The McShay Show - NFL Draft Recap: Favorite Picks and Full Class Breakdowns for All 32 Teams

Episode Date: April 28, 2025

Welcome back to The McShay Show! The guys go team by team to evaluate every class in the 2025 NFL draft. They give their favorite picks, team fits, and everything in between. (0:00) Welcome to The McShay Show! (2:25) Evaluating EVERY Team's Draft (2:35) AFC North: Baltimore Ravens(9:55) AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals(14:20) AFC North: Cleveland Browns(23:24) AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers(27:50) AFC South: Houston Texans(32:00) AFC South: Indianapolis Colts(35:10) AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars(39:35) AFC South: Tennessee Titans(42:23) AFC East: Buffalo Bills(46:55) AFC East: Miami Dolphins(50:45) AFC East: New England Patriots(54:45) AFC East: New York Jets(1:00:00) AFC West: Denver Broncos(1:03:45) AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs(1:07:10) AFC West: Las Vegas Raiders(1:10:30) AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers (1:14:15) NFC North: Chicago Bears(1:18:45) NFC North: Detroit Lions(1:22:45) NFC North: Green Bay Packers (1:26:35) NFC North: Minnesota Vikings(1:29:50) NFC South: Atlanta Falcons(1:37:00) NFC South: Carolina Panthers(1:40:50) NFC South: New Orleans Saints(1:44:00) NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers(1:47:05) NFC East: Dallas Cowboys(1:49:57) NFC East: New York Giants(1:53:57) NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles(1:59:30) NFC East: Washington Commanders(2:01:40) NFC West: Arizona Cardinals(2:04:35) NFC West: Los Angeles Rams(2:08:06) NFC West: San Francisco 49ers(2:12:13) NFC West: Seattle Seahawks The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Todd McShayGuest: Steve MuenchProducers: Tucker Tashjian, Mark Panik, Conor Nevins, and Daniel ComerSocial: Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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today we deep dive. All 32 NFL teams will take a look at what they accomplished in the draft, what's still left to do, and where these organizations stand. We're going to go by division, all 32 teams. This is the draft review. You're here.

We're glad to have you. The draft is in the back seat now, Mench. You good? I'm good, man. All right, let's roll it. Today's the day. It's all over. It's time to take a real deep dive

into these positions, into these teams. And let's look at what was a Right? It's a nuts and bolt show. Not a lot of messing around. We gave you that with Riscilla at his house. Absolute clown show. If you haven't watched that, go back and check it out. Also, the McShay report. Google it. We're also going to do, I think, favorite picks, my not-so favorites, an overview for all 32 teams. But for today, you've got us here. As long as it takes, Munch, hopefully not five hours, maybe closer to two. But it's going to keep moving. try to keep me moving, but we're going to go through all 32 teams. There's no sense in messing around.

We're going to start with the AFC North because Cleveland's in there and that was one of the biggest moves early on. We'll get to the AFC South right after that. Jacksonville, obviously, making that move. Then we'll go east and west. Take a quick break, and we'll come back with the NFC. So here we go. Baltimore Ravens. What stood out to me most? Eric DeCost of the general manager obviously took over for Ozzie Newsom. This organization now through two general managers. has always in its history been patient. It seems like they're always drafting in the 20s.

Sometimes when things go really well in the 30s. Yeah, late 20s too, yeah. Right? And they've made a living off of sitting back and letting everyone else maneuver around and get worked up and maybe make some irrational decisions. Like maybe Atlanta moving up, giving away a one next year, and let's sit back, right?

We got the 27th pick, excuse me, in this year's class. and let's take advantage of that. Let's see what falls to us. Also, what I love, sometimes as a GM, it's about draft management and understanding each draft class. And this year it was about the depth of this class, NIL, transfer portal, a little bit of a COVID hangover as well. So there were a lot more quality players late in this draft,

rounds four, five, six, even seven. Even some of the undrafted free agents were like, that's normally like a fifth, six-round pick. So what did they do? They back-ended it. They had eight picks on day three, the Ravens did. So let's dive into it. 27, I said they love to sit back and get players that fall to them there.

And Malachi Stark, the safety from Georgia, did not have a great workout at the combine. In fact, one of the worst workouts of the safeties. And you also had Nickyman Worry, who came out at, you know, 6-2-60-6-3, I think, 220 pounds and best vertical jump or best broad jump, all these things, and ran a 4-3-8. So when you looked at those two things, you're like, well, Ima and Mori's going to go. He didn't. He went in the second round. But teams went back and looked at the tape, and Starks is just a better football player.

His versatility, he can play free. He can play nickel. Can you even a pinch play some corner? And this is a team, Mench, that gave up 58 plays of 20-plus yards last year. that's third worst than the NFL. So they need that second level. I mean, safety by definition is the safety valve of the defense. So prevent that.

So bringing in Malachi Starks and now being able to line him up with Hamilton at safety and the versatility that Kyle Hamilton and Malachi Starks will give them in the back end and kind of the creativity and being multiple, I thought was brilliant. And then if that wasn't enough... This is a better example, I think. That's a great example. This is an even better example of waiting a see. They sit back at 59 with Mike Green, the edge rusher, who fell because of the two sexual assault accusations.

I wouldn't bring up any details if he didn't bring it up himself, and he did that at the combine. And by doing so, every organization knew the national media, that's all they could talk about with Mike Green, not that he's an explosive edge rusher. Not that he is the, that led the FBS and Sachs last year. Not that he's got unbelievable power for his frame. It was the off-the-field incidents, never charged, never. arrested, never convicted, but they're there in the past. And now everyone nationally is talking about that, they're comfortable with the background. Like all organizations, they have like former FBI guys and police officers and do all these background checks and work. They're comfortable with it.

And Mike Green, one of the 15 best players in the entire draft, falls to them at 59. So now we get Starks and Green with the first two picks. It's unbelievable. That's how you manages the board. I mean, I couldn't agree with you more. The Green pick is, again, the best. better example because this is a player that I thought was a lock to go in the first round maybe two weeks before the draft, a week before the draft, and then you heard about him possibly following it. I think it's

incredible. I also think, look, look at the overall, this is what this is what it's like to have a lot of picks. They have 11 picks. And yes, I think five of them were in the sixth round. Look at what they did in the sixth round, though. Like, let's get a little deeper into it. Yeah, yeah, please. I mean, I love the first two

picks, but then you look at that six round and you talk about they're giving up the big plays. They pick up two corners there, Western Michigan's ball cone. Yep. And Rutgers, Robert Longerbeam, which, by the way, he's kind of a thing on this show. Because remember when you were like, these are the players you're looking at and you're probably looking at Robert? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's kind of a funny name, like, Longerbie.

Dude, he can play. Oh, he can run. I talk to teams actually leading up and they were like kind of curious on where Longer Beans are going to go. He's 511-175. He's kind of a smaller corner, but he ran in the four threes, very quick 10-yard split. played outside in college. He's going to have to play inside. But I really like him.

I think he can play the ball well. I think he can cover. I mean, you're going to look at those picks in the six round, five, six-round picks. They may have got their kicker of the future. They may get two corners they can contribute. I mean, Lejante Wester is a guy that can take the top off the coverage for a smaller receiver. Anise Peoples, the Virginia Tech defensive tackle, who was a standout at the Senior Bowl. Again, some of this is about being in a position to take a lot of players and take advantage of a deep draft.

And that's one that, like, that's something I'm to keep an eye on going forward is these five, six-round picks. How many do they hit on? If they hit on two, I mean, they've done an outstanding job. Yeah. Listen, if I'm going to nitpick and honestly, with some teams, I have beef, okay? Right. With this, it's just nitpicking because I don't want to be the show that comes on for 32 teams. Like, every pick was the best.

They did an awesome job. I just told you all the things that the Ravens have been great at, and DeCosta has continued. and has taken it to another level in certain instances. But, like, I just, I tried to find where was I, where was my board off? Where could they have gone? Teddy Buchanan, the linebacker from Cal, that was, like, honestly, the only pick where I was like, you know, 129 overall, and obviously you're nitpicking. We're talking fourth round towards the end.

But 129 overall, and I look at this roster, and there were some other linebackers that could have gotten a little bit later. and I'm seeing the cornerback is still a position of need, which they obviously addressed later, as you mentioned with Bilal Cohn, a wide receiver, a position of need. They obviously addressed it later in the sixth round with La Jante Wester, who I like, by the way.

I think it's a quick slot. Yeah. He's got something to him. He's faster than he ran. He ran okay, but he plays faster than he ran. But I look at that board at Teddy Buchanan there, and I see Quincy Riley two picks later. Yeah.

Ball Hawk. Right. Most comfortable corner in this class. he and Hirsten are the two most comfortable when the ball's in the air, can get you the ball back. That might have been an option. Jalen Royals fell. And I wasn't the biggest Jalen Royals lover. Like, I like Troy Horton more.

But I didn't see him falling to the late fourth round. So, oh, and Elyke Iommanour, okay? Elick IonManner. The Stanford wide receiver, yeah. The Stanford wide receiver is a big, a big physical guy. If you want to see what the upside could be, trouble catching the football. I will grant that, okay?

But Iomman, you know, you get DeAndre Hopkins towards the end. You got Rashad Bateman. You get Zayf Flowers. I don't know. I just thought maybe that was an opportunity there. I agree. Moving on from Baltimore. I thought overall was a really good draft.

Me too. Cincinnati. Cincinnati was interesting. I actually liked the play. that they wound up getting. And they weren't favorites of everyone in the league. But it started with taking a big swing, like a big hack, with Shemar Stewart at 17.

And I talked to you pre-draft leading up. All the measurables and traits in the world, a guy that needs development in terms of like instincts and finishing moves and counter moves as a pass rusher. Only a sack and a half last year, was it? I think that's right, yeah. Tons of pressures. But 33 pressures.

just a sack and a half. But when you look at like the torso flexibility, working through contact, the ability to continue the rush while engaged, he has the traits to develop. And then you look at the actual traits, like the Combine Workout Numbers. And we're talking about Trayvon Walker like numbers. And Trayvon, number one overall. Right. I've talked to a team right before the draft.

They had him seventh on their board. Okay. So they got him at 17. and it's also an organization A that loaded up in the offseason financially, salary cap-wise, on the offense. Correct. Defensively, there's no money left. They had to attack this. And they need to fix their defense.

Their defense is an issue. Yeah, good. Defense was a huge issue. Yes. Three of the top four picks were on defense, as expected. To be quite honest, I thought they could have even done a little bit more, but they had to, you know, Jalen Rivers in the fifth round. But I really liked that pick of Stewart because everyone said, well, Trayvone Walker.

He's not as good as Hutchinson. I think because Jacksonville hasn't won the last two years, people have forgotten, Trayvon Walker, 20 and a half sacks the last two seasons. I think Stewart, maybe it is only... Do you mean people aren't watching the Jacksonville tape, maybe, and just making comments? Yeah, it's like, well, Hutchinson's so great.

I think Stewart's got a chance to have that kind of arc. Maybe it is only three to five sacks the first year. But it's going to be a lot of pressures. He's great versus the run. And I think in your story, two and three as he continues to develop. He's got a chance to be one of those guys where you're like, yeah, that was more than worth the pick at 17.

And then Demetrius Knight was one of my favorite players in the draft. I actually, I felt like I was too high on him. I had an early third on him. Yeah, I was going to ask you, did you think it was the right place for him? This is what gets tricky, right? There's a lot of players you love. Super tricky. This is early.

It was early. It's just early. But I love him. Agree. I like, I would say the same thing about their third round. But I know he wasn't. going to be there at 81. So if...

What are you going to do? What are you going to do? Are you going to trade back up? Do you want to use another asset? You're right. It just felt early. What else jumped out to you? Dylan Fairchild, same thing for me.

The third round offensive guard from Georgia. I like him a lot. It felt like it was a little early for me. Then I will say this. I like their last two picks. Jalen Rivers, the guard from Miami. I like some. He has some upside, man.

He's a little up and down. He's a little inconsistent, but he's competitive at the Senior Bowl. I liked his tape. He's one of those guys. keep an eye, it could be a steal. And then Texas Tech's, Taj Brooks, was a sleeper for me. He's a bigger back. He's a powerful back. They need to, I think they need to compliment there. I thought that was a good pick, taking advantage how deep this running back class is

to get a player like that in the middle of the sixth round. Here's what I look at, and I'll wrap it up in Cincinnati. They organizationally came into this draft and said, okay, our defense we can't spend on, because of what I just talked to you about. And we really need help up front. Okay, in our front seven. They're 27th in sack percentage last year, 21st in pressures.

Trey Hendrickson had, of the 36 team sacks, he led the NFL, but Cincinnati only had 36 team sacks. He had 17 and a half of them. They needed. Yeah, there's no one else. There's no one else. So that was a must,

and they got a player that I thought lasted too long on the board. the other part is that offensive line that they've invested in didn't play to the level it should have last year and was 32nd in past pass blocking PBWR and 30th in RBWR. Yeah, the win rate, yeah. The win rate. And so they addressed those things early on. Okay. Cleveland.

It's time. Hey, Browns fans. I'm sorry. I already apologize to you once. I'll apologize again. we got, things got hectic. We brought on our guy Bill Simmons. We had to take a break for a second.

There was movement around. Things were going on. We didn't get enough into your pick the first night. We got into it heavily the second night. And I'll come back to you here and let you know. The reason we started with this division is for you, Browns fans. This to me was like an A, A minus draft. And I don't give out grades.

But I'll just, I'll let you know, like, you know what I mean? Like, if I were to do grades, just to give it some perspective. This one would be up there with some of the best because I said on draft night it takes onions to make a move as a 30-something GM first time in that job, in that seat. And James Gladstone did it to move up to get Travis Hunter. You know what takes real onions? Yeah, it does. Real onions.

When you haven't been winning and you're going to bypass. Shoah Atani possibly and trade back to get next years. You talk about someone who's sitting in that seat in Andrew Barry, who is taking the organizational priorities and putting it ahead of his priorities and Kevin Stefanski's priorities of winning now to save their jobs. He feels safe. And hopefully Jimmy Haslam has told him you are safe because he just made a move of a general manager who has the luxury to do that.

And it's brilliant. It's brilliant. They move back and get a defensive tackle in Mason Graham that most teams, not all, but most teams viewed as a top five, top seven player. Some teams saw him at like three or four. You put him next to Miles Garrett. Right. Who apparently loved the pick, by the way.

How could you not? I know. Right? Yeah. And so now it's going to be ferocious. I love that. Tenacious. There you go.

Ferocious. This front. with Malik Collins, Shelby Harris, Miles Garrett. It's going to be fun to watch. And you're not going to have to score a ton of points, okay? And they move back and they get the first round next year. Now, they drafted two more quarterbacks. I didn't think they...

Hold on. Can we get into the other position? We're going to get into the quarterbacks. But let's talk about how they hit, I think, a home run on every player that wasn't a quarterback. Okay. Carson Schlesinger from UCLA, the linebacker, first pick in the second round. may think that's too early. I love that pick. He was going in that range. Yes. I love very productive guy. Only one year starter at UCLA, former walk-on, was a special team's ace, and then just blew up last year. I mean, led the country in solo

tackles. Great player. I love that pick. The two backs they get. Quinstein Jenkins, exactly what they need, that powerful downhill runner. And then they got Dylan Samson in the fourth round. I know, I know. The two backs, home runs. Then they get Harold Fanon Jr., the yak king. In Stafanski's offense. Again, with Injoku, like you, you can have more than one great tight end. I love that. I love that. Having 12 personnel with door it, running backs. I adore it. Right? Like, I mean, they hit a home run on all of their picks outside of the quarterbacks. And then we can get into that. I'm not saying that the whole, the quarterbacks were terrible picks.

They're not terrible picks. But the other picks were home runs. The quarterbacks, I have, I have questions about what this organization is doing. And quite honestly, I've talked enough about Chodor's. Sanders. You could go back and watch the last five shows leading up to each round, each night, as it happened, right after it happened, but we've talked enough about it. What I find interesting Brown's fans is sometimes the draft tells you what the team is looking to be more of next year. Judkins over Travee-on-Henderson tells me exactly what's the physical. We're going to line up and we're going to pound you. We got Miles. Garrett, we got Mason Graham. We got a damn good defense. We're going to stuff it down your throat.

And we're going to do it with Quinchan Judkins, who I told you had a 1-5-1-10-yard split, the most explosive back I saw on tape from out of his stance through the line of scrimmage. So he is going to get up on your ass and flash, and he's going to pound you. And maybe it only lasts three, four years in terms of a... We'll see. But we're going to maximize that. And then we get to live. and Sampson. Yeah. You know?

Speed. Yeah. We're not going to talk about the quarterback situation? I got to talk about it. These two quarterbacks outside of Miami for Dylan Gabriel as being the other, and for Shador, as being another option, they landed in the best spot that they could possibly land. And Dylan Gabriel, yes, I don't care about where they were drafted. We're now talking about what they're going to be in for this organization.

By using a third round pick which blew my socks off, if I'm going to be honest, on Dylan Gabriel, but then just a fifth round pick on Shador Sanders. There's zero pressure. And even though it's Shador, there's zero pressure that these guys have to play. Ever. Ever. Shador, if he comes in and uses pick 144, like Brady used 199, to light the biggest fire in the world under him,

and to get out of the the bubble that is the the the dion sanders home and and goes in and attacks and learns and studies and takes that process i don't want to say more seriously but is more effective in that process of walking in humbled and saying this like it's time to go to work like actual work unlike the interview process went he's got every opportunity to succeed i've said for months now. There's one place I want to see him go play and it's because of one human being and that's Kevin Stefansky. And we talked

about in the past, right? The quarterbacks he's won games with. I hear you. I mean, the Case Canons of the world, the Kirk Cousins of the world, I get it. And we got a first next year. I understand. We got a first next year in case neither of these two wind up being the guy. I get it.

And listen, I'm kind of four taking quarterbacks and throwing a lot of darts to try I get all of that. You signed Joe Flecko. You traded the 100s. You traded the 164th pick for Kenny Pickett. You now take Dylan Gabriel in the third round.

Just so we understand what could have, if you, at 164 in this draft, if you don't trade for Kenny Pickett, you could have gotten Yaya Black, the defensive tackle from Iowa, good player that slid. You could have got Tori Horton, the Colorado wide receiver, good player that slid. You took yourself out of that. Now, if you're not talking, if you're talking about taking gate. Gabriel that early. By the way, let's be honest about this. Who else was taking Dylan Gabriel that early?

They were, they were like bidding against themselves, it felt like. Unless it was Miami. Right? Yeah. So Ty felt in the wide receiver from Maryland there. Dante Thornton, the wide receiver from Tennessee there. Jalen Royals there. Jalen Lane, one of our personal favorites, the Virginia Tech Kid, there.

Charles Grant, the offense tackle from William and Mary, also there. I just don't know how you're managing this position. I just don't get it. you've spent you traded for Kenny Pickett now you've used an additional two picks on quarterbacks I don't what's the plan and my understanding was after and I kind of like this my understanding is that one of the whole reasons you didn't take Travis Hunter was so you can get an additional first round pick so you're in a position to go up and get your quarterback next year yeah so if that's your approach then let let that be your approach and build the best roster you can

until next year I'm not saying anything that you are are saying right now is wrong. I do believe that there's something to, I'd rather have more lottery tickets than by the $20 scratch ticket. You know what I mean?

Like, I think what's really kind of bother me is the picket trade more than anything else. I don't mind you taking the two quarterbacks. Now you, you just have two in your roster. How you can't keep them all. You can't foresee. No one, no one. No one saw this coming with

Shador Sanders. No one. Even the people that despised him and did not think, they were like third round. Right. Okay. I also, judging by the Cleveland Browns, war room, draft room. Didn't look good. I don't know that this was their decision,

that this may have been an ownership one, but it's just speculation. All right, we've gone on too long on Cleveland, but I think all of our points were made. Thanks for letting me read. Pittsburgh. Derek Harmon, I mean, I guess I love that pick at that point because I thought it was right about where Derek Harmon should go.

But I also, there was so much rumor and speculation. It was going to be Shador Sanders, and I just didn't want that for Pittsburgh. Not because it just felt like this is an organization that builds and does it one way, and that would have been going against the grain last minute, kind of maybe Mike Tomlin steps in. It was good to see them get their kind of guys, like Derek Harmon up front, modeled his game after Cam Hayward.

And now he gets to go work with him and learn from him and get better. And condolences to Derek Harmon and their family, the passing of his mom right after hearing the news that he was a Pittsburgh Steeler. Beyond that, they didn't have a second round pick. But everyone's like, well, they didn't have a second. Yet, D.K. Metcalf was their second round pick. Yeah. So let's put that in. So they essentially got Derek Harmon and D.K. Metcalf with their first two picks.

And I thought Caleb John, here's the thing with the Steelers draft. every single player they got in the first six rounds. On my board, I had him coming off the board earlier. So it was value everywhere. It was Caleb Johnson and the third at running back who fits what they want to do, the zone blocking. I think he's going to be a really good fit. You know, in that with Jalen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell,

they're going to have a really nice rotation there. Jack Sawyer, Captain Jack, didn't love him on tape like Tuimola. a lot better, his running mate, his edge mate. But at 123, please. Yep. I'll take Captain Jack all day long. Yaya Black, you mentioned him before. Like behemoth of a man.

Plug up the middle. Will Howard. There was talking... I love the Will Howard. I love the Will Howard. I love the Will Howard. Because you know what? And I'm going to keep emphasizing this so people understand.

When you're drafting a backup, he is like an administrative assistant to the offensive coordinator and the quarterback. And you want a guy who's going to come in and is ready mentally and is mature and can handle those duties. And then those duties

allow, they buy him time in practice, in preseason to showcase, hey, maybe we got more than just a backup here. See how he develops. But you got to, and that's why you see, like, Riley Leonard go. That's why you see the North Dakota State guy go.

Kim Miller go. there were a couple of Graham Mertz goes in the same round as Shador's standard because those guys are going to come in and they're going to help and they're going to be productive members of the quarterback room. And so I thought where they get,

people I was talking to, it was like maybe the Raiders in the third round. So Will Howard at 6th, I thought it was a great value too. Agree. I mean, let's see what happens. Again, just kind of add on what you're saying there. He comes from a very successful program at Ohio State. He's used to winning.

He knows what it takes to win. And he's been in a couple different programs, which I think helps you. You've been in a couple different rooms. Will Howard, I think, is going to go in there ready to contribute in that backup role. And then again, let's see what happens. This kid's coming off an absolute tear in the playoffs. Let's see if he continues to ascend. He played his best football at the end of his college career. I think it might go earlier, to be honest with you. But most importantly, this was a down year for that Pittsburgh defensive front. And this organization has made a living off of they're going to beat you up

up front defensively, right? And now they bring it. Cam Hayward's 35. Everyone's, he's ageless. He can go forever, but he can't. He's a human being. And so if it's one more year or two more years, whatever it is, now you've got the heir apparent. And in the meantime, you've got an upgrade in pass rusher, depth, all of it. And he, like, I love that pick. And then at running back with Caleb Johnson, I mean, Jalen Moore, an average 4.3 yards per rush. He's not the answer. He's fine. They signed Kenneth Gainwell. So now you go from this group that's like, eh, it's okay, to, we might have something.

I love what the Steelers did. I thought they got better. All right. Moving on. Who's next? She said, let's 15 minutes of division. We went about 40 there, it felt like. AFC South, 25, says Tucker, without a smile on his face.

Houston Texans, let's start there. Okay. They needed pass catchers, and they needed an offensive line. and that's what they got done. And they were smart to move back. They picked up a third. They managed the board. They managed the board.

By the way, we kind of, we foreshadowed that there was going to be a run on these offensive linemen because when the shelf fell off, it fell off hard. Hard. And so they realized that they had missed out because there were eight offensive linemen taken in the first round. And the guys that they wanted were gone by the time they picked it 25. Giants wanted to move up for a quarterback. They pick up the, I believe, the 99th pick or 97th pick, whatever it was. And they make that move.

Okay. And so they managed the board. I thought Nick Kisario managed the board beautifully. And they still, here's the deal, okay, for me. And I didn't, and you can get into wherever you want. Jalen Smith, I thought they were high on the USC guys in the third and fourth rounds if I wanted to nitpick a little bit. But these first three picks are three of my favorite players in the entire draft. And, like, I had a hard time.

I'm like, I don't, like, Jaden Higgins is one thing. He's a big X. Great getting off the line of scrimmage. Down the field, physical, all those things. Now I got Noel, or Noel, sorry. Jalen, Noel, his teammate. Who do I get a higher guy? Noel is so exposed.

Foo! Right? He did off the line of scrimmage. And every route is crafty, like a, a season veteran. This guy's going to come in as a slot right away and contribute. Big time. Who do I take? Which one do I rank higher? Fuck. Let's take both of them. Higgins and Noah and Noel. Sorry, uh, picks 3479 respectively. I never thought Noel would get there. Never. I had him ranked in my top 32. That's how much I like it. And I don't regret it for a second.

Talk to me next year. I wasn't that high on him, but I didn't think you'd get out of the second round. I didn't think there was a shot. And then Ariante Ursary. The bell of the ball in the second round for offensive alignment, man. Arionte Ursery. Everyone wanted him in the second half. Massive, behemoth, light on his feet. I'm telling you, he's got a chance to develop into a left tackle.

Okay? He may be able to play guard and add depth, so let's kick him inside. Like Rucillo said, kind of a life, life hack or life lesson. Someone's not, you bump to guard. But if he bumps to guard, it's temporarily, because Cameron Robinson was brought in just a stop gap. So this is an

opportunity to develop ursery. needs a little developing still and make them your left tackle and hopefully you get him at guard and he can contribute. So I just loved what they did with their first three picks and the fact that they got an additional pick for it.

Woody Marks from USC, man. I remember just watching the tape. It was running back after running back after running back after running back this year. And I remember watching Woody Marks a little bit later in the process. He was at the Senior Bowl. And I had heard about how he was a good pass catcher,

which he is a good pass catcher. He's very good at that. He's a compact, tough runner. who sticks his foot in the ground and gets north-south like that. He is tough. He is quick. I remember just watching it. I ended up giving a fifth round.

He went the fourth round. You look back at it and you say, I'm not mad at it. You know what I mean? Like, it's a little earlier than I had him on my board. But I remember watching his tape and saying myself, someone's going to get a damn good running back on the third on day three of this draft. Didn't Woody Marks have like 80 plus catches in Mississippi State one year?

He did. But that's the thing. I knew he was an outstanding receiver. He's a better runner. I think that that production and that aspect of his game kind of overshadows the fact that he's also an excellent runner. Luke Latchie. Like that late.

Durability stuff. There's a couple tidings like that. I'm telling you he's got skill. He can stay healthy. That could be one of those where we look back like how in the 39th round? How in the hell was he picked 255? Okay. Pass catchers, weapons, and protection.

This was all about C.J. Stroud. They failed them last year organizationally. and Nick Casario was not going to do that again. Indianapolis Colt, man, did they get lucky? Sometimes it's about luck, right? Tyler Warren falls to them. At pick 14, thank you, turn the card in. No problem.

Shane Steichen with Dallas Goddard. This guy's a more talented Dallas Goddard, okay? Same frame, similar style. Warren is a bruiser after the catch. They've got a quarterback mess on their hands. And so one of the best elements for a quarterback mess is that security blanket in the middle of the field. And I think Stuyken's going to have a blast with Tyler Warren. Then my guy, JT.

Tuimolalalau from Ohio State. Plug in play starter right away. Plug him in. He's just like I love the physicality. I'm assuming it's going to be opposite Quitty Pay, right? Yeah. Pay had a good good. year, not an exceptional, but eight sacks. If DeForest Buckner can come back healthy and stay

healthy for a season, he's a pretty good player. That helps solidify the defensive front. Warren becomes a guy who the offense can kind of run through as it did in Penn State as he gets going. Two other picks I really like, DJ Giddens are running back from Kansas State, never in a million years. And I haven't gone, there are too many guys to go digging on. I haven't, It must have been something with the durability or medical because that guy's too damn talented to be sitting on the board and pick 155, 151 overall. What did you call him?

The human glitch. The human glitch. They got the human glitch in the fifth round. The human glitch. He's going to be an impact player for them. And to take some of the load off of Jonathan Taylor. And I want to remind you to, I had this note, four tight ends last year.

how big of a mess it was. Four tight ends last year for the Colts had 39 combined receptions. Warren's going to have like 80. Their tight ends were Kyle Granson, Mo Alex Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory. Now they get Tyler Warren. This team is significantly better because of this draft. Yeah, getting Tim Smith from Alabama late, where he should have gone. He should have been a six-round pick. But he's a character, he's a guy that's going to come in and give you a certain amount of nasty and toughness on your run defense late. The Justin Wally pick from Minnesota, the corner, a little early for me,

but I do like him. He can cover. He had a good year. So that was a little early, but I don't hate it. Jacksonville. Just, I want to finish with Indy real quick. It is going to be fascinating

to see what happens to quarterback there. It is. But that's why the Riley Leonard pick is so sneaky good because you don't know, he's probably just going to be a backup for his career. I get it. Yeah, he is. Maybe he develops, but at worst, I think you found your backup for a long period of time.

For whoever the starter is late in a draft. I don't disagree with that. Right. All right, Jacksonville. We said Liam Cone was coming in, and the reports I was getting leading up to the draft, that it was, like James Gladstone absolutely is running this thing, but just like in L.A., out here, with less need and shone. John McVeigh, that's going to be the relationship.

Offensive coach, fiery, you know, wants his weapons. But the GM's going to make the final call, but they're going to work together, you know, lockstep. And that's how it is, but there was an understanding of, yeah, like, this is our first time around. We got to get weapons. If the goal here is to fix Trevor Lawrence to get him right, to get him to be the player that we all thought he was going to be coming out of college. We got to get them supported with the right players around him. We did it last year. We did a great job, Brian Thomas Jr.

And we saw how that paid off. Great big. But just on one side. Now we've got to get the other guy. Right. And so they went and got obviously the best, I mean, I thought the best player in the entire draft from Travis Hunter. And I do think it's interesting.

Like, he now doesn't have to be a number one as a wide receiver, okay, as he's trying to. And they said in the press conference, It's going to be wide receiver first, and then it's going to be cornerback, developing there. I don't see how they don't use them on both sides. But he could, theoretically, he could be the number two opposite Tyson Campbell and the number two opposite Brian Thomas.

I mean, look, I think he's going to have to be. That past defense was terrible. Let's call it what it is. They gave up entirely too much to move up three spots from a draft competition. sensation standpoint. It's interesting. I understand what you're saying on paper and I get that. You're not wrong, but it's a unique player. It's not every, it's not always from five to two is going to be this amount, right? If you're moving from five, let's look at it last year, right? If you're going to move from five to two to get Jaydon Daniels, you would have to give up more than you would normally have to give up to move from five to two. And Travis Hunter's is a unique player. That price tag is going to be higher for that reason. If he winds up playing at a high level on both sides of the ball, you absolutely did not give up too much because essentially that's, if you get the wide receiver you expect to get and the cornerback you expect to get,

he legitimately pulls off what no one in the history of the NFL has ever pulled off before. It wasn't too much. Right. And that's what they're betting on. Yeah. I like the regressive. I didn't love the rest of their draft. I like Caleb Ransaw.

I thought he was maybe a little, he came off the board a little high at 88. I told you, I liked him. He and Hancock from Ohio State were two guys. I studied late and I really liked them, but it was more like fringe of top 100. I gave him a fifth round grade. I like him, but I gave him a fifth round grade. Your favorite player in the draft, I'll let you take it. But Wyatt Milam, is that?

I don't hate him there. There was some talk about why Milam from West Virginia who played offensive tackle is going to kick inside a guard. He's a, he's a maller. I mean, he's a tough guy. He's going to move guys on the run game. and if he moves inside a guard, he'll be okay and pass protection. There was talk of him going like second, first round, and I just couldn't get on board with that.

I think he's got some athletic limitations, and he just, the tape didn't match that kind of a pick. But late in the third, I don't hate it. And Bashul Tootin, like, he just wasn't my favorite, but I get, like, you get Tank Biggsby who can't catch. You got ETN who can catch and has some explosiveness, but can he stay fully healthy? They brought him in to take the power runs.

That's what he is. He's a straight-line power runner. Yeah, and then they get the receiving option later on in the Quinell in the seventh round. Yeah, which I didn't mind. I highlighted that as well. Yeah. So overall, it was fireworks to start.

And then men. But now we don't have a first round pick next year, and then we didn't have a second round pick. Two-thirds. Jack Kaiser, good play or nothing. So, like, I don't know. I wasn't in love with the draft top to buy. bottom, but we'll see. I agree. Gladstone goes about it a little different way, and we'll see

who was right in the end. Tennessee. One of my favorite draft classes in the entire draft. Interesting. The Tennessee Titans, okay? They just took all my guys. Yeah. That's my guy. And then the next, that's my guy. Who took him? Tennessee. A top to bottom. Cam Ward was the obvious, but beyond that, Femiola Dejo. Your guy, your darling, yeah. I've been telling you his backstory transfer from what was a Cal to UCLA, off the ball linebacker to edge, explosive.

During the year, by the way. Powerful. Not like, oh, a year ago he made the switch. It was this year during the season that he made the switch. Kevin Winston, I got done with, I had to go back to 2023 tape because the injury this year. And I told you, I just love this guy.

The first clip I saw of him again, I think it was USC. He reads the play earlier. He was a crosser and he just comes up and wha. I love Kevin Winston. And where they got him in the third round, too. I thought he was the second best, third best safety. No way if he's healthy.

No way if he's healthy. No, no, no. He's going ahead of Eman Worry, I think, quite honestly. You just like to say that. I do. Chimery D.K. Chimery D.K. The deep crosser guy.

The king of the crossing. 4-3-4-speed, whatever it was. He can do more, though. It's exactly where I said. I think he was on the fringe. I thought about putting him in the top 100. I knew he wouldn't go. I had a strong sense he wouldn't talking to people in the league.

But he went 103. Then Gunner Helm, my Jake Ferguson. Yeah? Traits for nothing. This guy just gets open and makes plays. And then Alec Ayo Manor, where they got him. Love where they got him. Love where.

And I was, when I was saying, I really worry about his ball skills. And I made the joke like, don't know if it's LASIC or if we're not working the Jugs machine or what, but this guy's too talented to have this kind of, not just drops, but drops where it's like, is he not seeing the ball? Is he not a just other catches? And some of the other catches. Yeah, and he can get off press.

But he's a good rubber for a size. Let's get my guy in the jugs. Let's see if he needs some eye work. And then, uh, Kelle Mullings. Late. I think that's about where he should go. It should be where he goes. But that's a flyer pick on a back who,

went from linebacker to running back, and it's just learning the position, but he's a big son of a gun. I like this draft a lot. Good draft. All right, that's it. I mean, you went through every one of them, but other than Jackson Slater from Sacramento State, who played well at the senior bowl, a little inconsisten on tape, but again, end of the fifth round.

We're good. Okay. All right. Moving on. Next play, as I always say. Get yelled at home for saying it too much. AFC East, Buffalo Bills. I got a lot of notes here.

Total mess. This is what it looks like. Folks, he... This is what it looks like on Sunday after the draft. He started prepping as soon as he could. And then we couldn't even get him to go to dinner because I got more stuff to do. It took a while. The, the, they almost closed the place.

The complaining from you and Marissa about dinner. If I get another... I'm giving you a compliment for all your prep work. If I have another two-hour dinner that costs $350 in... I'm just saying. I'm going to... I'll be eating in and... tomorrow. Buffalo Bills. Here we go. We've eaten well, though, have we? It's been great. I mean,

I would love to say thank you and compliment you without you having to yell at me about it. You're welcome. Credit Billy Bean, okay? And I'll be honest when I don't like some drafts and we'll get to one of them next. Credit Billy Bean, literally every single pick was of value. And yes, I'm going off of my value, but what else do I have to go off of? Every single one. And And these are veteran guys they drafted too. These are guys who have played a lot of ball. And if you notice when I rip off this list, the bills and Billy Bean and that staff, they do an awesome job, man.

They got a lot of senior bowl guys who want to compete, who are proven entities. This is an organization that has to win now. We don't have a lot of time for guys to take chances on and long-term development. We need football players now. and the first five picks were on defense. And what have I been raving to people about or screaming about? I've been screaming about this. The good organizations, and I lumped the bills in with this,

but I was curious to see if they stayed on track, and they did the great organizations, when they find a great one at quarterback, which they obviously have with Josh Allen, the Eagles, the Chiefs, the Ravens, the bills, they shift the focus to the defensive side, and they load up on defensive players, he can't help you on that side.

Right. Alan can help the other 10. He can't help the opposite 11. And that's the recipe. Great general managers do this. And included in that, they typically find guys who are closers. And that can be an interior defensive line

or defensive tackle. So they come out and draft one of my favorite players in the draft. I told you this pound for pound, second most explosive athlete in this draft behind Travis Hunter. And that's Maxwell Harrison. I get it. The durability, maybe dropped a little bit.

Slender, Frank. not the best tackler, but fastest guy at the combine, as quick as he is fast. Crazy quick. Ball skills for days. Three pick sixes, tied the Kentucky school record. And then you get your favorite player, T.J. Sanders. I love this. Makes me look good, too, by the way.

Yes, it does. Landon Jackson, who I didn't love in the second round, wherever, but you get him and the way he can pass rush, Landon Jackson and the third coming in as a rotational guy, right? Yeah, there's a little insurance in case Bosa. Joey Bosa. If you can't say healthy. Greg Russo. Greg Russo is a stud.

AJ Epinessa, who has not been to the level, but now we got dudes competing for snaps and staying fresh. Dionne Walker wasn't my favorite, but like in the fourth, a massive man who can rotate with Dayquan Jones. opposite Ed Oliver. Now you get T.J. Sanders. This group is... It's going to be like line shifts up in Buffalo.

And then my guy, Jordan Hancock. In the fifth, yeah. Late fifth. I like him. I know you do. As a nickel can play some corner. The very versatile. The versatility.

I just love this draft. By the way, Dorian Strong, the first pick in the sixth round, not for everybody. He's not a very good man corner. But for what they do, yep. That's a great pick.

I wouldn't be surprised that kid plays for them. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw meaningful snaps for them at some point because I don't disagree. He's so instinctive and he plays the ball so well that I can see himself getting some playing time. I believe Prather was there. Lunt was there.

Dorian Strong was there. Jackson Hawes was there. Hancock was, I think, the only, like, underclassmen of this group, really. Jackson Hawes. Landon Jackson was there. T.J. Sanders were there. And Dionne Walker was there. And by there, I mean Mobile, Alabama.

Yeah. Jackson Hawes got a high ceiling, man. he's one of those guys could be more productive than the pros than he was in college. All right, Miami. Uh-oh. Not, I mean,

uh-oh. Here's the deal. Some organizations, I didn't agree with where they got the picks, but when the draft's done, you're like, yeah, they got better and they addressed some needs. But with Miami,

I like Kenneth Grant in terms of, like, you can't find these big guys who can move like this. And we've seen Dexter Lawrence and how he's improved as a pass rusher. And he's not Dexter Lawrence. He's not Carter. Not Carter.

The other, the Eagles, the Eagles defensive. Jordan. Yes, Jordan. Davis. Jordan Davis. Thank you. Got there. He's not those guys, but he's like this year's version, a little, you know, he's not light.

You can't say light with 331 pounder. But my point is, like the Chargers take him at 22, I think was their pick. Yeah. Yeah. I'm cool with that. 13. 13 was high. Okay.

And Big Jonah from Arizona, the offensive tackle in college, and I love his versus. Big Jonah made sense to me, but it was pick 37, man. I like him. I get it. I like him. Why it makes sense is because he started, what was like, five games at left tackle, 16 at right tackle, 13 at guard. Yeah. Like he had, and they have, they don't.

know what lineup they're rolling out there. Miami doesn't, truly. So get bodies. And it's dependent on, it's dependent on some of the guys who haven't had to play a lot with Torana Armstead retiring, right? And you look at last year, was it last year, their second round pick at left tackle? Yeah, 2024, Patrick Paul, right? Right. And then Austin Jackson's not the answer, the 20-20 first round pick at right tackle. So best case, he's a right tackle. Worst case, he's inside a guard, and there's questions at guard too. So I understand the versatility

because if it doesn't work out of tackle, we can still start him at guard. But it seemed early for me. Jordan Phillips, fifth round pick, fine. Yeah, I'm not Jordan Phillips guy. The two picks I did like, and you'd take it from here. I liked Ollie Gordon in the 6th. If he can get back to

2023, they may have gotten a huge steal. Right. Some teams were higher on him than others. And then Quinn Ewer's in the 7th. That's like, why not? I love that. And he doesn't have that big time drive it down the field arm. He fits what they want to do.

He can learn from Tua. Mike McDaniel might get the best out of him, man. Yeah, I don't hate that one. They're kind of handcuffed by the fact they only had two picks in the first third rounds, right? First four rounds. That's right. That's right. The first four rounds. So they're kind of handcuffed there. And some of

these, I'm like, what are you going to do in the fifth round, right? I mean, Jordan Phillips, he's not for me. I know he's got a lot of upside no career sacks i watch his tape and i'm like you need he came out early too i mean early he should have gone back uh he needs a lot of work he's got a lot of talent but he needs a lot of work that's just not not a player for me i'm not surprised that he went that late but other than that it's it's a very you know for lack of a better way of saying it man kenneth grant's a great fit for what they want to do because his versatility and his talent but it i'm like todd it's early just seems early

and jaylon rams he's on the way out they've got to make They've got to make that trade. Is Jason Marshall the answer? No. No. Not a bad player. You've got to address cornerback position somehow. So I don't know if that's a trade for some of what that looks like.

And the Tyree Kill situation, it's... Do you have a plan there? It's concerning. So they've got their hands full in Miami, which is shocking considering where they were, like, middle of the pre-2023, you know? Yes. All right. Moving on.

Best team of the league. Let's go. Who's that? New England Patriots, of course. I like this draft. Patriots fans, like you've got to love... Think about where you were one year ago, Patriots fans, right? And then think about where you were, like, week two of the season. And now pick your head up and where you are.

My goodness, things have changed. Braybel comes in. The organization gets aggressive. They start spending their money. They make big moves. Milton Williams, obviously. Harold Landry is in addition. Robert Spillane's in addition.

Carlton Davis is a really nice addition. Stefan Diggs, they bring in. Garrett Bradbury at Center temporarily. Morgan Moses is at right tackle temporarily. And now they come out and they draft Will Campbell. Whether you love it or hate it, I feel like we've done a deep dive on this. And Patriots fans know where everyone stands on this.

but what I love most is you've got this quarterback right and he is he is what everything hinges on keeping him healthy and getting weapons around him and the Patriots for as long as I can remember dating back to Randy Moss since Moss left town they have not had explosive difference makers speed put fear into opponents they bring in Travion Henderson who runs in the low four fours one five two ten yard split 70 yard screen for touchdown. If you want to see the level of explosiveness, you can watch it all season long last year.

Put him in a rotation. Kyle Williams, speed at wide receiver. You can argue slightly early, but that's about where he was going to go. Jared Wilson, maybe it's not starting. He's got to develop still a little bit. Only one year as a starter, Jared Wilson had because he sat behind Van Pran, right?

Yeah. Georgia. Yep. But you brought in Garrett Bradbury. So Garrett holds the seat. Or he plays a guard, you know. Or how... Good problem to have.

Good problem to have. Now we have the right kind of depth issues on the offensive line. We're starting to create those, okay? Joshua Farmer was a freaking steal in the fourth round. There was talk of second round. There was some durability stuff that led to him on. I couldn't believe it. Long-armed, powerful, quick hands.

He's going to be in a rotation. Braden Swenson, I had a late second. It was early third. Farmer and Swinson to get them on the turn from the fourth to the fifth? Unbelievable. And by the way, you got your starting kicker. And Borgalis.

I mean, that, that is good. That is a good pick. I like that pick. The farmer Swinson picks, I was stunned. I mean, that's, again, managing your board and understanding, like, just seeing those and just, you know, I don't know what their plan was in terms of what they were going to address with those picks. But when you sue those two names on the board, I just don't know how you don't take them.

So they wind up with three offensive linemen, right? The Marcus Bryant kid from Missouri, keep an eye. Okay. Keep an eye on him. He was the offensive tackle opposite of. of Armand Membue, who's the seventh overall pick. Big kid, he ran a sub five, he has long arms. He's someone, if they can get Dante Scarnacki to come out of retirement,

maybe work with them a little bit. And my understanding, he's doing some advising. If you can unlock that kid's potential, he's got to play a better pad level and a little better balance. But if you're going to unlock that kid's potential, that's a seventh round pick. I mean, that's a guy I would take a flyer on. And at the end of the day, Mike Vrable is trying to change things in New England

from a year ago. He's trying to bring in. And the word culture, whatever. His program. Right. And 11 draft picks this year was critical in doing that. And maybe only eight of them stick. But that's eight new players on your roster that you, you vetted, you interviewed,

you worked out, you trust that they are going to buy into what you're doing. And they want to be there with you. Things are moving fast in the right direction for New England. Jets. Jets were interesting. And honestly, they had a really good draft. This offensive line, if you tell Jets fans, while it's not sexy, it's not the tight end. But obviously, you know.

But you got the tight end. I know, I'm saying with the first pick. I know, I know, but you still get the tight end. Here's what I loved about the Jets pick, okay? And I think, and I talk about it a lot leading up to the draft. So I want to point out where it happens. And I want to give, I want to give organizations when they do. When they manage the board the way this was managed, okay, you got to give them credit for doing it.

We talk about combo picks a lot. It's, okay, what does it look like if we take Tyler Warren at seven or we take a corner, there's no corner, take an edge? But Jalen Walker fell to 15, okay? The guy that we talked about potentially. Tyler Warren fell to 14. And most importantly, eight offensive linemen went in the first round, okay? So what does this board look like? If we go with one of those two, the aforementioned, Warren Walker,

what's going to be available at 38 when we come back on the board at offensive tackle? The answer was nothing you're psyched about. Nothing you could plan on being a starter right away. So we get Armand Membu, who you and I believe outside of Josh Simmons is the most talented offensive linemen in this draft, okay? And in that zone blocking scheme and how good. good he is getting out and running at 332 pounds. It's like

stupid when you watch them on tape, guys. Playing the right. Did they even eat on the right? Yes, and with Foshanu and Tipman and Samson and and and most importantly, Elijah Vera Tucker playing at home now at guard. This could finally be the first

time we could say in three general managers and give Joe Douglas a lot of credit for being a part of transitioning from really bad to pretty good but not quite there. They care. the torch over, this could be the first time in like over a decade that the Jets actually have an asset in that offensive line group, okay? And that's going to help because they got to run the football because Justin Fields isn't going to sit in the pocket and beat you. And if you're going to run

the football, right, and you're going to try to work the short in the middle of the field, let's bring in Mason Taylor. I didn't think there was a chance in hell. Mason Taylor is going to be the third tight end. I did think it may be 42, but again, managing the board saying if we go Warren here we get nothing at tackle that we're psyched about. Exactly. Now we're psyched about our right tackle. And like, I'm thrilled. Mason Taylor, if he can stay healthy, and I know it's a big if because he had two seasons, but it was really like one injury that he was still fighting through and came back. So again, we're talking about the combo picks. You fix your right tackle position. You fix your offensive line. And by doing so,

you avoid what could have happened at 42, which is there's no tackle. The can be the starter and be an impact guy. And then you still get Mason Taylor. And Mason Taylor wasn't utilized properly. It was like 12th percentile of average depth of target at LSU. But he was like 93rd percentile or something ridiculous in terms of separation. So we know he can separate. He just wasn't utilized down the field.

I mean, he's a plug-in-play starter. He's a plug-in-play starter. He's reliable. He's durable. He's consistent. He's a worker. He's got it in his blood. two Hall of Famers in his bloodline.

Played in the SEC. Mason Taylor, there was talk about him going late first round. Okay? So those combo picks were brilliant. And then to come back in the third round and get your corner and to wait on corner because the court, Amos dropped. AZ Thomas from Florida State dropped. These corner, Savon Revel dropped.

They, so my point is they knew the board. They did their work. They had their relationships and communication, and they wound up getting at those spots, a starting right tackle, a starting tight end, and impact guys. And taking a flyer on AZ Thomas, who ran the 4-5-8.

Flyer, I love that pick. But on tape, on tape, where it matters, he plays fast. Right. Really good ball skills. I just like this draft a lot. I liked it a lot as well. I had someone, I talked to someone in the league,

the week of the draft, and Malachi Moore was a guy was all over my board all year. Loved him. I was concerned about size and speed. There's some tape from 2023 when Malik Neighbors is running by him. And Malik Neighbors does that to guys. But this person in league was like, keep an eye on Malachi more.

He is a good player. He's a slot safety. I thought that was a great pick towards the end of the fourth round. And I'll say this too. Tyler Barron from Miami, their last pick in this draft. Yes, traits. Underrated Edge. He's a guy that people are going to look back and say, how is he rated so low?

Yeah. Something else interesting about their draft. I want to make sure I get this right. One, two, three, three, three ACC players. They're not messing around with. And I think we're going to see more of this with the transfer portal stuff. Yeah. But they're not messing around with the smaller schools.

They wanted to get guys from bigger programs. Denver, AFC West, which shift over. Denver, excuse me, Denver, I, everything was about them trying to trade up to go get Ashton Genty. It was confirmed. Sean Payton came out. He was great about, you know, I think you actually told me, I went and looked. Yeah, it was great, right?

What did he say? Go ahead. He was just basically saying that they were falling in love with Ashton Gentie, and then there was a, you know, a come to Jesus conversation of, we're not getting this guy, are we? And then it was, well, what are we doing? Why are we watching his tape? Why are we falling in love with this?

And then Sean Payton went back to his office and watched about two hours of RG Harvey tape and was like, yeah, we're good. I think we're going to be all right with this kid. And it was earlier than I thought, and I absolutely, adored RJ Harvey. There were some durability things that people were maybe concerned about a little bit. The medical

was supposed to lead to him dropping and it didn't, and I'm pumped for him because he's a team captain, two time, I believe. Leader, tough guy, undersized. He's one of my... The tough is powerful. Contact balance for his size, catches the ball. I love him.

And you know what? Like, if Sean... I know. You've talked about him. I know. Harvey's my dude. So I love that pick at 60, even though it was higher than I even thought. Jaday Barron at 20. Your guy. Please. So these are two of my guys. And then they turn around the third round and take one of Menches guys.

My guy, yeah. Yeah. Like, this is our draft class here. It's all, really from beginning to end, and Q Robinson, the kid from Alabama, love that where they got him. He's at the end of the fourth. He's another edge rusher with some upside. He was a guy that was getting a little bit of buzz.

think it kind of cooled off. Love that pick. Do you know who the Utah tight end is they took? Loner? Yeah, interesting cat. He's a former basketball player. He's 6-7, ran really well. I think he ran the 4-6s. He had four catches last year, his first year of college football. I did not do it. But he's a post-up, box-out tight-end right now, but he's got a ton of tools, a ton of upside. I love those kind of picks in the seventh round, man. I love those kind of big. a flyer. It's an intriguing. If they hit, great. But, I mean, if you look at the tools, yeah, if you look at the tools and the lack of experience

of where this player could go. Throw a little change at it. Throw a little change at it. Yeah. And it is funny on tape because there's very little tape on him, very little tape. But he is clearly a basketball player playing football. And at the end of the day, they needed some jokers and they got two jokers. if you believe, if you believe in Menches eval on Pat Bryant. And I don't think he's that far off. And the Broncos...

That is not confidence right there. Not that far off. You loved him. And you got to even admit 74. You didn't think he was right. I'll tell you right now, I had him in the fifth round, I think, because I just, yep. Because the speed. I just didn't think teams would do it.

And I was trying to be honest to myself, too. But I love that. Yeah. You know what they did? Do you know what they did? The Broncos just rely. on their eyes and tape I should have done the same it's true Jad A Barron belonged in the top 20s one of the best 15 football players in the draft R.J Harvey's tape is like it'd make you teary

I did so good Pat Bryant's tape is awesome he just didn't run well Savion Jones tape is really freaking good yeah tough powerful long arm you Q Robinson's got upside I just I like this draft and then Crenshaw apparently I don't do I don't do punters and kickers I just don't you need five minutes on him he's apparently he's He's got a big leg. Don't call my bluff. He's got a big leg. You mentioned to go right about him all over at Rosillo's house yesterday.

Chiefs. If Simmons hits, Chiefs fans, if Josh Simmons hits left tackle set for years. This whole draft is awesome, though. I'm getting there. Sorry to jump the gun. I get excited about this one. But then after that gamble, but not. But at that point, it was the right.

gamble and you're gambling on the medical, you're gambling on maturity, externals. But if Andy Reid can get, the former offensive lineman can get out of him, what is in that tank, you're set for years at left tackle. Most talented offensive linemen in the draft, and I know I'm just sitting right next to me and he agrees. Yes. But then they went back and then they went back to the recipe and the recipe is, we got in Mahomes. We got to protect him. That was a nightmare in the Super Bowl. So we just gave him one asset for

for protection, but then we're going right back to it. Shifting the focus to defense for three straight picks, Interior defensive lineman, Edge, cornerback, Omar Norman Lott, one of my favorite guys. I can't believe. He went the second, I had him. I talked to a couple teams. Apparently, he was a trip

at the Combine. There are some funny stories. Ashton Galati, Edge, Louisville. That's a good pick, man. That's a really good pick. Those are good football players. I'm not the biggest Noel Williams. he was going to go there. I'm not the biggest Noel Williams, but other people liked him, so I'm good with it.

Jalen Royals. End of the fourth? End of the fourth. That had to be some kind of durability concern or injury concern, I feel like. Jeffrey Bossa? Good player. The most traveled man in the pre-draft circuit was Mr. Jeffrey, linebacker, Oregon.

Every team, I bet you 20-plus teams brought him in for 30 visits. So that was intriguing to me. And then you guy? Who's my guy? Resard Smith went in the seventh. I couldn't believe it. I had to flip the page. I forgot that this is where we want.

Like with Mahomes in that offense, with Andy Reed and dialing things up. And the way they use their backs in the passing game? The former wide receiver? Former wide receiver, unbelievable year for SMU. Fit, value, need. Awesome. That's what you're looking for picks, right?

Yeah, I really liked. Omar Norman Lott and Ashton Galat. Galati both pass-rusher first type players, right? They're both guys who... Physical pass-rushers too, though. Yes, but that, like...

So in a rotate... Remember, Omar, Norman Lott, it was just like James Pierce. They were running three line shifts like a hockey team. They had three line shifts, okay? And so they had like the fewest snaps

of the edges and defensive tackles respectively for for Pierce and Norman Lott. but they played fresh and they were allowed to rush the passer and that's what Omar Norman Lott's going to be able to do and it's going to take a lot of the load I think off of Chris Jones or can help and Steve Spagnola with all the blitzing like these are two players that may wind up being like real serious impact even if they're only playing half the snaps 30 something snaps right I just I think that this was a smart draft and

then Royals and Breschard Smith late are going to be impact players. I'll be shocked if they're not. The Raiders. I highlighted so many. Here's the thing. Hold on. Yeah, it's the Raiders, yep. Yeah.

They have in the wrong order. The Raiders, I probably, my code here is highlight the guys that I thought were good values. And obviously, starting with Ashton Genti. I want to give a lot of credit. First of all, for the espionage, for getting out the late leak that it was, that it was going to be banks. And so John Spide Tech, I see you. I see you. That won't happen again.

But much more importantly, to the point, outside of Caleb Rogers, the offensive lineman from Texas Tech at pick 98, and I love the fact they went back-to-back offensive lineman there with Rogers and Charles Grant, offensive tackle William and Mary, every pick on this list was of value. Genty at six value And like obviously And knowing your team And they're in this first three picks Like high character guys Who we're going to come in and love Especially Ginty and Besh

Yes Jack Bash a wide receiver He's a starter I don't care like he's a starter Day one Physical slot block Down the field Dary and Porter Traits for days

Still developing But so was Rick Wollin When he came out of Utah TSA and this guy's got former wide receiver ball skills later Dante Thornton speed explosiveness I had that's exactly where I thought he'd can go Tanka Hemingway yeah I got off the plane in Mobile Alabama I was gonna say yeah I didn't have internet I want to know I want to know it was that Tonka yep and 17 he's 91 you're like who's 991 because he's in that game he played better than even your boy Sanders I said to you I said fuck's wrong with Tonka you did see that

Didn't say, hey, Mench, how was your flight? I remember we're watching about, like, the rental cars. You're like... What's wrong with Tonka? I like that guy. J.J. Pigeese. My guy. Best running back in the SEC, according to you.

And you're welcome, by the way. I was kind of... Just give me a minute to thank you. Okay. Go ahead. I love, by the way, that they got... From the same conference. Tommy Malott from Montana State, who's a quarterback, but he's going to be a wide receiver.

Julian Edelman is the comp. Julian Edelman is the comp. Yep. an outstanding runner, tested extremely well, doesn't throw the ball well enough. He's not big enough to stay a quarterback, but he's an intriguing prospect. And then Cam Miller from North Dakota State,

those guys were battling. The Walter Payton Award goes to the FCS, best SCS player in the country. Tommy Millard won Cam Miller too. I mean, those guys on the same team, I just love, I think they're going to be competitive and push each other. I think that those are great back-to-back picks.

But yes, McShay did call me. There's another player. I'm going to bring this up later on too and said, man, the Montana State quarterback. Keep an eye on. He's going to go. So write them up so you don't have to walk over to the back table when we're talking to Rissillo and you can actually join in the conversation.

Finally, the Chargers. But I do love that draft for SpyTech first year there. And with Pete Carroll, they made some headway, starting with Gentie. The Chargers nailed the first four picks, in my opinion. Nailed it. And in the Harbaugh image, okay? Joe Ortiz doing a great job there. Drafting comes from the Baltimore Ravens. And it's about knowing what you are as an organization. And Harbaugh, whether you made the point on their show the other day, whether it's San Francisco, whether it's Stanford, whether it's Michigan.

It's about, you know, multiple tight ends, but it's about running the football and being physical and putting our quarterback in a position with playoff. action to set him up for some big shots, make life easier. And we saw in the playoffs last year, we got to make life easier on Justin Herbert. And that's what they did. They come out, Omari and Hampton is going to pound the rock. And by the way, he catches the ball. 97th percentile miss tackles forced after the catch as a running back last year. Okay.

Trey Harris, physical. What's not, maybe we don't have to throw 30, 40 yards down the field, three out of every four times we drop back to pass. Maybe we can get a quick slant, quick out, and throw up a little fade. Get 12 yards. Trey Harris, wide receiver, Ole Miss, not the fastest guy, but my goodness, is he good after the catch. Jamari Caldwell, huge interior defender.

Too early. Fine, but stout, like, stout, tough versus the run. Listen, Tonka Hemingway there, Josh Farmer there, Cam Jackson there, yeah, yeah, black there. I like, I'm a Caldwell guy, so I'm not going to nitpick. I didn't think he was going to go quite. that high. It is what they need. And it's what they need. And remember, this is a team. Had Kenneth Grant fallen

and Puna Ford out, Kenneth Grant probably would be that pick. So at least they get a big body guy. And I like Kyle Kinnard, man. I know he doesn't have great traits. In the fourth round? That's a great pick, too. Watch the LSU tape. Tell me you don't like them. Also, I think the sixth round safety,

R.J. Mickens, out of Clemson, wildly underrated. A big safety that can run, can cover a little bit. I looked at that I couldn't believe I was higher on him than a lot of people I understand that I couldn't believe he lasted that long end of the six to get RJ Mickens I just look at like

Najee Harris is signed but this like now we get a difference maker at running back yeah you know there'll be plenty enough for both of those to eat both those bags to eat especially now that Jim can start doing what he wants to do this is what he wants to do

that's a wrap on the AFC stick with us here. We're going to take a second. Do whatever we've got to do for a minute. We're going to be right back with the NFC. I'm sure Tuck will play some music, something fun to keep you going, and then we'll be right back and attack the NFC

with the same vigor, the same excitement, mensch with finish strong. Ferocious. Ferocious. Tenacious. All right, we'll see you in a minute. And we're back. Bears fans!

Bears fans! AFC NFC North 3, 2, 1. NFC North. That's where we're starting, okay? And Chicago Bears fans, you've heard me screaming your name.

And it didn't work out exactly how we talked about with Ashton Ginty as a possibility, although they tried. Ryan Poles, Ian Cunningham. They tried. They tried to move up, according to all reports. And it didn't happen. Pick it 10.

And interestingly enough, Mench. Ben Johnson's fingerprints we're all over this thing. Okay, let's start there. Secondly, interestingly, and to my surprise, but it wasn't shock, they choose

Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren. And we had a lot of indicators from people we talked to. Don't be surprised of Loveland goes before Warren. And in this case, it actually makes sense because to me, Ben Johnson is looking for chess pieces, get in the lab,

design ways to do it. So now we've got Cole, at we've got loveland lovelin is lovelyn is more in that tree of the of the Travis Kelsey whereas warren is more in that grunk tree okay and so flex them out

kick him out wide move them around best separator in terms of route running an ability to get open with his feet doesn't need his body as much as a lot of these big tight ends to get late separation he does it with his feet like a big wide receiver then they come back with lutherbird in at 39

who fell because of some of the character issues, but at the end of the day, this guy's too talented to fall outside the top 40. We knew that coming in, and he's got that Debo Samuel type ability. Not the best downfield route runner, okay? He can develop there in terms of tracking the ball. He's a little inconsistent, but he is such a good, like for an offensive coordinator like this, who's so creative with the ball in his hands. He's one of the special athletes in this class.

And then the offensive tackle spot, let's bring in a guy in Tripillo, Ozzie, who appears to me like a right tackle. I've heard people talking about left tackle. I think he's a right tackle. I think eventually if it's inside a guard, but to me he's a right tackle. And I know you're looking at it and saying, well, we got darnel right.

But the future of this position, and there's going to be contracts coming up pretty soon, and Wright was a first round pick back in 23. However, it plays out, and you brought in Joe Tunney, Drew Dalman, Jonah Jackson along the interior. Maybe it's developed for a year, year. We got a swing tackle if we need him, but also could play a guard in a year from now.

I just, I like the direction they went with these, and I think you really like to pick in Turner late in the second round with Sharmar Turner. Smar Turner, the Texas A&M defense tackle. If he, if he came out last year, I think he would have gone even higher than this. I think this is about right for him because he was playing people why? Why he would have gone higher? Yeah. Very disruptive player. Very disruptive player. But this year he was dealing with the injury. Right. He was dealing, he played hurt this year. was a stress fracture, his numbers dropped. You look at his numbers in 2023.

They were excellent for a defensive tackle. Also a little bit overshadowed maybe by Nick Scornton, the edge, and by Shamar Stewart, the other edge. Shamar Turner can play, man. He's going to help them out. And it was like maybe their most pressing need. And they get it with their fourth pick, and they get it at the end of the second round.

I thought that was a great pick. I'll tell you, another player that I really liked is Zafrasier, the Utep corner. I mean, how many six three corners that run four, three, six are there in the world? Not many. To get him in the fifth round. The hippolyte, the fourth-up, the fourth-round pick, Rubin Hippolyte was a little of a head scratcher.

I put a blue highlight on that, which means I thought it was a little bit of a reach, was not where I would have gone with that pick. He ran well on his pro day, but he's 5-11. I don't know. I don't know. That was a little early for me. Dennis Allen, man-to-man defense,

looking for press corners. I completely agree with you was Zafraser. Right. This is going to be a team that's going to be more aggressive, get up the field. They want that front four, pass rush to get there. You brought in Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett, right?

This is, Grady can't play forever. Shemar Turner is another guy, depth. Keep legs fresh. Turner could be a Grady Jarrett player, like a tight player over the long term. Yes. I love Grady Jared. I just, I don't know how he went so late. I like these first four picks a lot. And Zafraser fits exactly what they're looking to do, okay? So running back, not a

until the seventh round would be one thing that I look at with this draft with all these running backs. And like, like, Hippolyte, I get it at linebacker. I get linebacker. I don't get that linebacker. Right. Luke Newman.

I just, I felt like there were better running backs on the board throughout the course of the draft that they could have brought someone in to make a little bit bigger impact. I agree. And Monag, like, there's, he's not bad. No. There's some stuff to him. So I, I, I think he can contribute, but it's going to be, you're asking a lot from him to get what you're looking for at that position from a seventh round pick.

All right. Agree. Detroit. Detroit was interesting. Let's just call it what it is. Who are you going to go with? Are you going to go with Brad Holmes, who I was all for what he did a couple years back with Jemir Gibbs and drafted a linebacker in a tight end? These aren't positions of priority.

What is he doing? the year before we drafted a wide receiver early with our second first round pick and he can't even play. He's, you know, the suspension, the injury. Or are you going to go with Todd McShay? Yeah. I mean, ultimately, that's what I'm asking you, Lions fans. Like, I would take your guy, ride with Brad. He's done nothing to deserve you not riding with him.

He's been nothing short of brilliant. Okay. Everyone was laughing. Like, this is a bridge. quarterback, Jared Goff, like, bridge my ass. He, like, everything he's touched is basically turned to gold. So when I sit here and tell you,

I thought they reached on just about every single pick, like, who are you going to ride with? And to be honest with you, I'm kind of questioning my own. Right. You do that. He'll make you do that. He will make you do that. He's that good, is my point. So I'm not here sitting, I'm not sitting here questioning.

I'm just saying, like, from my seat, my perspective, I liked the players they got a lot. I just had almost all of them about around, like a half round, round, but below. Tileak Williams, watch him move at the combine. Beautiful, big man. Beautifully moving. I think there's more in the tank as a pass rusher. He's a great run defender.

You're going to have to monitor the snaps. Keep him fresh. Okay. Tate Ratlidge is starting guard. Plug, play. Yeah. But like, could we have gotten him at 70 or something of that caliber is 7? where they took Isaac Tesla.

Who was a riser and is interesting on tape, but he's a big slot receiver that hasn't proven he can play outside, really. And he played outside a little bit, but he was at his best working out of the slot. That one was the biggest reach for me. I do like the Miles Frazier pick in the fifth round. That was the one that I felt like they got really good value for. Miles Frazier is going to, I think,

it'd be a starting guard in the league. But all the other ones, I agree with you. But Tesla, I want Pat Bryant, year guy who went earlier than we thought too. Yeah. Jalen Noel's sitting there. Jalen freaking Noel is sitting there. Tesla's a bigger height, weight speed guy, but still.

Well, he's bigger height and weight. No, he ran well, too. I know he didn't run faster than Noel, but he runs well. Noll. I'm sorry, Noel. They do pick guys that fit their personality and their head coach's personality, right? Yeah. These are guys who are gritty, tough grinders all the way through.

They know what their identity is. I just think they could have done better at spots. But clearly they're trying to make sure that they're able to protect and run the football up the middle. And by drafting Tate Ratlidge and even Miles Frazier, two guards with their first, what, four picks, clearly they're indicating that we... This was your meat and vedidas.

Yeah. This was like right down the middle. We're going to keep... We're going to keep the grit. And we might have to run the ball a little bit. We don't have the, you know, the chef in there, the brilliant chef in there, mixing up the ingredients on offense anymore. But we're going to be physical, and we're going to wear you down.

And we're going to be deep along the defensive front. And we're going to, you know, like I think Tilek and then the Boise State guy, Hassanin, is it? Yeah. Ahmad. He's a tough kid. He's a tough kid. kid. So you're right. It fits the

temperament. Right. Dan Jackson's from Georgia. Wasn't at the Combine, but was it the senior ball. Chip on her shoulder. Flies around against the run. These are guys that if you're you, these are Dan Campbell guys. They are. Green Bay. I love it. Best available man. And and you know what? We got a lot of receivers. We got a lot of receivers. But who's ever stepped up? Jaden Reed has been awesome, okay?

But he's had some drops. Okay. The four receivers between 70 and 76 targets, but maybe our quarterback's good enough we can get more. And Matthew Golden is going to provide more. Now we got a 4-29 receiver who's not excellent after the catch, but we don't need them. We need guys who can get down the field fast with that arm.

Jordan Love's got an arm on him, man, and he loves to chuck it. So let's get guys who can run vertical down. Let's get guys who can break off routes. Let's get guys who adjust to the football. That's what, how many times do you watch a Packers game? And the ball's up in the air. And it's a beautiful ball. But it is like maybe contested or we got to adjust and go track.

And it's an incompletion. Right. For whatever reason. But typically the receiver's not making a great. How many times then did you watch Texas this year? Right. And a ball's up in the air. And Quinn Ewer's fellow the seventh round in part because the ball's hanging in the air.

Yeah, watch the end of the year, especially for Golden, yeah. Receiver has to adjust, come back to the football, track it. And then Sabianne Williams, who's a running back receiver return specialist. Don't get that twisted. He is not, like, put him as much with the running backs as you will with the wide receivers. He's just, he's Cordero Patterson. That's, like, not quite as. fast, but still fast.

Big, athletic. He's, like, you're going to, there's going to be some blooper reels of him falling, trying to get in and out of breaks. He doesn't know where he's going all the time, but get him the ball in his hands. And so that's going to be, to me, that's on Matt LaFleur.

Matt LaFleur saw him and said, chest piece. Yeah. Chest piece. So now I got Golden Run into 429. I got Jaden Reed. I got all these other guys who have been okay, but, like, haven't stepped Dobbs. Christian Watson got Nicole Harmon

all of a sudden Matt LaFleurres got all these chess pieces with this quarterback who's super talented that's what I loved about this draft class I thought Anthony Belton

was too high where they took him right I truly did but he isn't yeah you can't wait longer I mean we're already out

this is the we've already dropped off the cliff that you've described when you get to Anthony Belton and he's probably the first guy that you would consider at that point. So I get it.

Offensive tackles go early. I'm with you. I don't think the tape matches the spot. I liked Warren Brinson, too. I had a late round pick. It's not a golden. It's not overly exciting for me. Okay.

Xavier Williams could turn into a guy. I get it. Everything you're saying about him is accurate. I get all of that. I love the golden pick. And then the rest of it, I'm like, eh. Baron Sorrel won exactly where I think he should have gone. he's tough,

gets after the quarterback with great effort and motor, but I don't think he's special in terms of his tools. You know, Warren Brinson's great there. John Williams, the late offensive tackle, not a bad pick. I just, there's nothing, like, other, some of these other drafts. And again, I have more beef with, you know, with what Detroit did, but I look at this class and I'm saying to myself, you know, I'm just not overly exciting.

I'll give you another team in the National Football League where I look at the draft, when the finished product and the expectation was we were going to have this feeling about it. And I probably feel a little bit more about it than I thought I was going to that it's, Minnesota. Yeah. And they had the fewest picks of any organization coming in. So we weren't ever going to look at the Vikings, be like, oh, my gosh.

Like they are. And by the way, I want to remind Vikings fans, look what they did in the offseason. Right. Look at, you know, look at, you know, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Okay. Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, freeze, sorry. A lot of depth pieces all over.

So they put themselves in a position where they could take best available for the most part. We knew cornerback was a position that they wanted to address, right, coming into the draft. Right. Didn't do that. Interesting. Right?

Running back was a position that we thought that they would want to address. Aaron Jones. Jordan Mason, they brought it. So, like, they protected themselves. But there was a lot of freaking running backs. I don't know how many wound up even going. I haven't even gone back and look. But there was a run in the fourth and fifth and sixth round of these running backs.

Donovan Jackson's a damn good football player, okay? He kicked out to left tackle for Ohio State and honestly saved this season, okay, when Josh Simmons got injured. I like that pick a lot. I didn't think he should go that high, but the, the linemen were going. So it was get one or get out of the business. So I think to me,

and I do feel like with his position flexibility and mostly as a guard, he's a great run blocker. And he's a pretty darn good pass protector. So like I like that pick. I like the player. I don't like it there. Yeah.

Yeah. I love the Ty Felton pick at the end of the third round. I thought that was a good thing. He should have gone earlier. Turing Ingram Dawkins was my guy. guy. He went in the beginning of the fifth round. That was my favorite pick of all of it. Right.

Fifth round tier. Vikings fans, let me tell you a little bit about this guy. He's arguably like top three or four most physically. Five star, right, had a couple injuries early on, got lost in the shuffle, easy to do there. We're pumping out first round draft picks in Georgia, okay? I watched his tape this last year, and there are times where I'm like, yeah, he doesn't quite know what the deal is. but he is talking about position. Like I saw him play one technique, three technique, five technique.

So we're talking about penetrate, disrupt, or steering offensive linemen. On a straight line, there's some shit on that tape where you're like, nah. He's an unbelievable run defender. He's got to develop as a pass rush. Totally. But like is a fifth round pit. Oh, unbelievable. Find me a guy in round five who has more upside than Tyrion, Ingram Dawkins.

And he, like, blew the doors off of. The combine. Lucas Oil was like, there was smoke coming out of it. With Tyrion Ingram Davis. Come on, man. So. If they were just handcuffed, you're right about what you said. I mean, they were handcuffed because their first pick is an offensive guard.

And then they had four other picks. Right. And what are we going to do? You know, it's not necessarily a bad draft. It's just not. Yeah. Let's get excited. All right.

NFC South. Let's get excited. Let's go. Atlanta. Hey. Don't say they don't swing. I like my batters to get up there and take a deep cut into it. And that's exactly.

That's exactly what Atlanta did. Terry Fonton, no, like, he got after it, man. I'll tell you what, it's an interesting case study on just, like, the mind. Like, how many years can you sit there in that GM chair and look and be like, I've cried everything fucking thing on face earth face of the earth to figure out this edge position right i've traded i've drafted i've signed and it never gets figured out and we have a defense that doesn't have an identity and we have a defense that isn't fierce it doesn't get after quarterbacks and i sit there on sundays inside my gm box and i watch these these quarterbacks picking us apart and time in

the pocket and it's driving me mad and I just changed defensive coordinators again and Jimmy Likes out the door and Jeff Albreck's in and I'm 27th again in past rush win rate 26th in run stop win rate

I've drafted Abacetti I traded third round pick for Matthew Judon and I wouldn't sign Leonard Florida again I'll keep up but I'm not doing it again right and so

So what they gave up was too much. No doubt about it. But I promise you this, you brought in one of the all-time dogs in terms of this class and the leadership and the toughness. And if you're going to be the alpha at Georgia, you've got to be different. And Jalen Walker's different. He is going to hold, like right away. Hey, rookie, no, I'm not rookie.

I'm the guy. He's going to take over this defensive front. And pretty much, pretty soon it's going to be, he's the leader of this Atlanta defense and they've been looking for this kind of guy and it's going to be some off the ball and it's going to be edge rusher. They're going to move him around

and Albrecht's going to have a blast with the flexibility. We've got to be multiple. Everyone says, we've got to be multiple. They throw a lot at us and they're in personnel sets. We've got to be multiple. I told you the drinking game. If you want to get hammered, sit down with a defensive coordinator

and have a sip every time that he says multiple. And this guy allows you to be multiple and he's explosive and he's a leader. And then you go and you're... But you didn't trade up for that guy. You trade up for a guy who... Who's not that guy. Right.

Who's not an alpha dog who comes into the league with a reputation of where is he the other six days? He shows up. I've told you there's... I draw a line in the sand. When I see it on tape, I will... The one thing I have a problem with on the tape is I'm not sure he plays within their scheme all the time. I think he's a little selfish. The motor's great.

But he plays hard. He plays hard all the time. But I think he's out to, yeah, I don't think he's always there to play within the scheme. I think he takes some chances in terms of how he attacks offensive line. And I think a lot of that has to do with the preparation and not being, you know what I mean? Right on the nose. And I think Jalen Walker now is it's, you got drafted to bring everything that you brought, you had at Georgia, skills and traits-wise. But also, I need your leadership because I just trade away next year, one.

Right. Right. For James Pierce, who is the second best pass rusher behind Abdul-Carter in this draft. I just traded away a first-round draft pick to get him. I'm going to need you to light a fire and keep him involved and invested in here and getting cut out of the externals in his life. And if that happens, all of a sudden, it looks like a good deal. It's just like the Jacksonville-Cleven deal, right? 100%.

It seems too much. But if it pans out the way that Atlanta foresees it panning out, it's not too much. Trading an extra first-round pick to get James Pierce. This is a guy, again, who came into the year. neck and neck with Abdul Carter about who's going to be the first edge off the board. And safety was a position that you looked at. Love the players they got. Justin Simmons.

Jesse Bates didn't quite have the year he had getting up there a little bit. And now... Still good, but yeah. Yeah, yeah, no. I mean, he still had like 100 tackles. He had 100 tackles, four forced fumbles for interceptions. I'm not cutting. I'm saying there are signs.

Right. And so when you see signs, good general managers get out ahead of it. And Justin Simmons, free agency. So Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman. Billy Bowman is a Tasmanian devil. He's undersized. Short arms doesn't tackle the inconsistent tackler because of those short arms. But he plays his ass off and he's the most prepared guy in the world.

They got that here's the thing. Four of their draft picks are like a plus plus character. football character, leadership, toughness, involvement, preparation. And then they brought in James Pierce. And I know it sounds funny. And then there's James Pierce. But now we're surrounding him of a class of guys.

You're right. I get it. It's just funny how you worded it to me. But yeah, I understand what you said. Yeah. So any other thoughts? No, I agree with you. It's all about that. I love the safety of the God. I'll just add in really quickly that the late round offensive tackle slash offensive guard. Jack Nelson played a lot better towards the end of the year. Again, these are players that have flaws at the end, but I don't mind taking a flyer Jack Nelson.

He played for a lot of different offensive line coaches at Wisconsin. If you can get him into a stable situation, I think he could turn into a player for them. They had five picks coming in. They used five picks. Again, this is the thing, too. A lot of the drafts we're talking about they were excited about, right? 11 picks.

No question. A picks. But I'm excited about what this class can do for this Atlanta team, because these are positions that they needed to address. obviously it adds first and foremost. But also, like, I want to make it perfectly clear that they believe they've got their guy at quarterback. And I've said the great organizations follow this trend, switch it right away in the draft to the defensive side. We've got to get great on that side of the ball.

And part of that, highest in the priority is get me some closers because we're going to go score some points with our quarterback that we love. And that's their mindset now. We're all in on Michael Pennix. And we've drafted wide receivers. Right? And we've drafted tight ends. So now it's time to get a great defense opposite him. Right. And if you're going to be a GM, look, you're probably going to get fired at some point.

Everyone gets fired at some point if you're a GM. Do you want to get fired because you played it safe and tried to do it the, you know, the simple way? Or do you want to be the guy who's like, I did everything in my power to go up? Like, do you want to be the Gladstone who said, I went up and got Travis Hunter and it didn't work out, but I was aggressive. Terry Fano, I was aggressive about getting the quarterback that I wanted. I was aggressive about addressing our pass rush needs.

I like that. like that approach. You're not going to sit back there at the end and regret not doing something. I'd rather regret doing something. I have a great deal of respect for Dan Morgan. I've told you there are organizations that are a bunch of my guys or like on my... Why don't you take Carolina? Well, you didn't like it? Oh. Because I... Tenorua McMillan, the eighth overall pick to Carolina.

Look, I think that's early. I think we all think that's early. I think that... But he was going. He was going to go. It surprised me, if you had told me before the draft that Jaylon Walker was going to go after him, I would have gone the edge. I would have gone Jaylon Walker.

I would have gone Mikel Williams. I would have taken a defensive edge here. I think that's more value. Tedaro is going to go. He was the first receiver on my board. I don't hate the pick. I would have gone in a different direction. I will say this,

that they got Nick Scorton from Texas A&M and Prince Lee Uman-Mielin in the third. They got scorting in the second round, Uman Mielin in the third round. So it's not like they didn't address the edge position. And those are two pretty good positions. I mean, two pretty good players at where they took them. And there are some players down the board that we can talk about in a second.

But your main thing is Ted Rose too early. I wasn't a scorting guy either. Right. So I... Why not scorting, though? I understand you say you're not a scorting guy. But you weren't a scorting guy first. Are you a scorting guy at pick 19 in the second round?

No. Too early still. I had him late, late second, early third. But that was me. That's not that far up. Sorry. I mean, around that high is pretty far off. Okay.

So very productive player. Statistically, very productive player. Very good tape. Doesn't have great measurables. Was excellent at Purdue and was excellent at Texas. Yeah. Yeah, he's tough. Like, I like him.

I just don't see anything special about him. Devil's advocate would be like, if Shamar Stewart's so damn good, why was this guy way more productive? Yeah, I think it was part of the scheme. I understand what you're trying to get to. No, I understand that. I just, I didn't see the traits like I saw with Shemar. They're not there. This guy is probably more towards the topping out end of his skill set where

than Shmar Stewart is. But again, in the middle of the second round, I like that pick. I think that's a good pick. But Trevor E.T.N. is an interesting pickup. I think he's got a little bit of juice and see if he can protect the ball and those sorts of things. Latham Ransom is a, I mean. Dude, he's a tough, tough son of bitch. Buckle up.

I love that, yeah, yeah, right? And Mitchell Evans, I think, would they good. I love that pick. That's a good pick, too. Yeah. So not all, not all. I just, for me, like, it's not you. And I do want to say, A, Teteroa McMillan was going to go.

And I think it was worst case 12. So that's not a reach by that standard. I think it's very important that they're able to, to get him focused and channeled and doing the right things and paying attention to detail and finishing routes and becoming like the best. best he can be, like much, much closer to what it was with Jed Fish back in 2023, okay? If they can do that, they get a damn good football player. And Adam Thielen's their best receiver, right? And he's 35 years old.

All right. And they brought in Xavier Leggett, who's going to continue to ascend, which is the assumption, and they absolutely should. But now you get two trees for your shorter quarterback to be able to launch the ball up to and trust contested catches. and those sorts of things. It does make a lot of sense. And Jalen Coker, if he continues it,

he's a pretty good number three. Right? So number three, number four. They got the Texas tight end last year, too. They did. Got some young talent there. Yeah. It wasn't, I just, I feel like you had a,

you had a better version of what Carolina did this. Fair. I can't believe I didn't pick it up right away. The Saints. Kelvin Banks, I got no problem with. Even though I wasn't as high on him, like I totally get what. They did.

It was the same. When I go and praise the Jets for looking at the combo picks and what would be involved, and they were under the strong assumption that 40th pick was going to be on a quarterback. And so they get Tyler Shuck in round two, who I, like, right now, Saints fans. Saints fans. It's like more probable than not that Shuck's getting a shot. A real shot at being the starter there. And I've said it from the beginning.

I think he's as or more ready from a maturity, like been through the wars, had the game taken away from him in his mind as he's carted off the field, three season ending injuries, seven years, three schools, like 90 different coordinators. Like he's been through it all. So he comes in with like a different level of maturation and just readiness. Then you, it's kind of rare to see that with a guy. And yes, he's a little bit older. and yes, only one year of full starting experience.

But his traits are awesome. Awesome. Physical and Daniels. And there's not, like, Kellan Moore is the right guy for that job because he's in the mold of a Justin Herbert of a Dak Prescott. He's in the mold of a Jalen Hertz,

not identical, but like there's some similar traits and qualities. I'm excited for Shuck. I'm excited for New Orleans. I think, I don't know, man. I've been saying since January. Put him in the right spot. Yeah.

We may look back two, three years from now and say, Shuck was the turn out to be the best quarterback of the group or second best quarterback of the group. All right. Louisville Corner. Jonas Sanker. I love that pick. Yep. Third round.

Louisville Corner, Quincy Riley. Wait to a same. Fourth. Wait until you see his ball skills. He is not the fastest. He's not the... Chips to himself, one-handed picks. I mean, he's...

He's like having fun out there. balls in the air. He's going to get the ball back to Shuck. And Devin Niels is your guy, Munch. Sixth round. And I like him, but you... I moved... I have to make a confessional here a little bit. We did sit here last week, and I said that I wasn't going to move any of my backs out of the top 100. And I knew Devon Neal was going to go in the top 100, so I put him at 101.

That was a productive move for you. I just tried to get as close to Todd's number. But listen, I think in the sixth round, this is stealing. I've said Kareem, I believe Cream Hunt, Kreme Hunt. They both ran around the same times. They both do the same things. They are very good runners.

They are instinctive. They have good contact balance. They are quick. And they catch the football. And they pass protect. I think Devin Neal is an absolute steel at this point. I do think it's interesting with trading Marshawn Latimore, Paulson Adiba,

leaves Free Agency of the Giants that their first cornerback pick was late in the front. But Quincy Riley is a good one and maybe, you know, we'll see what he can provide. Tampa Bay, final team in the NFC South. They went Abuka with the first pick, and then four straight on cornerbacks and defensive linemen. I like the strategy here. Yes.

And you look at a Mecca Abuka, and you're like, where is this fit? And I say to you this, there's been injuries in Tampa, and when those wide receivers went down, Baker was still balling his ass off, man. He was, man. That was crazy. But not with the weaponry. He didn't have the swords in the sword fight to go win enough games at that point. So Mike Evans, he's getting up there, but he's still a great player.

Jalen McMillan will see what he can become as a third-round pick last year. You thought it was promising. I saw it flashes too. Chris Godwin, if he can stay healthy, that's the key. but now it is interesting because you look at Godwin's slot Mecca's a slot how are they going to McMillan's a slot McMillan's a slot kind of a slot sharp I mean Sterling Shepherd is a slot they wish it was Sterling Sharp

Ted's Johnson's a slot so we're just gonna have we're just gonna have a smaller quicker we got we got our slot party a slot party we're gonna have a slot party but I but I really like some of their other picks Benjamin Morrison you see him when he received the call. Listen, I don't know how you feel about it. I'd like to think I'm not overly soft,

but man, some of those phone calls, they get me. Yeah. Benjamin Morrison, first round draft pick coming out of 2020, comes back based off of his tape, has two, that's his second hip injury, both required surgery.

He falls to 53. I feel like it was a reasonable spot for him to fall because you worry about the hips. But honestly, if he, if he pans out, and he's what he was on tape in, 2023 and early 24. This guy's an absolute player.

And I like him in that defensive scheme, too. And then David Walker is kind of a spitfire out of Central Arkansas in the fourth round. Elijah Roberts kind of like that five technique, long arm. He'll help a little bit in there. Yeah, I mean, and they're in that three, four front. It makes perfect sense. Logan Hall, Vita Baye in the middle, Colagia Cancy. I think he, like Logan Hall, he's just going to help.

Both those guys play. physical, violent styles of football. And like, if we're having a slot party, let's have the best freaking slot party out there. Let's just bring in Tess Johnson and see what happens. Throw a little change at that. No one could cover him at the senior ball. Doesn't run well.

Doesn't have great speed. Small. It's stunning to me he didn't run again at his pro day. It just says that he thinks he's a four or five guy. It surprises me because I don't see it on 10. It's faster. Football speed can be different and quickness can't be perfectly measured. I can tell you that.

Yeah, I agree. All right, NFCE, let's get to it. Cowboys. I'm sorry, Cowboys fans. I did not love your first pick, and I mentioned it, more than mentioned it. They bounced back, well. They did. They had a really good rest of the draft.

And let's just say what it is. I get like queasy thinking of taking a, a power limited athlete, blocking. Lightheaded? You have a physical reaction to it? Yeah, a little bit.

Okay. It doesn't make me feel settled. But the leadership that comes to Tyler Booker, the fact that you just are absolutely plugging and playing a starter and you're going to get a guy who loves ball who's going to set the tone

in the offensive line room. And he has the length and the width and he's got some tools to get over his flaws. But again, he's not clean. He fits perfectly in that scheme, right? So it'll be just fine. Donovan Azaraku. They went to work after that, though.

They went to freaking work. Donovan Azaraku, where they were able to get him at 44, is a guy that people were talking about maybe late first. And what was the 1.38 was his sack number per game last year, led the FBS. He's short. He's undersized. He's got long arms. He's not the fastest.

And it may take a year. to let's who I could see a similar trajectory before you get that quality of pass rush out of him technician though but he is so technically sound what he's like it's masterclass hand usage then Chavon Revel who's another guy we thought could go on the first I mean maybe maybe not as much as as a Raku but I think in my final mock I put him late to Buffalo I don't think that's crazy but it was durability stuff with him but but I literally read the medical report from the doctor and I've talked to teams. They don't think it's going to be an issue.

Maybe a little bit early in the season, we'll see. But Revel is a long, athletic press man corner on the outside. It's what they want to do. And I even like Jaden Blue, because we know what we're trying to get out of them, and it's not every down back. But we brought in Giovante Williams. We brought in Miles Sanders. He's just a massive upgrade.

I hate to say it over Deuce Vaughn. I agree. Deuce Vaughn is what Deuce Vaughn is. He should be a complimentary. player um i'm gonna be honest with you what i kind of like the film off a pickly too i went back and watched his tape i know you're not i'm clemson fans i might be coming over the dark side just hear me out all right i went back and i watched his tape he played hurt last year he's a big back that i don't he didn't run but he's a big back that moves well on tape powerful downhill runner that when he gets a

crease he's got a little bit of get up and go to him in the seventh round i kind of like that pick All right, noted. It's noted. I just want to, like, plant that seed. Hey, Giants fans. Giants fans. Hey, Giants fans. I get it.

You like to be the cynical bunch. I grew up in Boston. I've been around this kind my whole life. Get out of here, man. Is this maybe the best draft? It's in the running. Get the bleep out of here. Now he's bleeping himself.

I've had enough. you have an organization that is fighting constructively the way you want them to fight about should we take Chador at three. There were people in the organization saying maybe we should take Chador at three. You got a general manager in Joe Shane after Hard Knocks who's just been a battering ram. You got a coach in Brian Daibel who's one of the best at what he does, quarterback's offensive mind, who's been handed nothing at quarterback. Nothing. Daniel Jones was a backup coming out.

I screamed it. No one listened. Your organization didn't listen. And you were stuck with him and then resigned him. It's a joke. And now you get arguably the best player in the draft because Joe Shane managed the whole thing. And by the way, John Mara, nod,

allowed the football people to do the football thing. Okay? And Shane manages it beautifully. Brian is a genius at this thing. He said, Dart is our guy. Get out of here with the Shador stuff. We saw how that played out. Get me dart.

Okay, I will. But I got to get this guy who's not LT, doesn't deserve LT's number. And he learned that the hard way. But I got Abdul Carter. and now I'm going to find the perfect spot. And here's the other thing, Giants fans. I see all the complaining and the what.

I don't understand it. The Rams, I think, we're going to take them at 26. So they moved up to the exact right spot, if that was the case. The Rams will never tell you that. But they moved up to the right spot to go get him. And now you bring in Jackson Dart, who fits exactly what Brian Daibble wants. And Brian himself told you, go get me him.

And now you've got a quarterback to develop, and he doesn't have to play right away, So you can kind of wean them off of the training wheels that come with Lane Kiffin's system because Lane's awesome at college and exploits college defensive backs and defenses. But now he's got to explain the catalog. Expand it. But with that, I'm watching a player who processes as fast as anyone in this class when it comes to bullets flying and things going on.

And it's competitive as old get out. You're going to love this guy. You're going to love this guy. And so why are we bitching and moaning on Sunday? when we went out, we got the best player arguably in the entire draft and the guy that Brian can finally handpick. And then after that, we go get Darius Alexander in the third round. At 65, he should have been gone on the second.

A defensive tackle, an impact player. Go watch his tape against Pitt. If you have so mouty and you got all these things to say, go watch that tape against Pitt. Created an interception with pressure. Pick six in that game. Camp Scadaboo. Interesting cat.

But my goodness, he's going to plow and grind. Marcus Bow. I still don't know if his medical mentor, what the deal was. But I had him 63 overall in the class. That's the common theme with these three picks, by the way. Darius Alexander, you got in the third. I thought he was the second round values. Cam Scadaboo, you got in the fourth.

I thought he was the third round value. Marcus Bell, you got in the fifth. I thought he was the second, maybe third round value. All of those players on my board were much higher than when they came. off the board. So, I mean, that's a common theme for their next three. You could talk about Carter and you can talk about DART and you should. Those are what make this draft great or potentially make this draft great.

But look at those next three. They were all taken later than I thought and then they would come off the board. On to the Eagles. Your guy. I love when you get like this, by the way. It's great. Yeah, it just pissed me up. I was reading it last night and this morning.

I just, I don't get, do we just do it because we're scorn? to, I mean, you've won Super Bowl pretty recently compared to other organizations who really have a fan basis that have something to actually complain about. Howie Roseman, there's always a level of genius behind the stuff he's doing.

I wanted, yeah, this draft isn't going to be like, it may not turn out to be the best draft that Howie's ever had, but he knew coming in, and some of the best GMs knew this, this is not going to be a great class of it, there's a lot of depth. We get the NIL, transfer portal, still a little bleed over from COVID.

And we got a lot of guys who are like six-year players, five-year starters, a lot of experienced football players. Let's backtrack, okay? Let's backlog it and get a lot of picks, and that's exactly what they did. And so he made kind of a weird movement up one spot five, but he got Jehad Campbell, right, the linebacker who there's some durability stuff, but you look, like everything for them is about depth in the future,

and they recognize they're coming up on some stuff and they're already upon it. That was one of my favorite moments of the weekend, though. What? We're driving back to the hotel from night one. Todd says on the pod that night, he treated a fifth round pick to move up a pick? I'm not going to get hung up on it.

I swear to God, we were in the car for 13 seconds before Todd's like, fifth round pick? What's he doing? Why is he training him with a fifth round? He could not let it go. But I'm actually interested to talk to Howie about it because they're... Yeah, I'm like,

Listen, there's some other team was going to move up. He had some into whatever it was. Something was going on. But you got your, Nikobi Dean coming off the injury, right? Right. And it's just value. Every team I talk to is a top 12 player, but he has the injury stuff. Multiple injuries recovering.

Might even start the season on the pup. I'm not 100% sure. But like to get at 31, what if a healthy version is at 12 is pretty good. I like Andrew McCuba a lot. I don't like him. I thought it was slightly early, but he's at ball hawk and a guy who can go make... So he plays strong safety for them at his size? I think that he's more of a nickel and you have the best young nickel in the game in Cooper DeGine.

Like, I just, I didn't get... There are some picks here that I didn't get. And again, I feel really scared saying that. Yeah, I'm not saying it. Because you know, like, I know he knows what he's doing. But, I mean, there's just picks here. Like, he got Smile Mundin, too. And now he's got Smile Mundin, Jihad Campbell.

Nicoby Dean. He just signed Zach Bond to a deal. By the way, Zach Bondon. But Samuel Mundin was in the fifth round, and he's going to be great covering kicks and working him in in nickel and dime packages. With all the other guys you have. Yeah, but there's also free agency coming up. Pick on Jeremy Trotter last year. I mean, I just, I just, there's just some things here.

They wound up with, they wound up with what, 10, 1, 2, 3, 4. The ton of picks was smart. They had 10 picks this year. But here's part of the brilliance with Howie. He recognized this. class is where where this class is strong is rounds like four or five six there was a lot of good players who had played a lot of ball more so than you're going to get in a normal year okay because it's not always going to be this nil transfer to this level and there's not always going to be this

one last year like bleed over from COVID okay and so we've had more dudes in later rounds that are competent that can come in and actually compete whereas was it last year I think I think it was last year two years ago it was like these are undrafts the free agent guys that were drafted early in the sixth, okay? So he recognized that. And there's going to be some more turnover with this roster in the next two years because of the salary cap. Right. And what he did with Howie, he now has 12, we're in April of 2025 and Howie already has 12 draft picks.

12 of the smart. In 2027, which is projected to have a better class, especially in the first three years. three rounds, okay? So I get what he was doing. I thought that Drew Kendall, like I talked to some teams, man. Drew Kendall, think. People would really like him, though. Teams think, yeah, I thought, but around that range.

But I talked to a couple teams, I was surprised. They think he has starting potential. Miles Hinton from Michigan Eagles fans. Like, dad's, dad's a former player. There's a lot of talent in that blood pool, and you look at. I called you after watching him. I was like, man, he's. This kid can play a little bit.

You look at his traits. Now, he's not like, he is not a glass eater, as we like to call. And if you can develop that in him. But if that doesn't work out, we brought in Cameron Williams, so I didn't think we'd get to the six either. Who played hurt last year? Yeah. And probably should have gone back because he was only, I think, a one-year starter,

and he was banged up all year, but traits for days. Kind of McCord. What did you think about that? Sure. Moving on. Yeah, six-round. I only was against McCord when people were starting to talk like, this could be the steel of the draft.

They were talking to him about him. Like people should have been, and I was talking about Tyler Shuck. Like, get out of here with Kyle McCord. Like, go watch his pressure reel, dancing on his back foot, never falling through, never driving. Knowing through the ball more than he did. And the scheme was so wide open. Yeah, but like in the six, sure.

And how he always takes a quarterback. And so, like, let's see what we can get out of him there. Washington. I liked it. They didn't have much capital. But they, like, they found two potential long-term star. orders. Connerly, left tackle, potentially. Trey Amos, like,

Trey Amos, there was talk about going late first out of Ole Miss. For a five-pick draft, I loved this draft. And Jalen Lane at 128, I had him in my top 100, and I don't apologize for it. You guys watch it. You watch with that quarterback and that play caller, Jaden and Cliff respectively. You watch Jalen Lane and his 4-3-something speed and his ability.

But Jalen Lane has never had a quarterback who can accurately get him the football. So everything was a reverse, a bubble screen, like all sorts of gimmicky stuff. He can return. He's an A-plus-plus-plus-plus character. Football just loves the game. I think Jalen Lane's going to wind up being the big surprise from this class as a fourth-round pick. I think there's a couple other guys. A-Medrano from the UCLA lineback ran a 4-4-6.

He's undersized, but he can cover. he's really good in coverage. And the other guy that I love, I think he's one of the cooler players in this class is the running back from Arizona, Jacori, Kroski-Mirrit, and sort of Arizona, he played one game there.

Yeah. And then the NCAA came in and said he was ineligible. So he thought he had more time. But if you look at his New Mexico tape, and again, I know it's New Mexico. But if you look at his New Mexico tape, he is an absolute slasher with great burst and speed. You get him in the late seventh round.

He's a guy who could turn into it. turn into a player. You know how in the tissue case and the tissue box, when you get towards the end and then the white tissues turn to like the yellow? Yeah, yeah. It's like your indicator that we're running out here, get the backup box ready. Right.

So when I run out of it, when I'm 99 of these in-draft weekend, my lemon perfect lemon flavor. Almost there, man. Then I reach over and this pulls up, the, what do we got? Watermelon here. That's what it's like, okay, last division. Here we go. Let's finish up.

running out. The Cardinals. I actually like the Cardinals draft. Actually, I think this is one of the best drafts. They nailed their first three picks. Go, you seem excited. Go. I love the way they attacked their defensive front. After, again, bringing Clayus Campbell and they brought in Josh Sweat, they go out and get Walter Nolan, arguably, I mean, you could say he's the most talented defensive tackle in the class. Just behind Mason Graham.

Will Johnson, the corner, falls because of health concerns. You hope he stays healthy, but getting him in the middle of the second, watch out. Jordan Birch was a player that I was much higher on than other people. I gave him a second round grade. They get him in the middle of the third. Cody Simon, how many times we talk about Cody Simon, the linebacker from Ohio State this year? Kept getting better. Just fine ball, get to ball.

He's going to be great on special teams. He's going to, I think he's really good at rushing the passer. There's a lot of things there. Denzel Burke kind of fell this year. I get it, but he's a corner. You're getting in the late fifth. And then Crawford, Keating Crawford, the Nevada safety, who they got in the seventh. Nevada.

I can't believe he fell that. far. His tape's better than that. I thought he was more of a fifth, fourth round guy. And traits for days, too. He had a great combine. And you, look, clearly, they want to address the defensive front. And look what they've done since the beginning of Free Agency. I think it's outstanding.

I think it's a home run draft. You've got a head coach who has been generous with, yep, let's take care of the offense. Let's take care of the offense. You know what I mean? But Jonathan Gannon is a damn good defense.

as a football coach, okay? This group plays hard. They've exceeded their talent level in terms of their production on the field. Yeah, like, I want to tell you this. They have no business being as good on the field as they have been. And so this was the year, Monty Austin Fort,

the GM was like, let's go get my guys some guys. Okay, we went Marvin Harrison, Jr. We did all the thing with, you know, Paris Johnson at left tackle two years ago. Isaiah Adams at guard last year. There's been a lot of focus. And I know Darius Robinson last year. But six out of seven on defense.

And this, I'm telling you, folks, like, there are the yeah, butts and there are the question marks with Walter Nolan and Will Johnson. But you've talked about it. It's your best, it's one of the best comments, not bad, one of the most impactful comments you made all. year long to me or all draft weekend long was Calais Campbell's not just coming into play, he's coming into coach. And Walter Nolan needs

like a big brother, uncle, father figure who's going to care for him. Show him the way. Jordan Birch too. Okay. And if they get out of these guys and if Will Johnson is healthy, I'm telling you, like, we're talking high, high impact players. This could go back

we could go back to this and be like this is where they went turn the corner, right? uh rams i mean less need fleeced atlanta what else do you want me to say i mean it's true it will listen it's it's i laugh because i think it's funny but it is it is true i would like to know if they were going to take jackson dart because it's a lot of room and then they'll never ever say understandably what about the tight end i love you lest i'm some it had to be it had to be durability with elijah erroyo i and here's the weird part for me. Like, mention I are sitting in the stands where, with all the scouts talking to

buddies of ours and, like, watching practice go down. I think it was like first or second day. And I'm like, I just can't stop looking at Terrence Ferguson and thinking, like, why not? Everything right. He finds a way to get open. He just makes plays. He's so consistent. I love this guy. But then you look over in Elijah Royos in the next practice. And he's like, body beautiful. like, you know. Runs like a gazelle. Runs down the field, but it just looks different. Ferguson was the fastest of the tight ends that ran,

but none of the tight ends ran. None of the top four ran. Loveland didn't run. Mason Taylor didn't run. Arroyo didn't run. And Tyler Warren didn't run. But he was the fastest of the rest of the tight ends. I like him a lot.

I was surprised he went before Arroyo, but I got no problem. And in fact, I get in, in McVeigh's system, that's exactly what they're looking for. And so that was their first pick. But their first pick really was next year's first round pick. And if this is it for Matthew Stafford, that might turn into Garrett Nussmeyer. That might turn into Lenore.

Sorry Cleveland fans, but yeah. Right? Yeah. So. I love Josiah Stewart, The Edge from Michigan in the third round as well. Very explosive players. great fit for their scheme as an outside linebacker. I like Ty Hamilton where they got him.

He's going to come in right now and compete and he's going to help versus the run. I like Chris Paul where they got him. In the fifth round, pick 172. Special teams immediately covering in sub-packages immediately. I mean, I liked what they did. And I just put a note down here. I

Mumfield Cannata Mumfield from one receiver Pittsburgh exactly where I expected late round but I they see something

and this this is their kind of receiver right yes doesn't run well runs good routes creative after the catch he'll have 90 catches

next year it's just he's their kind of guy right so it's an tough it's an interesting draft I know this

Ferguson's going to be an impact player Josiah Stewart's with that defensive line is going to be used perfectly. He's going to be an impact pass rusher. Jarkwe's Hunter

I thought was, they passed over some dudes. Yeah, that was an interesting way. But Hunter's got some juice to him and it won't shock me if he winds up working out well. Hamilton Paul Mumfield, like they're, I think all seven, or was it set one, two, three, four,

all six of those draft picks will actually play a role this year for the Rams. And we said it going into the draft. It was hard to sort out these running backs. And guys are going to have, you know, it's a flavor for everyone. Certain teams are going to like certain players more than others. San Francisco.

Boy, they had a lot of picks. You can count them while I talk for a second. Mikel Williams absolutely love that pick. I think when you look at Mikel and the traits that you're betting on, for starters, he's a great run defender, like right now. He walks

in the league. He's going to be great. Setting the edge long, strong, hard to move. Locates a ball. Keep blockers up he's a really good run defender and his he's got the traits when he's not dealing with an ankle injury and then when he gets there in san francisco and he's like i can't think of two or three other better than nick bosa and nick bosa's commitment to the pass rush and like commitment to the game and every little nutrition all of it he's a loony tick and i love loony tics right?

Yeah. So I can't think of a much better spot for him to be in. So that was a home run pick. Alfred Collins is a good player. A little early for me. But you bring him in and right away, like, he's going to be stout versus the run. He's going to help. They just, that defensive line was threatened for the first time and a long time that it wasn't going to be the baddest bunch of dudes on the block.

Yeah. And this is going to help get him right back there soon. Nick Martin. Early. Love the player, by the way. I think I was higher on him the most people in early. Yeah. Early.

Really early. Collins was a little bit early, but I understand that pick. Nick Martin, I don't get that pick. But watch him go out and have 120 tackles, you know? Upton Stout is one of my favorites. Slot cornerback. He's glue. He's glue.

But I don't care what PFF says. There's no corner that gives up less. separation one-on-one. But yeah, he's a slot, but he's a damn good player. But they already have a slot, is what I'm saying. Well, I had him right there at 101. I was so pretty good. Great value. Great value. I agree with you. But again, it's a position that

I didn't really see as a need. Two other names I want to throw out to you. Jordan James. Love that pick. He's past protections a sore, but he is

his run skills and are not that far off of R.J. Harvey. Yeah. Okay? So, like, in a rotation with McCaffrey... You know they're going to get the most of them, too. I love to do. They ended up there.

And at some point, like, maybe McCaffrey misses a game or two, however it works, this guy will step in. Right. And he's not... No one's McAfry, but he's going to... They're not going to have this, like, oh, my gosh, we're dumb. No, he's going to get 80, 85 yards. And then Curtis Rourke, you little son of a gun.

Could you have wound up in a better spot? As a 20. Did you hear about his knee, by the way? No. He played the entire season on a 20th seal. Yeah, of course he did. And I like him as a pastor. He just, he can't move that well and when the blitz comes and all that stuff.

But he also didn't have much protection in front of him. He was going up against defenses that had a lot of dudes. And he's really accurate and layers the ball. And I'm not saying he's the next Brock Purdy. But like, just like I said with the Rams, with that, with Mumfield, the seventh round pick, I wouldn't be shocked if Roark won a couple games in the NFL because he's there. Don't sleep on this wide receiver, by the way, Junior Bergen from Montana. Play wide receiver.

He played running back as a freshman, switched over to wide receiver. He ties the FCS record for punt returns for touchdowns. Eight, punt returns for touchdowns in college. He's a running back after the catch. He's a weapon. They're going to get him involved in the running game. They're going to use him the return game. Remember the name, Junior Bergen.

It's going to be a guy. They were like, how'd that guy go in that late? It's because he played for a smaller school. And he doesn't have blazing speed, but this is a guy that I think that Shane Hens going to look at and be like, I got a couple ideas for you. I like that. Yeah. I like when you dig deep like that, Mench.

All right. Last, certainly not least, Seattle. I've given a lot of long speeches on John Schneider and what I thought, and it started with me with Dan on the phone, Dan Comer, my trusted grinder of a producer, director, editor, he does a little bit of everything. A lot of everything, I should say. But I remember getting on the phone and be like, it's in the air.

It's in the air. I've known Schneides for 20 plus year. John Schneider, the GM, he is resetting the clock. I'm not paying for a 35-year-old. We'll go get a younger version who can be just as good. He reset the clock in Seattle. And he's going, remember what happened? Was it two or three years of,

drafting with John Schneider they went and won a Super Bowl and he's going back to his roots started like Green Bay on the road grinding tape finding players and he went back and I knew it how many did you look up how many draft picks here it looks like 12 on my on my sheet and that's what he did we're going to get younger a quarterback we're like seven years younger of quarterback 11 11 draft picks and we're going to build from the middle out and it started with gray zabel the best interior offensive lineman in this class who moves differently than everyone else and there's a perfect scheme fit. Nick E. Menweree talked to an assistant GM

after the first night of the draft, went back and watched more tape in 2023. Get him close to the box. And I went and looked at my evaluation. It's the same thing. I don't want him. Jeremy Chin. If you're familiar with the player, Jeremy Chin, he's a lot like that. Yes, I don't want, I don't want him deep and I don't want those tall long legs having to turn it, although he does for his size. I don't want him thinking. I don't want him processing. I want him near the action and utilize that length and that speed.

And that's what Seattle's going to do. Again, working from the middle out, Elijah Arroyo. They had to be like doing somersaults. Yeah. And Ferguson goes before Arroyo. Yeah. If Royo can stay healthy and I get it that it's a bigger if than with other prospects because he had the injury.

But it was one, it was one injury that lingered. And this past year he was pretty damn. going to the Senior Bowl. He was awesome. Jalen Milrow. And then... Why wouldn't you? I don't know. Beautiful pick. 92. He's still on the board? We didn't think he was going to know a second.

And at this point, honest to God, if Jalen Milro never does a single thing for your organization, absolute worst, he never does anything. Second worst is he has a couple good training camp games, and you trade him for a fifth or a six, like Joe Milton down the road. best case, Darnel gets injured because he's so dynamic as a runner and it's like so different than what teams are used to seeing.

Maybe he goes and wins a couple games. And then you develop him. See what the hell happens down the road. Love it. Continuing down. So their first, we had Jalen Mill Road where you had to take him. Perfect spot. And then Riley Mills, they go back to it. Riley Mills is a dog, especially for them. Listen, Riley Mills is coming

off a torn ACL. Notre Dame. I think he'd play inside out. He's a versatile defensive lineman but he probably defensive tackle but i hear you but coming off a torn ACL there's some bad tape he plays high at times there's a whole lot more great tapes uh my understanding is that one of either the defensive line coach or the defense coordinator is like if you don't if you don't take him i'm leaving that's that's the story is that he told schneider if you don't get him i'm out uh and then troy horton the wide receiver from colorado state yes who we thought might be a day two guy huge values what i wrote are you kidding me and and as good as that that you get

say that's a great value pick Damien Martin is in the seventh round I mean the Miami running back and he's a pounder and so now you like he's he I like Zach Charbonnet we'll see like he is a grind he's instinctive he runs hard he's gonna pound it up inside now it's too good a value not to take there I don't care about me is going back to what God remember it was the Legion of Doom it was beast mode we're gonna you come out to the Pacific Northwest, okay? And see what happens to you with the 12th man. Right. See how physical we are from the inside out.

Schneider, like, had a reawakening. This office, we're going to get younger, we're going to get tougher, we're going to get harder, we're going to get more physical, and it's going to be a nasty five-hour, five-hour flight back to the East Coast for you. Have fun. Get out of here. I'm going to give you your props one more time, and I'm going to give myself some flowers. Okay. I am literally

finishing my rankings closing my computer I haven't even packed to come on this nine-day trip it's the night before it's 10 o'clock I get a text Hey make sure you watch the Iowa offensive tackle Mason Richmond

I liked him son of a bitch have not watched him yet throw the thing back on I think I texted you you suck yeah he better be good I throw it back on. This guy played a thousand games for them.

I know. I liked them. And it's shame on me for not seeing them. But I'm watching this tape. I'm like, oh, he's good. He's really good. And he may have to kick inside because he may not be long enough or athletic enough and yada, yada, yada. He's going to find a way on the football field. So I had to write up Mason Richmond and then Ricky White, who you wrote off after the

combine because he didn't run well. He ran like the four sixes, I think. went to his pro day, and unlike some other people, cleaned it up, ran a 4-4-1. Love his tape. Guy who I think he's got a nice for smaller receiver. He's got a good release package. You can get off the line pretty well. Makes plays.

They get him late in the 7th. This is the one where you look at the amount of picks. I mean, it's a great way to end, right? Yeah. This might be the best of them. Yes. Because you look at the amount of picks, the players they got and where they got him, and he just smoked this draft.

Smoked it. It's back to his first two years in Seattle and what he did. And I'm excited to see how it all plays out for John Schneider and this entire staff. It's going to be exciting. What's also exciting is we're wrapping up here. Mensh is taking me out to dinner tonight. Listen, yeah. I'm going to fish.

Oh, yeah. You saw him on guitar yesterday. Yesterday was about the fun and the chill and Riscilla making off, you know, off-color jokes. and wearing short shorts. How about those shorts? No comment. Holy smokes. He's right, though.

It's his house. It is his house. We invaded it, and we had an awesome time. But today was more nuts and bolts. We appreciate you hanging with us. I know it's a long one, but if you're a fan of any of these 32 or just love the game,

hopefully there was enough in here to get a real sense of what we thought on all 32 teams. So we appreciate you being with us, and I guess the next time I see you, I'll be talking about the way too early mock draft. Later. It's fun, though.

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