March 23, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of "Weekend Warriors," Anish and Tom dive into the offensive line prospects of the 2025 NFL Draft class. They’re joined by special guest Jordan Gross, Panthers Hall of Honor member, who shares his insights on what it takes to succeed as an offensive lineman in the NFL. Tune in as they discuss the top talents in this year’s draft, analyze their potential impact on the Panthers, and hear Jordan’s expert opinions on the future stars of the league.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and Gentlemen. The Weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Close to the episode caught Fit Feeling Touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Carolina Weekend Warriors Draft Special.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
The Weekend Warriors Draft Special is brought to you by
bud Light. No easier way to enjoy your Sunday. Bud
Light is the official beer of the NFL and a
proud partner of the Carolina Panthers. Any Shroff, Tom Lougan
Bill from ESPN here on episode two Little Weekend Warriors
Offseason Special. We're getting ready for the draft. We're gonna
hit the offensive line today. Jordan grows the Panther great.
(00:42):
We'll join us a little later on. And for the
first time in years, this is a low stress position
and a low stress position group for the Carolina Panthers.
There's a lot of nons and really, with Austin Corbett
back in the fold, Cade Mays tended, you're returning your
(01:03):
entire starting five from what is a pretty pretty good
offensive line from a year ago.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
And.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
The quarterback behind them is only gonna benefit right and
did down the stretch. I think the center position getting
addressed with Corbett and Cade Mays is huge because if
you looked at that a month ago, you're going, hmmm,
how were we gonna come up with some answers there?
But you're right, it's the it's the one position group
that needs the most time together. Why is that because
(01:32):
the communication and the technique of the position and having
to identify all of the moving parts pre snap to
make sure you don't have a bust is so critical.
And if you're having interchangeable parts coming in and out
and the revolving door coming in and out, it's hard
to maintain that communication to avoid making an error. Now,
(01:53):
the reason why this position is so special it's the
only position in all of regardless of sport, whose sole
responsibility is to protect another player. I'll think about that
for a second. Their sole responsibility is to protect another player,
and so there's something special about that. I think there's
(02:16):
an ownership of pride about offensive lineman when it comes
to that. And so when you can go into a
draft or a free agent model and this is an
area you're not addressing, you're ahead of the curve.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
And for the Panthers again, ikey Akwanu up and down
first couple of seasons seemed to really settle it. In
year three. Last year, Damian Lewis and Robert Hunt changed
the fundamental DNA of that offensive line at guards and
Caid Mays, who believe it or not, was a former
draft pick, was a cut last year, was then signed
(02:52):
off the Giants practice squad, works his way into the
starting lineup due to the injury to Austin Corbett and
self incredibly well. They had that stretch late in the
season where he had to go up against Chris Jones
of Kansas City vite Vea for the Bucks and then
Jalen Carter for the Eagles in consecutive weeks, and you
came out of that and you're going, Kate Mays can
(03:15):
do this. He can play center. There's also positional versatility
with him and Corbett, they can both play guard if
need be. And then Taylor Moten has just been a
rock since he's been a Carolina Panther. But again, if
you're looking at the Panthers and possibly going the offensive
line route in the draft, the only area where I
(03:37):
can see them making a move here is Timo is
in the last year of his contract. He is getting older.
So do you consider bringing in a developmental type of
offensive tackle prospect who can maybe shadow for a year
or two and then eventually take over. I think that
takes you out of the day one guys, right, but
(04:01):
might be able to find somebody day two, day three, Well.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
A guy like that would come to mind. Two guys
come to Johnny Cornelius at Oregon and Cam Williams at Texas.
Those would be the two guys that later on come
to mind as being really really good players and guys
that have a large sample size of production, have played
a ton of football. And by the way, while we're
talking about this, because there seems to be a University
(04:24):
of Texas flavor in this.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
They had a lot of pros. Man, they had a
lot of pros on that team.
Speaker 6 (04:30):
Okay, now I'm gonna.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Blow your mind here with a little nugget, all right,
because when I heard this, I said, that's impossible. That
is absolutely impossive, because we're talking about the University of
Texas right, access to the greatest places, greatest players in.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
The entire country.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Did you know that the last time the University of
Texas had a first round draft choice in the NFL
was in the offensive line, in the offense, on.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The offensive line. Okay, on the old line.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Yeah, Mike Williams in two thousand and.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
QO, this is the University of Texas, folks, How is
that even possible?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Two plus decades at Texas. You look at their offensive line,
Calvin Banks at left tackle, Jake Majors at center, Cameron
Williams at right tackle, they will all be rostered by
an NFL team.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Correct, And just in case you're wondering out there why
this matters, lo and behold, Texas got really good all
of a sudden when they got really good upfront.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
On both sides. By the way, they probably got about
three or four pros on that defensive line as well.
The evaluation of an O line prospect you're ESPN's national
director of recruiting, I'd imagine that's got to be one
of the hardest positions where you're trying to forecast from
(05:55):
high school to college and then college to the pros.
What makes evaluate the offensive line so difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
So from from the high school perspective going into to
the college game, is when you look at some of
these kids now and you see them and I say kids,
and they're six five three twenty five, six six three nineteen,
you know, six four three thirty and they're seventeen years old. Right,
So in your normal high school structure, most high school
(06:27):
kids are just high school kids playing football. They're not prospects.
So now you're having to turn on the tape and
you're watching this guy and he's thrown around a six
foot one two and ten pound high school defensive end,
and you're saying, Okay, well that's great, but he's supposed
to do that, right? How How am I supposed to
gauge this guy?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
And it makes it really really difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
So I'll give you a prime example when when we
have our All Star event down at Orlando with the
under Armoor All American Game, the first two days of
practice are the intense days of practice for the offensive
line because for the first time in their lives, they're
lining up against Jadeveon Clowney, they're lining up against an
(07:11):
APR right, they're lining up against jtt at Ohio State,
whoever it may be. And all of a sudden, they're
not the biggest, baddest boy on the block anymore. And
so that makes it really really difficult. Did you move
on and you get large sample sizes and now they've
gotten entrenched in college and they have developed it becomes
a little bit easier to project, but boy, I mean
(07:35):
it is. I think it's harder to project in the
quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, and there's a maybe stream of thinking where you say,
all right, well, you know, go get me guys from
the SEC because you're facing elite first round pick pass
rushers all over the league. Yeah, there's probably truth to that.
But when you look around the league, and we'll talk
about this with Jordan Gross too, you can kind of
find these guys everywhere. How many one star, two star
(08:00):
offensive lineman has kirk ference at Iowa right turned into
eight ten year starters in the NFL.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
So that is going to become more and more and
more rare. And here is.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Why, because what college football is now turned into so
transactional is if you identify that guy and you bring
him into the fold a place like Iowa or a
Wisconsin is some of these other places, they're used to
having that guy the full five years. Right, he comes in,
he red shirts. He probably doesn't play as a red
shirt freshman, maybe see some snaps as a red shirt sophomore.
(08:33):
He's a starter as a red shirt junior and a
red shirt senior.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Well, now, if you identify that guy and he becomes
a good player, can you keep him? Because now he's
going to go somewhere else. And so finding that continuity
in the offensive line for a three or four or
five year guy become they're dinosaurs, like they're starting to
be on the indagers species list. And it's hard. And
(08:56):
I think that makes it even more difficult to project,
because when guys are bound and a round all over
the place, how are they maximizing their development.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I always go back to a quote. I don't want
to reveal the name of the assistant coach, but it
was an Iowa assistant coach years ago, and we said, hey,
what do you look for in an offensive line? Because
you've had this great history and success of developing and
finding offensive line. When he goes, oh, well, you got
to realize we have a couple of advantages. One were
in Iowa. Yeah, so he goes, we look for farm boys,
(09:27):
and we looked for farm boys who've been breast fed
since they until they were about five. So there's your formula. Yeah,
I guess there's no formula involved.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
There, there's your but you're on And the thing is,
it's so hard to find him.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I think that.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
That's the thing.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I mean.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
We could throw a rock outside of this offense and
it hit a wide receiver in the head somewhere right right.
You could not do that in the offensive line, in
the defensive line.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
Some of those premium positions. All right.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
A couple of guys you know later in the draft,
potential tackle prospects you mentioned, you know, Cornelius at Oregon,
Cameron Williams at Texas. There's another one, Ozzie Trapilo at
Boston College. You covered the ACC a lot this year.
His dad, For folks who don't know, Steve passed away.
You know a few years ago Steve played with Doug
Fluti and in the iconic picture of nineteen eighty four
(10:15):
when Flutie throws the Hill Mary against Miami, Steve's the
one raising FLUTEI up into the air. So Ozzie is
his son. So yeah, there's bloodlines there.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Again.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Developmental prospect that you can go get day two, day
three to potentially be a starter one day.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
Well, he's six foot seven, but he's light. When I
say light, three hundred and ten pounds. Well, when you
look at a six foot seven guy come into the room,
he's gonna look like he's two eighty. If he's three ten,
I think he needs to get bigger. Continue to add
both true technician, that Dalston College offensive line is a
group was really really good.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Does that matter because like BC is another one right
with like linn Strom and all these guys who've come through,
like they produce pros. Iowa produce is pros, Wisconsin produces pros.
If you're an NFL scout, you're an NFL GM, do
you look at those programs and say, all right, we
get one of their guys. We kind of know what
we're getting.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Yes, And I think you know the one common denominator
that we're overlooking there a little bit is you're talking
about tough environments like something as simple as weather. Right,
you need tough guys that want to go practice outside
when it's twenty five degrees, right, you need you need that.
There's a mentality I think that's tied into certain programs
(11:35):
that have produced in the offensive line, the blue collar
lunch pale attitude. The program is going to be driven
that the bus is going to be driven by this
position group, And there's an onus of pride in that.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I think the Weekend Warriors Draft Special is brought to
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Speaker 3 (12:01):
Make every day Game Day with the Carolina Panthers Podcast network,
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Speaker 2 (12:07):
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Speaker 6 (12:09):
You could not leave the room because so many different
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Speaker 3 (12:14):
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Speaker 4 (12:16):
That's a good question.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I didn't see that one coming in.
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Speaker 2 (12:31):
We welcome in one of the all time Panther grades.
He played college football Utah. He was the eighth overall
pick in the three draft eleven years for Carolina and
he is in the Hall of Honor. You know him
as Jordan Gross. He often joins us on Sundays as
part of our Panther broadcast as well. Jordan, great to
(12:52):
be visiting with you. You know, the offensive line for
a change, There's not really a ton of drama in
Panther Land. Austin Corbett re signed, Cade Mays was tendered,
and a unit that was the strength of the team
last year coming back intact for another year in Dave
Canalis's system, one would think that we'll pay dividends having
(13:16):
continuity with that unit up front.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I almost don't know what to think a niche not
having O line drama like it's been. I mean it's
been a decade.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It seems like. I love that the Panthers re signed Corbett.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
I know he's been banged up the last couple of
years and he's been frustrated that, but just I mean,
an A plus player when he's healthy, and a quality
guy on top of that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So I love that move.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It was so fun watching that on line last year
and knowing the amount of money they put into those
guards and seeing our draft picks it tackle do well.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
So exciting times for Panther world.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
When we're not talking about offensive lineman, you get to
have me on here talking about something else, I guess,
So let's roll Jordan.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
When you talk about continuity and you know whether it's
five seven, eight guys, whatever it may be, and you
have a group that's worked together that's geled, that understands
each other, and at the end of the day, communication
is so key amongst that group. From your perspective, how
big of an impact does that make on the maturation
(14:22):
of an offense when you don't have a revolving door
constantly up front?
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Oh, it's a huge deal.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
I mean, the Panthers are gonna be able to go
into their meetings that are going to happen when they
get together this spring in the offensive line room, and
they're gonna be able to put up their offensive stuff
on the board, whether it's pass protection or it's run
game or whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
And those guys are going to know the calls. They're
gonna be able to go look at film from last
year then running the same stuff. They're going to have
their relationships established for whether it's right tackle to right guard,
guard to center on down the line. You can't under
you can't overvalue the importance.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Of that for Bryce Young.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
To be more and more successful next year, to have
that group in front of him, it's just it's it's
the process that you want to have in place. Every
year your O line just has more continuity, gets better,
bring in new pieces add to that when a guy
leaves for free agency or or moves to another team,
you release in whatever it is. You got somebody in
place for ready to step into that next role. So
(15:22):
I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are still looking
for O line in the draft. That's what you do
right there, you need them. But I don't think it'll
be at the top of the draft board. We got
to get an alignment in that first round, second round.
I'm probably later on down the line, and you know Dan,
Dan's done an awesome job in free agency with some
value guys as well, so we'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
But it's good times right now.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
And if there's one place the Panthers may be looking
to add in the draft to develop metal prospect on
the old line, it might be at tackle. Taylor Mowten
has been you know, kill him and jarro in cleats.
He's just steady, he shows up, he plays well. We
often don't call his name on Sundays, which is a
good sign when you're an offensive lineman. But he is
(16:09):
entering the last year of his contract, so maybe the
Panthers look at offensive tackle on that right side to
get a little bit of insurance.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Jordan, Yeah, they sure could. I mean you, you're never
gonna have too many tackles, right. We went through that
back when I was playing. The guy gets injured or
whether it was me or somebody else, you need to
have somebody fill in.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Taylor Moten. We're so spoiled with him.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
He's one of those guys that the panther world is
not going to know how good we've had it until
he's gone, right, because he's just been so consistent.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
You said, a niche like.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
He doesn't get called very offense penalty rates low, his
pass protection ability is really high, his durability is incredible.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
So you do want to have the next guy places.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
He is getting a little long in the tooth and
at some point he will move on to another team
or retire, whatever's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
So there are some tackles in this draft that are exciting.
You know. I had the opportunity to go watch Connery
from Oregon.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I took one of my high school players to the
Oregon game, one of my sons, and I watched him
in person against Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
He's somebody that I don't know when we would be
able to pick him and just tackles man.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Once they start falling that they're getting picked in the draft,
they just go right. So he's a top ten offensive tackle.
Is that a second round guy or is that halfway
through the first round. You just don't know how it's
going to play out, but I was impressed with him.
There's a lot of guys that are like six' five like,
this the very similar size right in this year's draft for.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
TACKLES a lot of six five. Guys you don't have
a bunch of monsters six, seven six eight guys.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
At the top of that. Draft so very similar players
and some good ones at.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
That, Now, jordan the trend over the last five to ten,
years not just in The National Football, league but in
college football as, well, is you, know the edge, player
the slightly undersized guy that can. Run he's, explosive he's
a problem off the edge from a pass protection. Standpoint,
now it looks like we're starting to see a bit
of a shift with the physicality of the offensive line
(18:11):
becoming more of a prominent fixture because you're putting those,
undersized maybe speedy guys into more of a phone. Booth
try to neutralize some of that stuff by running it
right at. Them is this a position at offensive? Tackle you,
know with that being said that you think has that,
physical meanstreak mentality to come Into what is looking like
(18:34):
in THE nfl right, now people are going to need
to win at the point of attack.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
And win those one on one.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Matchups are the tackles being prepared for that now coming
out since they've been playing so many spread.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
People, yeah it's.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
INTERESTING i think that'd be a case by case basis
to see, who you, know what offense that player came,
from and how long they were in that. Offense so
What i'm seeing in college football right, now you, know
it's interesting for. Me i'm a high school, coach So
i'm talking to coaches right. Now they're looking for tackles
coming out of high. School, man we can't find, any right,
like nobody wants to be a tackle or they're not getting.
(19:07):
Developed so that's what college coaches are saying looking at high. School,
well then in the world of THE nil right, now
and it's in transfer, portal which is this is in my,
opinion going to be the craziest time these last couple
of years and going into next year of college football
where the transfer was just so utilized right offensive linemen
that aren't in the same program getting coached by the same.
(19:28):
Coaches if you transferred a couple of times in your collegiate,
career there's no way that you're ready developmentally to step
onto THE nfl field and.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Perform so If.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
I'm looking to draft SOMEBODY i want to tackle that's
been in the same, program you know at least two,
seasons hopefully, three which it just seems crazy to.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Say from how it once, was but that's the way it.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Is you, know as that old line coach developed guys,
before how those players do when they made it to
the league because it just kind of that culture you're
in as an offensive lineman in, college the players you
went up, again that's going to just say a lot
about how you'll do in THE.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Nfl and then there's always just the.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Wolf see, factor, Right like guys looking great on, film
had a great college experience and played really well or projected.
High man they come in sometimes and, struggle flat out.
Struggled you, Know ikey on our, team he. Didn't He
he's had ups and downs in his, career and, MAN
i was so proud of him last year because he's
figuring it out and he's a young, guy still got
a lot of reps in front of. Him but, man
(20:25):
he had a great collegiate career and there's an adjustment period.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
They have to go through.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
It And, jordan you, know you think of that draft
class That ikey was, in that was one of the
deepest offensive tackle. Classes and you know a few guys
they have taken their. Lumps evan Neil uh you, Know Trevor,
penning you, know looks like a bust with The, saints,
right and so sometimes guys look a certain. Way the
tape says, something and you get into THE, nfl it's.
Different you, know one of the guys who's generated a
(20:51):
ton of pre draft buzz FROM, Lsu Will, campbell and you,
know the tape tells the story of a dominant college.
Player and you get to the, combine you get to the,
measurables and now people are nitpicking the arm, Length, Jordan
when when it comes to offensive linemen they talk about arm, length,
hands things like. That how important are those?
Speaker 4 (21:10):
MEASURABLES i mean they're, Important and what's the, cutoff, Right
like at what point of your arms too? Short and
when are they not short? Enough and is it an
eighth of an inch. Difference, like it's.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
So funny to me what the number.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
IS i don't, know, Man like you can't you can't
have alligator, arms right you you want to have long.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
ARMS i MEAN i would say.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
THAT i you, KNOW i was able to do it
with average size of arms for an offensive. Lineman people
get excited when you got seven foot, wingspan and it does, help,
right like your, job and it's all about pass protection
the run. Game it doesn't matter like you're trying to
get close contacts good in the run. Game you want
to engulf, defenders get them in close to, you run
(21:56):
your feet, Right that's how you do.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
It pass protection, wise that's when you want.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
That So i'm trying to keep that guy off my
body SO i can steer him WHERE i want him to.
Go edge guys want contact with your. Body they want
to be able to spin off of. You they want
to be able to get their hands on you for
a bull rush to chop all that. Stuff so that's
where the arm link. Matters it's in past. Protection that's
what it's all. About and That's i've heard it said
really well by a college coach when it came to nil. Valuation,
(22:23):
right he, said we're gonna pay the guy meeting the.
Quarterback we're gonna pay the guy that tackles the guy
or that sacks the, guy Meaning edge and D, lyman
and we're gonna pay the guy that protects the. Guy
so that's WHY i was so worried about arm, lengths
right as we need the guy that protects the guy
to have long enough. Arms So i'd go to the.
Tape that's WHAT i would. Do If i'm looking at,
(22:44):
Tackles i'd go to the. Tape if they've gotten it
done at a high level in, college then that's what's
going to tell me if they can do it the.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Pros you know what's interesting you, mentioned AND i think
you're spot on from a transfer perspective and developmental perspective
of being. Ready you, know you got Guys Kelvin banks
junior At, texas three year starter at the same, School
Will CAMPBELL lsu three year starter at the same, School
Cameron williams At texas another. One so there are guys
that have have some continuity. THERE i think it's really.
(23:13):
Important there's a guy in this class by the name
Of Josh simmons At Ohio state who literally put on
a show for the first month of the season this last,
fall and then he gets hurt In october misses the
rest of the. Year when when you're looking at a
player like that that's been, injured but his tape is so,
good how do you evaluate that?
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Guy how do you project that?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Guy, yeah that's that's a wild, card, right you, know
injuries is he does he have the injury?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Bug you, know whatever whatever that. Is but it seems
to be.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
Real sometimes guys get hurt frequently or is it a
one off? Thing you know some player we talked About taylor.
Earlier taylor's just stayed.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Healthy.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Man it's just he's got that durable. Body you get
some other guys that couldn't get it. Done when we
Had Matt khalil as a tackle FOR us for a
couple of, years, man he just kept getting. Injured what happened?
There So Josh, Simmons Ohio, state you're right at the
beginning of the college season last, year he was on.
Fire just looked, awesome fun to watch in an outstanding.
(24:16):
Program you want to talk ABOUT nfl, ready, right Like Ohio,
state The Big, ten that's where it's. At where that's
where you go to get ready to be an offensive
lineman for THE Nfl big ten. Football, Right, well now
he got, injured so got to evaluate him at the,
combine go back at the pro days and do. Medicals
bring him in if you're looking at him as a
team and see where he's at, now is he? Healthy
(24:37):
if he's healthy and your team feels good about, it
then let's.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Go but, again his tape's, good So i'm going to
go with the.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Tape, yeah And, jordan last. Thing it seems to be
one of these positions where it's not just a power
five SEC Acc big twelve school that's going to produce these.
GUYS i look at The panthers offensive. Line Taylor molten
went To Western, Michigan Robert hunt fighting The Loan's. Louisiana
(25:05):
Damian lewis before he was AT lsu was A juco,
guy that's. Right Austin korbitt started as a walk on At.
Nevada if you look hard, enough you can find some
of these guys and it may be outside of the
quote unquote usual.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Suspects, no you're you're exactly, right and that it's just
so funny when you look at this draft. Process and
we're talking about it today and you watch the combine
and it's just so covered and everybody's, opinion and you,
know you hear stuff about how the meetings went and
the speed dating and with the we're putting so much
into these, recruits and then at the end of the
(25:43):
day you kind.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Of just don't, know, Right, Yeah LIKE i don't know
how it's gonna, go you.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
KNOW i mean a million years ago WHEN i got,
Drafted utah was in The Mountain.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
WEST i didn't play against anybody in. College and THEN.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
I come in and they're, like, ah you're starting. Now
well shoot all, RIGHT i better figure this, out you
know WHAT i. Mean and There's.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Juliete, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
EXACTLY i, mean there's nothing's. Changed it's been a million,
years but nothing's. Changed it's, like we're going to put
all these factors on pay on the on the, board,
Right that's what we talk about in the draft. Process
on the. Board hight, weight, speed arm, length da da
da da. Da at the end of, it, MAN i
hope we're. RIGHT i hope he can. Play you, know
nail one of those late round guys from a small school.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Somewhere.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
Man now you're a genius that can elevate the gdm's.
Salary right, there you land a couple of late late
round guys or freezing. Guys And andrew, norwell you know
he Was he came in and started for us in
the mid the mid twenty, tens undrafted out of a big,
school so you, know like people must have thought he couldn't,
(26:47):
play and then he ended up starting for, us goes
on and signs a huge deal with The. Jaguars so
it's a fun, process. Man and the nice thing about
being on the media side of, it we could talk about.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
It we don't be right about anything because, no you,
know they don't has to do. That so it's gonna
be a fun a fun spring for. Sure.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Yeah it reminds. Me there's a great line by the
artist Sculptor Michael. Angelo somebody asked, him how do you
how do you create something like The david and his joke, Was,
oh it's. Easy you find a slab of marble and
you chip away until it looks Like. David, yeah it's
kind of like finding an offensive linement one of these.
Schools you find the slab of marble and then you
got to find the hidden figure.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Inside, Uh, yeah it's it's it's a tough, job, Man
there's so many. Factors and then you're continued to the
other thing is, like it's not once you get, drafted
that's who you. Are that's the other, Thing like the
development process that still. HAPPENS nfl coaches are out the
best in the, world right whoever you programmed you come
into in THE. Nfl WE'RE i like our situation right
(27:45):
now for The Carolina. Panthers the room is. Solid there's
great veteran leaders in. There there's good dudes BECAUSE i
met those guys AND i know. Them whoever we bring
in and get is coming into a beautiful position where
there's not going to be a demand to, start and
there's gonna be good examples of both coaches and players
in front of you to help you.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Develop and that's not the case everywhere you go in THE.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Nfl you, know you might have a new line, coach
you might have kind of bad culture in that old line.
Room whatever the reason is just some wrong people in
there and you don't develop as.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Fast so right, now, Man i'm knocking on.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Wood things are good for the offensive line situation for
The Carolina.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Panthers, yeah it is good for. Years we, heard when
are we getting the Next Jordan? Gross when are we
getting the next left? Tackle ikyakwanu after three, years seems
to have settled that. Position you, Know timo last year
of his, deal but he's still solid when. Healthy and
then the interior of that offensive line we saw it
last year was a tremendous, strength good as any unit
(28:43):
in THE. Nfl Robert hunt obviously was rewarded with A
Pro Bowl. Berth, So, jordan if they do go offensive,
linemen they do go offensive. TACKLE i hope we get
Another Jordan. Gross and, hey thanks for hanging out with
us for a few minutes. Today thanks Man yead.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Awesome awesome, guys appreciate in.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
It
Ladies and Gentlemen. The Weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Close to the episode caught Fit Feeling Touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Carolina Weekend Warriors Draft Special.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
The Weekend Warriors Draft Special is brought to you by
bud Light. No easier way to enjoy your Sunday. Bud
Light is the official beer of the NFL and a
proud partner of the Carolina Panthers. Any Shroff, Tom Lougan
Bill from ESPN here on episode two Little Weekend Warriors
Offseason Special. We're getting ready for the draft. We're gonna
hit the offensive line today. Jordan grows the Panther great.
(00:42):
We'll join us a little later on. And for the
first time in years, this is a low stress position
and a low stress position group for the Carolina Panthers.
There's a lot of nons and really, with Austin Corbett
back in the fold, Cade Mays tended, you're returning your
(01:03):
entire starting five from what is a pretty pretty good
offensive line from a year ago.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
And.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
The quarterback behind them is only gonna benefit right and
did down the stretch. I think the center position getting
addressed with Corbett and Cade Mays is huge because if
you looked at that a month ago, you're going, hmmm,
how were we gonna come up with some answers there?
But you're right, it's the it's the one position group
that needs the most time together. Why is that because
(01:32):
the communication and the technique of the position and having
to identify all of the moving parts pre snap to
make sure you don't have a bust is so critical.
And if you're having interchangeable parts coming in and out
and the revolving door coming in and out, it's hard
to maintain that communication to avoid making an error. Now,
(01:53):
the reason why this position is so special it's the
only position in all of regardless of sport, whose sole
responsibility is to protect another player. I'll think about that
for a second. Their sole responsibility is to protect another player,
and so there's something special about that. I think there's
(02:16):
an ownership of pride about offensive lineman when it comes
to that. And so when you can go into a
draft or a free agent model and this is an
area you're not addressing, you're ahead of the curve.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
And for the Panthers again, ikey Akwanu up and down
first couple of seasons seemed to really settle it. In
year three. Last year, Damian Lewis and Robert Hunt changed
the fundamental DNA of that offensive line at guards and
Caid Mays, who believe it or not, was a former
draft pick, was a cut last year, was then signed
(02:52):
off the Giants practice squad, works his way into the
starting lineup due to the injury to Austin Corbett and
self incredibly well. They had that stretch late in the
season where he had to go up against Chris Jones
of Kansas City vite Vea for the Bucks and then
Jalen Carter for the Eagles in consecutive weeks, and you
came out of that and you're going, Kate Mays can
(03:15):
do this. He can play center. There's also positional versatility
with him and Corbett, they can both play guard if
need be. And then Taylor Moten has just been a
rock since he's been a Carolina Panther. But again, if
you're looking at the Panthers and possibly going the offensive
line route in the draft, the only area where I
(03:37):
can see them making a move here is Timo is
in the last year of his contract. He is getting older.
So do you consider bringing in a developmental type of
offensive tackle prospect who can maybe shadow for a year
or two and then eventually take over. I think that
takes you out of the day one guys, right, but
(04:01):
might be able to find somebody day two, day three, Well.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
A guy like that would come to mind. Two guys
come to Johnny Cornelius at Oregon and Cam Williams at Texas.
Those would be the two guys that later on come
to mind as being really really good players and guys
that have a large sample size of production, have played
a ton of football. And by the way, while we're
talking about this, because there seems to be a University
(04:24):
of Texas flavor in this.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
They had a lot of pros. Man, they had a
lot of pros on that team.
Speaker 6 (04:30):
Okay, now I'm gonna.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Blow your mind here with a little nugget, all right,
because when I heard this, I said, that's impossible. That
is absolutely impossive, because we're talking about the University of
Texas right, access to the greatest places, greatest players in.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
The entire country.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Did you know that the last time the University of
Texas had a first round draft choice in the NFL
was in the offensive line, in the offense, on.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
The offensive line. Okay, on the old line.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Yeah, Mike Williams in two thousand and.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
QO, this is the University of Texas, folks, How is
that even possible?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Two plus decades at Texas. You look at their offensive line,
Calvin Banks at left tackle, Jake Majors at center, Cameron
Williams at right tackle, they will all be rostered by
an NFL team.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Correct, And just in case you're wondering out there why
this matters, lo and behold, Texas got really good all
of a sudden when they got really good upfront.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
On both sides. By the way, they probably got about
three or four pros on that defensive line as well.
The evaluation of an O line prospect you're ESPN's national
director of recruiting, I'd imagine that's got to be one
of the hardest positions where you're trying to forecast from
(05:55):
high school to college and then college to the pros.
What makes evaluate the offensive line so difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
So from from the high school perspective going into to
the college game, is when you look at some of
these kids now and you see them and I say kids,
and they're six five three twenty five, six six three nineteen,
you know, six four three thirty and they're seventeen years old. Right,
So in your normal high school structure, most high school
(06:27):
kids are just high school kids playing football. They're not prospects.
So now you're having to turn on the tape and
you're watching this guy and he's thrown around a six
foot one two and ten pound high school defensive end,
and you're saying, Okay, well that's great, but he's supposed
to do that, right? How How am I supposed to
gauge this guy?
Speaker 6 (06:47):
And it makes it really really difficult.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
So I'll give you a prime example when when we
have our All Star event down at Orlando with the
under Armoor All American Game, the first two days of
practice are the intense days of practice for the offensive
line because for the first time in their lives, they're
lining up against Jadeveon Clowney, they're lining up against an
(07:11):
APR right, they're lining up against jtt at Ohio State,
whoever it may be. And all of a sudden, they're
not the biggest, baddest boy on the block anymore. And
so that makes it really really difficult. Did you move
on and you get large sample sizes and now they've
gotten entrenched in college and they have developed it becomes
a little bit easier to project, but boy, I mean
(07:35):
it is. I think it's harder to project in the
quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, and there's a maybe stream of thinking where you say,
all right, well, you know, go get me guys from
the SEC because you're facing elite first round pick pass
rushers all over the league. Yeah, there's probably truth to that.
But when you look around the league, and we'll talk
about this with Jordan Gross too, you can kind of
find these guys everywhere. How many one star, two star
(08:00):
offensive lineman has kirk ference at Iowa right turned into
eight ten year starters in the NFL.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
So that is going to become more and more and
more rare. And here is.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Why, because what college football is now turned into so
transactional is if you identify that guy and you bring
him into the fold a place like Iowa or a
Wisconsin is some of these other places, they're used to
having that guy the full five years. Right, he comes in,
he red shirts. He probably doesn't play as a red
shirt freshman, maybe see some snaps as a red shirt sophomore.
(08:33):
He's a starter as a red shirt junior and a
red shirt senior.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Well, now, if you identify that guy and he becomes
a good player, can you keep him? Because now he's
going to go somewhere else. And so finding that continuity
in the offensive line for a three or four or
five year guy become they're dinosaurs, like they're starting to
be on the indagers species list. And it's hard. And
(08:56):
I think that makes it even more difficult to project,
because when guys are bound and a round all over
the place, how are they maximizing their development.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I always go back to a quote. I don't want
to reveal the name of the assistant coach, but it
was an Iowa assistant coach years ago, and we said, hey,
what do you look for in an offensive line? Because
you've had this great history and success of developing and
finding offensive line. When he goes, oh, well, you got
to realize we have a couple of advantages. One were
in Iowa. Yeah, so he goes, we look for farm boys,
(09:27):
and we looked for farm boys who've been breast fed
since they until they were about five. So there's your formula. Yeah,
I guess there's no formula involved.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
There, there's your but you're on And the thing is,
it's so hard to find him.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I think that.
Speaker 6 (09:41):
That's the thing.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I mean.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
We could throw a rock outside of this offense and
it hit a wide receiver in the head somewhere right right.
You could not do that in the offensive line, in
the defensive line.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
Some of those premium positions. All right.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
A couple of guys you know later in the draft,
potential tackle prospects you mentioned, you know, Cornelius at Oregon,
Cameron Williams at Texas. There's another one, Ozzie Trapilo at
Boston College. You covered the ACC a lot this year.
His dad, For folks who don't know, Steve passed away.
You know a few years ago Steve played with Doug
Fluti and in the iconic picture of nineteen eighty four
(10:15):
when Flutie throws the Hill Mary against Miami, Steve's the
one raising FLUTEI up into the air. So Ozzie is
his son. So yeah, there's bloodlines there.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Again.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Developmental prospect that you can go get day two, day
three to potentially be a starter one day.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
Well, he's six foot seven, but he's light. When I
say light, three hundred and ten pounds. Well, when you
look at a six foot seven guy come into the room,
he's gonna look like he's two eighty. If he's three ten,
I think he needs to get bigger. Continue to add
both true technician, that Dalston College offensive line is a
group was really really good.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Does that matter because like BC is another one right
with like linn Strom and all these guys who've come through,
like they produce pros. Iowa produce is pros, Wisconsin produces pros.
If you're an NFL scout, you're an NFL GM, do
you look at those programs and say, all right, we
get one of their guys. We kind of know what
we're getting.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Yes, And I think you know the one common denominator
that we're overlooking there a little bit is you're talking
about tough environments like something as simple as weather. Right,
you need tough guys that want to go practice outside
when it's twenty five degrees, right, you need you need that.
There's a mentality I think that's tied into certain programs
(11:35):
that have produced in the offensive line, the blue collar
lunch pale attitude. The program is going to be driven
that the bus is going to be driven by this
position group, And there's an onus of pride in that.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I think the Weekend Warriors Draft Special is brought to
you by bud Light. No easier way to enjoy your Sunday.
Bud Light is the official beer of the NFL and
a proud partner of the Carol of Panthers.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Make every day Game Day with the Carolina Panthers Podcast network,
immerse yourself in the team's history.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
It was the cardiac kat.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
You could not leave the room because so many different
things can happen.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Kat's the latest press conferences.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
That's a good question.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I didn't see that one coming in.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
And here exclusive conversations with Panthers legends and he shroff
here with Julius Peppers. Tune in now on the iHeartRadio app,
Panthers dot com and team app, Apple podcast or Spotify.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
We welcome in one of the all time Panther grades.
He played college football Utah. He was the eighth overall
pick in the three draft eleven years for Carolina and
he is in the Hall of Honor. You know him
as Jordan Gross. He often joins us on Sundays as
part of our Panther broadcast as well. Jordan, great to
(12:52):
be visiting with you. You know, the offensive line for
a change, There's not really a ton of drama in
Panther Land. Austin Corbett re signed, Cade Mays was tendered,
and a unit that was the strength of the team
last year coming back intact for another year in Dave
Canalis's system, one would think that we'll pay dividends having
(13:16):
continuity with that unit up front.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I almost don't know what to think a niche not
having O line drama like it's been. I mean it's
been a decade.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It seems like. I love that the Panthers re signed Corbett.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
I know he's been banged up the last couple of
years and he's been frustrated that, but just I mean,
an A plus player when he's healthy, and a quality
guy on top of that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So I love that move.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It was so fun watching that on line last year
and knowing the amount of money they put into those
guards and seeing our draft picks it tackle do well.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
So exciting times for Panther world.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
When we're not talking about offensive lineman, you get to
have me on here talking about something else, I guess,
So let's roll Jordan.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
When you talk about continuity and you know whether it's
five seven, eight guys, whatever it may be, and you
have a group that's worked together that's geled, that understands
each other, and at the end of the day, communication
is so key amongst that group. From your perspective, how
big of an impact does that make on the maturation
(14:22):
of an offense when you don't have a revolving door
constantly up front?
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Oh, it's a huge deal.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
I mean, the Panthers are gonna be able to go
into their meetings that are going to happen when they
get together this spring in the offensive line room, and
they're gonna be able to put up their offensive stuff
on the board, whether it's pass protection or it's run
game or whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
And those guys are going to know the calls. They're
gonna be able to go look at film from last
year then running the same stuff. They're going to have
their relationships established for whether it's right tackle to right guard,
guard to center on down the line. You can't under
you can't overvalue the importance.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Of that for Bryce Young.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
To be more and more successful next year, to have
that group in front of him, it's just it's it's
the process that you want to have in place. Every
year your O line just has more continuity, gets better,
bring in new pieces add to that when a guy
leaves for free agency or or moves to another team,
you release in whatever it is. You got somebody in
place for ready to step into that next role. So
(15:22):
I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers are still looking
for O line in the draft. That's what you do
right there, you need them. But I don't think it'll
be at the top of the draft board. We got
to get an alignment in that first round, second round.
I'm probably later on down the line, and you know Dan,
Dan's done an awesome job in free agency with some
value guys as well, so we'll see what happens.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
But it's good times right now.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
And if there's one place the Panthers may be looking
to add in the draft to develop metal prospect on
the old line, it might be at tackle. Taylor Mowten
has been you know, kill him and jarro in cleats.
He's just steady, he shows up, he plays well. We
often don't call his name on Sundays, which is a
good sign when you're an offensive lineman. But he is
(16:09):
entering the last year of his contract, so maybe the
Panthers look at offensive tackle on that right side to
get a little bit of insurance.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Jordan, Yeah, they sure could. I mean you, you're never
gonna have too many tackles, right. We went through that
back when I was playing. The guy gets injured or
whether it was me or somebody else, you need to
have somebody fill in.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Taylor Moten. We're so spoiled with him.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
He's one of those guys that the panther world is
not going to know how good we've had it until
he's gone, right, because he's just been so consistent.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
You said, a niche like.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
He doesn't get called very offense penalty rates low, his
pass protection ability is really high, his durability is incredible.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
So you do want to have the next guy places.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
He is getting a little long in the tooth and
at some point he will move on to another team
or retire, whatever's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
So there are some tackles in this draft that are exciting.
You know. I had the opportunity to go watch Connery
from Oregon.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I took one of my high school players to the
Oregon game, one of my sons, and I watched him
in person against Washington.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
He's somebody that I don't know when we would be
able to pick him and just tackles man.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Once they start falling that they're getting picked in the draft,
they just go right. So he's a top ten offensive tackle.
Is that a second round guy or is that halfway
through the first round. You just don't know how it's
going to play out, but I was impressed with him.
There's a lot of guys that are like six' five like,
this the very similar size right in this year's draft for.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
TACKLES a lot of six five. Guys you don't have
a bunch of monsters six, seven six eight guys.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
At the top of that. Draft so very similar players
and some good ones at.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
That, Now, jordan the trend over the last five to ten,
years not just in The National Football, league but in
college football as, well, is you, know the edge, player
the slightly undersized guy that can. Run he's, explosive he's
a problem off the edge from a pass protection. Standpoint,
now it looks like we're starting to see a bit
of a shift with the physicality of the offensive line
(18:11):
becoming more of a prominent fixture because you're putting those,
undersized maybe speedy guys into more of a phone. Booth
try to neutralize some of that stuff by running it
right at. Them is this a position at offensive? Tackle you,
know with that being said that you think has that,
physical meanstreak mentality to come Into what is looking like
(18:34):
in THE nfl right, now people are going to need
to win at the point of attack.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
And win those one on one.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Matchups are the tackles being prepared for that now coming
out since they've been playing so many spread.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
People, yeah it's.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
INTERESTING i think that'd be a case by case basis
to see, who you, know what offense that player came,
from and how long they were in that. Offense so
What i'm seeing in college football right, now you, know
it's interesting for. Me i'm a high school, coach So
i'm talking to coaches right. Now they're looking for tackles
coming out of high. School, man we can't find, any right,
like nobody wants to be a tackle or they're not getting.
(19:07):
Developed so that's what college coaches are saying looking at high. School,
well then in the world of THE nil right, now
and it's in transfer, portal which is this is in my,
opinion going to be the craziest time these last couple
of years and going into next year of college football
where the transfer was just so utilized right offensive linemen
that aren't in the same program getting coached by the same.
(19:28):
Coaches if you transferred a couple of times in your collegiate,
career there's no way that you're ready developmentally to step
onto THE nfl field and.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Perform so If.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
I'm looking to draft SOMEBODY i want to tackle that's
been in the same, program you know at least two,
seasons hopefully, three which it just seems crazy to.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Say from how it once, was but that's the way it.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Is you, know as that old line coach developed guys,
before how those players do when they made it to
the league because it just kind of that culture you're
in as an offensive lineman in, college the players you
went up, again that's going to just say a lot
about how you'll do in THE.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Nfl and then there's always just the.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Wolf see, factor, Right like guys looking great on, film
had a great college experience and played really well or projected.
High man they come in sometimes and, struggle flat out.
Struggled you, Know ikey on our, team he. Didn't He
he's had ups and downs in his, career and, MAN
i was so proud of him last year because he's
figuring it out and he's a young, guy still got
a lot of reps in front of. Him but, man
(20:25):
he had a great collegiate career and there's an adjustment period.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
They have to go through.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
It And, jordan you, know you think of that draft
class That ikey was, in that was one of the
deepest offensive tackle. Classes and you know a few guys
they have taken their. Lumps evan Neil uh you, Know Trevor,
penning you, know looks like a bust with The, saints,
right and so sometimes guys look a certain. Way the
tape says, something and you get into THE, nfl it's.
Different you, know one of the guys who's generated a
(20:51):
ton of pre draft buzz FROM, Lsu Will, campbell and you,
know the tape tells the story of a dominant college.
Player and you get to the, combine you get to the,
measurables and now people are nitpicking the arm, Length, Jordan
when when it comes to offensive linemen they talk about arm, length,
hands things like. That how important are those?
Speaker 4 (21:10):
MEASURABLES i mean they're, Important and what's the, cutoff, Right
like at what point of your arms too? Short and
when are they not short? Enough and is it an
eighth of an inch. Difference, like it's.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
So funny to me what the number.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
IS i don't, know, Man like you can't you can't
have alligator, arms right you you want to have long.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
ARMS i MEAN i would say.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
THAT i you, KNOW i was able to do it
with average size of arms for an offensive. Lineman people
get excited when you got seven foot, wingspan and it does, help,
right like your, job and it's all about pass protection
the run. Game it doesn't matter like you're trying to
get close contacts good in the run. Game you want
to engulf, defenders get them in close to, you run
(21:56):
your feet, Right that's how you do.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
It pass protection, wise that's when you want.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
That So i'm trying to keep that guy off my
body SO i can steer him WHERE i want him to.
Go edge guys want contact with your. Body they want
to be able to spin off of. You they want
to be able to get their hands on you for
a bull rush to chop all that. Stuff so that's
where the arm link. Matters it's in past. Protection that's
what it's all. About and That's i've heard it said
really well by a college coach when it came to nil. Valuation,
(22:23):
right he, said we're gonna pay the guy meeting the.
Quarterback we're gonna pay the guy that tackles the guy
or that sacks the, guy Meaning edge and D, lyman
and we're gonna pay the guy that protects the. Guy
so that's WHY i was so worried about arm, lengths
right as we need the guy that protects the guy
to have long enough. Arms So i'd go to the.
Tape that's WHAT i would. Do If i'm looking at,
(22:44):
Tackles i'd go to the. Tape if they've gotten it
done at a high level in, college then that's what's
going to tell me if they can do it the.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
Pros you know what's interesting you, mentioned AND i think
you're spot on from a transfer perspective and developmental perspective
of being. Ready you, know you got Guys Kelvin banks
junior At, texas three year starter at the same, School
Will CAMPBELL lsu three year starter at the same, School
Cameron williams At texas another. One so there are guys
that have have some continuity. THERE i think it's really.
(23:13):
Important there's a guy in this class by the name
Of Josh simmons At Ohio state who literally put on
a show for the first month of the season this last,
fall and then he gets hurt In october misses the
rest of the. Year when when you're looking at a
player like that that's been, injured but his tape is so,
good how do you evaluate that?
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Guy how do you project that?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Guy, yeah that's that's a wild, card, right you, know
injuries is he does he have the injury?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Bug you, know whatever whatever that. Is but it seems
to be.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
Real sometimes guys get hurt frequently or is it a
one off? Thing you know some player we talked About taylor.
Earlier taylor's just stayed.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Healthy.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Man it's just he's got that durable. Body you get
some other guys that couldn't get it. Done when we
Had Matt khalil as a tackle FOR us for a
couple of, years, man he just kept getting. Injured what happened?
There So Josh, Simmons Ohio, state you're right at the
beginning of the college season last, year he was on.
Fire just looked, awesome fun to watch in an outstanding.
(24:16):
Program you want to talk ABOUT nfl, ready, right Like Ohio,
state The Big, ten that's where it's. At where that's
where you go to get ready to be an offensive
lineman for THE Nfl big ten. Football, Right, well now
he got, injured so got to evaluate him at the,
combine go back at the pro days and do. Medicals
bring him in if you're looking at him as a
team and see where he's at, now is he? Healthy
(24:37):
if he's healthy and your team feels good about, it
then let's.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Go but, again his tape's, good So i'm going to
go with the.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Tape, yeah And, jordan last. Thing it seems to be
one of these positions where it's not just a power
five SEC Acc big twelve school that's going to produce these.
GUYS i look at The panthers offensive. Line Taylor molten
went To Western, Michigan Robert hunt fighting The Loan's. Louisiana
(25:05):
Damian lewis before he was AT lsu was A juco,
guy that's. Right Austin korbitt started as a walk on At.
Nevada if you look hard, enough you can find some
of these guys and it may be outside of the
quote unquote usual.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Suspects, no you're you're exactly, right and that it's just
so funny when you look at this draft. Process and
we're talking about it today and you watch the combine
and it's just so covered and everybody's, opinion and you,
know you hear stuff about how the meetings went and
the speed dating and with the we're putting so much
into these, recruits and then at the end of the
(25:43):
day you kind.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Of just don't, know, Right, Yeah LIKE i don't know
how it's gonna, go you.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
KNOW i mean a million years ago WHEN i got,
Drafted utah was in The Mountain.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
WEST i didn't play against anybody in. College and THEN.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
I come in and they're, like, ah you're starting. Now
well shoot all, RIGHT i better figure this, out you
know WHAT i. Mean and There's.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Juliete, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
EXACTLY i, mean there's nothing's. Changed it's been a million,
years but nothing's. Changed it's, like we're going to put
all these factors on pay on the on the, board,
Right that's what we talk about in the draft. Process
on the. Board hight, weight, speed arm, length da da
da da. Da at the end of, it, MAN i
hope we're. RIGHT i hope he can. Play you, know
nail one of those late round guys from a small school.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Somewhere.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
Man now you're a genius that can elevate the gdm's.
Salary right, there you land a couple of late late
round guys or freezing. Guys And andrew, norwell you know
he Was he came in and started for us in
the mid the mid twenty, tens undrafted out of a big,
school so you, know like people must have thought he couldn't,
(26:47):
play and then he ended up starting for, us goes
on and signs a huge deal with The. Jaguars so
it's a fun, process. Man and the nice thing about
being on the media side of, it we could talk about.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
It we don't be right about anything because, no you,
know they don't has to do. That so it's gonna
be a fun a fun spring for. Sure.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
Yeah it reminds. Me there's a great line by the
artist Sculptor Michael. Angelo somebody asked, him how do you
how do you create something like The david and his joke, Was,
oh it's. Easy you find a slab of marble and
you chip away until it looks Like. David, yeah it's
kind of like finding an offensive linement one of these.
Schools you find the slab of marble and then you
got to find the hidden figure.
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Inside, Uh, yeah it's it's it's a tough, job, Man
there's so many. Factors and then you're continued to the
other thing is, like it's not once you get, drafted
that's who you. Are that's the other, Thing like the
development process that still. HAPPENS nfl coaches are out the
best in the, world right whoever you programmed you come
into in THE. Nfl WE'RE i like our situation right
(27:45):
now for The Carolina. Panthers the room is. Solid there's
great veteran leaders in. There there's good dudes BECAUSE i
met those guys AND i know. Them whoever we bring
in and get is coming into a beautiful position where
there's not going to be a demand to, start and
there's gonna be good examples of both coaches and players
in front of you to help you.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Develop and that's not the case everywhere you go in THE.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Nfl you, know you might have a new line, coach
you might have kind of bad culture in that old line.
Room whatever the reason is just some wrong people in
there and you don't develop as.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Fast so right, now, Man i'm knocking on.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Wood things are good for the offensive line situation for
The Carolina.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Panthers, yeah it is good for. Years we, heard when
are we getting the Next Jordan? Gross when are we
getting the next left? Tackle ikyakwanu after three, years seems
to have settled that. Position you, Know timo last year
of his, deal but he's still solid when. Healthy and
then the interior of that offensive line we saw it
last year was a tremendous, strength good as any unit
(28:43):
in THE. Nfl Robert hunt obviously was rewarded with A
Pro Bowl. Berth, So, jordan if they do go offensive,
linemen they do go offensive. TACKLE i hope we get
Another Jordan. Gross and, hey thanks for hanging out with
us for a few minutes. Today thanks Man yead.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Awesome awesome, guys appreciate in.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
It
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