The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 04/23/2021 - HOUR 1 - Baker Mayfield Contract, Smart QB's and Chris Simms

Episode Date: April 23, 2021

Colin talks about Baker Mayfield's situation in Cleveland. He also says he doesn't need a QB who is too smart on his team. And NFL Analyst Chris Simms drops by. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

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Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. One hour from now, a sure fire, Hall of Fame lock, Drew Brees of the Saints. A broadcaster soon will be joining us one hour from now. Curry sitting in for Joy Taylor again today. Drew's an all-timer. Great to see you. How are things? Oh, things are great. It's Friday. I'm feeling bright. I'm feeling happy. Hoping to spark some joy today. Yeah. It's about nice 65 degrees in Los Angeles, a little overcast. Nice little chill in the

air today. Speaking of chill, they're chilling big in Cleveland. I just saw this story. The Browns have picked up Baker Mayfield's fifth year option. Cleveland.com. That is where you go for your Cleveland Browns sourcing. And they are, it's Marty Grau in Cleveland. And I just want to say, hold on, it's a pendant. This is dating still. This is not marriage. It's dating still.

Let me give you a list of other quarterbacks who have had their fifth year option picked up. And I know what you're saying. Colin, you're being a jerk. Blake Bortles, RG3, Marcus Marioata, James, Winston. It's a lot like Blake Bortles, by the way, and I'll get to that in a second. What this is, is Cleveland saying, listen, you're good enough, you're still young. We're going to watch it for a few years, but we're just too good right now to blow it up at quarterback and start over again, and next year's a lousy quarterback class.

Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, in the same class as Baker, they're talking contract extensions. In Patrick Mahomes' third off-season, they made him a 12-year, 500. million dollar deal. Baker got his fifth year option picked up. So Mahomes had started just 31 games in Kansas City said, we're going to make you the richest player in league history. Baker had started 45 games and they're saying, we like you. Not in love yet. We like you. We want to see more. So the way I would put it, Mahomes, through 31 games, got a house, a couple of cars, a vacation home, a wedding, a baby, and part of the Kansas City Royals. Mayfield got a necklace.

It is not a franchise tag. That's big money. That's like 37 million. It's not a long contract you're tied to for years and years. We play a game on this show called buy, sell, or hold. This is a hold. Not sure yet. See things that are promising.

But there's two reasons why Cleveland did this and should have done this. This is a Super Bowl roster. This is a top five roster in the NFL. I'd say three. Some say five or six. this is a real roster. This is what Jacksonville did with Blake Bortles. Remember that Jacksonville team that was loaded?

And they didn't love Blake Bortals, but he was good enough to win a playoff game. He was good enough to win a division. And so you're like, well, do we want to blow it up? Let's just run it out and see how far we can go. And in the end, Blake Bortles, you know, he won playoff games. Remember that Patriot game? They had him dead to rights, but he couldn't make the play.

And my guess is, that's kind of Baker. He'll get you close. This is a great roster. But remember, the NFL quarterback draft class next year is really weak. And so the sense is we've got a Super Bowl roster. We're not really sure. We're not going to go Carson Wentz yet. We're not going to talk extension yet.

It is a hold. And that's exactly what you should do. If you look at the quarterback class next year and you look at what Baker's done and you look at what he's surrounded by. They're still moving pieces in Cleveland. They just got rid of Sheldon Richardson. They just moved in Jedavian Clowney. My guess is by the trading deadline,

they're going to move OBJ and shore up that linebacking course. So I like the move. But again, our G3, got a 50-year option picked up. So did James. So did Bortles. So did Marcus Mariotta. It just means we don't feel like starting over at quarterback. because as you all know, even Andrew Luck in year one, even Trevor Lawrence in year one,

Elway, Eli, Payton, Brady, year one, you're not a Super Bowl quarterback. Trevor Lawrence will not be a Super Bowl quarterback. This is the right move by Cleveland. It's not a parade, but it's the right move. All right, I saw this. Matt Miller at NFL Draft Scout was talking about Mack Jones, Bama's quarterback. said the things you hear about Mac Jones are next level. One area scout who wasn't in the interview said his GM thinks

Mac Jones is the smartest quarterback they've ever interviewed. That's, wow. Four point GPA in college graduated after three years. So he's pretty bright. Should be noted the last draft that had five quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round was that one in 2018. Does everybody remember who was the first? smartest quarterback, Josh Rosen.

And like Mack Jones, there were questions about sort of his athletic ability and his ceiling. Josh Rosen didn't work out. I don't need a neurosurgeon to be a quarterback. What I need is a baller, a gamer, physically can last, committed, passionate, and can get along with dudes. Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard and got a 48 on his wonder lick. Highest for a quarterback ever. On the field, though, he lacks discipline. he's old school and makes really bad decisions.

Jared Goff, believe it or not, I mean, he went to Cal, he had a higher wonder lick than Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers. And Jared Goff, the reason the Rams got rid of him, wasn't because he wasn't smart enough. The reason was is he makes bad decisions and turns the ball over too much. The highest interception percentage in the last decade, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jay Cutler, one went to Harvard and one went to the Harvard of the South.

Vanderbilt. I think sometimes we forget smart means a lot of things. IQ, EQ. I've worked in the media for 30 years. I've worked with a lot of really, really bright people and almost as a rule, the smartest people have the lowest EQ. They're harder to work with. They can be condescending. They know they're smart. They want to make you know they know they're smart. The bottom line, a phrase I've always used whenever I talk to anybody getting in this business. Are you smart enough? Joe Montana was smart enough. Tom Brady is smart enough.

I don't know Nick Foles. Eli Manning, they're smart enough. People say Peyton Manning's a genius. I don't know. Eli's pretty smart. He feels smart enough. That's the key. And what you also do, smart people,

tend to fall for smart people. That's why you ever seen where you have like really smart people and they fall for scams. And you're like, how do people fall for that? And then you find the scammer is actually pretty bright. Kyle Shanahan's really bright. Mack Jones, three years in college, 4.0 graduated is really bright. Right now, nobody's playing games. What you're doing for teams is talking, going to the whiteboard, drawing up plays.

Mac Jones is very, very attractive to very, very smart people. And since you're not playing now and you're just doing talking and writing up plays and, well, that's a time for a smart guy to move up the board. Anybody notice that Mack Jones, since the games have stopped, has flown up the draft board? And he's flown up the draft board. What are the two teams? New England and San Francisco are talking about him. Who's the smartest coach in the league, Belichet?

Who's probably the smartest young coach in the league? Shanahan. Many thought it was McVey a couple years ago, but Shanahan has owned him. Smart people are attracted to other smart people. But smart enough is overwhelmingly the key in most businesses. Smart enough is not as condescending. It doesn't create the resentment sometimes in the room. I think Mack Jones could be really, really, really good.

But it is interesting who's attracted to Mac Jones the most. And it looks to be Belichick and Kyle Shanahan, really smart cats who are attracted to Mack Jones while he doesn't play and can talk. All right. Not that I don't like him. Not saying that. Smart is a trait. Just like big arm is a trait. Just a trait.

All right. So, you know, we've said this sometimes people, they overthink the room with some of the scouting stuff. And, I mean, listen, you got a lot of time. I mean, if the draft would have been held three months ago, like Justin Fields would be number two, right? Then you start talking and thinking and thinking and overthinking. And a classic quarterback coach had a comment yesterday that I just shake my head at on Trevor Lawrence.

That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

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Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean.

I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex?

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Scouts work really hard. They're in their car 200 days a year. They don't make a lot of money. I think they want to be heard. You ever go to a doctor? I noticed this a couple of times when I went to a doctor during like the pandemic. and all these Zoom meetings and I would have this very, you know, I would go to the doctor

and he just wanted to talk. I felt bad for him. He was so over Zoom meetings. They just wanted to talk to somebody. And I think sometimes scouts want to talk. And assistant coaches, you know, they never get asked questions. It's always the star quarterback and the head coach. So a lot of these assistant coaches, when they get asked questions,

they just want to talk. They want to talk to somebody. They want to be heard. Sometimes this stuff before the draft is just overwrought. So Tom Pellasaro, NFL Network, interviewed a bunch of scouts and executives, and an AFC quarterback coach said, listen, if I'm comparing Trevor Lawrence to last year, Joe Burrow has picked over Trevor Lawrence 100 out of 100 times.

Oh, good hell. Trevor Lawrence is bigger. He's got a better arm. He's more prodigy than prospect. Burrow, we didn't know who he was after an average junior year after transferring. then he popped his senior year with the greatest collection of college talent on one football team ever.

The other thing about Trevor Lawrence that's really impressive to me, and you see this a lot with the all-time greats, Trevor's been better, longer. We knew about Bryce Harper at 16. We knew about Trevor at 17. We knew about Kobe at 18. We knew about Kevin Garnett at 17.

Most of your prodigies are not late developers. They're really not. Joe Burroughs a late developer. We knew about Elway in high school. Trevor Lawrence in high school. Andrew Luck is a freshman at Stanford. Trevor's 21 years old.

He has been in the spotlight. This is really attractive to me. He's been in the spotlight three, three and a half years. I saw him in high school. Not a stumble. That's very Andrew Luck. It's very LeBron James. Johnny Mansell was in the spotlight for six months and he fell apart.

James Winston was in the spotlight for a year and a half at Florida State. He couldn't handle it. Baker Mayfield was a hot shot for about a year at Oklahoma, made a series of gaffs. Part of being an all-time great, can you handle the magnifying glass? Because you're going to have articles, you're going to get more coverage, you're going to get more scrutiny. And I find this true in America. We're very good. We always value people who rise to the top.

It's a great story. But we always undervalue how hard it is to stay at the top and main. maintain a clean resume. It's hard. The most impressive thing about Derek Jeter to me is not his 305 lifetime average. 20 years in New York is a single guy. He never got in trouble. Eli Manning, 15 years in New York City, never stumbled. With the New York media, it's vicious, it's everywhere, it's harsh. Like, it's not just rising to the top. I've worked with people my whole career who get great jobs, few keep them. It's hard to maintain it.

The scrutiny, the magnifying glass. Baker Mayfield came in, got a bunch of commercials and did a lot of idiotic things for the next year and a half. Cleveland now is not giving him an extension. And my reason is they still want to see him now off success. They know he was good after he had a bad year. How is he going to be off success? Because the last time he got drafted off success, he ran and did 15 commercials.

Without doing anything, he had more commercials than wins. So Cleveland's now giving him a fifth-year option pickup, but they want to see, all right, now you're a playoff guy. Can you handle it? I mean, he admitted he didn't come in great shape off his last success. He came in lumpy, doing commercials all off-season. So what I like about this kid beyond his talent is he's been in the spotlight. He's been the annoyed number one for three years.

No stumbles. No stumbles for Bryce Harper, no stumbles for LeBron, no stumbles for luck. This is not a late bloomer. This kid has been, we've been staring at him. He's been on magazine covers for three years. Been a great citizen. Alex for the news. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. Well, the Jets are hoping to get their next franchise quarterback with the second pick in the draft. And all signs point to Zach Wilson being their choice. And new head coach, Robert Sala, does not have any concern. about starting a rookie next season. I don't think there's risk. You know, it still comes down to having a good football team and building a good roster around everybody.

I mean, there's players here that are talented. There's rookies that are going to be coming in that are talented and the expectation is that they're one of 53 when it's all sudden done and they've all got to perform their best and it's our job to get them to put them in the best position to be successful and that's not just the quarterback, but every single player that takes the field.

Well, it sounds great, but the problem is he's entering a division with maybe three of the top four defensive coaches in the NFL, Belichick, Sean McDermott and Brian Flores. So a lot of what Robert Saul is saying, you can't control. This is the worst division for a young quarterback to come into. Like Justin Herbert goes to the AFC West. But last year, Denver's defense was awful. The Raiders defense is awful. So you can make some, hey, you can build some confidence. Zach Wilson may be really talented.

Belichick in the last 15 years doesn't lose to young quarterbacks. That's O and 2. Flores appears to be an unbelievable defensive coach. McDermott may be the best young defensive coach. So a lot of this stuff sounds good. This is a whoever goes to the Jets and has to start immediately, you will get six brutal games in division, the defenses you will face. Well, it's a huge risk.

You don't have NFL experience. These guys are bigger. They're faster. They're stronger. You haven't seen anything before. Of course, you hope, and there is a good chance that it's going to turn out well. But as you said, you're not going to be a Super Bowl quarterback. You're won.

Yeah. Takes experience. Yep. All right. Moving on, the NFL passed a new rule this year that gives certain position players a large pool of jersey numbers to choose from. And Tom Brady clearly is not a fan of this move. Following the news, he posted to Instagram, good luck trying to block the right people now, going to make for a lot of bad football.

And I'm usually on Tom's side for most things. Yeah. But it's just a number. How much are you staring at a jersey number in the heat of a moment when guys are running at you? Well, it's funny because Brady posted a couple of things and hated it. Oh, yeah. Tom is very much a creature of habit. And so for Tom, you know, he sees numbers.

He doesn't have to think about it. Like he sees that number and knows Mike linebacker, strong safety. So now you've got to recalibrate things if a guy number one comes up to the line. And he has to think, and, you know, by the way, safety's in linebackers, a big safety and a small linebacker. So he's thinking, is that a safety in the box? Is it a lineback? I mean, that's what I'm thinking. Tom is very particular in his preparation and his details.

And this is just throwing a wrench for a couple of months into it. I mean, he's also made his number, his brand. So to him, some people are incredibly emotionally attached to their numbers. TB 12. So this is a whole other can of worms that you're opening up to this. So you're going to be fine, Tom. You're going to be just fine. All right.

Well, Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers last night after missing the team's last 30 games. He played nearly 17 minutes all in the first half, but scored only four points on two of 10 shooting. He also had four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in the Lakers, 115 to 110 loss to the Mavs. And when asked about the injury after the game, he was, he also. game, AD said he didn't think about it one time. Now, he didn't look great, but this is what's to be expected when you miss over two months. It's going to take time to get back into game shape. And I think the most important thing to take away from this game for AD is that he felt good

throughout the whole game and he felt good after it. I got to tell you something, when he's on the floor with Andre Drummond, they're big. Yeah, they're big. Lakers are a big physical team. And, you know, when I watched them last night, I'm just kind of watching. I keep thinking of like Brooklyn. How would they match out with Tiny Kyrie? Hardin's not a very good defender. KD. is brittle. You get LeBron, Andre Drummond, Anthony Davis.

Now, Tres wouldn't be on the floor. But I would say KCP is long. Kuzma's long. This potentially is a really physical, great defensive team. Dangerous team. Yeah, they're going to, you're going to, you're going to, to have to really earn your points when LeBron and A.D. are at full strength. I can't wait. Alex for the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Drew Breeze is going to join us at the top of the hour. It's great to have him. It's, by the way, you know, with Brady, I know we always think, like, as you age, If you don't embrace new stuff, you're called an old head and you get made fun of. And I like most new stuff. But before the end of the hour, there is, sports is doing a lot of changing. Like, for instance, I don't like the defensive shifts in baseball.

It just takes runners off the base. I like activity. I like base runners. That gives me more steals. It gives me more plays at the plate. It gives me first to third. I don't like the defensive shift. In hockey and basketball and in soccer, there are areas you can't be.

hockey you can't stand in the crease basketball you can't stand in the lane I do not like the baseball defensive shift we're having fewer and fewer hits every year in baseball that means fewer base runners so I am for new stuff but there are some new things in sports the defensive shift in baseball

I think hurts the sport I want to see I don't want to see Bryce Harper hitting a rope to right center and a guy standing out there a second baseman 19 feet behind the back catches it I want to see him standing at second base But what are you going to do when you have those advanced analytics? Because that's kind of why it's moved on to the shifting.

It's all the analytics. I don't think analytics make for better sports. I said of this. In the NBA, it's three-point shot or nothing. And I think it gets repetitive. In baseball, defensive shifts have taken away base runners. I don't think that's good for the sport. I always tell the story.

I took my son to a baseball game, Padres Mets a few years ago. And he was young at the time. He was like nine or ten. And he's having ice cream in a baseball helmet. No, classic stuff. And we were there. And the Potteries didn't have a lot of good sticks, and the Mets had maybe, they weren't a great hitting team either.

And my son turns to me after an hour and a half to one nothing game. He goes, Dad, I really appreciate you bringing me here. But not a lot goes on in baseball. And I remember thinking, that's a raw opinion from a kid. And it's like, baseball needs more base runners. They're losing the younger generation, too. And basketball needs something beyond three-pointers. So I don't love all the new stuff.

Brady can complain about the new numbers and we all mock it. But there's been some new stuff introduced that I don't love all of it. I like most of it. All right, Chris Sims, NFL analyst, eight years in the NFL joins us, brought to you by Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. By the way, you're a former Patriot coaching assistant back in 2012. You know, I was making the argument. The two teams that appear to love Mack Jones are San Francisco and New England.

Why? Because they have, you know, brilliant head coaches. And since the season ends, nobody plays. plays now. And this is the time that smart guys, Trey Lance and Mac Jones, elevate on the whiteboard. And that Mac is moving up the whiteboard because smart people are impressed with other smart people. It's like Mac Jones has literally changed as a prospect. Now, you've been on the Mac Jones thing from day one. Are you worried a little that, you know, when I hear smart, that was Josh Rosen, that was Jay Cutler, that's you know, you know, Chris, sometimes smart.

Your dad's famous for saying, if you were smarter than Bill Parcells, just don't let him know that you are. Do you ever worry that sometimes super smart guys too often let you know how smart they are? Well, sure. You can be too smart at times and be too over analytical, right, at the position. You know, instead of just playing football, you hear that phrase, right? It's there still a read and react, you know, position on the football field. Yeah, you're trying to put yourself pre-snap in the best position to successfully execute that play.

But when it comes down to it, you want to be able to drop back and react. Oh, wait, the guy fell down. All right, I see that. I got to throw it. I wasn't expecting this coverage here. But now I'm going to react, you know, and not be overthinking situations or anything like that. But I think, like, ultimately here with Mack Jones, he's got a great blend of that. being really smart and all of that, you know, but yet on the field, Abel, like you're showing on these

highlights here, to move in the pocket, always make the appropriate throw. You know, Colin, where, you know, again, I think we have a lot of unqualified people making qualified statements a little bit before the draft process even starts to begin. And now, yeah, we got a lot of big time decision makers evaluating these guys. People like the Patriots, the 49ers, like in Mac Jones. Yes, they like a guy like that. They know their offense is special. They know he plays the position at an elite level.

And that's where I think people are missing out on Mack Jones, Colin. Like, yeah, there's not one thing that you might look at physically to go, oh, that's really special or elite. But it's a lot of really, really good that adds up to elite play on the field. He's the most accurate passer in the draft. He's the best decision maker in the draft. Okay.

And then I would say in the pocket, him and Zach Wilson are the best of manipulating the pocket in the draft. And then I think when you come away with all of that stuff, you look at it and go, all right. And then the arm is good. And his ability to read and react is as good as anybody I've seen since Joe Burrough, since I've been on this side of the business. And that's where it's special and why he's being considered at the number three pick. Ultimately, I think he's being viewed by a lot of people in the league, a little bit like the guy that's going to be coming on your show. shown a little bit. He's a Drew Breeze. He's a Matt Ryan type. And that's worked out pretty well for those organizations. And I think, you know, if Shanahan is thinking of taking him at number

three, and that's who I think he would take, that he's probably looking at it like, wait, I had two cracks with Matt Ryan. And that second year was special. And we were up 28 to three in the Super Bowl. And I think if you give me more than two cracks with Mack Jones, I think he probably looks at it like I can win a Super Bowl with this guy for sure. So, I mean, we just look at the top four, or five or six quarterbacks taken, one's going to be a bus. That's just the history of the league. And a lot of it is, it's not necessarily the player. It's often, if you look at the last 30 quarterbacks taken, it's where they land. And I look at Zach Wilson. Zach Wilson's going to have to face Bella check twice a year, Sean McDermott twice a year,

Brian Flores twice a year, whereas the NFC West is mostly offensive guys. And Justin Herbert can go in a division where the Raiders defense stinks. And Denver's was bad. year. And Kansas City is more about offense than defense. Zach Wilson may be facing three of the top four defensive coaches six times a year with a battle line and ownership I don't trust. There does feel like to me with Zach, this could be the kid that ends up running for his life two years in where like it looks a lot like Darnold. Do you see some of that potentially? Well, I mean, I think your point about, you know, quarterbacks that are drafted in the first round who fail and do that. You're right. It's about the positioning. And it's about the positioning of like where they fall. But then I think the other thing you can add on to that to kind of what you're saying is the ones that have really failed for the most part too. Let's just say Sam Darnold, right? Didn't live up to the expectations just to use as an example. You know, the organization prior to the one that's there did just an absolutely crappy job of ever supporting them to justify the number three pick. You know, that's where it really starts.

You know, if you're going to pick a quarterback in the top 10, you know, one of the things you've got to do for your own benefit. If you want to keep your job as a GM or a head coach is, wait, I better make this guy look good. We've invested a lot, a quarterback, a franchise guy in that top 10 pick, you know, aka, look at Patrick Mahomes. He got drafted by a team that had a ton of talent. He could hit the ground running. We never had to question anything about it. And he really got to just, you know, show all the tools he had available as the talented quarterback he is. So what's on them now to get the right supporting cast.

I love Zach Wilson. He's the number one quarterback in the trap for me. And really, where I'm excited about it for the Jets, a guy like Mike LaFleur, who's, of course, coming from Shanahan, his brothers Matt LaFleur up in Green Bay. He's got to be looking at Zach Wilson a little bit and going, man, there's some Aaron Rogers here. And my brother's done okay with Aaron Rogers up there in Green Bay the last two years,

I would say, in that offense. And that's what would excite me if I'm a Jets fan. So I want to give everybody. Chris, your quarterback rankings. You have Zach Wilson 1, Trevor Lawrence 2, Mack Jones 3, Kellen Mond. And people will initially go, come on, but

Russell Wilson, third round, deck 4th. Somebody's going to play well. Justin Fields 5, Tray Lance 6. I know Tray Lance a little, really bright kid. The thing that jumps out is Trevor Lawrence 2. And people do like Zach Wilson, but one of the things I like about Trevor Lawrence,

he's been in the spotlight three years, he can handle it. He's a big frame. He's taking a lot of hits. The competition's been unbelievable he's faced. So there's got to be something about Trevor that worries you a little. What is it? Yeah, right. I mean, listen, you said

it right. It's not an indictment on Trevor Lawrence. He's a special football player. He's definitely worthy of the number one pick. You know, I don't want to make it sound like I'm poo-pooing the guy here. You know, it is. It's a big athlete, natural thrower. You know, like

you said, clutch, calm. You know, can make plays with his feet for a bigger guy like that. That's pretty remarkable that way. I think the thing that jumped out to me, you know, evaluating him that I didn't realize watching him on TV through the years. There's some inconsistencies in his throwing the football. Now, sometimes when you watch a game on TV, you don't realize that, you know, hey, he's missed three or four of what should have been slam dunk throws because the next play

is a screenplay to Amari Rogers for 30 yards. Or, you know, there goes a Travis Aetian draw up the middle for. 25 yards or he hits another big pass down the field. So it gets wiped, you know, kind of under the rug a little bit in your mind and forget that. But that's the one thing that popped up to me is just as I evaluated him, I just went, ooh, there's more more inconsistency in this throwing than I realized watching him on TV over the last two years. He can clean it up. There's no doubt about that. Like I said, he's natural. But sometimes he can be a little long in the pocket with his motion, his footwork, his footwork can just be a little bit all over the place sometimes,

so where he misses throws where you're like, damn, you're too good to miss that five yard out, like to that capacity there. And that's where I just gave Zach Wilson the advantage a little bit. Wilson's throwing to me as superstar elite. It's Aaron Rogers or Mahomes. Not to say Trevor Lawrence can't be a superstar. I think he will be too, but I just was a little more excited about what I saw from Wilson. All right. I've yet to talk about Kellyn Monde. I watched him a few times in college and we have a history in this league brady montana dac russell wilson a lot of guys flourish drafted in the second third fourth fifth round kellen mond what do you see why do you like him you have him over justin fields and tray lance i know and you know listen if i had to do my tray lance justin field

was very close i gave fields the advantage just because he had played more but really there's things about tray lance i think if i could maybe tweak my rankings i might have switched that but i I love Calin Mon. And yeah, I'm in the minority, and I don't really understand why he doesn't get more play as far as in the first round conversation. He's certainly a lot better than some other quarterbacks I can name that have been drafted in the first round the last few years. I think the first thing I would just say he's been playing NFL football the last two years. And what I mean by that, he's been in the pocket with pressure around him and people not wide open. And he's had to throw the ball into more tight windows maybe than any other of the quarterback that we're talking about here in the top six. So he's special that way. as far as no space, quick release, explosive arm, throws perfect spirals, incredible accuracy, and he's a good athlete, too. And really, what I looked at and why I think I like him more than Trey Lance or Justin Fields,

his only issue is I wish he would just play backyard football a little bit more. He's such a good athlete, scramble, make some of those Rogers Mahomes type plays and all of that. That was really the only negative I came away with. And I also know Jimbo Fisher's a stickler for being in the pocket and doing those type of things. So when I looked at it, I just went, man, for me, Kellyn Mons one problem is much easier to fix than Justin Fields or the Trey Lance problems I have. And yeah, I'm in the minority, but I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, uh, Kellen Mon fan for sure.

Yeah, no, listen, you watch the video. He's got a super quick release. He's got the size. Chris Sims, NFL analyst. It's great. Here's his list. Zach and Trevor, Mac, Mac, Jim. Jones, Kellan Monge. I like just the fact that you're willing to be different. You know what? You're willing to get heat. I like that.

Well, yeah, well, I mean, yeah, you're willing to get heat too. So we're kind of in the same boat there. But I, yeah, but yes, I don't do this to get heat or get clicks. That that pisses me off sometimes. Listen, I had Kyla Murray and Joe Burrow is number one, you know, in the draft. But yeah, last year I got a lot of crap for having Herbert over Tua or the fact that I love Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. or Mahomes when he was coming out in the draft. So we'll see. I've been wrong before. I'll admit it if I am wrong, but I hope I'm right. That's for sure. Good seeing you, Chris. Continued success. Say hi to your dad. I will. Be good, buddy. See you. All right, Chris Sims. No, I, listen,

he did like Justin Herbert. Kellen Mon, you watch his video. I saw him play a couple times. He's an athlete. I mean, this stuff, a lot of this stuff is if Kellan Mon goes second round, and let's say he ends up, you know, somebody that would take a quarterback where he could grow slowly. Let me think.

Matt Ryan, maybe Atlanta decides we're not going to take a quarterback first round. We're going to take a quarterback second round, and they take Callan Mond. You know, they take Kyle Pitts with a four-pick, and then they take Callan Mond. Well, he can sit for two years behind Matt Ryan and Arthur Smith. So, I mean, you know, it's funny about this. Where you land is so crucial for young players. You know, it's actually crucial for veteran free agent players. They can work in their favor.

33% of free agents work. That means guys who are succeeding in the league, in the league succeeding, get big contracts. 60% of the time go and fail because the system doesn't work. So what do you think it's like for guys who go from college to a system? That's why this draft, there's no science behind it. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlie. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories.

about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Alib on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashed. human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was

having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have

seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little camp?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you're just so you're not. y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. So, you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Arriva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean.

I'll bet you a paramedipausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How How Hard Can It Be with the Anamanea Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest is going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45.

How hard can it be? How hard can it be? Getting naked at 50 with a new guy. That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and ask, how hard can it be?

I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to how hard can it be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura podcast. Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. There are teams in the NFL that have the head coach right, but they can't find the quarterback. Minnesota, to me, I think Zimmer's a Super Bowl winning coach. I really do. I don't think you can win it with Kirk Cousins.

That's not that he's bad. There are other teams that have the quarterback right, and you don't know if the coach is right. But Denver's in the no man's land where they're not sure if they have the right coach or the right quarterback. George Patton is their new GM. I've been told from my sources, he's a bright, bright guy. And he said, listen, we got Drew Locke.

Here's where we're going with quarterback. I don't know about week one. We're really high on Drew. I like seeing Drew here every morning when I come in. He's working hard. He's trending in the right direction. As you know, he has a lot of talent. I think he's becoming a better pro.

But we're going to still look at the quarterback position. I've said since I got here, we want to bring in competition, and that's the goal. And we plan on doing that. Listen, there's about seven teams in the league where I think, think the head coach and the quarterback, you got the right people. They're good enough to get to a Super Bowl. Win it, who knows? But Kansas City, Green Bay, Buffalo, Seattle, Tampa, Baltimore, San Francisco. Now, we don't know the future of Jimmy Garoppolo, but two years ago, Kyle and Jimmy got there,

so I'm going to include them. I think there's another six or seven teams, maybe eight, that I like the coach. I think the coach is right. I'm not sure if the quarterback is right. Colts. I don't know what Carson Wentz is. I got to watch. Steelers. Tomlin's gotten to Super Bowls. Big Ben is no longer in his prime. I think Tomlin is still as good as he had ever been. Rams, we know is great. I don't know if Stafford, big games every week, that division, I want to watch. I think he's good enough. Remember, they're paying him a lot. When Jared Goff got to a Super Bowl, he was making nothing. So Stafford comes in with a big salary that limit your offensive line. Saints, Tennessee, Washington, Miami, New England. I think the coach is right. I don't know if the

quarterback is. Then there's about three teams where I think the quarterback's good enough to get to a Super Bowl. The Chargers, Arizona, and Atlanta, one, Matt Ryan already has. I don't know if the head coach is good enough. We'll see. Cliff Kingsbury, I've got my doubts. Atlanta rookie head coach, Chargers, rookie head coach. But I think the quarterback, you know, I know a lot of you bang on Matt Ryan, I have, but he got to a Super Bowl won an MVP, right? Coach, he's good. Denver's kind of in that no man's land, which is Vic Fangio. Well, he's supposed to be a defensive guy. but the defense was terrible last year. And Drew Locke, I don't buy.

So you start getting into a category where you're in the same category as the Eagles and the Jets. Yeah. Now, you may be better than them and have more talent than them, but that's the category now you're in. Nobody knows if you've got the quarterback or coach.

And what does that tell me? You have to draft a quarterback. You have to draft a quarterback. Now, I don't believe Denver's going. to move up in the draft because I trust what I've read so far from various sources is that Denver holds Trey Lance and Justin Fields in the same regard. They like them both. They think they're super athletic but need time to grow. So if you like them both, even if Atlanta takes one,

the three teams after Atlanta don't appear to be teams taking quarterback. Cincinnati's not taking a quarterback. Miami's not taking a quarterback. Detroit can pretend they're going to take a quarterback, but it would be stupid. Now, Detroit can be stupid, but Jared Goff is super expensive for two years, and you have needs everywhere. Goff needs protection, rebuild the O line, it needs a lot of work. So for me, Denver can sit there, and Denver, by the way, may look at Kellyn Monde and have him just below Trey Lance and think, we'll get him in the next round, because Kellyn Mons going to be somewhere taking top eight or nine picks in the second round. The team that I think is going to move up is New England. Unlike Denver, they've got multiple teams in front of them. It's a long way back

at 15. I think New England moves up, and my guess is they trade with Detroit, their New England Detroit ties in the front office, or Carolina. I do know that Matt Rule, Belichick, smart guys, there's something there. So I think New England's moving up. I don't think Denver is. But they are really in a no man's land. They may be better than the jets in Philadelphia. But if you don't know today if your coach is the best. I mean, if you look in that division, Big Van Gio's not Andy Reid, and to this point in his career, he's not John Gruden. So we don't know what Staley is, but you're kind of in a spot there. You've got to make a move. First or second round, Denver's got a move in a quarterback. All right, Drew Breeze is coming up next. Haven't talked to Drew in a while.

We knew he was going to retire. He did smartly. He's got his broadcasting career. Olympics, college football, some NFL. He's going to be doing it with NBC. A little jealous, I'm not going to lie. He's great. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Keer Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.