The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Field Yates joins the podcast

Episode Date: April 22, 2024

John talks with longtime NFL Analyst at ESPN, Field Yates. John and Field dive into how Field got his start in the NFL, his relationship with Stephen Belichick, if the Giants should draft JJ McCarthy, what will the Patriots do at three, where Michael Penix Jr. may end up, and his hottest take for the upcoming draft. Lastly, John answers your questions for this episode's mailbag segment. 6:40 - Field Yates 8:47 - How he got his start 17:22 - Belichick-Kraft saga 25:52 - Will the Giants from JJ 31:50 - Pats at three 34:24 - Michael Penix Jr. 37:15 - Hottest pick in the draft 42:04 - Mailbag Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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,

S&L'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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 grahammed. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. The 82 game preseason is in the books, and it's finally time for the real season. Don't miss out on any of the NBA playoff action at Draft King Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From the play in tournament through the finals, Draft King Sportsbook has you covered, with same game parlays, live betting, odds boosts,

and so much more. Download the Draft King Sportsbook app and use code John, new customers bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets instantly. That's code J-O-H-N, John, only on Draft Kings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem, call 1-800 Gambler. Or in West Virginia, visit 1-800 gambler.net. In New York, call 8778-8-HopenY or text Hope & Y-467-369.

In Connecticut, help is available for Problem Gambling. 8887-8-8-8-9-77-or-visit-cccg.org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over, age varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. See dkng.com slash B-Ball for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms, and responsible gaming resources. What is going on, everybody? How are we doing? Beautiful Monday today. Have a little different show today We will open up with my buddy I'm known him for a while now

He works at ESPN His name is Field Yates He's gonna be on the ABC draft coverage On Thursday and Friday and then on ESPN Got an interesting story though Started working for the Pats when he was in high school Played against Stephen Belichick They're buddies now

And then he played college football Where Belichick played Worked in the NFL for Scott Piole I don't know if a lot of people know that But he'll tell us a little bit about his story And then obviously we talk draft picks Specifically the quarterbacks Some teams

It's here baby draft week is here The game plan this week is I think I want to put out a little mock draft And for three and out we do a top 10 mock draft I'm not doing the whole first round But we'll do a top 10 mock draft I got a couple curve balls I'm already prepared for a couple teams

To do things that I don't see a lot of people talking about Just, you know, educated guesses with a little inside information. Could be wrong, we'll see. But we will put out the mock draft on Wednesday. We will be live, I think starting like Pick 5. I'll be on YouTube. I think I'm going to be on Collins channel. He's going to join me.

We'll put it out as a podcast for Friday. I'm definitely going to do another podcast Friday for Saturday based on all the picks. We're going to have a lot of content. Content is going to be flowing. so buckle up, get ready, big time a year. I love it. Who doesn't? So let's enjoy this week. It feels like we've been waiting a long time,

and it's finally here, and it'll fly by. So get ready for draft week. We've got a lot planned. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to Three and Out. If you listen, or if you like it to watch YouTube, just subscribe to the YouTube channel. Don't think we will have, because it's draft week,

go low this week Scotty Sheffler just beat the shit out of everyone again I mean I it's like people are like you can't call him Tiger It's like well He's won like four of his last five events And he's dominating I'm not saying he's Tiger because that would be It's like I don't say anyone's Michael Jordan

But what this dude's doing I mean holy canoli So probably no golf this week A lot of football And let's roll But before we dive into field Yates What I wanted to do is tell you about my close friends Game time.

The official ticketing app of this podcast. I was at the gym today, and I looked in our locker room, we have like this big TV with a bunch of lazy boys. Everyone was in there in towels just locked into a hockey game. NHL playoffs has started.

Basketball looked up. The clippers just killing the Mavs. I'm like, oh, Lakers lose. Not going to lie, loved it. You want to go to one of these games? You want to go to a baseball game? Concert? I'd be lying if I didn't check out.

the Taylor Swift album. First take, not bad. You want to go see an artist. You want to get out and have some fun. Go to the game time app, games, concerts, comedy shows. We got you covered. Promocode John, J-O-H-N, J-O-H-N, your first pair of tickets, you will save $20. $20. In these inflationary times, with how much everything, I went to the grocery store the other day. I would have died for a $20 discount. Didn't get it. But I can give you a $1.00. I can give you So if you want to a pair of tickets to any event, download the GameTime app, buy your first pair of tickets, promo code J-O-H-N.

Very, very excited. A guy I've known for a long time, and I don't know if you've noticed, he feels like a rocket ship over there at the Mothership. And you can find him... This week, kind of a big week, and he just happens to be on ABC. Who is he? Howard Corsel?

No, he's field Yates. I wish I were Howard Corsell. That would be pretty sweet, right? Just slightly more famous. And had, like, a slightly bigger role on ABC's coverage of a lot of things relative to mine on the draft, but can't wait for it. Can't wait. How many players have you watched for this draft?

Probably close to 400. I think I wrote up graded 330, one or two, so probably 400 or so in terms of total exposure. That process of whittling down that back end of the 400 was fairly straightforward. I mean, as you know, once you get past a certain number, I'd argue that number is actually a lot smaller than the public probably realizes. So much of it is beauty in the eye of the beholder. right. I mean, I think most boards are going to have, you know, similar top 20 or 25 players. Once you get to like player 50, it's so subjective. So much of it is about, you know, team fit,

system. Some of it's about how one area scout has evaluated the character of a prospect versus how different area scouts evaluate the character of a prospect and, you know, medical, things like that. I'll influence those things. But I think people get really fired up when it's day four and they hear that their team just drafted a fourth round prospect in round six. And I think they've won the drafts. When the reality is that our job as a draft analyst is to scout for all 32 teams. When each of the 32 teams has such a different process and they have such different criteria they're using to grade these players that it's not quite as relevant and important

within buildings as it is probably here in the public. But that's a huge part of my job. So you've got to embrace it. You know, before I think a lot of people, obviously, if they follow the NFL, which has we know a lot of people follow the NFL, know who you are. But I'm not sure they know your background. Can you tell a little bit about how you got started kind of in high school? And I'm pretty sure your college football lacrosse career, same school as a guy named William Belichick as well?

Yeah, again, slightly less famous than Howard Cosell on ABC, slightly less famous than accomplished than Bill Belichick at Wesleyan. But yeah, back in my late high school into my college days, I spent, God knows how, long. I think it was four summers and then I tell people, every disposable hour I had when I wasn't at school or at practice was down at the Patriots facility, kind of working as a grunt, sort of learning the football ins and outs. I called that my football Rosetta Stone, where I was learning, I guess, how the Patriots went about their business. But as you can imagine, given all the success they were having at that time and continue to have for 15 more years, that a lot

of the league was emulating how they were going about their business. So the way that I was learning things. I think it's still pretty prevalent around the NFL. When I first got into that New England building, just as a quick aside, the number of heavy hitters that were in that building, which we didn't realize at the time, pretty astounding, right? Like Adam Peters was a scouting assistant, Brian Flores is a scouting assistant. You had guys like Jason Light on the scouting staff, Thomas Demetroff, John Robinson, Scott Pioli. So that right there is, what, four future NFL GMs, Monty Austin Ford on that staff as well, make it five right there. So Bob Quinn, that's six. you just go through that roster of people that were there.

A lot of the coaches obviously are well known because, you know, coaches have probably a little bit more notoriety than GMs, except for probably during this part of the draft cycle. But yeah, the Patriots Day has led into some time with Kansas City when Scott Pioli got hired out there. He had an opening on a scouting staff. So I got my teeth kind of cut there a little bit more. It got paid, not much, as you know, but I got paid a little bit to do some of that scouting work. And then I would love to tell you that I had like this perfect epiphany,

of what was going to be next. I wasn't totally sure what was going to be next, but I had an idea. It might be the world of sports media. So it's been a different journey to get from where I started to where I am right now at ESPN, but certainly one that I think the scouting background has played a pretty darn influential role in.

Did you go to high school with Stephen Belichick? No, we didn't go to high school together. But we played against each other on the football and lacrosse fields. So fierce competitors. Would you consider him a good buddy? Yeah, he is a good buddy. He's the best. He's going to do awesome out there at Washington. I'm fired up for what a, it's a big transition, obviously, to go from the Patriots to the college football, especially with how landscape has changed. But I'm proud of him for taking that leap of faith. And I had a chance to go out there for Washington Pro Day, which was not tied to Steve, but just had a chance to be out there for some ESPN assignments. And it's amazing how different the college game is now compared to like half a decade ago. it's also amazing what kind of facilities and access and resources these big time college programs have right now. It is absurd, man.

It is, they might have better facilities across the board. How beautiful is that stadium of the water? It's ridiculous. You kidding me? Like, I'd have a hard time concentrating if I were Jed Fish trying to call offensive plays on the sidelines or Steve trying to call defensive plays on the sideline with that backdrop there. I don't know how often it's sunny in Seattle. It certainly wasn't sunny for much of my time out there, which is only about three.

36 hours. But I did Oregon and Washington about two weeks apart. And those two places, man. I was at Oregon for the pro day for Bo Nix. And I was in there. I was walking through the indoor facility and I told somebody there. I said, this might be the nicest indoor facility that I've ever seen. And the response was, really? I mean, yeah. They go, that's interesting because we're moving into the new one right next door, about six months from right now. This is about to become the indoor facility for like the other sports besides football. Right. Obviously, as we know football is king in all these major college programs. So if you think there's serious cash going around in the NFL,

just go step foot at one of these top 10, 15, 20 programs in college football, you get a real sense of where that money is. You know what my theory is on those bad report cards is, listen, some of them might be kind of crappy, but I wonder if it's a little overinflated. These guys are all coming from Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon. And now it's like, listen, I pay you with that paycheck that's $10, $20, $30 million. sorry your chair is not personally up to your liking. 100%.

Not saying that some of them need to improve, but I do wonder if some of these guys have a false sense of like, okay, I'm from college. Now I'm going to the pros like the Taj Mahal. It's like, no, actually, that's not the way it is. Yeah, that's an interesting point. And it kind of ties to something that may have come up during this conversation or may not. But I have been thinking about this a lot over the past 24, 48 hours is,

You know, Jaden Daniels, who we think could go, maybe will go number two overall to the commanders, took this visit to go to D.C. And his agent seemed to take issue with the fact. He tweeted about it. He used the, um, emoji on top of a clip of Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk and Chris Sims during their show, PFT Live, ripping the commanders for having all the quarterbacks in at the same time, which didn't really bother me. I was kind of, I've just, I had no reaction to it, right? Because during my scoundaries, they brought everybody. 20 guys in. Yeah, we had tons of days where there was five prospects at once. And sometimes it was two guys at the same position. When I was in Cana City one year, we were picking fifth overall. So if we

had, there was a year, I think that was the year that Russell O'Cung and Trent Williams both came out. And those guys both ended up being, I think, top six picks. Like, I don't think if we had those guys in the building at the same time, it was some affront to society, right? It was just, that's what you did. It was an easy way to knock out two pre-draft visits in one. day. Maybe some of these guys had busier schedules another. But I think it's a reminder of where these athletes are right now, right? And part of this is the influence of NIL where like these guys are made, these athletes are made to feel like royalty now. And you probably are treated differently as the starting quarterback. I mean, the Heisman trophy winner for sure, then even though

college quarterbacks have probably always had it pretty good, I'm sure the lifestyle for these quarterback or these high level athletes is different now compared to where it was. I think the player empowerment era is kind of upon us where they probably feel like they have more levers to pull, right? If you're bothered by something that a college is doing, there's the leverage of like five different transfer windows where you can say, I'm out, right? I mean, we're seeing it left and right in college football right now. Dion. Dion.

I mean, what was it, 12 guys he lost this past week or something like that? But we're seeing, you know, Duke basketball. lost seven players to the transfer portal. That season's been over for what? Three weeks now. So I do think there's a little bit of an interesting sort of adjustment. The NFL teams are probably catching on to now, which is that some of the way that you have to kind of treat these players is evolving

compared to where things were. And I'm not talking about 20 years ago or even a decade ago, even just like a few years ago. I think we're in a much different time. 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 IHard 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 you're 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 Podcast, 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-tapped 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 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 y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, 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 for 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. You know, you're a Boston guy. You live in Boston full time, right? Now, we've since moved down to Connecticut just to be closer to ESPN, but we were in Boston for a long time until recent. I consider you a Boston guy. Obviously, you know, the craft, Belichick divorce felt less ugly at the time, you know, even though it felt a little forced when they had the press conference. It's gotten a little out of control, clearly, I would say since. Here's another theory I'm going to run by you. Elliot Wolf said yesterday or two days

ago, right? We're open for business. No different than Monty, no different than the Chargers. What if the crafts, you know the easiest way to keep the conversation going negatively about you? Trade back, draft offensive linemen, wide receivers. Do you know the way to get people talking about something else? Draft a quarterback. Yeah. That's not saying that you wouldn't take quarterback anyway, but I wonder if it's like, let's just take quarterback guys. And it just gets all the conversation on Drake May or J.J. McCarthy immediately and off Bob a little bit. Because he's getting crushed, correct?

I mean, he is. Yeah, no, it has not been good. But here's what I would say. And the only reason why I would disagree with the theory about, like, moving on from the topic, is that I think he had multiple opportunities, did Robert Kraft, to shift the narrative or move away from the topic. But while he, I think, has made it clear. And the director of that Patriot's dynasty piece has made it clear that ultimately it was in the

director's hands to influence how that piece actually unfolded. and what content they had on there. I mean, anybody who watched it certainly felt like there was, or at least many people that have watched it, including many former Patriots players and staffers, felt as though it was an inaccurate depiction of Bill Belichick's influence. And Bill, while he was in it briefly, I mean, certainly had very little in the way of interest

in being a big part of that, right? I mean, he had very few words that seemed like there. So there are people in Boston in the England region that feel like, you know, that documentary spent more effort trying to denigrate Bill Belichick than it did highlight the greatest dynasty in the history of a sport that might, I say might, because, you know, the chiefs have won three out of the last four, but that might never be replicated over a two decades span. So, and then between that and then, you know, subsequent things that have taken place, it feels like Robert Crafts had a chance to kind of calm things. And yet it doesn't feel like he's

been as aggressive and calming things, as I think he probably could be to allow people to turn the page. And Bill Belichick, I feel like, and I think Patriots fans that I had like a reasonable head on their shoulders respected Bill and were, you know, deeply conflicted when the Patriots decided to move on. I think they acknowledged because Bill said there might have been, it might have been time that they were sort of respectful of that part of it. But now it's like Bill, Bill is just as popular now as he has maybe was after like a Super Bowl win. Like everybody's like, what are we doing talking about a guy who took us to nine Super Bowls and anything other than the light of this is the greatest to ever do it.

Why should the narrative be anything other than that? The reality is it shouldn't be and it has become that. And I do think there might be an opportunity for Robert Kraft to maybe like put out the flames a little bit because it is getting a bit out of control right now. you know, you know him and the family. I don't know him, and I'm offended for him. I think it's ridiculous. You know, the way it's ridiculous.

It's like, give me a fucking break. And listen, the Atlanta stuff, obviously Rahim Morris was a really good coaching candidate. So if you want to hire him, that's not that crazy. But some of these comments are like Carolina, not that interested. Like, give me a break. Not that Bill would have been interested in them. But do you imagine that he's, because it's weird, right? he's going to be 74 next coaching cycle.

A lot of moving parts in the league. Things change really fast. Do you think today, and I guess we'll see him next week with Pat again, like do you think he's pretty pissed off, like the way everything's going? Or is he just kind of in that mindset he's so good at compartmentalize moving on? Because that's how he's been as a coach. Yeah, I think it's more the latter where he's kind of at peace with what took place. And I think right of ready to take on this challenge of being a draft analyst next Thursday night.

And by the way, that's going to be must see, right? How good was he with Pat the other day? It's unbelievable. Yeah, the two of them just obviously have a very natural chemistry and Bill is going to be excellent on that draft broadcast next week because he ain't going there without pretty darn good knowledge on these players, right? Like, I don't think Bill's going to show up and J.C. Latham from Alabama's going to come off the board. He's going to say, yeah, you know, don't know a whole lot about that guy, right?

Like, you can imagine Bill's done some pretty serious tape study on many of these prospects. So that would be cool to see on Thursday, nights and we find a way to keep it going like through the entirety of the draft. I'm sure Bill has some knowledge about some guys that might end up going in round seven. But I do wonder if a couple of things is that there might be some people around the NFL after Thursday night if they catch some of Bill's commentary or maybe Friday once they're having a chance to catch up on it that are saying to themselves, really? Like a league which saw eight coaching changes this offseason allowed this guy to remain a

free agent, you better believe that there are some coaches who are feeling a little bit of pressure innately already that after Thursday night's broadcasts are going to be saying to themselves, I better start hot next year because Bill is effectively the 33rd NFL coach now, right? I'm not saying he would take every job. I have no knowledge and he would take any specific job, but don't you think there's owners out there, they're going to say to themselves, our team starts one in five, and Bill Belichick is available to come on. and take over on an interim basis, which by the way, in the NFL. Exactly.

This guy is just sitting there waiting for you. Like, you could, and there's zero process of naming somebody an interim head coach in the NFL, by the way. If a team wants to name Bill their interim head coach after six games, they can do it after one practice. Maybe it's one game. I need to find out the exact date at which you can name someone an interim head coach. Maybe it's after one game. But like, that's when the window opens. And so I just would imagine.

imagine that any team that actually thinks is going to be good this year that start slow, the head coach are going to be feeling the pressure, realizing that the best ever is sitting, I was going to say, standing on the sidelines, that would be the wrong way to put it, but it's sitting out for the season, or at least part of the season, but don't you think, and I haven't asked them this, I don't know this personally, but I would just imagine that when you're this close, the all-time wins record, and I think it's 15 wins away from tying Don Shula. Like, you don't think Belichick wants that?

I know if a guy cares less about individual lacklades than probably anybody, but he probably cares about the history of football more than anybody else on planet Earth right now, you have to imagine he's fueled by the possibility of being the all-time wins leader. I said the other day on the podcast, obviously the NFC East is going to be circled. I do think the Eagles, like they want the Siriani thing to work, you know, how he hired them, a little bit from obscurity. They're paying, I would, between Kell and Moore and Vic Fangio, you know, four or five million. million each. If they are successful, even if they got bounced in like the second round,

if they won a playoff game, won the division, I think that they would try to figure that out. I think the Cowboys, I mean, they have a coach under his final year of his contract. And the Giants who are a major wild card in this draft, if they suck again next year, John Mara did fire back-to-back coaches after two years. This would be Daibald's third year, and the last two years would be really ugly. And obviously, Belichick's, I don't want to say love affair, but he is very, he treats the Giants and the Jets like polar opposites, right? Totally, yeah. So I think that would be pretty intrigued.

So to me, the Giants and the Cowboys, more than the Eagles, now if the Eagles are terrible, then they're in play. But they have so much talent. Yeah, it'd be hard for them to suck. I think they're going to be okay. I think the Cowboys thing, lost some players, the stack situation. Now, McCarthy's proven to be a good regular season coach. You got to give them that.

It's just the playoffs. And then the Giants, like, I don't know where you stand. And I agree with Schrager because I know how tied in he is in certain organizations. Clearly they probably like J.J. McCarthy a little bit. But I don't think that helps them this year at all, bro. No, no. They draft J.J. McCarthy. It's like you're no better on offense.

They're as, as we as you and I know. You think that's going to happen? Because I know you went on his podcast. I'm just kind of. Yeah. I know what he's talking about. Yeah. I will certainly defer to Peter because of how tied in he is.

So I think it's possible. My big thing with the Giants and J.G. McGarthy is if he falls to pick six, I'm cool with it. If they have to trade up from six to four and give away their 2025 first, that to me is such a scary proposition. That's insane to go from six to four. I mean, it's insane because that might be six this year and seven next year to go up to four. That's just a crazy thing to do. But if you look at relevant trade-up comps in the semi-recent past, there aren't a ton of them.

But remember, San Francisco and Chicago flipped two and three during 2018 draft, the Chubisky, 2017 draft, the Chubisky year, the Beholmes year. And San Francisco got a bunch of extra picks. And by the way, San Francisco took Eric Armstead, right? They weren't even taking a quarterback, and they were able to get Chicago to move up one pick. So it might cost the Giants of freight, and that's the part that makes me nervous. I like JJ a lot. He's got a lot of really, really, really solid traits.

I just don't know that I can afford to double pay, right? The sixth or fourth pick alone is an expensive investment. But to do that on top of potentially, you know, moving up to four and trading away multiple picks to get there, that to me is a little bit scary. Well, that's the thing. I mean, you know, Caleb's going to a pretty incredible situation for a number one overall pick. If we assume the betting markets and the way everyone's talking, Jaden goes to,

the Patriots is not a great situation. It just is roster-wise, new coach, the negativity, it could get ugly fast. That fourth picks a major wildcard. If you are JJ McCarthy, who knows, the Patriots could take him too. Whoever the guy. I'd be surprised on that. Okay, okay. So let's say JJ's going to go for, you should pray like Minnesota comes get you, right?

No doubt. Even the ways you've got DeBonte and some other, just something else. The Giants thing, that could be a tough situation, man. Well, let me tell you what. I have thought about this, and I haven't actually done it, but I've thought about it. I've pondered this. Like, should I just make JJ the second or third quarterback on the board for this reason? If JJ goes to Minnesota, there's a pretty decent shot.

He has the best or second best season as a rookie of any of the quarterbacks in the class, right? He might even register. So he might get the Mahones treatment, right, if Donald's fine. Yeah. But if he did play, throwing to Jefferson and Jordan Addison and T.J. Hawkinson when he's healthy, two really good tackles, Aaron Jones, Brian Flores on defense scheming that group up, did a heck of a job last year. Like, Minnesota could push for like 10 wins with JJ as a rookie, and we'd be talking about him.

Now, as we know, it's always about the long haul, right? Like Mac Jones, 2021 draft comes out, and by the end of the season, people are saying, should he have been the number one pickover Trevor Lawrence? now he's backing up Trevor Lawrence. You know, it's all hyperbole because of the fact that you live in a 24-7, 365 news and reaction cycle. But ultimately it's why your evaluations of the player going into the draft last only until the draft begins. Because the minute they wind up in a situation, whatever that situation is, the evaluation that player is different. So, like, I think Jaden Daniels would have a better chance of a lot of rookie success with the commanders,

And the Patriots. And same thing with Drake May, right? The commanders are not a fully formed offense right now, but they've got six picks in the top 100. They got Terry McLaurin. They got Jahan Dotson, right? Like, I think they found something in Brian Robinson last year as a running back two years ago, pretty solid player, right? Like, they've got enough there. You know, spent some money on a pair of interior offensive linemen, Nick Allegretti and Tyra Biotic and Free Agency. Like, that team could be decent this year on offense. Drafts tackle in the second round. Yeah, yeah. And like the Patriots, they got so many holes, right? Like on offense, you know, like probably their best player right now is, I think, either Mike and Wenu, the right tackle or Remandre Stevenson, the running back. And in this league, like, it's just not a great sign if your best offensive player is potentially your running back, who I think is a good player, but not like, I don't think

is a top 10 back in the NFL. What I'm saying, the Patriots have got some work. work ahead of them. I think they acknowledge that. So if on the Patriots, concurrent with drafting a quarterback at three, is, and I know that this goes against sort of everything I think Robert Kraft wants to say publicly is, I'd message like, we're in this for the long haul. It's going to take some time here, right? Like, we need to find some wide receivers. We've got to find some better offensive linemen. We just need some speed on this offense. And you can't knock out all of those priorities in one off season, especially when you don't have a quarterback in place.

or in free agency. So wide receivers that are pondering, like, should I go to New England or saying to themselves, maybe, but like, who am I catching passes from again? So it's a fascinating dynamic when you're trying to debate the ratings of these quarterbacks going into the draft, acknowledging that by Friday morning, my opinion of them could alter a little bit. Yeah, I mean, clearly Gerard, pretty high-level guy. You've never heard a negative thing about him as a player, as a leader.

Even as an assistant coach, he's been really good. Being the head man's a different animal. And like, let's use Alabama as an example. Kalyn Dubour, that is not easy shoes to fill. And he doesn't have any SEC equity, but it's like, hey, guys, I went 110 and 10. I just got the Washington Huskies of National Championship. I kind of know what I'm doing. So people are like, okay, let's just give this guy.

Mayo can't be like, hey, I coached the Raiders for the last four years, made the playoffs a couple times, I know what I'm doing. I coached my alma mater for the last four. You know, he has zero equity as the head coach. So that thing can, you can see it coming from a mile away. Totally. If it goes bad, if I'm a quarterback, which it feels like it's going to be Drake May, listen, he's obviously a project.

I would just bet against that because I think the first couple of years, Alex Smith, who wasn't as talented as Drake May, probably physically, those first four or five years are one of the ugliest things ever. And it took Jim Harbaugh and Andy Reid changing his life. But that's a long way to go for a rookie quarterback. So no doubt. No doubt. But they need a message that.

And I know that's hard to do, right? Because no owner wants to come out and say, like, could be 5 and 12 this year, guys, right? But I think that, yeah, but I think that's important. Like, quarterbacks rarely ever wait anymore, right? I mean, Patrick Mahomes is such an outlier and the fact that he sat out all but one game. Teams, it's hard to resist.

I mean, even the Bears. The Niners tried it with Trey Lance, but Jimmy did have heard. He played a couple games. Yeah, yeah. And it sounds like, you know, Trey probably is one of those, and we'll see, he can still rewrite the narrative. But, you know, Trey might have just been like a, he was a swing for the fences, right?

But the bottom line is those guys are so much the outlier as opposed to the standard in terms of when you expect a guy to actually play. So for the Patriots and Drake May, if it is Drake, and if I had to, you know, sort of cast my bet as of the time of this conversation, my feeling would be that it's, Drake May has a decent chance of being the third pick. but you need to also be prepared for him sitting out for a while. Because if you put him in that, you know, you and I know this, we talk about quarterbacks busting. Sometimes teams fail the quarterback too, right? Like not putting the right pieces around him,

too much organizational instability. Like that stuff all is real. And I think Drake is the kind of guy that like might need some time. I'm not saying, if he goes to doing on, there's no denying. He could end up being an absolute stud. Like the kids got so much talent. it's ridiculous. Like I think the narrative around him actually become a little bit unfair.

He just might need some more seasoning as opposed to somebody like Jada Daniels. But by the way, he's got three more years of starting experience on him. Drake started two full seasons in college. He was a redshirt freshman. He took a red shirt year. Jaden Daniels walked on to Arizona State's campus as a 17-year-old was under center thrown to IUC right away and played five straight years. Like he just got a lot more experience underneath them. Like he's got a lot more high-level reps than Drake made us. Okay, last quarterback here.

Michael Pennix, who might as well have been thrown to Brandon I, U. Washington, very polarizing guy. In a vacuum, you didn't have to factor in the variables. He's clearly one of the best players, but you can't quite do that, right? The age, the injuries, the age doesn't bother me as much as the injuries. And the other thing that I can't get out of my head, partly like I had a little money on it. Him against Michigan, which Michigan was an NFL team.

And he didn't get touched all season long, I think 11. sacks going into that game. He was, and he doesn't get touched. I mean, he's a top 10 NFL quarterback, not touched, and that's how well he throws it. That's not really the NFL, though. Like, you do get touched, and you do get moved off your spot, and it got derailed fast. I like them. I'm rooting for him, but I can't act like that doesn't give me a lot of concern. I know it was only one game. It was a pretty big game. Opposite, C.J. Stroud. It was only one game, but you saw in Georgia, you're like, Jesus, did you see that? Right, right. Carried over. So it hit. It hit.

same thing with Oregon when Pennix and Oregon's also very talented NFL-like team would hit him a lot and you felt by the end of the game like God and I respect his toughness. Is this guy going to be able to get up? Sometimes in scouting it's choosing to, it's seeing what you choose to see. So like the Michael Pennix believers will point to the game just before Michigan against Texas where he was lights out. I mean the guy was avoiding pressure in the pocket. Yeah, unbelievable, right?

So you put that tape on in the scouting meeting. You can imagine what the reaction would be. The age has not bother me as well. The medical, I can't say it bothers me or doesn't bother me because I don't have a doctor who I'm consulting with who would sign off on it or would say, hey, you know, that that's a medical red flag for us. So I don't know that I can speak with complete certainty on it. I would say that some teams have expressed less concern than others to me about Michael Penix Jr.'s knee. So, but the skill set, he's probably been, and I've said this a couple times in ESPN, the hardest player for, me to pinpoint exactly where I should be mocking, right? Because you talk to people in the league

that will tell you, hey, you know, I know you have him at 34 on the overall big board, but I think he's not getting out of the first 13 picks. We know that run of 11, 12, 13, as of right now is Minnesota, Denver, Vegas. There are other people I talk to are like, he's going to be, he will go in the second round. There's no two ways about it. So he's generated more split projections on mock drafts than maybe any prospect that I've studied this year. And the good is not just good. It's freaking outstanding. But every player's got those strengths and limitations and the age, the mobility,

the, I know he tested well at the pro day. But he's not as athletic as Jaden Daniels or Drake May or Caleb Williams. That much is for sure. Some of those things that Michael Pennix Jr. does not do compared to those guys does make him a really difficult projection. What's your hottest draft take? How does draft take? Now, I'm a believer.

I'm a Chop Robinson believer. He's a divisive prospect. He had an unbelievable combine in terms of like the 40 specific. He got a great first step. The flashes are awesome. He had 11.5 career sacks, though. Maryland for a year, two years at Penn State, had four sacks this past season. Two of them came against UMass.

So there are some that are saying, like, he's got all the tools. But why didn't he put it together more often? And I'm a believer in Chop Robinson. And I think there's a chance he ends up being the second edge rush or taken next Thursday night, which would I think probably run counter to how a lot of people are currently forecasting it. But if you can find a team that wants to put the emphasis on the athletic ability, the first step quickness, the bend, the torque, and some of the competitiveness in the running game, it wouldn't surprise me if there are teams that are saying, yeah, top 16 player in the draft.

Yeah, I know you got to get out of here, but I want to hear your take on this. Joe Alt. I did a little thing like a couple days ago. Six-eight, six-nine tackles, and I get this guy as a better athlete than McGlinchie. They do give me some concern because it is difficult. And I know people say he's closer to Colton Miller, but it's like, I don't know. He didn't test as well, though he's not, he's playing football, not testing Combine. So I get it. But what's your take on six, nine guys? He's not Michael Jordan as an athlete, but he's a good athlete playing against a league full of guys, 6-2, 6-6-3 that can all bend.

It's hard to get that low, and it's given a lot of guys trouble. Yeah, and he can really bend. Like, he's a pretty darn fluid athlete. Like, you know, he's got incredible bloodline, son of an NFL offensive lineman, you know, his father, John, and the Chiefs Hall of Fame. His brother's hockey player was drafted in the second round,

the NHL. Yeah, they got some pretty good genes over there at the Alt family. I do have a top-rank tackle. My gap's a little bit narrower between his. him in the next couple guys, and I think some in the same role at different places have Joe Alt. I don't think it's quite as like, you know, cut above, clear cut above everybody else. I think he's number one, but I think you can make a compelling case for old-of-fashioned new, from Penn State, for Fautonu, from Washington, if you believe he's a left tackle.

It's a good tackle class. It's why I will continue to point, and maybe Tennessee will just do the very obvious thing and take Joe Alt's seven. but I continue to wonder if Tennessee, who already traded multiple picks last year to move up to get Will Levis, and next year's 2025 third is already gone as well. That was part of the Legerius Sneetrade, which, by the way, those are justifiable investments,

but they're a little short on draft capital relative to other teams picking in the top seven. I do wonder if Tennessee might be a potential trade back team, and they say, we can have Joe Old at seven, or we could have Olufashun at 11, or 12 or 13 or, you know, I fought with Dono at 15 and feel pretty good about the outcome all the same. Yeah, I think the problem is the Cardinals, the Chargers, the Titans. I think there are a lot of teams that want to head.

Everybody wants to go backwards. And you know, head the wrong way. So it's going to be interesting because some of these teams are going to get stuck. Field Jates, ABC, no big deal. See you soon, buddy. I appreciate you having me on, man. 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.

A win is a win. A win is a win. Yep, that's me. Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skisement. 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 Podcast, 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 Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it 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, yeah, yeah. But just so 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. 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. Okay, time for a little Middlecough mailbag.

At John Middlecough, at John Middlecough, is the Instagram. DEMs wide open, very, very easy to get involved in the show. Fire in those DMs, like my guy Riley here, and get your question answered. Fire in, wide open, holler. Other than Patrick Mahomes, should any quarterback make that kind of money? Mahomes is a Hall of Fame generational quarterback up there with the greats Shouldn't everyone else make 30% less because they need more talent around them to compete?

A good question Mahomes isn't even the highest, not even close I mean there are several guys now making more than him right Herbert makes more, Burrow makes more Lamar makes more, Hertz makes more so you got a lot of guys he took quote unquote a team friendly deal it's just not the way sports work

it's not the way the world works really right things get more expensive especially in the world we're living in as time goes by so yeah in theory 100% he should be the highest paid player

by a substantial margin right I totally believe that but that's not the way the business works so like we can talk about it and I've been talking about forever like there should be a second tier.

Like the Dak Prescott's, the Kirk Cousins, if you got Mahomes and Lamar making 45-50, like those guys should make 30. We've been talking, we talked about it last show with Tua, but it just doesn't work that way. You know, if you factor in the importance to the television ratings, which is the business to, for example, the NBA, LeBron and Steph Curry should make each like $150 million.

And even Yokic, who's the best player in the NBA, people don't watch his games, relative to those guys. The ratings were awful last NBA finals. So their value is incredibly high. But they all make the same. I mean, give or take a few million,

depending on when you sign the contract. So I think a lot of people in business say this all the time. Like timing is a big part of success or failure. Right? Look at Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban got really rich Because he sold at the top in like 99 or 2000 The Internet TV

Sold for I forget the exact number But six months a year later It was worth nothing So it's like Things change Now that's not the way it works in quarterback contracts But are we living in a world Where Brock Purdy in a year is going to be making more

If he has another good year than Patrick Mahomes I don't agree with it But it's conceivable So it's like Yeah I just it's just not the setup the way the cap league worked

it's never going to be so it's kind of a dumb conversation it's kind of the conversation we have a lot when it comes to should you get one contract on your team if you draft the guy not count I think we all agree like yeah it's a pretty good idea should the quarterback contract

if you've drafted the player count for 50% against your salary cap people like yeah that's fair but none of these ideas ever happen. And it's like great think tank ideas. It's just, it doesn't even feel like we've ever got remotely close to any of that stuff. It's like, what are they going to do at the league meetings? Oh, they're going to ban the hip-drop tackle.

They're going to change the kickoff rule. They never change the financial setup for players that way. What are your expectations for Seattle this year? That's a good question. I think they're a team to keep an eye on this week. Because I look at them a lot differently. you go, well, they've added Michael Pennix.

Okay. Now we're cooking. If Gino Smith's their starting quarterback, we know what they are. And let's face it, we can talk a lot of shit about Pete Carroll. In terms of relative to, like, they had really stalled the last couple of years, the defense was terrible,

but Pete Carroll's a Hall of Fame coach. And the chances that Mike McDonald, who, was an elite defensive coordinator. Is as good of a head coach as Pete Carroll? I mean, the chances are just slim to none. It's crazy as that sounds, because you're like, oh, Pete's been bad.

Yet, you might want to Google the guy's resume. And obviously, most people listening to this podcast knows he's really successful, but... So it could be a doubt... You have a great wildcard at coach, and your quarterback has proven that he has a ceiling. Really good guy. Easy story to root for,

but can only get you so far. So I don't know. I'm kind of interested. Do you take a quarterback high in this draft? Because if you do, then, and depending on who it is, I'm like, damn, who knows? Maybe they trade two first round picks and trade up. Take a big swing. I wouldn't say it's off the table.

Hey, John, hope you've been well. Been an active listener for a couple months now, and I'm hooked. I like this guy. I grew up in the Midwest, and TV wasn't a big deal until the Cardinals or the Rams were playing. We still remember the greatest show on turf era. Always a Rams fan. Not hopping on the Chiefs bandwagon since everyone here did. My question is this.

How many people prefer podcasts over listening to TV? Talking about sports. Obviously, Colin is great when he comes on, but I'm usually working. I get all my information from podcasts. I have a guy for everything. A guy for sports, business, faith, and honestly, sometimes me and my wife, just play true crime podcast for fun while we cook.

Maria does that as well. I have found myself replacing the TV with podcasts. I have you in Colin for sports, and I listen to a lot of other subjects as well. Have the generations just adopted this form of getting information? Honestly, podcast information just seems better, more logical, and more entertaining. I would say I've always been a big audio guy, but growing up, right, in your example, pre-podcasts,

you just had to listen to whatever was on the radio. So if you like sports, whoever your sports talk radio hosts were locally, who you were forced to listen to, and then dependent on where you were nationally, whatever you got, right? Depending on what affiliates, what city you lived in.

But I've always been a huge audio guy. In the moment streaming slash podcasts over the last five years, my audio input has grown exponentially. I'm with you. I'm not proud to admit this. I don't read enough. I read very little, to be honest with you,

besides articles on the internet. But I felt like I've never taken in more information. And I believe that's from podcasts, as well as audiobooks. I just started the Sam Walton audiobook. Pretty interesting. But the amount of podcasts I listened to, like you said, for different things.

Like, hey, I got a couple NBA podcasts. I got like five golf podcasts. I don't really listen to football podcasts. unless like Rosillo's talking about it or something and a lot of business podcasts so I'm with you I listen to you know Colin it's like sometimes because of my office set up

I can watch you know an hour or whatever but if I'm on the go you I listen to him I listen to his podcast or the best of at the end of the day so I'm with you and as someone who started his career in radio and I'm not some radio diehard of like from the business I actually thought the business was kind of a racket.

And I could see it coming at the end of my time doing that. Now, it's become way bigger. The audio, the audio has always been a powerful medium. But yeah, I would imagine that, think of everywhere you look. And then this speaks from music as well because of the streaming ability. How often do you go somewhere and not see countless people with headphones in their ears? So, yeah, I mean, I hate to. to disagree with you.

And I'm glad this is that way. But I knew like five years ago when I first got into podcasting financially started making any money, I was like, we're on to something here. Like this thing is going to be massive. And even less than that. I mean, I started podcasting in 2016. Probably didn't make any money until 17. But it's, yeah, it's a powerful audio's never going away. Just like, you know, television videos never.

I mean, I watch a lot of YouTube on my phone. So I consume a lot of video or at my desk. I have YouTube going. You know, and I have a YouTube TV, which is essentially TV, obviously. But I watch a ton of YouTube. I watch a ton of YouTube and listen to a ton of podcasts. I haven't read a newspaper not named the Wall Street Journal in five years. I mean, dead serious.

Unless someone sends me an article, I don't go. Think about that. I'm not even 40 years old. I grew up in a home where we got, Sacramento B, San Francisco Chronicle, Davis Enterprise. My dad kind of got into the stock market late in life. Like his dad died. His brother had died in Vietnam.

So he didn't, his mom was already did, didn't have any siblings. Sold, you know, his dad's house. It was like, what am I going to do with, I think at the time, should have held on to it longer, but like 800 grand. So he just invested it. And he was like, God, stock market's incredible. This was when he was probably like 60. and so he started getting

so he added the Wall Street Journal I mean if you went to John Middilcoff's parents' house eight, nine years ago there were six newspapers in the in the driveway six

it was the Woodland Press Democrat sometimes would come to I don't even know if they subscribed but they would just throw it out the window I don't know anyone that reads a newspaper beside an article going viral or whatever so well we still are making it information. I still want my information. Where do I get it? How do I get it? And that's

where podcasts. We like audio and we like video. I've always said like I'm, I don't care. I just go where the consumer would go. If podcast failed tomorrow, I would just go wherever I had to go to find the audience. And that's where I knew one thing was clear when I was in radio. I'm like, this is not sustainable everyone using their phone. The other powerful thing is when you're in a car. right the overwhelming majority of people connect their phone to their car it's why music radio is so fucked but if you're going to listen to music you're not going to give it what the I still kind of do every once in a while but

the majority of younger people don't they stream Apple music Spotify Pandora whatever to their car and I started seeing it this is like 2015 16 these these radio stations started going under sports talk's no different right

Good question Do you think Jordan Love should be paid As a top 10 quarterback salary As it's currently rumored He looked great at the end of the year But it looked dicey for the first half of the season I think love is better But could it be worth the wait

A season like you suggested with Tua And just paying a premium What I think would be fair Right You could get a lower cost right now Like if you just put Four years $120 million in front of them

and guaranteed $80. So it's like, what would that average? 30 a year? Would he sign that? He might. Like, I mean, he's never made any money. You're offering me 85 guaranteed 30 a year. He might, but he also might not.

But would you just wait and sit, you know, or maybe that's 150, five years, 150? You know, it's hard. I mean, like you said, he's played six, seven good, games. What probably is the prudent move, even if you would have to pay a little more, why not

give it like till mid-October? Let's just see five, six more games. Because there were games last year, let's face it. I don't think it's hyperbole. He looked like Aaron Rogers. He was fucking incredible in certain games. You're like, uh, this is unreal.

And like most of us, we didn't know anything about him because he never played. That's where I think makes us tough because everyone was kind of gone God what the hell is this guy but he'd never played and then by the middle of the year

he started getting his kind of feet under him he was really confident like geez Louise now part of being a good player what makes Josh Allen what makes Lamar what makes Patrick Mahomes these guys good players every single year

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady did it for like 40 plus years combined every year showing up playing well Drew Brees, Aaron Rogers, every year. There can't be these ups and downs. I mean, you can have a down year, but if over the course of 10 years you've had one down year, like you've proven it over the period of time.

It's always what made Eli so maddening. Like, he was kind of a roller coaster. Right? You like your high-end guys to be good every year. You know, Jalen Hertz, I know statistically was all right, but if you watched last year, you're like, God, something's missing here. So it's where it does get challenged.

Say what you want about cousins or DAC. You kind of know what you're getting. So I would say, is there a number right now that he would sign? Like, would he sign three-year, $100 million extension right now? If I guaranteed $85? So it was basically like 33 a year.

Like, would he sign that right now? Because it would be pretty hard to turn down if you've never made that much money, and he's like, well, what if it does go bad? So I don't know, he's a... He's a fascinating, it's just a fascinating situation. Kind of unprecedented,

because usually guys, even Baker that signs a contract this off-season, he did have years before of playing. He's played a ton of games, right, in Cleveland. It's like, Jordan Love has one season as a full-time starter. But, like, by the end,

look pretty damn good. Knowing how aggressive Howie and the Eagles are and how stacked the roster is, if Jalen Hertz has another mediocre year passing the football, do they start looking for another quarterback like they did when Carson Wentz had doubts? I think they're pretty into Jalen Hertz. Like, it would have to get pretty ugly, pretty fast. They've paid him a lot of money.

Signed a massive contract. Like Carson signed a big one, this thing's in a different stratosphere. Because of the guaranteed money changed so dramatically over like a four-year span. So my guess would be He's getting a long leash He's getting a long leash He's getting a long leash Like they're in

Now you never know Like Siriani got fired Would they go with someone else It is a little complicated But I think he's going nowhere My wife and I greatly disagree on this And I can't think of a wiser business savant Then you'd weigh in

Picture this You wake up on a Saturday morning and the undeniable craving hits. Fresh, hot donuts. As a guy, you know, can be a little chubby, battles my weight. I don't, I'm not a donut guy. More of a croissant guy, ham and cheese. The only problem is you're super comfortable in bed and don't want to get up.

You also don't want to tip someone to get it for you. Talk about a Fugazi. What a dilemma. But here's a solution. Dronuts. I know the name is incredible. Simply order your dozen donuts on. the app and the drone

drops the donuts right at your house no human contact or tipping needed at all. Patent pending. Can you imagine a better business venture? I would be a little uncomfortable. Well I am.

There's like where I live, the Scottsdale private jet where all the rich guys fly out of. You can't even fly drones in this area because like the planes kind of fly right over the general area. Do you want drones flying over your house? in your backyard. It's one thing for a guy to come up to your front door and leave a bag of donuts.

It's another thing that drones flying over your house and other, over other houses. I think there'd be a lot of pushback on that. Ultimately, if you get a dozen donuts, again, I've got a donut guy, so I don't know. I'm just going to pick a number. Let's say a dozen donuts is $30. Is that high or low? I don't know. I'm just picking that number.

You're tipping DoorDash three, four bucks. So I I see what the dronuts is a good name But I don't think a lot of people young and old want drones flying around everywhere I think we're a long way from that I think there would be a lot of pushback on just drones even if they have The other thing wouldn't you need a relatively decent drone to carry food And are you only doing one how many dozen donuts can it carry?

like how many boxes? Just one into an individual going back and forth? Draft question from Pete. You were a scout and went through December to late April draft process with people in management above you. Listening to all the mock drafts, player analysts, ETC on ESPN talk shows, Fox Sports, putting down Colin his ways of explaining things are amazing.

What does team management say when they hear a mock draft rumor of the offseason false reports. Can you give us some stories? Well, I think when you work in it, everyone's paying attention to the mock drafts. We used to accumulate them all in the office and have a packet.

Like, if you're Howie Roseman or Chris Ballard, you're reading the mock drafts. But ultimately, the difference of what those guys are doing than everyone on television, besides, like, Schaefter, who, like, is legit, knowledgeable in terms of, like, he's just spewing knowledge that he's hearing. is as a GM, I'm constantly talking to the other GMs.

So I get an idea and feel for kind of what's going on. Not necessarily what players they're going to pick, but just would this team trade? Would this team not trade? How dead set are they? What they're asking for. So I think they're... It didn't matter what I thought.

I could watch all the information have takes. There's only one decision maker in the room. Maybe two if they have to work together, the coach and the GM. them. So a lot of us, like the worker bees, the scouts, that whole time from December to April is just all about nonstop accumulating information. That's really what you're kind of dead set on. Finding information on every player and what you're hearing about them and what other teams think about them. You're not as consumed. It's not really your job to kind of know about other teams, I would say.

Because what they're going to want out of you, like, second round comes, hey, this guy kind of fell. All of a sudden, the GM and the owner, like, hey, what's this guy's deal? Right? And he's from your area, and you've been through Texas four times, and you've got eight contacts,

and you've been building, you know, a scatting report on and off the field on this player for 12 plus months. You better know your shit. They don't care. Like, hey, what was Kuyper's mock again? So I think that stuff, it's very entertaining. I do it for a living essentially now. But inside, it doesn't matter as much. You have to know your players. It's on your GM to kind of be

following the rumors and all that stuff, to know what's true and not. Your job is the rumors on your players, you better know. You better know it all. And if you don't know it, figure out a way to find out. Because they're going to look at you. All a sudden the fifth round comes like wait we had a second round grade on this guy what's going on what are you hearing what's happening why is this free fall there's something off the field so you're kind of always doing that something has been pissing me off for years why the heck does the nfls start in august it's still summer i'm from i'll and we have shit weather for four months a year perfect football i'm still able to be outdoors golfing fishing hiking and pickleballing through september

why doesn't the NFL push everything back a month and give each team two by weeks? Stretch this thing into March. Let high school and college be the ramp up and get the shine until we get the best sporting events for the year. I hate this answer. It's always been this way, so it's never going to change, but it's kind of always been that way. I also think it doesn't really start in August. They just have training camp in August. I mean, the football season, college starts September 1st, and the NFL starts September 8th.

So I think that, I don't know, I don't know what to tell you. It ain't changing. The NFL, I hear what you're saying with bad weather. But to me, the NFL is the one team or the one sport college as well that doesn't need to worry about that. The other league's got to, they better transition their sports. Because like here, like you said, March or whatever, the NFL shot. in February, March, and April, right? Free agency, the combine, the draft, all these rumors.

You know, the Super Bowl up until this week is a really, really big time. And then OTAs is really, really big as well. So, like, the reason OTAs kind of works, coaches are constantly talking, players are kind of, it just kind of keeps everyone. The NFL has now become an 11-month sport. The month they take off is really July. the end of June, early July. Or I guess, you know, summer break for NFL teams is usually, give or take, June 10th through July 20-ish.

Some 22, some 18, some 24, but give or take. Coaches might come in a week earlier. Got a question for the mailback. From what I've heard on your pod, it sounds like you're pretty high on pennix. I'm a Broncos fan, and I'm hopeful we take Pennix at 12. I know some people have a second round goal. great on him. But he has dominated while healthy for two years playing great teams. Am I overthinking it or should we take penics and live with what he produced? To me, if you're a Broncos fan, you get

panics. You should be really, really excited. I mean, who are your quarterbacks right now? Seriously, who are the Broncos quarterbacks? Stidham? Did they have another quarterback on the roster? They signed a guy this offseason? Not that I can remember. I mean, they gave Stidham two years $10 million. I mean, I think it's pretty clear unless you do a massive trade-up, Pennix or Bo Nix if they draft a quarterback is going to be one of those two guys.

I'll take Michael Penix over Bo Nix every day of the week and 50 times on Sunday. Now, a lot of people think that they're going to go with Bo Nix as their quarterback, but I don't know. I would want Michael Pennix. If I am these teams, the Raiders,

the Broncos, the, Minnesota, if I don't trade up and I just stay and I get Michael Penix, I would be very, very excited. It's risky, but shit, Drake May, Jaden Daniels is risky. Hell, Caleb Williams is risky. It's the NFL. They get Michael Penix? Yes, he's been injured before. Yes. He did not look good against Michigan. But holy shit, he looked good 95% of the time he was at Washington. And he looked really good.

So if I was a fan and we just get this guy in the teens or the 20s, If he doesn't go in the first round, I'd be stunned. I mean, I would be floored. That guy makes it the second round, which feels impossible. Now, a lot of people don't think that these teams are going to take them in the early teens. Time will tell, but I would be excited. Appreciate everyone. Keep firing in those DMs. The volume.

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. On the Look Back at a 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotes. 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 IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.