Big Blue Kickoff Live 4/4 | Michigan Prospects

Paul Dottino and Matt Citak chat with Sam Webb, Host of the Michigan Insider, about all of the Michigan prospects declared for the draft, and the guys take calls from fans.

:00 - Mason Graham

12:20 - More Michigan defensive prospects

23:40 - Michigan offensive prospects

37:00 - Takeaways

42:30 - Calls

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The dude, it's time for a Big Blue Kickoff line.
Nobody can ever tell you that you couldn't do it
because you're on Giants dot Com.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
You what I saw New York Giant Prime and.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
The Giants Mobile at seventeen.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Fourteen, the Final one tundown. We are We're all taffy.
What they didn't well.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Happen out of the Giants podcast network.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
That's going on the Dogs An Welcome to Friday's edition
of Big Blue Kickoff Live, presented by Cadillac, the official
luxury vehicle of the New York Football Giants. So glad
you could join us for the next hour. He's Matt
Sietech on pol Tatino and on this program in addition
to taking your calls at two oh one, nine three
nine four to three uh four? What number is it again?

(00:46):
Four five one three two one nine three nine four five.
I am so excited. We're talking Michigan today, folks. Mason Graham,
Mason Graham. We're finally gonna get a chance to talk
about Mason gram today.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Because we haven't ever talked about him before.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Matt and I are the two biggest fans of Mason
Graham on this broadcast. Team. You guys know that already,
but we're gonna get a real chance to do that.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Of course, you also.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Need to know that we are talking to you from
the Giants Podcast Studio presented by Hackensack Meridian Health Keep
getting Better. Without any further ado, We're not gonna be
the ones necessarily to talk about Mason Graham. We're gonna
have an expert to talk about the one and only
defensive tackle from the Michigan Wolverines. Sam Web is host

(01:31):
of The Michigan Insider on WTKA Radio. He's also publisher
of The Michigan Insider on twenty four to seven Sports. Pearson,
he's ready to go.

Speaker 3 (01:45):
I don't think his number was in the document, so
just give me a minute here.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh okay, we'll just talk about Mason.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Then that is known as a fumble. Okay, delay of
game on us. We're gonna go back to the huddle.
We're gonna reave and set the play, and then we're
gonna bring Sam Web up. Now, what's interesting to me,
Matt and I don't know if you saw this. You
know land Zier Line from NFL dot Com, who does

(02:13):
a tremendous job every year of doing all the previews
for NFL dot Com leading into the draft. He's one
of half a dozen or so awesome draft people who
I have a great deal of respect for a lot
of these guys are underlings, but there's a half a
dozen or so that are really great guys. You know
who they are because we have him on the program

(02:33):
all the time. Lance we always talked to with the Combine.
I couldn't believe, could not believe when I saw that
on his Michigan page, land Zerline has Mason Graham as
his third rated Michigan Wolverine prospect. I'm not talking third
rated player in the draft. I'm talking third player on Michigan.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Wow. Yeah, it's kind of crazy.

Speaker 4 (03:01):
I mean they you look at the prospects that the
Wolverines have in this year's draft, they're good.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
They do have three potentially four first round picks.

Speaker 4 (03:10):
But yeah, I was very surprised to see that too,
because Mason Graham seems likely to be a top what five,
pick seven pick at at the worst, like, so that
was a little surprising to see as well.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
I noticed that this morning.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
Blew my mind. Yeah, you know, because I always like
to take a look at what Lance has before we
come on to the program, and when I saw it
this morning, I was like, something's wrong.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
Wait, I had to refresh the page.

Speaker 4 (03:36):
I think maybe that just speaks a little bit more
towards the two guys. He has a head of Graham
than Graham, you know, as a negative towards Graham.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
That's kind of how I looked at it. The other
two guys above him on.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
Zero lines rankings, you know, are also you know, top
probably fifteen.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
I don't disagree with that picks, but come on, I'm
with you.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
I know I was shocked.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Sam Web, host of The Michigan Insider, our WTKA Radio
and publisher of The Michigan Insider on twenty four to
seven Sports, Sam, I cannot tell you how much Matt
and I have been looking forward to this show because,
as I've said to our viewers, we are the two
biggest Mason Graham fans on this broadcast team. So I'm

(04:20):
going to ask you two questions, and I want you
to start your spot by answering these two questions. Number One,
why are we right to feel that way that right
under Hunter and Carter, he's the third best player in
this draft period, end of story, regardless of position, and
then I want to ask you to pick him apart

(04:41):
and tell us why we may be a little bit
overstating the case for this great defensive tackle.

Speaker 5 (04:48):
Well, BTHLA, I'm glad to be back for I don't
think you guys are oversat. I can't make the case
for you guys overstating it. I think that Mason Graham
is a wrecking ball in the middle of the defensive line.
I first watched him play in high school and his

(05:10):
team was playing Modern Day and I was just shocked
watching them, because you know, most of these guys, these
these big time guys, and you got to understand that
Mason then started out as this highly ranked recruiting Mason
was committed to like Boise State. He was under underrated, underrecruited,

(05:30):
under the radar, which was one of the things that
I couldn't understand, being a California guy. But he was
under the radar, and he just made them pay attention
to him because he was He was like on this
sacked tear in the state of California where he was
just killing everybody. So I flew out to see him
and I watched him in this game, and so I'm

(05:52):
expecting to just watch this guy on a defensive line
just doing this thing against modern day there was the
number one team in the country. And so I'm watching
him on the defensive line and just sure enough he's
doing this thing. And then I watched the guy run
out on special teams. Then I watched him play every
snap on the offensive line, and then he's on kickoff

(06:13):
and I was like, wait, wait a minute. This guy
plays every special team and he plays offensive line, and
he has a motor on the defensive line that is
un real, Like this guy is like a video game.
He just it just just doesn't happen. And how does
a guy like this go under recruited? And so you know,

(06:36):
Michigan had done a great job of scouting because they
got on him at a point where before USC really
realized the error. So by the time they got him
and they got him committed, USC tried to come back
around and get him and he was he was already
entrenched because the USC had passed on him. So look,

(06:56):
the guy has it all. He plays with extreme power
and attitude. You wonder about a guy who is that big.
I know, he weighed into like two ninety five or
two ninety seven at the combine looking Mason can play
it as easily at three fifteen or three twenty.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
If you want to be what does he play?

Speaker 2 (07:18):
What sushi?

Speaker 6 (07:19):
Do you?

Speaker 5 (07:20):
I think he can. He can play where you want
him to play. You said, what does he play it?
What do you want him to play? That's what Mason
plays at.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
Because I thought some people mentioned to me they thought
he was a little light at the combine.

Speaker 5 (07:32):
He was training. He was training. If you want Mason
to be three oh five, he'll be three h five.
If you want to be three ten, it'll be three ten.
It's not it's just not a concern. It's just not
a concern. It's the least. And so the guy. He
he can two gap, he can be a three tech,
he can he can do whatever it is you want

(07:55):
Mason Graham to do. He can do. Watched him single
handedly destroy he like Ohio State wants no part of
Mason Graham. He might be the biggest reason why Ohio
State has the I can't beat Michigan national championship. That's

(08:15):
that's what they have. The only reason they have a
national championship is because they didn't have to play Michigan
to get it, and Bason Graham destroyed their offensive line.
Kenny Grant did too, but it was mostly Mason Graham.
It was just one of the most unbelievable displays of dominance.

(08:37):
If you pop on that tape that you will see
so he can rush the passer, he plays the run,
he plays his attitude, he and he plays every snap.
And that's the thing that you wondered about this past
year is with the snap count. Because Michigan has been
so good on the defensive line the past few years,

(08:59):
they were able to play those guys were playing like,
you know, thirty forty snaps a game. The National Championship year,
they didn't play that many snaps, right, they had a
bunch of guys right. Well, this past year wasn't like that.
They were playing huge snap counts and it didn't matter.
Mason Graham still balled out. So I just think he's

(09:19):
a can't miss guy. There's a cat if there's a
Camp Miss guy on this board, if you're putting down
camp Miss guys on the board, Mason Graham is absolutely
on that list.

Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (09:30):
I mean, Paul and I have, as he said, huge fans.
We've been hyping Mason Graham up for months. I'm just
going to keep my question very simple. Is there anything
that Mason Graham cannot do or really does need to
improve on?

Speaker 5 (09:44):
I just I've seen the guy do everything. I mean,
he's durable, he doesn't miss games. The only time he's
missed games when he broke bones, So you know he
can play hurt.

Speaker 7 (09:57):
You call it that.

Speaker 5 (09:58):
I mean they finally with the broken hand, he got
back on the field as soon as he could with
a club. In the first game back, he dominated. That
game might have been one of his best games with
the club. I mean, the guy really does it all.
And he's a great dude. So I can't say enough
really good things about Mason Graham. Family is great. Everything

(10:20):
about Mason is a selling point to me. Like he's
I think he's a canvas dude.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
All right, Well, we appreciate your thoughts and feelings on him,
But what about these teams that are up top in
the NFL draft order. Do you get the sense that
Cleveland may scap him up before the Giants do or
I mean we think that between the quarterbacks and Hunter
and Carter, he'll be the next one in line. But

(10:48):
because the qbs always get pushed up, right, you know,
he's probably gonna go somewhere in the top five. That's
what we think. Do you have a feeling are there
whispers out there who the lead candidate is to take Graham?

Speaker 5 (11:02):
So yeah, it really is highly dependent upon where the
quarterbacks are gonna go. Uh, you know, I think cam
Ward I think it's pretty the consensus is, you know
he's gonna go. Boy, how do you really feel about
your der Sanders and I you know, you got some
people who feel like he's absolutely a top five pick,

(11:23):
and then you have others who feel like, nah, that's
not really that soul. I think it's the big mystery.
I think that I'm like you guys, you know, have
dual Conndor, Travis Hunter, Mason, Graham. I actually think value wise,
proven player wise, I personally think those are your three

(11:43):
best players. But you know, quarterbacks value is always going
to be inflated. Sure, So if it's me, I think
that I think Mason makes it in the top five,
and it might not be through a team currently in
the top five, but it will be in the top five.

Speaker 6 (12:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (12:06):
No, I we definitely tend to agree. I can't imagine
he drops past the fifth pick. Whether that's Jacksonville or
as you mentioned, someone moving up to potentially take Mason.
I don't see him dropping out of the top five.
So I'm gonna ask you about one of the guys
you mentioned prior his you know, teammate up on the
defensive line, and Kenneth Grant. So Paul and I agree

(12:28):
that at number three, Mason Graham probably is not likely
to pick for the Giants just because of those other
guys you mentioned. So because of that, and I've said
this on the show with Paul, Kenneth grand might be
my ideal pick for the Giants in the second round
and number thirty four. The problem is, I don't think
he's gonna make it to thirty four. No, probably he's

(12:48):
not making it out of the first round. But it's
my ideal pick.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
I said.

Speaker 4 (12:52):
I think he would just be perfect playing alongside Dexter Lawrence.
You know, obviously he was fantastic against the run last year,
had the sack production as well, great size and athleticism.
So is it fair to say that I guess the
only or the big knock against Kenneth Grant would be
just that he maybe didn't show all of that dominance
like as consistent as consistent as teams I guess would

(13:14):
have liked to see.

Speaker 5 (13:17):
Yeah, I mean yeah, I would say so. He he
was a guy who didn't come in and didn't didn't
flash as soon as Mason. I mean Mason was a
starter as a freshman, you know, KG. It took him
a little while longer. I mean KG came in he
was three. They listed him at three forty. I think

(13:39):
that was I think they were being generous to him.
He had to get his weight down. Uh. And then
once they got his weight down and it was like, okay,
snackdount stamina could you could you play every snap? And
that wasn't really put to the test until this year.
But what you saw in flashes unbelievable athleticism for a

(14:01):
guy that big. He's so nimble and quick for a
guy that big. I mean he wasn't as he wasn't
as refined or polished as Mason, but he might be
as far as quickness is concerned, the size and equipments ratio,

(14:22):
he might be a little more nimble than Mason. That
if you want a play that really you know, kind
of brings into focus what I'm talking about. It was
in the twenty three season against Penn State k Trian Allen.
They're started running back. I don't know if you guys
have seen the highlight, but the guy he gets, he

(14:43):
breaks into the clear, he's out the gate. I mean
he's about to he's about to score a sixty yard touchdown.
And when I tell you, Ken, the Grant got on
this horse and he had to angle on him and
ran him down from about like from about like thirty
and ran him down from behind and got him. And

(15:04):
the analyst is like, oh, that's a big play by
Kate tron Allen, Like this is analyst needs to be
fired because he did not get he did not come
up what was best thing about that play? And he's
a three hundred and forty pound man running down Kate
tron Allen from mind, that is his highlight for that.
They're going to play on draft day right now for

(15:26):
Keidoth Grant. And if he can show he can play
every snap, he's going to be a first rounder. And
that's what he showed this past year. He can rush
on the interior. He played every snap. He showed durability.
He wasn't graft dominant as Mason, but he had dominant flashes.
I can think of a game against Maryland in the

(15:47):
National Championship year where he was really really good. He
was good against Ohio State this past year as well,
so he was good against big time competition. So I
think ken of the Grant is a guy that you're
going to see. I think his game is gonna grow
and you're gonna see him be better as his career
goes on. So his dominance I think is down the line.

(16:07):
I think with Mason you will see it right away.
With Kenda Grant, I think it's probably gonna be over time,
you'll see it escalate.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
Well.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
I think that's because Graham is much more energetic. You know,
you see the frenetic passion and energy and every move
he makes. With Grant, it's more just the huge, massive size,
power and athleticism. He's not as frenetic to me as
Graham along the line of scrimmage. But the only question
I have about Grant that I wanted you to address.

(16:37):
You mentioned his weight early on, is the weight fluctuation
another consideration as he matures and comes into the NFL,
because that could always be a touchy subject with some
of these big guys, especially guys who have surprising athleticism,
if they wind up having some weight troubles, that athleticism

(16:59):
goes away quickly.

Speaker 5 (17:00):
Yeah, it would be if he had weight troubles at Michigan.
His vables predated his time at Michigan. Once he got
to Michigan, his weight got under control. So I think
it was a matter of him getting in a strength
and conditioning program and having a being on a real regimen.
And you know, Michigan has strength and conditioning, they have
a dietician, and his weight was really never an issue

(17:24):
once he got here. They just had to kind of
show him the way, and once they did, it was
really disciplined about it. I mean, I think that was
one of the things that was one of the reasons
why his errow just kept going in the right direction,
was because his weight never became an issue where you

(17:47):
might have thought it would be based on how he
came in. So, I know, I get why you might
have a question about it, but certainly it wouldn't be
a question based on how things went in that hotam good.

Speaker 4 (18:01):
So moving to the other defensive prospect that's going to
get here. His name called pretty early the first night
of the draft, Will Johnson. Main question for me is
obviously he missed the last six games of the season
due to that turf toe injury, and then he had
to miss Michigan's Pro Day a couple of weeks ago
because of another hamstring injury. Now I know he has

(18:22):
a private workout scheduled for like a week or two
from now. From what you've heard, does it seem like
he is now healthy and you know, ready to go
for that workout or is there any sort of injury
concern there still?

Speaker 7 (18:34):
Yeah, So what my understanding of how things win? He
was you know, the.

Speaker 5 (18:39):
Turf toe kind of set everything back as far as
training was was really concerned to a point where when
he really started getting ready for the combine, he just
wasn't really ready from a full body standpoint, because you
have gone sure, would you have been your best?

Speaker 6 (18:58):
No?

Speaker 5 (18:58):
And I say, if you aren't going to perform your best,
don't do it. It's kind of the kind of the deal.
And same thing with the with the pro day. So
I think is as as far as I can tell
from what I've heard, I think the workout is gonna
is gonna go. I think what you what you have
to do with Will Johnson. If you're an NFL team,

(19:20):
is you gotta you gotta go game tape, god, do
your research, and you gotta not get fooled by just
this sample space of the past six seven months and
let that define who you think he is as a guy,
Because what I've seen from Will Johnson is a guy

(19:42):
that if you want to talk about, hey, he's hurt
all the time. I actually think one of the one
of his strongest attributes has been his ability to play
at a high level banged up like he He has
played at an exceptionally high level banged up. His performance
against Marvin Harrison Junior in the twenty three season, he's

(20:08):
banged up, and he played extremely well. His MVP performance
in the National Championship Game. He is banged up. I
think he think he said, I think he said he
played what seventy percent seventy eighty percent in those games
playing against those those first round draft pick receivers in
those two games. So to me, you know, I look

(20:31):
at it and I say, especially in NFL, you're going
to have your You're rarely are you going to be
once the season gets underway playing at one hundred percent clip?
Who are the guys that can play with the knicks
and the scrapes and the bumps and the bruises and
play at a high level. And Will Johnson has shown

(20:52):
to be one of those guys. Only when he had
an injury that you know, obviously took him off the field.
Was he a guy that you had to say, all right,
you know what, he can't really he couldn't really go
and that has not been the norm for him. So
I guess I'm just totally sold on him being a

(21:14):
big game guy. Came out of Michigan leading the leading
guy in history and pick sixes, the same school that
produced Charles Woodson War's number. He came in as a
five star guy war Charles Woodson's number. You would imagine
the pressure that you would have, the expectations that there
would be on you coming in, and he lives up

(21:36):
to every single.

Speaker 7 (21:37):
One of them.

Speaker 5 (21:37):
That just that's another thing that says to me, this
is a dude that can absolutely do it all. I
think he can run. I guess I'll be most curious
to see can he can he run in the fourth forest.
If there's a question, I think it's that. But he
clinks the game at a pro level, He prepares at
a pro level. He has prototypical size that six two plus,

(22:01):
really loosing the hips, great ball skills, and he is
a big gang player. When the lights of the brightest
and you need a big play, Will Johnson makes it.

Speaker 2 (22:11):
I'll tell you Sam. Before the season ended and it
looked like the Giants were going to be obviously in
the top ten, maybe somewhere in the top six or seven.
They wound up getting number three, But when they were
looking in that vicinity, I was saying to myself, I'd
be very happy with Will Johnson at six or seven.
And that's really how I felt. Then I started, you know,

(22:32):
I understood the injury. I'm like, Okay, I did see
some mistackles in some of his tape, and I wonder
if that's because, as you say, there were a lot
of games where he played well, he covered well, he
was around everything he was supposed to do. But maybe
he didn't finish off some of those tackles because he
was banged up. So maybe that actually should be viewed

(22:54):
as more of a plus in that he gave as
much as he gave even though he was hurt, and
less guy wouldn't have even been able.

Speaker 5 (23:01):
To do that, be able to be out there. Yeah,
because he is Will. Will is a tackler. I guess
one of the things that he brings to the table.

Speaker 2 (23:09):
He certainly he's good in support he comes downhill that
there's no question about that.

Speaker 7 (23:13):
That was there.

Speaker 5 (23:14):
There's a calculation. There's the calculus too when you play,
you know, you got to stay out there.

Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, I get it, absolutely, I get it.

Speaker 5 (23:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
That's why I'm glad you're clarifying this because I think
that background is important to note when you see some
of the mistackles to understand what you're saying about him
being being bounded and bruised.

Speaker 1 (23:35):
Right, Matt, uh Yeah.

Speaker 4 (23:37):
So let's go to the I guess the fourth first
round pick, a likely first round pick in Colston Loveland
tight end, So the other side of the ball. Obviously,
big talented pass catcher, had lot enjoyed plenty of success,
you know, the last two seasons at Michigan. His size
six foot five is great at two forty five. I
guess it's you know, a little bit on the leaner side.

(23:59):
So do you think he's capable of playing consistently as
a potential in line tight end in the NFL. Or
do you see him more as that you know, big
slot target X receiver type. Yeah.

Speaker 7 (24:12):
I mean, well he played at Michigan and so if
you're a tight end in Michigan, you got a block, right,
I do think, but that was a part of his
game that really had to progress.

Speaker 5 (24:23):
I think that he he heard that early in his
career because he is high school career. I mean, the guy,
he's from Idaho. He started out as a wide receiver
and he moved inside to tight end later in his
high school career because his body kept growing, and you know,
there was a realization that you're going to be bigger

(24:46):
and that you're going to be more unique as a
guy at tight end that with this kind of receiver ability,
and he explodes. I mean Alabama came in too Idaho
for instance, to recruit, and they offered him before miss did, right,
and so, uh, you know, Michigan gets them. And this
guy he's making he's making all of these plays in

(25:09):
spring ball and campus freshman year and it's like he's
gonna play right. He came in and he played right
away and was making big plays in his freshman campaign,
and you just knew that this was going to be
a guy. Can he be Can he be an in
line tight end in the National Football League? I'm convinced yes.
If you if you have any questions about that, it's

(25:32):
a matter of can a guy show you he can
be physical? Consider this that shoulder injury that has coast
in Loveland. He had to get surgery on it and
knocked him off from Ohio State game. He had been
playing with that for weeks. It just it got to

(25:52):
the point and by the time you got to o
Higo State, he just couldn't. He just couldn't anymore. He
went as long as he could go playing with that
injury for his team until he just literally could not
play with it anymore. You're doing all the banging and
you're and to think about him a receiver. He was
like Michigan, he was like, they're number one, two and

(26:14):
three receiver threat.

Speaker 7 (26:15):
Yeah, you think about that.

Speaker 5 (26:17):
So you're you're getting all the ball as a receiver.
You got a block on a team that's running the
ball eighty percent of the time. So canny block. I
mean that that ought to tell you're right there. I mean,
every play is a is a run play. When you're
on the field for the most part. So, Yes, he
can block. Coming out of Michigan. Yes, he is an

(26:37):
absolute beast catching the football, and you learn everything you
need to learn about him in terms of toughness and
attitude by this year. Fact that the mere fact that
he played all season with that shoulder like he did
last year.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, I see him as an H back in the
NFL more so than an inline tight end. I think
I think he's an H back, which means you can
get him on the move and line them up.

Speaker 1 (27:00):
I think, yeah, I think that's where you telling.

Speaker 5 (27:03):
I'm sure if you think that's all he is.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
No, No, I think that's he could. That's probably I
think that projects as his best usage coming out. That's
what I think. But hey, you saw more than I did.

Speaker 5 (27:15):
Yeah he could. I think I think he absolutely could
be a front line inline guy. Okay, if a team,
if a team puts him there, and now, if you're a
team that has another tight end that is your main
guy and you want to have Coaston come in and
be a bag back, more power to you. But I

(27:37):
don't think you drafted him in the first round of
you that right?

Speaker 1 (27:41):
Right? All right?

Speaker 2 (27:42):
I got two third day guys. You know, probably third day, guys,
I'm not sure. I'm not as I'm not real high
on Josiah Stewart as some other people are. I think
the length is a big problem for me, you know.
But but I am really really high on Khloe Mullings.

(28:02):
You're running back. He reminds me a lot of Rashad Jennings,
who wound up finishing his career with the Giants, former
Raider and former Jaguar. I think Mullings, if the Giants
can't get an Oli Gordon or a Scataboo earlier in
the draft, and they got to wait to the third
day and wait till maybe the fifth round, I got
a feeling that because Mullings only had one year of

(28:25):
big time production at Michigan his last year, I got
a feeling he's going to be a sleeper and he's
going to be sitting there in the fifth round, and
if the Giants haven't picked up a big power back
by that point, this guy's a downhill runner that I'd
love to get my hands on. How much do you
see upside in him given that he only had one

(28:45):
year really as a primary ball carrier?

Speaker 5 (28:49):
Son of things, I think that you're very observant with
to lele to Leo, I think is I've been saying
he's not just going to make some some team. I
think he's going to be a part of some team's
running back rotation. He has really really good seat, great

(29:12):
contact balance as well, and so you know he runs
through contact with routinely. He runs through contact and his
vision I think is very surprising to a lot of people,
given he started out his career at Michigan as a
Linebackers like, where does this come from? For a guy

(29:34):
like this? So he's a high running back to some
schools recruited him as a running back, and I think
it took him a minute to sort of find it. Obviously,
it took him a minute to find his way about
what his best position was at Michigan wound up being
running back, and I think, you know, in an odd
sort of way, it's going to work to his advantage.

(29:55):
He doesn't have as much tread on his tires as
a running back, which tends to try of depressed guys
and their values. So some team is going to get
a steal late with a back that doesn't have a
lot of carries on his on his on his on
his body, a guy who is going to get the
tough yards, but but to run some I think he

(30:18):
runs the legit and legit four five as well, can
catch the football a little bit. Is a tremendous blocker
and one of the thing that you really the most
underrated attributes for Khalil Mullings his steat and his vision,
or for a big back, for a guy who you
think will be a tough yardish back, he is nimble

(30:41):
and he will find the hole. So that's a great
late round pickup ask For Josiah Stewart, Yeah, people are
going to be down on him because of his size,
and I think that is going to lead to some
team getting steal from him. I just this is a
guy who if you put him in the right situation,

(31:05):
which is often the situation I'm talking about, is often
the deal for most of these NFL teams. Most of
these NFL teams, the good ones anyway, have a rotation,
and I think I think Josiah Stewart, you need to
put him in a in a sort of an edge
rotation where his snap count is to the point where

(31:26):
you aren't wearing him out. And that's what I would
worry about most with Josiah Stewart because I think the guy,
what about six to one, two fifty is he is?
He is a dude that can be in spot. He
can wreck he be. He can wreck a team in spots,

(31:51):
and I've seen him do it. He can wreck a
team in spots the way that we've seen Mason Graham
wreck teams. Go back and look at the Alabama game
and the Rose ball and look in see who was
wrecking that out. The first round pick out of Alabama.
The offensive line of his name escapes me. Josiahs thruit
bench pressed on the game that the play that ended

(32:12):
the game, Josiahs threw a bench pressed that guy into
the backfield and into the ball carrier to end the game.
That guy was a first round pick last year. I
was like, they clearly didn't show this tape to whoever
picked him because it was unbelievable. It was an unbelievable

(32:34):
play with the game on the line. His speed to
power move is like, that's how you teach it. He
plays a great leverage, great power, and explosion. He has
all the moves. What you worry about with him is
you know, can't if you were to ask him to
play like every snap. Is it going to be that?

(32:55):
That's why I say it needs to be a part
of a rotation. If you put him as part of
a rotation, I think you get that. If you make
it be every single snap every game, I don't know
if you get it to that level, that would be
my concern.

Speaker 4 (33:10):
Okay, and last one for me. We touched on one
of the running backs and Khalil Mullings. Obviously there's another
one who could go sometime on Day three, Donovan Edwards.
I guess, just real quick, how does Donovan Edwards game
differentiate from Khalil Mullings And what do you think Edwards's
ceiling is in the NFL?

Speaker 5 (33:29):
Totally different guy, Donovan Edwards. I think if you look
at him last year, I think he put on about
ten to fifteen pounds to be more of a bell
Kyle back. That's not him. I think Donovan needs to
play at about two hundred pounds, and you know he
is more of that. He's more of that pass catching

(33:49):
back out of the backfield, that big playback out of backfield.
He is a He's a guy that's gonna if you
if he finds a crease, he's gonna go ninety. He
has game break speed and game breaking ability. He has
wide receiver skills as a running back spot, you know,
he's not meant to be a guy who's carrying the
ball at two hundred and fifteen to two hundred and
twenty pounds like he tried to be last year. So again,

(34:14):
I think if a team kind of goes back and
looks at his tape over his first couple of years
and watches when they had an offensive coordinator that actually
threw them the ball. They didn't have a coordinator that
did that last year. You see the best of Donovan
networks and you see how a team, you know, like
the New Orleans Saints, you slide him into that role.

(34:36):
With the New Orleans Saints, you would have that Dynaman
Edwards who would be great in that kind of role
on a team like that.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
All right, final thing, real fast, Sam, give me ten
seconds on this guy before we let you go. Miles
Hinton the offensive tackle his obviously his pop, Chris Hinton,
was a multi time Pro Bowl player in the NFL
with the Colts and the Falcons.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
We know that.

Speaker 2 (34:59):
So the pedigree there, the size, the frame, the length
and over thirty four inch arms, the wingspan ridiculous. But
you know, he's right now a late third day guy,
so he's obviously going to need some coaching up. But
as a flyer with a guy who's got that kind
of size and traits, I'm going to suspect that someone's
going to take a stab at him.

Speaker 5 (35:21):
Yeah, I think that's the thing that you're looking at.
You're looking at his pedigree, you're looking at his size
that you can't teach, you know, I think that he
has he has some things that you can that you
can work with, being that he can play on either
side of the offensive line.

Speaker 7 (35:37):
So you like that.

Speaker 5 (35:38):
You just want to see it. You want to see
it every snap. You want to see it. You want
to see the durability piece of it as well. But
if you get those things, there's a chance that Milestonton
could be a guy that is a lineman that winds
up being part of a rotation on an offensive line
of a backup lineman. Maybe in time, I'm even a

(36:00):
starting lineman down the line in his pro career.

Speaker 1 (36:04):
All right.

Speaker 2 (36:05):
That is Sam Webb from the publisher of The Michigan
Insider on twenty four to seven Sports, Sam, where can
people find your stuff before we shun you on your way.

Speaker 5 (36:14):
You can find me on the Michigan Insider dot com.

Speaker 2 (36:17):
Great Sam, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.
And uh, you know, whatever happens, whatever happens. You know
there are two guys here in East Rutherford who absolutely
love Mason Graham.

Speaker 5 (36:31):
Well, hey, listen, all of East Rutherford will love Mason
gram if be drafted, I guarantee you your guys. Just
tell you if you guys gotta line into the front
office the GM he wants to make a can't miss move,
he will guarantee you do. You have a big time.

Speaker 2 (36:50):
Teas all right, Sam, take care and joy.

Speaker 1 (36:52):
Thank you, Sam, Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (36:54):
Wow, real detail, really good stuff, really really good stuff.

Speaker 1 (36:58):
A lot of guys to talk about from Michigan.

Speaker 2 (37:00):
And you know, it's so hard because when you fall
in love with literally a half a dozen prospects or
so from one school, you know, and you know that
the odds are you're not going to be able to
get maybe more than one of them because of where
you are in the draft. You set it right off
the top. They're not gonna get grant at the top
of the second round. They could take Mason Grant at three,

(37:23):
but that's probably too rich when you consider Hunter and
Carter might be there, so already you wipe them off
the board. John's not gonna be there. It's not gonna
be there, and you can't pick either one of those
guys at three, so you know they're none. It hurt
me so much, and I'm folks, it's not like I'm

(37:43):
a Michigan Wolverine ruder or anything. It's just that these
guys are really fun guys to watch. They're really really good,
and you'd love to get your hands on them. And
then you realize, based on the Giants real estate, it's
not gonna happen.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
No, not the top four guys.

Speaker 4 (38:02):
But I mean when it comes to Josiah Stewart, the
two running backs, and then Miles Hinton, there's a chance
on day three for any of those guys.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
Again, I'm a scatterbu guy, I'm an Olie Horton guy.
I love those guys as my power back. But but Mullings,
I got no hesitation in taking him, and I think
you can get him around later.

Speaker 6 (38:26):
You know.

Speaker 2 (38:26):
Then then Gordon or Scatiboul, you could probably get him
around later because his overall production in college wasn't there.
He didn't start a whole bunch of games till last year.
You could probably get him later. Yeah, I'd be fine
with that.

Speaker 4 (38:40):
And it, you know, it helps in terms of potentially
getting him a little bit later. It helps that there
are just so many good running backs in this draft
who have numbers, who have numbers. I mean again, there's
at least two, maybe three running backs gonna go to
the first round. I mean, Ashton, Genty, Omari, and Hampton
are first round picks.

Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, who knows between.

Speaker 4 (39:01):
You know, Caleb Johnson, Quin Shawn Jenkins, Trayvon Henderson.

Speaker 5 (39:05):
All.

Speaker 4 (39:05):
It takes one team to fall in love with a guy,
and all of a sudden there's three first round running backs.
But those three guys I mentioned are for sure going
sometime on Day two at the latest. And that's already
what five running backs and we haven't even gotten into it.
I mean, there's a whole list I've written about this
on giants dot Com that I don't know if I
don't think this year the running back class is gonna

(39:26):
break the record for most running backs taken in a draft,
but I do think it will be the most running
backs taken in a draft in a long time, in
like twenty plus years. It's gonna come close to reaching
that record number this year because there's just so much
talent that it's gonna push guys further and further into
the draft. There are teams that are gonna take a
running back on Day three, that will be getting starting.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
Running backs on the third day of the draft.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
Wells. As I've said so many times before on this program,
there were so many fellas in that spot who have
them make it great. A lot different than saying they're
gonna be blue chippers or they're gonna be consecutive year starters.
That's different than saying, hey, this guy can make it
in the league. He belongs on a fifty three. There's

(40:12):
a slow of them.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
Oh yeah, it's one of the low of us. One
of the deepest positions.

Speaker 4 (40:16):
You know, we spent a lot of time talking about
defensive tackle and Ed Rusher. I would say running back
is just as deep in this draft as those two.

Speaker 2 (40:23):
And the beauty of this is okay, if you're the Giants.
And again my philosophy is always I'd like to have
one bully in my running back room. One guy who's
just downhill, hard nosed, you know, who's got the snop
bubbles coming.

Speaker 1 (40:38):
Out of his nose.

Speaker 2 (40:39):
I mean, I just want that one guy who's just
forget about what it looks like. I don't care about
the fanciness. I don't care about the speed, I don't
care about the jukes. This is a guy who's just
gonna ram it up in there and and he's gonna
he's gonna hurt some people, you know, He's just gonna
break tackles and push the pile. I want one of
those guys in my back's room every time. I don't

(41:02):
think the Giants have one right now. With all the
respect to Singletary, he's not that guy.

Speaker 4 (41:07):
No, He's like Singletary is like a I like to
describe him as like a little bowling ball, Like he
is bowling ball size.

Speaker 1 (41:14):
He's not.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
He's not that like a bowl that a bowling ball.

Speaker 4 (41:20):
He's got some stocky to him though, for sure. All right,
But I do think the Giants, you know, could take
a chance and add you know, a potential Day three
pick to the running back room and at least create
some competition for you know, the Eric Gray Dante Millers
that are currently in the room.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
You know, it never hurts to add more talent to
a room like that.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
And most teams today, when they're looking for a running back,
they're looking for the guy who's got some speed and
some quicks and a guy who can catch passes. They
want the multi dimensional stuff. I think the Giants have
guys right now on this team.

Speaker 1 (41:55):
Oh yeah, Tyron Tracy can do it all so already.

Speaker 2 (41:58):
So for me, my missing component is probably the traits
that many teams are not going to be looking for.
So when you get a guy like this who was
just a down and dirty, blue collar, downhill runner just
wants to force his way forward for a couple of yards,
a lot of teams are not going to look at
him and say, oh whatever, yeah, just throw him.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
To the side.

Speaker 2 (42:21):
I think you can get a real steal by getting
great value with him later on in the draft. I
really believe that I'm with you all right. Two o
one nine three nine four five one three Pierson, I
remember the number this time? How about? I was just
so overcome with excitement the fact that we were going
to get a chance to talk about Mason Graham. We
needed a third voice, a voice from Michigan who had

(42:42):
eyewitness accounts of this man live and in person, to
be able to expand on all of the wonderful things
we said about Mason Gram.

Speaker 4 (42:50):
I wanted to get Dance Allamon on to talk about
some Michigan prospects, but unfortunately he declined the invite.

Speaker 2 (42:56):
Today, you need to go upstairs to this show and
make sure you place some of that back for him
on the computer.

Speaker 4 (43:04):
He does love Mason Grab, He's right up there without
being a big Mason Grain fan.

Speaker 2 (43:08):
But the part where Sam said he just destroyed all.

Speaker 4 (43:12):
That part, I don't think. I don't think Dan would
like that part too much. Dan block that game out
of his mouth.

Speaker 2 (43:17):
Make sure he hasn't eaten his lunch first, because Mason
handed is there's lunch to the Ohio State Buck guys.
All right, we go to the phone Mines, uh is
it to Shia from Brooklyn? You are first on the show,
and I know we're getting to the calls really late today,
and I apologize. The Wolverines just have so much talent.

(43:38):
I am sorry. Hello, how are you.

Speaker 6 (43:42):
Everybody?

Speaker 1 (43:42):
All right?

Speaker 2 (43:43):
We're good, Tasha, Okay, there's an eye here on the
on the computer. But I am sorry, Pearson has misspelled
your name.

Speaker 6 (43:55):
No, no, the.

Speaker 2 (43:57):
Eye is right.

Speaker 6 (43:58):
Okay, yeah, I was call him. I'm an Avid Splints
sports fan period. Being the Knicks, the Giants absolutely love
the team, and I absolutely love what Josh and the
rest of the coaching staff has done to improve the
talent on the roster. However, I do think that you know,

(44:19):
the Knicks, they excuse me, the Giants still need to
look at the defensive line. I still think they need
a defensive lineman to play alongside with beck Allawrence, and
I don't I don't know that abdu Carter would fit
simply because they already have two bookings on edge. I

(44:40):
also think that the in fact Evan Neil is moving
inside to guard, I really do think that he has
the talent to be similar to be if if he
owns the skills and he's gonna that's gonna be the
position that he plays. From this Giants offensive line, I
think has the POTENTI to be really really good. And

(45:02):
I do not think you know, albeit the recording fourteen,
I do not think this team is a three and
fourteen team. I think they have some very very talented
players that skill positions on the team. So I think
that in the draft they should I'm not saying that
they if they don't love a quarterback at three that
they shouldn't take them as long as the values there.

(45:22):
But I also think that they should look at another
weapon for the paral alongside of elite neighbors. And then
they should also look at a weapon on the defensive
line they help that front seven, and then they should
look at maybe if not linebacker, because of both parent
they should look at the back end. If they draft

(45:43):
average hunter that covers both sides, that covers the corner,
and that also covers another weapon for uh elite neighbors,
you have to make pressure off the league. And then
if the hidden weapon in all of this is that
big tight end they have who I think is very
talented and this means John Yes, still he just needs guidance.

(46:04):
So with Russ and Jamis and sim who the only
reason why I really believe that Jamis is not one
hundred dollars quarterback, it's because of his interceptions. If he
curves that he there's no question in my mind that
he has a talent to be one hundred million dollars
quarterback in the NFL, and it's a shame that he's
his career was derailed so much because of turnovers. He

(46:25):
can throw the ball all over the yard. He's proven it.
He was a number one over for a reason. And
if Brian Dabel can somehow and Russell Wilson can somehow
help him bring that herb that those is turnos and
I think the Skuy's the Leonard for him. Still. He's
only thirty one years old, so I think those what
those guys have done is genius because that allows them

(46:48):
to do other things and not have to worry about
the quarterback position.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
All right, appreciate the phone call.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
I have not done the research on this, but I
invite caller to do it now that you've hung up,
or anybody else for that matter. I cannot remember a
quarterback in the NFL who had significant interception problems over
the first ten years of his career and then made

(47:17):
them go away in the last part of his career.
I don't know that I've ever come across one, and
I've been covering this league now for over forty years.

Speaker 4 (47:28):
Yeah, I mean definitely not to the level that you
know James has had some interception problems. I guess the
closest that comes to mind for me, which he wasn't
ten years in the league, but Ryan Tannehill had a
lot of interception issues when he was with the Dolphins
the first five six years of his career, but not
a decade, No, not quite a decade, but you know,

(47:50):
half of that still five plus years, that's a decently
long time. And then he went to the Titans, and
I wouldn't say he completely, you know, transformed his game,
but for the most part, was able to curtail those
interceptions much more significantly than he did in Miami. Again,
his ceiling with the Titans, I wouldn't say was that high.

Speaker 1 (48:11):
So it's not like, you know, all of a.

Speaker 4 (48:13):
Sudden he became some all pro amazing quarterback, although he
did have one very strong season in Tennessee. Did That's
the closest I can think of, But again, that was
not a full decade in the NFL of interception problems.
As we've spoken about prior to the signing. When you
when you signed Jameis Winston, you sign up for the

(48:33):
Jamis Winston experience and it is a rollercoaster ride where
he will have some amazing, jaw dropping plays that will
make you remember that he was the number one overall pick.
And then he's gonna have some plays that reminds you
of Oh, he's also the only quarterback to ever throw
thirty touchdowns and thirty.

Speaker 1 (48:49):
Interceptions in a season. That's the experiences that comes with it.

Speaker 2 (48:53):
He was signed as a backup here, Yeah, he was
not signed to start. He was signed as a backup.
The only thing that I want the caller of I
appreciate that you want to give Brian Dabel a lot
of credit and you want to say maybe he can
fix him. That's quite a unique thing that you're asking
him to fix after a decade of NFL football. To

(49:13):
suddenly make that disappear. I think that's probably a herculean
task for anybody, even Brian Dable, who you have great
respect for.

Speaker 1 (49:25):
And so do we, Adam.

Speaker 4 (49:26):
Say, Look, in an ideal world, Jameis Winson doesn't see
the field at all this year, because that means Russell
Wilson is playing at a high level and for winning
games he's healthy. Yeah, So in an ideal world, James
Benson just doesn't even see the field at all unless
it's in mop up duty this season and can be
a great teammate. Yes, I mean we already know he
is a great locker room present. Ex doubt about that exactly.

Speaker 2 (49:48):
Fabian in Manhattan. You're next on Big Blue Kickoff Live.

Speaker 8 (49:51):
Hello, Hey guys, thanks for taking my call. Yes, sir,
I just have two things I want to I would
like to hear your perspective on as far as the draft.
I would like to hear really quickly, like, obviously, defensive
tackle is a priority, but I want to hear what
positions you guys think are the priority, which parts you
want to go after for depth, and if there's any

(50:12):
luxury positions that could you see one of the top guys,
like let's say safety by Lakai Stars falls to us.

Speaker 7 (50:20):
Obviously we have two.

Speaker 8 (50:20):
Starting safeties, but you know it would be a luxury
to pick them up. But any other positions you could
see something like that happening.

Speaker 2 (50:27):
All right, Fabian, thanks for the call. We'll answer your question.
We've gone over this a lot, so I'll just let
you wing away. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (50:35):
So, obviously quarterback is still somewhat of a priority. Of course,
after the signings of Russell Wilson and Jamis Winston, it
is no longer the number one top priority that it
was just a couple of weeks ago. But as Joe
Shane has said, as Brian Dable said, if the Giants
have an opportunity to get a drafted quarterback who they

(50:56):
believe can be their long term franchise quarterback, whether it's
at number three on date two or whenever, they're gonna
jump on that opportunity.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
So quarterback still a priority. I wouldn't say it's the
top for me.

Speaker 4 (51:10):
The two top priorities as Fabian as you mentioned, defensive tackle.
I still want to get someone to play alongside Dexter Lawrence.
You know, with rakeim Newniaz Rochez and Roy Robertson Harris.
You know, if you draft a defensive lineman, a defensive tackle,
let's say at pick thirty four or sixty five, the
presence of those two guys makes it where that rookie

(51:33):
will not be, you know, necessarily relied upon to step
in day one and.

Speaker 1 (51:37):
Be a big difference maker. It kind of gives him
a little bit.

Speaker 4 (51:40):
Of time to grow and hopefully, you know, develop into
that starter that can grow alongside Dexter Lawrence for years
to come. So definitely, you know we've spoken about this
that pick number thirty four just looks prime for best
player available meeting a team need at defensive tackle, So
that would be one I would say interior offensive line
as well, with another one of those Day two picks

(52:03):
with the bringing back Greg van Rooden with Evan Neil
potentially moving inside, It's not quite as big of a
priority again as I would have said, you know, a
month ago, but Greg van Rooden is not the long
term solution at guard. So if you could get someone
that again won't be rushed into the starting lineup day one,
but as an opportunity to grow behind these veterans and

(52:26):
hopefully one day take over that starting right guard position,
that is something that I would certainly look at. And
in terms of I'll just give one, I guess a
luxury position, a luxury pick.

Speaker 1 (52:40):
I guess I too.

Speaker 4 (52:42):
I would say tight end, just because this is a
very strong tight end class. It is, and while I'm
fully confident in THEO Johnson and I think he is
more than capable of being a number one tight end
in the NFL, it wouldn't hurt to have a running
mate for him that can also potentially, you know, be
a number one tight end. In the NFL, so that
would be one, and I guess it's somewhat of a luxury,

(53:06):
somewhat still need death.

Speaker 1 (53:08):
But I would say cornerback is another position, even with.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
Such thing as a luxury at court exactly.

Speaker 4 (53:13):
Exactly that, even with the signing of Paulson Adebo, who
I'm very.

Speaker 2 (53:17):
High around this team. You know how many times the corners.

Speaker 1 (53:19):
Get hurt yep, I like Paulson to Deebo a lot.

Speaker 4 (53:23):
I think, despite somewhat of a down season for Deontay
Banks this past year, I'm not even close to giving
up on him because he flashed. He flashed enough as
a rookie where I still think there is some good
football in him, and he's gonna have less pressure now
as the number two cornerback with Pulson Adebo likely you know,
lining up against the opposing team's number one.

Speaker 1 (53:44):
But and I like Drew Phillips a lot.

Speaker 4 (53:46):
Obviously he was great as a rookie, but it does
not hurt to add more talent to that room. And again,
similar to the interior offensive end defensive line positions, with
the signing of a debo with Deontay Banks, there Drew
Phillips even or now flat. You draft someone, whether it's
Day two or day three, at cornerback, giants aren't gonna
need that guy to step in day one and start

(54:07):
for them. Like we've seen in previous years with some
rookie cornerbacks like Trey Hawkins. That situation is barring injuries,
just not gonna happen. If they draft a cornerback, he's
gonna be given time to develop his game, to get
accustomed to, you know, NFL speed, lining up against NFL
wide receivers, and hopefully grow into a nice depth and

(54:28):
maybe down the road starting piece at cornerback.

Speaker 1 (54:30):
That's what you hope.

Speaker 6 (54:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
I mean, if you draft Travis Hunter and one of
your two starters gets hurt, I think you feel better
about having to throw him into the fire than somebody else.

Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (54:39):
Well, if you draft to Travis Hunter, you also have
the luxury of going into the at least training camp
being like, we can line them up on either side
of the bar. I now see what happens. I know
other guys at these other positions, and then make a
final one.

Speaker 2 (54:50):
That's why we like him.

Speaker 1 (54:51):
So much at three. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:53):
A couple other notes to keep in mind as far
as the quarterback is concerned. I said it on the
show the other day, and I am now locked in.
I'm gonna say it again one more time. I would
not take a quarterback at three. Dart is the only
prospect quarterback. I would take my two project quarterbacks, so
Tyler Schuck and Kyle McCord. Otherwise, if I don't get

(55:15):
one of those guys, I'm fine not taking a QB
this year. That's just the way I'm playing it. It
is one of the options. I know you would rather
take one. John would still rather take one at some point.
I'd be okay with taking one, but I'd also be
okay with not taking one.

Speaker 1 (55:30):
That's fair.

Speaker 4 (55:31):
You know, Jaln Millroe at like sixty five, that would
be like the ideal pick for me.

Speaker 1 (55:35):
I talked to this lot.

Speaker 4 (55:36):
Not as much pressure as taking someone at three or
even thirty four gives them time to grow.

Speaker 1 (55:42):
I just that that would be a traits pick.

Speaker 2 (55:44):
You know what. You see? The thing like John and
I discussed this, he goes back to the Cordel Stewart
day slash. Right, you could take you could be a
good team that doesn't even need a quarterback. Take him
and make him a package quarterback. Or a gadget quarterback
where he might only play, like Taysom Hill, play five

(56:06):
or six snaps a game at quarterback, just because you know,
like what they were gonna do with Hurts and Wentz
in Philly, right. We talked about that with John yesterday too,
And you could use him in that capacity, be a
good team that doesn't need one. Take him and use
him as part of the spice in your offense, and
then down the road decide what you want to do

(56:28):
with him, because he has such great athleticism and speed
and legs and some size where he may long term
he may not even be a quarterback. Who knows, But
if he turns out to be, well, then that's fine too.

Speaker 1 (56:43):
You already got one.

Speaker 2 (56:44):
So I could see some team taking him higher that
his grade may deserve, just because there's a potential that
they could add some very spicy stuff to their offense
right away with some gadget stuff.

Speaker 6 (56:59):
Yea.

Speaker 4 (57:00):
I will say this past season, you know, his passing,
I think it's fair to say took a little bit
of a hit, But two seasons ago he looked great
as a quarterback. He went into this past college football season,
as you know, being projected as one of the top
quarterbacks for this year's draft. Obviously, the production did not
follow him this past season, but it was there two

(57:21):
years ago playing in the SEC in Alabama. He's got
all of the traits that you could ever want in
an athletic quarterback.

Speaker 1 (57:28):
And if you're telling me that like the worst is.

Speaker 4 (57:31):
He develops into a Daysom Hill, sign me up for
a Taysom Hill, you know, player on the on Day
two of the draft. Because Taysom Hill obviously has been
one of the most valuable pieces to the Saints offense
the last couple But I.

Speaker 1 (57:43):
Do still think Jaln Milroe.

Speaker 4 (57:45):
I still think Jalen Milroe can succeed as a quarterback
if given a lot of time to really grow and
get accustomed to the NFL.

Speaker 1 (57:55):
Be thrown in day one. That's not going to go
over well, all right.

Speaker 2 (57:58):
A final thought medical checks. We have talked so much
about Abdull Carter and his foot situation. Well we also
know that he missed his pro day at Penn State
because of an alleged shoulder thing as well, his agent,
Drew Rosenhouse, pulled him out of the pro day. Well, indeed,
next week the medical checks are going to come in

(58:21):
for the NFL teams. As all of these players who
had some type of red flag or yellow flag at
the combine go back to Indianapolis for two days of
medical rechecks. As I rechecks, not checks, medical rechecks. It
will be very interesting to see what happens with one
Abdul Carter in Indianapolis with the medical rechecks the middle

(58:46):
of next week. A lot of teams, a lot of teams,
especially high are going to be looking at those medical
rechecks with a microscope.

Speaker 4 (58:56):
Yeah, that could play have a very very big impact
on how the top of the draft plays out because
obviously he's one of the favorites to go number two
to Cleveland. If his medical causes some red flags and
the Browns decide not to go Carter, that could change
how the entire top of the draft plays out.

Speaker 1 (59:15):
So that'll be very big.

Speaker 4 (59:17):
And the other big thing is actually going on right now,
which is the Colorado Pro Day with obviously Shador Sanders
Travis Hunter. I don't think either one of them are
neither one of them are doing the full allotment of
drill Schador is throwing. I've seen mixed reports about what
Travis Hunter is or is not doing I don't for him.

(59:37):
There's not much of a reason to do anything because
he seems locked into the top.

Speaker 1 (59:42):
Top three, maybe top five at the absolute lowest.

Speaker 4 (59:46):
But there is another wide receiver prospect that Colorado going
on right now that is pressing scouts. I've seen reports
about some of his numbers. Will Shepherd and I bring
him up because he is a former Vanderbilt wide receiver,
had four years at Vandy. Just transfer to call her
out of this past year continued the success in production
he had.

Speaker 1 (01:00:04):
But this guy six foot three, two hundred and three pounds.

Speaker 4 (01:00:08):
And ran in the mid four fives with a forty
point five inch vertical nice.

Speaker 1 (01:00:13):
He is an athletic specimen. With the production, he.

Speaker 4 (01:00:17):
Would be a very very appealing you know, potentially day
three pick at the wide receiver that I'd be very interested.

Speaker 1 (01:00:23):
So you want me to look at him, you should
definitely look at Okay.

Speaker 2 (01:00:27):
Thanks to Sam Webb from The Michigan Insider from twenty
four to seven, sports Pearson a quick check on the huddle.
What's coming up today? If anything?

Speaker 3 (01:00:34):
We've got Matt Menicherian up right now from Sports Info Solutions,
former NFL scout. He just talks about data and how
evaluating some of these top prospects.

Speaker 2 (01:00:43):
Great stuff as always, so John Schmild takes care of
that stuff on the huddle. We invite you to check
that out as well. That'll do it for this edition
of Big Blue Kickoff Live. We will be back on Monday.
Don't even know what school we have up on Monday,
but we'll be back on Monday to do some more
draft previews and of course to take your phone calls.
Enjoy the weekend, everybody. From Outside Tech, I'm Paul Tatino.

(01:01:05):
This has been Big Blue Kickoff Live, presented by Cadillac,
the official luxury vehicle the New York Football Giants, and
coming your way from the Giants Podcast Studio presented by
Hackensack Meridian Health. Keep getting better, So long, everybody,