May 6, 2022 • 46 mins
John Schmeelk, Tony Pauline and Eric Crocker take one last look at the 2022 NFL Draft and discuss the biggest trends and steals. SUBSCRIBE NOW: AppleSpotifyGoogleStitcheriHeart Radio :36 - Draft Trends 10:55 - Favorite Draft classes 17:50 - Impact players 23:21 - Biggest steals 37:28 - Wide receivers
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This podcast is presented by Tommy Hill Figure, a p
VH brand and an official partner of the New York Giants.
All Right, Draft season about over here, folks, I'm John Schmelt,
joined as always by Tony Paulin and Eric Crocker. Episode
number sixteen, our final episode of the draft season with
the peak ahead to This podcast is presented by Tommy
Hill Figure, a PVH brand and an official partner of
(00:22):
the New York Football Giants. We're gonna look ahead on
the show, folks, which means we're gonna make some predictions
about the two draft class and we'll do a quick
look ahead to what class might look like with obviously
a year of college football to go. So guys, let's
start here general trends with this draft coming out of
We had a few days to kind of absorb it.
You guys did a great job reviewing the draft on
(00:43):
the podcast I dropped on Sunday in my absence. I
appreciated excellent work. So let's discuss trends. And I guess
my trend would be we see wide receivers getting paid now,
and some of these teams I think are prioritizing finding
good wide receivers on their plus could dual contracts, which
is why so many of these wide receivers went early
(01:04):
in round number one. Rock do you agree? Yeah, And
that was actually gonna be one of my kind of
major takeaways is what is the value of the receiver
and what is that market? You've seen teams not really
want to pay receivers where it was kind of trending
in the sense of, you know, north of two million dollars,
and you know, it's coming out that the Tennessee Titans
(01:25):
were like, you know what, No, we don't want to
pay you anything more than sixteen million to a J. Brown,
So we'd rather trade you. Let's when the LuSE pay
you and then draft a player with that selection. And
there's a lot of unknown with it, so you know,
I think, you know, it's they're kind of telling us
what the market is for the receiver right now. I
think they're they're trying to do a little bit of
(01:47):
cost control. Yeah, I mean, it's a natural progression of things.
You know, you got your quarterbacks to the past couple
of years have been given these huge contracts and you
gotta do two things. You gotta protect the quarterback and
you've got to give the quarterback weapons to throw too.
So in my opinion, this is just a natural progression.
(02:07):
The next highest paid group is going to be these receivers.
And you know, as you said, you're either gonna sign
the red of the receivers a trade for the better
receivers as we saw in the lead up to the
two thousands twenty two drafts and on draft day for
huge contracts, or you're gonna bring them in and like
you said, you know, try and reduce your costs to them. Now,
what's gonna happen is, you know, if these guys turn
(02:29):
into the AJ Brown or DK Metcam types three or
four years down the road, they're gonna get massive contracts.
Are they're gonna be traded for? You know, a bunch
of pictures we saw as we saw on Friday night
and Thursday night. You know, I think it'll be interesting
because there's only so much salary cap space. And I
realized the cap is going up, and you know, the
last two years a bit of an anomaly because of COVID,
so the cap didn't go up but actually be down
(02:51):
one year. Both quarterbacks you know, now making forty million,
the top ones, right and it's gonna head up to
even you know, fifty sixty and the next few years
as more guys get extension, you know, teams are got
to figure out who they want to pay. And at
some point, you know, right now, if you're paying a
quarterback forty wide receiver twenty five, that's literally almost a
(03:11):
third of the salary cap right now. And I think
it's hard to build a team that way. So the draft,
I think it's gonna be even more important as the
better players contrast get higher. And we've seen this in
the NBA, right the stars get paid a lot and
even have a max, and then the middle class kind
of gets jipped a little bit and in the whole deal.
So I think what you'll see is that as these
great players get paid, more and more than important to
(03:31):
the draft to find good players to fill in those
spots where you're not putting a lot of your salary
cap towards whatever position, offense, defense, whatever Tony is gonna
become more and more important. Yeah, what's what's gonna happen
is this when you get one of two players that
are eating up such a huge proportion, huge percentage of
your salary cap. You know, people talk about the first
(03:53):
round and noticing those Day three picks. You've got to
hit on them because those Day three picks are gonna
be the guys that fill out your depth chart and
an expensive salary. And what's going to happen is that,
I know what is a little bit off topic is
those second tier in those third tier veterans are gonna
lose out because it's gonna be much cheaper to say, hey,
(04:16):
a rookie, you know, four hud dollars a year, then
to pay the veteran minimum, which is what one point
six million dollars a year. I believe it is right now.
Maybe you know better than I do, but that's what's
going to happen. You gotta hit on those late day picks,
those late day three picks, because those are gonna be
players that fill out your roster to compensate for the
fact that so few players are at the top of
(04:38):
your salary cap and chewing up so much to your
salary cap. And that's what we've seen from the l
A rams right where a lot of people are like, well,
how they keep signing all these guys and they have
unlimited cap space. The cap isn't real but what they're
doing is they are paying their paid time guys, and
there's so few of them, but the rest of our
rosters are guys that they're getting contributions from. They were
(05:00):
drafted in the mid to late rounds. And if you're
not gonna have early round picks and use those guys
like Jayalen Ramsey or Matthew Stafford, then you better be
damn good drafting in those uh day to day three
And that's where they have excelled. And I think other teams,
I'm not saying you'll see everyone trying to use that philosophy,
but I think it might become a little bit more
of a trend in the NFL. Yeah, I'm just saying
(05:21):
this about the Rams too. And you know, we even
talked about the much they didn't take them to the
end of the third round. But you know, in order
to sign Alan Robinson, and they did have to trade
Robert Woods, right, they had to let Von Miller walk.
Uh they're starting left tackle who they were paying a
lot of money retired, So in order them to sign
some of these other guys, money did come off. Johnson,
(05:41):
the safety they had to let walk as well, who's
a really good player, right, So they've had to make
some of these tough decisions. And I think we're seeing
more and more of these teams, especially with the wide receivers,
saying all right, you know, maybe we want to pay
an edge player on defense, we want to pay an
offensive tackle. We can't pay the wide receiver to you know,
we're gonna trust that our great quarterback can raise the
level of the offensive players around them and spend our
(06:04):
money elsewhere where. Do you think we're gonna start seeing
the squeeze guys on some of these salaries where teams
will forego some of these positions, And how might that
impact the draft moving forward? I don't want to you
can jump there. I would think cornerback, right, because cornerback one,
it's just such a tough position to play. In general,
there aren't a lot of guys that are playing at
(06:24):
such this high level to where it's like you can
really say, oh, yeah, we're gonna pay this guy, you know,
fifteen sixteen million dollars a year over someone we can
have come in and still get contribution from him. Because
I look at the FOURT Nino situation, obviously, a team
that I'm very familiar with, and the philosophy that they've
taken on. They've been out there. I mean, aside from
playing paying char Verious Ward, which they're not even paying
(06:46):
him a ton of money when you actually look at
what the contract truly is. But outside of that, I mean,
they've been getting Bible guys like Magnan Mosley. Uh. They
had kill what this poon while he was on rookie contract. Uh.
They did sign a rich Sherman, but even and then
his contract was very team friendly and as he was
a pro bowler and All Pro and played a certain
amount of games. But they've been getting by with very
(07:08):
average corners, which most teams probably couldn't even name who
the four n starting corners were a season ago, but
still had the number six pass defense in the NFL,
still had the number three overall defense in the entire league.
And they were able to do that because when they
get after up front. So if I'm gonna make it
cut anywhere as far as cost goes, it probably will
be some members of the secondary. I would really specifically
(07:28):
point to the corners, which is really hard to be
a good corner in the NFL now day and Tony
really quick, but before you go, just throw out there.
I think this is why teams are playing more and
more zone too. Right. Zone corners are much cheaper than
press man corners. Right, you don't have to go If
you're playing a lot of Cover three and quarters and
Cover two, you have to pay the corner as much
to do that as you do if you're playing a
lot of press nan go ahead to him. Yeah. I
(07:49):
still think the top cornerbacks are going to make good money.
But I think if you're looking at two positions, you
gotta look at your non pass rushing linebackers, guys like
Bobby Wagner, and you gotta look at your running backs.
I mean, you know, there was a reason, there's couple
of reasons why Nawkobe Dean really was never getting get
first round consideration. Two down player. You know, teams don't
(08:09):
value that fifth your option on them, and it's probably
another reason why Breece Hall didn't go in the first round.
Buffalo could have very well taken Greece Hall with that
fifth round, but that fifth round option is more valuable
other other positions. So I think running back and linebacker,
the non pass rushing linebackers are areas where teams are
gonna try and skip and save. Alright, guys, any other
(08:30):
major trends in the draft do you want to address
or you can start moving on to uh draft superlatives
and predictions. Well, I, you know you were talking about,
you know, movement with the rewide receivers. I think you've
got to look at the movement with the quarterbacks as
Eric and I excuse me talked about in unless show.
Look at what's going on in the past two years.
You know, you've had Carson Wentz traded twice. You had
Matthew Stafford traded for Jarreed goffin a bunch of picks.
(08:53):
This year, you had Russell Wilson trade, you had Matt
Ryan traded, you had uh, you know, average or quarterbacks
like Mitch Robinski and Marcus Mariotta that have never lived
up to expect a expectations get decent free agent contracts,
and then oh yeah, you had a bunch of quarterbacks
that people thought could be first round picks fall into
(09:15):
the third round. So I think it may be a
situation and we won't know, you know, for the next
couple of years where teams maybe we're either gonna go
out and get trade for our quarterback or we're gonna
get a middle tier quarterback that we know that has
some NFL experience, and we're gonna sign him rather than
draft a quarterback very early, a quarterback that we know
(09:37):
nothing about as far as NFLX NFL potentialist concerned, our
NFL playing time time is concerned, and try and develop them.
That will be interesting to see if that takes shape
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(09:58):
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for more information. Yeah, I think it's interesting, Tony, because
I think the the glut and the large amount of
you know, at some point a couple of years ago,
we gotta come to the point there were more good
quarterbacks than we're starting spots. But since then, we've had
(10:19):
Drew Brees retire, right, We've had Eli Manning retire, We've
had other older quarterbacks retired. I think now more and
more openings are happening, and obviously Tom Brady's gonna retire soon.
Matt Ryan's gonna get to that point pretty soon. You
have a couple of other spots open up here. Philip
Rivers retired and Roethlisberger retired, You know that kind of
two thousand and three and after group, it's kind of
slowly getting out of the game. We're gonna have more
(10:41):
of these spots open up in teams. We got to
make some difficult choices cracking anything else in the draft.
You want to start the Drew Brees retired And what
is New Orleans done to address the quarterback position? Yeah?
The Veterans? Yeah, yeah, all right, let's go guys, let's
go here. First favorite draft class, Croc. Why don't we
(11:01):
start with you? Who do you like? Oh? I have
a couple, all right, And I'm definitely starting off with
the Houston Texans because I look at this team, a
team that had a lot of holes, and I'd say
their first five draft picks are guys that not only
should likely start and have an impact on their team,
but I think they would probably have an opportunity to
(11:23):
start on most teams. Derek Stingley Jr. You know, you
draft a corner like that, I think most teams are
plugging him in to their starting lineup. Kenyan Green coming
in and play offensive guard. I think he's the guy
he's gonna step in and play right away. Jalen Petrie
has a safety, will be a safety, or will be
kind of that hybrid Star Nickel type guy. But again,
I feel like a player of his caliber and the
(11:44):
prospect he is, most teams will probably look to him
to be a starter. And then you have John Mechi.
I think he's a guy that could be a legit
wide receiver three right away, and a lot of teams
are going to a lot of eleven personnel. And then
Christian Harrison and Damian Pierce, and that was a team
that really needed that running back down Rex Perkt and
then outside that, it's like, okay, who's gonna really be
able to tote the rock and threatened teams? And they
(12:07):
draft a guy like Damian Pierce. So you just look
at those plas right there. I'm like, man, this is
a team that I feel like I got better right away.
How about I know you're gonna you're not gonna like
this too much. A lot of listeners are not gonna
like it, but you gotta love what the Philadelphia Eagles
did I mean they take Jordan Davis. They move up
to get Jordan Davis, to steal him away from the
(12:27):
Baltimore Ravens, and you know, Davis just gonnatify that interior
defensive line. People say he's not a pass rusher. I disagree.
But even if he's not a pass rusher, his ability
to gobble up blockers to occupy the gaps will create
opportunities for those edge rushes, will create opportunities for zone blitzes,
for corner blitches. So that I thought was a tremendous pick.
I've always thought that Jordan Davis was underrated and was
(12:50):
gonna be underdraft. I think that's what happened. You got
a factor in the trade for a j Brown that
immediately improves their receiving court, immediately get Jalen Hurt another
top target to throw the ball to, and they signed
him to a four year extension for a hundred million dollars.
R fel Cam Jurgons at the bottom third of round
two was an exceptional pick. People say, well, he's a center,
(13:12):
the center, he can play center, he can play guard.
He fits that system. He's a big, tough, punching mouth.
Guy had wrote about it. A couple of days before
the draft, how we was moving up draft boards. I
think that was an exceptional pick. NA Kobe Dean was
outstanding value in the third round. There's some concerns about
some injuries there. He never worked out before the draft,
which is not a good thing when you're five ft
(13:33):
eleven two twenty six pounds. There's more. There's a concern
he's maybe just a two down defender. I could agree
with that. I think that's just a Filebo concern. But
he's still an explosive football player. He's a terrific run
defender that goes sidelines to sideline and then a round
six excuse me, they get Grant count Katera from SMU
the for the outstanding pass catching tight end who had
(13:55):
a great career at Oklahoma, actually retired because of concussion issues,
came act had another real good season last year at SMU.
You rolling dice on him in around six. He fits
the Eagle system. He is an outstanding passket you he's
a real good athlete. You know. I know a lot
of it comes down to jail and hurts, and I'm
not a big jail and hurts guy. But when you
(14:15):
look at a draft that can take a team and
really elevate them to the next level. I think that's
what the Eagles did. Yeah, and by the way, I'll
point out to that the reason they're able to pay
a d Browns because Jalen Hurts isn't making a ton
of money, right, So that's you don't have money on
the quarterback. You can pay a wide receiver. All right,
I'm gonna go Baltimore Ravens. You just seem to sit
in their spot every year and good players dropped to him. Uh.
(14:35):
Kyle Hamilton's a four team. We've talked about him a
lot on in the show. I think that's about the
right neighborhood for him. Not a top five guy, but
I think the middle of the first round they'll figure
out a way to use them in their defense. Whereas
size and physicality I think payoff. You know, Lindar Baum,
I know Tony is not the biggest fan of him either,
but I think it's I'm curious to see how they
use him in that scheme. Is there not a zone
(14:56):
running scheme? So I'm gonna curious to see how that works.
But you know, in that that that running game, I
think it's gonna work. He's a wrestler, you know, a Jabo.
Would it shock me if you were talking in four
or five years that David a Jabo is the best
sack artist in this draft class. Nope, wouldn't surprise me.
And they get him in the second round. Would it
shocked me in four years if Travis Jones as an
(15:16):
excellent Pro Bowl caliber defensive tackle. Nope, not him in
the third round. Then the Ravens they just picked big people, right, Well,
who's bigger than Daniel File. They get him in the
round four, which I think was a great guy. I
thought he was a third round pick. You know, some
people like Jalen Armor Davis a lot. I'm curious if
he use File. He's kind of like lesser version of
Rolando Brown. Just a huge guy you have to run around, right.
(15:38):
That didn't test really well. They draft two tight ends,
you know, la Mark Jackson loves throwing the tight ends.
You know, Charlie Kohler Isaiah likely two different guys when
they can catch the football. Uh Tyler Beatty. I think
is is a good sixth round running back. He can
do a little bit in the passing game, so I
think overall, I think the Ravens did well. I think
they got a lot of good players. Uh. Interesting thing
(16:00):
that they trade Marky's Brown and how you brown then
do not ad a wide receiver. I think that's interesting.
So we'll see what happens with that position wise for them.
But I thought the Ravens really had an excellent draft.
Interesting interesting with the Ravens is they get the biggest
one of the biggest offensive line, so the biggest offensive
line they and they take one of the smallest offensive
linemen in Linda Bump. I agree, Linda Baum. You know,
(16:22):
unless they think he's a good center for Lamar Jackson.
The way Lamar Jackson plays, it's an interesting pick because
it doesn't fit the system at all. I love the
tight ends that they drafted, but you know, now they
got four tight ends, and you know you usually keep
three tight ends, so you know what's gonna happen, and
they're gonna cut one of the veterans, and they're gonna
try and trade one of the veterans. But yeah, and
(16:45):
Travis Jones after losing out on Jordan Davis, was an exceptional,
uh consolation prize if you will. Yeah, he talked about
when you were allowed on Friday Cook has been like,
where's my guy Travis Jones. He's gotta be going soon right?
Oh yeah, I know he's it down pretty pretty far.
But that was a joyful moment. One of our people
were hosting covering him at Yukon and have a lot
(17:07):
of good things to say about him. But I want
to talk about real quick with Baltimore. Just you talked
about them not adding a receiver, and you look at
the receivers they have right now. You got Rashot Bateman.
You gotta doday and proche Those guys are gonna have
to really take big steps. I think Bateman showed like, Okay,
I have the ability. There were some games where he
started to come into his own, especially after he got healthy.
(17:28):
But you got tail On Wallace. They're gonna need a
lot out of him as well. This isn't this young
star studied group. And I know they raved his fans
really desperately wanted to add a receiver with Hollywood Brown.
Now you lose Hollywood Brown and you still don't add
a receiver. I think that was very questionable. Yeah, I
think a lot of twelve and thirteen personnel coming for
the Ravens when they wind up this year. No question. Alright,
(17:51):
similar question but a little bit different. Which team do
you thinks draft class will impact them the most as
they try to take as up as a team. So
which team I guess improved the most with their draft class?
Would we would be one way to phrase it, but
you think really will get a lot of impact out
of this draft class for how they're trying to kind
of grow their team. Tony, let's go to you first.
(18:13):
You gotta go in inter Jets. I mean, you look
at the Jets. It could be a transformational draft. Now,
granted it's all on paper and the history of the
Jets is they win in April, but when the season
starts in September doesn't turn out his plan. But look,
they got the top cornerback in the draft in the
Mod Gardener. They got the top receiver in a drafting
Garrett Wilson. They come back to the top round two,
(18:33):
they make a trade. They get the top running back
in the draft in Greece Hall Well, by the way,
they get the pass rusher that they had considered with
one of those two picks, the fourth, the tent pick,
and Jermaine Johnson. When Johnson falls down, the into the
deep into the late party round when they trade up
to again that they get later on. They get Jeremy
Ruckert in the third round, a terrific developmental receiver that's
not gonna pass to play right away. They get a
(18:55):
situational pass rusher, Michael Clemens. I mean, this is h
This is Joe Douglas working with Robert Sala to basically
phil needs with the top players in the draft that
can have a lot of impact. Now, like I said,
it's only on paper, and you know, the history has
not always been that you were able to transition that
(19:17):
great looking draft on paper into football production. And you know,
like with the Philadelphia Eagles, so much of it will
we're live, excuse me, so much of it will rely
on the hopeful improvement of one Zack Wilson. Because if
these guys play great, but Dak Wilson turns out to
have another dud season, you're not gonna be able to
(19:38):
win games by a score three to two or seven
to six. But I think on paper, right now where
we sit, this has the potential to really transform the
New York Jets and catapult the moving forward. Yeah, I'm
gonna pick a team on the other side of the spectrum,
and I'm gonna go Kansas City Chiefs. They're an excellent
team already, but I really think their draft is going
to help them improve right away. You know they knew
(19:59):
the defensive end on defense. They get George carl Lost.
This will step in. They're using, well, he's a solid player.
They need a quarterback. You get Trent McDuffie with the
twenty first pick in the first round. He'll step in,
He'll be good right away. You need a wide receiver
somehow Skot Moore gets to pick twenty two and around
two he's gonna be great for them. This year. They
lose Tyron Matthew. They bring in Brian Cooks if he
(20:19):
had a sense that he was a very good player.
Then they get the linebacker Leo shann Allen around three,
Darian Kinnard, who is similar to the Tyler Smith pick
last year. He dropped because of medicals. Right if he
can stay healthy, he can help the offensive line right
away and be a guy that moves around. So I
think the Chiefs and usually don't think of you know,
teams that are picking late in the draft, and you
(20:40):
know we're play away from going to the Super Bowl
and things of that nature of really helping themselves in
the draft, I think the Chiefs went a long way
to addressing some of their needs, but they didn't have
to reach to address those needs. In fact, you could
argue with thirty they got great value of Carl lost
that he got that great value with more and around
two Leo Shannellen around three is good value. Colard has
(21:00):
been valuing around five. So I thought the Chiefs did
a lot to help their roster here and fill some holes,
especially on defense headed into this season. How about you?
You know, I could have went with Houston on this
because I do think they got guys that will make
a media impacts. But I'm gonna go with UH the
forty nine arch enemies UH Seattle Seahawks and what they did.
(21:21):
And I feel like if you just look at their
the names that they got, it's like an all who
has mentioned the most on social media names. UH name
group started off with Charles Crossing. That was good because
now you have a day one guy that's gonna step
in and play that left to position. Then you got Boy.
In my faith, they desperately need to get an add rusher.
I mean they've been using Jamal Adams in that role, right.
(21:43):
I mean the team he a couple of years ago,
he led the team in sacks. You wanted to be
able to get that type of production, but from and
the guy that is actually a pass rusher. Then they win.
Got Kenneth Walker. They have had Chris Carson. I know
they draft a penny, but you know, if you want
to try to replace those guys again more out of it.
Carson has gotta been banged up here and there. Get
a guy like Kenneth Walker who could do it all,
(22:04):
could potentially be that every down back. To continue on
Abraham Lucas. This is an officive line that really needed
to improve and get a lot better throughout the entire
officer line. I think Lucas can help with that. And
then you see what they did in the fourth and
fifth rounds with cornerback Kobe Bryant. Cornerback Rick Wouling. Woolling
(22:25):
is probably more of a kind of a development pick,
but has really high upside and if they're not putting
them in situations where or if they put him in
positions where he could play more like Brandon Brown or
Richard Sherman and he gets it that kind of knowledge
of the game from reading down concepts. He can be
terrific a great athlete there. And Kobe Bryant, he brings
a level of consistency, a guy that wanted Jim Thorpe Award.
(22:46):
And then you look at Tyreek Smith and you know,
people aren't really talking about him as a pass rush here.
But the guy who showed up at the Senior Bawn.
He had some questionable reps against pinning, but he also
has some really good reps. And the guy that's really
just gonna come off the head to try to win
with speed, he has ability there. Then I mean bow Milton,
another guy who can add a bit more dynamic this
to this, a guy that can potentially win vertical. And
(23:07):
we'll see what happens at the quarterback position. And then
they got drew locked there. But just in the team
where I felt like they addressed a lot of needs
and got guys that could potentially come in and play
with you know, good kind of experience there. I like
a lot of what Seattle do. All right, let's let's
stay on the positive side of things. Which pick do
you think guys was the biggest steel where they got
the best value given where the player was, So, like
(23:30):
Tony Long, we start with him. Oh, there's a lot
of them. I mean, obviously you gotta go with Malik Willis.
I would say Jermaine Johnson as well in the early part.
I gotta go with one of those two guys. I
have to look at the Day three picks because there's
always a winner there. But you know, I gotta say
(23:51):
Jermaine Johnson if I've got to go with the two,
because he's more NFL ready the Malik Willis, He's gonna
have the ability to impact the team, uh the earliest.
And he also fits the need. I mean, the Jets
have been looking for a pass rush since John Abraham
left him what two thousand seven eight, and Jermaine Johnson
for them anyway, hopefully we'll fill that need. How about
(24:14):
you across favorite, I'm gonna go with new Kobe Dean.
I'm gonna go with new Kobe Dean, uh, just because
I get the injury thing. And if you get a
guy who flashed a lot of ability and I know,
you know, like Tony said that, he's a guy that
could definitely improve in the coverage aspect of things. But
(24:34):
just coming in how he flies around in the ability
he has. I do think that the coverage is something
that he can improve on, you know, being able to
get him where they got him. This is a blue
chip type prospect who slipped because of an injury. And
we'll find out the severity of that. If you guys
to get surgery, how long he'll be out if he's
not missing time. I think that's a guy where, Man,
you got a big time player really late in his draft.
(24:56):
I'll give you a couple of Day three guys here
that I like. You know. You ever wonder if NFL
teams are about testing, Oh, the combine doesn't matter testing,
it's not a big deal. Look where Jamari Salier got kicked.
It was the only guy all year that could blockade
and Hudsonson, Oh yeah, the only guy that blocked him
goes to the sixth round with pick number six team
because his testing was awful. And Tony Luss I'm wrong.
(25:18):
I don't think there's anything medical with him that was
an issue, right. No, I also think it's you know
where you're gonna pla him at the next level. I
haven't as a guard I agree with you, though, but look,
he got ended up getting picked by the Chargers. I
could see that guy starting a guard for them by
the end of the year. And look, they picked Zion
Johnson earlier in the draft, so maybe not then off
room for him. But I thought that was really good
value in round six for Salier. He's a good player,
(25:40):
even if he's not your ideal athlete. UM. I'll throw
one other out there the Packers round five, kings Ley
ning Bare Some people had him in around two. I
haven't quite that high, but I thought around five for
a guy like that that one of the best pass
rush win rates in college football last year, was really good.
And then I'll throw Calvin Austin in round four. I
know it's a smaller guy, but boy, he's fast and
(26:01):
he could run routes. For the Steelers. They got the
guy in the fourth round when ranking receivers with a
buff in that didn't for me were around or two
below him where I had him on my rankings, I
thought that was I thought that was really good value
to get Calvin Austin. And round four, you know they
drafted Danny Gray to be that kind of speed guy
(26:23):
and pull coverage and do those things, and I'm like,
how do you do that? With Calvin. You could have
used Calvinnaston as that, and I feel like he's much
more dynamic and from a Jetebregg standpoint right after catch
special teams aspects. But I thought before not missing an
opportunity there to be able to get a guy that
you know, I think we're out, you know, he shouldn't.
I thought he would go at some point early third round.
For him to go even later than that, good job
(26:45):
by Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah, I think in five or seven
and a half he's an acquired caste. You know, it's
gonna be a situation where you gotta be willing to
design place for him. You gotta have a position for him.
Because of that lack of I thought all along it
was a perfect fit for the kids to be Chiefs
to replace tyreek Kill. Obviously, as you mentioned earlier, no
one expected to dive more to be there late in
round two and when he was, the Chiefs shoked all over.
(27:07):
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more information. Alright, let's say I'm gonna I'm gonna skip
over now will he have time at the end for
the least favorite and the biggest reaches in the class.
(27:29):
Let's go to predicting offensive Rookie of the year. I'm
gonna go first year because Tony just mentioned the guy.
I think it's sky War. I think he's catching eighty
balls for twelve yards for the Chiefs this year. The
Chiefs signed a bunch of guys, but they don't have that,
you know, you just smit shooters. A good player doesn't
have the speed or general you know, he's not generally enough.
(27:50):
You know, Scantling is more of a speed guy. Sky
More is a technician, you know, when he can run
after catch. Any reason going to use him a bunch
of different way is I think offensive Brookie of the
year sky Bar? What do you think? Cross? Oh man,
I'm going with Treylon Burke's. You know, this is a
guy that has a very similar skill, says A J. Brown.
And I don't want to say he's gonna be a J. Brown,
(28:13):
but you know, if if it's plugging play and it's
all right. He's not the best separator, he's not the
best route runner, but oh you know what, he's a
lot like a J. Brown in the sensor run after catch.
He could utilize that speed. I know he didn't run
as fast around the four or five five, but when
the balls in his hands, he's hitting the high miles
per hour. I think they'll know how to utilize him.
(28:34):
I think off of the play action fakes to Derrek
Henry be able to get him the ball in space
and be able to work off of a guy opposite
him and Robert Smith Robert Woods, excuse me, I like
I like the upside of that pick. I think that's
a guy that could come in and make an immediate
uh contributions, especially with the quarterback that's there, who isn't
the big dynamic passer, but definitely can you know, he'll
(28:56):
take his shots, he'll hit those, and he definitely can
throw those crossing outs. I'm gonna go with Christian Watson,
who the Green Bay Packers traded up at the top
of round two to get. I know, Christian Watson is
gonna need a little bit of work before he's truly
NFL Ready, very rough around the edges. But Aaron Rodgers
has a way to draw the best out of receivers.
He has a way of helping receivers elevate their games,
(29:20):
and I think that's exactly what he's gonna do. I
never bought into the Christian watching first round hype. Granted,
he was the thirty fourth pick of the drift, so
he wasn't that far away. We saw him catch the
ball at the Senior Ball. We saw him work out
the combine. I just think that with Aaron Rodgers there,
it's gonna be much easier for him to take his
game to the next level. I know people are sitting there, well,
you guys just picked three wide receivers, and there were
(29:43):
five wide receivers. Picked the four of the guys you
just producted. Well, guys, it's all about situation. I picked
the guy with Mahomes strowing to him. Tony picked the
guy with Harod Rodgers strowing to him, and Croc the
guy with Teddy I'll throw it to him. Three veteran quarterbacks.
So that always has a big factor on who's gonna
be right early Tony defensive Rookie of the Year. Who
you got, I'm gonna go with a mod Gardener. And
(30:06):
the reason is because, excuse me, I'm gonna put my
trust in Robert Sale. He's the type of you know,
cornerback that he's had success within the past. The Jets
don't have a number one quarterback, and I think Gardner
is a rookie, is gonna get tested a lot by opponents,
and he's shown a lot of progress in the game.
He's big, he's physical, He's getting to the point where
(30:28):
his fundamentals are outstanding, his ball skills are improving. I
just look at that system, and I look at the coach,
and I think that Robert Salid's got an ax to grind.
It has got something to prove after what was a
bad year for the Jets defense and Gardener as far
as I'm concerned, as the top corner in this drift,
I like Derek Stingley, but I think it's gonna be
(30:50):
a mod Gardner. Cool. How about you? Yeah, you know
I gotta and this is defensive rookie of the Year, right, YEA, yeah,
I'm gonna go Jordan Davis. I'm gonna go Jordan Davis.
You know, I think you know just where he can
be next to Fletcher Cox, and being able to learn
(31:10):
from him. And I'm actually gonna double down here, So
not only is it gonna be my rookie the year,
he's gonna be my best player in four years in
this entire class, just because I think he has a
high upside we see the others is that he has.
I don't think he's finished as a pass rusher, even
though you know it's not bad now. I think he's
had a good starting point but can only improve, especially
playing against Fletcher Fletcher Cox, I think having that better
(31:32):
and next on where you don't have to do everything
right away and you can play off of that type
of guy, I think you should have not only a
tremendous rookie year, but I think he's set up for
success moving forward. I'm gonna go give on Thibodeau here.
I I just think in wing Martindale scheme, they're gonna
blinz a ton that he's gonna get enough free rushes
For one. I guess that the move around a little
(31:52):
bit and he'll get some advantages based off the scheme.
And I think in his first year he kind of
feels like he is something to prove that he should
have got picked a little bit higher. So I was
going back and forth with him and Hutchinson. I thought
Hudginson was a little bit chalky, so I decided to
go at the hometown guy here with Cavon Thibodeaux. And
then the other question you mentioned the best player in
four years, you mentioned you have Jordan Davis. I'm gonna
go Jamison Williams. You know, I thought it was smart
(32:14):
for the lines were straight up for him. You know,
you want to get a dynamic wide receiver. He's the
only guy in this group to me that looks and
moves differently. Now, we might not be able to tell
based on what the Lions quarterback situation is in three
or four years, because we just don't know who the
starter is going to be. But I'm gonna go with
Jamison Williams. I think he's got something special to him.
(32:35):
He'll get healthy. I think in three or four years,
I think he's gonna be the best player in this track.
How about you? You know the Vegas was held in
the draft was held in Vegas. I'm gonna roll a
dice and I'm gonna stay Derek Stingley Jr. Because I'm
gonna trust what I saw in two thousand nineteen, when
the field was when the film was absolutely amazing. And
I'm gonna roll the dice and say, with Lovely Smith
(32:57):
and the fact that you know he's heard all these
criticis him past couple of seasons that Derek Stingley gets
his game back to where it wasn't two thousand nineteen,
where if he had entered the draft then he was
elder With the draft, he could have potentially been the
first pick of the draft, or he would have been
the second pick of Dreft Granty was the third pick
of the draft this year, which tells you what the
team thought of him in two thousand nineteen. So you know,
(33:20):
we get a lot of cornerbacks who had since said
Darrell Weavers guys like that, I'm gonna say it's gonna
be Derek Stingley with the hopes that he gets his
game back to where he was as a true freshman
l s U and builds upon that. All right, I'm
leaving on you guys for the last thirteen minutes of
the show that we have before we all gotta go.
Um let's talk and look ahead here the NFL draft.
(33:43):
Let's start the quarterbacks guys. I think everyone knows about C. J.
Stradd out of a House, Dave Bryson and of Alabama.
What are the other quarterbacks that have a chance to
kind of rise up that we might be talking about
as potential top ten picks when we roll around into
the draft. Why don't you go first draft? Yeah? Maybe
Will Levis? And and again this is my with with
(34:04):
this class. Everybody banking on this class kind of carrying
that quarterback uh thing where you know he's like, oh,
two thousand, twenty one or twenty two, excuse me, not
a great quarterback class. Wait till the following year twenty three.
You have all these guys. I'm not sure we'll see
how these guys paying out, but I think Brice Sing,
C J. Stroud, people really high on them, and we'll
(34:25):
see if they can have great follow up seasons after that.
I do think there's a bit of a drop off.
Was who kind of rises in the occasion, But I think, uh,
Will Levis out of Kentucky, that's the first guy that
kind of comes to mind for me. And again he
has to put it all together and have a term
this year this season A little funny, he's the guy
that was eating the bananas with the appealing I thought
that was kind of interesting. I don't recommend that, but uh,
(34:48):
you know Will Levis, did you see that? Oh? He
he ate the he ate the banana with the pealing
on it and was just and just doing it. And
I just thought, was all right, he just dropped head
spot to my board, Tony, what you got. I'm sure
it's good for his digestion and says uh, says hum
(35:09):
in the trash. But you know, there's a couple of
guys we can't forget about Spencer Rattler because you know,
if things played out as everyone expected, guess what Spencer
Rattler would have been the first quarterbacks like that this year,
probably with the first three or four picks. Had a
terrible year that just could never get it going for
an Oklahoma offense that's just never seemed to be able
to get it going. I'm not gonna forget about Spencer Rattler,
(35:32):
who's now playing at South Carolina. Uh. Grayson McColl of
of coose To Carolina has got to consider a lot
of people like Phil Djerkovic of Boston College. To me,
he's a big arm pass there. He's a lot of
he's Desmond Ritter like in the sense that he's got
excellent size, he's got excellent stature, he's got a big arm.
(35:53):
But the ball passed his goal all over the place.
And I like the Clemton kid. Although he didn't have
a good two thousand twenty one UH season. I like
when he played the two games that he filled up
with Trevor Lawrence in two thousand twenty Djole google a lea.
I've pronounced that right. I deserve an award. But I
think he's a guy to keep an eye on. I
(36:15):
think he's got some upside and I would agree with
with with Levis. It's gonna be interesting. You know, you
said everybody knows c J. Stroud Bryce Young. Bryce Young
was the better and the most more consistent quarterback throughout
the top entire season. Yet everybody's got c J. Stroud
is the number one pick based off of that rosball performance.
(36:37):
If you watched the Ohio State in the early part
of the two thousand twenty one season, c J. Stroud struggled.
They lost that game to Oregon. They had a close
game against Tulsa. You know, he had a great roseball
and as Eric and I were talking about less show,
who was the less quarterback that everyone formed over after
a tremendous rose ball performance that everyone anointed as the
(36:58):
first pick of the draft. Do you remember that? John
dam Donald gam Donald right? And it's not worked out
well for him. So again, I just don't understand why
people Strouds got their size, He's got their stature. But
Young has proven himself to be that much more consistent
quarterback to date. And two other guys I've mentioned Anthony
Risson at a Florida, Tyler Van Dyke out of Miami.
(37:21):
Two other guys too that I've seen, uh thing mcshaye
might have had both those guys in his round one
way too early mock for next year too. Cross wide receivers.
The Ohio State guy obviously had his coming out party already.
Uh we know not jan who else have wide receiver?
You can talk about him as well? Really jumps out
to him? Oh man, I mean there there are quite
(37:41):
a few I could think about top of my head.
You got Jordan's Addison, he won them. But then they
called forward out of Pittsburgh, and I'm curious see if
he stays there. I don't know if they're just rumors
or what. But it's he's in the Tresh reportal or
he's not in the Tresh reportal and he's going to
USC and he's gotta paid three million dollars. So we'll
see where he timmutly ends up. If it's U s C,
(38:02):
I think I would like it even even more than
him being out in Pittsburgh and potentially being the top
ten pick. But he's a dynamic receiver, one or more
shifty er guys that has explosive ability. A lot of
receptions there, um and uh yeah Smith and Jakemo you
got Keyshan Booty the receiver out of l s U,
So I think yeah. And obviously you know as this
(38:23):
process goes on, there will be a lot of more
a lot more receivers that end up popping up. Yeah,
Julian Fleming out of Ohio stage is a name to
keep an eye on. A t Perry of wake Forest
is a toiler receiver catches the ball well who has
one of the more underrated quarterbacks throwing to him. And
Sam Hartman the guy who I think is a legitimate
next level project, even though he's a little bit smaller. Uh.
(38:45):
But you know, we'll see because at this point in
time a year ago, we don't think too much of
the wide receiver class and a boom five of them
going the top plan for on one. So it could
turn out to be a situation like that Dante Demon
of a Maryland, a guy who probably was a potential
third round pick this year, had a devastating injury. He's
(39:07):
back Zay Flowers out of Boston College and of the
good receiver dynamic. Yeah, I want to ask you, guys,
I don't see an Alabama receiver on this list. What's
going on? I think this was to have a top
fifteen guy every year. Well they actually might with the tacker,
which Jermaine Burton out of Georgia. So you know that's
(39:28):
someone right there who right away I like him at Georgia,
but the usage just wasn't there, so I think he's
not gonna be a popular name. I mean, he was
getting like twenty eight catchers or something like that and
still being one of the top receivers on that team.
You take him out of there and plug him into
Alabama with more of a prolific passing game, I think
(39:49):
you could see him take off and potentially a fresh
round pick, and that tight end that Georgia has. Was
he a true freshman last year out of California? Yeah,
I think you freshman, yeah, Bowers, that is hours. Yeah,
went to folsom my coach against him. But that's I mean,
that's a terrific tight end there. A pass catcher. But
if he has to wait another year, here's an older
prospect though, So I don't know if maybe we'll see
(40:11):
if he sat out of the year or something, there's
there's something we're going on with him. Well we'll see,
but terrific prosimby, maybe he's not coming out. You know,
getting back to Alabama, you're not gonna know about these
guys when they constantly have underclassmen entering the draft. And
I mean, you know what, no one knew about Jamison
Williams coming into the season. Not too many people knew
all that much about Harry Ruggs the prior year, so
(40:32):
you know, it's it's basically wait in line. We got
to know about John mechi uh with the injury the
prior year, so you know, and they've been receiving making
factory for the NFL, so somebody from Alabama will eventually
step up. All right, let's do a couple more positions
here in guys, Tony, I'll have you hit the offensive line,
(40:52):
offensive tackle. I know there's a couple of Ohio State
guys that that people like, right um Northwestern kid who
are some of the offensive tackles. And how does this
class look in the early portions compared the last couple
of years. Yeah, the Ohio Steak guys are guards that
Paris Johnson guards who project to offensive tackle now that
Nicholas Petite frayers there. They also have that mammoth kid
(41:13):
you want, I think his name Juwan Jones on the
right side. He's a big He's the big, massive, big
mountain of a man. Nick Broker of Mississippi their left
tackle who for the longest time I had heard that
he was gonna enter the draft, decided to stay back.
He's a solid pass blocking left tackle and that Lane
Kiffin offense may project to guard the next level. A
(41:33):
lot of people like Zon Nelson of Miami. I'm not
as high on Zion Nelson. He seemed to play his
best football two years ago. I think he made the
uh the best decision going back at Stawan Jones of
Ohio stand to one. Jalen Duncan of Maryland is another
kid that I really really like a lot. When you
look at the offensive line, the uh, the interior offensive line.
(41:56):
T J. Bass of Oregon, jevy On Cohen of Alabama.
You talked about the Northwestern kid, Uh, Peter Skronsky right right,
a tackle who projects the guard as far as the
offense and the centers are concerned. Jared Patterson of Notre Dame,
who seems to have been the Notre Dame starting center
(42:16):
for the last forty years, and he's consistently bypassed the draft.
While you know he's gonna I would assume he's gonna
enter the draft. Arkansas has gotta keep by name Ricky Stromberg,
and Oregon has got one of my favorite centers in
the Alex forsythe So it looks to be some decent
amount of town there. Rock. You can either do up
front on the defense or take the cornerbacks. Where do
(42:36):
you want to go? I'll touch on the upfront, And actually,
I don't even think we have to talk about this boy.
Anderson probably number one overall pick, would have been a
number one overall pick in this class out of Alabama.
But with the cornerbacks, you do have Joy Porter Jr.
Al Right, Um, I watched a lot of him at
Penn State, especially while watching a lot of film on
six round draft pick uh guys Castro Fields and joy
(42:59):
Port Junior. He has a size, he has a length,
he has speed, and we'll see if that continues. All
kind of come together together. And then Lias Ricks Uh
was that l s u Chesford to Alabama. This is
a top prospect in the nation out of Motto day
out in California. Guy that again heighway speed type guy
and his nickname is pick six Ricks. There was one
(43:20):
playoff game while he's in high school. He had three
pick sixes in one game that didn't stopped there that
carried over to L. S U. I believe he had
three pick sixes as a true freshman. So this is
a guy that has a lot of upside and the
ability and him going on in Alabama, I think he's
only gonna make him that much more of a polarizing prospect,
potentially a top ten pick. Tony defensive one he mentioned
Willand's and Jalen Carter another probably a top five pick
(43:40):
right out of Georgia. Is this gonna be another strong
upfront draft any other defensive oneman and about a minute
or so here that jump out here, Yeah, I mean
Jayalen Carter of Georgia. Georgia is just loaded with players.
I mean they lost a lot, but it's basically like
Alabama with the receivers. Brian Breese of Clemson. Clemson's got
another kid uh on the offensive line by name of
(44:01):
Miles Murphy. Ali Gay of l s U who was
terrific in two thousands twenty stored off slowly in two
thousands twenty one, had an injury, sat out the rest
of the season. So he's going back. One of my favorites,
and I know I'm gonna butcher his name. Zion to
too below for Chewy of Washington, an outstanding explosive pass pressure.
Believe he hurt his achilles the beginning of last year
(44:23):
or no, hurt his achilles in spring football of two
thousand one. Tried to make it back last year, played
a couple of games. Was watch him and then Colby
Wooden from Auburn, another terrific pass rusher, decent size. He
made a last minute decision to bypass this year's draft,
which I think is it was a good one. Projected
him as a second round pick. Another good year could
(44:45):
vault Wooden of Auburn into the first round. Guys, this
was fun. In honor of this, I already got my
notebook ready for next year NFL Draft. I'm gonna make
some notes and then I'm gonna low paternity to leave.
I'll see you guys about two months. But here's the
guy's great job, awesome information. This was a lot of
fun and glad we did it, and we'll see what
(45:05):
we're back next year. We're back at some point, and
when we do it will be fun. Any closing claus
before we say goodbye, guys. Besides fantastic one, uh, shout
out to all the listeners and people that watched on
social media, people that engage with us on social media.
And I now have a following of New York Giants fans,
so you know, I appreciate that. And all the feedback
and positive feedback or negative whatever, but all the feedback
(45:28):
that we've gotten from the fan base, I think that's
been awesome. Yeah. I think the thing that people need
to remember is, you know, the draft is not the end.
The draft is just the beginning game. You know, people
get crazy. Let me talk about here, who had the
best draft to do it? And you know, as Bill Parcels,
the famous New York Giant coach said, you know, it
(45:50):
takes three years to figure out whether a draft has
is a good one. It takes three years to figure
out whether a guy is a true, truly an NFL player.
Robert slow So said that in his pre draft UH
in his post draft UH press conference, when people were
heaping praise on him, He's like, listen, we won't know
for three years. Granted people now want to know in
(46:11):
three weeks or what the situation is, but now just
take your foot off the pedal and watch these guys.
Who's gonna be bumps in the road, and we'll find
out in a couple of years who was right and
who was wrong, and who did the best job and
who didn't do as good a job in the two
two NFL draft. And that's why we didn't do grades here, folks,
because grades are a waste of time. For Tony, for Eric,
(46:32):
I'm Schmelt. Thanks for hanging with us all during draft season. Everybody,
it was a hell of a ride. It was a
lot of fun, and we'll be back next year. We'll
see you next time
This podcast is presented by Tommy Hill Figure, a p
VH brand and an official partner of the New York Giants.
All Right, Draft season about over here, folks, I'm John Schmelt,
joined as always by Tony Paulin and Eric Crocker. Episode
number sixteen, our final episode of the draft season with
the peak ahead to This podcast is presented by Tommy
Hill Figure, a PVH brand and an official partner of
(00:22):
the New York Football Giants. We're gonna look ahead on
the show, folks, which means we're gonna make some predictions
about the two draft class and we'll do a quick
look ahead to what class might look like with obviously
a year of college football to go. So guys, let's
start here general trends with this draft coming out of
We had a few days to kind of absorb it.
You guys did a great job reviewing the draft on
(00:43):
the podcast I dropped on Sunday in my absence. I
appreciated excellent work. So let's discuss trends. And I guess
my trend would be we see wide receivers getting paid now,
and some of these teams I think are prioritizing finding
good wide receivers on their plus could dual contracts, which
is why so many of these wide receivers went early
(01:04):
in round number one. Rock do you agree? Yeah, And
that was actually gonna be one of my kind of
major takeaways is what is the value of the receiver
and what is that market? You've seen teams not really
want to pay receivers where it was kind of trending
in the sense of, you know, north of two million dollars,
and you know, it's coming out that the Tennessee Titans
(01:25):
were like, you know what, No, we don't want to
pay you anything more than sixteen million to a J. Brown,
So we'd rather trade you. Let's when the LuSE pay
you and then draft a player with that selection. And
there's a lot of unknown with it, so you know,
I think, you know, it's they're kind of telling us
what the market is for the receiver right now. I
think they're they're trying to do a little bit of
(01:47):
cost control. Yeah, I mean, it's a natural progression of things.
You know, you got your quarterbacks to the past couple
of years have been given these huge contracts and you
gotta do two things. You gotta protect the quarterback and
you've got to give the quarterback weapons to throw too.
So in my opinion, this is just a natural progression.
(02:07):
The next highest paid group is going to be these receivers.
And you know, as you said, you're either gonna sign
the red of the receivers a trade for the better
receivers as we saw in the lead up to the
two thousands twenty two drafts and on draft day for
huge contracts, or you're gonna bring them in and like
you said, you know, try and reduce your costs to them. Now,
what's gonna happen is, you know, if these guys turn
(02:29):
into the AJ Brown or DK Metcam types three or
four years down the road, they're gonna get massive contracts.
Are they're gonna be traded for? You know, a bunch
of pictures we saw as we saw on Friday night
and Thursday night. You know, I think it'll be interesting
because there's only so much salary cap space. And I
realized the cap is going up, and you know, the
last two years a bit of an anomaly because of COVID,
so the cap didn't go up but actually be down
(02:51):
one year. Both quarterbacks you know, now making forty million,
the top ones, right and it's gonna head up to
even you know, fifty sixty and the next few years
as more guys get extension, you know, teams are got
to figure out who they want to pay. And at
some point, you know, right now, if you're paying a
quarterback forty wide receiver twenty five, that's literally almost a
(03:11):
third of the salary cap right now. And I think
it's hard to build a team that way. So the draft,
I think it's gonna be even more important as the
better players contrast get higher. And we've seen this in
the NBA, right the stars get paid a lot and
even have a max, and then the middle class kind
of gets jipped a little bit and in the whole deal.
So I think what you'll see is that as these
great players get paid, more and more than important to
(03:31):
the draft to find good players to fill in those
spots where you're not putting a lot of your salary
cap towards whatever position, offense, defense, whatever Tony is gonna
become more and more important. Yeah, what's what's gonna happen
is this when you get one of two players that
are eating up such a huge proportion, huge percentage of
your salary cap. You know, people talk about the first
(03:53):
round and noticing those Day three picks. You've got to
hit on them because those Day three picks are gonna
be the guys that fill out your depth chart and
an expensive salary. And what's going to happen is that,
I know what is a little bit off topic is
those second tier in those third tier veterans are gonna
lose out because it's gonna be much cheaper to say, hey,
(04:16):
a rookie, you know, four hud dollars a year, then
to pay the veteran minimum, which is what one point
six million dollars a year. I believe it is right now.
Maybe you know better than I do, but that's what's
going to happen. You gotta hit on those late day picks,
those late day three picks, because those are gonna be
players that fill out your roster to compensate for the
fact that so few players are at the top of
(04:38):
your salary cap and chewing up so much to your
salary cap. And that's what we've seen from the l
A rams right where a lot of people are like, well,
how they keep signing all these guys and they have
unlimited cap space. The cap isn't real but what they're
doing is they are paying their paid time guys, and
there's so few of them, but the rest of our
rosters are guys that they're getting contributions from. They were
(05:00):
drafted in the mid to late rounds. And if you're
not gonna have early round picks and use those guys
like Jayalen Ramsey or Matthew Stafford, then you better be
damn good drafting in those uh day to day three
And that's where they have excelled. And I think other teams,
I'm not saying you'll see everyone trying to use that philosophy,
but I think it might become a little bit more
of a trend in the NFL. Yeah, I'm just saying
(05:21):
this about the Rams too. And you know, we even
talked about the much they didn't take them to the
end of the third round. But you know, in order
to sign Alan Robinson, and they did have to trade
Robert Woods, right, they had to let Von Miller walk.
Uh they're starting left tackle who they were paying a
lot of money retired, So in order them to sign
some of these other guys, money did come off. Johnson,
(05:41):
the safety they had to let walk as well, who's
a really good player, right, So they've had to make
some of these tough decisions. And I think we're seeing
more and more of these teams, especially with the wide receivers,
saying all right, you know, maybe we want to pay
an edge player on defense, we want to pay an
offensive tackle. We can't pay the wide receiver to you know,
we're gonna trust that our great quarterback can raise the
level of the offensive players around them and spend our
(06:04):
money elsewhere where. Do you think we're gonna start seeing
the squeeze guys on some of these salaries where teams
will forego some of these positions, And how might that
impact the draft moving forward? I don't want to you
can jump there. I would think cornerback, right, because cornerback one,
it's just such a tough position to play. In general,
there aren't a lot of guys that are playing at
(06:24):
such this high level to where it's like you can
really say, oh, yeah, we're gonna pay this guy, you know,
fifteen sixteen million dollars a year over someone we can
have come in and still get contribution from him. Because
I look at the FOURT Nino situation, obviously, a team
that I'm very familiar with, and the philosophy that they've
taken on. They've been out there. I mean, aside from
playing paying char Verious Ward, which they're not even paying
(06:46):
him a ton of money when you actually look at
what the contract truly is. But outside of that, I mean,
they've been getting Bible guys like Magnan Mosley. Uh. They
had kill what this poon while he was on rookie contract. Uh.
They did sign a rich Sherman, but even and then
his contract was very team friendly and as he was
a pro bowler and All Pro and played a certain
amount of games. But they've been getting by with very
(07:08):
average corners, which most teams probably couldn't even name who
the four n starting corners were a season ago, but
still had the number six pass defense in the NFL,
still had the number three overall defense in the entire league.
And they were able to do that because when they
get after up front. So if I'm gonna make it
cut anywhere as far as cost goes, it probably will
be some members of the secondary. I would really specifically
(07:28):
point to the corners, which is really hard to be
a good corner in the NFL now day and Tony
really quick, but before you go, just throw out there.
I think this is why teams are playing more and
more zone too. Right. Zone corners are much cheaper than
press man corners. Right, you don't have to go If
you're playing a lot of Cover three and quarters and
Cover two, you have to pay the corner as much
to do that as you do if you're playing a
lot of press nan go ahead to him. Yeah. I
(07:49):
still think the top cornerbacks are going to make good money.
But I think if you're looking at two positions, you
gotta look at your non pass rushing linebackers, guys like
Bobby Wagner, and you gotta look at your running backs.
I mean, you know, there was a reason, there's couple
of reasons why Nawkobe Dean really was never getting get
first round consideration. Two down player. You know, teams don't
(08:09):
value that fifth your option on them, and it's probably
another reason why Breece Hall didn't go in the first round.
Buffalo could have very well taken Greece Hall with that
fifth round, but that fifth round option is more valuable
other other positions. So I think running back and linebacker,
the non pass rushing linebackers are areas where teams are
gonna try and skip and save. Alright, guys, any other
(08:30):
major trends in the draft do you want to address
or you can start moving on to uh draft superlatives
and predictions. Well, I, you know you were talking about,
you know, movement with the rewide receivers. I think you've
got to look at the movement with the quarterbacks as
Eric and I excuse me talked about in unless show.
Look at what's going on in the past two years.
You know, you've had Carson Wentz traded twice. You had
Matthew Stafford traded for Jarreed goffin a bunch of picks.
(08:53):
This year, you had Russell Wilson trade, you had Matt
Ryan traded, you had uh, you know, average or quarterbacks
like Mitch Robinski and Marcus Mariotta that have never lived
up to expect a expectations get decent free agent contracts,
and then oh yeah, you had a bunch of quarterbacks
that people thought could be first round picks fall into
(09:15):
the third round. So I think it may be a
situation and we won't know, you know, for the next
couple of years where teams maybe we're either gonna go
out and get trade for our quarterback or we're gonna
get a middle tier quarterback that we know that has
some NFL experience, and we're gonna sign him rather than
draft a quarterback very early, a quarterback that we know
(09:37):
nothing about as far as NFLX NFL potentialist concerned, our
NFL playing time time is concerned, and try and develop them.
That will be interesting to see if that takes shape
moving forward. Don't miss your chance to experience a premier
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(09:58):
or plays a deposit for into the uel games called
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for more information. Yeah, I think it's interesting, Tony, because
I think the the glut and the large amount of
you know, at some point a couple of years ago,
we gotta come to the point there were more good
quarterbacks than we're starting spots. But since then, we've had
(10:19):
Drew Brees retire, right, We've had Eli Manning retire, We've
had other older quarterbacks retired. I think now more and
more openings are happening, and obviously Tom Brady's gonna retire soon.
Matt Ryan's gonna get to that point pretty soon. You
have a couple of other spots open up here. Philip
Rivers retired and Roethlisberger retired, You know that kind of
two thousand and three and after group, it's kind of
slowly getting out of the game. We're gonna have more
(10:41):
of these spots open up in teams. We got to
make some difficult choices cracking anything else in the draft.
You want to start the Drew Brees retired And what
is New Orleans done to address the quarterback position? Yeah?
The Veterans? Yeah, yeah, all right, let's go guys, let's
go here. First favorite draft class, Croc. Why don't we
(11:01):
start with you? Who do you like? Oh? I have
a couple, all right, And I'm definitely starting off with
the Houston Texans because I look at this team, a
team that had a lot of holes, and I'd say
their first five draft picks are guys that not only
should likely start and have an impact on their team,
but I think they would probably have an opportunity to
(11:23):
start on most teams. Derek Stingley Jr. You know, you
draft a corner like that, I think most teams are
plugging him in to their starting lineup. Kenyan Green coming
in and play offensive guard. I think he's the guy
he's gonna step in and play right away. Jalen Petrie
has a safety, will be a safety, or will be
kind of that hybrid Star Nickel type guy. But again,
I feel like a player of his caliber and the
(11:44):
prospect he is, most teams will probably look to him
to be a starter. And then you have John Mechi.
I think he's a guy that could be a legit
wide receiver three right away, and a lot of teams
are going to a lot of eleven personnel. And then
Christian Harrison and Damian Pierce, and that was a team
that really needed that running back down Rex Perkt and
then outside that, it's like, okay, who's gonna really be
able to tote the rock and threatened teams? And they
(12:07):
draft a guy like Damian Pierce. So you just look
at those plas right there. I'm like, man, this is
a team that I feel like I got better right away.
How about I know you're gonna you're not gonna like
this too much. A lot of listeners are not gonna
like it, but you gotta love what the Philadelphia Eagles
did I mean they take Jordan Davis. They move up
to get Jordan Davis, to steal him away from the
(12:27):
Baltimore Ravens, and you know, Davis just gonnatify that interior
defensive line. People say he's not a pass rusher. I disagree.
But even if he's not a pass rusher, his ability
to gobble up blockers to occupy the gaps will create
opportunities for those edge rushes, will create opportunities for zone blitzes,
for corner blitches. So that I thought was a tremendous pick.
I've always thought that Jordan Davis was underrated and was
(12:50):
gonna be underdraft. I think that's what happened. You got
a factor in the trade for a j Brown that
immediately improves their receiving court, immediately get Jalen Hurt another
top target to throw the ball to, and they signed
him to a four year extension for a hundred million dollars.
R fel Cam Jurgons at the bottom third of round
two was an exceptional pick. People say, well, he's a center,
(13:12):
the center, he can play center, he can play guard.
He fits that system. He's a big, tough, punching mouth.
Guy had wrote about it. A couple of days before
the draft, how we was moving up draft boards. I
think that was an exceptional pick. NA Kobe Dean was
outstanding value in the third round. There's some concerns about
some injuries there. He never worked out before the draft,
which is not a good thing when you're five ft
(13:33):
eleven two twenty six pounds. There's more. There's a concern
he's maybe just a two down defender. I could agree
with that. I think that's just a Filebo concern. But
he's still an explosive football player. He's a terrific run
defender that goes sidelines to sideline and then a round
six excuse me, they get Grant count Katera from SMU
the for the outstanding pass catching tight end who had
(13:55):
a great career at Oklahoma, actually retired because of concussion issues,
came act had another real good season last year at SMU.
You rolling dice on him in around six. He fits
the Eagle system. He is an outstanding passket you he's
a real good athlete. You know. I know a lot
of it comes down to jail and hurts, and I'm
not a big jail and hurts guy. But when you
(14:15):
look at a draft that can take a team and
really elevate them to the next level. I think that's
what the Eagles did. Yeah, and by the way, I'll
point out to that the reason they're able to pay
a d Browns because Jalen Hurts isn't making a ton
of money, right, So that's you don't have money on
the quarterback. You can pay a wide receiver. All right,
I'm gonna go Baltimore Ravens. You just seem to sit
in their spot every year and good players dropped to him. Uh.
(14:35):
Kyle Hamilton's a four team. We've talked about him a
lot on in the show. I think that's about the
right neighborhood for him. Not a top five guy, but
I think the middle of the first round they'll figure
out a way to use them in their defense. Whereas
size and physicality I think payoff. You know, Lindar Baum,
I know Tony is not the biggest fan of him either,
but I think it's I'm curious to see how they
use him in that scheme. Is there not a zone
(14:56):
running scheme? So I'm gonna curious to see how that works.
But you know, in that that that running game, I
think it's gonna work. He's a wrestler, you know, a Jabo.
Would it shock me if you were talking in four
or five years that David a Jabo is the best
sack artist in this draft class. Nope, wouldn't surprise me.
And they get him in the second round. Would it
shocked me in four years if Travis Jones as an
(15:16):
excellent Pro Bowl caliber defensive tackle. Nope, not him in
the third round. Then the Ravens they just picked big people, right, Well,
who's bigger than Daniel File. They get him in the
round four, which I think was a great guy. I
thought he was a third round pick. You know, some
people like Jalen Armor Davis a lot. I'm curious if
he use File. He's kind of like lesser version of
Rolando Brown. Just a huge guy you have to run around, right.
(15:38):
That didn't test really well. They draft two tight ends,
you know, la Mark Jackson loves throwing the tight ends.
You know, Charlie Kohler Isaiah likely two different guys when
they can catch the football. Uh Tyler Beatty. I think
is is a good sixth round running back. He can
do a little bit in the passing game, so I
think overall, I think the Ravens did well. I think
they got a lot of good players. Uh. Interesting thing
(16:00):
that they trade Marky's Brown and how you brown then
do not ad a wide receiver. I think that's interesting.
So we'll see what happens with that position wise for them.
But I thought the Ravens really had an excellent draft.
Interesting interesting with the Ravens is they get the biggest
one of the biggest offensive line, so the biggest offensive
line they and they take one of the smallest offensive
linemen in Linda Bump. I agree, Linda Baum. You know,
(16:22):
unless they think he's a good center for Lamar Jackson.
The way Lamar Jackson plays, it's an interesting pick because
it doesn't fit the system at all. I love the
tight ends that they drafted, but you know, now they
got four tight ends, and you know you usually keep
three tight ends, so you know what's gonna happen, and
they're gonna cut one of the veterans, and they're gonna
try and trade one of the veterans. But yeah, and
(16:45):
Travis Jones after losing out on Jordan Davis, was an exceptional,
uh consolation prize if you will. Yeah, he talked about
when you were allowed on Friday Cook has been like,
where's my guy Travis Jones. He's gotta be going soon right?
Oh yeah, I know he's it down pretty pretty far.
But that was a joyful moment. One of our people
were hosting covering him at Yukon and have a lot
(17:07):
of good things to say about him. But I want
to talk about real quick with Baltimore. Just you talked
about them not adding a receiver, and you look at
the receivers they have right now. You got Rashot Bateman.
You gotta doday and proche Those guys are gonna have
to really take big steps. I think Bateman showed like, Okay,
I have the ability. There were some games where he
started to come into his own, especially after he got healthy.
(17:28):
But you got tail On Wallace. They're gonna need a
lot out of him as well. This isn't this young
star studied group. And I know they raved his fans
really desperately wanted to add a receiver with Hollywood Brown.
Now you lose Hollywood Brown and you still don't add
a receiver. I think that was very questionable. Yeah, I
think a lot of twelve and thirteen personnel coming for
the Ravens when they wind up this year. No question. Alright,
(17:51):
similar question but a little bit different. Which team do
you thinks draft class will impact them the most as
they try to take as up as a team. So
which team I guess improved the most with their draft class?
Would we would be one way to phrase it, but
you think really will get a lot of impact out
of this draft class for how they're trying to kind
of grow their team. Tony, let's go to you first.
(18:13):
You gotta go in inter Jets. I mean, you look
at the Jets. It could be a transformational draft. Now,
granted it's all on paper and the history of the
Jets is they win in April, but when the season
starts in September doesn't turn out his plan. But look,
they got the top cornerback in the draft in the
Mod Gardener. They got the top receiver in a drafting
Garrett Wilson. They come back to the top round two,
(18:33):
they make a trade. They get the top running back
in the draft in Greece Hall Well, by the way,
they get the pass rusher that they had considered with
one of those two picks, the fourth, the tent pick,
and Jermaine Johnson. When Johnson falls down, the into the
deep into the late party round when they trade up
to again that they get later on. They get Jeremy
Ruckert in the third round, a terrific developmental receiver that's
not gonna pass to play right away. They get a
(18:55):
situational pass rusher, Michael Clemens. I mean, this is h
This is Joe Douglas working with Robert Sala to basically
phil needs with the top players in the draft that
can have a lot of impact. Now, like I said,
it's only on paper, and you know, the history has
not always been that you were able to transition that
(19:17):
great looking draft on paper into football production. And you know,
like with the Philadelphia Eagles, so much of it will
we're live, excuse me, so much of it will rely
on the hopeful improvement of one Zack Wilson. Because if
these guys play great, but Dak Wilson turns out to
have another dud season, you're not gonna be able to
(19:38):
win games by a score three to two or seven
to six. But I think on paper, right now where
we sit, this has the potential to really transform the
New York Jets and catapult the moving forward. Yeah, I'm
gonna pick a team on the other side of the spectrum,
and I'm gonna go Kansas City Chiefs. They're an excellent
team already, but I really think their draft is going
to help them improve right away. You know they knew
(19:59):
the defensive end on defense. They get George carl Lost.
This will step in. They're using, well, he's a solid player.
They need a quarterback. You get Trent McDuffie with the
twenty first pick in the first round. He'll step in,
He'll be good right away. You need a wide receiver
somehow Skot Moore gets to pick twenty two and around
two he's gonna be great for them. This year. They
lose Tyron Matthew. They bring in Brian Cooks if he
(20:19):
had a sense that he was a very good player.
Then they get the linebacker Leo shann Allen around three,
Darian Kinnard, who is similar to the Tyler Smith pick
last year. He dropped because of medicals. Right if he
can stay healthy, he can help the offensive line right
away and be a guy that moves around. So I
think the Chiefs and usually don't think of you know,
teams that are picking late in the draft, and you
(20:40):
know we're play away from going to the Super Bowl
and things of that nature of really helping themselves in
the draft, I think the Chiefs went a long way
to addressing some of their needs, but they didn't have
to reach to address those needs. In fact, you could
argue with thirty they got great value of Carl lost
that he got that great value with more and around
two Leo Shannellen around three is good value. Colard has
(21:00):
been valuing around five. So I thought the Chiefs did
a lot to help their roster here and fill some holes,
especially on defense headed into this season. How about you?
You know, I could have went with Houston on this
because I do think they got guys that will make
a media impacts. But I'm gonna go with UH the
forty nine arch enemies UH Seattle Seahawks and what they did.
(21:21):
And I feel like if you just look at their
the names that they got, it's like an all who
has mentioned the most on social media names. UH name
group started off with Charles Crossing. That was good because
now you have a day one guy that's gonna step
in and play that left to position. Then you got Boy.
In my faith, they desperately need to get an add rusher.
I mean they've been using Jamal Adams in that role, right.
(21:43):
I mean the team he a couple of years ago,
he led the team in sacks. You wanted to be
able to get that type of production, but from and
the guy that is actually a pass rusher. Then they win.
Got Kenneth Walker. They have had Chris Carson. I know
they draft a penny, but you know, if you want
to try to replace those guys again more out of it.
Carson has gotta been banged up here and there. Get
a guy like Kenneth Walker who could do it all,
(22:04):
could potentially be that every down back. To continue on
Abraham Lucas. This is an officive line that really needed
to improve and get a lot better throughout the entire
officer line. I think Lucas can help with that. And
then you see what they did in the fourth and
fifth rounds with cornerback Kobe Bryant. Cornerback Rick Wouling. Woolling
(22:25):
is probably more of a kind of a development pick,
but has really high upside and if they're not putting
them in situations where or if they put him in
positions where he could play more like Brandon Brown or
Richard Sherman and he gets it that kind of knowledge
of the game from reading down concepts. He can be
terrific a great athlete there. And Kobe Bryant, he brings
a level of consistency, a guy that wanted Jim Thorpe Award.
(22:46):
And then you look at Tyreek Smith and you know,
people aren't really talking about him as a pass rush here.
But the guy who showed up at the Senior Bawn.
He had some questionable reps against pinning, but he also
has some really good reps. And the guy that's really
just gonna come off the head to try to win
with speed, he has ability there. Then I mean bow Milton,
another guy who can add a bit more dynamic this
to this, a guy that can potentially win vertical. And
(23:07):
we'll see what happens at the quarterback position. And then
they got drew locked there. But just in the team
where I felt like they addressed a lot of needs
and got guys that could potentially come in and play
with you know, good kind of experience there. I like
a lot of what Seattle do. All right, let's let's
stay on the positive side of things. Which pick do
you think guys was the biggest steel where they got
the best value given where the player was, So, like
(23:30):
Tony Long, we start with him. Oh, there's a lot
of them. I mean, obviously you gotta go with Malik Willis.
I would say Jermaine Johnson as well in the early part.
I gotta go with one of those two guys. I
have to look at the Day three picks because there's
always a winner there. But you know, I gotta say
(23:51):
Jermaine Johnson if I've got to go with the two,
because he's more NFL ready the Malik Willis, He's gonna
have the ability to impact the team, uh the earliest.
And he also fits the need. I mean, the Jets
have been looking for a pass rush since John Abraham
left him what two thousand seven eight, and Jermaine Johnson
for them anyway, hopefully we'll fill that need. How about
(24:14):
you across favorite, I'm gonna go with new Kobe Dean.
I'm gonna go with new Kobe Dean, uh, just because
I get the injury thing. And if you get a
guy who flashed a lot of ability and I know,
you know, like Tony said that, he's a guy that
could definitely improve in the coverage aspect of things. But
(24:34):
just coming in how he flies around in the ability
he has. I do think that the coverage is something
that he can improve on, you know, being able to
get him where they got him. This is a blue
chip type prospect who slipped because of an injury. And
we'll find out the severity of that. If you guys
to get surgery, how long he'll be out if he's
not missing time. I think that's a guy where, Man,
you got a big time player really late in his draft.
(24:56):
I'll give you a couple of Day three guys here
that I like. You know. You ever wonder if NFL
teams are about testing, Oh, the combine doesn't matter testing,
it's not a big deal. Look where Jamari Salier got kicked.
It was the only guy all year that could blockade
and Hudsonson, Oh yeah, the only guy that blocked him
goes to the sixth round with pick number six team
because his testing was awful. And Tony Luss I'm wrong.
(25:18):
I don't think there's anything medical with him that was
an issue, right. No, I also think it's you know
where you're gonna pla him at the next level. I
haven't as a guard I agree with you, though, but look,
he got ended up getting picked by the Chargers. I
could see that guy starting a guard for them by
the end of the year. And look, they picked Zion
Johnson earlier in the draft, so maybe not then off
room for him. But I thought that was really good
value in round six for Salier. He's a good player,
(25:40):
even if he's not your ideal athlete. UM. I'll throw
one other out there the Packers round five, kings Ley
ning Bare Some people had him in around two. I
haven't quite that high, but I thought around five for
a guy like that that one of the best pass
rush win rates in college football last year, was really good.
And then I'll throw Calvin Austin in round four. I
know it's a smaller guy, but boy, he's fast and
(26:01):
he could run routes. For the Steelers. They got the
guy in the fourth round when ranking receivers with a
buff in that didn't for me were around or two
below him where I had him on my rankings, I
thought that was I thought that was really good value
to get Calvin Austin. And round four, you know they
drafted Danny Gray to be that kind of speed guy
(26:23):
and pull coverage and do those things, and I'm like,
how do you do that? With Calvin. You could have
used Calvinnaston as that, and I feel like he's much
more dynamic and from a Jetebregg standpoint right after catch
special teams aspects. But I thought before not missing an
opportunity there to be able to get a guy that
you know, I think we're out, you know, he shouldn't.
I thought he would go at some point early third round.
For him to go even later than that, good job
(26:45):
by Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah, I think in five or seven
and a half he's an acquired caste. You know, it's
gonna be a situation where you gotta be willing to
design place for him. You gotta have a position for him.
Because of that lack of I thought all along it
was a perfect fit for the kids to be Chiefs
to replace tyreek Kill. Obviously, as you mentioned earlier, no
one expected to dive more to be there late in
round two and when he was, the Chiefs shoked all over.
(27:07):
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more information. Alright, let's say I'm gonna I'm gonna skip
over now will he have time at the end for
the least favorite and the biggest reaches in the class.
(27:29):
Let's go to predicting offensive Rookie of the year. I'm
gonna go first year because Tony just mentioned the guy.
I think it's sky War. I think he's catching eighty
balls for twelve yards for the Chiefs this year. The
Chiefs signed a bunch of guys, but they don't have that,
you know, you just smit shooters. A good player doesn't
have the speed or general you know, he's not generally enough.
(27:50):
You know, Scantling is more of a speed guy. Sky
More is a technician, you know, when he can run
after catch. Any reason going to use him a bunch
of different way is I think offensive Brookie of the
year sky Bar? What do you think? Cross? Oh man,
I'm going with Treylon Burke's. You know, this is a
guy that has a very similar skill, says A J. Brown.
And I don't want to say he's gonna be a J. Brown,
(28:13):
but you know, if if it's plugging play and it's
all right. He's not the best separator, he's not the
best route runner, but oh you know what, he's a
lot like a J. Brown in the sensor run after catch.
He could utilize that speed. I know he didn't run
as fast around the four or five five, but when
the balls in his hands, he's hitting the high miles
per hour. I think they'll know how to utilize him.
(28:34):
I think off of the play action fakes to Derrek
Henry be able to get him the ball in space
and be able to work off of a guy opposite
him and Robert Smith Robert Woods, excuse me, I like
I like the upside of that pick. I think that's
a guy that could come in and make an immediate
uh contributions, especially with the quarterback that's there, who isn't
the big dynamic passer, but definitely can you know, he'll
(28:56):
take his shots, he'll hit those, and he definitely can
throw those crossing outs. I'm gonna go with Christian Watson,
who the Green Bay Packers traded up at the top
of round two to get. I know, Christian Watson is
gonna need a little bit of work before he's truly
NFL Ready, very rough around the edges. But Aaron Rodgers
has a way to draw the best out of receivers.
He has a way of helping receivers elevate their games,
(29:20):
and I think that's exactly what he's gonna do. I
never bought into the Christian watching first round hype. Granted,
he was the thirty fourth pick of the drift, so
he wasn't that far away. We saw him catch the
ball at the Senior Ball. We saw him work out
the combine. I just think that with Aaron Rodgers there,
it's gonna be much easier for him to take his
game to the next level. I know people are sitting there, well,
you guys just picked three wide receivers, and there were
(29:43):
five wide receivers. Picked the four of the guys you
just producted. Well, guys, it's all about situation. I picked
the guy with Mahomes strowing to him. Tony picked the
guy with Harod Rodgers strowing to him, and Croc the
guy with Teddy I'll throw it to him. Three veteran quarterbacks.
So that always has a big factor on who's gonna
be right early Tony defensive Rookie of the Year. Who
you got, I'm gonna go with a mod Gardener. And
(30:06):
the reason is because, excuse me, I'm gonna put my
trust in Robert Sale. He's the type of you know,
cornerback that he's had success within the past. The Jets
don't have a number one quarterback, and I think Gardner
is a rookie, is gonna get tested a lot by opponents,
and he's shown a lot of progress in the game.
He's big, he's physical, He's getting to the point where
(30:28):
his fundamentals are outstanding, his ball skills are improving. I
just look at that system, and I look at the coach,
and I think that Robert Salid's got an ax to grind.
It has got something to prove after what was a
bad year for the Jets defense and Gardener as far
as I'm concerned, as the top corner in this drift,
I like Derek Stingley, but I think it's gonna be
(30:50):
a mod Gardner. Cool. How about you? Yeah, you know
I gotta and this is defensive rookie of the Year, right, YEA, yeah,
I'm gonna go Jordan Davis. I'm gonna go Jordan Davis.
You know, I think you know just where he can
be next to Fletcher Cox, and being able to learn
(31:10):
from him. And I'm actually gonna double down here, So
not only is it gonna be my rookie the year,
he's gonna be my best player in four years in
this entire class, just because I think he has a
high upside we see the others is that he has.
I don't think he's finished as a pass rusher, even
though you know it's not bad now. I think he's
had a good starting point but can only improve, especially
playing against Fletcher Fletcher Cox, I think having that better
(31:32):
and next on where you don't have to do everything
right away and you can play off of that type
of guy, I think you should have not only a
tremendous rookie year, but I think he's set up for
success moving forward. I'm gonna go give on Thibodeau here.
I I just think in wing Martindale scheme, they're gonna
blinz a ton that he's gonna get enough free rushes
For one. I guess that the move around a little
(31:52):
bit and he'll get some advantages based off the scheme.
And I think in his first year he kind of
feels like he is something to prove that he should
have got picked a little bit higher. So I was
going back and forth with him and Hutchinson. I thought
Hudginson was a little bit chalky, so I decided to
go at the hometown guy here with Cavon Thibodeaux. And
then the other question you mentioned the best player in
four years, you mentioned you have Jordan Davis. I'm gonna
go Jamison Williams. You know, I thought it was smart
(32:14):
for the lines were straight up for him. You know,
you want to get a dynamic wide receiver. He's the
only guy in this group to me that looks and
moves differently. Now, we might not be able to tell
based on what the Lions quarterback situation is in three
or four years, because we just don't know who the
starter is going to be. But I'm gonna go with
Jamison Williams. I think he's got something special to him.
(32:35):
He'll get healthy. I think in three or four years,
I think he's gonna be the best player in this track.
How about you? You know the Vegas was held in
the draft was held in Vegas. I'm gonna roll a
dice and I'm gonna stay Derek Stingley Jr. Because I'm
gonna trust what I saw in two thousand nineteen, when
the field was when the film was absolutely amazing. And
I'm gonna roll the dice and say, with Lovely Smith
(32:57):
and the fact that you know he's heard all these
criticis him past couple of seasons that Derek Stingley gets
his game back to where it wasn't two thousand nineteen,
where if he had entered the draft then he was
elder With the draft, he could have potentially been the
first pick of the draft, or he would have been
the second pick of Dreft Granty was the third pick
of the draft this year, which tells you what the
team thought of him in two thousand nineteen. So you know,
(33:20):
we get a lot of cornerbacks who had since said
Darrell Weavers guys like that, I'm gonna say it's gonna
be Derek Stingley with the hopes that he gets his
game back to where he was as a true freshman
l s U and builds upon that. All right, I'm
leaving on you guys for the last thirteen minutes of
the show that we have before we all gotta go.
Um let's talk and look ahead here the NFL draft.
(33:43):
Let's start the quarterbacks guys. I think everyone knows about C. J.
Stradd out of a House, Dave Bryson and of Alabama.
What are the other quarterbacks that have a chance to
kind of rise up that we might be talking about
as potential top ten picks when we roll around into
the draft. Why don't you go first draft? Yeah? Maybe
Will Levis? And and again this is my with with
(34:04):
this class. Everybody banking on this class kind of carrying
that quarterback uh thing where you know he's like, oh,
two thousand, twenty one or twenty two, excuse me, not
a great quarterback class. Wait till the following year twenty three.
You have all these guys. I'm not sure we'll see
how these guys paying out, but I think Brice Sing,
C J. Stroud, people really high on them, and we'll
(34:25):
see if they can have great follow up seasons after that.
I do think there's a bit of a drop off.
Was who kind of rises in the occasion, But I think, uh,
Will Levis out of Kentucky, that's the first guy that
kind of comes to mind for me. And again he
has to put it all together and have a term
this year this season A little funny, he's the guy
that was eating the bananas with the appealing I thought
that was kind of interesting. I don't recommend that, but uh,
(34:48):
you know Will Levis, did you see that? Oh? He
he ate the he ate the banana with the pealing
on it and was just and just doing it. And
I just thought, was all right, he just dropped head
spot to my board, Tony, what you got. I'm sure
it's good for his digestion and says uh, says hum
(35:09):
in the trash. But you know, there's a couple of
guys we can't forget about Spencer Rattler because you know,
if things played out as everyone expected, guess what Spencer
Rattler would have been the first quarterbacks like that this year,
probably with the first three or four picks. Had a
terrible year that just could never get it going for
an Oklahoma offense that's just never seemed to be able
to get it going. I'm not gonna forget about Spencer Rattler,
(35:32):
who's now playing at South Carolina. Uh. Grayson McColl of
of coose To Carolina has got to consider a lot
of people like Phil Djerkovic of Boston College. To me,
he's a big arm pass there. He's a lot of
he's Desmond Ritter like in the sense that he's got
excellent size, he's got excellent stature, he's got a big arm.
(35:53):
But the ball passed his goal all over the place.
And I like the Clemton kid. Although he didn't have
a good two thousand twenty one UH season. I like
when he played the two games that he filled up
with Trevor Lawrence in two thousand twenty Djole google a lea.
I've pronounced that right. I deserve an award. But I
think he's a guy to keep an eye on. I
(36:15):
think he's got some upside and I would agree with
with with Levis. It's gonna be interesting. You know, you
said everybody knows c J. Stroud Bryce Young. Bryce Young
was the better and the most more consistent quarterback throughout
the top entire season. Yet everybody's got c J. Stroud
is the number one pick based off of that rosball performance.
(36:37):
If you watched the Ohio State in the early part
of the two thousand twenty one season, c J. Stroud struggled.
They lost that game to Oregon. They had a close
game against Tulsa. You know, he had a great roseball
and as Eric and I were talking about less show,
who was the less quarterback that everyone formed over after
a tremendous rose ball performance that everyone anointed as the
(36:58):
first pick of the draft. Do you remember that? John
dam Donald gam Donald right? And it's not worked out
well for him. So again, I just don't understand why
people Strouds got their size, He's got their stature. But
Young has proven himself to be that much more consistent
quarterback to date. And two other guys I've mentioned Anthony
Risson at a Florida, Tyler Van Dyke out of Miami.
(37:21):
Two other guys too that I've seen, uh thing mcshaye
might have had both those guys in his round one
way too early mock for next year too. Cross wide receivers.
The Ohio State guy obviously had his coming out party already.
Uh we know not jan who else have wide receiver?
You can talk about him as well? Really jumps out
to him? Oh man, I mean there there are quite
(37:41):
a few I could think about top of my head.
You got Jordan's Addison, he won them. But then they
called forward out of Pittsburgh, and I'm curious see if
he stays there. I don't know if they're just rumors
or what. But it's he's in the Tresh reportal or
he's not in the Tresh reportal and he's going to
USC and he's gotta paid three million dollars. So we'll
see where he timmutly ends up. If it's U s C,
(38:02):
I think I would like it even even more than
him being out in Pittsburgh and potentially being the top
ten pick. But he's a dynamic receiver, one or more
shifty er guys that has explosive ability. A lot of
receptions there, um and uh yeah Smith and Jakemo you
got Keyshan Booty the receiver out of l s U,
So I think yeah. And obviously you know as this
(38:23):
process goes on, there will be a lot of more
a lot more receivers that end up popping up. Yeah,
Julian Fleming out of Ohio stage is a name to
keep an eye on. A t Perry of wake Forest
is a toiler receiver catches the ball well who has
one of the more underrated quarterbacks throwing to him. And
Sam Hartman the guy who I think is a legitimate
next level project, even though he's a little bit smaller. Uh.
(38:45):
But you know, we'll see because at this point in
time a year ago, we don't think too much of
the wide receiver class and a boom five of them
going the top plan for on one. So it could
turn out to be a situation like that Dante Demon
of a Maryland, a guy who probably was a potential
third round pick this year, had a devastating injury. He's
(39:07):
back Zay Flowers out of Boston College and of the
good receiver dynamic. Yeah, I want to ask you, guys,
I don't see an Alabama receiver on this list. What's
going on? I think this was to have a top
fifteen guy every year. Well they actually might with the tacker,
which Jermaine Burton out of Georgia. So you know that's
(39:28):
someone right there who right away I like him at Georgia,
but the usage just wasn't there, so I think he's
not gonna be a popular name. I mean, he was
getting like twenty eight catchers or something like that and
still being one of the top receivers on that team.
You take him out of there and plug him into
Alabama with more of a prolific passing game, I think
(39:49):
you could see him take off and potentially a fresh
round pick, and that tight end that Georgia has. Was
he a true freshman last year out of California? Yeah,
I think you freshman, yeah, Bowers, that is hours. Yeah,
went to folsom my coach against him. But that's I mean,
that's a terrific tight end there. A pass catcher. But
if he has to wait another year, here's an older
prospect though, So I don't know if maybe we'll see
(40:11):
if he sat out of the year or something, there's
there's something we're going on with him. Well we'll see,
but terrific prosimby, maybe he's not coming out. You know,
getting back to Alabama, you're not gonna know about these
guys when they constantly have underclassmen entering the draft. And
I mean, you know what, no one knew about Jamison
Williams coming into the season. Not too many people knew
all that much about Harry Ruggs the prior year, so
(40:32):
you know, it's it's basically wait in line. We got
to know about John mechi uh with the injury the
prior year, so you know, and they've been receiving making
factory for the NFL, so somebody from Alabama will eventually
step up. All right, let's do a couple more positions
here in guys, Tony, I'll have you hit the offensive line,
(40:52):
offensive tackle. I know there's a couple of Ohio State
guys that that people like, right um Northwestern kid who
are some of the offensive tackles. And how does this
class look in the early portions compared the last couple
of years. Yeah, the Ohio Steak guys are guards that
Paris Johnson guards who project to offensive tackle now that
Nicholas Petite frayers there. They also have that mammoth kid
(41:13):
you want, I think his name Juwan Jones on the
right side. He's a big He's the big, massive, big
mountain of a man. Nick Broker of Mississippi their left
tackle who for the longest time I had heard that
he was gonna enter the draft, decided to stay back.
He's a solid pass blocking left tackle and that Lane
Kiffin offense may project to guard the next level. A
(41:33):
lot of people like Zon Nelson of Miami. I'm not
as high on Zion Nelson. He seemed to play his
best football two years ago. I think he made the
uh the best decision going back at Stawan Jones of
Ohio stand to one. Jalen Duncan of Maryland is another
kid that I really really like a lot. When you
look at the offensive line, the uh, the interior offensive line.
(41:56):
T J. Bass of Oregon, jevy On Cohen of Alabama.
You talked about the Northwestern kid, Uh, Peter Skronsky right right,
a tackle who projects the guard as far as the
offense and the centers are concerned. Jared Patterson of Notre Dame,
who seems to have been the Notre Dame starting center
(42:16):
for the last forty years, and he's consistently bypassed the draft.
While you know he's gonna I would assume he's gonna
enter the draft. Arkansas has gotta keep by name Ricky Stromberg,
and Oregon has got one of my favorite centers in
the Alex forsythe So it looks to be some decent
amount of town there. Rock. You can either do up
front on the defense or take the cornerbacks. Where do
(42:36):
you want to go? I'll touch on the upfront, And actually,
I don't even think we have to talk about this boy.
Anderson probably number one overall pick, would have been a
number one overall pick in this class out of Alabama.
But with the cornerbacks, you do have Joy Porter Jr.
Al Right, Um, I watched a lot of him at
Penn State, especially while watching a lot of film on
six round draft pick uh guys Castro Fields and joy
(42:59):
Port Junior. He has a size, he has a length,
he has speed, and we'll see if that continues. All
kind of come together together. And then Lias Ricks Uh
was that l s u Chesford to Alabama. This is
a top prospect in the nation out of Motto day
out in California. Guy that again heighway speed type guy
and his nickname is pick six Ricks. There was one
(43:20):
playoff game while he's in high school. He had three
pick sixes in one game that didn't stopped there that
carried over to L. S U. I believe he had
three pick sixes as a true freshman. So this is
a guy that has a lot of upside and the
ability and him going on in Alabama, I think he's
only gonna make him that much more of a polarizing prospect,
potentially a top ten pick. Tony defensive one he mentioned
Willand's and Jalen Carter another probably a top five pick
(43:40):
right out of Georgia. Is this gonna be another strong
upfront draft any other defensive oneman and about a minute
or so here that jump out here, Yeah, I mean
Jayalen Carter of Georgia. Georgia is just loaded with players.
I mean they lost a lot, but it's basically like
Alabama with the receivers. Brian Breese of Clemson. Clemson's got
another kid uh on the offensive line by name of
(44:01):
Miles Murphy. Ali Gay of l s U who was
terrific in two thousands twenty stored off slowly in two
thousands twenty one, had an injury, sat out the rest
of the season. So he's going back. One of my favorites,
and I know I'm gonna butcher his name. Zion to
too below for Chewy of Washington, an outstanding explosive pass pressure.
Believe he hurt his achilles the beginning of last year
(44:23):
or no, hurt his achilles in spring football of two
thousand one. Tried to make it back last year, played
a couple of games. Was watch him and then Colby
Wooden from Auburn, another terrific pass rusher, decent size. He
made a last minute decision to bypass this year's draft,
which I think is it was a good one. Projected
him as a second round pick. Another good year could
(44:45):
vault Wooden of Auburn into the first round. Guys, this
was fun. In honor of this, I already got my
notebook ready for next year NFL Draft. I'm gonna make
some notes and then I'm gonna low paternity to leave.
I'll see you guys about two months. But here's the
guy's great job, awesome information. This was a lot of
fun and glad we did it, and we'll see what
(45:05):
we're back next year. We're back at some point, and
when we do it will be fun. Any closing claus
before we say goodbye, guys. Besides fantastic one, uh, shout
out to all the listeners and people that watched on
social media, people that engage with us on social media.
And I now have a following of New York Giants fans,
so you know, I appreciate that. And all the feedback
and positive feedback or negative whatever, but all the feedback
(45:28):
that we've gotten from the fan base, I think that's
been awesome. Yeah. I think the thing that people need
to remember is, you know, the draft is not the end.
The draft is just the beginning game. You know, people
get crazy. Let me talk about here, who had the
best draft to do it? And you know, as Bill Parcels,
the famous New York Giant coach said, you know, it
(45:50):
takes three years to figure out whether a draft has
is a good one. It takes three years to figure
out whether a guy is a true, truly an NFL player.
Robert slow So said that in his pre draft UH
in his post draft UH press conference, when people were
heaping praise on him, He's like, listen, we won't know
for three years. Granted people now want to know in
(46:11):
three weeks or what the situation is, but now just
take your foot off the pedal and watch these guys.
Who's gonna be bumps in the road, and we'll find
out in a couple of years who was right and
who was wrong, and who did the best job and
who didn't do as good a job in the two
two NFL draft. And that's why we didn't do grades here, folks,
because grades are a waste of time. For Tony, for Eric,
(46:32):
I'm Schmelt. Thanks for hanging with us all during draft season. Everybody,
it was a hell of a ride. It was a
lot of fun, and we'll be back next year. We'll
see you next time
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