The 2025 NFL Draft's mid-round gems, with Dane Brugler and Daniel Jeremiah
00:03Welcome to the Athletic Football Show.I'm Robert Mays.We have got a fun one on time for you guys today.Daniel Jeremiah, NFL network analyst, is here.He and Dane are going to talk about their favorite players outside of the ConsensusTop 75 at seven different spots.Running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive wine, defensive wine, DB, linebacker,their favorite mid-round gems, potentially in this year's draft.
00:29When you get DJ and Dane together, you got to use and wield.that collective brain power.And that's what we tried to do today.Just a heads up, the NFL network is going to be providing live coverage with DJ of the2025 NFL draft from Green Bay, April 24th through 26th.We will also be providing live coverage of the NFL draft.Me, Dane, Derek, and Bruce Feldman on night one next Thursday, live on YouTube.Highly encourage you guys to come check that out.
00:58We'll also be having live coverage on night two with me, Dane, and Derek breaking downeverything from rounds two and three.So going to mention it a million different times over the next week or so.We are very, very excited about bringing you guys our live draft show yet again.So please be on the lookout for more information regarding those shows.Right now, let's get to Dane and DJ and their mid-round gems from the 2025 NFL draft.Now this one I'm excited about.This is what I've been looking forward to for a while here.
01:33We have two of the best.I would say the two best in the business these days in the draft space.Here to talk about their mid-round gems, two guys that do this deeper than anybody,and we're going to put that to good use today, talking about guys they like outside of the top 75 at both,at all of these positions, at several positions.Here to help me with that, it is our draft expert at the athletic, Dan Bruegel.Dane, how you doing, man?I'm with you.
01:58I was really excited for this one.I mean, DJ is the best.He is at the top of the mountain in this industry.And so to have him here with us to talk about these players,some of the off-the-radar guys is going to be a lot of fun.Now, I'm stoked to be here, dude.I guess it's like a two-for-one here.I get two buddies, one draft conversation.
02:18And then knowing how just, I mean, Dan, you know how nice of a guy, Robert is.For him to wear, I believe, is a Cubs hat to remind me of an incrediblePadres win last night was just, I mean, what a gem of a human being.Who had under two minutes?Yeah, that makes sense.Oh, man, we're undefeated at home.What I really appreciate about you, DJ,is that you have like 17,000 media obligations
02:40over the next week or so,and you're still just dead seton only caring about how the Padres are doing right now.I told somebody this.I think it might have been Rosillo,but I told somebody this this this morning.I didn't remember what it was, but this is,or no, it may have been,
02:50Cicillian.I'm such a sicko.This is what a sicko I am.That I'm getting,I had to finish up some draft stufffor like when the guys get picked,it's like a baseball card, right?So it's a picture of the guy
03:01and has a couple nuggets.And then we go into the highlight tapeand break it down.So I have to come together, put the three terms that I want on the sheet when the guys get picked for like 200 guys or whatever it is.So I finished that up, watched the end of the Padre game and then it was a great game.And then I'm like, I should go to bed like I got a full plate here.I'm like, you know what?If I wait an hour, I get access to the Cubs broadcast so I can listen to the Cubs broadcasters on Fernando Tatis's two home runs.
03:25I stayed up an extra hour just to go to sleep with the with Shambi and Sutcliffe's voice in my head, the anguish is Fernando Tatis.sit two-home runs. I'm sick. I know I am. You were a more dedicated man than I. I sincerelyappreciate that. We're going to run through, I think it's seven positions that I sent you guysto pick guys from just because I don't want to do every position. I bucket them some of them together.We got running backs, receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive linemen,linebackers, dbs. And I'm asking you guys for your two favorite players outside of the consensustop 75 at every single one of those positions.I wanted to use you two to kind of dig a little bit deeper than we have recently on the shows.
04:10We've talked about kind of the top tranche of players at a lot of these spots.So DJ, you are the guest here.I'm going to let you kick this off with running backs.Give me a running back outside of the consensus top 75 that you like and that you are keepingyour eye on next week.Well, it's challenging because some ways with the way this works is guys that I might have in mytop 75, but they won't be consensus top 75.So I guess that kind of gets to the point here.
04:35So I don't know exactly where this player is on everybody's list.But for me, he's like one of my most fun players to watch at the running back position is R.J. Harvey from Central Florida.He's he's undersized.He's 58-205.He ran 4-4 flat.He plays faster than that.He has like, there's like a like a Tarek Cohen with like a turbo pack on his back is kind of like who he reminds me.Yeah.
04:59But he's just, he is a really good player.Hits a ton of home runs, big time burst.They use him as a wildcat, which is just fun to watch.He can catch the ball.I mean, obviously, pass protection size-wise, there's going to be some issues there.I'm not asking him to do that.But just, you know, one of my favorite day three guys, regardless of position, I'll go R.J. Harvey.Looking at the consensus board right now, Dane, he is 98th on the most recent consensus board that we put out in the athletic this morning.
05:24And that's actually, he's risen.He was not inside the top 100 until the most recent board.So I think he's somebody, and this happened to me when I watched him for the first time,I really liked him.And I think he's somebody that has gained a lot of admirersover the course of the process the last few weeks or month or so, Dan.Well, he's in my top 100 too.I mean, he is just, he's fun.
05:43He's fun to watch because he is a tough guy to tackle.He stresses the defense in different ways.And I think it was maybe the TCU game where he will make guys miss,but he'll run over a safety as well.And so built load of the ground, former quarterback,there's just a lot to like about the player.And with this running back,class. And we talk so much about Gentie and Hampton and two Ohio State guys at the top.
06:08But that next tier, yeah, RJ Harvey is right there in that mix. He's, he's one of the bestseniors at the running back position in this draft, no doubt. I'm a big fan of his. Do I get one more then?You get one more, DJ. You get two at each position. So let's add it.So I love that one. And the next one, I don't know where he is on the list. But gosh, I just,I want him on my team. I'm a little bit.I know, I think that the league might be a little bit lower on him, but how do you, how do you call yourself an American and not like Camp Scataboo? Like he's just, I think I wrote in my notes, the phrases that I use is like he is so thirsty for contact. Like I think like his life source is contact. Like he can't. It's air to him. Like he has to have contact. And there's just a violent nature to his play that I appreciate. So I don't know where he is on the.consensus, but most teams that I talk to are not as high on him as, you know, as maybe the mediaworld is.
07:09We're letting you, we're giving you this one.He is 81st on the current consensus board.So he is just outside of the top 75.When you've talked to teams, DJ, what are the concerns?Like, what do you think is the gap between maybe how some people on this side of the fenceare looking at him and how some people in the NFL are looking at him where maybe they're seeingdownsides we're not seeing?Yeah, they're just saying no juice, you know, like he doesn't have juice.
07:30That's literally the complaint there.And, you know, it's not, it's not sustainable to run the way that he runs the long term.Like, you're just not going to physically hold up running like that at the next level.The guy can catch it.He's, you know, to me, the, he's like a James Connor.In your mind, that's like the best case scenario is that he ends up becoming like a James Conner.James Connor, I mean, James Connor, I mean, all I know is I suck at fantasy football.And every year I look at the team that wins and they always have James Conner.
07:56I just go, well, I guess I should have taken him.That's Cam Scataboo's destiny is to be the boring fantasy pick.no one wants to make.And then he rushes for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns.And he went like the ninth round and everyone's mad because it's just not exciting.Dan, we've talked about this.You know, names we've thrown out in terms of the best case scenario for him.Can he be a David Montgomery sort of player?
08:15I mean, the production is hard to deny.I think that the physical gifts and maybe the lack thereof is what might give teamspause when we get into day three next week.Yeah.I mean, obviously there's a big jump between big 12 defenses that he saw consistently and thenwhat he's going to see in the NFL.And so can he.can he still break tackles at a similar rate?
08:34Can he still get the yards after contact consistently?He just missed my top 100.I have like a early to mid-fourth on him.So I'm kind of right there in that neighborhood as well.Because he just, he's a hammerhead.And he can catch the ball well.So you know what you're getting.4-6-540 at the pro day.
08:51Not great.But I think that was kind of expected.That's what the tape says.But yeah,I think there's no mystery with what you're getting with Camp Scatibu.Dan, you're two guys.We've talked about both of them a little bit because we did a deep dive on the running backs last week or two weeks ago.It's hard to keep track at this point.
09:07We don't have to spend a ton of time on these, but your first guy was Jordan James from Oregon,who is somebody that you really like even among this pretty crowded running back group.Yeah, I mean, he's not going to lead the league in homers, but it'll lead the league in doubles.And so if you want that 60-yard run, he's not going to be for you.But if you want a guy that can get six consistently, I think it's Jordan James.And it shows in what the production he had at Oregon, 36.5% of his carries resulted in a first down or touchdown.He's, there's just no nonsense the way he runs.He's not going to dance.
09:40He knows the blocking scheme.He's going to hit it.Go for the sticks.And I think there's just the no nonsense run attack that he brings is something that I can get on board with.Where do you sit with James, DJ?I have him two spots below Scataboo on my list.So that's where I have him at the running back position.Instinctive.
09:57I love the fact he protects the football.he's strong he can get skinny through the trash i thought he had short area burst i didn't think he hadlong speed um but man they can use him in the past game on the rail swing whip routes like he'she's someone that's very comfortable and usable in the passing game so to me like that puts himlike where i have him on the stack of running backs now i have other running backs above those guysthat we've already been talking about so that would put jordan james probably like he's probably inlike my mid to late fourth round uh early fifth roundlike in that in that department.
10:31Where do you have him ranked among running backs, DJ?Just for context.Because Dan has him seventh.Yeah,he's not going to be that high for me.I have,see,I have gone through,
10:40I have to put out my top 150 next week.So I'm 50 deep.And I have certain positions I've already finished up for this process.And running back,I've already got my top six.And then I have grades.But grade-wise,that would put him at like,
10:51he's going to be like 11, 12,somewhere in that range.Do you think that says more aboutthe log jam of guys in that rangethan it does about Jordan James.They're all different flavors.Yeah.Like Jaden Ballou
11:07is some teams love them.They have a vision for them and exactly how they're going to use them.And they're going to have him way higher than others.You know,so it's,this running back group is totally flavor based.Just what you're looking for.And I'm probably,
11:20you know,like the one of the reasons why I love RJ Harvey so much is because I watchthe Chargers all year long with with no juice at the running backposition.Like, you know,Dobbin Sal was a good player, but like, gosh, I just want, you want somebody that can, when you get Slater and Alt and these guys creating all this space, like you want to pay it off.So I've kind of leaned for the most part of my rankings, I have a little more lean towards guys with juice.Dan, as we've kind of reconceived how we build running back rooms and teams just concede at this point that we're going to need multiple guys to put this thing together.
11:51Like very few teams have a do it all back that you can rely on in every facet of the game.Has that changed the way that you've thought about how.you're grading, scouting, and stacking running backs in the process, just because a guy doesn'thave to be everything to a given team because multiple teams, most teams have multiple options.Well, and that's what makes it tough when, you know, like DJ and I doing this from a nationalpoint of view.We're not scouting for a specific scheme or, you know, an already roster that's already builtwhere we can drop in a certain player under the depth chart and it kind of completes the picture.
12:25we're doing this from a very general point of view and kind of pointing out, right, this is what he doeswell. This is where he might struggle a little bit. Ideal for this scheme, that scheme. And so,you know, having, you know, stacking these guys, we're going to get a lot of differing opinions.And between us, between teams, which makes it interesting as you try to, because I don't think there'sright or wrong way to complete a running back depth chart, right? It's not like you need the thunderand the lightning. You just, you need guys that are going to help you get first downs and help scoretouchdowns and there's different visions about how to do that.You've got so many carries.
13:00You've got so many carries.And so it's like, how do I maximize these carries?And if they're a similar, different, don't really care.I just want to maximize the number of carries that we have this year.And to just echo Dane's point real quick, like from a job description, the way I look at whatwe're doing on this side of it, outside of a team is ranking players is impossible because wedon't work for teams and we don't know how he's going to be used or where he's going to go.I view our job to be able to explain what this player is, who he is, what he will do provided you take him and put him in the right position.
13:33And then when your team drafts him, you can go back and look up Dane's report and go, okay, well, this is the offense we run.Oh, I see why we pick this player.He's really good at doing this.And maybe we need to have somebody else that fills in and does that.Like, we're just coloring in the picture for where these guys end up.It's funny, Dan, because if D.J. is leaning toward the home runner headers because he was watching the charter.up close last year.You're leaning toward the hammerheads here because Jarkquez Hunter is your other guy
13:58outside of the top 75 that you like.And you just seem to like the guys who were willing to run through a brick wall thisyear.Well,I don't know,it's guys that get more than what is blocked for them.You know,like Jarquez Hunter,
14:09he's only 59205,but he's built out of bricks and mortar.His muscles have muscles.And he runs like it.He led the SEC in yards per carry last year,6.4.he kind of a little bit of a slasher so he's consistently picking up 10 yards here 12 yards therethe vision the tempo can be a little spotty at times but i love the run balance the toughness
14:33if you're a defender you better finish him to the ground because he's not going to make it easy on youand i think it's hard for a running back in the SEC especially at school like auburn to be underratedbut i don't know it sure feels that way with hunter yeah i was going through my notes here you knowthe only thing i had him i he didn't run well but i thoughtI thought he kind of was a one-speed guy when I watched him.I thought he did have some vision and cutback stuff.I thought he was more, you know, step through tackles.You know, he likes to get on a track and go.
15:04I didn't think he was.And again, it's just whatever flavor you're looking for.You know, going through my notes, I didn't see somebody who was going to make you missand, you know, be kind of, you know, have the wiggle in that area of his game.So what are you looking for?If that's what you're looking for, somebody that can get one cut, get north and south and run.Yeah, you're going to like him a little bit.more. Let's get to the receivers here, DJ. Your first receiver outside of your top 75 are the
15:27consensus-ish top 75 that you have an eye on that you've liked in the process. Yeah, again,I'll give you, this one's going to be right on the edge. Tori Horton to me, especially off 23.I just think he's, I think his game translates really well out of Colorado State. He's got size. He'ssix, two and a half. He's almost 200 pounds. He ran well coming off of that injury. But he's such asmooth, easy mover. He gets separation. He's elusive with the ball in his hands. You know,one of the simple things is just you don't see many of these guys that understand how to work back.He can work back downhill. It doesn't just have to be on the move. And, you know, he's got a bigcatch radius. So it's not going to be off of what you saw this year because of, you know,
16:12because of the injuries, but you go back to 23. I'm a big Tori Horton guy.Dan, how do you feel about Tori Horton considering he was the first guy you wanted to mention here?Is it really?I wondered how many positions we'd get through before we would double up like this.Yeah, Tori Horton, I mean, and I go back to that, not this past year, the year before, that Colorado, Colorado State thriller, and how big of an impact Tori Horton made in that game.And I don't know if it's because the right knee injury this year.So we missed the second half of the season.Maybe he's being a little bit underrated.
16:44But, I mean, the thing about Colorado State has had a nice run here of producing past catchers.Michael Gallup and Richard Higginsthrow Trey McBride in thereand Horton's just he's the latest one6, 2.5, 200 pounds.So he's a little skinnier than you wantbut he can fly.I mean, you get him on some of those verticals
17:03or some of the crossers where he can stretch outthat stride, that gliding stride that he hasand he's going to create problems for defenses.So there are times where I think physical defensive backswill disrupt the catch point,give him a little bit of trouble.So just the overall play strength is a little bit of a concern.but speed, fluidity, natural tracking skills.
17:23I mean, just all the things that you were saying, DJ, yeah, I think that matches up.And he also was a big time punt returner in college.And he had three punt return touchdowns.So a punt returner immediately, a guy that you think can potentially grow into a startingZ receiver in the NFL.And the asking price is probably going to be, yeah, mid the late third round pick.Yeah, he's being underrated, I think.Yeah, another thing is, you know how many times in talking to teams?
17:48and talking to GMs and coaches and coordinators.You know how many times his names come up to this entire process?Zero, which I always, my antenna's always up when somebody's always being talked about.Like, oh, there's a lot of it.And then I'm also a tenant up when nobody wants.I haven't heard the guy's name once.And I'm like, his tape's really good.Never once has anybody brought it up.
18:08So I think everybody's trying to pull a little rope a dope on that one.These guys who have a ton of juice and maybe struggle with physicality, DJ,this world that we're living in now where teams are so good.at creating separation for these guys using motion, using stacks, all of that.Does it change the way that you think about a player who has that sort of verticality,but may struggle with some of those issues with physical defensive backs in a way thatmaybe you look at them a little differently than you would have four or five years ago?I have a simple philosophy.
18:37If you're stiff and can't get off press with strength, you're screwed.That's when I have my issues.When you are a loose fluid athlete and you're getting hung up every now and I'm like,okay, he's got quick feet, he's loose, he's fluid.Like, we can work, we can get better.We can get better in this area.We can help him early on in his career, but I do think that is something that you canimprove on.
18:57If you're stiff and you're just going to expose your chest and you, you know, you mightjust be a big engine guy who's, you know, straight line stiff fast, but you can't get offpress, then you're in trouble.Who's your next guy, DJ?So this one, and again, I haven't put my final list together.So there's a chance he ends up.He's going to be right on that border.He's got a chance to get inside my.
19:18top 75.So I'm going to cheat on this one and say Kyle Williams.But he's right on that mix, right on that borderline for me of,he's 90th in the consensus board.So for this exercise, he counts.So I can use that one.Okay.I feel like I got a lifeline there.
19:34Yeah, I just think his tape's really, really good.And he's someone who can win at the line of scrimmage can win at the top of routes.Was excellent at the senior bowl.I think he probably, if you were just going to grade releases at the seniorball, you would say he was the best guy there.So I'll go Kyle Williams with my second one.That's senior bowl.He's 91st for you, Dane.
19:51Yeah, I think that changed everything for him.I just put him on a more national radar.Then he ran at the Combine, ran the 440, then he got hurt.So had a bow out of part of the Combine.Then he missed his pro day.But, I mean, there's a reason he's been on probably more 30 visits than just about anybody.He's racking up the frequent flyer miles because a lot of teams are interested in the skill set and just how hard he wasto cover throughout that week of practice at the senior bowl.
20:20He definitely helped himself.So this is my question, because it seems like everyone likes Kyle Williams.Every single person with a platform over the last month has talked about how much they likeKyle Williams.Why isn't he ranked higher for you, Dane?And why isn't he been ranked higher generally throughout this process if he seems to be afavorite of virtually every single person with a microphone or a keyboard?I mean, I like him.
20:43You know, he was a guy that coming into the year,really wasn't on the radar, butprobably about Halloweenwho's kind of got heads up like, hey,this guy's pretty good. Then you got the senior bowlinvite. And when you watch his tape,you see explosive off the line of scrimmage.He can vary his release package.
21:02Short area burst after the catch.And at the end of the day,let's focus on these receivers. Can theyget open? Can he catch a ball? Can you do somethingafter the catch? He does all three of thosethings pretty darn well. And sothat last season that he hadat Washington State really helped himself.
21:17he was, you know, former UNLV transfer, goes to Washington State, 14 touchdown catches in hisfinal year, had almost 1,200 yards.You know, there's, he's a little bit undersized.Like, he's not the biggest guy.So I think if you really prioritize size and play strength at the position, you're not going to have a top 50 grade on him.But somewhere on day two, I think he makes sense.He gave me an Emmanuel Sanders vibe when I, when I studied him.And the funny thing is, I do think.
21:47think there is an anchoring effect of and this happens all the time where and i remember being inrooms where this would happen where you you look at what the reputation is of someone you haven'theard of him you don't know who he is and i think i'm putting myself out there with the grade that i gave himwhich puts him like in the third round because i don't know never heard this guy from adamnobody's talked about him to me the whole year like i don't know who he is then i go at the seniorbowl and i'm like yeah i planted my flag on this guy like i'm the i'm one of the kyle williamsguys. And so that's his anchor. And it's like, okay, he can move up a little bit or move down a little bit,but that's where he is on the board. And what happens is people come in after the process and they've
22:22heard about him. And he's had this great senior bowl week and coaches come in and coacheswatch him for the first time. And you're like, they're like, why are you so long on Kyle Williams?I thought I was like a flag bear for Kyle Williams. Like, you know, so there is some ofanchoring effect there. I appreciate a five, 10 and a half 190 king. We respect those guys,even if he's a little bit undersized to be an NFL receiver.Dane, who is your other guy that you wanted to mention here?Who is your other receiver outside of the top 75 that you have liked?I'm going to go with Kandre Lambert Smith here from Auburn, Penn State Transfer.
22:54God, you love Auburn, man.Dana's such a big Auburn guy, man.I didn't know.Yeah, two for two.They feed you well down there?What happened?What's going on here?Lambert Smith,
23:03explosive athlete.I mean, he averaged almost 20 yards of catch this past year as one year atAuburn with not so great quarterback play.Maybe that's the nice way of putting it.So he's just a competitive guy, straight line explosive.He also had, he tested really well.So he ran in the four threes.He had the best short shuttle of anybody in this draft during the process.
23:26So it matches what he put on tape in terms of the movement skills.Now, I think we're still talking about a day three type of player.So he is a little bit limited in terms of the way he's going to win.But if I'm looking for a fourth receiver on my roster, this is the type of guy I would target once you get to the fourth round, fifth round.You know, because again, there's going to be volatility to his game, but there's also explosive talent that I feel like I can get more out of.I'm looking down on my notes and I wrote, he plays big.He runs up on his toes.He can track the ball and pull away.
24:01Like he's got a second gear when a ball goes up in the air.He had a big time one-handed catch and going through everything.remember who that was against.But a touchdown.Yeah, tempo and burst.I thought he was clean in and out.Like there's a lot of positives on here.Really the negative was he just got hung up and pressed a little bit.
24:18Got stuck a little bit out there at the line of scrimmage.So just, you know, getting a little bit better in that department.But I gave a grade that's just like I gave Kyle Williams like a 6-2 grade and he's a 6-1.Like he's in that neighborhood.He's a little bit below that, but he's not that far off.A lot of guys seemingly, Dan, that you think are just like at a speed ingredient for offenses.where maybe they're not complete players,but as you round out your room,
24:42guys like Horton and Lambert Smith,they're just going to be able to kind of fill that bucket for you,depending on the other skill sets that you have,seemingly based on how you're kind of rankingand talking about these guys.And guys that defenses have to account for.Because, you know,they can sell double moves.
24:56They can,they flash potential as a catch-and-go type of weapon.You know,it's more than just possession guys,the guys that have real speed and guys that are competitive too.You know,I think that's such an,important ingredient, not just the speed, but the competitiveness to go up and come down with the
25:14football and, you know, fight through whatever defenses are going to throw at you. And so, yeah,both these guys, I'd love to have on my receiver depth chart and, you know, see what we can dowith them. Before we move on, let's take a quick break. Let's get to tight ends, DJ. Your first tight endoutside of the consensus top 75 that you were a fan of. Well, first of all, I was going to checkand see if Auburn had one off the top of my head. Fair weather. Yeah. Yeah.There you go.He was a Shrine game.Yeah.
25:43See,Dane's got one.He's got an Aubrey and Ulster here.We got a playoff this year, right?I mean,they were great.That's why Dane was relatively lower on Bo Necksbecause he spurned Auburned and left.
25:54That was the problem.That's a man of cold.By the way,we used to always,and I don't remember who the team was.It used to be like Georgia back in the day before like the Kirby years,but you'd be in the draft room and we like go over the players and be like,how did Georgia not win more games?
26:08Like, look at the board.Like, look at all these guys.But there was always teams like that.So we're looking at tight ends outside the top 75.I'll tell you, let's see.You know who I like is I'm a Joshua Simon guy from South Carolina.Has some medical stuff in the background.He's, you know, 6'4, just under 240, ran 4, 6'5.
26:30But he's a move.He's an F.He can really, really run.He's got burst after the catch.He can make plays outside the frame.Had a big time one-hand catch against A&M was like one of those.flash plays.But I just thought like going through and I was watching all those tight ends one after another.
26:45I'm like this guy's kind of juicy.And to the point where I even called Beamer and I'm like, why is nobody talking aboutthis kid?Like what am I missing here?Like nobody's even mentioning this guy.And he was like, I don't, I don't get it.The guys, we started, you know, we had an offensive meeting and we're like, we've got tostart running more things through him and get him the ball more.
27:02So that, that'd be one I'd come with.He's your 17th tight end, Dane.Mm-hmm.But it's a dude like us.I mean, no, yeah, it does speak to the class.You do hate him because he's an Auburn rival.He's itself.Exactly.
27:15Yeah.There's explosive elements to his game, no doubt about it.And he's really long.I mean, I think he was almost 34 inch arms.And so, you know, that one-handed catch you were talking about, like the catch radius,the ball skills.I think that's something that's going to really stand out at the next level.So, you know, the blocking, like a lot of these guys, the technique is not always there.
27:38And he's to get better there.but yeah I think part of ityou know why he's an older player so he didn'the's going to be 25 years old as a rookiebut yeah why didn't South Carolinause him more because I meantalent says that he is ahe can be a playmaker so yeah it's I think it
27:53does speak to the tight end class that we havethis year I have the GeorgeKittle rule that Iput into employ aftereverybody was notoriously low on himincluding myself which wasof all the positions this has kind of turnedinto a traits position like
28:08don't get carried away with college production.Don't even worry about it.And just kind of grade the flashes,grade the traits,and he definitely has the traits.I want to say that, you know,the tight end specifically,the health of your offense can also affect that.
28:23Like Sam Laporte didn't have a lot of raw numbers in Iowa,but Iowa threw the ball like seven times a game.So sometimes it could be difficult to pin these guys down.DJ, who's your other tight end that you wanted to mention?Yeah.And I mean,I almost feel like I have to say that like inside my top 75,there's a bunch more guys than normally would be inside the top 75 because of this tight end class.
28:43So you're getting down to like, you know, your eighth tight end and beyond.I think, you know what?I think Gunner Helm has been punished a little bit.He didn't run well.He wasn't healthy there at the combine.But I still think he's a good player.He's got excellent ball skills.You can watch the Georgia game and see all that.
29:03I think he plays fast enough.He's a little bit sticky at the top of routes.But to me, the ball skills are outstanding.And to me, I think he's, I think he'll probably go in that, you know, late third, early fourth round range is probably where he comes off the board.He's 96th in your top 100, Dan.He is not inside the top 100 consensus board.So you're a little bit higher on him than the general public seems to be right now.Yeah, well, and obviously with habit at the combine, I think that soured a lot of people on him.
29:34But, yeah, I mean, just if you're focusing on the tape, he was the guy for Queen.viewers in that offense.I mean, he was a mismatch weapon, even if maybe the testing doesn't always match up.And size is okay, not great.But, I mean, consistently caught the ball and moved the chains consistently.Sorry, move the sticks.There we go.Not anymore.
29:56Not anymore.By the way, I told somebody this earlier today.Can I just on that point is guys who would only find this funny.There's not many people that would.This is the text I got from John Spanos from the church.chargers.This is the end of a text.I should add, as the co-chairman of the future of football committee, we were the ones
30:14pushing the virtual line to gain measurement.I apologize for all the grief you've taken over your podcast name.I got an apology.I feel like I got them just do apology for ruining a handle that I've had for, you know,13 years.So thanks.And now it's going to be a vintage thing now.There's going to be like a nostalgic tinge to it now.
30:31Now you can sell it as that.Yeah, there you go.Back to yesteryear.Dane, who are your two tight ends that you wanted to mention?here. So I'm curious if this guy's in your top 75 DJ, but Terrence Ferguson from Oregon.Yeah, he's up there. Yeah. I mean, he will and I so I thought it was okay to use him because on the,what's he on the consensus board? 87. So he just sneaks in. He's not getting to 87. I'll tell you thatright now. I agree. I agree. Yeah, he's what I think right right inside this top 75 for me.
31:03I mean, he is, I think when you look at the way he was used, like the production doesn't jumpoff, but he was kind of a slot.They'd use him as a wing, uh, in line a little bit.They'd, they'd often use them like as a blocker for a two count.Then they'd release them, make him a target.I just saw a really good athlete, six five and a half, two hundred and fifty pounds.And the combine did not disappoint six three in the 40, 39 inch vert.Um, very much like a snatch and go type of receiver where he, he's got really good hands and
31:31he's got a little bit after the catch.Uh, he finds the sticks.He runs physical routes.willing as a blocker, even if maybe the execution is a littleunderwhelming. So actually, it reminded me a little bit of another Ferguson,no relation, but Jake Ferguson over in Dallas where, you know,maybe nothing's truly exceptional about what they're doing, but it's just a goodathlete, catches the ball well, and I think it'll be a pretty good value,
31:54probably somewhere in the third round.I had a chance.I think this might have been the only college game I was able to go to this year,but the charges were on the road playing Cleveland and we traveled a day early.So I had a chance to go.watch Oregon, Michigan. And you go down there for warmups. And I remember, you know, obviouslywanted to see those Michigan guys. And, you know, Derek Harmon had buzz and those things and Connerley.But I'm, I'm watching Loveland come out and warm up. And I love Loveland. He's my seventh overall
32:21player. But I remember seeing going down the other side of the field and seeing Ferguson. I'm like,geez, these guys look like body doubles. And then the numbers came out and they are almost identical.Loveland was 605-6-248. Ferguson was 605-3-247. So they're one-pound difference there.but this dude can really run he's he's you know got that long stride he can build speed i thought he wasbetter on the move you know than one of these guys can work back down the stem but just get him onthe move you can hit him on overs and crossers and verticals and you know all that stuff i thoughthe was really good on that um i just thought he's a you know he's height weight speed he catchesa ball easy and he's more than willing in the run game so i you know to me this guy's
33:03going to go in the second round i'll be very surprised if he makes it the third roundYou should, yeah.Who's your other tight end day that you wanted to hit?So I went with more of a later round guy.CJ Dupree from Alabama.If you're looking for more of the hand on the ground,more of an inline tight end,that's what this guy can be pretty good as a blocker.
33:24The production, as a past catcher is not going to jump out.It's you only had like 21 catches this year and no touchdowns.But, you know, he wasn't featured that way.And you feel like there's more meat on the bone here with him as apast catcher. But his specialteam's profile, what he gives you as a blocker,and then you feel like there's moreto him as a past catcher. And
33:44we're talking about him probably fifth,six rounds. So the value of whatyou're getting with him there, I think thatthat's part of what makes him one of my favoriteunder the radar type of guys.You have one of these every year, Dave.Your tip rhyming of 2025.There you go. This guy from Alabama.
33:59I love it. This, yeah. Look, to me, he's amake the team find a roll guy. Ididn't view him as a starter. But in line,he's tough he's actually tough with the ball on his hands as well he just didn't have any any snapor any juice out of breaks he's he's always drives me nuts when guys are jump body catchers um it justthey don't trust their hands um and he struggled balls on his back hip so i didn't think he was a talentedreceiver but like dain saying if you want to employ him as your third tight end and he's going to come inthere and play special teams and and help you in the run game a little bit i think he's a role guy
34:31i think he finds a way to have a role let's get to offensive lineman dj jyour favorite offensive linemen outside of the top 75 that you wanted to talk about.I'll tell you what, I'll go, and I'm kind of on an island on this because I don't,I couldn't drum up support for this guy around the league, but I like Jalen Travis from Iowa State.I just think he's going to end up being a, you know, being a functional starter at right tackle.He's massive.He's almost 6 foot 80.He's almost 339 pounds.
34:59He's got length.He's got some knockoff power in the run game.It's kind of a little bit.He's a little tight and a little stiff.He's just going to kind of wrestle you up top with his upper body.He's not really a space player.But to me, I just, I look around the league and I see this profile playing at right tackle in this league.So I'm not saying I love him.
35:17And I think this tackle class is very lean.But like that's somebody that I'll take a shot on him.When we look up, you know, a couple years from now, this guy is a functional starting right tackle.I won't be surprised.Is that a really exciting sales pitch right there?I think that's kind of the nature of right tackles, though.And the fact that you're just tossing a guy out there with 35 inch arms and saying gettingin the way. I think there are worse plans than that.
35:40He's strong as an ox.And there's no doubt about it.And he's both like,you can tell he is a basketball background.Like he has basketball feet,but the earth does rumble a little bit when he moves.Because like you said, this is a big boy.And I thought that was the bowl game against Miami.
35:56I thought he did a really nice job.Just setting up shop, say, I'm going to make you go around me.I think, yeah.Do you think he could sneak into day,or you think he's firmly a day three guy?I mean, I gave him what equates to a third round grade.Like this profile usually kind of rolls off the board in the third round.You know, take your flyer on the big stiff, right tackle.
36:18But we're so starred for tackles in this draft that, you know, who knows?Maybe that could push him up the board a little bit.If I'm going to go, let's go to the interior then.So I did one on the edge and it's not a good tackle draft.So outside the top 75, I mean, Jared Wilson,is going to be probably right on that borderline for me.He's out of Georgia.He's going to be a starter.
36:41He's going to play for a long time.He plays a wide base.He's got some quicks to the second level.He's just smart and sturdy.And for centers in this league, that's kind of where the line is.He's got decent length compared to what the rest of these centers have, these inside guys have.I just think he's going to be a guy that's going to start a lot of games in this league.He's 82nd on the consensus board, Dan, but he's 57th on your final top 100 of the
37:06release last week.There we go.I was sold after the combine, seeing him move.And talking to his teammates, I mean, they rave about him as a leader, as a, as a dude, which is always good to hear.I just, even though he was a one-year guy at Georgia in terms of a starter, I think he's going to plug and play.I mean, I think he's good enough to, if you need a set, and this is not a good center class.You know, Zabel, if you think he could play center at the top.And then Jared Wilson somewhere on day two.
37:33but I think he could be a Rodney Hudson typewhere he's going to come in and be a starter for a long time.I was going to ask you, DJ,if you felt that the general weakness of the center classcompared to a year like last yearmight push somebody like him up the board a little bit.Yeah, there's some love on the streets for Jonah Monheimin that range too just because he's real, real smart and athletic.
37:53He's just got to get stronger.He doesn't have a ton of core strength,but he can really, really move.So if you're his own team or you at least major in zone,outside zone stuff,you're going to like Monheim for what he can do.but there are not many of them, man.I'm looking at your center rankings right now, Dan,
38:07there's a guy from Oregon Statewho's a seventh year senior.Joshua Gray.Joshua Gray is I have Joshua Gray one spotbehind Jared Wilson.Not the longest guy in the world,but he's a good football player.He should be.
38:22He's practiced.For the left tackle, yeah.He's almost as old at this point.Yeah.Dan, who are your offensive alignmentthat you wanted to mention?Well, I'm going to stick with Georgiabecause, you know, I think most people know about Jared Wilson and Tate Ratledge,
38:37but Dylan Fairchild, I don't think it's nearly enough love at guard.6-5, 325 pounds.When everything clicks for him, I see Wyatt Teller vibes.I mean, muscular frame, stout trunk, former state champion wrestler, you know, that's catnip foroffensive line coaches, strong, gritty player, needs to do a better job just keeping things in sync.So, you know, the hands, the feet, the eyes.When it's all in sync, it's all on the same page.I mean, he dominates the guy in front of him.
39:08It's just it needs to be more consistent with that.And so I think as, and he was banged up a lot this year.So consistency, one of these guys where I think the more he plays, the more consistency he will develop.So I know he has the aggressive demeanor.I know he's tough and physical.The, if this hits, I think you're getting, you know, White Teller was like a fifth round pick.Yeah.If it hits, it's, I think it could look.
39:32something like that, that type of mold of player.Yeah, it's interesting.When you said Wyatt Teller, then I read my notes and I'm like, gosh, I'd be,if I go back and read my Wyatt Teller notes, they probably would read very similarly.Strong hands, he can control the point of attack.He's stiff.He plays a little high.He's on the ground a little too much.
39:50But I love the fact he's always looking for work, just a little bit limited in space as an athlete.But that's, to be honest with you, probably exactly what Wyatt Teller's notes would look likewhen he's coming through the draft process.So that's one of those ones.And as we going through here, I'm writing these guys down and everything, too, because we do have time.And it's like, I've long had respect for Dane and how hard he works.And so if Dane says that he likes somebody and I'm a little bit lower on him, I'm, you know, I'm going to go back and revisit him a little bit and put new eyes on him and look at that.So that's an interesting one.
40:24I like that one.And your second offensive linens is an even deeper cut than that day.And who is the second O-Iman that you wanted to mention?Yeah, this is my top.Non-combine offensive player, Bryce Cable Doe from Kansas.College tackle who's going to move inside to guard, explosive at the snap,especially with some of those jump sets so he can cut off those rush angles.Tight physical hands creates torque in his upper half.
40:50The lack of length will show up with him.But I just love how competitive he is, especially in the run game.And obviously we know that Kansas offense with Devon Neal running the rock,they had a pretty good run game.also had a Logan Brown, the left tackle, also in this draft.But I think even though he didn't have the guard reps in college,he looked really comfortable during East-West practices at guard.And so I think there's something here.
41:17I think somewhere in the fifth round, a team's going to take a chance on him.And I think it's a type of guy you want to take a chance on,because the way he moves, the way he tests, really backed up what he put on film.And so that aggressiveness, along with the.athleticism and movements, there's something there.Yeah, I'm excited to go back through and watch some of him from the All-Star stuff becauseI have not seen that yet.I would not personally wasn't like big on him off of the tape and kind of pushed him aside
41:45pretty early on in the process.So that's a good, that's a good one for me to go back and see if I can't locate that stuffand take a peek at it because he did test well.Tested better than I thought he would have.To be honestly, I did not think he would run that well.So that's a good revisit for me.let's get to the other side of the ball DJyour two defensive linemen
42:03outside of the top 75 or sothat you were a fan of.Okay, I'll give you a couplelike pet projects hereguys that I really liked.This one is going to be Q. Robinsonfrom Alabama wholast year this guy for me was kind of
42:19Jalix Hunt and I wrote that this guy'sa lighter version of Jalick's hunt.He's fluidand sudden and he canuproot tackles.you know, sniffs out of screenfrom when he's playing off.Like he can play out in space.
42:36He bowled the crap out.I don't know which Georgia guard it was,but just bulled the stuffing out of him.To me, he's just, you know,you'll see guys that attack blocksand some guys that catch blocks.Like, he just plays forward,and he is an unbelievable special teams player.
42:53So he's somebody that I think,Jalix Hunt went in the third round.I think he probably more is like a fourth round.but someone that when you watch me,he has a role on special teams right out the jumpand I think there's more there as a rusher with him.So he's already looking for apartments in Philly, is what you're saying?Yeah, I don't know where that's going to go,
43:12but that was my...The last line of your beast's write-up Dane washis saving grace is his coverage talent on special teams,which might keep him on a roster as he grows as a defender.So I think both of you guys are relying on the factthat that's going to be where he can contribute early on.He'll have a spot, yeah, with that.That's my thing.
43:28At Alabama, you know, you just, you wish there was more production, backfield production, more of a role.But, yeah, I mean, you watch him for five minutes.You can tell.All right, there's something here.It's just, okay, we have to get the rest out of them.And he was banged up this past year that played a part in that.But, yeah, he's a really interesting player.And the other thing with him, I mean, look, it's like, gosh, I'd like to have more.
43:51But, I mean, gosh, they couldn't get Jihad Campbell on the field as an edge rusher behind those two first round picks with him off the ball.So it's like he's he's had to wait behind some good guys.And in some ways, I almost give the kid credit that he stuck it out.You know, there was, that's a great, that's a great example of someone who was blocked by first round picks who could have bounced.So anyways, that was an interesting one.Who's rather than you on me, like, I'm going to probably end up with Josiah Stewart inside my top 75.Let's talk about him though, because I, he's 72 on the, on the consensus big board.But he's somebody that I just, based on everything I've read about him, I find him interesting and compelling.
44:30So what has made you a fan of Josiah Stewart, DJ?I'm a big fan of him.Undersize, obviously, but he's just like, he is a bolt of lightning and energy, like balls to the wall.He's got power.Like, you'll see him shake bull guys, which he shouldn't be able to do at his size.And it's just like a hot knife through butter.He can dip and rip you.He plays big at the point of attack.
44:50He plays with huge energy.Like, he just looked like the best defensive.player on the tape and a lot of those Michigan games you're watching where he's surroundedby first round picks go back to even to last year like he's to me like watching him in his careerand I remember seeing him when he was at coastal right is that where he started because they wereplaying at app state on like one of those Tuesday night sunbelt thrillers and I was like okaythis is somebody and then it was literally like years later and I'm like oh okay this is the guythat I saw like when he was a young pup but and I think he almost tried to like fight the
45:23upstate quarterback in that game because I remember jumping out to me but he's yeah he is I just lovethe way that he plays I love the style he plays there's one litmus test I have for guys when you'relooking at like split zone and you see an edge defender and you see a tight end coming across to blockhim there's guys who catch and brace in turn and then there's guys like Nolan Smith I was going to say it'sthe no one Smith test is exactly what it is that's what it is and that's to me how you play that block says a lotabout you. And this guy, his card, it's not going to reverse.I, everything I've seen from him, Dane, playstyle-wise, I'm like, I love this guy.I love the way he plays. I love the mentality. He tested a little bit at that kind of fake Will
46:06Johnson Pro Day they did the other day. And it was not great. And we don't have a lot of othernumbers on him. How is concerned are you about squaring some of the physical questions with theplay style that everyone seems to really like with your size Stewart? Yeah. And so during that was aMonday. I'm texting with a scout who was there and he's giving me stuff on Will Johnson.Then I asked him about Josiah Stewart and he said he just put the trash can emoji.And I was like, oh, no. And so he ran his 40s and 484, 486. That's all he did too. He only did the 40-year dashedand no jumps, no shuttles and anything like that. And it's like, all right, I don't know what to dowith this number because he sure doesn't play like a 4-8 athlete.
46:44He plays a heck of a lot faster than that. Oh, yeah. And so he's 80th on my top 100. And I don't, you know,I can't, the beast is out, so I can't change it now, but I don't think I would, even if I could, based on that 40, because everything you said matches up with kind of my notes, very purposeful with his hands.He creates so much force with his getoff in those first two steps where he can create the speed to power.And the size is obviously a little bit underwhelming, 6-1, 250, but he uses it to his advantage, getting underneath blocks, helping with the leverage.And he's just, ultimately, you want defensive linemen that hate to say.stay blocked. He's one of those guys. He will spin off contact. He will use his hands. He will find away to come unglued and make a play, whether that's pursuing the quarterback or getting after itin the run game. So he's just relentless and an easy guy to like.
47:37Dan, you're two defensive linemen. Let's go with Baron Sorrell from Texas.Looks the part, six three and a half, 256 pounds, muscled up. As one scout put it,If I looked like him, I wouldn't own a shirt.I was like, yeah, that makes sense.Because that's how he looks.And he tested pretty well.He ran in the four sixes.Three cone was around seven flat.
48:00He also, watching him at the combine, his hoop drill was just like, wow, okay.I like the film.I like what did the senior bowl.And here at the combine, it's like, all right, we're just checking boxes, really physical, aggressive,knows how to break down the rhythm of blockers once he's engaged.It was very smart, and his teammates just rave about him.He was one of the dudes on that defense just in terms of the leadership and all of that.So guys like this usually carve out long-term careers.
48:32You know, they have size, they have power.And then the two M's makeup and motor.So I'll bet on those guys all the time.Yeah, I'm just looking through here.He's just a few spots where I have him here.so he's hanging out in thathe's a few spots above likeI have one spot over Braden Swinson
48:53so that tells you where I have himso that's I think he's got a chanceto go in the third roundstand up edge rusher he can longarm youhe's got instincts plays with effortstuns pollers to go back to what we were just talking abouthe you know he's really really good on games
49:12he's kind of to me someone that was justyou know really at theline or a little above the line in a multitude of areas, but there's not one thing he did thatjust like blows your socks off. Like he's just a really solid, reliable, dependable player.To me, he's like your third end, like your third edge setter. Like he's your guy that he'srolling through the game, but he's not going to be your primary guy. Yeah. Who's your other defensivelineman, Dan? Oh, I'll say he'll probably play 10 years in a league. So yeah. Yeah. So I went with,I want to go on the interior. Um, Jammari Caldwell. And I probably could have. This is what my third
49:44Oregon player. Probably could have. I mean, Jordan Birch wasn't eligible. Hardman wasn't eligible.But, yeah, try to get as many ducks here as we can. Caldwell, I mean, fun story. I mean, he's,you have Juko guys. You've got walk-ons. Rarely do you have the walk-on at Juko? But that's whatJamari Caldwell was, which I think tells you something about the way, how much he loves football andhow much he wanted this. And it's interesting because at Houston, he was a three technique. And then hetransfers to Oregon, you know, got paid.and take a step up and they played him more as a one next to Harmon.And he played his role.
50:21But I think that ability to be an interchangeable defensive tackle is something that's really going to help him going through the process because teams know what he is.They know that he can hold up in the run game, but he also has a little bit of juice.If you know, if you want to use him as a one gapper, let him attack get vertical.So, you know, I see short area quickness.I see a guy that's built low, wins with level.I think he's one of those guys. He's a little bit older. He's going to be a 25-year-old rookie,but I think late, third, early fourth, somewhere in that range. He's one of those defensivetackles that I think belongs in that area. Yeah, I haven't been a similar spot there.
51:02Nose Tech, three tech, press out block, steady pocket push, plays with a wide base. He has like sneakyquickness on the backside of the run game. And he had, and he looked good in the senior bowl setting,showed he's a little more athletic. DJ, before you get out of here very quickly,let's just do two DBs. Dan and I'll do the linebackers after you hop off, but I want to getyou out of here. So give me two DBs outside of the top 75 that you've enjoyed in the process here.Yeah, I love, I could give you, I'm going to give you three for the price of two. Give me all threecow guys. I love the three Cal DPs. I love Craig Woodson at safety, who's smart and tough and adependable, takes the ball away. He's just a firm tackler and everything at the school, you know,
51:40rave about the leadership and the makeup and the character. So I'm, I mean,I know he's a little older. He's played a lot of ball, though.I'm a fan of his.And then Noel Williams and Marcus Harris at corners.Noel Williams has more production.Marcus Harris has more traits.But I think all three of those guys.And if you look at Cal, Cal's been like a sneaky good DB school over the last day.
51:58I was going to say, who's developing those DBs at Cal?They've had a sneaky good number of DBs, man.And I think all three of those guys are starters.And I think all three of them, to me, belong in the third round.But I'm guessing that we won't see them all go on that range.Well, that Cal defensive coordinator is now an assistant with theSaints. So we'll see how many of these guys end up in New Orleans in the draft.So yeah, no, I'm with you. Noel Williams is one of the guys I wrote down.
52:21How competitive he plays. The big question was speed and he ran a 4-5-0 at the combine, whichnot great, but yep, check the box, good enough. And so, yeah, watching him going up againstlike A.O. Menor and all, you know, every one was a battle, a physical, he's got ball skills.Noel Williams is, yeah, I think he should go somewhere in the top 75.picks. I'm not sure if you will, but he should.He's 100th on the consensus board. He is 66th on your final top 100 game. I'm going to be more in line with Dane on that one. He's, you know, he's going to be 50 to 70 for sure on my list. Yeah. DJ, we'll let you get out of here. You've got 10 million things that you've got to worry about over the next nine days or so. We sincerely appreciate you carving out the time to do this with us today. Dude, I, you know, I love both you guys. Respect both you. And it's, uh, the time just kind of flies by, honestly. And it's good. Like, these are good scrimmages for me. Like, like, I love.I love doing this because it's just helpful.It's a couple names that I haven't thought of in a while.
53:18Dane gave me a couple good ones to go revisit and do some last minute work on.So I enjoyed it, boys.Talk to you soon, buddy.Before we move on and get to our last couple of positions, let's take one more quick break.All right, Dan, you had no Williams as one of your DBs.Who is your other DB that you wanted to mention here?I got to stay true to Jacob Parrish, Kansas State.I mean, look, he's on the consensus board.
53:47he, I think.He's 85th.So he's just outside of the top 85 and he's significantly higher for you.You have him 67th overall.Yeah, and I had to restrain myself a little bit on that one.Look, he reminds me of those Washington D.Bs that they turned out.You know, the Trent McDuffies, the Byron Murphys, the, you know, all those guys.He's just tough, physical, fast to the ball, read, react.
54:11Jacob Parrish will show up in the run game.He can play press.He can play off.I think his size would suggest.that maybe he's a slot with just you know because he decides is not on his side he'swhat do you come in at uh 5 9 590 5.9-19 yeah 31 inch arms essentially yeah so i mean right around510 190 um not long but he plays fast and physical and i don't know i i scout told me abouthim back in september i had not put eyes on him yet and then i was kind of hooked from day one
54:42as soon as i started watching him so jacob parish i i think somewhere yeah top75, he should come off the board, but it doesn't sound like he will, but I think he should.It seems like outside of, I mean, I guess Jedi Barans can push up a little bit in the process,but it feels like there's a lot of corners maybe in like the second or third round that make up like a majority of this class.It might not be like a top heavy class outside of Travis Hunter and then Johnson,but it seems like you can potentially get some starters in that day two range if you need one at that spot.Is that fair?It'll be, I'm fascinated to see how these debes, how many DBs, how many DBs,
55:17come off the board in round one because, you know, take Travis Hunter out of it.But, you know, Will Johnson is where does he land after not running the 40?And teams are kind of worried with Will Johnson with the injuries.Will Johnson is really going to be a wild card.Then Judi Barron, like we talked about, some teams see the versatility.Some teams see a nickel only.Trey Amos could be one of those guys from Ole Miss, who's, you know, rises into the top 30 when it's all said and done.Maxwell Harrison from Kentucky ran a 4-2.
55:47with the combine so that some teams are high on Harrison.And then you've got some of the wild cards that we're probably going to go on day twothat are injury guys.Talking about Benjamin Morrison from Notre Dame and Chavon Ravelle from East Carolina.So this is a really interesting corner class because I'm not sure the order they're going to come off the board on draft night.But there's a lot of talent here that could end up being something when we, in retrospect,when we look back at this class.You have six guys with like second or second to third round grades.
56:16Amos, Thomas from Florida State, Ravel, No Williams, Jacob Parrish, Benjamin Morrison.All of those guys are in that range for you.That seems like a pretty stacked, crowded group at that range of the draft at one single position.And I think almost all of them, not all of them, but I mean, Morrison was in my top, or my top 32 to begin the year.Ravel was 12 overall, 12 overall to start the season.And then his ACL injury happened.Thomas, I think he was getting first round love until he didn't run great.At his pro day, he ran a 4-5-8.
56:48So that probably knocks him out of the first round,but a team's going to get a really good player in round two.So, yeah, this is a, it's not a great corner class,but it's a pretty good corner class.Well, set the linebackers with DJ out of here,two linebackers outside of the consensus top 75that you liked as you went through the process this year.Okay, so I went with Teddy Buchanan from another,
57:12let's go back to the Cal Defense, I guess.Why not?So a UC Davis transfer,FCS guy,transfers a cow and really productive,had 114 tackles this year.The guy that just plays,and this is a theme, I guess,
57:28with a lot of my guys,fast, physical, persistent.Like, that's how he plays.So it's easy to appreciate the way he movesand the way he attacks the football.He reads well.There's not a lot of indecision.So he understands his keys.
57:43He hits it.can do some things as a blitzer.You know, he's just a,and he's an all-time captain type of guy.So you feel good about the intangibles.You feel good about, you know,he's a good, not a great athlete,but you feel good about the person
57:59and the way he sees the field.So yeah, Buchanan, why wasn't this Cald defense better?I mean, geez.I was going to ask you,so I was looking at it up as you were talking.They gave up like 22 points a game this year.So it wasn't bad.They were like 36th in the country in scoring defense.
58:12But Cam Ward probably.Yeah, he pushed up that average a little bit, even more so.So, yeah.And if you've got five guys that are NFL players in your back seven,it seems like you might do a little bit better than 30 third in scoring defense nationally.Right.Yeah.No, Justin Wilcox, he's got something brewing over there.
58:30Because, yeah, they got some players.Cal was stuck in kind of that no man's land.I guess they're in the ACC now.But them in Stanford are like, it's just so weird.But they had some players, no doubt.if you there are some things related to football where if you were to test me on it my score would be like embarrassingly bad for somebody who does what I do for a living for a while I was like punters like right now I'm a professional NFL reporter I if you asked me to name all 32 punters I would do so poorly I can't even describe it to you the one that might be the worst if you lined it up right now and you asked me to connect the school with the conference and we just went through all of thepower five schools, I would get like 30% of them right.Like the idea that Cal is in the ACC, there is not a single shot that I would have any
59:21idea that Cal is in the ACC.What conference is SMU in?I have no idea.It was Conference USA for a while, wasn't it?Yeah.Then they went to the AAC and now they're in the ACC as well with Cal.So yeah.No, it's it's the Wild West out there in college football right now, man.
59:40I mean, it's, it's a grab bag for just how, what can we do to get paid?and Texas OU, I mean, it's always been doing this,but Texas OU, when they went to the SEC,then that kind of led to USC and UCLA moving to Big Ten,and that was the crumbling of the Pac-12.Those I know, all right?Like, I understand that Oregon is in the Big Ten now,but Cal and the ACC, like, I had absolutely no shot.
01:00:05I will say, I am proud of the fact that I was at a schoolthat was on the front of this trend.The fact that they were an SEC team very quickly after I left.I went to a Big 12 school, and now my almais an SEC school, which is even still like 15 years later, kind of hard to square sometimes.Yeah.Well, speaking about the, that those schools changing conferences, that's my second linebackerfrom UCLA, uh, Kane Madrano, uh, who is, he is another name.
01:00:33It is, right?And I mean, his backstory is great too because he grew up on a ranch.I mean, he was riding bulls at, uh, in first grade, um, you know, he was doing all that goodstuff straight out of Yellowstone or something.But Carson Schweringer is the main guy from UCLA.He's going to be a top 50 pick linebacker.Kane Medrano is kind of the other guy.He is someone that waited his turn was more of a special teams guy.
01:00:59And then really it was 2023 became a starter.Came back for a sixth year.In this past year, he was outstanding.I mean, he led the team in interceptions.I mean, he was right behind Swettinger in terms of production.Play speed is outstanding.And it showed up in a big.way at the combine. You ran, what, 446 at 63-22. Yeah, that'll play. I mean, that'll be
01:01:22all right. 32-inch vert, under seven seconds in the three cone. And so the athleticism you seeon film with him, you know, that shows up in a testing. And so somewhere, I think he'll go probablyin the fourth round. A team's going to look at that athleticism and say, yeah, at the very least,we've got a special team's demon here. So the way he's wired and the athleticism,them. Yeah, I'll bet on that.All right. That's about 25 guys outside or just inside the consensus top 75 from Dame Bruegler and Daniel Jeremiah.If you are a draft sicko, it seems like this is the sort of content that would be for you.So 25 guys that I think comfortably will probably be picked outside of the second round except for Terrence Ferguson.
01:02:09And the consensus on him is not that.So I feel pretty good about the amount of play.players we hit on this show and the amount of guys that people should be looking out for as we get a little deeper into day two and into day three.Yeah, no doubt. A lot of good names and, you know, names that when you're watching the draft, you know, through Thursday, Friday, Saturday, I think you'll pop up.And, you know, you can feel a little bit better about your team drafting one of these guys.Because I think all the names mentioned are being undervalued a little bit, but are just good football players and guys that'll play beyond the,rookie contracts once they get to the league.Quick note, we are going to be doing the past catchers a little bit later this week,
01:02:51same as we've hit other positions over the last couple weeks.We're going to be doing that show on Friday, not on Thursday.So just some scheduling stuff.We're going to be pushing that back a little bit.So please, if you're looking for that on Thursday, there's a reason it's not there.That show will be coming to you guys on Friday, and then we will have the mailbag into Monday.I mentioned it at the top of the show, but we're now about eight days away.You'll be in Chicago a week from now, Dane.
01:03:15Live in Chicago, nights one and two of the draft, rounds one, two, and three.We will be reacting to every single pick live on YouTube.Please come join us.Night one, me, Dane, Derek, and Bruce Feldman, which I'm extremely excited about.It'll be me, Dane, and Derek doing everything and breaking everything down on night two.So I know you're going to be watching the draft.You can be watching DJ as you should, but please hang out with us as well because I thinkthat you're going to get some great.
01:03:45insight on every single one of these picks and the types of guys that your team is getting.All right. That's all we got for today. We'll be back on Friday with me, Derek, and Dane.For now, appreciate you guys listening. We'll talk to you soon.
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