The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Richard Sherman Podcast - NFL Draft reaction: 49ers & Seahawks, Caleb Williams to Bears, Falcons take Penix?

Episode Date: April 29, 2024

Richard Sherman reacts to the 2024 NFL Draft. Richard breaks down the Atlanta Falcons making the most surprising pick of the weekend by drafting Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall after signing Kirk Cousins to a huge contract, the Chicago Bears' future after drafting Caleb Williams & Rome Odunze, and of course the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks' draft nights. Richard also rants about the banning of the hip-drop tackle and thanks the fans after hitting 100,000 YouTube subscribers! 3:15 - Falcons surprise with Penix Jr. pick 8:15 - Bears land Caleb & Odunze 14:20 - Hip-drop ban & offense-heavy NFL Draft 22:00 - Seattle Seahawks draft 31:30 - San Francisco 49ers draft 36:30 - Lions making noise (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #volume #herdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You don't. Super Bowl. Championship. That should always be the expectation. All right, man. That's going on here. Welcome back to the Richard Sherman podcast. We're back at it again.

The draft has happened. Mitchell, Caleb Williams went number one, probably one of the least eventful drafts in a long time. I think this one went just about as everyone predicted outside of one pick. What did you think? Your Detroit Lions got better. I loved it, Rich. Well, first off,

The NFL drafts my Christmas, right? I love this. This is my national holiday. And it was in my home city, Detroit. And Richard, the Detroiters showed up, broke the record 700,000 plus. If there was ever a discussion to be had about whether this city is a sports town and whether this is a football city, you're damn right it is. And Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes has got the Detroit fan base abuzz, Richard.

there was a little bit of drama, and I think we just jump right into it. The first five, six, seven picks, and nothing too wild and crazy, but then we get to Atlanta, and we get to number eight, and Michael Pennix goes off the board, and there's a bit of head scratching going on.

Richard, if you're the Atlanta Falcons, why do you do this? Well, you do it for the future, Mitchell. You do it because you assume, and this is what I had to think about, because I didn't like it initially. I liked Michael Pennix going in that spot because I think he was a really good player this year.

He's a generational talent. I thought he could have went top five with those other guys. But what I really started to dissect it and really think about it, I thought, hmm, maybe it's because they expect to be better with Kirk Cousins. So they don't expect to be picking in the top 10 of the draft anytime soon again, which makes sense. So if you don't expect to be picking in the top 10 and you expect to have some kind of semblance of success, then you're probably picking 17 through 25. You know, maybe you make a playoff. You know, this division has historically underwhelmed. So maybe you expect to make the playoffs the next couple of years. So you won't be picking early. So then once Kirk is done or you feel like he's done, you won't necessarily have the firepower, the draft capital to get a guy that you're going to, that you're going to be picking early. So then once Kirk is done, you feel like he's done, you won't necessarily have the firepower, the draft capital to get a guy that you. you potentially want. So that makes sense in that that way, but in terms of an immediate need, it didn't make a ton of sense at all. But when I thought about it in terms of the future,

hey, this is technically really just a two-year, $100 million deal. He plays two years. You feel good or you feel however you do about him. Then you start to move on and start to move to the younger guy in Pinnock and start to think about the future. Now, if Kirk is playing out of his mind, start to look like a really bad pick later on the later it goes. But I think that's what they're thinking. I think that's what Terry Fontenow is thinking when he drafted. It's just wild, though, Rich. I mean, from the player perspective side of things,

Kirk Cousins had no idea when he was signing with Atlanta that this is a route that they were going to take. And you wonder if he might have changed his mindset about going to Atlanta in the first place if he knew this. How would you feel if you were Kirk, Rich? I'd feel pretty good, Mitchell. I got $100 million guaranteed, Mitchell. I'm coming off in Achilles surgery.

You don't really know how that's going to go. That leaves a lot of doubt in your mind. I think he's feeling pretty good. I don't think he's worried about it at all. I think he's more caught up by surprise because it's just a weird deal. You know, I don't think he's sitting there like, man, I'm going to be in a position battle with a rookie. Mitchell, they're not sitting $50 million a year on the bench. They're not.

I don't know what world we're living in, but we're not living in that one. So I don't think he's worried about his job. Now, in the future, could something happen? Does this make it a little bit of murkier after the guaranteed money is gone? No question about it. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Well, the other layer of this, Rich, when Rahim Morris was at his post-draft press conference, he talked about the Green Bay model and what Jordan Love has become.

You know, they sat him behind Aaron Rogers for three years and he jumps in and really came on late in the year and makes Green Bay look like a force to be reckoned worth going forward. But Jordan Love is 21 when he got drafted. Michael Penix is going to turn 24 here soon. You know, if they sit him for two, three years, now all of a sudden he's approaching 26, 27, 28.

You know, the question now becomes, does Michael Pennix want to be here? Richard, you think it's going to be two years and Kirk Cousins is out. Is that your prediction going forward? I feel like that has to be the plan. Otherwise, this pick looks really like a head scratcher. Now, when you talk about the Green Bay model,

the reason why this steel looks odd, even in comparison to that is because those picks that they pick, even Aaron Rogers was what, the 24th pick? Like, Jordan Love is the 26th pick. That makes sense when you're talking about sitting a guy. But when you're talking about a top 10 pick, it's happened before. You know, I was on the show earlier today,

and Kishon brought something to my attention. Carson Palmer set behind Ketna, which was weird because he was the number one pick. Patrick Mahone sat behind Alex Smith. It's happened. It just seems odd to use that draft capital when you have other needs. But like I said before,

maybe they're expecting that they're not going to be picking this high again in the future. So, okay. You think Kirk's only going to last a couple more year. You're drafting for the future. I got that, but it doesn't help you in the present. Well, one of the guys that passed up on was Roma Dunzee, who I know plays up in your part of the country, Rich.

This guy was a baller. I mean, I watched him a few times. I saw him come to Spartan Stadium and absolutely whoop on Michigan State. And he's one of these guys. He's got a little bit of Debo in him. He can stretch the field. Richard, the Bears killed this draft. And I'm not going to lie to you.

I'm a little nervous about them being in the Detroit Lions division. They go and grab Caleb Williams, followed by Roma Dunzee, followed by the offensive tackle out of Yale. They get the Hall of Fame future punter from Iowa, who everyone in Iowa country loves. Richard, what are your expectations for this Chicago Bears team? Because it seems like they have just totally resurged over the last year and a half. The trade from last year when they moved out of the one spot and we're able to acquire, you know, multiple draft picks in exchange for Bryce Young is paying. huge dividends. Richard, do the Bears have a shot at making the playoffs this year? I mean, you can say that. I give them a puncher's chance. You know, it's a tough division.

I think Green Bay is going to be really good. Obviously, your Detroit Lions are going to be really good. Minnesota will have a young quarterback that needs to adjust, but they still have Justin Jefferson. They still have Kevin O'Connell at the helm. I think they'll still be a formidable opponent. So I don't think Chicago is making the playoffs. Now, they'll show me. more promise than they have, no question. I think Caleb Williams will go through the learning curve. He has great receiving corps now to help him. But there's so many concerns on that offensive line.

There's a reason Justin Fields was under pressure all the time last year. Now, they've addressed some of those needs, but you've got to see it happen. I have to see it. They have Keenan Allen now. They have DJ Moore. They have Roma Dunsay. So he has the weapons that you would think would help a really young quarterback have a lot of success early on, but it's still a tough division. They'll still have to

get through the learning curves, the growing pains of a rookie quarterback. He plays a very unorthodox way. A lot of off-schedged throws is what he succeeded in in college. And you're not necessarily going to live like that in a national footballing. Maybe he will. Maybe I'll sound crazy in the middle of the year and he's off-sched schedule every game and they're freaking undefeated. You know, maybe I could be wrong. Their defense played pretty well last year. They paid some guys at key positions. They got the pass rusher. They paid the corner.

They have good safeties. I think they'll be fine in that regard. But I don't see them winning this division and giving you guys problems. You guys have built a very strong roster, continue to build a strong roster, bringing back a lot of the guys. Ben Johnson still running the offense. Like, there's some continuity there. And you've got to give credit where credits do.

They went to the NFC championship and they didn't stumble there. They didn't luck their way into it. They had a good chance to win it. but we're not going to go back down that alley. Shit. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.

It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need. to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying 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.

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 Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, 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 podcast or wherever you get your podcasts well Mitchell Mitchell they don't want you

to play defense anymore Mitchell that's why the draft went the way it went 14 straight offensive players Mitchell it's never been done 14 straight offensive players everybody's asked him. Why is the 14 straight offensive players drafted? That's just how it fell. No, it's because they don't want the guys to play defense this year. They don't want them to tackle. They don't want you to hit them low high. They don't want you to hit them low. They don't want to tackle them from the side. They don't want you to pull them down and drop your weight. Well, for people who don't play football and never have, it makes sense. The rule makes sense. It's like, oh, all you got to do is just not drop your weight when you're trying to tackle the guy. Like, what is that? It's not

that hard. It's like, I could do that. Well, first off, you couldn't play an NFL. That much is clear because you're doing it from your couch. So you stay out of this. You let the guys that played full speed in the NFL tell you how difficult this is, this task is. I'm not going to let you who has not played. I'm not going to tell a doctor, man, surgery doesn't look that hard. That looks pretty easy. You just cut, you scalpel, you're opening this up, you're so that. Like, why do you have to go to school for it? Because it's, just because it looks easy, doesn't mean it is easy. So the plays that they're talking about, like the Mark Andrews play, Mitchell, when you're out there, there are very few times that you can sit there and say,

hey, I'm thinking about whether I can injure a guy or whether somebody's going to get hurt on this play, especially when it's first down, touchdown kind of situations where it's bang, bang. Like, if you're a corner and I'm in cover two, they throw it to the tight end and the flat his backs to me. I can make a conscientious decision when I can shoot my gun, especially if I triggered fast enough. I read it early. I can trigger and I can probably. tear in ACL if I want to. I can probably do that. I can I can slice at his knee before he turns

his head and his knee will be in the ground and I can probably enter him. If I really wanted to, I could probably do it, but never and I never do that. You know what I mean? I usually, even if it's push comes and it's a shove and it may be a first down or usually it's not because it's only a two, three yard route, but I usually let the guy get his head around and most corners do. They get the head around. The tidy and sees them, you know, it just, you know, you cut under them. they fall over you, et cetera, et cetera. But plays like this, you're not always in control. You're not always, especially when it's really strong.

It's Derek Henry. It's these really strong backs that have lower bodies where they squatting 600 pounds, these tidings that are 265, 270 pounds, 6-4, 6-5. Like, they're really strong. So when you're sitting there trying to bring them down, it's not like you're making a conscientious decision like, hmm, I'm going to use this kind of tackle, or use this kind of tackle,

or I'm just going to grab him this way. It's like, hey, I'm trying to get this dude to the ground as fast as I can before he gets the first down. That's all I'm thinking about. So when you grab them and you wrap them up and they start dragging and they continue to run their legs because they're trying to get more yards, trying to get the first down, you don't have the luxury to say, hmm, let me not drop my weight right now. Because some of the guys, the weight is only 180 pounds, Mitchell, they squat 600. So if you're telling me they just have to drag 180 pounds, they're happy to do so. even if you drop your weight. So you're not sitting there saying,

hey, let me aim at his legs. I'm going to wrap him up. Where are his legs at? Let me drop my weight on those. Like, you're just trying to drop to the ground as fast as you can because you want to get him down as fast as you can. And these are the same fans that will be sitting there saying their player didn't give enough effort

when these guys are scoring touchdowns and breaking tackles. You're going to be sitting there like, well, why didn't he just bring him down? Well, because every rule says he can't. You can't tackle him high. You can't bludgeon him. You can't horse collar them, which is a much easier call, much different. You can feel the back of somebody's horse collar, the back of the jersey.

You can feel that when you're doing that. You can say, hey, I know I'm hanging off on the back of them. I'm plumbing them back. That feels different. But when I'm wrapping them up around the waist, I can't feel when I'm about to fall on their legs because I don't know where their legs are. I don't know where they're going to be. They could be cutting.

They could be swinging. They could be spinning. They could be doing a lot. And it's happening a lot faster than it seems like it's happening. on your television screen. So I'm not a big fan of this rule. I've said this the whole time. I think it's going to be odd.

They're saying it's only one or two plays a game, but that's all it has to be. For you to keep fining guys, and a lot of times it's going to be fines. It's majority of the fines and the penalties are happening to defensive players. So you're discouraging guys from making these kind of tackles.

You're discouraging guys from playing the game the way it has been played. And so when you're seeing, guys break tackles and offense scoring more points. You're like, man, defense has just gotten worse. They got away from the fundamentals. No, the fundamentals have changed fundamentally. Like the game is changing fundamentally.

Mitchell, I'm with you, Rich. I think we're going to see a little bit of little giants out there, man, when spikes, dragging the kids all over the yard, you know. Richard, I'm 100% with you because it's instinctive. You're taught to bring the player to the ground. I understand the horse collar. I get that one 100%. That's completely avoidable.

But this one, Rich, especially when D.Bs are trying to tackle tight ends, good luck. But this is the ultimate CYA by the league, right? Because NFLPA all unanimously voted against it. And this is just a situation where it's coming after player safety. It is player safety at the end of the day. I mean, these tackles, they contribute to a lot of leg injuries. But Richard, how the heck else are you supposed to? to play the game to your point.

At some point, you got to draw the line. It's a dangerous game. It's an inherently dangerous game. And every player that plays it understands it. Now, there are things like we just talked about. The plays when you're in the flats and you're doing this and you're doing that. Can some injuries be avoided? No question. Did they take the horse

collar out the game and make that right decision? No question. That was a right decision. The helmet to helmet stuff because of the concussions, right decision. But this, this isn't as clear cut as any of those other things, any of those other rules. This is a cloudy rule that you don't really know how to enforce because you're going to have to slow it down to understand it. You're not just going to see,

oh, man, did a player get injured? Okay, let's call the flag. Let's throw the flag because the player got injured. If you call a flag on every play, a player gets injured, you're going to be calling a dangar every play because it's no, this is a dangerous sport. To tackle a human being, you're risking injuring them because it's two human bodies aren't made to collide. They're not made to to tackle one another. We're not built to do what is happening on the football field during these times. So you're always going to have injuries. This, I don't think, is going to help with that. You're not going to help limit these injuries. It's like trying to plug holes in a wall, Mitchell, that you know what I mean? You push your finger somewhere else. You're putting pressure somewhere else.

The water's going to come from somewhere else. You put another pressure. Water's going to come from somewhere else. It's just going to lead to more unintended consequences, just like these other rules have. you're not going to save this game and save injuries like this. You're just going to lead to other injuries. Like, that's why people are like, why are hamstrings up? And why are Achilles injuries and calf injuries? And why are this is a, why are ACLs up, broken legs, broken ankles, broken fibulous. It's because you made other, you made other things impossible.

So now they have to find different ways to bring guys down. We shall see. We shall see. We're going to go to Seattle next. Before we turn the page to Seattle, Richard, we would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge what we received in the mail, man. This is a historic moment for the Richard Sherman podcast, and we would not be here without the support of you guys. You know, we stay in touch with you guys in the comments section. We appreciate the support.

We're going to fire it up so aggressively this upcoming season. Richard, you got to show off the hardware that we received. Well, we want to say thank you to all. of our subscribers out here. You could be anywhere in the world. You can subscribe to any channel, but you chose to be here with us. We sincerely appreciate it. You helped us get this amazing plaque that, if it would show, shows that we got... Beautiful, man. Over 100,000 followers, subscribers to the Richard Sherman podcast. Oh, it's a beautiful. It's a beautiful thing. And I love it. And I'm so grateful for you guys. We wouldn't be here without you. The comment

section is always so encouraging, so polite, so positive, and that's what we want to. We're going to have a positive, encouraging environment, and you guys help us do that. You guys are the energy, the lifeblood. We appreciate you. Thank you. Richard, you are a goal-oriented individual. What is the goal for the Richard Sherman podcast at this point next year? Are we hitting 200? Are we hitting 250? What are we doing? What's the goal? Mitchell, we got to go 100,000 at a time. Hopefully we go to 200. If we do anything other than that, Metro is icing on the cake and we're grateful for it.

But right now we're 200,000 is our goal. But we're not going to forget about the first 100,000. We're not going to forget about the first thousand. You guys are the reason we're here. And we're going to keep making good, good, good videos, good content for you. Thank you. Thank you. Richard, the Seattle Seahawks.

They went defensive tackle, Byron Murphy, you know, this kind of, you expected them to go defense. You just brought in a coach that's an aggressive, you know, defensive background. He's ready to rock and roll there. Byron Murphy to the Seattle Seahawks. What do you think of the pick? Well, I think it's a good pick. I think it's a great value pick.

I think he could have been a top 10 pick if he would have went to Chicago, if he would have went to Atlanta. Nobody would have batted an eyelash at it. They would have said that's a quality pick. He was still there when they picked, had their pick. the only thing I question is they've spent so much on the defensive line over the last couple of years. So that's an embarrassment of riches, and you have to see this production. Obviously, Mike McDonald's coming in.

He had Justin Metabike last year had a phenomenal season with 13 sacked. He's expecting this kid to come in and play that role for him. But you still got guys like Leonard Williams, you know, Leonard Williams is going to come in and make an impact. they've spent a lot of money. Drey Martin Jones. They gave a big contract, I think 17 million a year too. So you're spending a lot of money on this D-line.

And then you got young guys, Boyet Maffa. You got young guys that have gotten to the quarterback pretty consistently. So I'm just hoping it all pays off because that's where they've invested a lot. And that's where you win this league. You get a lot of pressure.

You get a lot of pressure on the quarterback. You stop the run. You win a lot of ball games. And then they got some help on the offensive line another hole that was filled with the potential day one starter at guard. I think that's a really good pick. I think this has been a quality offseason for the Seattle Seahawks from the picking the coach. You know, I wasn't happy with the changing of the guard, what they did with Pete.

But it is what it is. You know, Mike is making some changes. You know, they poked fun because they removed a hallway worth of pictures on your way to the meeting rooms that the players have to see every day. I guess they didn't want them seeing our ugly mugs up there all the time, you know, making history for Seattle. But when you do that, you just got to win. You got to hang up banners yourself. You got to make memories yourself. You know, you can't be sitting up there putting participation trophies up and replacing, you know, Super Bowl, all pros, you know.

And I think they'll have that. They got guys that they believe in. They got assist them. I think Mike McDonald's is one of the smartest defensive coaches in football right now, one of the greatest minds and everything that I'm hearing in the building is that the guys are receiving him well. He's running things different. He's running a very tight ship, but the enthusiasm, the attention of detail is there. The players respect him. They're excited to play for him. I'm interested to see what Grub does on the offensive side of the football. You know,

Gino can get the job done. They needed some help on the offensive line. They needed to get healthy at the tackles between Abe Lucas and Charles Cross, and I think those guys will come in healthy. I think they are, those are foundational pieces. I don't expect them to go anywhere. I think they'll have great seasons in year three. I think Witherspoon, Devin Witherspoon is a foundational piece of this team. I like them keeping Jordan Love after a Pro Bowl season. I think they have quality, you know, being able to keep Tyler Lockett, D.K. Medcalf is going to have another great season.

JSCN is going to continue to find his role, find his niche, your boy, K-9. I think they have all the pieces. It's just getting an understanding, having coordinators that having coordinated in the league, it's an adjustment sometimes. So I'm hoping they adjust early and they live up to the expectations. I expect them to be in the playoffs. Well, you know, Rich, I like what they did here. And I think you hit the nail on the head.

What it's going to come down to is getting healthy and staying healthy with this team. You know, you know, Cross and Lucas on your offensive tackles, both go down the same time last year. That is damaging. And then they went into Detroit without both of them and beat Detroit. You know, this team has the firepower. They got JSN who came on late and looks like if he can take that second year leap. You know, obviously you got Tyler Lockett, who's the pro's.

I mean, D.K. Metcalfe, the list goes on. But Kenneth Walker, the offensive tackles, Gino certainly need to stay healthy. What they're doing on the defensive line, I mean, Richard, Tyreek Woolen and Devin Witherspoon on the outside, if they can get some pass rush going, especially through the interior, that defensive line. Look out. Seattle might be a force going forward. They've got an opportunity here. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble to stop. the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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 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 to fly. man, he running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball, like,

after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Oh, yeah. 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. I want to take it to your other team,

the San Francisco 49ers, who, we talked about it earlier. I mean, once Eric Armstead signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, what was the panic meter going on in Richard Sherman's head? And then, you know, we hear throughout the draft. Are they going to trade Debo? Are they going to trade IUC? Are they going to be able to resign IUC?

You know, and then they go out and draft a wide receiver first round, adding further to the speculation. And I like the receiver, Ricky Purcell, that they drafted, you know, they're coping him to Adam Thielen, you know, and he's going to fit him perfectly with Iyuk and Devo. Why do they always get a cop him to the white guy? Why do they always, why couldn't you call him to somebody else? Come on, Rich.

To the white guy. Come on now. Come on. He's pretty, he's pretty shifty. Like, you couldn't cop him to digs. You couldn't cop him to anybody else. You know, he's a different kind of receiver than digs, but still, you can't, you have to cop him to the white guy.

Oh, they absolutely have to. Richard, what are your thoughts of the Niners coming away after this draft? Is the panic meter dipped down a little bit? Are you still nervous going into the season? Well, it wasn't, you know, I don't think it was a panic meter. It was just change. You know, change is always. scary just like Seattle Seahawks. You know, you're switching head coaches, you know, the new regime.

You're making changes. Change is always scary, you know, because it's unknown. And life without Eric Armstead is an unknown. You know, I guess you've had stints throughout the season. You've had games throughout his career where you guys have had to, you know, San Francisco 49ers have had to play without Eric Armstead. And they've done fine. But they also have seen dips and their run game, you know, they've played worse against the run. They've had less pressure. gotten less sacks, things like that. And I think they tried to address that in a number of ways. I think they might feel like they got some young guys who can step it into the fold and make a difference.

But there's still some concern there. Until I see it on the field, until I see the difference, until I see them deal that hole with guys that can produce and I see the defense, I'm going to have questions. But I like the Purcell pick because it's a luxury pick. You know, the Niners have a great roster. They have a great roster. They don't have any really glaring holes. I think the offensive line is a concern that I would have felt like needed to be addressed.

But they picked up some guys that I guess they feel like will fit well in their system. But that's the only hole where you're looking at this team like, this is where we would need to pick a guy. And they clearly didn't see a guy they liked. I think they feel like, man, if they can get the ball down the field, they can get the ball on these guys' hands. Brock Purdy's getting the ball out pretty quick. So they're not feeling as pressed to get offensive line help.

And the plays that beat him last year were unblocked guys coming free. It wasn't like they're necessarily beating guys. It was bad reads, bad protection, bad understanding of the scheme that got them beat. And so I like to pick. I think Brandon Ayuk's about to get his contract. He's about to get paid. I don't think he or Debo Samuel sees this as any kind of threat to them, both of them, you know, once

Brandon gets his money would have gotten paid and be very comfortable with high paid contracts. I think Brock Purdy will have more weapons and more is always better. Christian McCaffrey's coming back

into the fold. They don't have a lot of holes that you could say, man, they need to address this. They need to address this. They got some corners. I mean, they got a corner. They got a safety.

They got a D-Lyman. They got some offensive line help. They touched on a couple of different things, a couple different places that they needed to touch on. And so we'll see how it works out. You know, maybe some of these guys won't even make the roster because it's a tough roster to make. Well, Richard, there's a handful of teams that are nipping at their heels.

There's even some that are nipping at their kneecaps, if you will. Has the 49ers done enough to stay at top, you know, let's call it our mid-off season power rings here. Are they number one in the clubhouse for you right now, Richard? Are you a little nervous about a team out of my team? my way in Detroit. Well, Metro, I mean, I'm not going to, the draft in the offseason, unless people lose your quarterback or, you know, there's monumental foundational moves that are changing. I'm not going to judge a team that just went to the Super Bowl as having, you know, to me,

anything other than second until we get on the field and something changes, you know, especially Detroit has had a fantastic offseason, but they got beat by the San Francisco 49ers in a game that they pretty much dominated the majority of the game. So I, I'm not going to take away the credit that I would give Detroit, but they still got beaten the game. So until they get on the field and they get to the promised land and they get to where they need to be, I'm going to have them third.

But they're going to be third, Mitchell. They're going to be third. They're definitely third. I think they're right there. I think Buffalo without digs is in an uphill battle. I think Houston's going to sneak their way into the top five to start the season and the preseason rank is maybe six. But I think is Kansas City.

one, San Francisco, too, still for me. I respect that, Richard. We got to talk about my lions, though, because they were making some noise pre-draft. They paid Amon Raus St. Brown. He was quickly died. Number one paid wide out in the league for all of 24 hours until A.J. Brown resigned.

Right. And they also paid Pena Sewell. You know, this is a team that you come here, you perform, you become part of the culture. They're going to take care of their guys. That's a championship pedigree, Rich. and they're building it the right way. They go into the draft.

Their most glaring need has always been defensive back. I mean, that's what held them back last year. And they trade for your boy, Carlton Davis. You played with them down in Tampa, and you told me you loved that signing. But then they doubled down with Terran Arnold. And then they tripled down with Edis Rackstrawl. I mean, this is a team.

They identify their one true weakness, and they're going to make it one of their biggest strengths on their roster. Richard, Brad Holmes, is totally changed. change the culture over here. He identifies as drafting the best player available on his board. He positionless drafting. He was wearing a hoodie that said positional villain. And he said, I've heard this rhetoric about positional value. Last time I checked, the position doesn't play football. I'm looking for football players to play football. They go back to back corner. Richard, do you like this strategy by Brad Holmes and the Lions?

Yeah, I do. I like it because that's what you're going to have to deal with. You know, we just talked about Chicago and in your division, you got, you know, the Green Bay Packers, they play a bunch of young guys that can play, you know, that ball can go to any one of them. And I think you have to be able to cover them. You talked about Caleb Williams and his weapons with now Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Roma Dunzee, you got to get those guys covered. You got to have corners to cover them. Minnesota Vikings, they have two really good receivers, you know, maybe have three.

And so in this league, you've got to be able to cover these guys. Kansas City Chiefs, if you want to beat them, you better have some speed and you better have some corners that can cover. And that's who you're going to have to beat in these championship games to get to where you want to be to win Super Bowls, to hang the trophy, to hang banners. You're going to have to beat these teams. This is a passing league now. So you never have too many corners.

And you never know how it's going to pan out. You might draft the corner in the first round. You might draft one in the fifth. And the fifth rounder might be better than the first. you never know, but you've got to have multiple bites at the apple. And I think that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to give themselves quality depth. Carlton Davis is a proven player in this league.

You've got to find somebody next to him. And they're giving themselves multiple bites at the apple. Tarion Arnold might be the guy. He may not. Who knows? But they're going to find them. And they're definitely trying their best to create a strong roster, homegrown talent.

I like what they're doing. I mean, Aidan Hutchinson's getting better. The guys they have drafted, Penaiseul, is a top five tackle in this league. They are drafting quality guys and is starting up front, but now they're working their way back. And I think they're going to be, again, a quality opponent. I got them third in my power rankings.

I love it, Rich. One of the most common sense things I think Brad Holmes is good at, when in doubt, draft someone from Alabama. And that's what he's done. The last four guys he's picked early. I mean, Jemir Gibbs, Jameson Williams, Brian Branch, and now Terry and Arnold, These guys come from a winning pedigree, and they're bringing it here to Detroit.

I love it. Richard, I want to talk about the quarterbacks that were drafted in round one. We have already addressed Caleb Williams going to Chicago, but the guys that are swelling behind him, Jaden Daniels go number two overall. Drake may go in third. Obviously, we already talked about Michael Pennix as well, but J.J. McCarthy and Boe Nicks. Richard, what are your thoughts about the team fit about these guys? I mean, which quarterback do you think having the most early success?

Well, I think Caleb's going to have the greatest chance. Well, I just don't know about that offensive line. But I think he has the weapons around him. He has veteran receivers who have had success in this league, who can take a little pass and make it a lot in Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. I think Roma Dunzei, it's great contested catch guy. So they put pieces around him to give him a lot of success. I think Drake May, you know, the Patriots system, you know,

it's always been good for quarterbacks. Well, I guess it hasn't been in the last two years, but I think they're going to try to build something around him, to build quality around him. I think Jaden Daniel, I think he and Dan Quinn and those guys out there in Washington are going to have a really good season. I think he's going to be a phenomenal coach, motivating they have a lot more talent than people understand.

They do. But the commanders, Bobby Wagner, and they're anchoring that defense with a really, you know, really good defensive line that's going to cause a lot of problems for guys. They already had the receivers and they're going to continue to have them, the things that he can do with his legs. I think the Denver Broncos and Sean Payton being in love with Bo Nix, the way he says he has been since he's been, you know,

they had all these meetings with him, met with him in person, the way he digested their playbook really quickly over 24 hours and was able to regurgitate it the next day and on the field, really run their playbook for them. I think they feel really comfortable with them. I just don't know what they're going to do. You know, they lost Jerry Judy out there. So some of these guys just aren't set up for the most success because of what they have.

And then we already talked about Pinnix. He's going to be behind. He's going to be behind Kirk Cousins. So he's probably likely not going to play this year. McCarthy, I think, is going to be in a really. good situation with Kevin O'Connell. That offense translates really well to the offense that he ran at Michigan. They're going to put him in position.

They're going to run the ball, play action. I mean, you got one of the best receivers in the National Football League and Justin Jefferson. I think, you know, Jordan Addison is going to be a really good receiver in this league. So he has weapons that he can throw to. So I, you just never know, though, Mitchell, you just never know. I mean, they're all set up for decent success on paper. sounds like, but then you get out there and some of these guys play well and then sometimes

you end up with Brock Purdy as a guy in the Super Bowl, Mitchell. So I don't know what to say. Mitchell, they drafted Trey Lance and Brock Purdy took him to the Super Bowl. So, you know, Mitchell, anything can happen. Anything can happen. I'm certainly interested to see how McCarthy plays in Minnesota. You know, he obviously played in a run heavy college program in Michigan. But But man, every time he had to throw the football, he was making some impressive throws. You know, he's a guy that makes quick reads. I think he's going to fit in really well there. J.J. to J.J. is what's going to be going on up in Minnesota.

And then Jaden Daniels, man. I mean, this is a guy I remember when he was playing with Herm Edwards at ASU, the freshman year, true freshman. You're like, who in the world is that kid? And to see him come all this way when the heisman and now being, you know, heading up the commanders, the commanders had a sneaky good draft, Rich. for those that haven't looked at it, they had a ton of picks. They got a ton of value.

This team might, if it's not this year, maybe next year, but Washington is going to be on the come up. Richard, before we part. My guy, Adam Peters, got it done. There you go. Richard, before we part, paint the picture for the fans here. What are these draftees going through right now? Like, what's next?

What was your experience like? You just finished up the draft. What happens? Well, my experience was unique, Mitchell, because I didn't get to go through anything. We were locked out until, training camp. So I didn't get to go through any of this. So I'll tell you what I've seen the rookies go through and not what I've went through. There you go. But they have their rookie minicamp. They come

in, they get their playbooks. They usually have their three-day rookie minicamp. You know, usually the hired picked guys don't participate a ton. They treat them like veterans because they just don't want to get hurt. You know, guys are a lot of desperation happening at these, you know, so a lot of guys on the ground. You don't have pads on, but, you know, this is your livelihood. You've worked your whole life to get to this point, and some of these are undrafted free agents. Their only way to stick on their team is to show out and to shine and to stand out amongst other really good players. So you're seeing a lot of guys do everything they can to make this team. You know, they usually only keep a couple from rookie minicamp because they already got to draft the guys that they pick.

So you got guys coming in trying to stick learning playbooks, learning the building, learning people's names, coachers, learning systems. learning the city, finding places to live, depending on where you were drafted. If you're drafted in the first three rounds, you're probably trying to find an apartment or something to live in. If you weren't drafted in first three rounds, you're probably hoping to stay in that team hotel until you figure out if you're going to be on the team or not because you don't want to sit there and sign a lease or an apartment and get cut the next day and be sitting there. It's a lot.

But guys are excited. You know, their families are excited. Guys are probably dealing with conversations with their family members. thinking they're multi-millionaires now and they should be sending them money. And, you know, that's the whole story for a different day. But guys are in the midst of their dreams being realized. But, you know, at the end of the day, the draft is just the beginning of the journey to the NFL. And the guys that think it's the end of the journey usually treat it that way.

And they don't last long. And the guys that understand it's just the beginning. Last a long time. Well, Richard, this concludes our draft recap. Guys, thank you again for your loyalty to us. man, we cannot wait to bring you more content throughout this year. It's going to be a blast. Richard, I'll let you sign us off.

Thank you very much. It's been a great year, great offseason. We got another podcast coming for the schedule release, but we wouldn't be anywhere without you guys, without all these subscribers, without all the support we get. Thank you so much. We appreciate you. See you next time.

The volume. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite, unhumored me with Robert Smike. and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'll say. Yep. That's a win. me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

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