The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 'Boys and Girl - Dak's Pandemic Party Pushback; Cowboys Pre-Draft Signals; More Draft Prospect Interviews!

Episode Date: April 18, 2020

On today’s episode of the 'Boys and Girl Podcast, Jane and Bobby discuss the controversy surrounding Dak Prescott’s house party. They will also continue their preview of the NFL Draft by chatting with Michigan center Cesar Ruiz, Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes, Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride, and Boise State edge rusher Curtis Weaver. Follow Jane and Bobby on Twitter and subscribe to get all the latest inside information from two of the most connected people in the Cowboys’ community. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Welcome in to the Boys and Girl podcast with Cowboys NFL Network reporter Jane Slater and NFL network producer Bobby Belt, a Cowboys community with the inside scoop on the Dallas Cowboys. Now, coming straight to you from the Lone Star State, here's Jane and Bobby. Well, hope you guys are surviving yet another week in isolation. Bobby and myself staying incredibly bored, as we are now hard to believe, what, two weeks out from the draft,

which is absolutely insane to me. Less than. that this thing has been creeping up on us. It's really been interesting doing these mock draft interviews, which we're going to bring to you in a little bit, because we're sort of getting a little bit of the insight into what these teams are going through. You find yourself at Middally sort of zoning out in some interviews

because it feels like a Miss American pageant. You get some of these canned responses, Bobby. And then there's some guys who you'll hear later in our podcast, Kenny Willikis, the Michigan State Defense event. I mean, this guy just jumped off the stuff. the page to me. I haven't watched this film, admittedly. So as it hasn't jumped off in terms of film, I'm going to remember Kenny Willikis, and I think you will too after you hear a little bit from him. And then at the NFL

network, we did a mock draft the other night. Cowboys on the board at 7th. Did you get Joe Burrow? I did not get Joe Burrow. But it is fascinating in keeping with the spirit of the NFL network. I won't give away my pick. But we have certainly talked about him in these podcasts. He was there at 17 and I think he'd be a nice bit for the Cowboys. Real quick, Bobby, let's get to the Nick and Sam's investigative journalism that took place earlier this week. If you're not from Dallas, Nick and Sam's is a steakhouse that a lot of Cowboys frequent.

As somebody on Twitter told me, my bourgeoisie was showing, I joked when hasn't it? That is, Jane Slater is not just Cowboys Insider. She doubles as Nick and Sam's insider as well. 100%. That's a big niche for her. that's where I did my Des Bryant sit down four hours after he was cut from the team. But TMZ had reported that the police department there in, I believe it's Prosper, where Dak Prescott is living, had come to his house about calls of 30 people there for a party during the pandemic.

Now, look, Dak has already been on our radar in this podcast. We talked about throwing a Des and the controversy that created. But here he is once again in the news, which I've got to imagine gives the Cowboys all sorts of headaches. Because he's been the guy that hasn't given them any headaches over the years. And the police showed up. And as it turns out, the police left after not being able to confirm that there were more than 10 there. I've talked to some people that are familiar with the situation. I was told there were absolutely not more than 10 people.

And I just weighed in because I saw the picture. And if you've been to Nick and Sance, the smoke. The smoking gun that TMZ was using to prove that there were all these wine glasses around the table and this setup that reads Natalie and glow sticks on the table suggests there had to have been a party at Dak Prescott's house. Bobby, I've been to Nick and Sam's as I said multiple times. Humble Brack. Exactly. The artwork is very distinctive in there. And there's also this Champs locker, this champagne locker that is this cooler behind this large table and then boost to the left.

it's not Dag Prescott's house. And then when I reached out to my sources at Nick and Sands, as it were, sure enough, they've done what a lot of us are doing. They shot a Zoom video earlier on the day and showed what a party would look like when the pandemic was over. That was then, I guess, a picture of that Zoom video made its way to TMZ. So my only takeaway from this really is that get some better friends. And I was told that not only did they,

not order a ton of food, but Samir, the head chef there, always throws in a ton of extra food, through an extra food, and Dak even did another solid. He provided extra money to their cause, which is now currently feeding medical providers. So maybe if we had just peeled the layers back a little bit, we would have seen that maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked. Still, Dak, my man, trying to get paid. To be fair, we don't know that Dak is not such a fan. of Nick and Sam's that he designed his dining room as an exact replica.

That is a question I didn't ask. See, I can always be a better journalist, but I can tell you this much. I've never been in Dak Prescott's home, but I can tell you that that is in fact Nick and Sam's unless he completely replicated it, which I find very hard to believe. I would almost guarantee there's not,

there weren't more than 10 people there because you didn't get the invite. I feel like if there was a 30-person party there that Jane Slater would have been there with a first-hand report. Quite frankly, I was a little upset about it. But, you know, as we've talked about, I've taken this quarantine seriously. I haven't seen a soul.

No, I know. The Zoom rooms and me and you sitting here talking like this, that's kind of been your most face-to-face interaction. We've had a lot of face-to-face interaction, Bobby. So I've appreciated us spending all this extra time with you interviewing these draft prospects. So I wanted to put that one to bed And I'm not giving my opinion

Like I said of any of it I'm just telling you I don't know whether you had a party or not Those are the details As it relates to me sort of doing some fact checking And there you have it Pre-draft Whispers What are you hearing at the water cooler

And as we lead up to that 17th pick Bobby So this is the This is a weird year And we were talking about this before we started taping That usually you do get a better sense. I mean, I know you were all over Layton Van deresh is going to be the pick in 2018 and you were all over Tristan

Hill's going to be the pick in 2019. Which people said who? And I don't think that the Cowboys haven't probably, I'm sure the Cowboys probably have zeroed in on somebody in a similar fashion like they did with Layton and Tristan. I just don't know that

the way everything is set up this year and the way that we're not really getting the 30 visit so we can't see that narrowed 30 list of guys that they interview we can't kind of sort through that, which has always been a reliable measuring stick. And so because you can talk to just about anybody, we see them interviewing top 100 running backs

or like a first run running back that we know they're not taking. And so it's a little bit more of a guessing game. Now there is one advantage, and that is even though the Cowboys were not able to conduct any of their 30 national visits, they did get some scheduled. And so the closest thing we can find is, Who has gotten that? Who got that scheduled?

Who was one of the ones who potentially got one of those first few 30 visits scheduled? And as much as Cowboys fans seem to be panicking about it on social media, the interest in Kenneth Murray, we know Kenneth Murray, the linebacker at Oklahoma had one. And I think a lot of people have been saying, well, maybe that was just an outlier. Maybe they were thinking maybe he's a tradeback guy. And that's just a specific player.

Well, I was talking to somebody this week. I can confirm that they actually, also added to their 30 visit list, Patrick Queen, the linebacker at LSU. And Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray are the only two linebackers who would get picked. Like those are the only two linebackers who would potentially be in the teens to 20s range. And so the fact that the Cowboys used two of their very precious 30 visits on them tells me that they're very serious about potentially adding a linebacker with their first pick. And what are the implications of that?

Does that mean, is that an implication of they're going to be used? more linebackers. Mike Nolan's played a lot of three four. Mike McCarthy's defenses, the new linebacker coach they hired Scott McCurley. Scott McCurley's only coached linebackers in a three four system before. So maybe that's a signal that they're going to be using more linebackers. Maybe it's a signal that, you know, they're not happy with the depth that that we saw last year when Layton Van der Sush went down and Jalen Smith struggling. They struggled and they need to flesh that out. And maybe that's what they felt was what was really falling apart for the defense. But whatever it is they definitely are interested in linebacker at 17.

And so as much as I think that would stun people and send some people into a panic, I think people need to prepare for that to possibility. Well, people were stunned and in a panic when they picked Leighton Van deresh at linebacker. I remember two years ago, they didn't, they couldn't understand it. And he ended up being a Sean Lee 2.0 before he got himself injured. A couple of points I want to bring on that front. You and I've been receiving some conflicting information about Leighton Van der Leyen Vandreche. I reached out to someone close to the situation.

I was told the injury is not a concern. There's kind of been some speculation about that. The last time I reported on Layton Vanderas, he was working out in Idaho where he has been during this pandemic with his lovely wife, Maddie. I've been told it's more to the point of what you're talking about, Bobby. This is going to be more of a three, four linebacker set and that we could see Jalen Smith potentially rushing more.

So maybe they need more linebackers. Maybe they want, they certainly had, they certainly struggled a little bit in that area last year, to your point when Layton went down, which is unfortunate because when Sean Lee was going down, you know, we would see these teams lose more games than they were winning. Layton fills in for Sean Lee his rookie year and you start to feel good about things. And then you felt good the fact that Sean Lee came back on the, you know, team friendly deal. And he's done it again for you this year because I'm telling you right now, I've had teams ask me about Sean Lee. and where the Cowboys are at on him, because there was an interest from other teams. And unlike some of these other players,

he didn't choose to go to Las Vegas. He didn't choose to go to the Redskins or teams in the past that have had an interest in him. Instead, he once again stuck around for Dallas, which I think is a good thing. Yeah, I think it's a good thing.

And I think that everybody should be encouraged by how much he seemed to be able to maintain his health throughout all of last year, which is always a concern with him. He was pretty healthy throughout the whole year. and he played his best football and I will always go back to you and I know I think the biggest issue

that happened last year is people still try and sort through what happened with that 8 and 8 team I firmly believe the problem with that team last year was they lacked any sort of real leadership on defense and that was partly because Sean Lee

taking a reserve role felt like it's not my place to be that guy anymore somebody else needs to do it wasn't a petty thing it was like a I shouldn't be the one being this guy as I'm not one of the main contributors. But I will always remember after the Rams game, when Sean Lee had a great game, Jordan Lewis was standing up at his locker,

and they asked him how he felt about however, you know, how good did it feel to see Sean Lee play the way he did? And he said, you know, well, that's our captain. Well, he wasn't wearing the captain's patch, but that tells you how that locker room actually feels. And so that, I think it was, there was a thirst for his leadership.

And I think the team really, really struggled with him. having to take that backseat leadership role. And so hopefully next season, some other guys step up or with Sean Lee potentially getting more work, he can kind of resume that role a little bit. And I think, you know, bring some stability to some, you know, a lot of those young players on defense. You know, you and I have tried to mirror some of these virtual chats in the way that perhaps some of these teams would. Now, like I said, we're not coaches.

I'll never pretend to be a coach. I understand the game better than a coach. I would never. what I'm good at is getting information. And you and I have gathered some of the questions that are asked of some of these players. And so I think what's been interesting about this podcast is you're sort of seeing how these guys adjust and respond on the fly. What was one of the questions that really stood out for you that teams typically asked these players and why it's important? Well, I mean, one of them you can see is just it's really been great.

I saw Jim Nagy from the Senior Bowl praising the Cowboys on Twitter on Thursday for kind of pulling back the curtain and letting fans get a glimpse of like the evaluation process because everybody thinks they're a Twitter scout now and that they can do the job of NFL scout. And so it really is a good opportunity to look and see like,

look, this is so much more about, you know, evaluating them as people and their psyche and you're almost playing psychologist as much as you are a talent evaluator. And it's about for scouts, well, cultivating sources and getting teams to be up front with them and frank with them about, you know,

what their player did at college. And it really is a, you can't just sit from your laptop and be a scout. You know, it's a much more involved job in that. So it's been helpful for people to see the Cowboys, what they do when they interview prospects. And one of the questions that I'm glad to start asking these guys about,

because I saw this is a favorite question of Mike McCarthy in these interviews, which is Mike McCarthy has. asked in several of these videos, what is the most important thing that you want us to come away with about you? And I think that's the thing is that from talking to people inside the league and figuring out what kind of questions do you generally ask these prospects? It doesn't sound like a bunch of complex stuff where we're giving you an SAT question. And they generally are giving them more straightforward questions where they feel like these players can take it in an honest direction, you know, not leading the witness at all, just letting them explore the space with their

answer and, you know, flesh it out a little bit. And so I do think that's interesting how everybody kind of responds differently to these things. You know, it's so interesting you say that I've been doing these pop-up journalism classes with journalists and bringing in a lot of my colleagues in my free time. And one that really stood out for me was Kaylee Hartong, who I worked with at Longhorn Network. She was at ESPN, CNN. Now she's at ABC News. and I asked her why she got into journalism. And it's so funny, I had a journalism professor once, John Swatski, or not a professor,

but an instructor at ESPN, who had all the reporters that you see on TV have, for the most part, gone through the art of the interview with John Swatky. And his favorite questions were the simple ones, the who, what, when, where, why, and how. I mean, the basis of journalism, not loading the questions to your point

where you sort of dictate what the answer is going to be. And when I asked her, why she got in a journalism, she talked about her father traveled the country as an airman and put on these air shows and he died in front of a crowd of 30,000 people. And at 10, in the background is a news report. We call it a VO in our business. So it's an anchor talking over his video. It wasn't an interview with a lot of people. But she said even at 10, her little brain hadn't fully understood it all. But what stood out to her was there wasn't a lot of context about who her dad was, why he was important, what made him do the air shows.

And that's why she sees it as such a privilege to be a reporter. Now, when you understand the why about somebody and you see them doing things, whether it or be on the football field or as a journalist, the why tells you so much about how serious they take the job, how much care and thought they give to it. So the why do you love football is a question you'll hear in some of our interviews with our players and I've been impressed with some of the answers quite frankly Bobby yeah and I know I remember that was a criticism I saw on Twitter and again I think this is an important distinction because I don't I don't think scouts get enough credit for how difficult their job is I think there is a little bit

you probably experience this as a reporter there is a little bit of a sense on social media of I could do that and everybody thinks they could do your job or whatever and I think scouts deal with that a lot in the age of social media where everybody thinks they're a scout now and and one of the things that I remember seen on Twitter a couple years ago that somebody was kind of mocking was, oh, they probably don't think this guy loves football enough because he likes something else. And that's going to, you know, that'll somehow make him a bad player.

Well, you know what you get when you don't love football? You get David Irving. That's what you get when you don't love football. That's true. He loved acting more than he loved football, admittedly. Yes, no. We're not putting words in David Irving's mouth. This is something he told us.

He even said he didn't watch a lot of football growing up. David Irving has said that football. football was a means to an end, that there wasn't a love of football. Now, there's a little bit of a revision in that. And we can talk about how David Irving is probably the biggest fraud I've ever run into in football history. But, you know, I think I've said enough of that. But to your point, look at a guy like Des Bryant, again, you know, the unofficial Des Bryant fan club over here, his why right now for putting out the videos and coming back when I've literally had an agent tell me,

quit hyping Des Bryant. He's never going to play another game in his life. Des his Y is where he came from. Des his why is he feels a calling to football. Des his why is he wants to be impactful in a locker room. If I know the why about what's motivating Des, it's not money for Dez. I don't know what in Dez's bank account.

But when I talk to Dez, his why has never been, I need to make money or the bank account's running low. The why is the love for football. And all you have to do is follow him on Twitter. the guy can't stay away from talking about football, whether it be a college game and an NFL game. He's become a quasi- Twitter analyst of sorts. Yeah, or I mean-

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies,

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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. Just even when we talked to him back in February, he had this to say when he was talking about why he wants to continue his career. You know, my daughter asked me that he's going to, play football again. That was one, that's what really clicked.

You know, like, you know what? Yeah, I'm going to play. I'm a play ball. All right. So without further ado, we are jam-packed, as we have been for the last two weeks. Bobby credit to you for getting a lot of these set up. First up, let's look at a possible

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I'm April Dinwiddie host of the new podcast, Navigating Adoption. presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Each episode brings you compelling real-life adoption stories told by the families that live them with commentary from experts. Visit Adoptuskids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Ad Council. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree.

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You can follow them on Twitter at underscore overseas. C-E-E-S. I like that. That's clever. Cesar, how are you doing? Doing good. Great. Now, it's, I love that, you know, we've talked to all these guys and we keep hearing these crazy stories about how they're all training during the, you know, these COVID restrictions and how things have gotten so different for them. And some of them are getting really creative with the stuff and, and so I'm curious, how has things, how have things changed for you during the pre-draft process once all these restrictions came into place? And I know you're actually near one of the hotspots. You're there in New Jersey right now. And so just, I guess, talk a little bit about how things are in your community,

but also how, you know, things have changed for you in the pre-draft process. Yeah, around here, things are like really, really quiet. Nobody comes outside. I'm really the only guy outside when it's time to work out. And the majority of the day, everybody's just sitting inside. Nobody wants to come out. But this whole pre-draft process has changed from what my expectations were. I really thought I was going to be, you know, on plane.

every week, living out of my suitcase. I thought it was going to be one of those. And now I've been sitting in New Jersey for about a month now. So it's definitely different from what I thought. But I'm getting the most out of it. I'm able to stay in shape and spend a lot more time in my family than I thought I would. What stands out the most, Cesar, about this virtual chat process? We've talked to some guys that say they get a lot out of being in the room.

You can read their personalities and store a feed off of that. How do you do that in a virtual chat setting? It definitely is a little different to me and somebody in person, but then doing the Zoom calls. But I think they give off the same information that you kind of need. You can tell what kind of person somebody is from talking to them on the phone or through video chat. So for me, it is different not having that face-to-face interaction because you can give off a better vibe or just to get a better sense of how somebody is. So that's just how I think the video chat and the face-to-face things to change things.

Now, I love that the PIN tweet on your Twitter profile, I'm looking at it right now from 2017. It says, I want to be the best center to ever play the game of football. So would you say that you're pretty heavily like goals-oriented in what you do with football, that you know, your guy who likes to set markers and milestones and, you know, really kind of pursue that? Yes, that was the, I said that when I first stepped on campus at college. And ever since I made that tweet, I knew it was strictly business from there. So, yeah, I'm really goal-oriented and that's just something I live by. What do you get out of having a head coach like John Harbaugh?

I mean, Coach Harbaugh is really, he's really just a great, like, personality. There's so many, like, different vibes you get from Coach Harbaugh in different situations. You know, you got the intense version when it comes to games. You got the fun, the fun version of Coach Harbaugh, and, you know, we're going out there. we're going on different trips. So, I mean, it's great having to coach like that. I mean, especially when he has so much pro-experience, he knows so many people.

And he's able to teach you a whole lot of different things. So definitely having to coach like Coach Hardwall is definitely amazing. Have you ever seen him wear anything other than brown khakis? I never, no, I never seen him wear anything other than brown. He always has those, yeah, those tan khakis with the tucked-in polo. That's, you know, that's kind of his style. Now, I know at Michigan, you as a freshman, you did play some guard. We talked about how you wanted to be the best center, but you did play some guard.

Have NFL teams talked to you at all about the idea of, you know, maybe they want to see you play a guard at the next level, or is everybody pretty much focused on you playing center? No, really right now, I'm just all around interior guy for, you know, a lot of people. Some people look at me as a peer center. A lot of people were looking at me as, you know, there's anything across the interior. And that's what I think I thrive at, you know, my versatility. know, I have the experience and everything.

So a lot of teams who just want to know if I can play guard and center. So that's really been my feedback from teams. You know, we are a Cowboys-centric show here. And the Cowboys do have a need at Center with the retirement of Travis Frederick. Have you talked to the Cowboys at all? Yes, I have. I talked to the Cowboys before. Yes, I talked to Cowboys.

In what capacity? Virtual chats at the Combine. What have been some of your touchpoints with them? Yeah, virtual chat. I wasn't able to do it at the Combine. because everything was so busy, but I was able to do it virtually through Zoom. What stood out about a virtual chat with the Cowboys? Who was in the room?

What was sort of the feeling, the mood of that conversation? Yeah, it wasn't really anybody in the room because everybody's at home. So it was just me and that offensive line coach, and we were just going through things on the board. He had a whiteboard in the room. He was just teaching me things, and I was teaching things back to him on the board. And, you know, we were just looking at different. getting to know me and just basically just testing my football knowledge.

Travis Frederick, one of the smarter guys on that offensive line, is it intimidating at all that if the Cowboys give me the call at 17 or in later rounds, God forbid, that you would find yourself a little bit overwhelmed with replacing a guy like him at all? And how much tape have you watched if Travis Frederick? No, I wouldn't be overwhelmed. I wouldn't be nervous or anything like that. You know, once my name is called, wherever I go, I got to make my own mark. You know, I got to handle my own business. Of course, there are people there before me, and there's going to be big shoes to fill,

but, you know, it's my job to, you know, fill them shoes and make it even bigger when I get there. So, I mean, I watch a lot of Travis Frederick film. I watch a lot of film on guys in NFL. And, you know, basically, I just get my game from different guys in the NFL. So that's really why I do. I just study a lot. And I'm really confident myself when my name is going to be called. I know a popular question with NFL front offices and scouting departments and things like that during the pre-draft process is always something along lines of why do you love football?

You know, what is it? Why do you love football? Why do you want the NFL? So I'm sure you've gotten the chance to answer to answer this question a few times. But what is your answer? Why is it that you love football? Why is this what you wanted to pursue? Man, I just let a feel when you're out there playing a game of football.

You know, I love to win. You know, I just love being out there just, you know, in post. opposing your will against different people, you just feel superior against everybody else. You know, it's really no better feeling in the line up across somebody and just letting them know like I run this, you know what I'm saying?

So that's just, that's really what I get from football. Man, it's just a whole lot of joy. It's a lot of fun. When was that singular moment where you said, I want to be a football player? Probably when I was 10. Probably when my first day of ever playing Little League football. My mom signed me up, and I was like,

Yeah, I think I'm going to play this for a long time. I love football. Now, I know you've been pretty open. Talked a lot throughout your career about losing your dad when you were eight. How did that impact you? I mean, of course, it's part of everything that you are, but how do you think that shaped you on and off the field? Yeah, definitely on the field.

It gives me something to play for. You know, it gives me a motivation. I have that little voice, you know, in the back of my head, you know, do it for your dad. you know, different things like that. And, you know, it's definitely a part of my motivation, you know, do it for my family because of that situation. And, I mean, really off the field, it's really shaping

because it allowed me to look at life, you know, a lot differently and value a lot more. You know, you just see things, you see things that can cause a negative reaction and you don't let it affect you. That's really how I am. I see a lot of things that most people react negative to. But for me, I just see light in all situations

and just realized life is precious, you know? Now, I know when you look at the cowboys and the potential that you could end up there, we did mention you're in the New Jersey area, so I know that is heavy Giants country. Would there be any issues in the family if you ended up wearing a star? Is that a family of Giants fans there? No, my mom won't watch football. She don't watch sports.

So, I mean, for my family, it really doesn't matter. I don't even think my little brother has a favorite team, honestly. Really? But I'm surrounded by, you know, from my friends and, you know, high school coaches, I'm surrounded by a bunch of fans from everywhere. You know, Cowboys fans, Giants fans, Eagles fans, rest everywhere. So that's how it is over here. Who are some of the teams besides the Cowboys that you've had virtual chats with so far, Cesar?

Would you be mad at me if I told you I can't remember all of them? That's a lot. Who are some of the ones that stand out? A lot. I'm thinking some off the top of my head. I've had, I had with the Cardinals, Cardinals is really good. The Eagles is really good.

The Giants, those are the ones I could say stood out to me the most. That just comes in my head right away, but there was, I don't want to leave anybody out, but there was like, I was interview with like 12 teams so far on like virtual chat. I just can't remember all of them right now. What's the average link of some of these virtual chats? I say about 30 minutes, 30 to 45 minutes.

Sometimes it could last about an hour, but the average time is about 30 to 45 minutes. Now we always like to close up talking to guys kind of with the get-to-know-you questions that are a little more, you know, less football. So you're ready for that? those? Yeah, I'm ready for those. Okay, cool. So what is on your pregame hype list? Like, what's going to be pounding through your headphones, either particular song or particular

artist as you're trying to get ready to play? Oh, 50 cent. 50 cents. Are we like talking like get rich or die trying Fitty or like, you know, more recent Fitty? Yeah, we're talking get rich and die trying to find out 50. All right, cool, cool. Can we just for a moment, pause, can we just, I'd love to hear Bobby say it's Fitty. It's Fitty. That's what it is. It's not 50. It's Fitty. It's Fitty cent. No, and yeah, yeah, Fitty's great. I still, to this day, if I'm trying to get like amped up or if I'm doing a walk around the track,

I will almost always have if I can't by Fitty Cent playing. You're so woke, Bobby. I am. That's what I'm here for. Now, everybody's been kind of locked down quarantine. You talked about you've been in there for a month. What's like your best Netflix quarantine recommendation right now? I hope I don't get judged for this, but I've been watching Grazing Adamy a lot. Wow. Really?

And it's bad too I think I'm a doctor now man, I got too much time on my head so I've watched the Grey's Anatomy a lot See my guilty pleasure viewing and I don't talk about this often because I get the same sort of reaction

we just gave you for Gray's Anatomy which is bring it on I still to this day can watch it bring it on about 10 times in a row with Kirsten Dunst. That's my show. I'm really proud of Grey's Anatomy here's what I'll tell you though

it's a rabbit hole. It's been on for like 17 seasons so you can just go on and on and on Yeah, I wanted to pick something to where I could just keep watching it. And hopefully when I'm done watching it, this old quarantine thing is over. I think you picked a good one with Crazy Adam. Now, are you a guy who plays Madden at all? Yes. Okay, so let's say that you're playing Madden next year.

And, of course, you're going to be in the game. Somebody happens to grab your team that you ended up on. So you have to play against the digital version of yourself. And it's, you know, last play inside the red zone. And there's a fumble and digital Caesar picks up the ball. and is rumbling to the end zone. Are you going to tackle yourself, or are you going to let your digital self score the game winning touchdown?

Nah, I'm a, I'm tackling myself. Really? You're not going to get me. I got to win. You're not going to get many. As a matter of fact, I might just strip the ball from myself in that case. Like, I got to win the game.

Now, I think I know the answer to this, given what you just said about Gray's, uh, but which would you rather consume? Would you rather, uh, have to watch like a marathon of, of chick flicks or would you rather like you know get your pregame hype song is nothing but you know boy band pop love songs great question boy band pop love songs definitely not listening to boy band so so it's the rom-coms it's the

chick flick rom-coms okay that that makes sense yeah i watch chick flick that i listen to boy bands now now if you had to you gotta revisit some last night a blown call changed a game this morning the internet lost its mind highlights are trending opinions are flying and And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants to answer. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This line. You know these kids. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, ref. My mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about define the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves,

I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Sinks vintage stuff, man. It might change your mind.

I love Backstreet Boys. I don't have any problem saying that I love Backstreet Boys, like first two albums. I think they're great. I can listen to if I can't buy Fitty and then I can go to I'll never break your heart by the Backstreet Boys. This is a revealing interview even for myself. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah.

I'm dropping lots of stuff. Now, if you had to pick like one person to run like a Kevin Durant style burner account for you, that like they pick off, they pick off all your social media trolls for you. It can be somebody real or, you know, fake or dead or alive. Who are you going to pick? Somebody run on my burner accounts. Yeah, yeah. So, like, I always, I always pick Eric Cartman from South Park. That would be who I would have to do that for me. Definitely, uh, definitely, uh, Riley from a Boondock. That is Sadiq Charles from LSU picked Riley. So that, that's, that's, that's two votes for Riley now. one of my favorite answers ever was uh Ryan Switzer when I asked him that question he told me like

it was zero hesitation it's the fastest answer I've ever gotten from anybody it was a fellow Michigan alum Jordan Lewis he immediately just said yeah he said he didn't even think about it he said yeah Jordan Lewis would run it for me yeah JD JD would run that now uh this is something that a little more I guess serious but it's always a good wrap up but how do you want people to remember you what impression do you want to leave with people outside of just football. Man, I just want to remember to somebody that, you know, just as a good person, really.

You know, somebody that helped out selfless. I also remember there's a great person off the field, not terms of, just in terms of building relationships of people and just doing good things to people and giving back, you know, somebody was very wholesome, just want people to remember me as that really good person. We're going to remember you as a smart, fun guy. This was a fun interview.

We've done this. I know you guys have done it over and over and over, but you brought us a lot of energy and we really appreciate it. No, Ron. Thank you for having me too. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this valentines

with 1,800flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate-covered berries, gourmet treats, and more. Surprise your Valentine with 1,800flowers.com. Right now, get the 18-stem Enchanted Rose Medley for $3999, or upgrade to 24 red roses for $10 more.

Go to 1-800flowers. slash tune in. That's 1800flowers.com slash tune in. And we're live here outside the Perez family home just waiting for the... And there they go. Almost on time this morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong with a double-armed kid carry. Looks like dad has the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't closed. Dipers and toys are everywhere. Ooh, but mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter who looks to be about nine or ten has secured herself in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag closed and they're off. Ah, but looks like mom doesn't realize

her coffee cup is still on the roof of the car and there it goes. Oh, that's a shame. That mug was a fam favorite. Don't sweat the small stuff. Just nail the big stuff. Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at nhtsa.gov slash the right seat. Visit NHTSA. S.a.gov. Slash the right seat. Brought to you by Nidza and the Ad Council. If I could be you.

And you could be me? For just one hour. If you could find a way... To get inside. Each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes.

We've all felt left out. And for some, that feeling lasts more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us.org. Brought to you by the ad council. Walk a mile in my shoes. Joining us now is Michigan State Defensive End and viral sensation. Kenny Willikis, you can follow him on Twitter at Kenny W97.

Kenny, how you doing? Doing good. How are you? I'm great. And yeah, I guess we got to first talk about that viral video that you shared. You had that series of quotes of, you know, I got it right here actually, not athletic, below average athleticism for edge rusher. Physical tools don't jump off the page. And then you do these acrobatic flips and, you know, insane splits and other, you know, gymnast moves.

I guess first, what led you to post that? What made you feel like you wanted to post that? And then also, you got a gymnast background or something that we don't know about? Yeah, I did actually, I actually did gymnast a little bit growing up. Me and my siblings did gymnasts. Gymnastics growing up. My older brother actually stuck with it, you know, he's in the qualifying for the Olympics of the 2020. So he's been doing it over through.

And, you know, we didn't get a pro day, unfortunately. You know, I was still able to go to the combine, so I was grateful for that opportunity, but I didn't get the pro day. And I still feel like I had some athleticism to show teams. You know, you see the quotes there. Some people still thought that I see it a lot, that I'm not athletic enough to play at the next level.

I don't have the right. I'm not athletic enough, all that stuff. So, you know, I just want to put that video out there. I think I had some unique athletic ability. Obviously, it doesn't all carry over to football. But, you know, I can do the, couple weird tricks that I learned growing up with my brothers. I was like, I had four, three brothers,

was four of us total, and I was the last one to learn how to backflip. Even like the 10-year-old knew how to backflip for me. So, you know, I had to learn how to backflip to keep up with them. And, you know, I thought I'd just show the world what I could do. Well, and we, we know. Well, I have to ask him. I mean, where could you see yourself applying the splits and some of those parkour moves within the context of a football game?

I could see it, slide a gap with the splits, gets a small pad level, yeah. Yeah, obviously, it doesn't. doesn't completely translate to football, but, you know, just the ability to bend the edge, you know, the flexibility. I have actually been folded completely in half or stuck at the bottom of a pile where if I wasn't flexible enough, I probably would have snapped in half during a game. But, you know, just the ability to have body control, core strength and, you know, flexibility bending the edge and that hand fighting at the D-line, you know, I think that's where some

of those things can come into play. Now, our buddy Ian Rappaport over at the NFL network, I saw he had quote tweeted it and he said, of all the internet videos virtual pro days this by michigan state defense event Kenny willicus was brought up to me by a gm as being the most effective and so have you heard from any teams about your video and uh has anybody mentioned it to you in any of your chats with them yeah i've had a lot of face time and you know phone calls with teams over the last couple weeks and you know a few teams i've mentioned uh how they liked it a lot you know one of the coaches told me he showed his son uh you know a lot of teams just

said they were surprised that i can move like that at the size now you were you were a guy at Michigan State who, you know, you look at your resume, you won the Burlesworth trophy last year as the, you know, the nation's top walk on. You had a highly productive career. You know, you, you were named first team all Big Ten the last two years. But then you talk about there's this criticism of, oh, he doesn't have the athleticism to do, you know, things at the next level. He's not that type of player. Do you think people are too quick to label you as the effort guy, as, oh, the high motor guy? And, you know, oh, it, It's nice and we love the work ethic,

but that's really just, that's effort sacks, that's effort production. This isn't a guy who translates very well. What would you say back to that? Yeah, I know, I think it's pretty easy for people to do that.

You know, label me as the high effort guy. It's kind of funny when draft time comes around. It's almost like having high effort and working hard as a negative. Like, oh, he works hard.

He's always working hard. He's always showing effort. Let's not draft him till later. But, you know, I think it's just what people say, label me. I feel like as an athlete, I'm a dominant competitor, and that's something, you know, you can't coach, you can't build that in the weight room, that effort, that dominant competitor. You know, it was what my dad instilled in me growing up.

It's what they coached to us at Michigan State, you know, that run into the ball, that consistent effort. And, you know, there's a lot of things you can measure, but that's something you can't. And I think that's something you can't coach, that dominant competitor, being a dominant competitor, each and every snap. And, you know, that's something I think that should benefit you. You know, I'm hearing you because I've always been one of those high effort people that I feel gets punished from that, even in my career. I'm telling you at some point it's going to pay off for you. We saw it pay off for you in college. You were a walk-on at Michigan State.

We saw you put out the video sort of addressing your critics about your athleticism and your ability to even just play at this level in that space. Would you say it's fair to describe that you've got a little bit of a chip on your shoulder? And is there anyone like, say, Tom Brady that you look up to as another guy that people have discounted it? ahead of the draft? Yeah, you know, I look at all those walk-on stories. You see Jack Conklin that came before me at Michigan State, you know, Baker-Mayfield, Tom Brady getting drafted low. And, you know, obviously it doesn't matter where you get drafted.

You know, I'm going to come in. I'm going to give you everything I got, whether I'm a second rounder or whether I'm undrafted. Now, when you look at this pre-draft process, it radically shifted for everybody, of course, when the COVID-19 restrictions kind of set in. Talk to us a little bit about how it changed. change for you and what you've been doing to adapt and still get your workouts in and things like that during this time. Yeah, it's obviously been a little different. Like I said, we've got a lot of face time, a lot of video calls with teams. I mean, I was fortunate enough. I have a mentor in the

area. I've been back home training here for the combine, you know, pretty much the whole time. And I've been able to still get in the gym, private gym here back here at home six days a week. I'm still working consistent. I'm trying to stay busy. I'm trying to see family a lot. Definitely We want to see family a lot before I go out of towns. I've been making sure to spend a lot of extra time with family and still just train and trying to stay ready. What is that like? Because we've heard, of course, we've seen Des and Dak working out in the gym.

They're getting killed for it. We've heard, you know, from James Morgan, he and his family are in the park and the cops are getting called on him. How do you find that balance of I've got to find ways to work out, but I understand that there are social distancing and this lockdown. It does feel like it's a little bit of a delicate balance. Yeah, most definitely. obviously there's a lot bigger things than football

and work it out right now. You know, we need to stay safe, stay in quarantine. You know, Michigan's on a very harsh lockdown right now. But, you know, I've been able to get it in. You know, it's important to stay ready. I don't know what's going to happen over these next couple weeks. So, you know, I've just been training privately with my mentor, one-on-one session, is trying to keep it, you know,

low-key and still social distance, but still make sure I'm getting my work in. We know that you've talked to several teams, and I'm sure you're used to this question by now, because it's a favorite of NFL front offices and personnel departments. And that's, you know, why do you love football? They always want guys who, you know, a common theme, one of the worst things you can hear from a scout is, I don't know if he loves ball. When they say that, that's, you know, that can be a killer for a guy.

It's hard to come back from that from a personnel department. So I'm sure you've heard frequently, why do you love ball? Why do you love football? Why do you want this? And what's been your answer to teams for that? Yeah, it's just, you know, I've always loved football growing up. I'm a football guy. Like I said, we try to do gymnastics, but I was way too rough and rotty for that.

So my parents put me in football. And, you know, I love competing. You know, I'm battling against another man in the trenches every day. You know, we're in there throwing fists, throwing and taking each other down, that type of stuff. You're just in there competing every day. You know, I love that part of the game. It's a team game. You know, I love being with your teammates working each and every day.

And those are probably two main reasons. I love just going out there playing with my teammates, competing and having some fun playing ball. I hate to come back to this, but I think what's going to be interesting about you, Kenny, is the fact that you do have this thing that separates you. You know, it's like you're running, we're running through all of these interviews, and I'm going to remember this gymnastic guy and this guy with the chip on his shoulder. I just have to know that you've got what you said four siblings, three of them and seven siblings. There's eight of us total. Eight of you guys. I've got to beat by one, nine.

He was homeschooled, nine in his family. So you've got eight total. Why gymnastics for half of you? I think a few of us did gymnastics growing up, but we were actually homeschooled for a little bit too. Hey, yeah. My mom wanted something to put us in while we were growing up. You know, I was pretty wild,

had a lot of energy, so my mom couldn't have me around the house all the time. So she put us in gymnastics. We tried swimming, but, you know, those just weren't for me. I needed to go out there and hit somebody. Now we... Like, this is going to be one of the most memorable. memorable interviews that we've done, Bobby.

So, Kenny, I love that, like I said, the chip on the shoulder. I think you're going to stand out to some of these GMs. I just want to let you know that when they're going to the virtual chats, I think people have this tendency to sort of zone out because all the guys, I feel like it's a Miss America pageant a little bit. Now that I've seen what some of these GMs, it's a lot of canned dancers. What I like about Kenny is I'm going to remember pretty much everything he has said in this interview. Yeah, there you go.

See, you want to be memorable. Now, that is another thing that I know teams like to know is they like to ask you, you know, speaking of memorable, like what's the impression you want us to walk away with about you? Like, what's the one thing that you want us to remember about you when we're done having this conversation? So for you, what is that? What is it that you want teams to come away with when they're done talking to? What do you want them to remember about you? Yeah, I just try to, you know, give them a point that I'm a dominant competitor, you know, relentless. That's something we talk about in Michigan State every day.

I'm not going to take plays off. I'm going to be something that's going to give you everything I got each and every day in the wait room, in the film room on the field. And it doesn't matter how much talent you have. I'm going to continue to keep working until I am the best at what I do. Who's the best offensive lineman you faced while you're at Michigan State, do you think? I thought Rashon Slater from Northwestern, number 70. You know, he's always giving me fits. He's a real good player.

I like him a lot. Great last name. Oh, it's a perfect last name. Slater, yeah. Now, we are a Cowboys-focused show. That's our main thing. We like talking to prospects more generally, but we are a Cowboys-focused show.

So have you gotten a chance to talk to the Cowboys at all during this process? And what have they said to you? What's kind of the feedback you got from them? Yeah, I love that you're a Cowboys-focused show. I actually grew up a Cowboys fan. There we go. Didn't have a TV in my house. So when I would go to my grandparents,

the Cowboys were always playing, and they've always been my favorite team growing up. But I did have the ability to talk to the Cowboys at the Commonwealth. line, talked to Leon Lett, and the defensive line coach. I was able to learn actually a lot from both. We sat there and just talked ball for a while. I really enjoyed that. And one of our scouts, or one of the scouts for the Cowboys actually coached

and wasn't the recruiting personnel in Michigan State for a little bit. Oh, yeah. A man, Beau. Shout out my man, Beau. That's my man. So, you know, I've had some contact with the Cowboys and go Cowboys. All right. So tell me a little bit about that.

You didn't have a TV growing up in. your house. You'd watch the Cowboys at your grandparents' house. Two questions. Why the Cowboys, then, if you didn't have exposure to them? Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaders to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app, Search learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds.

Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate. the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.

I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get to fly. He run up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball like, I think.

You go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. With the TV in your home, and you were able to pick up enough of a love about football by going over their house periodically and watching TV because we are so much about these kids that that's all they do when they grow up. Yeah, we didn't have a TV. You know, it was a lot about going outside. I lived on 10 acres and we had seven siblings.

So we were always outside doing something. Yeah, I grew up a Cowboys fan because the first like three or four times I went over to the Cowboys with a team playing. You know, so I grew up a big fan of Marion Barber, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo. You know, my favorite player is my favorite players ever is DeMarcus Ware and Des Bryant. You know, I watched a lot of Demarcus Ware's tape growing up just at the defensive end. And I don't know, it just seemed like a sport for me. We played outside in the yard a lot. I started watching videos on YouTube, reading books about it,

and, you know, try to figure out about it myself. And I just fell in love with it at a young age. Dang, Bobby, I feel old that his genre of cowboys is to Marcus Smyrato. I mean, it's, it's, it makes sense. I just have never heard someone say that yet. It's amazing how fast time flies. Because, I mean, I do, it does feel like that was just, you know, you talk about the Romo and T.O. Cowboys.

This actually came up on, on Cowboys Twitter the other day, that they were all kind of talking about who's the greatest team, the greatest Cowboys team ever to not win a Super Bowl. And one of the teams that was frequently getting mentioned was 07 with that team that went 13 and 3 and lost to the Giants in the playoffs. And it still feels in a lot of ways like that was just like three or four years ago. And then I sit back and I go, no, that was 13 years ago now. That was, you know, almost half my life ago.

So it is a little insane. Now, we do talk about how much of a chip you have on your shoulder. But overall, what would you say is your motivating factor? or what drives you on the football field? Yeah, I say the two biggest things is, you know, first making my family proud, making my mom, my dad proud for the way they raised me. You know, they taught me to use my talents to help others out, help those that are less fortunate than me, which kind of leads me in my second one,

you know, looking out for others. I've been blessed with all this talent and, you know, it would be kind of a waste and it'd be selfish of me not to use it. It would be selfish of me not to go hard every day and, you know, try to use my talent and my ability to help others. You know, I feel like I've been given a platform. college football and in the NFL. And so, you know, that's what my mother taught me

always to look out for others and care for those that's fortunate than me. And I think I have the ability to do that here. We know you're a Cowboys fan, Kenny. And I would imagine that would be a place that you'd love to land. What are some of the other teams that you feel like you've had some really meaningful discussions with via virtual chat, that in other words, show what you consider pretty good interest so far? I'd say I've talked a lot to the Falcons.

You know, I like the Falcons a lot. I like to fit on their defense. you know, they pretty much turn their defensive ends loose to let them attack. You know, I've had great conversations with the Falcons, the Eagles, the Giants. You know, I've had a pretty good conversation with a lot of teams, the Ravens as well. Don't really care where I land, to be honest. You know, just want to get drafted and I'm ready to get to work. All right, cool.

Now, are you going to have, how many guest rooms are you going to have once you get that big paycheck for all of your family? I might just live in a little apartment and blow up air mattresses for them. they've all got you know one of them's going to qualify for the Olympics they you know pass it they can take care of it yeah yeah they'll get what is he before I let you go because like I said I find you so interesting what is your brother going to do as he's training for the Olympics I mean that had to be I mean it's one thing not to get the draft interviews in the pro day what kind of setback has that been for him and how have you helped him manage his emotions through all of this uh yeah hasn't been too bad for him um he had

I think he pretty much owns like a gym with trampolines. So he's been able to go in there and practice still. That's amazing. Well, you have been absolutely memorable. I wish you the best of luck. I always cheer for the underdog. So I'm looking to see where you end up. And I'll definitely be in touch with you when you end up in the league.

Sounds good. I appreciate you guys having me on this morning. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination. Our sense of wonder.

And our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure.

Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder. And our family bonds grow too. because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring

at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard

with arms, outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide is this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org.

Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. Joining us now is Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride. You can follow them on Twitter at Troy Pride 18. Troy, how you doing? I'm doing well. you know, get my quarantine vibes on and the Zoom interviews. So what does your day look like with these Zoom interviews? We know we talked to another prospect, you know, before you,

you know, before you, Cesar Ruiz, and he talked about, you know, he had anticipated these months leading up to the draft that he'd be living out of his suitcase and he'd be on planes. Do you have a to-do list where you're just writing down, here's my interviews throughout the day and then around those interviews, how do you get the workout dead? So, you know, first my day is like predicated on my workout. So I start off at 930. I'll get up in Tuesdays and Thursdays are arms for me. And then Mondays and Wednesdays are legs. So I'll like probably do a stretch for my, just in the early morning for my leg days. And then just like today, like I got an arm workout in earlier. And then in the afternoon, I usually set it up to where, you know, I'm either on the field or I'm doing some sort of cardio, you know, for arms and legs. So I basically schedule my interviews around. that. I wanted to make sure I have a structure throughout these crazy times and make sure that

you know, I'm still getting, you know, the most possible work that I can in. So after that, you know, I can, you know, tell coach, okay, I'm free at one today or I'm free at five, you know, stuff like that so we can get calls in and make it easy. I talked to one of my Cowboy sources and he told me the one thing, you know, a lot of people are talking about the disadvantages of these virtual chats. They actually thought it was a positive because they're forced to rely on the tape. Do you want teams to rely on the tape or do you think that it's important for them to get to know you a little bit more? Are there things that perhaps you didn't put on tape that you wish that they would have more of a feel for during your pro days or at the combine?

No, absolutely. I would love to rely on my tape. I mean, that's your resume. You know, you work each and every moment that you're on the field to create a good resume. So absolutely, they can rely on my tape. Now, the one thing that I wish, you know, that I could show forth is my personal, like, character, seeing who I am as a person getting a firm handshake as soon as you meet me, and, you know, just laughing throughout, you know, the time that I was with each and every team. But, you know, the thing is, is, you know, these are crazy times. Nobody expected this. And, you know, you just got to adapt and you got to get over it and do the best you can to get the best work you can.

Now, you didn't get a pro day, but you did get to go to the combine. And I know you gained a lot of fans at the Senior Bowl. So, well, you didn't get the pro date. You did have the benefit of getting in the senior bowl and getting in some good reps there and getting to talk with teams there. How important do you think, especially now that you didn't get the prode, how important do you think it was for you to go to Mobile and participate there? I think I was blessed to go to Mobile and Indianapolis to have both of those opportunities to be evaluated, to talk to teams, to talk to coaches, to, you know, show my skill set as best I can. And I wanted to run better at the combine. I wanted to do just a little bit better.

But for the most part, I mean, to have two opportunities to show, you know, my talents is a blessing. And, you know, a lot of guys can't say that. A lot of guys, you know, lost a lot from not having a pro-day. And, you know, just to have an opportunity to prove myself and compete was, you know, the best opportunity possible. You've had the opportunity, obviously, going to Notre Dame to have, I would imagine, a relationship with someone like Jalen Smith, who's currently on the Cowboys roster. What has Jalen said to you about the league and things that you need to prepare yourself for that you weren't necessarily thinking you need to be prepared for? So I remember actually talking to Jalen as he came back to get his degree.

He was in the locker room one day. It was just me and him. And I was just picking his brain. I mean, obviously he's an all-pro talent. He's, you know, one of the catalysts for the Cowboys defense. So I just was kind of talking to him like, yeah, you know, I mean, I'm always working to be the best, you know. at the time my counterpart Julian Love was ready to enter the draft. And I was like, yeah, I mean, I'm trying to, you know, do my best to, you know, step into that role of Julian had.

He would always like, like he, he just, the first thing he said was, nah, you're trying to be better than him. You're trying to be, you know, you're trying to go a step above. And I was like, man, like, this dude, like, kind of barely knows me and is already, like, pushing me to, to be better than my own goals. And that's just the kind of person he was. That's what he did for the Notre Dame program. This was doing for the Dallas Cowboys organization. And, you know, those are the type of guys Notre Dame producers. And, you know, competitors, guys that want to win, and phenomenal athletes.

What would it mean to you to be on the defensive side of the ball with Jalen Smith on this Cowboys roster? Geez. So, like, watching his Notre Dame film is crazy because he was all around the field. So to be with a guy like that is just going to propel my game because, you know, he's attacking. He's going to, he's like trying to get the ball every single play. and, you know, for me to try to, you know, combat with him and go together with him, then it'll just be, you know, a dominant force of attacking the football, playing the football, and doing our job to make the defense better. Now, I know that you are a track star.

People look at the traits and go, man, a lot of athletic ability, you know, a rare, you know, set of skills for the position. But if a team were to look at you or an evaluator look at you, and go, man, yeah, we love the traits, but we don't know if he's the technician we want, or we don't know if he's the type of craftsman at the position that he needs to be at. I know that you train at Michael Johnson performance.

I got a chance to talk to you out there at Media Day, and I know you said it was important to you to go there and work with Clay Mack because, you know, you'd be able to really work on your technique and that was something that was important to you. How would you respond to that if teams were to ask you about that? If they were to say, look, we just, we don't know if technique-wise you're where we want you

to be yet. See, and that's the best part about it, because I'm not where I want to be, and I'm continuing to press towards the mark to hone in my technique, to have better press technique and be stronger at the catch point. And the thing is, my best football is light years ahead of me. So to just see the film that I have now and the things that I've done now is just, you know, a stepping stone to what I can truly do. And, you know, I'm working each and every day to get there. If it's 1% better each and every day, that's what I'm working towards.

And I'm going to get there. I mean, I strive to be great. I strive to be the best competitor and athlete I can. So I'm not going to stop. I'm never complacent. I'm not one of the hype guys. So shoot, I'm going to put my hard hat on,

go to work, and get better. That's what I do. I like to know people's why. Why do you want to do this and what motivates you to do this? So my first thing is I love the game. I love everything about it. You know, football gives you an opportunity to do so many special things,

give me a platform to affect lives and to be, you know, a person in the spotlight and just so many other things. But as well as like my love for football is, you know, my supporters. You know, my support system has gotten me here. They've, you know, been through long nights. They've been through long camps. They've, you know, seen the tears. they've heard the complaints, everything like.

So to prove them right to make sure that, you know, I set them up, you know, with a better life is something that I've always dreamed of. And I couldn't have even dreamt that I'll be in this position I am now. You know, they talk a lot during draft season about level of competition. Like that's something like a D2 player or, you know, and FCS level players always fighting against is, you know, okay, well, what was your competition level like? your film looks nice, but who were you doing it against?

You obviously get that benefit being, you know, at a bigger school and a more prestigious school. But there's another aspect of that, I think, for teams sometimes, which is the guys who played at the Notre Dame's or Clemson, which I know recruited you as well, and Ohio State and Miami and Texas and places like that. teams a lot of times feel like they're more prepared off the field too. They're more prepared for what the attention is like and what the spotlight is like than somebody who's playing at multi-directional

Montana state you know type of school. How much of a benefit do you think that is for somebody like you? Do you think you're better prepared to step in because you have played you know, primetime games on NBC against Georgia and you know, things like that? Do you think you're better prepared for the

the pressure that comes with being an NFL player because you played at such a prestigious school? So, I mean, truly I would say in my mindset, absolutely. Now, you know, when you get on the field, it's competing with anybody, you know, whatever level it is. So I wouldn't knock a D2 guy for their level of competition ever. You know, because if they're a competitor, they're competitive. Now, just for me specifically, I mean, I've seen T. Higgins.

I played them in 2018 college football playoffs. I've seen Michael Pittman. These are highly talented guys. I saw Austin Mac at the Senior Bowl. I saw Colin Johnson. So you're talking about prestigious schools and procedures individuals. I've seen, you know, the majority of them. Played Georgia in the prime time, played on NBC night games.

So, yeah, I absolutely know that I'm prepared. I know that, you know, adversity hits in those moments, and a lot of people may not be used to them, but I've seen it. I know how to battle back from it. I've done it all. I've been in for the long haul. You know, four years in Notre Dame will prepare you just about for anything.

So I'm absolutely ready. you go. Who's the best receiver in this year's class that you've gone up against? So, you know, Michael Pittman had a lot, like he was, he was very good, you know, just the numbers that he had, how he worked in the office, their spread system

was built on him, you know, producing. And I think when he came to South Bend, we did a fantastic job of, you know, creating a game plan that allowed us to very much yield him and hold him down. So I think he's probably one of the best. Obviously, I mentioned, T. Higgins earlier, another, you know, highly rated guy that we faced, and I think I fare well

against both of those guys in our matchups. I was going to say, we've sort of been talking to, just sort of getting to know you guys. I think we can read a lot about you guys. If we Google you, Troy, there's a lot of information, especially with Notre Dame that cranks out all sorts of media. What has been your guilty pleasure? You know, I know you guys are trying to stay disciplined and make sure you've got a regiment at home in the absence of these performance trainers, and nutritionist, what are you reaching for in those moments late at night in your cupboard that maybe you shouldn't be eating in preparation for the draft? I'll go ahead and I'll call out Carter Coughlin. He told us he's watching his movies with his family recently and he went to go

grab Lucky Charms and his brother made sure that it was a healthy milkshake. What have you found yourself sort of gravitating towards, especially because we're all sort of in quarantine and eating stuff we wouldn't normally eat? So for me, it's the veggie straws. like the little my kids love those listen the zesty ranch ones i can't i honestly can eat a whole bag and it's not like my best that's that's my that's my most honest truth i shouldn't but man like when i get to eating those things it's like golly like i can't put them down and i definitely can't put them up so that's turritos for me that's deritos for me i mean i feel like the veggie straws are actually not as bad as a whole bag of nacho cheese doritos but it's like once you start

you can't stop you cannot stop Now, Troy, we did talk to you a lot about Jalen and Cowboys and things like that. Have you gotten a chance to talk to them at all during this process, either at the Combine or for a video conference or anything like that? Yeah, so I've talked to, you know, just some of the personnel, Chris Hall. We had a long, you know, conversation just about character and stuff like that. And, you know, some of the coaches I saw, obviously some at the Senior Bowl and some at the Combine. So, I mean, it hasn't been like a full sit-down interview with Jerry Jones or Mike McArthur.

you, but the most part I've talked to a lot of the personnel, and I hope that they understand me. And I hope the background noise isn't too loud. No, no, no. You're good. Now, I think everybody is pretty impressed with how you handle yourself. That's one of the things you hear a lot when you talk to people is, you know, there is high character there with Troy Pride. So I'm sure everybody would like to get to know you a little bit better. So are you ready for some get to know your questions?

Absolutely. Yeah, let's see. All right. Cool. So what's the pregame hype song or pregame hype artist? What are you listening to to get ready? Well, geez, I have a whole, so I've created like multiple playlist for multiple situations. I've got like a loud playlist. But my hype, like my hype rapper is probably going to be like G. Airbo. He's from Chicago. Yeah. Yeah, that was K. Levin Chayson's guy too. Man, he, that dude, I mean, he can spit. He can spit some bars. He got the beats with it.

And shoot. Before a game, man, you're ready to go. I promise you that. Cheeziest title to a playlist. Okay, I have like an R&B kind of like buy playlist and it's called maxing and relaxing. Hi, that's not bad. So I'm a cheesy. Look, I have one for quarantine and I call it the ISO sound bath. So I'm not coming down. I'm just worried about it being in alphabetical order.

So I always just named my playlist like one, two, three because then I know. Because then I know I can get to it if it's because my kids have playlists on our Amazon music. Get out of here. And so like I got to be able to have mine at the top. So if it wasn't football that you'd be pursuing, I mean, you're, you're Notre Dame guy. That's a, you know, really good school. What would you be pursuing for a career? So I think I stay around the sport or just be in the sports world and try to be maybe a sports broadcaster or journal,

journalism, you know, of some, you know, regard because, I mean, I just love, you know, talking about, being around and having an opportunity to be around sports. So I think I'll probably just go into broadcasting or journalism. If you could pick, let's say you could go in the first round and you'd have no ability to pick where you go. Obviously, you just get picked where you're picked in the first round. Or you go sometime on day three, but you get to pick the team that you go to. Which would you do?

So, I mean, it's truly, I'm going to be honest, It's been a dream of mine and my family's for me to go to the Cowboys. So, I mean, if I can pick that, I don't think that I would pass that up. I mean, first round is fine. But, you know, once you get a year, three, year four, all the money's the same. Yeah, yeah, there you go. That's good. So if you were to pick somebody, this is always one that I know takes guys a little second

to figure out who they'd pick. But if you were to pick somebody to run like a Kevin Durant style burner, account for you. So they'd pick off all your trolls who are coming at you. It can be somebody real or fictional, dead or alive. I always default to Eric Cartman from South Park as my guy to run it. So who would you pick to run your burner account for you? Probably Rick from Rick and Morty. That's a good one. I have not gotten that one yet. Usually, yeah, we get the Eric Cartman or lately we've been getting a lot of Riley Freeman from the boondocks. He'd be a great choice too. He would. He did. He did. He did.

He takes some people down. What would you say is your best, like, quarantine Netflix recommendation right now? So if you haven't seen Money Heist, you should absolutely jump on Money Heise. We've heard this. It's a great show. Let me give you something a little less common. I've got a whole list, truly, on my phone. So, like, movies-wise, I would say if you haven't seen, would you rather, you need to check it out.

Okay. Okay. We saw last night, wife and I watched sleeping with other people, which is about a five-year-old rom-com with Jason Siddakis and Allison Bree. Really good. Everybody should check it out, I think. Now, now, I just want to warn you, would you rather, is a little scary? Like, it'll be a little intense. I'm good. I mean, I can't. Go ahead. I think I'll be good. Now, have you gotten a chance to watch Tiger King yet? Absolutely. Okay. So, Jane, you know, Jane's always got asked. the guys the question if they've watched Tiger King. Did Carol Baskin feed her husband to the Tigers? Okay. Yes.

Why? Because I think that he was ready to move on. I think that she was going to see that he was going to leave her with nothing again. She had been abused before. So she wasn't ready for that life again, especially with no money. So I think that, you know, it happened. It was a heated argument. She maybe hit him or something.

Yeah. He passed out. She panicked. and she cut him up and threw him over. Troy has really, this is why you're going to be a good journalist when you decide to leave football. I heard you say journalism.

He's asking the who, what, when, where, why, and how, Bobby. Yeah, this is a cerebral Notre Dame guy. He knows what he's doing. He's got it all figured. And remember the sardine oil. She mentioned, if I wanted to feed somebody to a tiger, you got to rub them up in sardine oil.

It's like, okay, well, how do you know that? Exactly. And then the fact that she was like, after the interviews and such trying to like redirect, trying to direct the attention. He has dementia. All that stuff is like pushing them off the trail. Yeah, yeah.

We're all with you. Troy's on to you, Carol. Troy's coming for Carol Baskin when he becomes an investigative journalist. Troy, I've got one question for you before we wrap you up. You said you've talked to the Cowboys, you know, Chris Hall, long convo about character. What have been some of the more meaningful conversations you've had with teams? In other words, teams that you feel have really bought in and you've talked to

multiple times? You know, there's teams that I've talked to, you know, via FaceTime that have, you know, had me reiterate like a defensive scheme to them or a specific call, which is probably one of the more meaningful things. Like, just for you to understand my football knowledge and see how much that I truly know is interesting to see. And, you know, it kind of creates like that bond between like a coach and player. It's like, okay, he just told me all this information.

How much of that can I recite back to him and teach him? So it just goes to, you know, how much I can learn, how much I know and, you know, my intelligence in the game, picking up a system, you know, quickly, especially with, you know, the quarantine now, like if we can't go to OTAs or if we can't, you know, meet face-to-face, you know, I'm going to have to learn a whole system through FaceTime or iPads and stuff like that. So if you know that, if you have that, then that's very meaningful. What are some of the organizations, would you say you've had conversations like that with? So I've talked to the Tennessee Titans, the Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots.

Let me see. I don't want to forget anybody. Just, I mean, for the most part of those teams, especially the Kambon. I sat down with Denver Broncos and had a formal meeting with them as well as the Vikings. And it's been interesting, you know, just to see everybody because of the Senior Bowl, I can't even remember how many teams I literally sat down with and just talked football. Carolina Panthers, all those teams specifically. So I was like to wrap up by asking guys because, you know, football's a big part, obviously, but you're a person outside of this.

So what is it you want people to remember about you? What's the impression you want to leave with people outside of the game of football? That I'm unique, that I'm, you know, obviously not just a football player. Now, I love football and that's what I do, but I'm a unique individual. I do a lot of different things. I've got a lot of good different interests. And that, you know, I'm one of the most unique people that you're probably me, just, you know, from a wide array of like reading books.

You know, I'm reading right now. I've obviously got my Netflix suggestions. I'm a very big psychological thriller movie watcher. And, you know, I'm a fun guy. So not to take anything from Kauai. I was about to say, I was really, I was waiting for the, I was waiting for the, I was waiting for the Kauai laugh. I didn't get it.

I was seeing it from you to go that way. I need to know the three book recommendations, the Troy Pride Book Club. Okay. So I've got, I've got, now this is my number one recommendation. It's actually right here, relentless. You haven't read relentless is, it's the real deal. Now, I've been also reading on this professional real estate development. That's just like something like a little like for later on maybe, you know, getting into real estate.

And then, you know, my daily devotional uncommon is actually right here as well. Tony Dungey. There you go. Just kind of going through, you know, life and life with football, life with religion, life with God, everything like that. So, yeah, this is kind of my workspace. So that's why I have them, like, very accessible. There you go, Troy.

That's my book recommendation, the challenger sale. So, so you'll, yeah, you'll have to check that out. The Challenger sale by Matthew Dickinson or Dixon and Brent Adamson. And I know, yeah, Jane's got her books. So now Jane, yeah, we've got to get the Jane Book Club recommendation. All right. I'm all about the secret, the magic. your thoughts become reality.

So you want to read this? It helps you train your brain every day when you wake up. So the magic. Big, big fan. Rhonda Byrne. Rhonda Byrne. That was an Oprah book club. Oh, see, there you go.

See, and Relateless is very similar to that. It's like training your mind. The books are going from good to grade to unstoppable. And it's basically like training your mind in competition to be the best. And after like, it's like Kobe. story, Michael Jordan story, Duane Wade story, all that, like, encompass through, like, the trainer

Tim Grover. Listen, speaking of that, the other one that NFL coaches have made me read, and I love it, is The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday. Okay. You are not going to, if you like that stuff about people who have gone from good to great or used adversity to propel themselves to the next stop, Ryan Holiday,

big fan. Yeah, so there we go. So for book club recommendations, Netflix recommendations, football investigative journalism into crazy lion ladies in Florida. You can get all of it at Troy Pride's Twitter at Troy Pride 18. Troy, we appreciate your man. And good luck. Thank you very much. Joining us now is Boise State Defensive End, Curtis Weaver,

one of the most prolific pass rushers in the country. You can follow him on Twitter at Curtis Weaver 99. Curtis, how you doing, ma'am? I'm doing great. How about you guys? Doing great. You know, I just mentioned there the, you know, you kind of bursting onto the scene at Boise. You had 11 sacks when you were a freshman.

You put up incredible numbers there for your three years, all-time Mountain West Leader in Sacks, second all-time in Boise State history. And it was done in just those three years. You didn't even stay the full four. Do you think the national conversation about prospects in this year's draft is giving your resume enough respect? Do you think you're enough part of the discussion of the discussion of? some of the top edge rushers in the class? I always feel that.

It would be bad if I didn't feel that, generally speaking. But I feel like I'm the top pass, natural pass rusher in the draft. No disrespect to everybody else. And I feel like I'm up there with everybody and people are talking about me greatly. Some people don't have the same mindset and that's fine. That's what everybody has those people

that they have to prove wrong when they get to the next level, and I'm ready to do that. Now, you're a guy who, like everybody else, was getting, you know, like a lot of these other prospects, was getting a lot of attention, was planning on having a bunch of visits and meeting with teams, and then the coronavirus obviously struck and all those restrictions came into place. How has that changed for you in terms of, you know, meeting with teams,

and then also has a change for you in terms of trying to get your workouts in and stay prepared? Workouts haven't been an issue. I feel like that's all on you at the end of the day. We just have to go back to the old days and find your own place to work out. But for the teams, I just feel like talking to past players who are in the NFL now, it gives you a chance to show who you really are. Even after, like, the film session, the visit, when you go to dinner,

you can really show who you are. And they can see what kind of players are really drafting. And I feel like I'll wake up another plus from after my first impression with talking to them more, I feel like. So when you look at Boise State, you can't help but look at the fact that it's been a bit of a pipeline to the Cowboys. What is it with the Boise State connection of the Cowboys?

And how often do you stay in touch with guys like DeMarcus Lawrence, Orlando Scandrick, Lady Van Derrish? Yeah, yeah, you're good. It took me a while first time, too. but uh later was uh he was there when i was still in school so um with him was different and then uh with the marcus it was like um it wasn't there in the beginning but i did see him my first year um he was there with um supporting um the like the senior class but then he was

talking to him more i saw him um come through the facility picked his rain a little and then he was at my training facility or the place i was training at and then I'll go get, like, get some more info from him, but then this whole coronavirus thing came up, and then that was the end of that. But I have his contact. We're still talking, and it's going good with that. What kind of advice is Dela giving you about the league in the draft?

Because he keeps it real. Yeah, about the draft is just like he says, we know we're the underdogs coming out of Boise State. They're going to say we don't have the competition. So I always took that in the place like the underdog mentality and then just like it's different when you get up there like you have to be on your A game all the time like there's no days where you can like let me let me have average day today. It's bringing 100 every day and like you're really fighting. It's your job now and you're flying for more than that. And you are you know Dallas like Jane just kind of mentioned there. It's kind of funny. Boise State is like Dallas Cowboys Midwest. You know they've had. Tyrone Crawford, Orlando Scandrick, to Marcus Lawrence. They've got two of your teammates now there in Cedric Wilson and Leighton Vanderex. What is it you think about, not just that the Cowboys,

but what do you think it is about that the NFL has grown to admire about Boise as a program? It's not a Power 5 school, but it seems like the NFL really does love the culture there and the type of guys that are coming out of that school. What do you think it is about the program that draws the NFL to it? I feel like it's the winning tradition and that Boise State, with the success they have in the NFL, they know that they're doing the right thing when we go through the whole process of three to four years there, maybe five. But also that winning tradition, like when you look at teams, the number one goal is to get to that Super Bowl and win, and we won championships in the past.

So, like, I tell teams, like, they ask, like, what is the most memorable thing at Boise State. and I said win the championship that I helped lead over the past year. Like when we lost the one in 2018, that was heartbreaking because like we feel like when we losing Boise, like one game even is like the end of the world and it's way different from the NFL from losing one game. But the winning tradition is a big thing for, I feel like, for Boise State. You were mostly a, obviously a stand-up edge rusher at Boise State. How comfortable are you with kind of playing with your hand in the dirt and

and have some of these four, three teams talk to you about, you know, or expressed any reservations, I guess, about, well, we don't know if you're the type of guy that we can put in the ground, you know, play down. What would you say to that and you're comfortable, your level of comfortability playing with your hand on the ground? It was, after the season, to be 100%, it wasn't there. Never played. I probably played probably a couple games with my hands in the dirt.

And I was in a four-eye. I was in a four with two hands in it there instead of one. And then, but going with Coach Tuck over this, like the last three months, him helping me with my three-point stance, getting the bases down, getting the basic tools down. So I can be ready for it all times. I thank him for that. But also, I'm ready for it.

That's what they need. That's what they need. Teams have told me about it. But most teams talk to me about the stand at the end. Teams are converting to it. I know you got a chance to, you had mentioned it at your combine presser that you did get to have a formal with the Cowboys. Talk about how that meeting went. And then also, what did they express to you that they saw you as?

Did they talk to you about they wanted you to put your hand into the dirt or did they see you as more of a stand-up guy? We did, the first thing that came out there was like, what do you know about the Dallas Cowboys? I told them about the pipeline. And that was the last of the day. And then we watched film. We really talk about my position there. We talked about what I have to do better. They helped me constructive criticism.

I appreciate them for that. And we didn't really get into my position, though. Do you think that that is something, though, at the next level that if you were to end up with a team like Dallas, that you talked about how much you've improved working with, as you mentioned, Tucker, who's Brandon Tucker, the defensive line trainer out at Exos in Frisco.

Yeah. Do you feel like you're comfortable enough there and that you've reached a level now that if you were to end up in Dallas that you'd feel good about being down and on the edge with them and play an opposite of a DeMarcus Lawrence or something like that?

Yep, I feel comfortable. At the end of the day, you got to adjust to your environment and if I have to do it, I got to do it. I'm trying to play on Sundays. I'm trying to get on the field and it's by any means. We know one of the most popular questions guys get from NFL front offices and personnel departments is asking them, why do you love football? And it allows guys to kind of explore their passion for the game.

So what's been your answer when teams have been asking you? Curtis, why do you love football? Why do you want to be in the NFL? I feel like you just said, the passion level, everyone has that question or that answer. I'm sorry. but I feel like for me is also it brings me to like a different state of mind like football like coming from back home

it took me out of situations I didn't want to be in stuff like that thing I talked to a couple players with the exact same like mindset it gives us something else to look forward to in life and when we're in football when we're between the lines that's all we have we don't have to worry about nothing outside

we don't got to worry about like what's happening at home when you're in the moment, you're in the moment. You know, defensive end is oftentimes, or the edge rusher in general, is one of those positions that has one of the steeper learning curves from college to the pros. Guys just sometimes take a few years to develop at the next level. There's a lot more technique involved

and, you know, some of the schematics of scheming up rushes with twists and things like that are just different than what you do at college sometimes. What part of your game, though, do you think is the most polished and pro-ready aspect? I feel like I would At the beginning

at the end of the season I probably would have said Football Intelligence but when you get to the NFL is way higher than college and learning of course but I feel like

just my natural passures facility my get off gets me like gets me good on the field and then

just the natural feel of the game I feel like you know we've mentioned that you talked to the Cowboys a little bit but who are some of the other teams that you've had

conversations with and you felt like you had a good connection with, you know, whether it be over these FaceTime chats or otherwise? Oh, yeah, I get that question a lot. I talk to most, I feel like almost all 32 teams, probably mine is like

four. I feel like everyone is coming back with good vibes. Good, everybody's talking good about it. They see, they just give me good constructive criticism at the end of meeting. And then no one's like, I didn't feel nothing bad between people, I feel like, if that makes any

Absolutely. What's the thing, one thing you regret about your college career? Probably not eating right. I learned that through exos. They helped me eat right. Nutrition, this was great. Noel, working out differently to train like a pro. But really, eating right, like in college, we're here,

we're quick to get the fast, teaching fast food meal. But it's like taking care of your body is what I learned. And when you take care of your body, I feel like that's good. Listen, I'm going to share a deep and dark secret with you when I'm at the Star facility in Frisco, which I'm there a lot. And I have those emotionally taxing days. There is a McDonald's on my drive home. I don't share this with many people, but sometimes I order two cheeseburgers, no undueuxing.

a large fry and a large soda. And because of quarantine, I haven't been able to do such an act in about four weeks. And it is wild. What happens to your body when you feed it actually nutrients within your home? Now, with that being said, I have turned to a lunchable or a lean cuisine microwave dinner of sorts. But I'm picking, man.

Like, if I look back on times pre-quarantine and in quarantine, I too want to eat better. So I appreciate you sharing that. with us? Always. No, yeah. McDonald's was probably my go-to place and not eating it for three months was probably the most. But I'd learned to have a lot of self-discipline, so I was good. But that first like two weeks passing it by going to stores and stuff, I was like, oh, this is different. It's rough. It's like the golden bun or something. There's just, there's something to a McDonald's cheeseburger. I'm thinking about it right now. I might break quarantine, God forbid. Get in my call.

put on a mask and go get a two cheeseburger mill. That's a thanks a lot, Weaver. That's what a favor and all those other things are for. Not as fresh, Bobby. No, that's not as fresh. There is that. I actually, uh, I don't have the, uh, the package with me to show up to the camera right now, but I did get Chick-fil-A delivered from Grubhub this morning.

So I was able to get access to Chick-fil-A. Has that, I guess for that for quarantine, has that maybe been the biggest challenge for you, is being able to eat the way that you got used to when you were training at Exos? No. Ron, like I said, great agent. He set us up to have our proper meals still. I mean Ezra out here in Boise.

So we just pick up like, don't tell the police, but we leave our house. And then what's that? We pick it up and the company keeps in the back of the door, at the back of their store. and like a little cooler. Oh, good. And then we just pick it up and then we leave.

We don't make no contact with nobody. And then we go on with our day. What is the most important thing when you talk to teams, what's the most important thing that you want teams to come away with when they speak with you? To be honest, just know I'm a loyalty guy. I'm all about the team. That's how I was at Boise State.

I'm only the winning is like the number one thing on my mind never really like I'm not getting my stats this game blah blah things like that I'm here for the winning for winning and that's what I really want to take away from it well you will certainly hear Curtis Weaver's name called earlier in the draft next week and who knows maybe he ends up with a star on his helmet and continues that voice of pipeline You can follow him on Twitter at Curtis Weaver 99. Curtis, we appreciate you so much, man. Good luck. I appreciate you guys.

Thank you. And before we let you go, a quick shout out to Kristen Belt, your lovely wife, Bobby, who just celebrated a birthday and God bless her homeschooling all your kids, putting up with you and, you know, everything that comes with that. I mean, that's, that's enough. As you've seen, I can be a handful. Jane loves me, but Jane also knows I can be a bit much. and Kristen has to live with that.

And so, yeah, happy 19th birthday, honey. And, uh, smart, man. And before we let you go, I was impressed with the creativity that came with your birthday present. Now, full disclosure, I have been approached by Cameo.

Man, this is a humble brag episode. You are. I am famous. I am rich. I got all these awesome places, right? But I have been approached from, uh, Camio. It's a,

if you're not familiar, if it's a service, which is super cool. Yeah. You record a personalized video and you pay X amount of dollars based on who the person is and they can use it for their birthday, whatever. And I does do this once for a friend for his birthday. And I swear to God, it was like the best gift you ever got.

So I get it. I just felt like if somebody wants me to do a hype video free and I mean this, just at me, Jane Slater. I'll film you a hype video. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Jane does daily hype videos for me. I ask her all the time.

She's like, you did a hype video for your wife. Who did you pay on cameo? I just, so I like, I mean, we have the three kids. And so I just got three cameo shoutouts. So, so I got what I got the dad from Speechless, which is her current favorite show. And then then her favorite teenage show, which was Drake and Josh. I got Drake, whatever his name is.

Like Drake Bell. Is that it, I think? And then, uh, her, her favorite childhood show, which was, um, Boy Meets World. We got Mr. Feeney. So, yeah, we, we got three video shoutouts as, as from the three. kids and so it was nice she she was happy with it and you know i didn't tell her it was cameo i just sort of like hey these are my friends and you know they did me a solid i didn't say all right your top three cameos who would it who would you want them from bobby um i would want it from taril owens

because tarolowans is is one of my all-time favorites i'd want it from bill hater because bill Hater is hilarious and one of my favorites. And then, I don't know. I probably want the last one from Matt Healy, our lead singer from the 1975. Wasn't as oppressed with him in person when we went and saw him on it. But then you still got the, then you still got the photo with him and you swooned a little, even though you were bitter during the actual performance.

That is true. I want Morgan Freeman. I want him to narrate a mini bioavre. my life. That's one cameo. Jane Slater is rich and famous and goes to Nuffin Sams. And claims her bourgeoisie. Brad Pitt.

Just because you'd want to look at him. You'd want to hear him saying your name. I'd want him to talk about my life, like the curious case of Benjamin Button. So I'd want to give me a cameo in reverse. That'd be cool. Yeah. See, I've given a lot of thought to this. And I'm obsessed with Sarah Foster right now. I don't know if you've watched her on Instagram or Twitter.

just do yourself a fader. I'll look at up. Oh, no, no, wait. I want to adjust it instead of the first one, T.O. who I love T.O. But just because I'd want, I'd want, what the heck was his name? Why am I blanking on it? My tiger king. I want the tiger king.

That's all he is to me. He's the king. You're amazing. You're amazing. To our fans, you keep tuning in. Thank you. Do us a favor. Like us, subscribe us, and we'll keep bringing you fire content in isolation. You're so woke, Bobby. I am. That's what I'm here for.

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