Wednesday,
last week or next week as well. Yours truly will
(43:25):
be there at the Cross Country Mortgage campus handing out
Hawaiian T shirts with the words We're not here to
hang out on them.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
I love it, I love it, love it. You know
I need a big one. I need a large one.
And then you, as philis said, I needed to run.
I need to take a phage off of your book
and do a little running myself.
Speaker 1 (43:44):
You texted how's your chess game? As well?
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Well. I don't know if you've seen it, but Abdull
Carter beats Stefanski in chess.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
When you know I missed that.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
Oh yes, that's why I said, how's your chess game?
Coach Kevin Stefanski doesn't lose at chess very much. He
is an esteem chess player. I did not Bill Carr
beat him in his visit here.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Hold on, do we think Stefanski took a dive?
Speaker 3 (44:14):
I don't see coach taking a dive. I don't think
he's that guy.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
I think he's I mean, you build up the young
players here ingratiating yourself to the potential second overall pick,
just saying they went to rival high schools.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Could he stomach that?
Speaker 3 (44:32):
I don't know. I don't see coach allowing someone.
Speaker 1 (44:36):
Just to who would win. Stefanski and Amari Cooper back
in the day.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
They it was very competitive. A got him once or twice.
I know coach got his fair share of victories as well.
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Has coach ever played Stephen Kwan? I don't have an
answer for you, because good Stephen Kuan is. I don't
want to say he's elite. I think you can he's
He's damn good. That's a charity events defans against Stephen
Kwan for.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
Coaches foundation to watch them play chess.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
I've never called play by play on chess. Let's do it,
Let's do it. I like you, all right, all right,
I like it as well. This is another rambling edition
of the best podcast available. Thank you to Daniel Jeremiah.
Coming up next week, it is finally mercifully Draft week
and we'll be joining you live from the Cross Country
(45:37):
Mortgage Campus Live debatable, but cross Country Mortgage Campus not
enjoy your final weekend before the draft festivities for Jason Gibbs.
My name is Andrews Siciliano.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
So long.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com