Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Locked On ‘Bama Slamma, Double Shot — Meet New Patriots Mac Jones and Christian Barmore — 5/5/2021

Episode Date: May 5, 2021

The New England Patriots are bringing a bit more ‘Bama to the roster in 2021. Two prominent members of the Crimson Tide, are now wearing Patriot Blue; quarterback Mac Jones and defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Luke Robinson, host of Locked On Bama. Having covered both players during their time at Alabama, Luke provides valuable expert insight on the newest members of the Patriots.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.NugenixText now, and they’ll include a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever with key ingredients to help you get back in shape, absolutely free! Text DRAFT to 2-3-1-2-3-1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Wednesday, May 5th, 2021, and a little double dose of Lockdown Bama Slamma here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. And of course, Pats fans, after listening to today's episode of Locked On Patriots, be sure to check out NFL analyst Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson

on Locked On's Peacock and Williamson podcast every Monday through Friday. Brian and Matt give you the national perspective all around the NFL, covering all the latest news and insight on every team, every draft pick, and every move around the NFL, covering all the latest news and insight on every team, every draft pick, and every move around the NFL. Get your picks, previews, and much more every weekday with the Peacock and Williamson Podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Happy Hump Day, Patriots Nation!

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! And thank you for joining me on this midweek episode of the pod. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which, of course, is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and very much encouraged. So you know what that means. Share that feedback.

Send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Wednesday wandering through that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, we're almost one week removed from the 2021 NFL Draft. And since the draft wrapped on Saturday, all's been quiet on the Patriots' front. There was the news of Ernie Adams' retirement, the impact it will have on the Patriots' organization. We also talked a little bit yesterday with Steve Balistrieri about the Patriots choosing to pick up the fifth-year option on Isaiah Wynn, and their

decision to likely decline that same option on Sonny Michel. But crickets remain the only noise coming from the Patriots' undrafted free agent wire. Still no signings yet, but from what I hear from those close to the organization, the Patriots are doing their due diligence when it comes to every phase of roster building. So for anyone that thinks that the Pats might be lagging behind a little bit, fear not. Need I remind you that one of the most prominent slogans when it comes to this organization is no days off. And when the Patriots do dip into that undrafted rookie free agent well, we here on Locked On Patriots will bring you the very latest.

But as has been the case, as of the time I'm recording this podcast, still no action on that front just yet. But in the meantime, there's still lots to talk about in Patriots Nation, and here today on the pod, we have a special treat for you. Returning the concept of Crossover Wednesday. A little double dose of a Locked On Bama Slamma for you today. Luke Robinson, host of the Locked On Bama podcast, will join me here today on the hot seat. And my friend and Locked On colleague will give some valuable insight,

not only when it comes to new Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, but also new defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Insight that you can only find here on Locked On Patriots and only find here across the Locked On Podcast Network. Our team of local experts bringing you the news like only they can. And having covered both Mack and Christian extensively during their time down at Alabama, Luke will provide valuable expert insight

not just on what both Mac Jones and Christian Barmore can do on the field, but the type of men they are off the field. What type of Patriots will each of these guys make? Well, coming from a program like Alabama that's very Patriot-like in the way it goes about its football operations, headed by Nick Saban, a very close friend of head coach Bill Belichick, these two guys may have a leg up on the competition. And folks, if you were excited about both Mac Jones and Christian Barmore in a Patriots uniform before today's episode, once you listen to what Luke has to say, you're going to be

even more excited about these guys. So let's not waste time with any further ado. Let's dive right into it and welcome Luke Robinson, one half of the hosting tandem of the Locked On Bama podcast, when this Wednesday episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Patriots fans, listen up. Nugenix, the number one selling free testosterone booster at GNC, is offering a complimentary bottle to all football fans in America. To get your complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total T, text the word DRAFT to 231-231.

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than someone who knows these players very well. The co-host of the Locked On Bama podcast, Luke Robinson, joins me today. Luke, welcome to Locked On Patriots. Thanks so much for taking the time to join me here today. Sure, bud. I appreciate you having me. Anytime, anytime. And I'm a huge fan of the work that you guys do with Locked On Bama with Jimmy. Folks, I highly recommend checking out this podcast.

There's such a synergy between the way the New England Patriots operate in pro football and the way Alabama operates in college football. The synergy between Nick Saban and Bill Belichick is well known, and this is a great podcast. This is an honor for me to have you on here today, talking a little Mac Jones and a little Christian Barmore, the two newest New England Patriots. Luke, we'll start with Mac, obviously. The Patriots' selection of Mac was pretty polarizing throughout the fan base as soon as the pick was made on Thursday night. Some in the fan base immediately loved it.

Others, not so much. Me, I was very happy because I predicted the Patriots would wait until 15 and that they would be able to snag Mac Jones. Imagine my surprise when it actually happened with the ultimate mock draft that we ran here. But as the days continue to pass, I am noticing that there is a trend in the right direction. Fans are liking this pick more and more. Members, colleagues of mine in the media are liking this pick a lot more. And there's a lot to like with Mack's fit within the system.

He just checks all the boxes of what New England looks for in a quarterback. Luke, you covered Mac during his time in Alabama, and as much as all of us here in New England, especially the media, we're all having fun taking deep dives into his film, trying to decipher how he's going to make certain plays in this offense, but you know his capabilities as well as anyone. What kind of player are the Patriots getting in Mac Jones? Well, I think they're getting a bona fide leader and a guy that is unusual in the sense that he bided his time. He waited until he got his chance to shine, which is now with the transfer portal, you don't ever see that happening. I mean, we live

in a world of instant gratification. And if you feel like you're not being satisfied or you feel like you are not getting a fair shake, whether it's real or perceived or just your ego or whatever, people move on immediately. And nobody seems to want to wait and realize they need to mature. Everybody thinks it's somebody else's problem. And I want to tell you something, Mac Jones isn't that way. He came in a signing class. I mean, I was just looking at the signing class from 2017 Alabama. And think about this for a second. He came into a class with Najee Harris, Alex Leatherwood, Dylan Moses,

Jerry Judy, Tua Tungvaluwa, Jedrick Wills, Xavier McKinney, Devontae Smith, Henry Ruggs. I'm naming off a bunch of NFL players if you hadn't figured that out yet. Isaiah Buggs, who's been playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers for a while. And then there's some other dudes on this list that will be NFL players very, very shortly. Thomas Fletcher was in this signing class. He was the long snapper that was actually drafted, too. So that tells you a little bit about the class that he had coming in. He also signed in a class the year after Jalen Hurts had already signed. And Jalen Hurts was the established starter at Alabama. So Mack Jones comes to Alabama knowing that Jalen Hurts will be a true sophomore when

he gets there and that Tua Tungvaluwa is in his signing class. So I went back and looked. I also wrote a blog for a website called Crimson Country Club. It's sort of a smaller group that we put together for more reasonable Alabama fans. There are very few of us, so we wanted to find a site where we could get together. And this is what I wrote about him then, and this was back in 2017. I said, he's not NFL material, but he will eventually be missed. Number one, I missed badly on that. And then I said, hear me out. I do not predict Jones to be the starter at Alabama ever. However, I like his game enough and the high school he hails from to be confident that should he be thrust into duty, he will be able to be serviceable and adequate

enough to allow Alabama to continue to win. Boy, I was just way off. Now, before his senior year, or before, I guess, the latter part of his junior year, I was not way off because, frankly, when you've got two, Otunga-Vailoa and Jalen Hurts, Mack Jones isn't going to get on the field in that moment. But when all was said and done, Mack Jones improved his game so much and, again, just worked, kept his head down and worked, that he became arguably the best quarterback in Alabama history, at least having the best season in Alabama history. It's almost inarguable because he played an all-SEC schedule. And as I keep reminding folks,

he didn't just play all SEC schedule. He played every good team in the SEC that's not Alabama. The only two teams Alabama didn't play last year in the SEC were Vandy and South Carolina. And then he plays Notre Dame, who is one of the more historic programs in the country that was undefeated, and Ohio State, who is certainly one of the powerhouses historically and currently, and was undefeated. And they had Justin Fields, who went, obviously, number 11 to the Chicago Bears. They went head-to-head, and Mack Jones easily won out. So I think people are going to love him.

The comparisons to Tom Brady were inevitable. They do kind of look alike, I mean, in the sense that they're both American white quarterbacks with dad bods when they come out of college. were inevitable. They do kind of look alike. I mean, in the sense that they're both American white quarterbacks with dad bods when they come out of college. That's about where some of the comparisons end. And neither one of them is incredibly mobile. But otherwise, you know, don't try and get caught up with the Tom Brady stuff to me. I mean, Tom Brady is the goat. We all know it. It's irrefutable. So just let Tom Brady be his own thing and let Mac Jones come into his own. And if y'all will give him just a

little bit of time, I think Mac Jones is the kind of guy that can really lead New England to some heights. That is so well said. And I'm so glad that you mentioned the comparisons to Brady, because we see that a lot on Patriot social media. The side-by-side photos of Brady with his shirt off during the combine, the picture with Mac with his shirt off with the cigar, and everybody's saying, oh, there we go, that's why the Patriots wanted him, exactly the same. Yeah, they're not cookie-cutter molds of one another, and I'm glad that you mentioned that. Give Mac a chance to come into his own as the quarterback of the Patriots. And, Luke, bottom line, I've been saying all week long and even prior to the Patriots selecting

Mack when I had an eye on him as a potential target for the Patriots, the best way to fit into this offense here in New England is to win at pre-snap reads, make anticipatory throws, be able to throw guys open, and demonstrate the ability to get the ball out on time and deliver it accurately. Matt can do it. And the team that the Patriots surround him with both this year and beyond are poised to allow him to do that. And I do.

I think he will take this franchise to pretty good heights and be able to come into his own as his own quarterback and as his own type of Patriot legacy that he'd like to leave and that he'd like to be able to build. There are some naysayers out there, though, Luke, and their naysayers will point to his limitations outside the pocket. They'll also point to his arm strength and they'll say, well, for that reason, maybe the Patriots didn't make the wisest decision at number 15 to go with Mac Jones here. In my observations of Mac, I think he's much better at both of those in both of those areas than he gets credit for. I think his arm strength is adequate to above average enough to be able to make the throws he needs to in the right setting.

And I think he has some ability to move outside the pocket. He's not going to make a living out of off-script plays, but this is a kid that can move up in the pocket. I think he's agile enough to be able to maneuver around when he has to scramble out of it. Not the best athlete in the class without any question, but I think he's better in these areas than most people give him credit for. Luke, when it comes to Max limitations, is there something on your radar that you think could end up being a concern for him here in New England? Well, I think it would be the mobility more so than anything. Look, here's the beauty of it, okay? I get the naysayers, I really do,

because one of the other things people were saying during the draft, hey, he's surrounded by NFL talent, so how can he not look good? Well, guess what he's going to be surrounded by in New England? NFL talent. So he's going to look good there, too. And here's the other thing. He practiced against that same NFL talent at Alabama. So he's going up against the Jonathan Allens and the Reuben Fosters of the day. I mean, anybody like that in Alabama's system, Will Anderson more currently, he's going up against guys like that that are incredibly good,

Patrick Sertan, Josh Jobe, who will be a high pick next year. So, yeah, he's got the – he also has had to deal with pressure. He played at the University of Alabama. There's probably no place on planet Earth right now, at least not in college football, that has more pressure to win all the time. If you lose one game, everybody thinks what in the world is happening is the dynasty crumbling. And he didn't lose a game. Alabama, for all the Alabama success, they've only gone undefeated under Nick Saban twice.

And he led them to one of them. And it was arguably the hardest schedule Alabama's ever faced. So you go back to his limitations of the mobility that's real but you know Tom Brady's got mobility issues Peyton Manning had mobility issues I'm not saying that he's as good as those guys but I think that he can at least show people

that hey look I don't have to be mobile and in the NFL I think what we're learning is it's great it's cool to watch Lamar Jackson. That's so cool, or Michael Vick or whatever. But you know what? Those guys also take a lot more hits, and eventually the speed is going to leave you.

The guys that hang around the league for the longest amount of time are the Aaron Rodgers, the Peyton Mannings, that know how to put the ball where it needs to be. And I think it's a positive that he played with so much NFL talent at Alabama, because look, you're not going to find a more NFL ready wide receiver than Devontae Smith. He worked his butt off to get where he was and win the Heisman Trophy and do all those things. And so you think Devontae Smith is going to let Mack Jones sort of go out there and half-ass it? That's not going to happen. Jalen Waddell's going to go out there and let him underthrow him? That's not going to happen. Mack Jones had to keep up with the Joneses,

pardon the pun, and he had to keep up with all the other players out there, the Najee Harris's. I mean, he had to play as well as these guys were playing. And so, yeah, he was surrounded by NFL talent, but that was the beauty of it. They all pushed themselves to be better. And so while we don't exactly think he's going to be a running quarterback under any scenario, I'll say this. There were a couple of times when Alabama needed a few yards. One game in particular, I think the Iron Bowl this past year, and Alabama blew Auburn out, so it's not, it wasn't like they had to have the yardage, but to get a first down, Mack Jones

rolled out of the pocket, and instead of just flipping the ball, which would have been a little bit more dangerous, he just goes and gets the three yards when we needed two, and I think he's smart enough to know, hey, look, I don't need to try and get five yards. I need three yards to get this first down. That's all I need. And he's not going to take those unnecessary hits. So for everybody that wants to say, you know, here's his limitations, look, I can't refute those. They are visible and they are clear. At the same time, I can spin them positively if you want me to.

So I think Mac Jones certainly knows his own limitations, and that's a huge strength. Absolutely. And you have to think that Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and the New England Patriots know Mac's limitations as well, but they also look at the upside and what he can provide. And, Luke, you've basically checked all those boxes in terms of the information that we here in Patriots Nation need.

Strong characters, strong work ethic, but the strong ability to lead his team on the field. His ability, his high football IQ, the chance that he's going to make talent around him better and play around top talent is something that he'll do at the NFL at all levels and something that he can do for a good long career. Longevity is something that I think the Patriots are eyeing with Mack and I think they're going to find it. So Luke, great information on Mack Jones and Patriots fans everywhere are excited about the future and what this guy can do here in New England. But Mack wasn't the only Alabama product that's finding his way to Foxborough this season. Defensive lineman Christian Barmore, folks, is also going to be a New England Patriot. And some have said that this may be the best pick that Bill Belichick made in the 2021

NFL draft. Why is Christian such a good fit here in New England? Luke Robinson of Locked On Bama will tell us when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, get all the latest news,, odds and info for all of your sporting needs, whether it be NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, NHL, all of your UFC, MMA action and so much more by choosing the only place that has you covered and the only place we trust. BetOnline.ag, the fastest and easiest way to bet on all of your sports action. Before the start of your next favorite sporting event, head over to BetOnline on your laptop or mobile device

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and have this much hype surrounding him heading into the season and we talked a lot about Mac in the in the previous segment and his fit here in New England but with his second pick number 38 in the second round a pick that Bill Belichick traded up to get he chose another high profile member of the Crimson Tide defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Luke, Christian was widely considered one of the best, if not the best, defensive lineman in this draft class. With the Patriots set to restore that 3-4 defensive alignment that they ran so well in 2019, I think Christian is the perfect fit.

He played the 3-4 so well in Alabama, plays with great leverage, he's strong enough to take on the double teams. He can be disruptive when rushing the passer or defending the run. Pat's fans pretty much universally love this pick. I've seen very little resistance to it. I can't speak for the entire fan base folks or the media. There are some naysayers and we'll get into that in a bit, but I really liked this pick of Christian Barmore.

Luke, in your estimation, having covered him, knowing what he can do, why should Patriots fans be excited about Christian Barmore in the interior of their defensive line of their defense? Well, I think they should be excited for potential more than anything. Not necessarily results. I mean, it's not like he had 100 tackles, although defensive linemen hardly ever get that, Dave, if ever. But he did, as a redshirt sophomore this past year, have nine and a half tackles for loss,

eight sacks and three forced fumbles and three passes defended. He was also the defensive MVP of the College Football National Championship. But the thing with Barmore, and this is why he needed to go to the Patriots. I mean, we did a little thing on Locked on Bama about, okay, forget where people are drafting and forget about need of the NFL team. What's the best place for each individual Alabama player that's in the draft? And so for Najee Harris, it was just ironic. We thought, okay, the best place for him is probably Pittsburgh because he's not a blazer. He's not like a flashy dude. He is a workhorse, huge thighs. Now he can leap over people and do some cool things, but he's also just a

quality, quality person that's going to now another franchise, kind of like Alabama is where they're historic and they've got a lot of positives and he can accentuate those. Well, when it came to Christian Barmore, we said, boy, this is a no brainer. He either needs to go to the Kansas City Chiefs or the New England Patriots. That's where he needs to go because he needs to go to a place that has leadership that he can't go to. And I don't mean to pick on this franchise necessarily, but he can't go to the Raiders because they don't have the same kind of culture that New England and Kansas City have right now where there are clear, defined leaders and they are numerous. And they're not going to let you take a playoff because Barmore would – boy, I hate to say the term take a playoff because it makes somebody sound like they're lazy, and I don't think that's it at all. I just think sometimes he wasn't focused. But boy, when his mind is right, he is. He's incredible. I'm telling you, if he had come back for another year at Alabama, there's no doubt in my mind he's a mistake. But in another way, I think Barmore is the kind of guy who was dead set on going to play in the pros. And so he's living out his dream. And it kind of worked out better for him because instead of going to a team that's not going to be very good drafting early in the draft, he's going to probably the most established franchise in the NFL in New England with a bona fide leader, kind of like Alabama had in Nick Saban. So I think that this is the perfect spot for him. He's big, he's 6'5", and he's mean.

And I say that in the nicest way possible. He's mean on the football field. And don't forget, this is a guy who has gone up in practice against the likes of Alex Leatherwood against the likes of Evan Neal who is universally considered a top 5 pick in the NFL draft next year for Alabama so Deontay Brown, who was drafted I mean, he's gone up against

Landon Dickerson, he's just gone up against all these dudes that are now playing in the league so he's pretty well seasoned. And the other thing that's positive is he did take that redshirt year. So he had a year to mature just a little bit more. So I feel like Barmore landed in the absolute perfect spot for him. And I think you guys are going to realize he may have been the most value pick in the entire draft because, frankly,

I really thought he would go in the first round and Alex Leatherwood would be in the second, and it was actually reversed. I thought Leatherwood went too early and Barmore went too late, but I was hoping Barmore would go in the first round just to give Alabama that record of seven first-round draft picks, but they didn't get it. But I'm telling you, you've got a top- 10 talent at number 38, and that's pretty incredible. Yeah, without any question. Look, Barmore is a player that really has jumped out of the page at me and all of the

post-draft evaluation that I'm doing, pre-draft as well. But post-draft, I'm noticing how quickly he locates the ball, the chasing that he does. Always effort whenever he's locked in. Great range for his size as well. And look, quick hands is something that the New England Patriots love in their defensive linemen. So I think he's in the absolute best place for him as well. And from a structure standpoint, the New England Patriots are very, very big on character. And that leads me quite

nicely into my last question for you today Luke because well you've pointed out that Barmore has crystal clear first round talent without any question but he fell out of the first round because there have been some concerns over his character resisting coaching maybe a little bit from Nick Saban but Nick refuted those reports pretty quickly. And speaking with Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Nick said we never had any issue with him at all when it came to structure, whether it was football or academics. He always worked hard in the offseason program. He always did whatever everybody told him to do. We were very structured in regards to academics. He worked very hard at that. I never had a problem with him. He's a good kid. Those are Nick's exact words. Luke, you know the relationship between Nick

Saban and Bill Belichick. It's about as close as it gets among coaches. It's difficult to imagine that he'd put himself out there like that if he knew that there was some concern over Christian Barmore's fit here in New England. From an off-the-field standpoint and from a logistical standpoint in terms of behind-the-scenes things that it takes to succeed, is there any type of concern that Patriots fans should have about Christian Barmore? Or, like you said, is he just in the right fit in the right environment to succeed here in New England? Again, I'll put it the only way I know how.

If he were with some other franchise, and again, I hate to throw some of these franchises under the bus, but since I have no NFL affiliation, hopefully people understand I'm coming at this from an unbiased standpoint. But if he were to go to, say, the Bengals or the Browns, two franchises that, boy, they're on shaky ground sometimes when it comes to their culture in terms of, you know, how organized they are.

I would be worried about Barmore. In New England, I'm not worried about him. And I do think Saban is a straight shooter. I don't think Barmore's situation is necessarily an attitude. I don't think that's it. I think it's more of an athletic ADD where every now and again, he just loses focus on the field and maybe even forgets how good he is. And it's not a confidence thing. This kid is brimming with confidence. Trust me on that.

He comes from Philadelphia where I don't think I've ever met anybody from Philadelphia who lacks confidence. So I think he certainly knows about being in a larger market, too. That's also a huge positive. He also knows about being in the Northeast, having grown up in that area. So, again, those are huge positives. And then you think about, okay, he's also gone to Alabama, which is an incredible culture shock, going from Philadelphia to Tuscaloosa. I mean, trust me on that.

I went to Alabama. It's different. So he went down there and dealt with it very, very well. He never got in trouble. You know, I never heard of Barmore in trouble with the law or in trouble with student authorities or whatever. There was never anything like that. I think it was more just he's got all this untapped potential.

And every now and again, you know, you'd hit the right button, and then he's the MVP of the national championship game. You know, I mean, that's pretty incredible, considering you've got a team with Mack Jones, Devontae Smith, Jalen Waddell, Najee Harris on it, and a bunch of other defenders like Patrick Sertan, et cetera, et cetera. And he's the MVP of the defensive side.

That's crazy to think about. So it tells you a little bit about him. And I feel like you guys are going to be really, really excited with him. And one other unique thing about he and Mack Jones, and really their paths are kind of unique, both of them were committed to a different school, Mac Jones to Kentucky, Barmore to Temple. And they both decommitted because Alabama ended up getting on them a little bit later.

And they decided, okay, I'm going to take the challenge. You know, it would have been easy for Barmore or Mac Jones to go to Kentucky or Temple and play immediately and go after the accolades individually. But instead, they chose to come to Alabama. And in Mac Jones' case in particular, he waited four years to get his opportunity. And then he finally gets it and he kills it.

And so I think that that should count for something. And I agree with you. I think in a lot of ways, when you look at the fit that he has here in New England and the supporting cast that he'll have here in New England, not just Bill Belichick and the coaching staff, but a former Alabama product, Tay Hightower, one of the mentors on the defense of this New England Patriots team. A lot of support when it comes to the edge rushers,

the interior defensive linemen, the secondary. That's a very close knit here in New England. And adding a talent like Christian, someone who may have some untapped raw potential and really kind of help to cultivate it, bring him into his own, to me is an excellent fit. And Luke, I thank you so much for taking time out today to join me here on Locked On Patriots.

Give us some excellent firsthand insight, folks, when it comes to not only Mac Jones, but also Christian Barmore. Before I let you go, please let all of our listeners know, because again, there's a lot of Patriots fans that are Bama fans, and please let them know where they can find you, your great work, and what you guys have coming up on the Locked On Bama podcast. Yeah, I do appreciate your having work, and what you guys have coming up on the Locked on Bama podcast. Yeah, I do appreciate you having me, number one. Number two, go check us out, Locked on Bama.

You can find us anywhere you get your podcast. Jimmy and I do talk. You know, we'll get off the rails occasionally, but that's part of it. In college football, we call this the silly season because, frankly, if there's news in college football right now, it's not generally good news. It is somebody got in trouble or somebody's transferring or whatever because we're already through signing day. But we have a lot of fun stuff to talk about, and you're dang right. We consider the New England Patriots our big brother, so we appreciate them.

And here's one other thing I want to throw out to anybody listening, and especially you, this is something if you get to talk to anybody in the Patriots organization, you really need to milk the fact that the Patriots draft Mac Jones from Alabama. The starter is currently Cam Newton from Auburn, and his backup is currently Jarrett Stidham from Auburn. And if y'all don't find a way to milk that storyline, I don't know what to help you.

Oh, trust me, we are going to continue to do that. Zach Blackerby, host of Locked on Auburn, is a great fan of the program. Will remain one, but anyone that paid attention to our draft coverage over the weekend knows that our Locked on Patriots social media team put out the distracted boyfriend meme when it came to our penchant to maybe turn our

attention much more toward Locked on Bama than Locked on Auburn. No, Zach, only kidding, only kidding, my friend, we value all of our colleagues here, but it is going to be interesting to see how two Auburn tigers welcome a member of the Crimson tide into that quarterback room. Going to be a lot of fun this year up in new England, but Luke, thank you again. Much appreciated in the meantime, stay safe, stay well. We do look forward to having you back here on Locked On

to talk a little bit about Mac and a little bit about Christian and their progressions as the season goes on but great information today and thank you once again for joining me here on Locked On Patriots appreciate it so much y'all have a great year anytime thank you and best of luck to the

Crimson Tide this year as well and so Patriots Nation we are more than anytime. Thank you, and best of luck to the Crimson Tide this year as well. And so, Patriots Nation, we are more than halfway through your work week. And even though we know that Locked On Patriots brings you the latest news, notes, and analysis on your favorite team in Foxborough, get all the sports news you need in under 20 minutes with the Locked On Today podcast. Host Peter Bukowski updates you on the latest news in every major sport with the Locked On Today podcast. Host Peter Bukowski updates you on the latest news in every major sport with the help of our local experts. Follow the Locked On Today podcast on the Odyssey app

or wherever you get your podcasts. And, of course, always make sure that you're not missing a single second of the action right here on Locked On Patriots. So be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as the Odyssey app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate.

I thank my friend and colleague, Luke Robinson of the Locked On Bama podcast for crossing the streams here with me today on the pod and providing his unique wisdom and counsel when it comes to Mac Jones and Christian Barmore. But most importantly, I thank you all so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Patriots fans, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.