The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1538 - LIVE from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Peter Schrager, Kendrick Perkins, Adam Schefter, Nick Saban

Episode Date: April 22, 2026

On today's show, Pat, Darius Butler, AJ Hawk, and the boys are LIVE from Pittsburgh for the NFL Draft covering all the biggest stories headed into this year's Draft. In the first hour, Pat and the boys recap their visit to Pittsburgh's greatest amusement park, Kennywood, and are joined by Senior NFL Analyst at ESPN, Peter Schrager to discuss his latest mock draft and everything he is hearing around the league, including that the Cardinals may be open to moving out of the 3rd pick, positional value throughout the draft, and prospects to keep an eye on moving up the board. Also in the first hour we are joined by NBA Champion & 15 year NBA veteran Kendrick Perkins to update us on the NBA first round, LeBron taking over at 41 years old, and more. In the second hour, we are joined by ESPN Senior Insider Adam Schefter who tells he sees a lot of trade action on the horizon, the NFL's perspective on Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and more. To help wrap things up, the greatest College Football Coach of all time, 7-time National Champion, Nick Saban joins the progrum to tell us how he has prepared to cover this year's Draft, how he goes about evaluating players, how he sees Alabama QB Ty Simpson developping at the next level, how incredible Caleb Downs was a true freshman, and more. Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN’s Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+.  Tune in tomorrow night at 7pm ET for the Internet debut of The Football Town, an NFL Films showcase of Pittsburgh's football history voiced by Pat, right before the 7th Annual Draft Spectacular. We appreciate the hell aht of all of yinz. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to beautiful. I mean, absolutely glorious Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The home of tomorrow night's draft, and our show is live right now. Football! It's magical football is celebrating its next generation of greatness tomorrow night in this beautiful city. And I was very fortunate and lucky to grow up in these hills of Pittsburgh. And I'll tell you, the weather that has been forecasted not only since yesterday, where we had a full Kennywood day, we will certainly talk.

about that in a matter of moments. Today, tomorrow, Friday, into the weekend is superb. The vibes are immaculate. And what's about to happen tomorrow night is Roger Goodell is going to list off names that will potentially be launching themselves into a Hall of Fame-like conversation or career. Obviously, NFL careers are very difficult. There's going to be a lot of guys who are ass that are drafted tomorrow night in the NFL. Then there's going to be a couple guys that are going to surprise some people.

And then there's going to be a story that's going to come from tomorrow night from this parking lot right here. The gold lot outside of Acresher Stadium. If you're a Ginzer, you understand that obviously this parking lot is home to a lot of festivities before Steelers games, before Pirates games, after Pirates games, after Steelers games. I had a friend that was pronounced dead in his parking lot after chugging a bottle of vodka. Then he was taken to a hospital promptly here in Pittsburgh and was resuscitated. I watched a guy ask a lady very intoxicated if she was pregnant when she was. She was actually just a fat.

So right here. Right here in this parking lot right back here. I've seen a guy with a fishing net, okay? Okay. That he was taking into PNC Park. Okay. Catch a natty light from 75 yards away. Okay.

Nice. Boom. Problem goes right through net. Explodes off ground. Ooh. Hits car. Okay. I've seen this happen.

The gold lot is home to great times. The gold lot is home to a lot of chaos. And tomorrow night, lot is home to dreams coming true. I do believe because the weather is so awesome that the city is going to show up. There had been a lot of talk about yinzers maybe saying, ah, it's too much work. That we're supposed to get done. Fucking two lanes in, two lanes out. 700,000 people. Yeah, right. Can't get down there for a Pirates game. There's 13,000 people in PNC Park. Why would we ever go? A lot of negativity early from a lot of the old head yinzers. Also a lot of positivity. Obviously,

a lot of people want to celebrate ball. They want to celebrate the city of Pittsburgh. But it felt like it was getting a little bit loud because of the inconvenience that it's going to be to get down here. With this weather being the way it's being, with the way it's being covered, the people that are showing up, we got a whiz and Brett Michaels concert coming on Friday night. Tomorrow night, we got everything pop. It's going to be a special weekend here in Pittsburgh. We're very thankful to be here. It's not just me.

Obviously, the boys are here as well. The toxic table at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. You guys got a chance to experience a little Pittsburgh heaven yesterday. And I don't know which one of you wants to start. Connor, you're the bigger hater. So I think you could maybe mention what happened yesterday, but in Pittsburgh, every school, like we had five elementary schools, I think, whatever. Right?

Is that how many we had? That's one half of the hammer. Cowboys. Yeah. AP 10. We had five elementary schools. I think now there's two junior highs in a high school. Each school has like a Kenneywood picnic day where everybody goes to Kenneywood.

They charge you for it. Okay. So you certainly had to pay for it. was a couple times where maybe early the Maccuffe's decided not to pay it's literally ghost time. Okay, everybody in Plum picks up and goes to Kenneywood and every town has one of those yesterday the program had our own Kennywood picnic day and I want to let people at Kennywood know Lindsay Ricky yeah yeah Ricky yeah Ricky yeah Ricky the GM in there Kenny the kangaroo brand new by the way doesn't look like a puppet that has been maybe you know that's true right okay

Kenny would swing in a hot bat do you know the maintenance crew genean on the maintenance true, I can't thank you, boys enough. Tony, the Paul of Taney. Yeah, yeah. I mean, the entire crew took care of us yesterday. We had our, we had Kenywood to ourselves, not normally open during the weekdays at this stage of the spring, because you don't know what the weather is, so opening it all up would be crazy, even though the weather is awesome. Got a chance to experience Kenywood yesterday. You've said a lot of things, Con, man. Yeah. I would just like to kind of get your thoughts on what Kennywood was and Pittsburgh being a host site for this draft with perfect weather, seeming. Yeah, Pittsburgh's been amazing. Walked around a little bit

yesterday in the city after Kenny Wood. And it is just beautiful. It's clean. It looks fantastic. So all Mr. Rogers' little neighborhood thing. Also very cool. Kenny Wood as a whole. I mean, look, I did say a lot of things. I thought the whoopty-wooos were not going to be whoopty-wooos. I thought the roller coasters themselves were going to be crap and shites and made out of wood.

They were made out of wood. But it was still solid. I'm just going to say that now. Six flags I've always held in high regard. I'm going to put Kenny Wood right up there with it. I mean, not to mention the racer and the phantoms revives. Benj, the Fancher. They had some coasters that delivered.

Phantom were going, what, 95, 200 miles an hour? Something around there. The steel curtain, I think, had nine or eight or ten whoopty-wooos, which was very, very good. I was scared going up there for a little bit. And typically, I don't love roller coasters, don't hate roller coasters. Yeah, in this moment, I was very nervous. You're going up this, I don't know, 150, 200-foot kind of climb. 229 feet.

229, yeah. And they're playing, oh, mama, I'm in fear for my life, and I was. There was a lot of this that I wasn't completely ready. Actually, unfortunately. Yeah, Debutt. On the ride itself. I think Debutt, my anxiety might have got to debut a bit. I actually passed out here on the steel curtain.

I was not ready for it. My entire body just kind of gave out. My hair was going everywhere. This is actually our second run. The first run, I damn near lost my glasses, so I took them off a run, too. I'm glad I did because as soon as I go out, I would have completely lost my shades. I wouldn't be able to see anything. Oh, my God.

You actually want out right there? I'm out. See you guys later. Wake them up. I'm trying to. Nope. Still. Oh, my God.

This is my first time seeing it. Oh, my God. Are you all right? I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm going to get me up there. Still out. Still out.

Oh, my God. Still out. It's my first. Yeah. And we came back. We came back. We came back. Still out.

So boom. Yeah. Back alive. So look, to say Kenny Wood. Hey, I'm happy. You're all right. Yeah. I'm good.

To say that it delivered would be an understatement. It did. There's a few things we should address, though. One, I think it motivated a lot of us to make sure we fit in the coasters. You don't have to do that. All right. My son. Nine-year NFL vet.

J. Butler is here. Debutt was right next to Connor there as Connor left, I guess, civilization for a little bit as he was on a steel curtain. Nine whoopty-wooes, which is the most in North America. Highest whoopty-woo. In North America as well, the steel curtain. And I believe Phantoms Revenge is voted the number one coaster in America or something like that. It gets up to like, they say 85, 86 miles an hour, but the maintenance guys say they got that dialed in pretty good right now. We'd say that's probably close to 90. Close to 90. No pull. That's all gravity. The Steel Phantoms Revenge is just gravity. And it gets you to like 90 miles an hour is what they were saying. It doesn't have any whoopty-wooes, but it's just speed and twisty-hoo's. Yeah.

And I'll tell you, they brought their fat. I talked a lot of shit for Kenneywood on this show. And then night before Kenneywood Day for us, which came together late. Shout out to Nick. Steve Littleman, by the way, kid from Plum worked that Kennywood, our entire lives was the connection for this entire thing. Everybody that works at Kennywood's been there for 25, 30 years. New ownership, same workers. Okay, and they love that place.

Night before we have our Kenywood Picnic Day. Because DeBot was like, hey, I'm telling the truth when we get on air about this, Kenywood. I'm doing journalism. I actually thought to myself, like maybe Kenny Wood, last of its kind, this particular coaster. It's called a fly coaster. It's the last one operating in the United States of America.

There's like three different coasters that are over 100 years old there. I mean, they all still work. But I was very worried that it was going to suck. Okay, I was like, man, I haven't been there in 20 years. I mean, who knows what this thing actually is. Maybe Mandela effect. Sure. About how nice, especially because I was a kid, the amount of things that happened in there.

We walked by the old mill. So many moments of my life happened at Kenny Wood. It was a big day. So I started to get a little bit worried that maybe he was going to get crucified. Nope. Now, granted, it was just us there. That helps. For sure.

Does help. Much better. But it delivered. Much better. I had some Jensers respond to a couple, respond to my picture of the old mill. And they go, let me guess, you're getting a VIP treatment. Kenny Wood, yeah, very relatable. It's like, I would like let you know, not relatable at all.

We hit all of these things in two and a half hours, even stopped by a potato patch. Well, we had the greatest. Hold on. It's called the potato patch. They need to take that fucking sign. I don't know. It's called the patch. No, it is not.

The patch is a nicotine thing. There was signage for both. Yeah, but they covered the potato. Ricky made a mistake. He's going to fix it. And he is going to rectify it. He knows that he's going to fix that. But I would say I was worried going in.

And then once I felt that Jack Rabbit, I was like, yeah, feels like the boys are throwing their fastball today, you know, because the maintenance crew matters. And I think what I remembered is 100-year-old coasters, wooden coasters. So if you zoom in on the wood, there's a chance it looks shitty. Sure. A moldy. It's old wood. Yeah, very old.

Pittsburgh is a blue-collar union labor city. The amount of pride that the maintenance people have in the Thunderbolt, in the Jackrabbit, in the fucking kangaroo, the racer. In the racer, in the phantom's revenge, in the Still Curt. And it was like, we got a chance to talk to all the maintenance people, because they had to open their rides for us. Yeah, sure. Thought they were going to hit our guts.

We weren't the first people to ever have this happen to. We were told that, which was good, because I did feel terrible that these guys had to come in on their off day and open these things. But the amount of pride they all had in all their rides. And then once we get on there, I'm like, Kennywood does have its fastball. I was very excited about that. I was worried you were going to have to kill it. You know what? I didn't remember exactly what it was.

The expectations were very, very low coming in, you guys, you are you Pittsburgh guys, have defended it. I'm from Florida, so that's where Disney World is. So that's where I got a comparison to. And they say comparisons to the Thief of Joy. But comparing these things, apples to apples, I mean, it's right here. It's right. And we had the Phantom's Revenge, Steel Curtain.

Now, you guys, it's some pros and cause of having a partner yourself, because I don't know if the human body is built to just go from Phantom's Revenge twice, still curtain, Jack Rabbit, back to back to back to back. But it was unbelievable. And then the top of it all, finish it off with the, what is it, the patch now, right? Yeah, the patch. Okay, the patch. That was phenomenal.

It's the potato patch. Prys, pulled pork. The gravy. Oh, magic. Yeah, it was top-notch A-1. A-1. Pittsburgh's been delivering, we will say, and they'll do it for the draft. Now, let's go to a Maine who's a college football national champion, Super Bowl champion,

Ryder Cup winner. A.J. Hawk is here. Hawker, good to see you. Hawker. Hocker, you know, your discipline is the reason why you've been so good at everything. Connor was about to mention it there. The bone couldn't fit on two of the coasters. Yep.

So I did hear about that. Is that really true? Are we just doing a thing where we mess with DeBone? It was not good. Did he get into a hate? Let me try to get this thing over my lap. Oh, I cannot do it.

It's like a movie. It's like a scene from a movie. It's like a scene from a movie. I was trying to get out his way. You know that's true. This is actual. We're telling the truth. I didn't want to get into this.

Does it say, is there weight limits or is there size limits when you're walking up the ramp? That's me next to a front of the first. What if you rode by himself? Could he just take a carton? Not because those little parts. There's dividers. And we're trying to put more weight.

This was the racer right here. So it was the blue ride versus the red ride. Oh, yeah. You know. Kings Island has a racer, too. Bowen said he was motivated, though. He said this actually genuinely now gives me a goal. This is the kickstart he needed?

Two roller coasters. What do he did? Do you stay in there and wave at you guys? As you went by? Yeah, it was more uncomfortable than anything. He had his hands in his face because he was crying after he couldn't ride. I didn't know. It was that serious.

It started off funny. We got sad. Got sad. No one thought of. Did anyone say? I'll ride. I'll stay with you. It's okay.

Well, they have a sign at the beginning that says, like, well, Gumpy wasn't riding a lot of these rides because he took two jobs. He's a warded only. It wasn't enough. Bailey, Bailey, on the ride that has the most whoop-ty-wooes in the United States of America. As it's going, looks over at Evan Foxx and goes, I fucking hate rolling. He goes through it. He gets up and gets off of it.

It was, there was a lot of, there was a lot of observers. And DeBone, I don't think he wanted to be one, but the coasters kind of said not today to him. And I'll tell you what, you saw what happened to Connor. Oh, yeah. If that would happen to DeBone, we're having a memorial right now. Yeah, because he would have been falling out of that thing. There's nowhere close to get at that. All right, let's move off from Kenny Wood.

Thank you, Kenny Wood. Thank you, Kenney Wood. Bring Italian Day back, Kenneywood. The fact that Italian Day has been lost at Kennywood is pretty crazy. Spacuzzi was walking us around. La Polatano is one of the head maintenance guys. De Giulio was there. Maroldo was there. Geno was there.

I mean. What I say? What? Every day. Kenny was Italian Day. We don't need her own day there. There's a guy three times the size of bone and his name was Tony something that ends in I or O. And the guy couldn't fit on the rise. He said, that's it.

We're pulling Italian Day. We ain't doing Italian Day. And Kenny what anymore? If I can't fit in that. All right. Let's move to the draft, shall we? Thank you, Pittsburgh. The Penn.

Thank you so much for the hospitality at the playoff game. on Monday night. I don't know if they'll be back in that building. Yeah, it's probably else you wrote there. I'll tell you what, did we know the Flyers were as big, strong, and as talented as they? They're bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented in us. That's ever good. There's a guy named 74 on the Flyers.

What was his name? He's Russian. Skinner? Owen Tippett. Stippet is our goalie. Okay, yeah. Tippett. This guy, 74.

He's as orange as the fucking Jersey. Man. He's everywhere. This guy is everywhere, and he's massive. Okay? And what was that other guy? Sanheim? Mm-hmm.

Hey, you're lucky that glass was there, Sanheim. I bet. You're lucky that glass was there, Sanheim. I almost climbed it. But I didn't want the L.A. King's thing to happen. Yeah. With my neck brace. I was actually told just moments before,

or I guess a day before the L.A. King's glass shattered into the bench. I was told many times, stop banging on a glass. Because it was hard not to just make some noise. It's the best way to make noise. players can touch it. Yeah, I think the Flyers did see this tweet, and they have heard what we said. There was a lot of waving after the game to me. Hey, hey, see you bum.

They cooked us. They're a good team. You got backup goalie, too. How many times is a backup goal going to come in and pitch a shut out? The guy was standing on his head. On his head. I'm seeing what goals are going in for the Boston Bruins last night against Buffalo. We couldn't buy one of those things.

So what happens when you're an original six team, okay? The hockey gods look fondly upon you. All right, let's get away from this series because the Flyers are going to win it, it feels like. So I don't want to talk about it ever again. Hockey had a hell of a year. Good job, hockey. Basketball's heating up. Hockey had a hell of a year.

First round. 2-0. Yeah, and we're going back to Philly, and I'm going to tell you, I had eyes on the guys. Yeah. They're bigger, stronger, faster, and more talented than us.

It's tough to compete with that. It's a long series. Sid plays better in college. It's a long series. I still got Faye's in Sid. I love Sid. Gino was everywhere. Yeah.

Gina. I love Jim. Tanger was after. We got a couple guys on the ice that I don't love. A couple guys that I can hear. This guy stinks. But on the other side, the Flyers, everybody was good. So they're winning at all that?

Flyers are going to win the Cup? Probably feels like. No. I think there's a chance. I got talking over there. There's a chance that they could do that. It was fun. We appreciate it.

Great see everybody. Let's move to the topic of discussion and why we were so fortunate to be here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Maybe the nicest weather I've ever seen in Pittsburgh, especially in April. Joining us now is the man who released his most recent mock draft. This mock, some guy attacked me for saying that you're the most accurate. mock drafter. He has a website. I forget his name. I don't know if anybody's visited a website,

but he told me it was documented. He might have outperformed you, he said. Okay. No, I don't know if anybody saw it. He did. It wasn't Mitt. It was somebody with a website. I got him. I got better score than him or whatever because there is now a scoring process for these mock drafts. There is an actual score. Accountability that we're doing. Shregor, every time we followed along with you, we feel most informed. We appreciate you so much for joining us. It's Peter Schrager. Shreger in tone Diggs will be live from the football IQ draft IQ trailer that I just saw. It's 45 degrees in there right now. The air conditioning is working, boys. Now, Shregs, you released your most recent mock draft. Let's talk about the storylines. I know a lot of

things had to change after your first one. What did you kind of put into this one that you think is maybe most set, most real, and then maybe what are you still questioning? The last 72 hours I've been on the phones with just about every NFL team and have someone in at least every bill. building and I'm trying to piece this thing together. And remember, it's very hard to do it because if one team does something in the third overall pick that you don't expect, it all trickle-down effect, it makes it very difficult to be accurate. I will say this. This draft, three things to keep in mind. One, positional value does not matter this year. There are not the blue chip players at our traditional positions of offensive tackle, wide receiver, quarterback, and at defensive end

that they usually are. So when you look at a Caleb Downs, a Sunny Stiles, a Jeremiah Love, three positions that you don't typically see go in the top 10, those guys will go in the top 10. That's one part that is worth noting. The other part that I think is really significant here, Pat, is that at number three, the Arizona Cardinals are sitting there,

and there are teams that have been calling, and there are teams that have been listening, and there is an opportunity to move up to three, and if they don't trade out, we might see a running back go as high as third overall. Jeremiah Love, the running back in Notre Dame could go third

overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Okay, so you're saying there might be some moves at three. That would be for a quarterback, or you're saying positional value doesn't matter. Somebody can get the three for something. That would be for whoever the jets don't take. Okay, so let's talk about, like Arvel Reese, potentially, instead of David Bailey. Okay, so I know that did Jimmy Johnson create the trade points book? Trade value book, yes.

Does this year's mean the same as other years in the past with the way everybody's talking about these particular? Great question. No, because also the other piece of this draft is one to 20, 20, we have 20 first round picks in this draft. And I'm not knocking the kids who are going to go from 21 to 32. But traditionally, the players that you're seeing on this list from 21 to 32 for the most part might not be considered first round players. They could be considered second round players. This draft is a little different in that you've got your few blue chip players up top.

You've got your next year that are first round guys. But it kind of falls off a cliff after 20. So the trade value of a first round pick at 28 or 29 is a lot less than it might have been in previous years. in this year's draft. The tackles are going to go. The wide receivers are going to go. But there's not your group of corners. There's not your group of defensive tackles.

And there's not your group of quarterbacks that typically are. Okay. Last question from me before, tone will definitely have some of the boys will. From my understanding, from my source says around the league, everybody's trying to get back.

Is that accurate? Not everybody. Not everybody. But there's a lot of people trying to move back. I think there is a lot of value and trying to just collect as many picks as possible in this draft once that first wave of talent goes. When I tell you, one corner, Mansour Delane is expected to go in the first round.

That's the only one that's guaranteed to go. Debo, I'll tell you one corner. That's shocking. There's other guys who can go. Yeah, but like this is the only surefire one that is going to go, and it's Mansour Delane. And that is usually a position where we see six, seven, eight maybe go. And then after the wide receivers, you've got the big three.

And then there's a bit of a question on Cooper. There's a bit of a question on Concepcion, a bit of a question on Denzel Boston. You don't have your typical, oh, these are six first-round guys. They're definitely going in the top 15. Makes it a very interesting draft. Okay, Shags, when I look at it, the first thing that popped out to me, Maui Noah from Miami has been the favorite to go first offensive alignment off the board for a while now. You do not have him go with the first off the board.

Do you have Fonaut going? Is that because the Browns need a left tackle? Fanoa's played left tackle? Or do you think, are you hearing that Fanoa is going to? be the first offensive lineman off the board. It'll be one of those two guys, and I would keep an eye on Caden Proctor as a late-rising the 6-7 mountain of a man out of Alabama. I have him, the lions trading up to 13 to get him.

Mawanoa Fanoa Fano is a conversation everyone's having in the league right now. Fano, we're in a captain C on his chest at Utah. Can't play right. Can't play inside. We know that Maui Noah had the bigger games. He's a right tackle. I just saw the Fino's. He did have the shortest arms, I believe, as an offensive lineman,

at the combine, but he said he doesn't give a shit. Like, put him wherever you guys think I'm going to be the greatest. I will play that position. Took snaps at center at the combine and said, I'll do whatever. Just get me there. I like that. You can play all five positions, culture guy, and everyone rames about him. I'm thinking he doesn't have an Instagram.

Is that a clear? That's a great question. That's a good question. I wouldn't imagine there's a very vibrant intro. I don't think he's doing TikTok dances. I mean, if you started in all five positions or played at all five positions and willing to play at all five positions, and he said I'll play whatever. And he's got short arms too, so maybe he can't even.

True. That's the type guy we went on team. That's the type of guy we went on team. Debo has a question for you. Speaking of guys on the team in that mock draft for the Giants. I mean, I'm sure every Giants fan

probably hit you up in relation with Reese and then Tyson, you know, five and 10. What are you hearing about Tyson post pro day? Because I only saw a few clips,

but he looks phenomenal in the way he's moving. As far as hell, I think Dr. Child came on and said, a lot of teams don't even have a red mark next to him. What's your thoughts on Jordan Tyson?

Ben, you have him obviously second after tape, why I receive was coming off the board. What's your thoughts? what you're hearing on him. He's the most fascinating prospect in this draft. And John Harbaugh is the most fascinating person in this draft. The Giants have a new coach who is making estimated $100 million in their building right now,

and their decision-making process will now be really funneled through Harbaugh's vision. The five and the ten. They like Jordan Tyson. A lot of people in the league like Jordan Tyson. Is five too rich to take a receiver who Pat, we've talked about it, missed all those games for three different injuries, but his lights out. and if healthy is viewed as the number one prospect.

I believe he could go as early as five to the Giants. I think he can go seven to the commanders, eight to the Saints, or nine to the Chiefs in this mock draft. I have the Giants just sitting pretty, holding the line and getting the guy at 10. I noted it, I broke the news that he went to dinner with Joe Shane

last Thursday night. They went to a place called Uchi in Arizona. I don't know. It's a good spot. I've learned a lot of places in Arizona. Uchi. is despot. I've been to a twin peaks in Arizona. It was lovely. I've been to several places in Arizona.

It was lovely. And Uchi. Who led you to inspire? That's it. A Canadian. A Canadian. Ice cold beer, pal. Are they still serving ice cold beer?

Are they got ice cold? That's an uncanny invitation. That said, there's a lot of love for Tyson in that giant's building. I'm not sure he is going to go at five, especially if Arvel Reese is on the board. Let's talk about Harbaugh having two top ten picks. So Hembo sent over some. stats here about his highest drafted players under John Hunter. Six,

Ronnie Stanley, 14, 16, 17, 18. Obviously, whenever you think about Harbaugh, trying to build a new culture, isn't that a big deal here now with his draft picks and what he does with 5 and 10? Isn't it sending a massive message? His brother drafted Joe Alt, first draft pick.

Remember, there was a lot of conversation on who he's going to take? And he said, we're taking an offense alignment. We are just going to let everybody know that we're taking an offense alignment. Harbaugh are going to do that with the Giants as well? I don't see a wide receiver at five for hardball. That seems out of character, right? It does. And then yet you look at what this, what this team is built at. I have neighbors coming off the injury. You don't have Wondale Robinson anymore. Darius Slayton's the number two. Are you going to compete with the

cowboys, the Eagles, and the commanders with what you have on offense? Or do you go and get the guy if he's the number one wide receiver at a value position? I would add all those players that Harbaugh got, but the exception of Flacco, who was the 18th overall pick and went to Delaware, we're talking Alabama, Notre Dame. You're talking about big, program guys who've produced. So all these Ohio State guys, whether it be Caleb Downs, Sunny Stiles, Arvel Reese, Carnell, like that feels like a hardball. There is a body of work that they have done in big spots from big programs where when you're looking at a Jordan Tyson and saying, okay, well, Arizona State, he did play well in big games. Maybe that's not the feel at five

overall. Yeah. And for Jordan Tyson, Dr. David Chow kind of talked me out of the hole. I'm never trusting that guy in a 17 game season. Him saying his hamstrings back. Hamstrings get healthy. The shoulder, or what was it? He said he plays, yeah. Collarbone, he plays football. Like, that's going to happen. Hopefully it doesn't happen in the NFL again or whatever.

You know, for the way Lance. And then knee ligated and stuff. His knee hit, like the highlight hit the internet again this week of his hit in Colorado. When he did, we all would have torn everything. It was a submarine safety right to his knee. Just, yeah, it was, it was tough. It was a tough. That's football.

It was a low tackle, straight. Okay. Hey, but, you know, it's 32 teams. So it may be. 22 that say, hey, no issues but 10. I say, no way, I'm taking them because getting injured in college, the likelihood of you getting injured in college, it had been healthy on the NFL level.

To some guys, you just take them off the board. The other one that's interesting is Jermad McCoy at a Tennessee, who you're going to hear a lot about. He had the best film at anybody in the 2024 season. January of 25 had a knee injury. He missed the entire college football season. Everyone said, he'll be back. He'll be fine.

Combine, okay, I'm not doing much, fine. Pro Day, runs a 40, looks good. Drills, they said, not 100%, and you're hearing back from teams that, like, whereas Tyson is well on his way, like McCoy still might need some time and they might need to do some more work. So you start, so I got him all the way down to 30. This is a guy who might be the best corner in this draft. And if you look at the 24, Phil, might be the best corner in the past two drafts, but that might be a value pick for the dolphins over there at 30. If teams are just scared to say, okay, he might not be a contributor right away, or we're

only going to get this many years out of them. Outstanding kid, outstanding talent, but I haven't going 30 in the second corner off the board. Remember, all it takes is one person to like a player. Yep. Owner GM. Owner's wife. Owners kid. Owner's husband.

I mean, Carly's husband might be really intrigued. But draft night can change. 100%. Owners can literally say, we like this guy, right? No doubt. No, we kind of like the other. No. No, we do.

I think we like this guy. Especially in this, where it seems like it's a lot of, yeah, a lot of one of these. Like 31 flavors is what I was told this draft. like Baskin Robbins. Like, you like this guy. You got this guy, take one of them. Rees and Bailey for the Jets is a fascinating debate.

And to their credit, the Jets are lock and key right now. There's no leaks coming from their building. What about the Jets canceling his top 30? Do you get any feeling from, they canceled David Bailey's top 30 visit? Is that a good thing for them? Bailey going to Jets or a bad thing? I have him going number two. I've had him going there for a month.

And Pat, we talked about it. Everyone was on Reese. I was on Bailey. And then everyone went back on Reese. I've stayed on Bailey. Very unorthodox that they canceled a top 30. visit. Hey, that's Jets football, but yes, it is. The

explanation you will get on that is, we met with him extensively at the combine, we met with them extensively at the Pro Day, we've done face times with him, why are we wasting his time? We know the kid. He went from Stanford to Texas Tech, is as clean as a prospect off the field as you can imagine. He's a wonderful young man, had 14 and a half

sacks. What are we getting from him touring our facility? That said, Arvel Rees went on the thing and did the same stuff and toward the facility. So, you take what you want from it. I've got him going, Bailey, but like you just said, I have been wrong before, and things can also change from now until the draft on Thursday night. Did you, AJ, did you have anything like that happened to you leading up to the draft?

Because you're, you know, you kind of in the same show of these guys, the top five pick. Do you know Packers were kind of in on you? I did not. I met with them, the Combine and everything, but I took those, I think I took five or six visits around, and the Packers didn't bring me in. They didn't cancel a visit. I didn't have something scheduled and canceled.

They just had no communication. So I really had no clue until they called me 30 seconds before my name came on the TV. It was crazy. Where did you think you were going to go? I was hoping to go to Green Bay because it was close. It's the Packers. You know, everyone, I feel like at least in the Midwest, grew up a Packers fan. I was hoping to go there.

But honestly, I was so young and naive and stupid, I didn't care. Did anybody take into the old mill, though, a little bit more than everybody else? You know, I'm talking about it. Would anybody really show you love, maybe a little over-the-pants? Oh, I thought. Over-the-pants, maybe. But Mike Nolan was actually out in San Francisco. He was the head coach.

He was awesome. He was a great deal. I think I said on this show before. He old-school wrote me. a handwritten note and sent me 10 bucks back because he didn't have any cash when he was trying to tip the guy at the restaurant he took me to in San Fran. So he's like, oh, I'm sorry, you got any money?

I got a 10. I gave him a 10. And then to my scrubby little college house, I got old school mail. And it was from Coach Mike Nolan with a $10 bill and saying, thank you. It's a great guy. If he wants to take me, I'll be very happy. I love to play for that guy. That's amazing. A.J. Top 5 pick is crazy to think about.

Draft League was obviously huge for you. And I always asked you, the corny sports media question. But like, how does it feel to be this close to people getting to experience your life that you got to experience all those years ago? Draft Week is special. It's a lot of dreams. I mean, I was picked 222, I cried. You know, like obviously I couldn't imagine a five. And nowadays, all the kids are rich, though. So I guess it kind of takes away from, I don't know. I still think it's a huge deal. It's definitely still a huge deal. But I mean, I don't know. I think there's something to, there's something about being young and naive to the process and not really sure what

the whole future. What I always struggle with is when people say like, oh, I'm certified, I've made it now, mama. Like, no, I'm like, no, this is just the start. Like, I agree it was a very, it's an emotional situation and it's a dream come true, but I was like, okay, now I have a chance. Like, now it's time to go to work. You didn't, you don't,

if you're drafted, you're not, you have not arrived. You have, you got a chance to go live your dream now. And that's who they're trying to draft by the way. Yes. That is all, we're trying to draft that guy. Can I share a story about Pat McAfee's drafted? I don't know if I've shared on the show I think I told you in person once,

Tom Telesco is a friend of mine. He was with the Chargers and the Raiders. He worked for the Indianapolis Colts and he was a scout. Now, Pat, tell me the actual bowl game it was. You guys played North Carolina. Monarchy Car Car Bowl. It was the Minichie Car Bowl.

And Tom Telesco, who was a scout for the Indianapolis Colts, said before the game, there was a guy hooting 60-yard field goals, blasting punts. And he said, who is this guy? That is the number one punter slash kicker I've ever seen in like a pre-game workout. You were there for an hour beforehand. And Telesco is like, this guy is amazing.

we have to get this guy. Goes back to the cult's organization, and they're putting the boards together, and he's like, that's my pick. McAfee at West Virginia, that's my pick. They also thought they had a chance that they could also get this guy who was a receiver out of Akron,

who was a, or Kent State, I'm sorry, a nice player who can do a couple things and was returning kicks, but was really a quarterback, and he was a quarterback that they had their eyes on. Their plan all along was to draft both Pat McAfee and Julian Edelman. It comes up onto the clock

and it was a debate in the war room. Do we take the punter kicker or the quarterback that we want to convert to wide receiver? The punter kicker won the argument. Pat McAfee. That's a mistake. It's selected by the Indianapolis Colts and Edelman goes undrafted and then he signs the Patriots

as an undrafted free of him. So even more so I was supposed to go to Kent State. Is that right? Yeah, yeah. So I was committed to Kent State. So I would have been teammates with Julian at that thing. Yeah, I... Y'all ended up being both one helmet guys though. Yeah, the whole time. Wire to wire and both media superstars.

Yeah, yep, yep, yep. I'd say that's the case. Euphoria is kind of the feeling that we both got, you know, and ain't they right, AJ? That is, you're right. Julian Edelman. I got a chance to see. I am a huge fan of Julian Edmund.

And Peyton of Julian Edmund would have been outrageous. Oh, man. That's right. I don't know if Tom's a less. He should have got off the table when he was fighting for me. Young Austin College. I picked him in the fourth, I think, third round at a BYU. Why was he your comparison?

He played in a slot. Okay. Got it. There is. No, Edelman, it was my team. No other reason.

No other reason. Austin was he. He was a good. He was a lot. He took the top off. Austin takes the top off. Austin was going deep. Fourth to two game.

I was led up across Austin until they move Reggie in there to route me up. Yeah. Who was the Ohio State guy? Gonzales. He was in. Politician. Politician. All right.

He had a hell of a thing. Man, Anthony, Julian Edelman, Austin, Cully, and Reggie Way. Wow. What you had Garzaan. And Dallas Clark. Yeah. Oh my God. They would have scored. They would have scored. I would have been on a different team.

Hopefully. Actually, I probably would have been flipping burn. Had you heard that story before? No. I did not. They traded with the Eagles. I do believe to get up to pick 222 to make the pick. So I had no idea. I had no contact with the Eagles. So what I got to call is watching in my house. Because I thought I was going to the Cowboys.

I was told before draft by Joe D. Camilla, special teams come here. Say, hey, you're going to be a cowboy. You're going to be kicking for us down here. I was like, sick. I'm going to be a fucking Dallas Cowboy. We partied hard. I mean, we had a great weekend. We had a lot of fun.

And when it came Sunday to get drafted or whatever, we were like, all right, let's settle in. They draft another guy, a kid out of David out of USC. Oh, the lifter. Yeah, because he did, Jerry loved him, I guess, because he did 225 or like 20 sometimes, 28 times or something. So Joe DeKamilis actually told me like, hey, man, I'm so sorry that happened.

And I'm like, well, no other team really. There's your example with the owner, by the way. Yeah, no. Yeah, exactly. Special teams coach only has so much, you know, that's a voice. No other team was really that interested in this. So it was like, come on the table for you.

I don't know if I'm going. I think this might be back to school days. And then, yeah, I get to call from Bill Pollian. That was so cool. Hey, we think you can figure out punting is what he said. I'm like, yeah, man, absolutely. Can't wait to do that. Had to go to Plum High School's football field the next day with Tim McAfee and like,

hey, we got to figure out. Is that you ever hold before? Yeah, absolutely. I'll hold all the time. I kicked four years there. I never held my life. But yeah, I lied to my ass off. Very lucky to get in there.

They wish they would have taken Julian Edelman, and I think that would have been a smart decision long term. And it would have been nice to be teammates with Jules. But on that note, lucky, luckiest phone call I ever got. And I tried to fuck it up there, too, getting arrested. I tried my best. I was nowhere near good enough at kicking balls when I got arrested to get arrested. And I knew that sitting in that jail cell. This one's over, boys.

You know, one of those moments. Because, you know, once Tom Telesco looked into West Virginia, I had a couple of underages. Yeah, there was a couple red flags, we'll say. Hey, it was a Tuesday, it looks like. Why? Teammate's birthday. Teammates' birthday. I had to be there for the teammate.

Okay, this next one. Wednesday night. Penny pitchers. Yeah. Well, I don't know. They ever in the Morgan town? I don't know. But my entire process was very nerve-wracking and very scary.

That's why, like, whenever people get drafted in the first round, I'm super pumped for him. But I feel like AJ's draft experience was vastly different than mine. I thought I was going back to school, maybe going back to soccer for a little bit. Really? So getting drafted was like a huge anxiety relief, I would say. But to AJ's point, I didn't make the team then, you know? Like I'm not on the team at that point.

They had four punters on the team. Did they really? Yeah, I think so, yeah. And the special teams coordinator told me directly to my face that he didn't all want me. He wanted the other guy, which was Timmy The Mass Day. Yeah, Tim Mass, that's playing the living. Yeah. He was in training camp with us, though.

I had to compete with him. He was a part of helping teach me how to punt like a month before training camp. And then he's in there and we're competing with each other. It's like, I'm so sorry, too. I'm so sorry. And I was not good. I should not have made the team, but Bill Pullian had my back, and I'm very grateful for that.

Very thankful for that. But the draft is a special time. And Treggs, we're very thankful that you're joining us. I can't wait. I predicted four trades in my mock draft. I've got Detroit coming up. I got the Cowboys coming up. It's all fun.

Enjoy it. Do what you want with it. Again, just don't tip picks. It's a guide. I do ask you, though, at home, choose your entertainment value wisely. Put the Twitter away. Watch us on all the channels.

Watch the draft spectacular. We're going to have an absolute blast tomorrow. Yeah, you're right. I do like you taking your high horse stance that you have. Can I explain the high horse? Hold on, though. It's more against reporters than... No, I want to let you know, though.

You've done this for the last few years. Okay, to us, you've actually told me, like, I don't like when people tip picks. And I go, well, we definitely tip picks. Because that was kind of where the draft spectacular started. We were all wearing... I was in a Canadian tuxedo. Aaron joined us.

Yeah. And we were on the Internet. So any information at the Internet. that the internet had. Real time. But we were like seven picks ahead of the NFL. And we started gaining some steam with this drafts spectacular.

People actually started watching our shit. So people started getting real mad. You know, these people down here are still don't love us. Those people over there, the guy that sits on that stage up there. So then we started getting messages like, hey, please don't be tipping picks. And then you gave me a full speech about it. And you're like, hey, this is not impressive. There's no valid.

You're not winning a. Okay, let me explain. You're not winning a Pulitzer. a prize for tipping picks. If you have a pick on Thursday morning and you're like,

I know the jets are taking David Bailey or I know how about God bless you as a reporter. Go. The NFL gets the picks before you see them on TV. You have to submit them.

All 32 teams get the pick. Every coach, every GM, every... So if you have one source in any building at the league office,

an agent, everyone gets it 90 seconds before the pick is announced. All it takes is to just be told, oh, they're taking this guy. And you're just spoiling it. So if you have the pick a day earlier or you're a reporter and you want to break it, great.

But after the pick is submitted and the pick is submitted and in, there's no valor. There's no awesome honor. Sorry, Strakes, but shouldn't you be talking to these coaches and people that are snitching, letting these reporters know? They're trying to crack down. It's hard. There's 32 rooms. There's a thousand people. Think about all the people and all the friends.

Listen, Mike Greenberg will know, rich eyes will know. Everyone knows. It goes through. It's a production. So I'm not trying to say, I'm not trying to say. I'm not trying to say like, hey, you know, protecting their shield. I don't give a crap about the ratings. I'm saying there's no cool.

And then the reaction when you just see it on TV and Goodell says the name and you didn't expect it to be happening, that surprise is cool. That's one of the weird things. Sorry, do you see Mad Mel last year whenever Golden was? How good was that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That still exists. We'll have that. And to be completely clear, I do think Commissioner Goodell loves the draft.

Oh, yeah. Like he is very, very, very big fan of the draft. Future of the NFL, future generation. This is the baton passing of the NFL almost. And it's become a spectacle. I think he's very proud of what it's become. And I do think they like him being the one. Oh, yeah.

We've gotten that message loud and clear. Okay, now, we don't get the same emails that Rich Eisen and Greenie get. I don't know. No, it's not emails. It's not email. The production of it all, like right before the pick is up, they have to know because they have to have the B-roll ready and all the stuff and they have to get it going and they do.

Yeah, Foxy. Your actual reaction, though, finding out who it is. Yeah, I enjoy learning this. It's better that you don't know. Joining us now, ladies, your gentlemen, is the man who's going to be picking at the end of the NFL draft tomorrow. Maybe. Maybe he trades up the two.

He could. Maybe trades up the one. I don't know if they have the capital do that, but maybe. Ladies and gentlemen, the general manager of the Buffalo Beals. Brandon Bean. How you doing, pal? I'm good. Good to see you guys.

Everybody good? Yeah, we're fantastic. How are you? Obviously, on this draft Eve, you have a late pick. But on that note, are we already locked in at this point? Where do teams kind of sit whenever we're the day before the NFL draft? Are you reading Schrager's mock and going, that changes?

Like, legitimately, how do you guys operate this close to when the draft starts? Yeah, after we see Peter's mock, we kind of rally back up as a group and see, like, where he ranks, how we rank them. And so we have a conversation. We don't necessarily take Peter's guy, but we at least want to talk about it before we dismiss it. Well, congratulations.

You're taking Peter Woods out of collection. There you go. Let's go. All right. We'll go ahead and get him on an airplane, and get them up the bump. Okay, so what have you guys been doing? Obviously, that late in the draft, so many things can happen.

And obviously, trades take place on draft night and surprise picks happen. Are you just running through all the different situations? Can you take me through the late end of first round and kind of strategy at this point? Yeah, I mean, you kind of just use what you know, use what you hear. Obviously, you study mocks, not like the actual order, but you know out of a number. enough mocks that Fernando Mendoza is going to be gone. Reese is going to be gone. You name them.

You kind of just write down, all right, I'm just making up a number. These 12 guys are 100% barring, like I said, a gas mask or something. I don't even know if he might care about that. But barring something like that happening, these guys are going to be gone before we pick. So after that, you're just then kind of looking at names. You're looking at positions, position value. and then you look around you. Like, what do you think the teams, you know,

three, four, five in front of you, what are they going to do? You know, do you want to move up with one of them? Where we have draft capital, we don't have a two, we traded. We did a two, five swap for DJ Moore. So it's not like we're loaded with a lot of ammo to kind of jump way up the, you know, up the line.

You should think about it, though. That'd be cool for us. Yeah, you might as well. Just use your 27 picks. Everyone said that draft's going to stink. Yeah. Yeah. I think you should.

Maybe the whole fleet. of 2027 picks to move right up to two to three so we can get a little electricity, you know, to start this entire thing. DeBott has a question for you, Bean, O. Yeah, Bean. I want to ask you about players with injuries. Not specific players in this draft, but how do you balance, I guess, the talent of certain players at certain positions and then the injuries, like if it's the same injury year after

year, if it's just random injuries over three years, how do you balance that as the front office? Yeah, great question. You know, we do meet with our docs and our medical team. and you know, you have their talent where they're out on the board, but if it's a longevity issue, you're going, all right, is this a one contract guy? Do I think he can even, is this something I'm concerned? The guy can even play four to five years on. And then you kind of make it, am I taking them all the way off the board,

or am I moving them down saying, hey, you know what? I wouldn't, I had a first round grade on him as his talent, but I'm very concerned if he can make it, you know, four or five years. but maybe I say, you know what, a fourth round pick, he may not make it four or five years either. So you're just kind of measuring risk. The risk of the talent of the player, first the risk of what the medical concerns are. You look at past history as well, what players have come out in the draft at this position with something similar. How did they fare or, you know, did it go well?

Did it not? So you're just trying to put as much info as you can and put them in the spot that you're most comfortable taking them. Tyson is obviously who we're referring to here because he's potential top. McCoy. It happens every year. Corner, I guess. Yeah, also there, McCoy. But Jordan Tyson is the big combo because he's potentially top 10 pick.

Now, on that note, I haven't asked you this, you know, because I don't want you to be put in a spot, but I'm definitely going to do it now that people are watching him with a day before the draft. How do you feel about this draft class? What do you think is the read on this draft class here as a whole? You don't have to talk about just first round. You can do the entire. What do you think about? Because there's been a lot of shade thrown at this draft class, I think, strictly because there isn't a bunch of quarterback. What are your thoughts on this particular draft class?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's not as top heavy. You were alluding to it, like at the top, whether it's quarterback, edge, tackles, things like that. I don't think there's just as many surefire, you know, top 10, top 15 guys, but there's still really good players. There's depth at various positions. And you're just trying to see, you know, as you look, what positions have depth, what do not? because if they don't have depth

and you feel like that's a need, you're like, man, we better find a way to get that guy early or we're going to leave the draft without filling that position. But I think there's guys, Pat, that we can, you know, maybe they're not a starter,

you know, for us, but a guy that can fill a depth role. I think there's still plenty of players that will help, you know, all 32 teams, you know, throughout the draft. I like to hear that. There's been a lot negativity about this draft class. Con man, New England Patriot,

diehard fan. Has a question for you. Yeah, got out to your Buffalo Sabres. Good game last night. But back to football real quick. Josh Allen's chugging beers. Maybe you need to look at Ty Simpson. Yeah, I don't know if that guy's fully committed.

Yeah, that one's tough. Great beer chug, though. Fantastic. Josh, great beer chug. We love what you're doing for sport right there. And congrats on the kid. Yeah. Also, people were judging the drum.

He nailed the drum. He just wasn't hitting it as hard. He was going for the beat, not power. That's something you need to look at. It's one one, so don't get too ahead of yourself. We'll see. One team is bigger, tough, for more physical and his pat to the other team, but that's fine. B, when it comes to trades in the draft itself,

Shraig's had four of them in his mock, one of them being, you know, the Cowboys switching picks with the Chiefs. But for you, you've traded up, you've traded back. You know, Kincaid, you went up and got him. At what point are you starting to talk to GMs? Do you think these guys are talking now about, like, hey, can we move up here? Are you waiting until the draft starts? And if your guy starts to fall a bit, are you calling other teams? Like, what is kind of the strategy when it comes for some

of these GMs trying to trade up and trade back? Yeah, I mean, I think you kind of check with how far are you realistically, wherever you're at in the first round, how far are you willing to go up knowing, you know, generally speaking, what that draft capital would cost you. And listen, if you're willing to go in the top 10 and you feel like you got the capital to do it, you're checking in saying, hey, what is your interest or you guys think you would have any interest in moving back to our spot. Is this too far? You kind of want to get a feel. You may be at, I'm just making up, you may be at 20.

Well, I know this, the year we took Josh, okay, we were at 21 and 22, and I was calling. No one, you know, well ahead of time, hey, we were going to need to get into the top 10. I'm calling teams. And no one was interested in falling all the way back to 21. So I traded a player with Cincinnati and went from 21 to 12. And now teams were interested in moving. You know, we ultimately went from 12 to 7. I don't think I could have got that deal on draft day going all the way from 21 to 7.

So you kind of get a feel of if those teams up there, however far you want to go, are they willing to drop back as far as you are, whether it's three spots or whether it's 15 spots? You guys are little dealmakers out there. I like what we're doing in real time. Speaking of time, Shraig says the last question for you. By the way, that Cordy Glenn deal, I think I broke that one. Let's ask about the change in the draft because Pat brings up a big point here. It used to be 15 minutes.

Then it was 10 minutes. But now it's eight minutes for first round picks. I mean, you kind of got to be a little quicker and a little more nimble. What does that do to a GM? And how does that affect you when you're on the clock? Listen, at the end of the day, it's one round that you're doing it. We speed it up to the second, you know, to seven minutes in the same. second round. You're prepared. We've been preparing for all this. So I don't at the end of the day,

I know it's a TV production and all that. I don't see any issue with it. I think you're going to kind of know ahead. Like if you're if you're wanting to trade up or if I'm sitting at 26 and I think I want to trade back, like I'm lining, you know, for the most part those up. It doesn't mean when you get on the clock that you don't check with a couple of teams before you make a move either make a pick or take another move. you have to have your ducks in a row you can't sit there for five minutes before you start that process

of making a trade but I don't see it impacted it really shrugs. You're going to win a Super Bowl or not? Dude, I'm sick of it. That's the goal, buddy. That's the plan. That's the plan.

Too good at golf. You might have to get worse at golf. Yeah, that would help. I don't know how it's going to go. I don't know how it's going to get. You're so good at golf. So good at golf. Not really. Not really.

Yes, he is. Foxy. Will you speak for the, the congregation here, Fox? Yeah, Brandon Bean's incredible at golf. He will hit a four iron straight down the middle. Driver straight down the middle. He will chip it on close, and he will make that put.

He is absolutely nails. Yeah, he's been doing it since he's like a kid, just ride the bike to the golf course. Sure. Let me play like a 90-year-old, and then he starts smoking the ball. He's a player. These guys are real stick.

And tomorrow night, we'll see if he can get one pick, maybe two picks closer to that Lombardi. We appreciate the hell out of you, Bino. Good luck tomorrow. All right, buddy. Thanks, guys. See you. Be it all.

Spat it away from the draft. Let's head to the playoffs, not the NHL because it's tough to talk about that without having to bring up that the Flyers are just fucking dismantling the Pittsburgh Penguins. And I don't like it. plenty of time. We're on the glass watching that ass get kicked the other night.

And I'll say it, the Flyers, bigger, stronger, faster, more talented. Yeah. That's normally a pretty good little recipe to win. Yeah, it's tough. Sid can't just play all five positions. I wish. I wish he could.

People aren't happy with it. Tanger on the internet. No, they're not. They need to relax. Tanger's done a lot of good. He is the least of our worries. Nah, he is one of our worries, but he is not the least of our worries. He'll get it figured out. Let's go to the NBA. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a dude who obviously we all love.

15-year NBA veteran, NBA champ. Stutt. Kendrick Park is where are you? Where are you? See it? Hey, I'm in the N-Y. Pat. How's the neck doing, man? I see the neck brace off.

How's the neck doing? Everything good? I got my scans back, my C2, C3, C4, and C5, all 100% somehow. It might have been just in my mind that I maybe had a broken neck, but I'm happy that the doctor's here in Pittsburgh. UPMC took care of me. And thank you for checking in on me, Perk. I was in a bad spot out there. What's all you?

You was in the club with 50. You weren't too bad. You weren't too bad. You wasn't too bad. 50. Cameron, Tony Yeo, Unk murder was in there. I mean, we were doing it. It was back.

It was 2005 in there. Bam, bat, bat. Bam, pat, bam, bam, bam, bam. Bam, bam. I mean, it felt like I was 18 years old again. Angers. Anyways, let's talk about the NBA.

We only got six minutes. It's on us. Thank you for joining us. Feels like the NBA had a big bounce back in game two of all the different series. Who caught your eye this weekend? What do we need to potentially change our opinions on in your eyes? Oh, you know what? Man, I would say I got to go towards the Lakers.

Okay. Ron's going to win another one. No, no, no, no, we'll not go that far. It's more so, it's more so an indictment on the Houston Rockets and how horrible they are. When you think about the position at their end, now you get back Kevin Durant and last night was a complete embarrassment. Mark and Smart showed up. Luke Knoard is looking like the second coming of Larry Bird for some reason in the series. And you have Jackson Hayes, who numbers didn't pop out box score-wise,

is outplayed Afro Schengoon. And when I say outplayed him, Jackson Hayes was, he did a lot of little things that was like winning plays yesterday. And it raised a concern and put a bigger, scope on the Houston Rockets and how disconnected and dysfunctional they really are. Okay, so let's talk about your comment about LeBron at the beginning of this series. I know you're turning it on to the Houston Rockets being ass and everything like that. But at one point, you said if LeBron's able to do this at this stage of life, get this first series against the Rockets, goate conversations ever.

We've had what seemingly is 15 guys who played in the NBA are all from Chicago. Dave all come on our show. And they just biased opinions. The good conversation is over. 41 years old doing what he's doing. Worthy of the respect that he's getting all across the board right now. It feels like people are finally feeling okay, giving him a little

bit of love for what he's doing right now. And rightfully so. Look, Braun and I, A.U, battled in AAU, played on the same team with the Oakland soldiers. McDonald's All-Americans together, drafted together.

He is still going, and I'm in the next chapter of my fucking life. Okay? He is still going, and I'm in the next chapter of my fucking life. And doing it at the highest level. Can you explain to me how 41-year-old guy that's his 23rd year in the NBA is still looking like a top five player in the NBA? That's what he looked like last night. Now, I get it. My guy, Q. Rich, he was on here a week ago.

and I know how Q wrist stands. You could just go look at his IG page when he posts all his chipments of Jordans that he get in every month. And you know he's going to stand 10 toes down with MJ. My guy Shult was on here. He's from the Shai. We know he goes staying 10 toes,

although he won a championship with Braun, which is kind of crazy to me. But listen, what Braun is doing right now, you just have to, I said back in my whole, hotel room last night and I was just like man this just it's unreal when he rejected that screen and row and went down the lane this play right here and rocked the cradle he didn't have to show off like that but that was he did that he did that for the neighborhood yeah he did that for the neighborhood

yeah the Oakland soldiers you know yeah back there doing it uh okay we got like two minutes left on this we have to hit something other than brawn go ahead deba you go to the east uh we got the bet and favorite cell to they took an L to the six years they've BJ Ed Combe stepped up. Maxie stepped up. Are you concerned with the Celtics at all coming out of East now? Absolutely not. Hell no.

You know why? Because, listen, the Celtics shot 13 for 50 for the three-point lines. They're not going to shoot that poorly again. And look, Vijay Escombe, he cut them everywhere but loose. He had the game of his life, 30 points, 10 rebounds in the garden. That's a hard thing to do. The one thing I would not. not do is question the Joe Missoula system.

Amen. Like this is their offensive system. The one thing I would not question is that is Derek White and Jalen Brown. They will lock in and they will be better defenders in game three. So Tyrese, V.J. Edgecom, Paul George, they did their thing. They stole a game on the road, but I'm not concerned about the Celtics. They had the most championship experience in the East. Huge day yesterday for the underdogs in the NBA,

which has been abnormal this season. Maybe the playoffs, just like we thought, are heating up. Shout to the NBA. Shout to you, Perk. We wish you were here in Pittsburgh, maybe next time. And thank you for everything, brother. Oh, you got to do it, send the invite, pet. I don't want to hear that shit, Perk.

I'm sick of that. I'm sick of you talking like that. Ladies of John, that's Kendrick Perkins. Hey, Mark. He should be here. He's a big NFL draft guy. Nah, just him around. Yeah, just good vibes.

Now, he's a slow mover, though. He does not walk fast. No, he doesn't. Those old school basketball guys, those knees. We're slow talking, we're slow moving, but the vibes through the roof. Immaculate. Love perk. Love that he's back. Shout to the NBA.

Shout to you, Shreg, too, brother. I loved it. Guys, cannot wait for tonight and tomorrow. Oh, yeah, tonight's a big one. Awesome night tonight. Hey, you're going to have to get through some adversity, get to the building. But it's worth it. Big time.

I'm willing to navigate. Right over there. We appreciate it. It's right there. Canem and Science Centers on the other side. It's hard to get in here, though. They got everything shut down. Hosting an event there. You know, event...

Events says people are coming. Turns out they want no people coming. We'll make it happen. It's the football time. We're back on the other side. Be a friend, telephone, something nice. Hey, sports fans. The ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place.

The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network in service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. It is spectacular. And obviously the four men on this stage that chanted the sport that has changed all of our lives. It will change the trajectory of families tomorrow night here as Roger Goodell

will announce 32 new NFL superstars. Football is the greatest sport on earth. And this is a massive celebration of the city that embodies it as a whole. The Football Town, which is a NFL films. He's got it. Sitting on the wire. Yep. Don't mind me.

This guy's playing bongos on. Listen it. The wire stuck on the microphone. Carry on, Pat. There we go. There we go. Are you good? I think so.

Ladies and gentlemen, senior NFL insider for ESPN. That's an entrance. That's an entrance. Will you break this news? Tomorrow, 7 p.m. To start the draft spectacular, the seventh annual draft spectacular, we will be running the football town,

which is the movie that NFL films piece together, alongside Lionsgate film, I do believe. I think Skydance was probably involved. Pittsburgh Steelers were involved. And I was the one that was chosen somehow to voice it over. In honor of a lifetime, I've only seen the first five minutes of it. Oh, that's it.

I'll be watching all of it tonight at the Rangos giant theater that the Cayman Science Center has. This movie was made for the Science Center, literally for the theater that we're going to is massive screen. So we're having a little event tonight to watch it. It would be my first time seeing it. pretty emotional when I saw the first five minutes. They sent me over as a teaser.

The fact that I'm a part of it was pretty emotional day for me, actually, because there's so many people from Pittsburgh that could obviously be the voice of this particular thing. Tells the story of Pittsburgh, tells the story of our people, tells the story of everything that these hills are about, and we'll be playing it live tomorrow to kick our Thursday to... Oh, yeah, it is tomorrow. Chase, it's Ari Wednesday. I know.

That'll be tomorrow to kick off the draft spectacular at 7 p.m. So we're very thankful for the opportunity. We'll be watching it tonight. And yeah, I think it would be a good little precursor for what's about to come here in Pittsburgh as the next generation of draft picks get announced. Tone Diggs is here. Ty Schmidt is here. A.J. Hawk is here.

Darius J. Hugg is here. Is there? Shepter, that's who you will be speaking to on this particular stage. Let's talk about some moves that are potentially being made. Right now, what are you doing with your life. We just talked to Bino's going through some mocks, trying to figure out what he could potentially have to do. Shreger just launched his last mock into the sun this morning at ESPN.com

so he's getting a lot of follow up there. What are you doing on this day? And what do you think we need to keep an eye out for? You know, it was about this very time last year, I got a call that the trade between the Browns and Jaguars was being discussed. It was like literally at this time. Somebody called me like, you free at about 1230?

I'm like, yeah, I'm free. And you don't forget these things. And every year, there are events that happen that you're not expecting. It could be a video of a prospect that's unveiled with a gas mask. It could be a trade that comes down that you get wind of in the works

24 hours in advance. It could be that we're trying to figure out where a certain quarterback is going to go and lo and behold, he goes in the fifth round with the 144th overall selection to the interest of everybody. You never know exactly what is going to turn into the story of that draft.

And that is waiting to be written in this particular draft. We just don't know what it's. going to be yet. And so, honestly, I've made some calls. Calls coming in. We'll see where it goes. We're just waiting to see which is the issue

that takes off where there won't be, say, you know, water under the bridge, like Connor likes to say. You know, there'll be a lot of live issue. You can turn your mic on, Connor. I think you do have one over there. I don't know who is in control of that particular microphone, but only so many seats.

One of the boys has to get up. Conner's over in the corner. Has a headset on. Can chirp in at any time, I do believe if they were to turn it on. Shut up, Shephty. There it is. Thank you. He passed out on Steel Curtin yesterday. We have it on camera. He's actually dead body on a roller coaster yesterday. We're happy he's okay, actually. It's kind of a modern miracle that he's here, to be honest.

That's Kenny Wood, baby. They deliver. That is Kenny Wood football and always delivers, just like you do, Schefter. Okay, so you're saying the pen is yet to write the story of this particular draft. Is there any inklings on what it could be? Could be a team trading a player? Like, AJ Brown, I know it's not until June 1st, but is there any other potential trades that are maybe being cooked that we could foresee? Are there any players that maybe will be on the move as somebody, much like Beano just brought up, he was at 21, he had to move up to 12 to be able to move up to 7 to get Josh Allen,

so he had to trade a player during the draft. A lot of people seemingly want to trade back. Do we have any superstar trades potentially on the horizon on draft day or any big-time announcements on draft day ahead? Well, that's what we're waiting to see. We have no idea. Right now, you can't say there's, some huge event that is waiting to unfold here.

No, we have the draft. We have the draft. And then there are all the things that come from that, off that. I don't know what that's going to be at. And I'm sure there's going to be trades this weekend. Like could Kisham Bouti get traded. That could happen this weekend. Could Kian Coleman get traded this weekend?

That could happen. There's always veterans that could be traded in a weekend like this, always. But those wouldn't qualify as the, these storylines that steal the weekend, right? It's going to be a certain player. It's going to be a certain team. It's going to be a move somebody makes. That's what I'm talking about. Now, I know we've talked a lot about the Dallas Cowboys coming up. I think they could wind up coming up, but it's cost prohibitive to come up to a spotlight three. Say, I just don't know. I don't know. And Dr. Usher? What are they coming up for? I think there will be two guys that they come up for.

Arvel Reese, Sunny Stiles. I think those would be the two guys that would interest that franchise. are they going to be around those players long enough for them to be able to make a move to come up high enough? Say it's six. Say it six. And Cowboys have done that. 2012, they trade from 14 to 6 to get DB Morris Clayboard out of LSU. So maybe the Cowboys make a similar move to tomorrow night. That would be the storyline if Jerry Jones was Wheeling and Dealing in Hitchburg.

For that to happen, you'd have to have Stiles and Reese last till six. I don't know that that's going to happen. How about Caleb Downs? Caleb Downs, I think, will be a top 10 pick. Does he go five, as high as five to the Giants? Does he go as low as 10 to the Giants? I could see. Sounds like Caleb.

Giant? They want styles at five. They want downs at 10. Depending on how the draft goes, right? I think if Love goes three, if Arizona can't trade out. Yeah. if Arizona can't trade out and Arizona does go love at three, then Tennessee is sitting there.

I think Stiles is a logical pick there at four. So you see him go four and then Reese is there at five. And then that's interesting. I have a question off of that. So that's what Shregg's had mocked this morning. Does that mean Tibido is on the trade block then if that happens? I think if they get Reese in the draft, I think they'd be listening. Okay.

I think they'd be listening. Jeffty, what about the chiefs? I know we're not used to them. They have two first rounders. They're a chance that they try to make a splash and jump up there for somebody. I had that conversation with a few people yesterday. They have looked as much at going back in the draft as they have going up in the draft. Even though they right now have 9 and 29, they have made calls and gotten calls from teams behind them that have just checked in about coming up.

And they don't know how it's going to go yet, right? Like which team would it be that would come up? I think we're going to get a lot of activity in the second half of the draft. There are a lot of teams willing to move out. Second half of the first round? It's because they don't think there's 32 first rounders. And everybody's got their own desire. Everybody's got their own desire.

Oh, there's a text. That could be the story of the weekend. It was an 80-re? No. I don't know. I'm trying to see what this is. You got something going on here. Let's see.

It's just disgusting. Something terrible. Okay. Okay. There's going to be a whole run of office. offensive lineman that come off the board tomorrow night. A whole run. What are you looking at me for? I like that bad.

I just looked over your shoulder. I was looking at your phone. Over under seven and a half. I feel like I saw a lot of things. Seven and a half? I take the over on the offensive. Offensive lineman? I would as well. Over. There's seven tackles plus Vega from Penn State.

How about corners? What's that over under? Four and a half. Four and a half? That's interesting. That's very. And it's everybody thinks that's real high. The under is minus 700. So.

Why don't they move the line? I assume they think four is going to go. so they can't make it three and a half because then they would just have to make the over of three and a half minus. Are we getting the crown there? Because we're of age. Colton Hood, I think he'll go.

Mansour Delane. Mansour Delane. No. I think that Demand. McCoy. DeMond McCoy. Jamon McCoy. Chris Johnson.

Chris Johnson has a chance. Who would be the fifth? When they say four and a half, who's the fifth corner? Pounds? Ponds. Ponds? Ponds. Ponds does pound people.

Like if I saw pawns play, as I say, Pons. I'm blinking on it right now. Chris Johnson. Oh, maybe on Terrell or something like that, but he's kind of falling back. For a while, don't you figure you're the one is supposed to be giving these answers.

I think, I think I hope he goes. Offensive line will be the most drafted position in the first run. Boy, that's a lot of cornerbacks. Four and a half. That's why it seems high. Under's minus 700. That seems high to me.

a little high, but it's such a coveted position. It is a coveted position. Quarterback coveted position as well. Everybody's telling me Ty Simpson's a Cardinal. It wouldn't be a shock if that happened. I think going in, that's the most likely scenario. But I will say this. Last year we would have thought that Shador Sanders going to

the Pittsburgh Steelers was probably the most likely scenario. The New York Giants. It didn't happen that way. So, you know, teams aren't showing their full cards to you. You don't know exactly. There's a lot of noise in the echo chamber. that we're all hearing, people are hearing the same things. And what I love is Thursday night, Friday, Saturday, the moment of truth.

We get to see if the Cardinals really are into Ty Simpson. Like a lot of people think they would have some level of interest. You are the echo chamber, though, aren't you? You and Shragues and Daniel Jeremiah and Rap Fort teammate. Palisero. Palisero, you guys are kind of the echo chamber. We've asked you about this every single year. Like, how do you know you're not getting played just for draft week?

and you go, I think I built up relationships with the people that they won't just lie to me. Isn't that kind of the case, though? Because everybody just assumes that the game of the draft now, because everybody kind of understands the draft a little bit more, is that people are working. And the way they're working is getting messages and narratives out and everything like that.

And that would be through you. You have to really monitor that, don't you? I mean, we're talking about careers and public stories. Again, I feel like... You say, I don't want to have to go ahead and tell you about my credibility. No, no, no, no, no. I'm not... I just feel like people are going to talk to you,

And the things that they want to hold close to the vest, they just won't share. They're just not going to tell you sometimes. But they're not going to lie. I don't think they're lying. What about C.J. Strat. What was that score? S2. Yeah, S2.

Yeah, S2. It kind of disappeared a bit. It has stopped kind of being talked about. But those things that are kind of leak, like the negative stuff, do you, like, if it's coming to you, and you picking and choosing on what you want to break, do you have to think, like, more, this might be a ploy right here to potentially get something. Does that make sense? I don't have that I know exactly what you're saying.

Yeah, I think you have to be selective. There's a lot of stuff you hear all the time about players. And I would say almost always I don't use the majority of it. I just kind of hold on to it because I always feel like these players should go where they're going to go. And then after, like I remember as an example, Shaq Lawson and Rex was coach. I think Rex was coached there. I knew we needed shoulder surgery. They drafted them.

I popped on the camera. I'm like, hey, they drafted a guy. great talent has a chance for great. He's going to need shoulder surgery here at some point in the near future. And they asked Rex about it. He's like, you don't need a shoulder surgery. A week later, he had the shoulder surgery. I mean, I want these young men who have worked so hard for this moment, go where they are.

So if you're hearing things, and there are a lot of things, you're a lot of different people. I don't, I generally speaking, don't use that stuff. I appreciate that. I think as a former player, I appreciate that might because if the team didn't find that out, Why are you ESPN insider being the one doing the research? This is on you. Is it your job now precedent every single year that you have to tell everybody about every... I mean, that would be a weird precedent.

I like that you did that for him. Yeah. Now, did you do that for Alec Pierce on our free agent friend? Yeah, I knew. I knew that he needed ankle surgery. Did you really? But I don't want to do anything to damage his earning power with Indianapolis. Of course.

And so we left it alone. You actually knew he needed that ankle surgery? I might have known. You let me do a full dance, didn't I? Open a show? I did a full song. He's going to be fine. Did you tell me?

Three minds. Did you tell me that you were coming on to use that information right away with the contract? I did. Oh, you did. Okay. And also, other times I put the eyeballs out. I think I make it very clear whenever I know something's happening. Okay, so maybe turn on the notice, pal.

Okay, for those particular tweets. as you potentially. Oh, we have something here. Oh, oh, oh. Send it out. Send a tweet. Oh, boy. Stephen Jones just announced that they will make George Pickens plans

under the tag this year and that there'll be no long-term deal. That's not good. Oh, here. By the way, here we go. There's one storyline for the week. That's a big one. Okay, because if they're going to trade and move. Could they trade him, though?

Is he a trade candidate during the draft? Yeah, if they want to move up high, right? If they want to, hold on. You can't be that happy. You can't trade George Pickens without him signing the franchise tender. And he's not going to sign it unless he agrees to go somewhere else that would potentially reward him. So he could definitely get traded. So they got eight minutes to figure that out somewhere.

Why wouldn't he sign if he's pissed at them for not giving an extension? He could easily sign that. Yeah, ship me out of here. I want a long-term deal from someone else. Who's his agent? Molagetza. Molagetez is his agent? He'll get a deal before he gets signed or traded.

Yep. George Pickens' bank account is about to be gigantic. In this news right here just kind of certified that for me because now there's an opportunity for there to be a little competition for his thing. Congrats to George Pickens. Okay. Maybe. Huh?

Maybe. I mean, that says you're playing under the tag. And Mologeta is his agent. Yeah. So I will tell you he is not playing under a tag. That's kind of what I'm saying. He might not play football this year. Oh, he'll play football.

He'll play football somewhere. and I think he's going to get paid somewhere, probably if I had to guess. And I think Jerry, who says, we have Maka, he's one football player. Uh-huh. We trade him. We're able to get more football players. You see? That's Jerry's dope.

That's how Jerry does it. They got Maka, we don't, we tied. Yeah. Okay, I don't know how much more I've got to say. He'll do that with George, too. Oh, yeah. Oh, he'll do it with George. You don't want to play your franchise tag?

That's a lot of money. You don't want to be a cowboy? They'll trade him. Will they not? I'm going to say this to you right now also. Okay, yeah, your journalism here. We are a punditry right now. I feel like George getting traded to somewhere else.

Mulligeth is the agent. There's no way he's going to play under a franchise tag. So there's no way he's going to take a year off. So that sounds like George. They traded a third round pick for him last year. And there was not a lot of teams out there that were willing to compensate the Steelers. So what can you get back for a player that right now isn't going to be signed to a long-term deal? Again, this just became the first interesting storyline of draft week right here.

as we're sitting here with Stephen Jones saying that. And so that brings back up the possibility. If we go back to draft about five years ago, Dallas Cowboys had other needs. C.D. Lamb was sitting there. They had at that time Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup playing wide receiver, and they took C.D. Lamb because he was the best player on their board. They'd love to go defensive players.

But I will say this. I think they're like Jordan Tyson too. And if Jordan Tyson were to make it to 12, that would be an interesting decision for the Dallas Cowboys to have to make. Yeah, especially because for top 30 visits, they brought in about every defensive player they could for that could potentially go in the first round. George Pickens can get open, right? Oh, yeah.

Yeah. George Pickens, potentially on the move with the noose that he is going to be asked to play under the franchise tag, which we just assume would not happen. By the way, and I love this. One of my favorite things about doing the show, NFL executive texts me right now. It must be watching the show. I would bet my life savings on under four and a half quarterbacks. Okay.

Okay. All right. Okay. One of them I thought, Tray and Stook, so I know you are a big fan of Shepty. Maybe he sneaks in the last one. But yeah, everyone's thinking under four. I guess President Bill Clinton showed up at the Cowboys pre-draft press conference. Really? I guess he just popped his head in as they were kind of doing their thing. From my understanding, this is what Ari Mirov has tweeted. Yep, there he is. The hell is he doing that?

President Bush was at the Buccos game. He was. Yeah, I saw that. The Rangers? Yeah. Yeah, I believe I was watching that. President Clinton just walked into the Dallas Cowboys free draft press conference. I wonder if he's making any decisions in there. A lot of news.

A lot of news happening over there. Okay, let's ask some more information of the man who has all the information. D. Butt has a question for you, Chef. I just want to ask you. You talked about the Cleveland, Jacksonville, trade kind of brewing up at this point in time. How much has it changed for you and how business, I mean, how the teams operate behind the scenes leading up to the draft as far as action, trades, information, how much has it changed, I say, in the last 20 years in 2006? I think that teams have begun to operate knowing that as soon as something's in place,

they know that it's not going to be long before it's out there. And part of these discussions is figuring out how you're going to handle the fallout once it gets out and how it's going to get out and when it's going to get out. So I just think with all the attention, that may be the only change. And there are more trades than ever before. By the way, I think there have been so far this year since the, start of the new league year when we were in Indianapolis, 23 trades. More trades

this year from the start of the league until now than ever before. So I think teams are more willing to make trades. There's more people are used to making these trades. They're preparing for these trades and the fallout that comes along with them. It's just a much busier time.

How do you think Goodell's going to do tomorrow? Got any tidbits on how he's going to speak? Is he really flowing right now? Chest bones at good daps, you think, with all the players? You know, I'll say this. This morning, I could not sleep. but I was just kind of wired. Yeah. Of course.

Same. Went to the gym about 515 this morning. No big deal. No big deal. 5.30. There's only one guy in there. 2.25. 27, I heard.

Roger Goodell. Okay. Wow. In there. Did you spot him on the bench? AJ was in at 4.30. Yeah, they don't put us at. He was done.

He was done. He came and gone. They don't put us at your guys hotel. That's what I've learned over the last couple trips. Yeah, definitely not. Let's keep them in it. Keep them in. Oh, Roger's at this hotel?

Let's put them in that one. It sounds like. I think we're in the opposite hotel normally of where ESPN royalties as well. Smart decision. Smart decision, by the way. I didn't know that the hotel that we're staying in existed. I should have been staying in that hotel since the day I left Pittsburgh. It's a good hotel.

I was staying in Super 8 and shit. Okay? I was staying in shitty hotels. That's kind of on you. I mean, there's a Westin down here. I stayed in once or twice. This hotel, we're in history. we're at a place

I know where you are beautiful My senior prom was there Wow how to go Not great Building was immaculate It is a week I've learned a lot about Pittsburgh history That I didn't know

Before coming here For this draft week And then also with the football town Which you're coming to today I am Can't wait see you there Hopefully by then you have a little more information Hopefully

Under four and a half Cornerbacks looks like All right Ladies and gentlemen Adam chefty. That's a crazy ride there looking over his shoulder. Thanks, Jeffty.

You know what I mean? I bet. Thanks, what'd you see? What'd you see? So what he's, yeah, what was?

Just like before he opened. He's trying to open up another conversation right now. Just not Coach Saban's bottle out of his hand. Bunked heads almost. Yeah, he did. Absolutely in this entire thing. He, I looked, the convos before he went into the,

so I can only see the first sentence of a lot of different convos. I'm like, wow, is that what it's like all everything? He's willing to deal. Just the amount of people that are just kind of getting. And he's got to have name, affiliation. Team. You know, it's got it to so many. In the first sentence, it felt like it was a lot of shifty outs. Yeah.

It felt like there was a lot of lines in the water. You know, how we're doing? How we doing? A lot of those types of things. But he's definitely working. He's a big game on right now. Yeah. Right now, he's asked, coach, say, hey, Tyson. You hear anything? Tell me about. Which is what we're about to do in a matter of seconds. Yeah, Connor's listening in literally right there

next to him. Yep. Connor boots on the ground on the conversation between Schifter and ladies of gentlemen joining us now is a man who's considered the greatest of all time in college football. When it's all said and done, he might be considered the greatest television personality of all time as well. He sells benzos. He sells Lambos. Lamboes. Yeah, Benzos. Ferraris probably. He's maybe the most sought-after speaker in the entire. United States of America. He owns the Nashville Predators. What?

Ladies and gentlemen, an icon of a man, somebody that we are lucky enough to call a friend of the program. He looks lean. He looks mean. He looks 10. He's the man on college game days.

Draft coverage on ABC. Shafter is relentless. Oh, yeah. This conversation doesn't look anywhere close. Gentlemen Nick Saban Oh there he is

You're the man You got some drunkos over here Yeah Lads, lads, lads Lads Lads to see you guys They're ready

They're doing it already I love it. It's a draft God Hey Here let me fix that Yeah Shifty had the same issue

Boom. All right. All right. All right. All right. Hey, Shephti was pretty relentless right there. Wait until you hear the intro I just gave you. I had to fill and fill and fill and Phil because he was killing you over there. Was he asking about Ty Simpson?

Because I want to ask by Ty Simpson. Ty Simpson, number two, quarterback in the draft, everybody thinks. Everybody thinks he's going to Arizona. But they're saying he's not worth a high pick. So they think they're going to come in the tail end of the draft. How do you feel about Ty Simpson? How do you feel about kind of this? entire draft process for him. And what do you think stands out for him to maybe says he is going to be

a great Sunday guy? Well, I think Ty Simpson is a guy that didn't play as much in college as a lot of these quarterbacks as they developed. So he's only played, what, 15 games or whatever. And I think maturity would be the word that I would say is important in a development of his game. I think he can throw it well enough. I think he's athletic enough. Decision making, processing, drifting in the pocket. I mean, things that you can improve on with experience, because maturity is nothing more than making the right decision at the right time. And that comes with experience and repetition. He doesn't have enough of that, but he will get it. And I think be a very good player, but he needs to go someplace where he has a chance to develop and not play right away. That's just

my opinion. But let's talk about every quarterback may be needing that. And the grades of the past, outside of Peyton. Peyton has the rookie interception record, but Tom was behind somebody, Aaron's behind somebody. Was Drew Breeze? He, second round. No, Phil was. I don't know. Whatever the case.

There's a lot of case studies that say if you're able to watch somebody do it, you'll be able to get better. But there's also a conversation about he needs reps. He needs reps. Like Anthony Richardson, whenever he got drafted number four overall to the Indianapolis coach. There was a lot of talk about him never playing football. Like really never playing football before.

We've seen the highlights. That's all he's played football. So they're talking about, well, he needs to mature. Maybe he needs to watch somebody. But then he also needed reps. It's kind of a, I don't know. I don't know what the right answer is. I genuinely don't know what the right answer is.

You would know better than me. But I like somebody seeing it first before they get to go do it. Now that turns to Fernando Mendoza. Okay. Tell me about him going to Las Vegas and seemingly going to start after Kirk Cousins gets in there. Do you think that is a sustainable style of play? the way Fernando plays. Everybody talks about the option shit that he did an offer our RPO stuff in college. For some reason, it hasn't been like, hey, this guy is a guy. Convo. What are your thoughts on

Fernando? Yeah, well, I'm big on making comparisons. So you go through the scenarios where quarterbacks got to sit behind somebody. And I think the biggest failure rate in the NFL is because quarterbacks play before they should. But if you look at the three guys two years ago, Caleb makes an impact in Chicago, guy makes a big impact. in Washington. Guy makes a big impact. Greg makes a big impact in New England. So those guys played pretty much right away and improved dramatically quickly. But a lot of failures in the NFL play before they're ready at the position, lose their confidence, and then over. Go to pot. It's over. So I do think if you were going to compare Fernando, you would say he fits more into comparing

them to those three guys we just talked about than he does to some of these other guys. He would be in the conversation if he was in that draft. And I agree with you on the RPO's, but the guy is sneaky athletic, doesn't look athletic, but probably better than he is. He's accurate throwing the ball. He's smart. He's a good decision maker. And he's accurate.

So those things are really, really important, in my opinion. And I think he's got the right mindset. And he's improved a lot through his college career. So I'm not saying he won't have some bumps in the road. All right. But I also think that he could be pretty damn good. He has beers with the boys too. I think that's a big deal.

No question. I genuinely think that is a big deal. And I assume a Cali maybe wasn't doing that because he talked about how he had to grow as a leader and everything like that. Beers with the boys is a huge sign of success in my eyes, especially if you're able to perform on the field. And he's tough as shit.

Feels like he is wildly tough. I like Fernando a lot. I like him a lot. But there seemingly hasn't been like a parade for him coming in here as the number one overall pick. outside of the Raiders organization. Yeah, well, but I also think that that quarterback position is always going to get pushed up if there's a good one. So you could always kind of make an argument maybe for that.

But I'm with you on the leadership part of it because I think quarterback is the position that's hardest to play if you don't have good players around you. So if you're not a quarterback that takes responsibility for being a leader to impact the other players on your team, then I think you're hurting yourself. And I'm so far from my home. You hear it, Coach. You hear that? Yeah. Oh, they're going to play that when they're on the clock, aren't they?

Yeah. Yeah, that's supposed to be the plan. Oh, so you know. Oh, you probably got a little run through on how this draft's going to. Are you excited for the game day draft? How prepped are you? You prep, you over prep for everything. So whenever there is potentially, how many days are you doing this?

How many days are you doing the draft? First and second. Okay, so that's technically what, 64 picks, quick math? No. Second has how many picks? There's three rounds. Three rounds. I knew that.

I'm doing the second and third picks on Friday. I knew that. Obviously, I knew that. Okay, so that's what, 96 picks total? You did research for, what, 500 guys? How do you feel? I probably looked at 150 guys. And I'd look at them just like if I was at the dolphins

or the Browns or whatever. And I still have the sheet that we used to evaluate them on, critical factors and all that stuff and put all the information on one sheet, try to condense it. So, but there's always guys that pop up that you didn't do. I'm bummed out that our draft spectacular happens at the same time that you're on there.

We'll watch on Friday night get to do it. I assume you crush the draft coverage. I mean, you're perfect for it. Debutt has a question for you. Yeah, you talked about you've been big old comparisons because you've been around. so many great players. I want to ask you an example of yours from the past, maybe a player you coached in college, that when they went to the NFL, they kind of hit another level because the

NFL game was more geared to their talents. Any personal players that you've had that experience with? And then is there a guy that you see in this draft maybe that will get drafted and really take off at the next level? Well, I think Jamar Gibbs is one of those guys that he was a really good player at Alabama, good receiver, productive. But I mean, when he went to the Lions, he was, he did more for their team. And he played great for us. I don't mean this in a negative one. No, no, no.

And he did for our team. Yeah, he became the guy. I mean, he became the guy. I see Jeremiah Love as a weapon that, you know, maybe at Notre Dame, he did great things. But on an NFL team, because he could be such a good receiver and a runner and used in so many ways. I mean, you don't have to just play them in the backfield. You can put him out there and make him a whiteout. So I think that guy is a guy that, you know, could.

What about Caleb? Those kind of things. Caleb Downs. Well, Caleb Downs made more players that plays in college than anybody in the draft. All right. So if he makes that many plays in the NFL, I mean, what's the capability gap? I mean, how much better can he get? Okay, so that was like when he got to campus.

Obviously, he's gotten better and he works his ass off and being with you and Matt Patricia and everything he's been able to do, obviously makes him an incredible player. A week ago, the convo is, what positions he's going to be? Now it's like he's definitely going to be a top 10 pick because of how talented he is. Josh Chapman told us the day he walked onto your campus, he was gold jack. It was obvious that this guy's a gold jacket. What have you seen through his college career? And what are you excited to say about him tomorrow night whenever he gets drafted in the first round?

Well, I would say that when he played for us as a freshman, he would have been the first safety taken in the draft. I mean, the guy is so instinctive. He's got really good ability. He is a phenomenal person, and he is a football junkie, and he is just so instinctive on the field and such a fast reactor. Now, he plays better. Everybody's questions whether he can play in a deep part of the field.

He can play in a deep part of the field, but when he's in a deep part of the field and he comes downhill, he's going to bust your ass. Yeah, he thumps. He's a thumper. And the only negative, I would say to him, I talked to him on the phone the other day, and it was the same thing when he played for us. He tries to butt him to the ground.

He hits him so hard. I said, how about trying to wrap him up? Go ahead, Ty. Go ahead, Todd. Coach, what about another guy's you had, Caden Proctor, who I want to say you only had him his freshman year and then you're retired. But early in the draft process, a lot of people, you know, killed him for whatever, his weight at certain points last year. He's obviously an athletic freak when you look at his measurables. And now, as we get closer to the draft, he's kind of gaining a lot more.

where people saying, hey, he could be the first or second tackle taken off the board. What do you expect out of him? And why do you think that kind of change has happened this close to the draft? I think people get a little bit more tolerant of these small issues. You know, people look for reasons not to pick guys. That's how it starts. I mean, like players used to tell me all the time, I'll go to Combine and improve my stock. You're improving your stock.

They're looking for reasons not to take you, and they're going to find one. So do not work out. But anyway, but I think the thing is this guy is so talented, big, physical, can move and has power. He's got range. He's got good feet. Now, the issue with him is he's not a bad person. He'll do whatever you ask him to do once you get him in the building. But when he's not in the building, he might get a little overweight.

He might not come in in the best shape. And those are the kind of things you've got to manage with him. But I think they're manageable. In other words, he's not really a self-starter that's going to go out there and, you know, getting in great shape and come to camp like you want him. But if you can get him to come to camp, if you've got him there and get him ready to go. So I don't think that's a huge negative for the guy. And I think he's going to be a really good player.

And if he can't play tackle, he would be one hell of a guard. So there's no downside in taking the guy. Andrew Whitworth, obviously, LSU legend alongside you, he told us at the beginning of his career in Cincinnati, he was playing guard. And he said he was coming out of the huddle laughing because it was the easiest thing of all time because bodies are just getting sent to your way.

So when you have a tackle body and then you don't have to go get people, they're just kind of getting filtered to you, that's dominance. That's why Mackay Beckton whenever he moved to guard was such a success of the Super Bowl. That's a huge transition of four players. And, like, this is a big part of why it's a craps from the draft because you mentioned, you know, when you're outside of the building. I know for me, I don't know about you for you, AJ.

That was the biggest adjustment for me because of college, everything was so structured. You knew where you need to be, when you need to be there. And there's a pro once that season ends, it's kind of all on you. Okay, when you you schedule your workouts, when you schedule vacations, family time, all these different things. And then you got to show up at this time of year and OTA and stuff and be in shape. because you don't want to be there tired of having soft tissue or having something like this, can't figure out and get on the field and get those valuable reps.

So that is probably the biggest adjustment for becoming a pro. You hear be a pro, be a pro, and it takes a lot of guys a couple years, a few years, maybe some good vets in their room, good coaches to kind of really bring them along and teach them. That same word, maturity. You know, make the right decisions and the right situations. Yeah. And you're going to make the right choices and decisions in those situations to put yourself in the best chance to be successful. Yeah, maybe don't get arrested on a Tuesday.

Shit happens. Yeah, it happens. It was by week, coach. Talking about the draft being a like a crapshoot. First round hit rate, Hembo kind of give us a stat. Hit rate means second contract with the team in which you draft. Interior offensive alignment, 60%. Offensive tackle, 60%.

Feels like if you're going with a big guy, you can kind of tell if they're going to go. Six out of ten, though. Yeah. That's not a definite. You know, 60% whenever they talk about going for it on the little graphics. They act like that's 100%. Right. It is not.

That is a quarterback less than 50%. Linebacker less than 50%. Edge defender, 40% roughly. Defense to tackle, 40%. Running back. 37%. Safety, 34% tight end and wide receiver both at 32%. You're not guaranteed a good player.

That's kind of the craziness of it all. Yeah, especially as of late, it feels like the wide receivers have gotten better. This is from 2000 to 2021. I assume if you were to do the last seven years, maybe six years. The hit rate on wide receivers would be way up because of seven on seven and the way everything kind of went there. But over the last 21 years since the history of the draft, everybody says that the player is going to change their team. Being in a locker room, being a punter on special teams, depending on a lot of these guys that get drafted together, there's a lot of ass football players somehow getting into the NFL.

And whether it's off-field, lack of work ethic, or if it's not. understanding ball at a level in which it has to. And maybe just not physically being able to keep up with what the NFL is. There's a lot of misses coming out of this draft tomorrow night. And I don't think it's fair that we just call everybody bust. It's really hard to make it in the league, even if you're drafted in the first round. And I think that the perspective needs to kind of get shifted a little bit when everybody's just like, we'll get this guy, we went in Super Bowl.

It's like, stats tell us this guy can be on your team in four years. So let's go ahead and just remember that. But also there's a chance you find Hall of Famer in there. There's a chance you find a staple and a pillar in there, which is why it's so damn special. Well, and it's like how do you classify bus? Because, you know, Darius Hayward Bay gets drafted in the top 10. And, yeah, he may not have been the receiver, everyone would expect. But you talk glowingly about him all the time about him being a pro bowl special teamer, you know?

So it's like, where is that line to find? You know, yeah, by that account, he wasn't a pro bowl wide receiver, but he was crucial to you guys. He played a long time. He went to Pittsburgh. They paid him like a lot of money to be a teamer. Yeah, but they would consider it. him a bus for sure. Yeah, definitely. Love what he did. But, you know, excellence is success over time. And, you know, when you're a college player,

your whole goal in life is to play in the NFL. So you have this building motivation. So it's about getting in the NFL or is it about a standard of excellence once you get there? And I think that's what differentiates a lot of psychological disposition that these players have. So they don't disbust because of their athletic ability. They bust because they don't have the right psychological disposition to be motivated to be what they're capable of being. They lose their motivation because they just wanted to play in the NFL rather than being great in the NFL. And there's a difference. Oh, definitely.

Definitely a difference between having a cup of coffee and actually being a part of the NFL family forever with how long you're able to play. Do you think the NIO now the kids are rich as teenagers? changes that a little bit. Because I think it used to be gold. Let's get to the NFL. We get a bag. You know, we get money for the first time in our lives, especially if you're a first rounder.

AJ Still. My God. AJ still. Have you seen his house in Ohio? He's number five overall pick. Old, old CBA. Old CBA. They gave him.

He has this. Yeah. This is his house in Ohio. Yeah. Right here. Because number five overall. But nowadays, these kids are making, what, six and a half million dollars?

Some of these first rounders are making at this point? Is that a good thing? I think it's a good thing because we know what people would do with money, right? Don't you think that it's kind of, I think that is definitely, you ask me about a guy like Proctor. You know, there would be a bigger question in my mind if he never made any money in college. So how does money affect a guy like that? Yes. There's no question about that because he already has money. So I think that's a good thing. I do. I think so too. But I also think that there's, it's kind of a two-way street. This is one of the older draft.

because guys stay in college longer. There's less juniors that come out because they're making money. So you take away the whole financial incentive to come out early, which used to be financial, which no longer exists. Does that make sense? Fascinatingly, yes, definitely. So now you've got some 20-year-old guys in the draft, and you've got some 26-year-old guys in the draft.

And I think that's a huge difference in who you want on your team and how you want to develop them. Now, the good news is if guys are staying in college longer, That's good for their development because they're obviously down the line guys are going to play and develop more in college than the opportunity they get in the NFL. I think the NIL transfer portal era is having a lot of ripple effects that we're only going to continue to see. Thank you for going to White House and saying, we got to fix this shit, all right?

I do appreciate you doing that. AJ has a question for you, Coach. Yeah, coach, you were talking about evaluating players. Obviously, back in college, I'm sure you're evaluating these high school guys. When you're in the pros, you're evaluating college. And you mentioned critical factors. What are some of those critical factors you do evaluate? Have those changed over time?

Yeah, well, the first guy that I really learned this from was how Belichick sort of when I was with him, how we evaluated players. And he defined the kind of players that we wanted in the organization, character, intelligence, size, speed. And what are the critical factors that play that position in our system? Now, I always coach DB, so I'll give you that. because that's what I'm more expert at. So a guy's got to be able to tackle, play the ball in a deep part of the field, play man to man.

Those are three critical factors. Now, you may have 25 things that you evaluate, quick feet, change a direction, burst out of a break, how does he open his hips, all this kind of stuff, to determine those three things. But if you watch the film

and a guy misjudges the ball on the deep ball, or he's missing a lot of tackles. When you're a DB, those are all big plays. You know, and if you can't play man to man, you can't get your ass off the field on third down. Can't have it. Walt win with it.

But every position had that kind of, now that's not all you looked at, but those were like killers. You know, if we got to play a guy that can't judge a ball and deep part of the field or corner, he's going to give up a lot of the place. Yeah, we don't want that guy. Disqual.

And then, you know, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, they were big people. You know, you've heard me say before on TV. You know, football is a great game for little people until you put a big guy in front of them. Yep. You've heard me say that before, right? It's the same way a corner. I mean, you got a little corner and he's playing against a big receiver. It's like a pop. They play that shit in the NBA, man. As soon as they come across half court, if a big guy's on a little guy, they're giving the ball the big guy, right? Yes. Same thing. How do you feel about ponds? You feel about ponds? Ponds is a great

football player. He might be pound for pound as good a football player as there is in the draft. But he's going to have a hard time playing corner in this league because of matchup issues. But I think the guy would be a really good star. You know, Javier Arenas was that kind of player. He played for a while in the league, but he was a good star. He was one of those five, nine guys that was explosive, powerful, good tackler, smart, aggressive, good blitzer. Pons is all those things. but if you put them out there at corner

somebody's going to try to figure out how to take advantage of them yeah I feel like that is the game ultimately Deba you had you got drafted at a high second round Belichick three disqualifiers I just learned you ain't have they didn't worry about the weak ass hands I had great hands

they ran my workout I actually did a workout as a corner first then I did a wide receiver workout so they knew the hands were elite day one maybe you they call Diggs has a question for you coach yeah coach you just brought up coach Belich

and we had him on here two or three years ago, and his big thing for the whole drafts was sticking to your horizontal draft board. So you being, obviously, you've looked at all these players and you've been a coach in the draft room, and how important, though, is it the dynamic with the head coach and the GM and then sticking to the board

when you're on the clock and not doing something stupid? Because I know there's a lot of voices in that room. Yeah, well, I think it's really important. You've heard me talk about vertical integration in the NFL from the owner to the president the GM, to the coaches, to the staff. So you get the right kind of players. If the GM wants this kind of player and the coach wants this kind of player,

it's not going to fit systematically and somebody's going to get fired. Most of the time it's the coach. Because the GM's sitting in the press box telling the owner what he wants to hear. I mean, I think they're all this shit. And you're on the sidelines as a coach trying to win the game. Yeah, of course. Good luck. Politicking is always happening.

Uh-huh. So it is critical. And look, one thing we never had to do in college is we just had to say these are the five best offensive tackles that we're recruiting. Here's the five best corners because we could take more guys. Yeah. But in the NFL, having the board horizontally, is this offensive tackle better than this corner? And you did that by having a nine point grading system. This guy might be a 7.5.

The corner may be a 7.2. So who are we picking? We're going to take the tackle for value because he's a better player long term. or we need the corner. And those are the kind of decisions you've got to make. And when you're not on the same page, they get really hard to make. We've got some Hembo stats here on the history or on this particular draft for most amount of picks here. The Jets are the only team with four top 50 picks.

They can really do some damage. I remember they did not take David Bailey on one of their top 30 visits. They said they knew everything about them already. Fascinating. The Dolphins are the only team with more than five top 100 picks. Good luck to them. They're going to need them. Ain't that right, Gumpy.

Sully's at the wheel. We're good to go. Coach Saban also pulling for the dolphins, obviously always will be. That could be seven starters. Yeah, maybe it could be, should be. Going to have to be probably for your guys' team. You got rid of all your good players over the last couple of years. The Broncos are the only team without multiple top hunter pick.

Sean Payton sitting there on the ice yesterday. Yeah. Hey, right there on the ice. He's got nothing to do for a couple days. He almost got glass on him. I know. He almost got shards on him. He's hanging out watching the Colorado Avalanche who might be the real deal.

Predators are in playoffs? Nope. I had a chance to get in, went four, five, and one in the last 10 games and missed it by, you know, two points or however they do it in hockey.

How'd you feel about the season? How'd you feel about the hockey season? Were you in the building or what? I'm anxious to see how we can build the program, just like we've built programs in other places and we get the right people in the organization. It's kind of exciting. Have you shot a puck yet?

No, haven't been to a game yet either. Can you skate? Have you tried? You've been to West Virginia, man. Where would you stay in Washington? We ain't got... Is he a speed skater?

The guy's going straight down the hill. You're going to have to stop. You're going to jump and do a jump. Could have at some point. Can't wait to see you at a Predator's game. Can't wait to see you do your thing for the draft coverage. Thank you so much for taking time out of your life to join us today. You look good.

You're super fit right now, huh? You feel good? Yeah, I'm playing a lot of golf. How's the game? Yeah. Sometimes good. sometimes bad, man. That's a metaphor of life that game. I mean, you know, I mean, you hit a good shot. You got to deal with success. You hit a bad shot. You got to deal with failure and focus on

the next shot. And if you don't focus on every shot, you get punished. I mean, it's a damnedest thing. That's right. That's golf, baby. That is golf football. What's bad for you, what's bad? What's bad? You said some day's good, some days bad. What's bad? Well, some days I can't put. Some days I can't hit straight off the team. What do you mean? 80? Bad? I've shot my age three times. when's the most recent time you've shot 68 recently about a week ago 73 I'm 74 years old

the older you get the easier hit the number you're late 60s you're 74 right now I actually shot 82 at Augusta about a month ago that's pretty goddamn good I was nine over on the front and one over on the back wow dialed in the second

went through amen corner 100 wow did you birdie to part 3 or what did you part birdie to 12 Yeah. Wow. Second 12 or second nine, not back nine. I think you're good there forever because of who you are.

But if I was to get that wrong, I'm potentially, you know what I mean? So let's make sure we get the words right. They don't have that kind of expectation for me, though. Yeah, you're a Southern God. Yeah, I understand that it works down there as they should. You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, the goat. Coach Sabin.

Thank you, Coach. Thank you, Coach. Thank you, guys. Good seeing you all again. Good see you, coach. Love you, coach. You look good. Stand up.

Yeah, boys. Good work there, boys, standing up for the coach. Miss Amy, see you later. Great seeing you. Yep, you're the best. Thank you so much. Feels like the draft is really starting to heat up. We had Brett Michaels playing earlier.

We had sick. See, Coach. How about Coach? See, Coach. How about him coming in here and just, Shefter, just going? Let me stop your regular. Let me pick your brain for her.

One half of the talks at the table at Boston Conner's back. You were right in the middle of that convo. Was Schifter trying to get as much information as possible of Coach Sabin right there? Yeah, after seeing how Schefter works. I have a completely different perspective on him. He's a true shark. Eye to eye. He got real, real close to Nick Sabin's face,

so you know the information that he was looking for was serious. But, yeah, that was a high football IQ conversation from one side. The other side was just questions, hey, tell me more. Yeah, he was kind of downloading everything. Exactly. That's kind of what Chefers doing. Speaking of high football conversation, something Sabin said when he was talking about the star position, a lot of people at home probably don't know what it is.

It's kind of like a nickel slot defender. So think Derwin James, Cooper DeGine, Nickyman Worry, Devin Weatherspoon out in Seattle, who I think him being as successful as he's been will help DeAngelo Pond's probably draft stock tomorrow night. Troy Palomaloo, original. Troy played everywhere, Seawood. Those guys and Caleb Downs, I can see him playing this position as well because those guys can just impact so much of the game. They communicate with linebackers, corners, safety, linemen sometimes. They can blitz.

they're immediately, they're going to make your ring game and your past game better. So you get a guy like this in the building. They're obviously never going to come off the field. They're like a chess piece on defense. So you see the last two Super Bowl champs, Cooper DeGine, Nicky and Warre, that was two of their best players playing at one of the most critical

in my opinion positions. The queen chess piece. Yeah. Yeah, it's not the stupid horse one that's an L. No, not a night. I'll sneak up on you now. Not a rook. Careful.

But I'm saying that one's just running an en route the whole time. We're talking that these stars just need to go everywhere. Yeah. You don't have to take the lineback off the field. You don't want to, yeah. Yeah, it's the best. And with the game now, they have to be able to thump. Thumping is back in football.

And we love that. I'm excited to see Goodell thump a couple of these big guys tonight. As we wrap up here on ESPN, let's make sure we cover all the news stories of the day. Brandon Aubrey, highest paid kicker ever, four-year, $28 million, $20 million guarantee. We're happy. Congratulations, Brandon.

Well done. Earn that, pal. Remember, there was some rumors going around about what he was expecting and wanting and thinking and all that stuff. And then his agent said, that's not real. Got transition tagged. I believe somebody else could have made an offer for him through that point. He ended up being definitely back with the Cowboys. They get a deal done with the most accurate kicker, maybe of all time if he used to go. Guy never misses. It doesn't make any sense. He hit, I think, two uprights in the same game last year. It was his own, like, and it was earth-shattering headline news. Brandon Aubrey missed a kick. When you get to that point, Tucker was there for a little bit. Boswell got to that point a little bit.

Obviously, Venetary lived in that moment for like 20 years. If you're somebody that they make a big deal out of you missing anything, that means you're a guy. Aubrey's been at literally since day one, he got in the NFL, and he might hit from 75 yards. Weapon. Absolute weapon. And when you talk about the salary cap going up and to the right,

to have a guy that can make a kick for you, priceless. They put a price on it. It's about $5 million a year. What else happened? been around here. Shane Steichen says Dan Jones is back to throwing and performing his drop. And we saw him walk in. Yeah. Broken leg and an Achilles ain't enough to slow Daniel Dimes down. Now,

he lost a receiver in Michael Pittman. Sure. Tough. To the Pittsburgh Steelers. Uh-huh. Kept Alec Pierce, who he made definitely his absolute best version of him. Yeah. He's out for three months. Dimes is back. I'm excited about the future. I love where we're at, Deep. I love what we're at as well. We're obviously moving on.

I think to kind of a new chapter with Kenny Moore moving on, Desire Franklin moving on. Do you really love where you are, though, with all these great players leaving? We got, look, we got it. We still got a gym. What's that? We still got our-old. We just wonder if you're truly are excited.

We got our quarterback. Yeah. You see our quarterback walking in? Alex Pierce, you signed him $150 million. He's got ankle surgery three days later. It'll be all right. I hope. A week and a half later.

We hope. Multiple weeks later. Did Shepty know about Pierce's surgery before the Colts signed him to the extension? That's what he was kind of saying. But I think he kind of has to say that. Isn't that kind of like a thing? I do. That's kind of what he was doing.

It's like, I don't know. Did you? You looked over his shoulder on his phone. You think you knew based on what you said? Yeah, what was that? What was on his phone? A lot of just a lot of shots. Got anything for me?

Shot, shot, shut. That's what it felt like. It felt like, you know, every once in a while you see those boats that those super rich olds go on out in the sea. And there's just like 30 fishing lines. Oh, yeah. And then they got like workers standing there, telling him, hey, this one.

They go, I'll get my fat ass over. Do the entire thing. Sure. That's what that text message kind of look like. Okay. That's why I was scanning it out. I'm like, oh, that's a shot, that's a shot, that's a shot. And there was a lot of names that I definitely knew.

And I'm like, that could be a cool thing if that was to happen. And then he comes on and goes, we don't know anything. Yeah, nothing's going on. Got any more for me? He knows stuff. I don't know. Everything. He knows stuff.

Well, now that him, the superpowers have combined. Him, Rappaport, Pellisero. They meet every morning. Field Yates, I think. Is field an insider? But have they combined? I think he needs to consider it. Yes, I think they have.

Sheffey's retweeting those guys stuff. He's never doing that before. He is, but you think Shifty's giving his stuff. Hey, I got this. I'm going to gift it to you. You can break it. No, they're meeting every morning, giving everything to each other. I do think, Shefty, this many years into the game.

I think he probably only knows one way, which is like, go, go, go. Rap, same way. But I think rap has been very open about, like, hey, would be honored to be a part of Schfter's team. I don't think Schaefter has ever publicly come out and been like, can't wait to have these guys part of my team because I think Schaefter is an actual machine. Sheffty fucking hates it. No, I think at this stage, I think at this stage, I think he'll be excited to add members to team. Like, I think he'd be happy to bring members of team in because it's not like he's ever going to be viewed as not the guy. Right. And he's already proven, I think. And I think

that's what bothered him is I think he does want to add people to the team, but it was the notion that this is his heir apparent. Like this is a guy that's going to replace him and he obviously is not thinking about stopping anytime soon. Hates it. Yeah. No, I think it is forced upon him. And I think now he's like, how do we make this?

I'll play ball. He's the old franchise quarterback. You draft a young gun to first. I hate this guy. You are right. But I'll play. I'll be a team player. All right.

We will see you tomorrow night for the draft spectacular. 7 p.m. it starts with the football town. Be a friend, tell him something nice. I might change your life. Goodbye. All right, clocks were off a second. I think I nailed it. A lot of activity brewing behind us.

A lot happening. Big time. I'm being told in my ear, how long's this show? A lot of that. Okay. You know, because the music was starting. Sure.

So I assume somebody was like, hey, can you not do the music? And they're like, no, actually kind of need to do music. That's kind of a thing. It's not just music, I guess. It's going to be on that stage. I think if we were to wait two minutes and 30 seconds, we would potentially get something that I'm sure they do not want us to show.

Okay. We can't tip what it's going to be. I don't think we can tip the open of the fucking draft. They have almost started about three times. Is it Brett Michaels? They were playing some of this. A little bigger. All right. Bigger than Brett.

You're not showing it, Foxy. We're getting out of here. Okay, we're out of it. That's not popular. Foxy was like, we got a really good shot of this. Foxy, he wants to tip the whole draft. Foxy, show the shots that we have of the stage show. B-Mack, I know you're probably watching this.

we could get the whole thing. Oh, boy. Yeah, that would really do it. We're not going to do it. We're lucky and thankful to be. Hey, somebody tell Oony or Awny, whatever the hell his name is. We are very lucky and thankful to be here.

Okay. And on that note, we're not tipping shit. Okay. We're going to get, we've come this far. We need not. I want to see what it is tomorrow night. Thank you, Shrager. Yep.

Tomorrow night, draft spectacular. It starts at 7 p.m. With showing a debut premiere of the football town. a, I'm going to say, it's maybe the nicest thing I've ever been part of it. I mean, it is, it was so cool to watch, like, the first five minutes. And the way people are talking about it, I think it'll be something to be well worth your time. And also a nice prep for what's about to happen. The next generation of NFL stars are going to be drafted on this stage tomorrow night

after the open that has a lot of really cool stuff happening. Roger Goodell will come out here. We're going to celebrate the hell out of ball. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. We will see you then. For myself, Debutt, AJ, conman. Conman, good to see you with a soul. Yes, we saw you on Steel Curtain without one.

Yeah. That was alarming footage. I did not see that before it was live. It happened both times. The first time, the first time was the worst I was concerned because I knew it's glasses. Yeah, it was a little quicker, but. Yeah, yeah, it was tough.

I mean, that's Kenny Wood. 40 seconds here. Ty, Town. Truck, great work, truck. A man, Troy. ESPN crew. Thank you so much for setting this. all up, barcode and them Faso.

Miss Karen's here doing logistics for life. And tomorrow, Coach Coward will join us. Akew Shipley will join us. Surprises will happen. Dreams will come true. Be a friend, tell your friends. Something nice might change your life. We're listening together.

Team on me. Let's have a hell of a week here in Pittsburgh. Yeah. Perfect. Come down and see us. If you're in time, we appreciate you. Team on me, team on three. One, two, three.

Team. Goodbye.