August 22, 2025 • 42 mins
Draft Season is here! John Schmeelk is joined by The Athletic’s, Bruce Feldman, to discuss his 2025 Freaks List that highlights the most physically gifted players going into the college football season.
:00 - Top of the list
8:00 - Defensive tackles
14:40 - Offensive linemen
17:30 - Wide receivers
23:50 - RBs and TEs
26:50 - LBs and CBs
35:30 - Biggest storylines
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It is now officially open.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is Draft Season presented by Moody's. Moodies is a
proud partner of the New York Giants, Decode Risks, Unlock Opportunity,
Learn Moore at moodies dot com. It's our first draft
season of the year. Very excited the college football season
kicking off this weekend, and joining us is a guy
that joins us every year here on draft season right
around this time. Bruce Feldman from the Athletic in Fox Sports.
(00:30):
He publishes his twenty twenty five Freaks List every year
around this time, and now he's here to talk about him.
And now we welcome on our guest. He is from Fox,
he is from the Athletic. No one covers college football
better than him, the one and only Bruce Feldan.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Bruce, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Great to be honest with you, John, I'm doing good.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's great to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
And our annual tradition, now your Freaks list always comes
out in August. It is out, and I think what
struck me about it? And we'll get to the guy
that was number one on you list in a second.
A lot of large men at the top of this list.
Bruce and I feel like that's going to represent what
this upcoming draft class looks like a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
A lot of big guys up front on offense and defense.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, Caden Proctor is an enormous guy. He's number two
on the list. He's a left tackle at Alabama. He's
six seven threes. He's basically three seventy. I was just
down until school this last week. I mean I had
him at three sixty six. I'm told he's a little
north of three seventy. Super strong. He's a guy who
bench presses, you know, well over five hundred pounds, squats
(01:29):
a ton almost literally, and power cleans over four hundred pounds.
But the numbers that kind of blew me away. Well
when I found out he vertical jumped thirty two inches
of this offseason and broad jumps you know nine and
a half feet, you know, nine to five. Those are
crazy numbers. And put the vertical jump in context. There
are five receivers who are at this year's NFL combine
(01:51):
who either broad jumped just that high or didn't even
get as high as Procter did. And one of them
Lejhontey Wester, who's a rookie kick returner and added like
an eighty five yard punt return two weeks ago. He
played at CU he jumped the same as as Proctor,
(02:12):
and Proctor is almost two is two hundred pounds heavier
than him.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Is Procter one of these guys, Bruce, that we're going
to be talking in the spring where teams are going
to be saying, look, we want you to lose twenty pounds.
I know you had him in your story about twenty
six percent body fat. Or is this a guy that
can legitimately stay out at left tackle and carry that
kind of weight.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
My guess is he will probably people will want him
closer to three fifty. But when I was down there,
I asked him because obviously I had Evan Neil, who
you and your listeners know well, was on the Freaks
List a few years ago. They're different personalities, is how
you know. The coaches there kind of told me in
terms of that, and you know, athletically they're they're different.
(02:56):
They're both enormous men. Obviously, Evans, you know, move positions
and has definitely had some adjustments. I don't want to
say that that Proctor may be more naturally talented, maybe
not quite as maybe as you know, the same you know,
different personality, maybe not as mature as Evan was at
the same stage. But it's gonna be interesting to see
(03:17):
how what the NFL starts to evaluate these guys at
Because he plays Proctor plays on a line. I've never
had three guys on the same O line all on
the Freaks list, and there's three of them and this
should be one of the best offensive lines in college football.
And it's it's impressive because these guys are all like
(03:38):
live in the weight room.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you about the other two guys,
Parker Brailsford and Jaden Roberts. What have you heard about
those two guys coming out of Alabama? Obviously he has
done a real good job producing offensive lineman over the years.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah. Roberts is a guard. He was on there last year.
He is He's just a physical specimen as a powerhouse.
Brailsford is the most interesting of the three to me.
He is an Arizona kid who was not a huge recruit,
went to Washington and then as a red shirt freshman
they play He was, you know, Michael Penix's team that
were rolling. They played for the national title. He was
(04:11):
the starting center of the offensive line that won the
Jill Moore Award, which goes to the best offensive line
in college football. He ended up transferring after the coaching
change in Kalen de Boor left to replace Nick Saban.
He moves really well. He was a track kid in
high school. Wasn't a wrestler, but everybody assumes he was
a wrestler because the way he plays. I mean, he
bench presses over five hundred pounds. He's going to run
(04:32):
probably in the high four eights. Super smart, as you
expect with most centers. Really interesting kid. Spent a bunch
of time with him the other day, and you know,
studied a lot a lot of Jason Kelcey. You know,
I suspect he will be a top fifty pick. You know,
I think people would like to see him a little bigger.
But he's close to three hundred pounds. I mean, he's
(04:55):
he's probably a little taller than I expected him to be.
Sometimes when you hear somebody's six to you expecting to
be six feet and a half.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
But he is really athletic, he's really strong, and he's
one of the coaches, without me really asking about him,
said they thought he was like the smartest player in
the program. So I think I think NFL scouts will
really like him.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Certainly something you want out of your center. All right,
let's go to another big guy. That's UPHI on your list.
That's Peter Woods. That of Clemson, and boy, their their
defense is absolutely stacked this year, Bruce.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
They might have the most talented defense in college football.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Six three, three, ten, four eight, six, forty thirty four
ups on the bench. He could probably be a top
five pick, right.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah, he's super explosive, was a bigger cruit. This is
his third year. Last year took a step forward. They
played him sometimes outside, sometimes inside. Tom Allen is the
new defensive coordinator Clemson. You're right, John, this is a
really talented defense who did not play like it last year.
They were They were undisciplined, they were out of sync.
Coordinator change is different. I think he he will be
(06:00):
a dominant player this year. And we got a big
test from week one. They play LSU and LSU is
pretty loaded. But LSU lost four starting offensive linemen from
last year. They were all at the Senior Bowl. They
plugged in some transfer. They have some talent on the
line and Garrett Nussmeyer is a guy a lot of
people are really excited about. I think he'll be a
(06:21):
first round quarterback. They have a lot of speed. But
if Woods totally dominates the game and it's at Clemson,
it could be a rough start for Brian Kelly's team
to play there in the other Death Valley, as Clemson
Salm Stadium is known as well.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
No question, All right, let's go to Keldric Falk. You
know we still ab dual card to go to the Giants.
Hig ind last year's draft, he was more of your
smaller edge type, right. Well, this draft, in folks, one
of these guys I think probably has some of like
the bigger Bill Belichick kind of edge X players. He's
six six, he's two eighty five. They play him inside
the three tech some five tech stuff. I watched a
lot of his tape from last year. This is another
(06:57):
guy with the talent he's just going to turn twenty
this year that he could be knocking on the door
as a top three, top five pick.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
He could. And he's got length, he's really strong, and
I think he's been a guy who's had a lot
of buzz around him in the SEC and that Auburn
program has been spinning its wheels for a little while.
They need him to be a dominant player. He definitely flashes,
but they need him to be a guy who is
the most disruptive d lineman in the SEC. There's a
(07:27):
really elite young defensive lineman at South Carolina, Dylan Stewart,
but he's only a sophomore. He can't come out. It's
a second year sophomore. This guy, though, I think he
has the potential. And there's another also second year sophomore
who's a smaller defensive, you know, a smaller edge guy
in Colin Simmons at Texas. But falk Is, like you said,
(07:48):
I mean, he's the guy that you would remember back
in the old Giant days when it was like, you know,
not the ny when it was the you know, the
full name giants across Almon.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
George Morton, right, like one of those edge guys, right,
like a lot bigger.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Than George Martin. Yeah, it's like like Leonard Marshall, but
maybe not quite that that hefty.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
No, absolutely, he's a very exciting player to me.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And then I want to hit a couple of their
defensive tackles, Bruce, because I feel that you have a
lot of these guys hih in the list. Francis Mali
you go the offensive tackle. We'll get to him in
a second. I want to tell about Tom Orange out
of Iowa State because I did watch him over the
summer six four, three, twenty five. Man, all the freak
stuff that you talk about in your article, and I
want you to get to it.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
It shows up.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Why do you think maybe the production hasn't matched some
of those traits in his career at Iowa State so far.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, I think there's been a little inconsistency at times.
It'll be an interesting match up week so week week zero,
which is the first week of the season, and I
don't know when this is running, but like so he
may have already played this game, but.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
This will air Friday, so it'll be right before week.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, so yes, so opening week end of the season.
This is the best game of the opening week, Case
State against Iowa State. It's in Dublin, Ireland. Logan you know,
like there's a really good center. He's going to play
in there, you know, in their second game when they
play Iowa their arrival. Logan Jones is also on the
(09:17):
Freaks List. He's super explosive center. He may be more
explosive than Tyler Lindebaum. You know, he's a basketball player,
whereas Lindabahm was a was a wrestler. But I think
with Orange, because you you in the system, it's a
really good defensive you know, three three five. I think
there are times where it feels like he's a little
(09:37):
out of sync and everything. I don't know if if
it's just you know, from what from a conditioning standpoint,
because from what I'm told, one of the things of
this offseason he's really worked on was diet and just
to be in better physical shape. And I think that
will probably help in some of that, maybe whether it's
a lack of focus or a little bit of just
getting winded at times. But you're right, he is. He
is super explosive. Again, a three hntred twenty five pounds guy.
(10:00):
I would not be surprised if he was a first
round pick, but this is a big, big year for him.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Three other dts I want to hit here, Bruce that
you are pretty high in your list. Amury Washington and
of Oregon, the huge noseguard type. Then you have Zane
Durant out of Penn State. Very different type of defensive tackle,
just two ninety. And then I always like to give
the service academy kids some love. Lennon Robinson out of Navy.
Talk about those three guys.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
For me, all right, let me start with LANDA Robinson.
I love his story. So he was like two hundred
and forty pounds when he got there. He's like two
eighty six now he's six feet. He's really explosive. He's
gonna vertical jump thirty three inches. The best thing I
would say about him, it's not necessarily freakless stuff, but
when they play their art. Tribal Army was undefeated late
(10:43):
in the year, obviously, and he had thirteen tackles, a
career high. He also had like a thirty two yard
run on a fake pun on a fourth and five
late in the game to seal the game. They've given
him the wall three times. He's averaging like thirty yards
of carrot.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Now. And yeah, he's really really strong. I mean he's
almost a five hundred pound bencher. He's got a ton
of energy in terms of personality everything, Like he's a
fun player. I you know, as I'm about to transition
to Zane Durant. Zane Durant is a little smaller, he's
even more explosive. And this is where I'm going to
(11:16):
bring up the Aaron Donald comparison. Zane Durant runs four
six six. We've talked a lot about freaks list guys
at Penn State on your show, and Zane Durant is
right there. He wasn't that big of a recruit coming
out of you know, the North Florida area, but he
is so explosive. And the center at Penn State, Nick Dawkins,
(11:37):
Darryl Dawkins' son, like that, Darryl Dawkins, great talker, really
good college center. I asked him a couple of weeks back.
I was like, who's the best defensive line you faced
in college? You remember he played the guys at Oregon.
You know, you had a first round pick in Jamari Collwells.
Also in the NFL, he's seen some elite guys, you know,
Tyler Williams who went high in the draft from Hohno State,
(11:57):
and he's like, hands down, you know, Zane Durant, not
even not even close, you know, and just so explosive,
so disruptive. Again, he's a little south of two ninety.
But in the right scheme, he is hell to block. Now,
he's probably not a scheme fit for everybody, but he's
(12:18):
super disruptive. And I think with Jim Knowles, who had
been the defensive coordinator at Ohio State when they won
the national title, going in there, I think this is
a you know, they have denied Dennis Sutton, who's an
outside guy who's a really good football player. They got
Tony Rojas, who I don't know if we'll talk to you,
but he's a freaksless linebacker who can really really run.
They got so many dudes, but this guy is the
(12:39):
one that I think is the scariest of the Penn
State group.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
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Speaker 3 (13:20):
And then you mentioned sorry and I'm missing out.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, now that's why. Yeah, h so funny you mentioned
Jamari Caldwell in the answer.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
One of his teammates last year with Derek Harmon was
the massive U snoseguard they have over there.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Right, Yeah, Amri Washington. When they sent me his numbers,
it was like a triple take because he's he's almost
three hundred forty pounds. He vertical jumps thirty six inches,
I mean his his you know, bench presses like four
to seventy five. You know, hits almost twenty one miles
per hour on the GPS. And so Dan Lanning, the
head coach there, who came from you know, was at Georgia,
(13:51):
was at Alabama. He's seeing a lot of freaky d
linemen and this guy has all those trades and they
feel like he's ready to take the next step some
plays last year. They need him to be a dominator
this year, and he has all the physical tools to
be that. But we need to see it. There's there's
a lot of guys like obviously, you know, we just
talked about the Navy defensive line and Sane Durrant. Those
(14:13):
guys have done it like last year, especially for Durant,
he broke through. This is a guy in Washington where
we need to see it. You know, like last year
Derek Harmon was was was a huge problem for defense
and Jamaari callball at times was a big problem. They
need that guy to be like this, that's what they
They need him to be like they were last year
(14:35):
if they're going to take the next step now. Matteo
an outside rusher, take Tim Tuioti. Those guys are really
good players outside, but they need the guy who just
disrupts everything inside to make it all just take it
to the next level.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I let you up to the offensive side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I guess it's no surprise, Bruce that two Io offensive
linemen are on this list. You already mentioned Logan Jones,
but he's not alone.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Yeah, Kate Peeper is like, uh, you know the numbers
that these guys both are like, you know, thirty seven
inch vertical super like fast and the ten yards split.
Both those guys who were setting IOWA program records for
one for a guard, one for a center. Logan Jones
was actually a high school basketball player. He told me
(15:17):
first dunked in ninth grade when he was six to one.
You know, he's around you know, three hundred pounds. He
is one of those typical Iowa offensive linemen where you're like, okay,
he was a really good all around athlete who just
kept think getting stronger and crazy stronger every off season.
And he's a really good football player. You know. I
actually I have three freaksist guys from Iowa all in
(15:39):
the top fifty. Like I don't want to say none
of them were huge, huge recruits, but like you go
through the list. I mean, Tristan Wurks was once my
number one overall freak. He's obviously you know, I had
a really good NFL career. You know, I mentioned Linda Baum,
who was you know, it was a really great player
for them and has you know, went pretty high in
the draft. Or even though he's a little one under size.
(16:00):
But this is what Kirk Ferrance does. I feel like
there's no off, no head coaching college football that knows
offensive linement any better than Kirk Ferrence does. He's an
old Belichick guy and he coached a line for a
long time. He just has a great feel for it.
And I think they have a real knack for finding
guys whether they were a four star or a two star,
(16:22):
they just have a feel for it.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That's a very important position to have a good feel for.
That's for sure, all right.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Although the offensive talk I want to hit I mentioned
it before, Francis. Now we go out of Miami's six six,
two thirty five, you know him down for a one
to five seven ten yards split in the forty that's
crazy for a man that size.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yeah, now you know. I mean it's the g is
pronounced to the end. He was a huge five star
recruit for Mario Crystaball Chrystal Ball when he was at Oregon.
At Penae Seool, I mean, he had a lot of
big time linemen over the years, but pine Sool was
a was a major get for him who he was like,
probably higher on than most of other people were. And
obviously I turned out to be a dominant player. I
(17:02):
know it's been at right tackle since he got there.
Just super explosive power in terms of the numbers that
he puts up. You know, he's close to three hundred
and forty pounds. Just a big frame. I think the
best thing that if you're an NFL team that you
look at, you're like, okay, christ of ball. If he
knows one thing, it is about big people. And you've
(17:25):
seen it pretty much everywhere he's been. And certainly you
know whether it was at Alabama and then obviously at
Oregon when they when they really upgraded the guys in
the trenches. Now we're seeing it at Miami. This is
a massive offensive line and this is the freakiest of
the group.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
All right, let's go to the skill position guys here, Bruce,
and a guy that if people have kept track of
your list over the years, is a name that will
look very familiar. He checks in near the top of
your list, and that is Nick Harbor, who's six' five
and two forty five at wide, receiver ran a ten
to one one one hundred Meter he finally he got
(18:00):
going a little bit last year at twenty six catches
three into seventy six. Yards what have you heard from
the people there about a is continuing development as a
wide receiver and if maybe especially with the quarterback, there
which we'll get to as, well maybe a breakouts incoming for.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Him, yeah they need to see it. MORE i mean
he's still pretty, raw you, know for not this past,
year but the year before. That he's still running track
at a high level At South. Carolina that's what he
was coming out of high. School he's. Running he's running
a high level competitive track and he is stix and
seven inches taller than the other guys and seventy and
(18:35):
eighty pounds heavier than them that he's running. AGAINST i,
mean he's a gigantic, receiver. Right his body fats, like you,
know five percent at that. Size he's hitting twenty three
point six miles per hour this. Offseason but, again you're,
right they need to see him really take two big
steps forward in terms of his, polish his awareness on the.
(18:57):
Field the quarterback you're talking, About, lenoris another freaksless guy
six three two forty five can run in the four or.
FIVES i, mean people have compared him a little bit
To steve. McNair he's super. Strong he's really. Smart that's
the other big thing About. Sellers from talking to guys
who coached him and you, know spending a little time with,
(19:18):
him he's a, really really smart. Kid last year was
his first year as a. Starter took a little bit
of time to get, rolling but once he, did he played.
Fantastic That clemson defense that was so. Talented he ran
away from the entire front four on several plays and
they just couldn't get him. Down and he took over an,
offense by the, way that only had one returning starter on.
Offense so the growing pains weren't just, his it was
(19:40):
everybody around.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Him you, Know, BRUCE i don't know about.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
YOU i would be surprised if If Archie manning's in
the draft next, year knowing how The manning family, Was
i'm obviously around these, GUYS i would be pretty, surprised
given his physical skill, set If sellers is not the
one that emerges from this quarterback group as the guy
that gets picked.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
First and what is a pretty good quarterback.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Class it should, be it really should. Be So I'm
sellers will be. Interesting there's gonna be a second year
as a. Starter now it's a new system, Again So
Dawa logins who you. KNOW nfl fans know that. Name
he was in THE nfl for like fifteen twenty. Years
he was the offensive. Coordinator he really Wanted sellers was
not a big. Recruit he got passed over by a
lot of. People he wanted to go To North. Carolina
(20:20):
he was set to go to Like virginia and Then,
syracuse and then like you, know late in his senior,
Season loggins In South carolina moved. In it was. Terrific
loggins with him for two. Years he started for one
After Spencer rattler, left and Now loggins is the head
coach at App state And Mike schula comes in to take.
Over so's it's a little bit of a different. SYSTEM
(20:42):
i we'll see what's going to be if he's out
after you, know two, years two years as a, player
in three, years three and out or does he? Wait
i'm with, YOU i don't. THINK i don't think Arch
man's gonna leave after just one year as a, starter
even if it is a sixteen game season where they
play for the for the national title and it goes.
ALONG i still think that just from Knowing Cooper manning
(21:04):
his dad really WELL i just think that they are
not going to rush. Him they don't need to worry
about money or anything like. THAT i think they can
be patient with this. Class you, know we Mentioned Garrett nssmeyer.
Before his dad is The saints offense. Coordinator Dougnas meyer
played in THE. Nfl he's really. Talented Carson, beck who
two years ago people were buzzing about IN nfl scouting
circles At georgia and then he struggled last year out In.
(21:27):
Elbondrey now he's At. Miami people expect him At miami
to have a big. Years there's this is a deep
and interesting. Group you got one guy who didn't make
the freakslist At Penn, state but his looks the. Part
Drew aller six two forty five moves pretty, good is really,
smart got a big. Arm he's a guy who has
a chance TO i, think get a lot of. ATTENTION i,
(21:49):
mean so this is A i don't say it's a
top heavy, group but there's a bunch of, guys including
some really big guys Like beck's almost six y. Four
sellers is a huge. Man aller is a really big.
Guy you. Know there's it's an interesting. Group beyond just.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Arch, No i'm with.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
YOU i think it's a really fun class and it's Funny.
Bruce THEN i think after you get Past harbor and
again we'll get to the guy number one on your
list at the, end there's kind of a bit of
a gap before you get to the next wide. Receiver
any other wide receivers on this group kind of really
intrigue you that jumped, out whether it's their story or
the numbers that you got that maybe could sneak up a,
lot sneak up on people a little bit in the draft.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Process Chris hilton is a wild, card like he was
a high level high jumper coming out of high, school
went TO. Lsu you, know you can ask my leak
neighbors about. Him he's seeing how super Freaky Chris hilton.
Is i'll ask, him but, yeah, no ask. HIM i
bet he'll have great. Stories Because Chris hilton is the.
Guy he's been like injured a, bunch but when he's,
(22:49):
played he, AVERAGE i want to, say your average is
like thirty, yards you, know a touchdown. Catch he's been
a big play guy when he's. Healthy but he just
hasn't been, healthy and you think about all the elite,
Receivers like when he committed TO, lsu they still Had
Justin jefferson And Jamar chase and then at one, point you,
know there Was Kashawn, boute who is a good receiver
AT lsu obviously hadn't been a great star in THE,
(23:11):
nfl but they had him At brian tom you, know
he's in this class With neighbors And Brian Thomas, junior
and he was a really big get FOR. Lsu he's still.
There maybe this will be the year that he can
stay healthy and puts it all together because he can like.
Explosive like when you talk to people AT, lsu they're, like,
yeah he's the biggest freak skill guy we. Have and
(23:33):
there's other guys in that. Room they have a legit track,
Kid Johnny, watkins who's gonna run ten. Flat they have another,
Guy Barrion, brown who when the video games come, out
they make his speed like ninety eight transferred From. Kentucky
it's you, Know hilton is the wild. Card i'd be
curious what you, know absolut leak neighbors for His, like,
okay do you think he's a freak and see what
kind of reaction you Get i'd be surprised that his
(23:55):
eyes don't don't get.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
BIG i will ask him AND i will text you
no question about. It didn't he a ton of running
on the, List, Bruce Jeremiah. Love you could talk about
why he's not on the, list by the, way but
any other running backs you know jump out at you
when you're talking to people around the.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Country Nick singleton is the guy you know in terms
of like big size two twenty. Plus he's going to
run in the four. Threes he's incredibly. Strong he shares
the job with K Tron, allen who's also a really good,
back not as not as, explosive but really good football.
Player we'll see where single What singleton does this. YEAR i,
(24:30):
MEAN i don't know if if you get to share
the job and you become a first round, pick BUT
i could see him really lighting up the combine. Process
but he's he's a really good football. Player Jeremiah. Love you,
know was a track guy in high. School not like
a track guy Like Nick harbor is running ten to.
One he was running ten to. Six but you could
if you watch notre am, games you see him football.
(24:51):
Speed he is super, fast he's, dynamic he's a terrific football.
Player AS i wrote on The, freakslist the reason why
he was not in there and ain't gave me like
four guys you know that they nominated. Forward the reason
why he wasn't there was he was coming off injury
and when he did test and do some of those,
things he just wasn't quite the same at that. Point and,
(25:13):
again he's he's one of the best football, players AND
i would say he's the best running back in college.
Football but just in terms of, this it wasn't like
he ran ten to one in high. School he won
The Missouri state one hundred, meter but his time was.
Good it wasn't, like oh my, god like The Nick harbor.
Stuff but if you ask me who's the best running
back in the, COUNTRY i would definitely take care of my.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Love Now i'm with you on.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
That you had a tight end very high on your,
list a tight end that could have came out last,
year got a lot of money to go back To,
Vanderbilt Eli. Stowers what are you hearing about? Him and
he had a breakout of here last? Year could those
numbers even get even bigger this?
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Year they? Could So he's interesting in that he was
a four star quarterback out of high. School went To
TEXAS a and m played at a big time, program
didn't really you, know get it going as a quarterback.
There transferred To New Mexico state where they move moved
him to tight. End his quarterback at the Time Diego,
pavia who's a really fun, player dual threat, guy plays
with a lot of moxie and great. Energy they are
(26:09):
both transferred along with their offensive coordinator To, vandy and
he broke out last. Year as you, said now he's
not a he is kind of a secondary tight end
where he's not going to be an inline. Blocker he's
six four to two thirty. Five he's going to broad
jump eleven to. Three he's going to vertical, jump you,
know probably over forty. Inches he can really stretch. Defenses
(26:31):
he's a. WEAPON i think in college he's a real.
Problem you. Know the only COMPARISON i would probably be
able to throw out of somebody like this is kind
of in That Evan. Ingram but he might be even
more explosive Than Evan. Ingram and OBVIOUSLY i know you
know him. Well he's he's an interesting, player especially in
that you know was the quarterback and now found a
(26:52):
second lefe as a tight, end especially coming out Of Las,
Crusis New, mexico where no one's paying attention to college
football mostly all.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Right two other prisoners down to.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Hit you were a linebacker class that's pretty, impressive headlined
By Sonny, styles but you have linebackers littered all over this.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
List, Bruce, Yeah Sunny styles is the. GUY i saw
him like last month out at a media, event and
he's just a really impressive. Dude his dad played in THE,
nfl won A Super. Bowl sonny six four to. Forty
he's vertical jumps forty inches and broad jumps eleven feet
and he's he had told me from the time he
was like five or, six his dad was doing pliometrics
(27:28):
with him and his brother and he and he was like.
YEAH i was, like do you think it paid? Off
and he WAS i wanted him to go what do you?
Think BECAUSE i, mean he's the guy everybody's wa, like
this is that big ten media days and he was
the one guy everybody's like looking, at Going, okay that
looks like something you'd see out of a movie or.
Something he's a really good football, player makes a ton of.
Plays they you, know They Matt patricio OBVIOUSLY nfl fans
(27:54):
know from his days. There he's the new defensive coordinator.
There he has two freaky linebackers, There Sonny style an
Rbl reese who's right there with. Him I'm james Laurn.
IIIs he's the position. Coach he is going to get
spoiled with with guys like, that the other the other,
one and there's a bunch of. Them as you, Said
Tony ross At Penn state can is super. Fast he
(28:15):
made a ton of plays last. YEAR i feel like
he's a guy THAT i don't want to say it's
not fair to say he's going to break out this
year because he already had a phenomenal season last. Year
but you, Know Penn state has had so many guys
in the front seven who who are super freaky testers
and and he's that. TOO i just think he's a
(28:35):
guy that probably more people need to be talking. About,
obviously last year With, abdul they had a headliner and
so he was getting a lot of the. Attention and
there's other guys, here you, know Including durant and Denied
Denis sutton as a heck of a football player who
finished the season strong BUT i Think tony is a
guy who more people will kind, of you, know start
(28:57):
to put out there as you, know the numbers crazy with.
Him SO i just think the, numbers the, film all of.
It he's a, Playmaker he's a stud all.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Right final position before we wrap up with a couple
of overarching. Things only five cornerbacks on the, List, bruce
WHICH i was taken a little bit of back by
because usually you get some pretty crazy athletes at Corner
was that kind of a little surprising to you that
that more guls guys didn't get submitted to you for
the top one.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Hundred, yeah and a couple of them towards are probably
towards the bottom of the list are small school guys
who's who are good. PLAYERS i don't think they're like
one of them is at Ut martin is a really
undersized cornerback who's fast and explosive but not you, know
he's Not Treik wallen. Either the same thing With William
mary's cornerback who is long but not like he's not six.'
(29:47):
four he's just got, long arms and you know he's
a really good. Football Player KOLBY. Taylor p I'VE had
i think on. Three years he started his Career at
wyoming and he's he is long and. HE'S dynamic i
don't think he's he's still. Pretty raw he's Now, at
vanderbilt but he's a he is a very. Talented athlete
i'm curious is he kind of? A project what DOES
(30:08):
the nfl look? At him, but yeah this year is
not what it has been. In past as you, mentioned
earlier it's a lot of, big people especially ON the,
d line and certainly is quite a few ON the,
O line, I think but in terms, of, corners no.
There's not, you know it's always interesting to go back
and LOOK like i, love, TO like i watch a
(30:30):
TON Of nfl Network and i'm watching a lot of,
preseason Stuff and, i'm, Like hey i'm Rooting For ruben
lowry because i Know the cowboys got him as a.
Free agent he was like number one hundred On The
freaks list last year and was a small school guy
that looks like he's going to MAKE an Nfl roster
and because he's making a ton of plays in, the
preseason you love.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
To see stuff. Like that Number Ninety daniel.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Sparks punter what is a punter at to do to make, The,
Freaklist bruce and is this the first specialist you've had on?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
These lists it's not like so. LAST year i actually
had a punter from a punter kickoff Guy From penn
state who's like, six six two eighty five who's, still
there who runs in the. High Four aids sparks is
almost like a college basketball. POWER forward i mean he's,
six six he can. REALLY jump i think there were
like three or, four specialists maybe three punters and one
(31:21):
KICKER who i had referenced in there in some way,
or other who were. In consideration, you know He's. AT
virginia i mean he's a he's a really, good specialist
but like he is a. BIG dude i mean he
kind of looks like he could play tight end. RIGHT
now i mean he's not, too forty he's too twenty
eight or something, like that but really, explosive athlete can
really run.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
And jump love, it.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
All right let's get tore TO the m one guy and,
Your List. Jeremiah smith THE reason i left him for
last is he's not, Draft. Eligible bruce but assuming he
has as big of a year as you all think,
HE might i love your little anecdote you could tell
it about his any habits as a Freshman At. Ohio
state what is twenty twenty six is gonna look like?
For him like they're goin to be screams that he shouldn't.
(32:03):
Even play our team's going to try to THROW crazy
nll money at him to get him to go to a.
Different school they're already.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Throwing crazy anile money to try to get him. To
leave i'm sure there'll be a lot of people who,
will say the only thing you can do is, get
injured don't, you know? Be careful, YOU know i don't
know what the insurance policy would be. For him he
was the best receiver in college football last year when
he came out and when he came, Into COLLEGE and
i would tell some of my coworkers because we did
(32:33):
a Bunch Of ohio state Games at Fox and i'm
on the sideline, for it and JUST like i, was
like you don't realize how big he is until you
se him. In person and the only the BEST comparison
i got for Him Is andre Johnson, from miami right
like six three, two thirty, super strong, Really PHYSICAL like
i remember one of my last Memories Of andre johnson
(32:55):
as a. College player was him just physically Abusing the
nebraska cornerback In the national, title game like he was
just throwing them off like they were like they were,
you know pool noodles. Or something just just a completely.
Freaky athlete this guy is way more polished at a.
Younger age. IT'S funny i Know Met jeremiah smith's dad
(33:19):
at a at a game early in the season and
we just kind of kept in touch and we talked About.
The andrea he, was, LIKE yeah i got a picture
of everybody CALLS. HIM jj i got a PICTURE of
Jj with ANDREA when jj was like seven. Years old
AND so i did a big Story On jeremiah smith
last fall and we included the picture of Him With.
Andre johnson They're Both, south florida, You know. Miami kids
(33:39):
so he like as great as the receivers have been
coming Out Of, ohio state and obviously they've almost all backed,
it up, you know whether It's a Lave Or. Garrett wilson,
you know You Had marvin. Harrison, junior recently You had.
Terry McLaurin this guy is the best combination by far
(34:02):
of all. Of it he's, the biggest he's, the strongest
he might be the fastest because he's running twenty three
point five miles. Per hour, You Know Marvin, harrison junior
after all those, other guys was the. Best combination this guy's,
much stronger and he's a, little faster and he's probably
more way. More physical, you know he's six three and.
(34:23):
A half he's to almost two. Twenty five he broad jumps.
Eleven feet and the thing he said, to him of
all the freaky things you're able, to do you know
what's the thing you're most? Proud of and, he said
it's probably my bench press and my STRENGTH because i
got up to two hundred twenty to twenty reps at
(34:43):
two twenty five on the. Bench press, he GOES when i,
GOT here i was only. About five so he's put on,
you know he's gone from five to twenty in a
little over, a year and that's obviously a lot for,
any receiver much less one who's, you know nineteen. Years old.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
IT'S funny i thought he would have said getting Off
the wendy's after eating fast food every day for his whole.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
FRESHMAN year i know he.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Was, LIKE yeah i was basically eating it, every Day and,
i'm like it's like you have obviously great genetics if
you're able to eat all that stuff and still look
the way he did and do what. He DID but, i,
think again this is a guy who from a really
early age he was very dialed in and very driven
and focused. And motivated and so he and his Dad
and jeremiah as well talked a lot, about THAT and
(35:27):
i think that has given him such an, incredible foundation
an incredible head start on all these. OTHER guys, i
mean he's not only the number one, freaking collegeable he's the.
BEST player i don't even think it's close to anybody
else in.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
COLLEGE football I cat i love when THESE two i
can't blame. Him, All right brew's, Final question you followed
college football closer. Than anyone what's? One storyline maybe team?
Player trend then maybe you think is being overlooked in
college football, this year that not enough people are talking.
About that you think it either impact, the season. The
draft we're just something that you're really tracking throughout. The
(36:02):
year you can go in any direction you.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
WANT here.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I think it's going to. Be fascinating but, you know
we were Talking about Chris silt in a. MINUTE ago
I think lsu was one of the more interesting stories
we Have. In, Collegeville Well brian kelly did a terrific
Job At. Notre dame he left there three, years ago
had a good, start Obviously Had jaden daniels who transferred
in and Became a, heisman winner a lot of other really.
Good players and now it's year four and the. PRESSURE'S
(36:26):
on lsu is spending a fortune on their. Transfer, portal
guys they have a lot. Of Talent this kelly, just
said this is the most talented team. He's had his buyout,
is enormous, you know north of fifty. Million dollars but
if he doesn't get them to the playoff, this year
which means you have to be, you know make a twelve,
team playoff which isn't unrealistic, AT all i think there
(36:49):
will be a lot of PRESSURE at lsu to get
rid of, him now whether that means they can do
something to use to get him out of the buyout if,
They start if they don't make, THE playoff i would
not be surprised because the one thing the three coaches
who came before HIM, at lsu That's, Edozer On les
Miles And. Nick saban the only thing they have in
(37:10):
common is that they all won national TITLES at lsu
and all did it within the first. Four years this
is a huge story and it's going to get out
the gate a big way because they play on the Road.
At clemson kelly has talked a lot about how big
of a game. This is he's not. Shying away he's
definitely he's pushing in, on it saying how like they,
have tigers, You Know Clemson tiger pauls all over, their
(37:31):
facility just kind of. Reinforce it, you know if they
don't win, that game then a couple of weeks later
they play A good florida team who they lost to.
Last year it's going to be a really interesting season In.
Bat rouge and.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Talking, about pressure by, the way How About.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
PENN state i don't remember the, Last time bruce where
they were ranked Ahead Of ohio State. And michigan have
the best quarterback between the three schools. AS well i
got to imagine there's a lot of Pressure In penn
state to finally get over the hump and win that.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Big.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Ten yeah not just the, best quarterback you're right, about
that but they also have the best two. Running backs
they have two running backs who are better than Anybody
at Michigan Or. Ohio state this year they have the
best d Lineman And. Zane durant now they don't have the.
Best Player ohio state is the best offensive defensive Players
In jeremiah smith And Safety. Caleb downs but they also have,
(38:23):
you know a great combination. Of, coordinators right so their
Offense coordinator Andy kotle nikki is very. Well respected cayman
last year did. Really well their defensive coordinator Just Helped
ohio state win a. National Title, jim knowles. He's there
so now You Got ohio State and, Michigan Obviously, WINK
martindale i know you. Know him he Is. At michigan
the offensive coordinator. Is new we'll See How chip lindsay
(38:45):
Does At. Ohio state you have two new coordinators on,
both sides so Yes And ohio AND also i Would
Say penn state probably has the best offensive line of
both of those. Teams too if there was ever a
Year Where penn state is going to Win The big
ten and a national, title run you would think this.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Is It and I'M sorry i was, gonna wrap but
You Mentioned. Caleb downs he was not on, your LIST
which i was. Surprised by giving some people think he
might be the second best player in college Football After. Jeremiah, SMITH.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Yeah i mean a, brilliant kid terrific, football player really.
GOOD athlete i mean returns punts for. Them too just
Quite not LIKE when i would ask those, you Know
both smith And, AND styles i, was like who else
is in the freaks discussion? THE game A Guy brenton
jones who is a former, walk on who's the defensive
back who they say is the biggest freak whose numbers
(39:34):
are kind of like theirs to.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Be, honest yeah and you, Know, WHAT look i think,
playing safety what's going on up here is much more
important than what's going on with the freak.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Slipt, stuff anyway you can find the free slifts On.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
THE athletic i will link IT when i tweet this
out for the folks, out there make sure you click.
On that it's a must read to get you ready
for the college football season and. The, draft bruce do
you have anything else going on that you want to
promote before we?
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Say, goodbye.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
No just to check us Out on fox Worts and
i'm in studio this. Year again it'll, Be ah it'll
be a. FUN season I can't i get to Work With,
chris peterson The Old Washington boise. State coach there's nobody
better to watch.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Football with and you got a, podcast, Too right do
you want to?
Speaker 3 (40:12):
PLUG that? I, do yeah check us out On. The
audible it's, With Myself stuart Mandel And ralph russo's joiner
this year and we have a fun time with just talking.
About it and for anybody who, hasn't seen there's one
OTHER thing i would want, TO plug i guess so
anybody hasn't Seen The arch. Manning story we did a
couple of like a month or, so ago just really
(40:33):
it was the idea was about what it was like for,
His parents Cooper And ellen manning to raise quote The
next manning Because obviously cooper is the one brother with, You,
know Arch with Eli. And peyton OBVIOUSLY great nfl quarterbacks was.
Around it but they those, you know as great as,
they were they did not grow up in the era of,
(40:53):
social media which His son, arch is and so all
the challenges that come. With it it's kind of a
fascinating as a, YOUNG parent i, feel like going through our.
Own situation it was an interesting perspective To hear Cooper
and ellen talk about how They raised ARCH and i,
YOU know i think people will be fascinating once they
take a look at.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
That, Story, ironically bruce One Of eli manning's former, Offensive Lineman,
chris snee has a really highly.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
RANKED quarterback I Think.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Don bosco he's going through Here In, new jersey so
you'll be hearing about him coming down the pike.
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Pretty.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Soon awesome thanks for that's up, On, That bruce you're.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
The man thank you.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
So much enjoy the football season and we will talk
to you in the spring leading up to.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
THE draft i, appreciate.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
It, Man Awesome.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Thanks john that's all the.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Time we have for, draft season Presented, by moody's a
proud partner Of The New, York, Giants, Dcode Risk, unlock
opportunity learn more than moodies.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Dot com We Thank bruce feldman for joining.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Us again go check out his Freaks Lists freaks list
you can find it At the athletic just find It
On his twitter handle is linked up AND when i
tweet out the promotion for, THIS podcast i will put
the link in there for it. As well always a
great way to get ready for the college football season
and the one players a kind of keep an eye
on as we already start thinking about the twenty. Twenty six,
(42:06):
THAT'S Right nfl Draft For, Bruce Feldman I'm. John schmelch that's.
Draft season thank you for joining us In The Hackensack Emriney.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Health podcast you keep. Getting better we'll see you. Next,
time everybody
It is now officially open.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This is Draft Season presented by Moody's. Moodies is a
proud partner of the New York Giants, Decode Risks, Unlock Opportunity,
Learn Moore at moodies dot com. It's our first draft
season of the year. Very excited the college football season
kicking off this weekend, and joining us is a guy
that joins us every year here on draft season right
around this time. Bruce Feldman from the Athletic in Fox Sports.
(00:30):
He publishes his twenty twenty five Freaks List every year
around this time, and now he's here to talk about him.
And now we welcome on our guest. He is from Fox,
he is from the Athletic. No one covers college football
better than him, the one and only Bruce Feldan.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Bruce, how are you man?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Great to be honest with you, John, I'm doing good.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's great to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
And our annual tradition, now your Freaks list always comes
out in August. It is out, and I think what
struck me about it? And we'll get to the guy
that was number one on you list in a second.
A lot of large men at the top of this list.
Bruce and I feel like that's going to represent what
this upcoming draft class looks like a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
A lot of big guys up front on offense and defense.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, Caden Proctor is an enormous guy. He's number two
on the list. He's a left tackle at Alabama. He's
six seven threes. He's basically three seventy. I was just
down until school this last week. I mean I had
him at three sixty six. I'm told he's a little
north of three seventy. Super strong. He's a guy who
bench presses, you know, well over five hundred pounds, squats
(01:29):
a ton almost literally, and power cleans over four hundred pounds.
But the numbers that kind of blew me away. Well
when I found out he vertical jumped thirty two inches
of this offseason and broad jumps you know nine and
a half feet, you know, nine to five. Those are
crazy numbers. And put the vertical jump in context. There
are five receivers who are at this year's NFL combine
(01:51):
who either broad jumped just that high or didn't even
get as high as Procter did. And one of them
Lejhontey Wester, who's a rookie kick returner and added like
an eighty five yard punt return two weeks ago. He
played at CU he jumped the same as as Proctor,
(02:12):
and Proctor is almost two is two hundred pounds heavier
than him.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Is Procter one of these guys, Bruce, that we're going
to be talking in the spring where teams are going
to be saying, look, we want you to lose twenty pounds.
I know you had him in your story about twenty
six percent body fat. Or is this a guy that
can legitimately stay out at left tackle and carry that
kind of weight.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
My guess is he will probably people will want him
closer to three fifty. But when I was down there,
I asked him because obviously I had Evan Neil, who
you and your listeners know well, was on the Freaks
List a few years ago. They're different personalities, is how
you know. The coaches there kind of told me in
terms of that, and you know, athletically they're they're different.
(02:56):
They're both enormous men. Obviously, Evans, you know, move positions
and has definitely had some adjustments. I don't want to
say that that Proctor may be more naturally talented, maybe
not quite as maybe as you know, the same you know,
different personality, maybe not as mature as Evan was at
the same stage. But it's gonna be interesting to see
(03:17):
how what the NFL starts to evaluate these guys at
Because he plays Proctor plays on a line. I've never
had three guys on the same O line all on
the Freaks list, and there's three of them and this
should be one of the best offensive lines in college football.
And it's it's impressive because these guys are all like
(03:38):
live in the weight room.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I was gonna ask you about the other two guys,
Parker Brailsford and Jaden Roberts. What have you heard about
those two guys coming out of Alabama? Obviously he has
done a real good job producing offensive lineman over the years.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Yeah. Roberts is a guard. He was on there last year.
He is He's just a physical specimen as a powerhouse.
Brailsford is the most interesting of the three to me.
He is an Arizona kid who was not a huge recruit,
went to Washington and then as a red shirt freshman
they play He was, you know, Michael Penix's team that
were rolling. They played for the national title. He was
(04:11):
the starting center of the offensive line that won the
Jill Moore Award, which goes to the best offensive line
in college football. He ended up transferring after the coaching
change in Kalen de Boor left to replace Nick Saban.
He moves really well. He was a track kid in
high school. Wasn't a wrestler, but everybody assumes he was
a wrestler because the way he plays. I mean, he
bench presses over five hundred pounds. He's going to run
(04:32):
probably in the high four eights. Super smart, as you
expect with most centers. Really interesting kid. Spent a bunch
of time with him the other day, and you know,
studied a lot a lot of Jason Kelcey. You know,
I suspect he will be a top fifty pick. You know,
I think people would like to see him a little bigger.
But he's close to three hundred pounds. I mean, he's
(04:55):
he's probably a little taller than I expected him to be.
Sometimes when you hear somebody's six to you expecting to
be six feet and a half.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
No, it's not.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
But he is really athletic, he's really strong, and he's
one of the coaches, without me really asking about him,
said they thought he was like the smartest player in
the program. So I think I think NFL scouts will
really like him.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Certainly something you want out of your center. All right,
let's go to another big guy. That's UPHI on your list.
That's Peter Woods. That of Clemson, and boy, their their
defense is absolutely stacked this year, Bruce.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
They might have the most talented defense in college football.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Six three, three, ten, four eight, six, forty thirty four
ups on the bench. He could probably be a top
five pick, right.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah, he's super explosive, was a bigger cruit. This is
his third year. Last year took a step forward. They
played him sometimes outside, sometimes inside. Tom Allen is the
new defensive coordinator Clemson. You're right, John, this is a
really talented defense who did not play like it last year.
They were They were undisciplined, they were out of sync.
Coordinator change is different. I think he he will be
(06:00):
a dominant player this year. And we got a big
test from week one. They play LSU and LSU is
pretty loaded. But LSU lost four starting offensive linemen from
last year. They were all at the Senior Bowl. They
plugged in some transfer. They have some talent on the
line and Garrett Nussmeyer is a guy a lot of
people are really excited about. I think he'll be a
(06:21):
first round quarterback. They have a lot of speed. But
if Woods totally dominates the game and it's at Clemson,
it could be a rough start for Brian Kelly's team
to play there in the other Death Valley, as Clemson
Salm Stadium is known as well.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
No question, All right, let's go to Keldric Falk. You
know we still ab dual card to go to the Giants.
Hig ind last year's draft, he was more of your
smaller edge type, right. Well, this draft, in folks, one
of these guys I think probably has some of like
the bigger Bill Belichick kind of edge X players. He's
six six, he's two eighty five. They play him inside
the three tech some five tech stuff. I watched a
lot of his tape from last year. This is another
(06:57):
guy with the talent he's just going to turn twenty
this year that he could be knocking on the door
as a top three, top five pick.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
He could. And he's got length, he's really strong, and
I think he's been a guy who's had a lot
of buzz around him in the SEC and that Auburn
program has been spinning its wheels for a little while.
They need him to be a dominant player. He definitely flashes,
but they need him to be a guy who is
the most disruptive d lineman in the SEC. There's a
(07:27):
really elite young defensive lineman at South Carolina, Dylan Stewart,
but he's only a sophomore. He can't come out. It's
a second year sophomore. This guy, though, I think he
has the potential. And there's another also second year sophomore
who's a smaller defensive, you know, a smaller edge guy
in Colin Simmons at Texas. But falk Is, like you said,
(07:48):
I mean, he's the guy that you would remember back
in the old Giant days when it was like, you know,
not the ny when it was the you know, the
full name giants across Almon.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
George Morton, right, like one of those edge guys, right,
like a lot bigger.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Than George Martin. Yeah, it's like like Leonard Marshall, but
maybe not quite that that hefty.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
No, absolutely, he's a very exciting player to me.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And then I want to hit a couple of their
defensive tackles, Bruce, because I feel that you have a
lot of these guys hih in the list. Francis Mali
you go the offensive tackle. We'll get to him in
a second. I want to tell about Tom Orange out
of Iowa State because I did watch him over the
summer six four, three, twenty five. Man, all the freak
stuff that you talk about in your article, and I
want you to get to it.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
It shows up.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Why do you think maybe the production hasn't matched some
of those traits in his career at Iowa State so far.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, I think there's been a little inconsistency at times.
It'll be an interesting match up week so week week zero,
which is the first week of the season, and I
don't know when this is running, but like so he
may have already played this game, but.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
This will air Friday, so it'll be right before week.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Okay, so yes, so opening week end of the season.
This is the best game of the opening week, Case
State against Iowa State. It's in Dublin, Ireland. Logan you know,
like there's a really good center. He's going to play
in there, you know, in their second game when they
play Iowa their arrival. Logan Jones is also on the
(09:17):
Freaks List. He's super explosive center. He may be more
explosive than Tyler Lindebaum. You know, he's a basketball player,
whereas Lindabahm was a was a wrestler. But I think
with Orange, because you you in the system, it's a
really good defensive you know, three three five. I think
there are times where it feels like he's a little
(09:37):
out of sync and everything. I don't know if if
it's just you know, from what from a conditioning standpoint,
because from what I'm told, one of the things of
this offseason he's really worked on was diet and just
to be in better physical shape. And I think that
will probably help in some of that, maybe whether it's
a lack of focus or a little bit of just
getting winded at times. But you're right, he is. He
is super explosive. Again, a three hntred twenty five pounds guy.
(10:00):
I would not be surprised if he was a first
round pick, but this is a big, big year for him.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Three other dts I want to hit here, Bruce that
you are pretty high in your list. Amury Washington and
of Oregon, the huge noseguard type. Then you have Zane
Durant out of Penn State. Very different type of defensive tackle,
just two ninety. And then I always like to give
the service academy kids some love. Lennon Robinson out of Navy.
Talk about those three guys.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
For me, all right, let me start with LANDA Robinson.
I love his story. So he was like two hundred
and forty pounds when he got there. He's like two
eighty six now he's six feet. He's really explosive. He's
gonna vertical jump thirty three inches. The best thing I
would say about him, it's not necessarily freakless stuff, but
when they play their art. Tribal Army was undefeated late
(10:43):
in the year, obviously, and he had thirteen tackles, a
career high. He also had like a thirty two yard
run on a fake pun on a fourth and five
late in the game to seal the game. They've given
him the wall three times. He's averaging like thirty yards
of carrot.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Now. And yeah, he's really really strong. I mean he's
almost a five hundred pound bencher. He's got a ton
of energy in terms of personality everything, Like he's a
fun player. I you know, as I'm about to transition
to Zane Durant. Zane Durant is a little smaller, he's
even more explosive. And this is where I'm going to
(11:16):
bring up the Aaron Donald comparison. Zane Durant runs four
six six. We've talked a lot about freaks list guys
at Penn State on your show, and Zane Durant is
right there. He wasn't that big of a recruit coming
out of you know, the North Florida area, but he
is so explosive. And the center at Penn State, Nick Dawkins,
(11:37):
Darryl Dawkins' son, like that, Darryl Dawkins, great talker, really
good college center. I asked him a couple of weeks back.
I was like, who's the best defensive line you faced
in college? You remember he played the guys at Oregon.
You know, you had a first round pick in Jamari Collwells.
Also in the NFL, he's seen some elite guys, you know,
Tyler Williams who went high in the draft from Hohno State,
(11:57):
and he's like, hands down, you know, Zane Durant, not
even not even close, you know, and just so explosive,
so disruptive. Again, he's a little south of two ninety.
But in the right scheme, he is hell to block. Now,
he's probably not a scheme fit for everybody, but he's
(12:18):
super disruptive. And I think with Jim Knowles, who had
been the defensive coordinator at Ohio State when they won
the national title, going in there, I think this is
a you know, they have denied Dennis Sutton, who's an
outside guy who's a really good football player. They got
Tony Rojas, who I don't know if we'll talk to you,
but he's a freaksless linebacker who can really really run.
They got so many dudes, but this guy is the
(12:39):
one that I think is the scariest of the Penn
State group.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
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Speaker 3 (13:20):
And then you mentioned sorry and I'm missing out.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, now that's why. Yeah, h so funny you mentioned
Jamari Caldwell in the answer.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
One of his teammates last year with Derek Harmon was
the massive U snoseguard they have over there.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Right, Yeah, Amri Washington. When they sent me his numbers,
it was like a triple take because he's he's almost
three hundred forty pounds. He vertical jumps thirty six inches,
I mean his his you know, bench presses like four
to seventy five. You know, hits almost twenty one miles
per hour on the GPS. And so Dan Lanning, the
head coach there, who came from you know, was at Georgia,
(13:51):
was at Alabama. He's seeing a lot of freaky d
linemen and this guy has all those trades and they
feel like he's ready to take the next step some
plays last year. They need him to be a dominator
this year, and he has all the physical tools to
be that. But we need to see it. There's there's
a lot of guys like obviously, you know, we just
talked about the Navy defensive line and Sane Durrant. Those
(14:13):
guys have done it like last year, especially for Durant,
he broke through. This is a guy in Washington where
we need to see it. You know, like last year
Derek Harmon was was was a huge problem for defense
and Jamaari callball at times was a big problem. They
need that guy to be like this, that's what they
They need him to be like they were last year
(14:35):
if they're going to take the next step now. Matteo
an outside rusher, take Tim Tuioti. Those guys are really
good players outside, but they need the guy who just
disrupts everything inside to make it all just take it
to the next level.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I let you up to the offensive side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I guess it's no surprise, Bruce that two Io offensive
linemen are on this list. You already mentioned Logan Jones,
but he's not alone.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Yeah, Kate Peeper is like, uh, you know the numbers
that these guys both are like, you know, thirty seven
inch vertical super like fast and the ten yards split.
Both those guys who were setting IOWA program records for
one for a guard, one for a center. Logan Jones
was actually a high school basketball player. He told me
(15:17):
first dunked in ninth grade when he was six to one.
You know, he's around you know, three hundred pounds. He
is one of those typical Iowa offensive linemen where you're like, okay,
he was a really good all around athlete who just
kept think getting stronger and crazy stronger every off season.
And he's a really good football player. You know. I
actually I have three freaksist guys from Iowa all in
(15:39):
the top fifty. Like I don't want to say none
of them were huge, huge recruits, but like you go
through the list. I mean, Tristan Wurks was once my
number one overall freak. He's obviously you know, I had
a really good NFL career. You know, I mentioned Linda Baum,
who was you know, it was a really great player
for them and has you know, went pretty high in
the draft. Or even though he's a little one under size.
(16:00):
But this is what Kirk Ferrance does. I feel like
there's no off, no head coaching college football that knows
offensive linement any better than Kirk Ferrence does. He's an
old Belichick guy and he coached a line for a
long time. He just has a great feel for it.
And I think they have a real knack for finding
guys whether they were a four star or a two star,
(16:22):
they just have a feel for it.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That's a very important position to have a good feel for.
That's for sure, all right.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Although the offensive talk I want to hit I mentioned
it before, Francis. Now we go out of Miami's six six,
two thirty five, you know him down for a one
to five seven ten yards split in the forty that's
crazy for a man that size.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yeah, now you know. I mean it's the g is
pronounced to the end. He was a huge five star
recruit for Mario Crystaball Chrystal Ball when he was at Oregon.
At Penae Seool, I mean, he had a lot of
big time linemen over the years, but pine Sool was
a was a major get for him who he was like,
probably higher on than most of other people were. And
obviously I turned out to be a dominant player. I
(17:02):
know it's been at right tackle since he got there.
Just super explosive power in terms of the numbers that
he puts up. You know, he's close to three hundred
and forty pounds. Just a big frame. I think the
best thing that if you're an NFL team that you
look at, you're like, okay, christ of ball. If he
knows one thing, it is about big people. And you've
(17:25):
seen it pretty much everywhere he's been. And certainly you
know whether it was at Alabama and then obviously at
Oregon when they when they really upgraded the guys in
the trenches. Now we're seeing it at Miami. This is
a massive offensive line and this is the freakiest of
the group.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
All right, let's go to the skill position guys here, Bruce,
and a guy that if people have kept track of
your list over the years, is a name that will
look very familiar. He checks in near the top of
your list, and that is Nick Harbor, who's six' five
and two forty five at wide, receiver ran a ten
to one one one hundred Meter he finally he got
(18:00):
going a little bit last year at twenty six catches
three into seventy six. Yards what have you heard from
the people there about a is continuing development as a
wide receiver and if maybe especially with the quarterback, there
which we'll get to as, well maybe a breakouts incoming for.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Him, yeah they need to see it. MORE i mean
he's still pretty, raw you, know for not this past,
year but the year before. That he's still running track
at a high level At South. Carolina that's what he
was coming out of high. School he's. Running he's running
a high level competitive track and he is stix and
seven inches taller than the other guys and seventy and
(18:35):
eighty pounds heavier than them that he's running. AGAINST i,
mean he's a gigantic, receiver. Right his body fats, like you,
know five percent at that. Size he's hitting twenty three
point six miles per hour this. Offseason but, again you're,
right they need to see him really take two big
steps forward in terms of his, polish his awareness on the.
(18:57):
Field the quarterback you're talking, About, lenoris another freaksless guy
six three two forty five can run in the four or.
FIVES i, mean people have compared him a little bit
To steve. McNair he's super. Strong he's really. Smart that's
the other big thing About. Sellers from talking to guys
who coached him and you, know spending a little time with,
(19:18):
him he's a, really really smart. Kid last year was
his first year as a. Starter took a little bit
of time to get, rolling but once he, did he played.
Fantastic That clemson defense that was so. Talented he ran
away from the entire front four on several plays and
they just couldn't get him. Down and he took over an,
offense by the, way that only had one returning starter on.
Offense so the growing pains weren't just, his it was
(19:40):
everybody around.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
Him you, Know, BRUCE i don't know about.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
YOU i would be surprised if If Archie manning's in
the draft next, year knowing how The manning family, Was
i'm obviously around these, GUYS i would be pretty, surprised
given his physical skill, set If sellers is not the
one that emerges from this quarterback group as the guy
that gets picked.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
First and what is a pretty good quarterback.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Class it should, be it really should. Be So I'm
sellers will be. Interesting there's gonna be a second year
as a. Starter now it's a new system, Again So
Dawa logins who you. KNOW nfl fans know that. Name
he was in THE nfl for like fifteen twenty. Years
he was the offensive. Coordinator he really Wanted sellers was
not a big. Recruit he got passed over by a
lot of. People he wanted to go To North. Carolina
(20:20):
he was set to go to Like virginia and Then,
syracuse and then like you, know late in his senior,
Season loggins In South carolina moved. In it was. Terrific
loggins with him for two. Years he started for one
After Spencer rattler, left and Now loggins is the head
coach at App state And Mike schula comes in to take.
Over so's it's a little bit of a different. SYSTEM
(20:42):
i we'll see what's going to be if he's out
after you, know two, years two years as a, player
in three, years three and out or does he? Wait
i'm with, YOU i don't. THINK i don't think Arch
man's gonna leave after just one year as a, starter
even if it is a sixteen game season where they
play for the for the national title and it goes.
ALONG i still think that just from Knowing Cooper manning
(21:04):
his dad really WELL i just think that they are
not going to rush. Him they don't need to worry
about money or anything like. THAT i think they can
be patient with this. Class you, know we Mentioned Garrett nssmeyer.
Before his dad is The saints offense. Coordinator Dougnas meyer
played in THE. Nfl he's really. Talented Carson, beck who
two years ago people were buzzing about IN nfl scouting
circles At georgia and then he struggled last year out In.
(21:27):
Elbondrey now he's At. Miami people expect him At miami
to have a big. Years there's this is a deep
and interesting. Group you got one guy who didn't make
the freakslist At Penn, state but his looks the. Part
Drew aller six two forty five moves pretty, good is really,
smart got a big. Arm he's a guy who has
a chance TO i, think get a lot of. ATTENTION i,
(21:49):
mean so this is A i don't say it's a
top heavy, group but there's a bunch of, guys including
some really big guys Like beck's almost six y. Four
sellers is a huge. Man aller is a really big.
Guy you. Know there's it's an interesting. Group beyond just.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Arch, No i'm with.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
YOU i think it's a really fun class and it's Funny.
Bruce THEN i think after you get Past harbor and
again we'll get to the guy number one on your
list at the, end there's kind of a bit of
a gap before you get to the next wide. Receiver
any other wide receivers on this group kind of really
intrigue you that jumped, out whether it's their story or
the numbers that you got that maybe could sneak up a,
lot sneak up on people a little bit in the draft.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Process Chris hilton is a wild, card like he was
a high level high jumper coming out of high, school
went TO. Lsu you, know you can ask my leak
neighbors about. Him he's seeing how super Freaky Chris hilton.
Is i'll ask, him but, yeah, no ask. HIM i
bet he'll have great. Stories Because Chris hilton is the.
Guy he's been like injured a, bunch but when he's,
(22:49):
played he, AVERAGE i want to, say your average is
like thirty, yards you, know a touchdown. Catch he's been
a big play guy when he's. Healthy but he just
hasn't been, healthy and you think about all the elite,
Receivers like when he committed TO, lsu they still Had
Justin jefferson And Jamar chase and then at one, point you,
know there Was Kashawn, boute who is a good receiver
AT lsu obviously hadn't been a great star in THE,
(23:11):
nfl but they had him At brian tom you, know
he's in this class With neighbors And Brian Thomas, junior
and he was a really big get FOR. Lsu he's still.
There maybe this will be the year that he can
stay healthy and puts it all together because he can like.
Explosive like when you talk to people AT, lsu they're, like,
yeah he's the biggest freak skill guy we. Have and
(23:33):
there's other guys in that. Room they have a legit track,
Kid Johnny, watkins who's gonna run ten. Flat they have another,
Guy Barrion, brown who when the video games come, out
they make his speed like ninety eight transferred From. Kentucky
it's you, Know hilton is the wild. Card i'd be
curious what you, know absolut leak neighbors for His, like,
okay do you think he's a freak and see what
kind of reaction you Get i'd be surprised that his
(23:55):
eyes don't don't get.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
BIG i will ask him AND i will text you
no question about. It didn't he a ton of running
on the, List, Bruce Jeremiah. Love you could talk about
why he's not on the, list by the, way but
any other running backs you know jump out at you
when you're talking to people around the.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Country Nick singleton is the guy you know in terms
of like big size two twenty. Plus he's going to
run in the four. Threes he's incredibly. Strong he shares
the job with K Tron, allen who's also a really good,
back not as not as, explosive but really good football.
Player we'll see where single What singleton does this. YEAR i,
(24:30):
MEAN i don't know if if you get to share
the job and you become a first round, pick BUT
i could see him really lighting up the combine. Process
but he's he's a really good football. Player Jeremiah. Love you,
know was a track guy in high. School not like
a track guy Like Nick harbor is running ten to.
One he was running ten to. Six but you could
if you watch notre am, games you see him football.
(24:51):
Speed he is super, fast he's, dynamic he's a terrific football.
Player AS i wrote on The, freakslist the reason why
he was not in there and ain't gave me like
four guys you know that they nominated. Forward the reason
why he wasn't there was he was coming off injury
and when he did test and do some of those,
things he just wasn't quite the same at that. Point and,
(25:13):
again he's he's one of the best football, players AND
i would say he's the best running back in college.
Football but just in terms of, this it wasn't like
he ran ten to one in high. School he won
The Missouri state one hundred, meter but his time was.
Good it wasn't, like oh my, god like The Nick harbor.
Stuff but if you ask me who's the best running
back in the, COUNTRY i would definitely take care of my.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Love Now i'm with you on.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
That you had a tight end very high on your,
list a tight end that could have came out last,
year got a lot of money to go back To,
Vanderbilt Eli. Stowers what are you hearing about? Him and
he had a breakout of here last? Year could those
numbers even get even bigger this?
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Year they? Could So he's interesting in that he was
a four star quarterback out of high. School went To
TEXAS a and m played at a big time, program
didn't really you, know get it going as a quarterback.
There transferred To New Mexico state where they move moved
him to tight. End his quarterback at the Time Diego,
pavia who's a really fun, player dual threat, guy plays
with a lot of moxie and great. Energy they are
(26:09):
both transferred along with their offensive coordinator To, vandy and
he broke out last. Year as you, said now he's
not a he is kind of a secondary tight end
where he's not going to be an inline. Blocker he's
six four to two thirty. Five he's going to broad
jump eleven to. Three he's going to vertical, jump you,
know probably over forty. Inches he can really stretch. Defenses
(26:31):
he's a. WEAPON i think in college he's a real.
Problem you. Know the only COMPARISON i would probably be
able to throw out of somebody like this is kind
of in That Evan. Ingram but he might be even
more explosive Than Evan. Ingram and OBVIOUSLY i know you
know him. Well he's he's an interesting, player especially in
that you know was the quarterback and now found a
(26:52):
second lefe as a tight, end especially coming out Of Las,
Crusis New, mexico where no one's paying attention to college
football mostly all.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Right two other prisoners down to.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Hit you were a linebacker class that's pretty, impressive headlined
By Sonny, styles but you have linebackers littered all over this.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
List, Bruce, Yeah Sunny styles is the. GUY i saw
him like last month out at a media, event and
he's just a really impressive. Dude his dad played in THE,
nfl won A Super. Bowl sonny six four to. Forty
he's vertical jumps forty inches and broad jumps eleven feet
and he's he had told me from the time he
was like five or, six his dad was doing pliometrics
(27:28):
with him and his brother and he and he was like.
YEAH i was, like do you think it paid? Off
and he WAS i wanted him to go what do you?
Think BECAUSE i, mean he's the guy everybody's wa, like
this is that big ten media days and he was
the one guy everybody's like looking, at Going, okay that
looks like something you'd see out of a movie or.
Something he's a really good football, player makes a ton of.
Plays they you, know They Matt patricio OBVIOUSLY nfl fans
(27:54):
know from his days. There he's the new defensive coordinator.
There he has two freaky linebackers, There Sonny style an
Rbl reese who's right there with. Him I'm james Laurn.
IIIs he's the position. Coach he is going to get
spoiled with with guys like, that the other the other,
one and there's a bunch of. Them as you, Said
Tony ross At Penn state can is super. Fast he
(28:15):
made a ton of plays last. YEAR i feel like
he's a guy THAT i don't want to say it's
not fair to say he's going to break out this
year because he already had a phenomenal season last. Year
but you, Know Penn state has had so many guys
in the front seven who who are super freaky testers
and and he's that. TOO i just think he's a
(28:35):
guy that probably more people need to be talking. About,
obviously last year With, abdul they had a headliner and
so he was getting a lot of the. Attention and
there's other guys, here you, know Including durant and Denied
Denis sutton as a heck of a football player who
finished the season strong BUT i Think tony is a
guy who more people will kind, of you, know start
(28:57):
to put out there as you, know the numbers crazy with.
Him SO i just think the, numbers the, film all of.
It he's a, Playmaker he's a stud all.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Right final position before we wrap up with a couple
of overarching. Things only five cornerbacks on the, List, bruce
WHICH i was taken a little bit of back by
because usually you get some pretty crazy athletes at Corner
was that kind of a little surprising to you that
that more guls guys didn't get submitted to you for
the top one.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Hundred, yeah and a couple of them towards are probably
towards the bottom of the list are small school guys
who's who are good. PLAYERS i don't think they're like
one of them is at Ut martin is a really
undersized cornerback who's fast and explosive but not you, know
he's Not Treik wallen. Either the same thing With William
mary's cornerback who is long but not like he's not six.'
(29:47):
four he's just got, long arms and you know he's
a really good. Football Player KOLBY. Taylor p I'VE had
i think on. Three years he started his Career at
wyoming and he's he is long and. HE'S dynamic i
don't think he's he's still. Pretty raw he's Now, at
vanderbilt but he's a he is a very. Talented athlete
i'm curious is he kind of? A project what DOES
(30:08):
the nfl look? At him, but yeah this year is
not what it has been. In past as you, mentioned
earlier it's a lot of, big people especially ON the,
d line and certainly is quite a few ON the,
O line, I think but in terms, of, corners no.
There's not, you know it's always interesting to go back
and LOOK like i, love, TO like i watch a
(30:30):
TON Of nfl Network and i'm watching a lot of,
preseason Stuff and, i'm, Like hey i'm Rooting For ruben
lowry because i Know the cowboys got him as a.
Free agent he was like number one hundred On The
freaks list last year and was a small school guy
that looks like he's going to MAKE an Nfl roster
and because he's making a ton of plays in, the
preseason you love.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
To see stuff. Like that Number Ninety daniel.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Sparks punter what is a punter at to do to make, The,
Freaklist bruce and is this the first specialist you've had on?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
These lists it's not like so. LAST year i actually
had a punter from a punter kickoff Guy From penn
state who's like, six six two eighty five who's, still
there who runs in the. High Four aids sparks is
almost like a college basketball. POWER forward i mean he's,
six six he can. REALLY jump i think there were
like three or, four specialists maybe three punters and one
(31:21):
KICKER who i had referenced in there in some way,
or other who were. In consideration, you know He's. AT
virginia i mean he's a he's a really, good specialist
but like he is a. BIG dude i mean he
kind of looks like he could play tight end. RIGHT
now i mean he's not, too forty he's too twenty
eight or something, like that but really, explosive athlete can
really run.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
And jump love, it.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
All right let's get tore TO the m one guy and,
Your List. Jeremiah smith THE reason i left him for
last is he's not, Draft. Eligible bruce but assuming he
has as big of a year as you all think,
HE might i love your little anecdote you could tell
it about his any habits as a Freshman At. Ohio
state what is twenty twenty six is gonna look like?
For him like they're goin to be screams that he shouldn't.
(32:03):
Even play our team's going to try to THROW crazy
nll money at him to get him to go to a.
Different school they're already.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Throwing crazy anile money to try to get him. To
leave i'm sure there'll be a lot of people who,
will say the only thing you can do is, get
injured don't, you know? Be careful, YOU know i don't
know what the insurance policy would be. For him he
was the best receiver in college football last year when
he came out and when he came, Into COLLEGE and
i would tell some of my coworkers because we did
(32:33):
a Bunch Of ohio state Games at Fox and i'm
on the sideline, for it and JUST like i, was
like you don't realize how big he is until you
se him. In person and the only the BEST comparison
i got for Him Is andre Johnson, from miami right
like six three, two thirty, super strong, Really PHYSICAL like
i remember one of my last Memories Of andre johnson
(32:55):
as a. College player was him just physically Abusing the
nebraska cornerback In the national, title game like he was
just throwing them off like they were like they were,
you know pool noodles. Or something just just a completely.
Freaky athlete this guy is way more polished at a.
Younger age. IT'S funny i Know Met jeremiah smith's dad
(33:19):
at a at a game early in the season and
we just kind of kept in touch and we talked About.
The andrea he, was, LIKE yeah i got a picture
of everybody CALLS. HIM jj i got a PICTURE of
Jj with ANDREA when jj was like seven. Years old
AND so i did a big Story On jeremiah smith
last fall and we included the picture of Him With.
Andre johnson They're Both, south florida, You know. Miami kids
(33:39):
so he like as great as the receivers have been
coming Out Of, ohio state and obviously they've almost all backed,
it up, you know whether It's a Lave Or. Garrett wilson,
you know You Had marvin. Harrison, junior recently You had.
Terry McLaurin this guy is the best combination by far
(34:02):
of all. Of it he's, the biggest he's, the strongest
he might be the fastest because he's running twenty three
point five miles. Per hour, You Know Marvin, harrison junior
after all those, other guys was the. Best combination this guy's,
much stronger and he's a, little faster and he's probably
more way. More physical, you know he's six three and.
(34:23):
A half he's to almost two. Twenty five he broad jumps.
Eleven feet and the thing he said, to him of
all the freaky things you're able, to do you know
what's the thing you're most? Proud of and, he said
it's probably my bench press and my STRENGTH because i
got up to two hundred twenty to twenty reps at
(34:43):
two twenty five on the. Bench press, he GOES when i,
GOT here i was only. About five so he's put on,
you know he's gone from five to twenty in a
little over, a year and that's obviously a lot for,
any receiver much less one who's, you know nineteen. Years old.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
IT'S funny i thought he would have said getting Off
the wendy's after eating fast food every day for his whole.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
FRESHMAN year i know he.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Was, LIKE yeah i was basically eating it, every Day and,
i'm like it's like you have obviously great genetics if
you're able to eat all that stuff and still look
the way he did and do what. He DID but, i,
think again this is a guy who from a really
early age he was very dialed in and very driven
and focused. And motivated and so he and his Dad
and jeremiah as well talked a lot, about THAT and
(35:27):
i think that has given him such an, incredible foundation
an incredible head start on all these. OTHER guys, i
mean he's not only the number one, freaking collegeable he's the.
BEST player i don't even think it's close to anybody
else in.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
COLLEGE football I cat i love when THESE two i
can't blame. Him, All right brew's, Final question you followed
college football closer. Than anyone what's? One storyline maybe team?
Player trend then maybe you think is being overlooked in
college football, this year that not enough people are talking.
About that you think it either impact, the season. The
draft we're just something that you're really tracking throughout. The
(36:02):
year you can go in any direction you.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
WANT here.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
I think it's going to. Be fascinating but, you know
we were Talking about Chris silt in a. MINUTE ago
I think lsu was one of the more interesting stories
we Have. In, Collegeville Well brian kelly did a terrific
Job At. Notre dame he left there three, years ago
had a good, start Obviously Had jaden daniels who transferred
in and Became a, heisman winner a lot of other really.
Good players and now it's year four and the. PRESSURE'S
(36:26):
on lsu is spending a fortune on their. Transfer, portal
guys they have a lot. Of Talent this kelly, just
said this is the most talented team. He's had his buyout,
is enormous, you know north of fifty. Million dollars but
if he doesn't get them to the playoff, this year
which means you have to be, you know make a twelve,
team playoff which isn't unrealistic, AT all i think there
(36:49):
will be a lot of PRESSURE at lsu to get
rid of, him now whether that means they can do
something to use to get him out of the buyout if,
They start if they don't make, THE playoff i would
not be surprised because the one thing the three coaches
who came before HIM, at lsu That's, Edozer On les
Miles And. Nick saban the only thing they have in
(37:10):
common is that they all won national TITLES at lsu
and all did it within the first. Four years this
is a huge story and it's going to get out
the gate a big way because they play on the Road.
At clemson kelly has talked a lot about how big
of a game. This is he's not. Shying away he's
definitely he's pushing in, on it saying how like they,
have tigers, You Know Clemson tiger pauls all over, their
(37:31):
facility just kind of. Reinforce it, you know if they
don't win, that game then a couple of weeks later
they play A good florida team who they lost to.
Last year it's going to be a really interesting season In.
Bat rouge and.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
Talking, about pressure by, the way How About.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
PENN state i don't remember the, Last time bruce where
they were ranked Ahead Of ohio State. And michigan have
the best quarterback between the three schools. AS well i
got to imagine there's a lot of Pressure In penn
state to finally get over the hump and win that.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Big.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Ten yeah not just the, best quarterback you're right, about
that but they also have the best two. Running backs
they have two running backs who are better than Anybody
at Michigan Or. Ohio state this year they have the
best d Lineman And. Zane durant now they don't have the.
Best Player ohio state is the best offensive defensive Players
In jeremiah smith And Safety. Caleb downs but they also have,
(38:23):
you know a great combination. Of, coordinators right so their
Offense coordinator Andy kotle nikki is very. Well respected cayman
last year did. Really well their defensive coordinator Just Helped
ohio state win a. National Title, jim knowles. He's there
so now You Got ohio State and, Michigan Obviously, WINK
martindale i know you. Know him he Is. At michigan
the offensive coordinator. Is new we'll See How chip lindsay
(38:45):
Does At. Ohio state you have two new coordinators on,
both sides so Yes And ohio AND also i Would
Say penn state probably has the best offensive line of
both of those. Teams too if there was ever a
Year Where penn state is going to Win The big
ten and a national, title run you would think this.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Is It and I'M sorry i was, gonna wrap but
You Mentioned. Caleb downs he was not on, your LIST
which i was. Surprised by giving some people think he
might be the second best player in college Football After. Jeremiah, SMITH.
Speaker 3 (39:14):
Yeah i mean a, brilliant kid terrific, football player really.
GOOD athlete i mean returns punts for. Them too just
Quite not LIKE when i would ask those, you Know
both smith And, AND styles i, was like who else
is in the freaks discussion? THE game A Guy brenton
jones who is a former, walk on who's the defensive
back who they say is the biggest freak whose numbers
(39:34):
are kind of like theirs to.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Be, honest yeah and you, Know, WHAT look i think,
playing safety what's going on up here is much more
important than what's going on with the freak.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Slipt, stuff anyway you can find the free slifts On.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
THE athletic i will link IT when i tweet this
out for the folks, out there make sure you click.
On that it's a must read to get you ready
for the college football season and. The, draft bruce do
you have anything else going on that you want to
promote before we?
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Say, goodbye.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
No just to check us Out on fox Worts and
i'm in studio this. Year again it'll, Be ah it'll
be a. FUN season I can't i get to Work With,
chris peterson The Old Washington boise. State coach there's nobody
better to watch.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
Football with and you got a, podcast, Too right do
you want to?
Speaker 3 (40:12):
PLUG that? I, do yeah check us out On. The
audible it's, With Myself stuart Mandel And ralph russo's joiner
this year and we have a fun time with just talking.
About it and for anybody who, hasn't seen there's one
OTHER thing i would want, TO plug i guess so
anybody hasn't Seen The arch. Manning story we did a
couple of like a month or, so ago just really
(40:33):
it was the idea was about what it was like for,
His parents Cooper And ellen manning to raise quote The
next manning Because obviously cooper is the one brother with, You,
know Arch with Eli. And peyton OBVIOUSLY great nfl quarterbacks was.
Around it but they those, you know as great as,
they were they did not grow up in the era of,
(40:53):
social media which His son, arch is and so all
the challenges that come. With it it's kind of a
fascinating as a, YOUNG parent i, feel like going through our.
Own situation it was an interesting perspective To hear Cooper
and ellen talk about how They raised ARCH and i,
YOU know i think people will be fascinating once they
take a look at.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
That, Story, ironically bruce One Of eli manning's former, Offensive Lineman,
chris snee has a really highly.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
RANKED quarterback I Think.
Speaker 2 (41:20):
Don bosco he's going through Here In, new jersey so
you'll be hearing about him coming down the pike.
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Pretty.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Soon awesome thanks for that's up, On, That bruce you're.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
The man thank you.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
So much enjoy the football season and we will talk
to you in the spring leading up to.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
THE draft i, appreciate.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
It, Man Awesome.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Thanks john that's all the.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Time we have for, draft season Presented, by moody's a
proud partner Of The New, York, Giants, Dcode Risk, unlock
opportunity learn more than moodies.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Dot com We Thank bruce feldman for joining.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Us again go check out his Freaks Lists freaks list
you can find it At the athletic just find It
On his twitter handle is linked up AND when i
tweet out the promotion for, THIS podcast i will put
the link in there for it. As well always a
great way to get ready for the college football season
and the one players a kind of keep an eye
on as we already start thinking about the twenty. Twenty six,
(42:06):
THAT'S Right nfl Draft For, Bruce Feldman I'm. John schmelch that's.
Draft season thank you for joining us In The Hackensack Emriney.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Health podcast you keep. Getting better we'll see you. Next,
time everybody
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