The Ringer NFL Show - Mock Draft Part 2! Who'll Go off the Board From Picks 11 to 21?

Episode Date: March 26, 2026

Sheil and The Ringer’s own Austin Gayle get together to analyze and debate who they think should come off the board at picks 11 through 21 in the upcoming NFL draft.(00:00) Mocking picks 11 through 21 in the 2026 NFL draft!(01:10) No. 11: Miami Dolphins(07:01) No. 12: Dallas Cowboys(12:48) No. 13: L.A. Rams(22:03) No. 14: Las Vegas Raiders(26:01) No. 15: Tampa Bay Bucs(32:15) No. 16: New York Jets(41:01) No. 17: Detroit Lions(48:13) No. 18: Minnesota Vikings(52:18) No. 19: Carolina Panthers(54:30) No. 20: Dallas Cowboys(59:36) No. 21: Pittsburgh SteelersQuit overspending on wireless with 50% off Unlimited premium wireless. Plans start at $15/month at MintMobile.com/RINGERNFL.The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit ⁠www.rg-help.com⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available.Host: Sheil KapadiaGuest: Austin GayleProducer: Chris SuttonVideo Editor: Stefano SanchezProduction Supervision: Conor Nevins and Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Ringer NFL show. I'm your host, Shield Capadia. Today, we are continuing our mock draft. So if you didn't listen to the last episode, make sure you listen to that. We did Deonté Lee's mock draft, the first 10 picks, picks one through 10. So today, a little different exercise. We've got Austin Gale here, and we're going to talk it through, picks 11 through 21. Who should the teams pick?

Who do we think they will pick? We got into some debates and we reached some conclusions on. all those picks. So this was a very, very fun exercise. Picks 11 through 21. Let's take a break. We come back. We'll get to it with Austin Gale. All right. We are back here on the Ringer NFL show with my friend Austin Gale. We're doing picks 11 through 21 in our kind of group project mock here on this episode, Austin. And we are starting at 11 with the Miami Dolphins. Good luck figuring out what the dolphins should do, what they're trying to do, what they want to do. How do you look at their outlook here at 11?

And then we can talk about, hey, who are some guys they could actually consider picking? Well, based on where you guys mock the first 10 picks, I do think the LSU corner Mansour Delane is the best prospect available and probably fits what the Miami Dolphins need in a very big way. I don't know when the last time you looked at the dolphin's secondary is. I kind of wanted to read off some of the corners and safeties they have. But Darrell Baker Jr., projected as a starter, undrafted for a agent 2022, just signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal. Over 1,800 snaps play with Indy and Tennessee.

Don't really know what you have in him. He's played a little bit, but not like a plus starter. Storm Duck, has battled injuries pretty much his entire time in the NFL. Played in week one, hurt his ankle, came back in week eight, hurt his knee, like injuries everywhere. Then you have Juju Brent, a former second rounder out of Kansas State that I actually liked. Also battled injuries, not sure where he's going to play. Jason Marshall, their fifth round rookie from last year. played a lot in the slot, but didn't play every game.

Like, it's a lot of inexperience. It's a lot of injuries. Even when you look at safety, they lose Minka Fitzpatrick to the Jets. They have Lonnie Johnson Jr. I know him well from the Raiders. And he's been a journeyman second round pick, never really figured it out at free safety. And then their other safety is Dante Trader Jr., another fifth round rookie from last year's class. It's like a very inexperienced injury plagued secondary.

And I know right now the plan is kind of Malik Willis and then figure out the cap down the road because they have $185 million in dead space. They didn't sign a single free agent after Malik Willis. for more than $1.4 million annually. So I think they're really trying to reset the roster entirely, figure out if this Malik Willis thing is a project. But take the best player available here at a position that you clearly need. I think that's the best fit. All right, Austin, I love you.

But listen, if we're going to go storm duck, Daryl Baker levels of depth on these teams, we're going to be here for like three hours. Fair, fair. But don't think secondary needs to be talked about, okay? It's the worst secondaries I've ever seen. Listen, I wanted to let you cook right away. I didn't want to cut you off, but I did feel like I had to get that note in there off the bat. No, they're terrible.

You could have read off their wide receivers, too. Corner and wide receiver, you look at this depth chart, and it's like, it's unlike any roster in the NFL. It's a complete disaster. They have a bad roster. They're trying to dig out of the holes that the previous regime kind of created for them. They are among the favorites to have the number one overall pick in the 2027 draft. So I'm with you in terms of best player available. Now, I was wondering, you know, they bring in John Eric Sullivan.

from the Packers as their GM. And when I thought of Packers drafting, I was always like athletes, that's what they're prioritizing. The testing, the measurables really matter. And I wasn't sure if Delane was exactly that guy, you know, shorter arms, not sure he's an elite athlete, very good player. I think he'll certainly fit some of these teams.

I was looking at it a little more, Austin. And I thought, do they address the lines of scrimmage here? You know, because they can afford to take someone who's maybe not going to be, amazing right away, but we look two, three years down the line and we say, wow, they got one of the best players at a premium position. I was looking at someone like Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. Are you familiar with Freeling? Six, seven, three, 15, great athlete again, not a finished product, but there are people who think, you know what, he has the chance to be the best tackle in this draft. So have I swayed you at all, then maybe we should think of going

tackle instead of corner for the dolphins? I think considering Friling at this spot, even though I think they do like the two tackles that they have and are still developing Paul and Banks or whatever. But I think that Friling is a ball of clay largely. I think it kind of reminds me a little bit of what Colton Miller was like coming out of UCLA. You had some injuries. He didn't play that much. Not a lot of true pass sets. And then now at Georgia, you kind of see the same thing with Friling.

He's similar builds, 6'7, 315. And I think people want him to be a better offensive lineman in the future. But what they know he is right now is big, athletic. and one of the best athletes we've seen at the position of the combine in a while. So I do think Freeling's going to be in consideration even in the top 10 and definitely in this range from 10 to 20. I have him going a little bit later.

I just think passing up what Monroe Freeling could be. And let's go back to when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Broderick Jones. Like you can draft tackles. It makes sense on paper. He's this big athletic freak. Maybe we can figure this out. And then all of a sudden you have a bad starter

or a player that they're trying to actively change. Whereas Mansour Delane, I think I know I'm getting a very talented corner. I know Tom McShay compared him to Trent McDuffie. I think he has really good man corner skills. I think you play inside and outside. You're just getting a really good football player at honestly, one of the biggest positions of need for this team. I mean, reading off their secondary, I know I got the note from you, it was a little too deep, but like I can't remember looking at a secondary where all of their projected starters at every single position is either severely inexperienced, adjournment, or injured, or all three. And I don't think they have a,

their best second, no, their best defensive back. I don't even know if you can name it right now. I don't know who their best defensive back is. I don't think any of the guys they have would start for most of the teams in the league. So Delane's still sitting there. And I know the Cowboys would jump at the opportunity to get Delane at 12. I think it's the right pick for Miami, even over Freeling, who I think is more of a project or much more of a project than what Delane is right now. All right. Listen, I'm trying to show that I'm a collaborator.

I'm not one of these GMs who's locking you out of the draft. And I don't even know, am I the GM? I don't, we didn't go over that. But I'm not going to lock you out of the draft room and just say, I'm not showing you my final big board. It's different than what you guys have. So I want to be, start off with some generosity here, and we're going to go in your direction with Delaine. Dolphins fans, if you're upset and you wanted Freeling, you can find Austin's email really easily online and go ahead and contact him for that. All right, that's our first pick here at number 11.

We're going Monsour Delane, cornerback from LSU. Next up at 12, very interesting team. And not just, you know, like this is going to lead the morning talk show type way. Actually, actual interesting team. And that's the Dallas Cowboys, because they've got two picks in our exercise today. They've got picks 12 and 20. And Austin, I'm looking at this roster. I'm like, offense looks really good.

They've got continuity with their play caller. I'm bullish on their new defensive coordinator. Christian Parker comes over from the Eagles who has worked under Vic Fangio for many years. I'd like that higher quite a bit. And if they nail these picks at 12 and 20, probably, I'm leaning defense. We'll see where you're leaning. I kind of feel like they just need to take the best available players on defense here. You know, I might be talking myself into this Dallas Cowboys team by the time we get to August.

So I'm thinking defense. Are you thinking defense with this pick? What are some of the names you have in mind? Yeah, I'm definitely thinking defense at 12. I also think this is going to be an interesting trade down spot because I think if there's any team that wants the Dolphins to take Monroe Freeling at 11 here, I think it's the Cowboys because they would sprint the card in for Mansour Delane. And now it's like at 12, do you take the risk on the Tennessee corner, Jermad McCoy, who something is the best or most talented corner in this class?

But he hasn't played football really anything since January 2025. He is supposed to test at his pro day, I think in like six days. We'll get more information and probably figure out if he's going to be this like top 15, top 12 pick when we see his numbers. But I do think that Dallas would like the lane here, would probably consider Falk, you know, Keldrick Falk, the defensive end from Auburn, maybe a bit of reach at 12, maybe T.J. Parker or Peter Woods, the Clemson defensive linemen are reach at 12 as well. So I kind of think this could be a trade down spot. And the exercise I did before,

I think Baltimore could be sniffing to get ahead of the Rams at 13, try and secure the receiver after Tate. And I also think the Panthers, I had them climbing up from 19 to 12, trading their second round pick and getting in return, the 12 pick and the fourth round pick to go up and get Jordan Tyson and then the Cowboys coming down and picking up some defensive ends or project defensive linemen later in the draft.

So I think they should lean defense here, try and find best player available. But if Delane's off the board, if Stiles is off the board, If Downs is off the board, you're really going to look at guys that need to be better in the NFL if they're going to be productive. A lot of these guys like Keldrick Falk, T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, Zion. And there's a lot of guys, I think, in this range that could be taken. Yes, you should prioritize defense. But I think a lot of them are honestly projects.

And I wonder if they look at a trade-down opportunity knowing they don't want a receiver before the Rams maybe pick at 13. So I don't know. I think it's going to be an interesting spot for sure. It's such a weird first round in terms of trades because, you know, you always try to identify, well, who would be. the person that someone would trade up for. And like you mentioned wide receiver and teams talk themselves into, you know, hey, this guy's definitely going to be way better than this other guy all the time. This receiver class, to me at least, as just an outside objective observer. It's like, it's so bunched. And I don't know if I'm a team, like, do I want to give up draft Kepler? Do I

want to just kind of like, if I want a wide receiver, I might just sit tight and be like, let's grab a guy whoever false does at our pick and then we'll keep hold on to that pick later. But I'm realistic. I know that's not how teams always operate and they talk themselves into into players here. I liked your first instinct there with Keldrick Falk. And I know he was not, you know, his production wasn't great last year with Auburn. But in a first round, there aren't many players that kind of looked like him, especially in this class 6-6-276, long arms. He only turns 21 in September. I always do like to look at the age with some of these guys because it's like you're comparing him to some of the other edge rushers in the class.

He's like two years younger than them. So if he had two more years of college experience, I think he can say he would look a lot better. He's said to have great intangibles. It's not like he's someone who hasn't worked at it. I just think it hasn't totally come together for him. But I see the upside with the player like Keldrick Falk. And he was actually my favorite pick, given the way the board fell here for the Cowboys.

I was looking at some of the corners, but I thought, you know what, they had that pick at 20. and I feel like there could be a corner there or at least a defensive back there that's really good that they could grab. I don't know that there's necessarily going to be another edge player or a defensive lineman like Falk that they can grab at that point in the draft.

Yeah, I had them trading back here and taking Keldrick Falk when they traded back with the Panthers theoretically at 19. I think Falk at 12, if they can't find a trade-down partner, I do think they're going to be looking for that if Delane's not there or Stiles or Downs, like the marquee defensive prospects. And for Falk, you know, you mentioned like he hasn't figured it out.

It's like he's not, he hasn't even 21 years old yet. And he's 6'6, 275. No one really knows where to play him, right? Is he a three technique? He has a really good three technique tape. Is he an edge? They just knew he had to be on the football field because he's like a physical, athletic freak. And going to Dallas and I think him being the piece that they're putting along Quinn and Williams,

Kenny Clark and kind of figuring that out. They signed Otea Ogmaniah at $1.6 million contract in free agency. Is he really going to start for you? So I do think they're still trying to upgrade the defensive line. And maybe Falk is someone that, yes, is a project coming in. But if you invest in him and play him, in the right position and let him learn that position over time. I do think he's going to be a better player in the NFL than he was in college.

Yeah, we're on the same page there. They traded O'Digizua, who's a better pass rusher than Kenny Clark, who they decided to hold on to. They drafted as a Raku last year, another young edge. So, all right, your next level with the trades. I want to talk about the trades, but in the exercise, I want to stick with where they are. Listen, we got shows to fill off, and I'm sure we'll do a, hey, mock only, mock only, trades only, Mike. Yeah, we got a lot. Listen, there's some time to fill between now and the draft.

So I like discussing the trades. I definitely want to hear where you think there are good trade opportunities. But for now, let's stick with Falk as the Cowboys pick there at number 12. I think we're on the same page. Okay. 13. One of the most interesting teams in the first round, the Los Angeles Rams get this pick via the Atlanta Falcons, which for all the things I've gotten wrong over the last year on the Ringer NFL show, we at least told you here that that that was a horrendous trade for the Falcons. The second it occurred, and we weren't the only ones. I think a lot of people knew that that was a terrible trade. So the Rams capitalized on that.

They get the 13th overall pick. They got a very good roster. And they can kind of decide here. Who is the, who is like the fun player we want to add on either side of the ball that can get us closer to winning a Super Bowl in 2026? And then also can help us down the road. So I have a name in mind, But I want to hear your take first, because this one, you really could go in a number of different directions, just trying to get inside like Sean McVeigh and Les Needs Heads Heads Heads He's Like, All right, what are they thinking? Who can help them right now?

Assuming even if the Ohio State Receiver, Carnal Tate is off the board in this spot, which I think he will be, I do think that the Rams front office is going to strongly consider, okay, who is the best skill player weapon, pass catcher in this spot that we can get? They're going to look at Oregon Tideon Kenyon Sadeek. I'm going to look at Arizona State receiver Jordan Tyson. I also think they're going to look at USC receiver, Mackay Lemon. Now, are they higher on Katie Concepcion on their board, and you kind of get a surprise, potentially? But I do think those are the three players that you have to consider in this spot if they're all three available.

I think the big three, even though maybe it's more like a small three for receivers in this class is Carinel Tate, Jordan Tyson, and Mackay Lemon. I like one of those guys here. I'd probably pick Tyson over Lemon if both are available. I know some people, I think DK, Danny Kelly, our NFL draft expert here at the Ringer, has comp Tyson on the high end to a Devante. Adams. And yes, you could say, oh, they had Devante Adams in Puconacua. But Adams is, I think,

33, 34 years old, battling injuries. And Pugna Cua is facing allegations. Like, it feels like monthly at this point. It's the second time that he's faced allegations or he apologized for an anti-Semitic gesture on a live stream. And now he's facing allegations of not just an anti-Semitic comment, but also biting allegations. And there's a picture in TMZ that looks pretty like Dracula almost. So Pukunakua, we didn't even talk about he doesn't even believe in concussions, right? It doesn't even make the first few sentences when you talk about some of the things that are definitely concerning when he's not on the football field. So I do think Adams and Puka went on the field healthy together are one of the best

tandem, but finding a replacement for when one of those guys is off the field or even just kind of replacing the Jordan Whittington targets in this offense with a Tyson or a Lemon, I do think that helps push all the chips in, which was exactly what the Los Angeles Rams are doing. The Super Bowl is in L.A. They spent a fortune of capital, draft capital, and cap space on their secondary, what was believed to be their biggest weakness last year. They're going all in. Matt Stafford is 38 years old, giving him one more weapon, whichever one he wants, right? Sadiq, Tyson, Lemon, even if he wants Concepcion, just give him the guy he wants and see if you can really, you know, go the distance. Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned the Nakuwa thing. We should definitely just lay out the

details on that real quick. And now this is, it was originally TMZ reporting now. It's ESPN.com has a article up on it. A woman in Los Angeles has filed a civil lawsuit against Puka Nakua, alleging the Rams wide receiver made an unprovoked anti-Semitic statement and later bit her on the shoulder the lawsuit cites gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence. So there's more details on that in this story. But yeah, I'm with you. Very troubling allegations against Pukukua and it's not a one-time thing based on what you laid out there from during the actual season. So in terms of the Rams, I'm with you on the same page in terms of just like, I guess, because I kept thinking about, remember the reports that they wanted Brock Bowers really bad a couple

years ago? Like they were trying to trade up for Brock Bowers. And so I was looking at this. And I like how you laid it out just sort of, what did you say, offensive weapon or yeah, however you want to phrase it, because it's not just, oh, they need a wide receiver. It's like when McVeigh is just envisioning what this offense is going to look like in 2026 and maybe 2027, who is the guy he thinks is just most additive or creates a big problem for opposing defenses. And I was kind of wondering if that ends up being Kenyon Sadiq, Austin, because I know in tight end, and I know the last few years, the tight ends that have been taking in the first round looked great. Prior to that, it was really a bad history. But Sadiq from Oregon,

ran a 4-3-9, dynamic yards after the catch threat, good enough blocker. I feel like especially on the move in some of the ways they're going to use him in that offense. I thought he was pretty interesting as a Rams target here at 13. Tyson makes me a little bit nervous, just the injury history. And I know you can't predict injuries, but man, he had the hamstring in 2025. He had the collarbone in 2024. He had the knee injury in 2022. He's missed games every single season. And so I just wonder if they're looking at it and maybe they say we don't see a lot separating Tyson and Lemon. And and Sadiq on our board. If they're like, let's take the guy who might be a little less risk.

And then maybe it comes down to Lemon, who, you know, maybe is a Amman Ra, St. Brown type player that they can plug into that offense or Sadiq. So I landed on Sadiq. I want to rule out Tyson. I don't want to be a dictator here. That's fair. So if we say Sadiq or Lemon, you make the final call. Who do we want to give to the Los Angeles Rams?

I think I'm taking Lemon. And part of it, I think, is because with Sadiq, even though Sean McVeigh, I trust more than any other coach to figure out a plan for him and how he's going to develop in the best player possible of what his athletic profile can be.

I still think he seems like the prototypical tight end that is a lot better on his second contract than he is on his first. And I think they need first contract contributions when they're trying to go all in. Sadiq, really young player,

someone who I think, I think when he gets to a second contract will probably be hitting his prime in terms of learning the position, figure out what he's going to be and like the type of player he's going to be in the NFL. Whereas Lemon,

right away, even though I know some people, Todd has mentioned this on his show, and there was, I think the media kind of got wind of it with his press interview at the combine, or his podium interview at the combine. He is a little weird, a little awkward, but I think every good receiver in the NFL needs a little craziness to their game. And when you turn on the tape, he just every day, every game you see, he thinks he's the best player on the field. And that's kind of exactly what I want at the receiver position. Yes, there's some size stuff. He's a little bit smaller, but really explosive. I really like his hands. I like his toughness.

He comes in. I think he's immediate control. You slaughtered them into that Jordan Whittington role. You have Pookin, Adams, Win Healthy on the outside. Here comes Mackay Lemon. I think Lemon over Sadiq. And Tyson, I get the injury stuff as well. Collarbones kind of a little freaky, but all the lower-lake stuff is concerning.

All right. I like that. Mackay Lemon. I could absolutely see that. Was productive last year. 79 catches for 1156 and 11 TDs, averaged almost 15 yards per reception. The comps I've seen are kind of all over the place,

but basically just productive slot receiver who's going to know what he's doing, whether that's Amman Rae St. Brown, whether that's Doug Baldwin, I think we have up there on the ringer drafts guide. It feels like Khalil Shakir is getting comp to like every wide receiver in this class when I look around. But yeah, I think you're getting a good player who can contribute right away, provides you with some insurance depending on what else happens there at wide receiver. And so I think we're in a good spot there with lemon.

It's almost one of those things where if they take Sadiq, I'm not going to criticize it because I'm going to be like, oh, McVeigh has a plan for how this guy's going to be an absolute beast right away. But I hear what you're right. I mean, if you zoom out and get a bigger sample on the tight ends, it usually just does take some time for these guys to be real contributors. Yeah. Play this game with me. Kenyon Sadiq, does he have 30 catches or 60 catches? Take a gun.

Which one do you think? Next year. Yeah. Yeah, I would say closer to 30 if I had to pick up. And then McCye Lemon, if you're saying 30 or 60, I might lean towards 60. You're right. I actually think he could get the volume. And I think Sadiq, by year three,

maybe he's getting 80 targets in the offense and you're starting to really figure out what it's going to be. But I just don't think they have that time with Stafford. He's 38 years old. I think they're really pushing the chips in. And then even if Sadiq starts to figure it out, you get into this Atlanta Falcon situation with Pitts where you're franchise tagging him.

Do you want to commit long-term resource? You've only seen it a couple times. I don't know. I don't think they're comparable, right? Sadiq and Bowers. Bowers was like one of the best college tight-ins we've ever seen in our lives in terms of production. You just haven't seen that from Sadiq yet.

Everything you're hoping for was. Sadeek, we haven't seen yet. All right, Sadiq is still on the board. We'll see where he goes. The Rams take McIllum. All right, let's take a break. We come back. We will get to the 14th pick

and the Baltimore Ravens. This episode is brought to you by MintMobil. Like your money where you can see it? Ditch the overpriced traditional big wireless carriers and try premium wireless from MintMobile for 15 bucks a month. If you like your money,

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Do it? You are a Raiders fan. We're going to go to the Ravens pick at 14th. This could have been your pick. this should have been your pick. Are you going to be able to get through this segment? Do you need a breather? You need me to just do it.

Well, the good news is that I think both teams would take the same player in the spot. And I think at 14, if the Raiders were there, it would be Vegas, you want a, and we'd immediately make the nickname and the jerseys would do a ton of sales. But instead, I think it's going to be Baltimore that ends up taking the Penn State Offens Alam in Vega, Yuanay, someone who I think right away is a disruptive, physical, mean, productive guard for them at a spot. And guard for the Baltimore Ravens over the last couple years now

has been a lot of failed experiments, right? Andrew Voorhees has not been the guy that they wanted to be. He's also battled injuries. Daniel Faolale, he was the two-year starter for them. He's no longer with the team and they don't think that worked out. And then they lose Linderbaum, their center.

I think that they need to beef up the interior of that offensive line. Could they consider Tyson here? Could they consider Sadiq here? Kenyon Sadeek here. I think they should go guard. If I told Ravens fans, you're getting the best guard,

prospect in this class by a country mile, not close. Are you feeling good if you're taking them at 14? I think yes. And there's positional value element, sure. But at 14, knowing what I think Yawane is right away in the NFL and honestly having this belief that I think he can be a long-term starter, a long-term plus starter for them. I think it's a sprint-the-card-in situation for the Ravens.

It's a clear need for them and arguably the best player available. Yeah, Yawane, 6-4-3-20, two-year starter. At left guard, some people think maybe he could play some center as well. I saw Brian Baldinger. I don't know if you saw this. Austin, he said, I love Baldi. He said that Yawane is a better prospect than Tyler Booker,

who was an excellent guard for the Dallas Cowboys. Definitely, definitely. And Gray Zabel, who is a very good. I think that's true. That's definitely true. You agree with that. Okay. I thought you were going to say like Quentin Nelson or something.

I don't know. Chill out. Chill out. Those guys are, you know, those guys are like just very good. Like above average, pro bowl might have all pro ceiling type players in the NFL at guard. So I thought that was pretty high praise. But I guess comparing them as prospects is a little different. You know, we've seen those guys play in the NFL already. I like Guanae a lot. I think he's better as a prospect than he is than Zabel or Booker. I'm not going all the way back to like Quint

Nelson. I don't even, I think it's unfair to even say like generational guard prospect. But I think every every two drafts, there's an interior offensive lineman that you feel really confident being a plus starter for a long time in the league and a plus starter right away. And at 14, If the Ravens had solutions at guard and maybe Ket Linderbom, you're not really considering it. And maybe you're looking at a skill player or something on defense. But with where this roster is now, with Andrew Vorhees slated to start at left guard, if no changes are made, I think Juana is a slam dog. You're not tempted at all to give them a playmaker to pair with.

They can't develop playmakers. We know that, but they're not in there going, we can't develop playmakers. Take all the wide receivers off the board. They can't operate. I was looking at their draft history. I'm like, Rashad Bateman. I remember liking that and it hasn't really worked out. Zay Flowers, I think, has worked out for them,

but you're still, like, if that's your number one receiver, are you feeling all that good about it? I think that when they draft skill players, it hasn't really panned out for them. I'd much rather prefer them go interior here and try and figure out the receiving court that they've already drafted

and invested a ton of capital in. Like, they still have Bateman and Zay on this team. I'm on board with that. Build up front, figure the other stuff out, take some flyers on wide receivers, tight ends, whatever, later in the draft,

but kind of fill a hole, and not just, you know, fill a whole 14th pick. Like you said, if you get the best interior alignment in the draft at 14, I think that's perfectly justifiable. So, okay, we'll give them, I always mess up. Venga, Yawane, I think. Vega, Vega, Vega, okay.

You are, I didn't think about that Raider, Sanko. You're right, that would have been nice. Vegas. Vegas, Juana was great. Maybe they trade up. Who knows. That dream we had for four days? All right, 15th pick, the Tampa Bay box.

And I found this, Austin, to be one of the most challenging teams to be like, I'm not totally sure what they should do. You know, could they use wide receiver? They could. They've got Bucca and Godwin. It's not like they have to draft someone. They've got Jalen McMillan. Pass rush, certainly they could use off ball linebacker, Levanti, David, retiring.

They could use. But I'm like trying to zoom out and look at them as a franchise. And it just feels like they're turning into a stuck in the middle franchise, you know, like two years ago. it was kind of trendy. Like, oh, man, even going into last year. Some people thought, hey, watch out for the bucks in a wide open NFC, maybe a sleeper. And now their team, it feels like, is not as good as it was last year. They lost guys in free agency.

They kept Todd Bowles, and they feel like a decent team with the limited ceiling. Like, I really can't get to a place where I see them. Everything goes right for them next year. They're, what, losing in a divisional round? I mean, I honestly don't see a higher ceiling for them. and I do think there's a floor if things go poorly, if that loss of talent really hurts them,

where next year we're talking about all right, Todd Bowles is out, what are they sticking with Baker Mayfield and quarterback, what are they doing? So I didn't know what to do here with them who was almost like a best, you know, who's the best player available type scenario.

And that even wasn't obvious to me who that should be. No, this was tough for me too. I think I look at defensive line and what edge players are available here. If Monroe Freeling is still on the board, I was like, do they just consider trenches and keep investing? But they still have, I think they have really good tackles.

They have got a good offensive line. Maybe they don't eat a project. They need someone who can win now. And part of me struggled. But one thing I think the bucks have gotten right in terms of how they approach the draft is throwing the kitchen sink at secondary players and spending first and second round picks on guys that they think can pan out or even third round picks. Jamel Dean is now a stealer.

They're going to have their second rounder from last year from Notre Dame. Benjamin Morrison may be starting. Zion McCollum, they signed to a pretty decent extent. mentioned last March, he didn't really pan out, or it didn't really play all that well last year, ended up getting an injury. Why not Jermad McCoy here? The corner from Tennessee, who, like I said before, his pro days in like six days, we're going to get more confirmation on where he is athletically and health-wise. He suffered an ACL injury January 2025. He has done nothing football-related since January 2025. But when you turn on the 2024 tape, there are clear and easy

arguments to make that this is the best or most talented corner on tape in this class. Now, the injury, it's not even like injury concerns. It's like, I don't know what this guy's been up to. I haven't seen him do anything. And I think if there, I don't know where he's going to come off the board. I think the Cowboys are going to strongly consider him at 12. I don't think he makes it outside the top 20, just on pure talent alone. And if he confirms some things with this pro day, I almost feel like there might be a floor spot in like

at 16 or 17 in this draft. I gave them McCoy here. I know some people have said maybe it's a key Messador, the Miami Edge who can come in and play right away. He's 25 years old. You mentioned Keldrick Falk, who's not. not going to turn 21 until September. Akeem Messador is four years older than Keldrick Falk.

And you're bringing him in, yes, like Polish player already ready to go. Part of me feels like they need to bet on, I think, a little bit more upside. And if McCoy is who he was in 2024, this is one of the steals of the draft. McCoy, one of the most intriguing players. And I mean, we have to repeat what you said so that it sinks in to be. Yeah. He has not done anything. Like he didn't play in 2025.

And the injury was only, I shouldn't say only, it's easy for me to say, but he tore his ACL. You know, this way, it doesn't sound like unless there was more to it that we don't know about. This was an ACL tear at the end of 2024. He doesn't play at all in 2025, but then maybe more concerning, he doesn't do anything at the combine because that, you know. Nothing at the senior bowl either. He was invited at the senior ball. He might participate. He didn't.

Yeah. So it's like, I can kind of understand, hey, don't rush it back. You're, you know, you're rushing back. And now your tape's not as good. like if I'm an agent or a family member, hey, we want to go to the NFL. Next year, your tape in 2024 was good. You're still working back. Maybe it didn't go as smoothly as you thought.

But then to get to the Senior Bowl and then the combine, like if you're an organization, I said this with Deonté that if I were, you know, in a team building, I would have a bucket of like let someone else find out players. And I don't, I'm not saying he definitely would fall in there for me because you're right. If you feel like we've got good intel, we got a great relationship with his agent, We know people really well with that Tennessee program. Our scout there is locked in. We love his 2024 tip.

We have no concerns about that. Look how good he was. And then you go to his pro day and he performs really well. Maybe you can talk yourself into it. But coming off an injury that took longer than expected to come back from and all you're seeing is a pro day, I don't, now that I talk to myself, I don't think I would have the guts to be like, let's spend our 15th overall pick on a player like this when there are other options. out there. Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe his floor is Dallas with their second pick, right,

at night or at 20. I don't know. I think that this pro day, it's kind of crazy talking about him now before this pro day because there's a chance that he just lights up the numbers and a lot of the reports out of the pro day that teams are excited. I know that the league stays really high on Jamad McCoy because the tape is very good. And I think the, the Buck's front office, I know Todd Bowles' status is not, is kind of up in the air. But the Buck's front office, I think, has built up enough equity to where if McCoy doesn't work out, it's okay. They've drafted really well in recent years. I think that roster is good for the reason that being that the front office has got good

tallion evaluation and the developing player as well. All right. Listen, I don't have another guy. Like, even the spiel I just gave, I don't have another like, oh, they should definitely take this guy. Yeah. So let's give him a quick. And let's see.

Let's see how he does at the pro day. I don't think your thinking is wrong on that. Like, I think he's a type of player that they would absolutely like. He's going to be, you know, he's got a, he's 6-1. He's competitive. He can play zone and he has very good tape from 2024. It's just the injury question mark. But let's go ahead and assume that they get some answers on that and they end up taking McCoy.

I'm good with that because, again, I don't really know what the buck should do or what they're going to do there. All right. We go to 16. The New York Jets. We gave them R.Vell Reese with the number two overall pick with Deonté. Now they get another pick here. At 16, I think you look at their roster. they're good at offensive tackle.

We think they're good at offensive tackle. Hopefully things work out for those guys that they've drafted there. They could use help at other premium positions, pass rush, wide receiver, cornerback. You know, do they, should their approach Austin B, let's make sure we build an environment so that when we draft our quarterback in 2027, he's in a good spot and let's, you know, we spent one pick on edge rusher. Let's make sure maybe we add a wide receiver here so that we finally, give Garrett Wilson a number two wide receiver and that that works out for us. Do they say,

we still need a lot of help on that defensive side of the ball? We traded Quinn and Williams. We traded Sawdardner. Let's add a corner here for Aaron Glenn. We're trying to find out if this guy gives us anything as a coach. I think those are the two positions I looked at most closely here, wide receiver and cornerback. I didn't see a pass rusher necessarily that I said, oh, they should go in that direction. What do you think here for the Jets at number 16? I don't know, I'm sure you guys gave them Rvel Reese at number two, before you saw the pro day video that's making the rounds on Twitter where people are second guessing his bend and how well he can turn around a bag.

That's kind of the stage we're at in the pre-draft process where like we're just reacting to any more. So like people are comparing a different drill Ruben Bain, the Miami Edge did it his pro day to Rvel Reese. And is he a linebacker? The Reese conversation is going to be interesting. But I think what's what I, and I'm willing to kind of concede things in this exercise. one thing I won't concede is the Jets cannot draft Arvel Reese and another defensive player. Here's why. Arvel Reese, right now, there are split decision-making on if he should play linebacker or edge.

And we've seen these types before in the NFL draft. We're like, this guy's just too freaky of an athlete. I don't care if he plays edge or linebacker or a hybrid version. He's just that good. You have to take him in the top 10. Isaiah Simmons comes to mind. Zavin Collins comes to mind two guys that went to the Arizona Cardinals and absolutely failed with a bad organization that has kind of a proven track record.

not being able to develop players. I don't think the Jets are all that different. Now, we don't know if Aaron Glenn is a part of the long-time solution. The first coaching staff he hired were definitely not a part of the long-term solution because they fired him immediately and kind of gave him this second chance with a brand-new staff where he's calling defensive plays. He's going to need to figure out if they take Arvel Reset to what they're doing with him. And that should be almost all of his attention in terms of developing players.

Also giving him another defensive player here, a corner or a lineback or whoever, where you also have to kind of have a plan for that. I think that's just putting too much on his plate. For someone that you don't even know if it's going to be coaching the team in 2027, that's why I'm much like, especially if Jordan Tyson is still here, but I even think another receiver at 16, Omar Cooper Jr., the Indiana receiver, could be a really good compliment to Garrett Wilson.

But please, if you give Aaron Glenn Arvel Reese, don't also stack him. And you're saying, well, we've got to figure out what we have in Glenn. Maybe we give him another corner. The corners they're taking in this spot also have questions that I just don't know if this coaching staff already is there to answer. Like, take a breath, give them Reese. Have them figure that out on a defense that still needs a lot of other talent.

And then offensively, try and prepare whoever this quarterback you're going to take in 2027 is going to be with a receiver, you know, not opposite of Garrett Wilson, but maybe in the slot, like Omar Cooper Jr. I'm a little concerned, Austin, that you think giving the head coach, you know, having to figure out what to do with two players is putting too much on his plate. It is. But I don't disagree with you. The defense didn't have an interception last year. The defense did not have an interception. That's never happened in the history of the league. And they got an extra game.

He was a corner in the NFL and his defense didn't have an interception. It's a problem. I think that there's not a bigger lame duck coach in the NFL right now going into this season. I think everyone expects Aaron Glenn to be the first coach fired. I think that's where betting odds would be or polymarket or whatever.

And the fact that you're going to already give him a player that no one really knows, no one's convinced where you should play him and then you're going to stack another defensive player on a coach. It just doesn't make sense to me. Like prepare for the future. The offense needs help. Garrett Wilson needs help.

And whoever this quarterback is going to be, I think is going to need more weapons as well. Well, as you were saying, we don't know if he's going to be the coach beyond. I'm like, I think I know whether he's going to be the coach beyond. Exactly. All due respect. Hope it works out for him. Hope I'm wrong, but this feels very Brian Callahanish to me for the Jets.

I've said it all along. Listen, their front office might not be bad. I don't mind some of the stuff they did this off season. I like loading up on picks. I think they loaded up on picks and they're saying we're not going to force a big quarterback move this off season. Let's wait for 2027. It doesn't mean it's going to work out. But I see some semblance of a plan there.

where I say, I'm holding out a little bit of hope that the front office knows what they're doing. Now, they signed some of these vets for Aaron Glenn in the offseason. I think they said, if we're going to keep him, we'll give him one-year deal short-term. They're not going to be part of our future. Let's see if he can actually bring something to the table as a coach. If he does, we'll figure it out after the season. He's probably not going to show us anything with this roster in 2026, and we're probably moving on after the season. And we don't have long-term commitments that now we say, oh, my God, why do we make those deals?

So I generally agree with you. Now listen, if the front office says we have a corner, one of these corners just, you know, ranked really highly. And man, we love them. We don't care if it's for Aaron Glenn or someone else. We just think they're a better player than Jordan Tyson or Omar Cooper Jr. Then go ahead and take them. I don't know that that's necessarily going to be the case.

So I'm with you. You add a wide receiver. And now when you draft a quarterback next year, you hopefully can say we have two very good wide receivers. We have two very good offensive tackles. Maybe we have a very good offensive line. We drafted a tight end last year. We still have Breece Hall.

It'll be the type of situation where we can squint and say if this quarterback is talented and if this new coach knows what they're doing, there's actually an infrastructure here to get this thing right. So I think that's where the Jets want to be at the end of this draft. So I'm good with Tyson or Cooper. Do you have a lean one way or the other? Tyson, we've obviously talked quite a bit about Omar Cooper Jr. from Indiana, six foot,

199, ran a 4-4-2, 69 catches for 937 yards last year, run after the catch, strong, explosive, a lot of people, he really seems to have a high approval rating from a lot of people in this draft. So maybe less question marks, but maybe not as much of an upside as Tyson.

Is that a fair way to describe those two when you're comparing them? It's hard with upside. I think that there's probably more inside. Upside. I'm yelling at myself for that. Because JSN, we said, oh, my God, he's reliable. And now he turned into the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL.

I just said that last spot, and yet I'm still falling into the trap. Thank you for calling me out. I think there's more inside, outside versatility with Tyson. And maybe it's easier to kind of immediately see him being a kind of like every down receiver that gets a ton of volume in the league than it is with Omar Cooper, who maybe is always a slot guy. I think it's dealer's choice here. If it were me, I'd probably lean Tyson, even with the injury. history, but I think Omar Cooper, even over Tyson at 16, isn't indefensible.

The other thing I kind of had this idea while you were talking, we should try maybe before the season to rank biggest, maybe by like an earthquake meter or something, the biggest shocks that would happen, would have to happen to actually shock you to your core. Aaron Glenn and the Jets being good to where he like keeps his job is up there for me on the Richter scale in terms of like, it'd be like an eight or a nine out of 10. If we went like kind of with the Colts last year, if you told me how good the Colts were going to be through weeks one through eight, weeks one through nine, I would have been, that's a nine out of ten or ten out of ten on the shock factor.

If Aaron Glenn is coaching this team's success and Arval Reese is this monster everyone wants him to be under Aaron Glenn by week 10, week 12, I would be completely floored. Yeah, I'm trying to think of the other things, even in the realm of possibilities. J.J. McCarthy wins out the quarterback battle in Minnesota and is better than Kyler Murray. Or, you know, like, I think that there's a lot that can be out. You're right. That's a full episode. Yeah, let's think about the other ones and do a full episode on that. All right, let's give him Jordan Tyson, wide receiver, Arizona State. He goes to the New York Jets at 16. So in our mock draft, they get Arvel Reese, they get Jordan Tyson.

Listen, just take guys at premium positions. It might not work out, but kind of that's what they need to do in this draft. They need pass rush. They need wide receiver. They need cornerback as well. All right. We take one more break. Then we come back. A team that I feel like we've honestly barely talked about on the Ringer NFL show this offseason. That's the Detroit Lions. We'll get to them when we come back and then we'll finish out kind of this second part of our mock draft. All right. We're back on the Ringer NFL show. I was thinking about the Lions here and I'm like, intriguing team, haven't done a lot this off season. I still think their windows open. I don't think they're, oh man, they missed it. I think they got a shot to get to the Super Bowl. When you're

comparing these teams and you're looking at rosters, I'm like, this is. still a very good roster. Now, it doesn't mean it's definitely going to happen to them, but happened for them, but I still see a lot of good players. Let's see how the Drew Petsig hire works out at O.C. I'm on the fence with that one, but it at least has a chance. I think here they could consider offensive line. You know, they've tried to remake that group over the last couple of years, aside from Pente Soule. They've made some moves, but I think they could make some more moves there on the offensive line. And then defensively, I would love to add more pass rush some way to this defense to help out Aidan Hutchinson.

So those were the two areas I was looking at here, Austin. What do you think for the Detroit Lions? I think if your guy, Monroe Freeling, is still on the board at 17. I think it's a slam, not a slam dunk, but it's a sprint the card in situation for Detroit. Their left tackle for like the last 10 plus years, Taylor Decker, they parted ways right before, I think Free Agency broke, unable to. agree on a new contract. He was getting a little bit older injuries, etc. They're now considering moving Penae Soule from right tackle to left tackle and then having a recently signed for agent

Larry Borum who just signed a one year, five million dollar deal, I believe, and maybe he's the starter at right tackle. I think that plan is still on paper what they're considering, but if Freeling comes in and you're able to say, okay, we know this guy's a little bit of a ball of clay, but he projects or could be this dominant, all pro 10 year left tackle. Do we bring in Monroe Freeling, kind of deal with the lumps of his rookie season, which probably will be, regardless of where he ends up, a little bit of a mixed bag, but then allow us to keep Penae Soule at right tackle, have Boreham as the swing or competitor or competition with Freeling or whatever. I like that plan a lot more than just going into the season without any kind of high draft

capital invested along the offensive line. I really liked the Cade May signing, former Panthers Center. I thought that was a pretty discount deal and upgraded a position that they really struggled to upgrade. They tried to bring Frank Ragnow out of retirement. And then like, there was like a imaging of his knee or something that was like actually there's just no way this guy could play or was his back i can't even remember so then that ragno that ragno dream died within like a week so i know they they upgraded there with kate maize borum i think is a good swing piece moving sule to left like i think i'm a little concerned with that and that's why i think the monroe freeling pick if he's there at 17 uh it makes too much sense for detroit this might be my favorite team player makes too much

sense not to do it one we've done so far when i looked at this i'm like this would be a great scenario for the Lions because when you're at their stage of where they are, you would really love for someone to be able to come in and fill a hole right away, but not having to force it where you're saying is there good. Is this still best player available? And I think he fits all those things. Like you said, it might not work out. He might never be a great player, but it might work out. And we might look at it and go, how did he fall with his size and athleticism over the 90th percentile in a bunch of the athletic testing and just the measurables? He looks different than pretty much every offensive lineman in this class.

So why would he fall this far? One year starter, that's one reason. And it's not like he was unbelievable with that one year. It's not like he watches tape and go, oh, my gosh, he was incredible. No-brainer, got to take him. So started 16 games, has played a little left tackle and a little right tackle. I felt like this is somebody who you just bet on the upside because if you hit, it's a big, big deal. It fills a hole in the short term and the long term.

I love Monroe Freeling to the Lions. I think that's a no-brainer pick here for that. They also need cheap rookie contracts at premium positions. Because of their success in the draft, they've handed out a lot of big money contracts to players that they've drafted. James and Williams got a bag. Aline McNeil got a bag.

Of course, Aidan Hutchinson. Even their safety, Kirby Joseph, remember when Joseph broke the safety market? They have signed a Monroe St. Brown. They have signed a ton of talent to big, big contracts to where a Monroe Freeling, if by year, two, year three, when he's on that rookie contract, is a starting caliber left tackle or maybe even a bit better than that, you're making so much more kind of like surplus return on that investment

because a tackle of that caliber on the open market is making $25, $30 million a year. So I think they've had a lot of success drafting. And apparently Jemir Gibbs, their running back is going to break the running back market. So like they've had a lot of success drafting good players maybe at lower value positions, bring in now Monroe Freeling, hope it kind of pans out. And all of a sudden, there's just like surplus savings that you're getting of him on a rookie contract when you have a lot of other guys being paid a lot of money. All right, I have a who says no for you here, Austin, because I was looking at this and I, you know, I'm writing down, man,

they could really use a pass rusher to help out Aiden Hutchinson. Lions call your boys in Vegas. Okay. Okay. And they say we will give you this pick number 17 overall. And we will give you our 2027 third that bumps up to a second if Max Crosby has 10 plus sacks this season. Who is saying no? In year one. In year one. 2026, Max Crosby has 10 plus sacks. Then you get a second round pick in 2027 loaded draft.

You're a rebuilding team in the Raiders. So you end up maybe getting a first and a second versus two first after this debacle with the Ravens. At the very least, you get a first and a third. third for Max Crosby, the lines look at it and say, we just aren't going to be able to find a pass rusher this good. Let's try to capitalize on it. Maybe our window is closing, but it's not closed all the way. Let's go ahead and add Max Crosby and Hutchinson against these quarterbacks in the NFC.

I'll take our chances with our defense. I like it for Detroit a lot, right? And if he gets 10 plus sacks, they're going to be excited to give that second round pick. I'd probably want something that's a conditional, first, right? Something that's a second that becomes a first with playoff time or whatever. I think that the Raiders are going to rightfully show. Spy tech piled over here. Got to get that first, or I'm not doing it. We need to first. I also think that if they're considering in this spot and it's something that's happening

live in the draft and Omar Cooper Jr., the Indiana receiver is available here at 17, so when you could reunite with Fernando Mendoza right away, they'll probably strongly consider it. That said, it feels like they have a team. They have a team of slot receivers right now, Trey Tucker, Jalen Naylor. I feel like they need to figure out who's going to be their big bodied X type, but I think they consider it. I think a third becoming a second, they might hold Pat, maybe look for a player from Detroit. But if you're Detroit, you know you need something better opposite of Aden Hutchinson

to maximize the defense. And I think they should be calling and offering that kind of deal for Max Crosby, regardless. Yeah, those pass rushers past the first round. It's not that you can't find them, but hard, very difficult to find those guys when you just look at the history of the NFL. All right, we'll stick with Monroe Freel. I think those would be both great outcomes that would have live.

Fans fans really excited. Trade for Max Crosby or Get Freeling. Those are both nice outcomes for the Detroit Lions. All right. Number 18, the Minnesota Vikings, the Kyler Murray led, Minnesota Vikings. You know, you think about who's making this pick. If it's just Kevin O'Connell being like, I run this place now, I will tell you who we pick. Is this Brian Florence?

You know, did he have an issue with Kresia do for Menta? Some of the reporting suggests that that was not a great relationship there. say, hey, let's bring someone in to help Brian Flores' defense stay among the top five in the NFL for what would it be, like, the third consecutive year here. Austin, what do you think? Who are they looking at in this spot? Kenyon Sadiq still on the board. You have the wide receiver still on the board. You got some interesting defensive backs still on the board.

What direction would the Vikings go here at 18? I think considering Sadiq or maybe a receiver, Concepcion, or Cooper here, feels like the sexy fun pick. But it's kind of chalk right now who's being mocked to them in this spot. It's been safety Dylan Thineman from Oregon to replace Harrison Smith and be the free safety for them. And I think some Vikings fans might have immediate flashbacks to when they took Lewis Seen, the Georgia safety in the first round. I think he was the 32nd overall pick.

The big difference is seen playing football at Georgia was never as good as what Thineman is right now. He was great at Purdue. He's great at Oregon. Instinctual player. kind of like the cerebral knows everything, is moving people around before snap. He is like the center of the defense and has this ability, I think, to play in the box

and play up top. I don't know if it's like a steal, right? It's safety. You know, these players still have to pan out and he's immediately going to, I think, a defense though that I think could accentuate his skill set. The enemy, to me, feels like someone who's going to be in strong consideration here.

If they don't like one of the receivers enough or the corners enough, I think they could always use trench work. But this is the other process of going through this exercise, like the 10 to 21 range, you're going to run out of the Vega Eone's, the Mansour Delanes, like pretty quickly.

We're like, I'm pretty confident this guy's a good football player right now and I can kind of bring him in. I think Thinaman is a great football player right now and it's at a position of need. They need to replace Harrison Smith. I like this pick a lot for them. Yeah, I hate it to go chalk,

but I felt the way everyone else feels like, oh, yeah, I could see that. That would make a lot of sense. He would be a monster in Brian Flores' defense. So tested really well. I think that was a surprise, right? You were at the Combine.

That was a surprise. It felt like that he ran 435 and had a vertical of 41 inches at the Combine. I'm not just saying that because he's a white defensive back. I think people said on film, on film, you know, they might not have seen that level of athlete. But yes, they saw a very good football player. Yeah, I mean, straight line explosiveness, right? He didn't attest the agilities, but the jumps and the 40, you can feel that like straight line burst and speed and expulsiness from him. My favorite parts of his tape, though,

or just the kind of football player he is, the instincts that he has. And at safety, I think it's one of the most important traits that you can have is that you kind of feel what's going to happen before it happens, and you have this natural flow to the football that I don't think scene ever had, right?

You could keep bringing up, like, kind of the first round safety stuff. I think betting on athletic, long projects at safety because that role and that, like, your assignment and alignment can vary so much defense to defense. I think that's tough. With Thineman, I feel like he's going to be good in any defense.

And I think that's where the big difference is here. You're not betting on someone that needs to be better in the NFL for it to be worth this pick. You're betting on someone that even if he is as good it is right now in the league, you're going to get a standout player. I'm with the safety and linebacker. I want the guy who could see it a half second before everyone else. That'll make up. It's like Levanti David, right?

Yeah. It's like almost every great linebacker. Honestly, yeah. Some of them have that and they have the great athleticism and they rise to like Hall of Fame caliber. But it's hard to think of guys who, you know, certain schemes obviously, all right, just, you know, don't worry about it. Just see ball. get ball, but I think those types of instinctive, smart players, I want to both safety in line

background with you. I prioritize that over athleticism. All right, that one, I think, makes a lot of sense. All right, we got three more picks here. We got the Carolina Panthers at number 19. I was looking at it. Wide receiver, center, tight end. Is this the Sadiq team?

Finally, pass rush. You could look at what? do you think for Carolina here at number 19? Omar Cooper Jr. I know I brought him up a handful of times. I had them in my mock in my brain trading up to go get Jordan Tyson or Mackay Lemon if they wanted to go up with the Cowboys. I think sticking at the spot, if Omar Cooper Jr. is still there.

I think he compliments T. Mack very well. That's a nice fit. That's a nice fit. Yeah. Rookie from last year. Could they look at pastures? Could they look elsewhere? I'm not sure.

I mean, they just invested a ton on defense and free agency. They spent big money on Devin Lloyd and Jaylen and Phillips, I still think the offense is some talent away. And I still think that they know, right? I think they know in the building that they need, the best players on the offense need to be better than Bryce Young, right? They need to be someone who's elevating Bryce Young to this point, where like,

they don't feel Bryce Young is this elevator or ever going to be someone that's like even better than where Baker Mayfield is kind of max outcome. So the more that you can add pieces to the offense that makes things easier for him and creates margin of error for having a very small quarterback who's limited in the lot of ways. I think that's smart decision-making, especially as they're on the edge, like last year they made the playoffs, almost upset the Rams, as they're on the edge of competition, they don't know what their long-term future is at quarterback, trying to just keep adding pieces to the offense where you know you need to get better, I think makes sense.

It'll be the third year in a row, right? They take a wide receiver in the first round. Oh, wow. Yeah, yeah, right. The Ligat the year before they took, but I like it. I would say go ahead and do it. You know, you have more information on those guys now. You can't say, well, we can't do this three years in a row. You can look at it and say, all right, maybe we didn't hit on that pick. Now we have McMillan. Now we have Cooper. I'm with you.

It feels like that would fit really well. Those two skill sets would really complement each other. He's someone who is not just sort of a one-trick pony. He can help you in the run game. He can do the dirty work as well. So I like that pick. Omar Cooper Jr. to the Panthers at 19. All right.

The Cowboys. We gave the Cowboys fall, right? Keldrick Faw, the edge from Auburn with their first pick. Now they get this pick. This is courtesy of the Michael Parsons trade at number 20. They get to pick again. I still think I'm leaning best defensive player, but someone in the room should say,

well, what if we added Sadiq to this skill group? Because we don't know if George Pickens is going to be with us in 2027. Let's not make it all about this year. Let's look at it down the road. now maybe if we don't keep pickings in 2027, well, we still have CD Lamb and maybe Sadieke is our second receiving threat. Are we able to talk ourselves into that? Or is there maybe a defensive player?

Maybe you're going in a different direction that would make more sense. Yeah, I still think I lean defense here. I mock them in this spot. I gave them Keldrick Falk and T.J. Parker, the defensive end from Clemson, who I think they offer completely different skill sets. Like Keldrick Falk is closer to Rieke-Armstead than he is like true defensive end. And I think some people have comped T.J. Parker to like a Bradley Chubb.

I think that having Falk play on more on the interior and then I know they brought in Rishon Gary who was going to get caught, they traded a fourth round pick for. But Roshan Gary and their second round pick out of Kansas State, Donovan, Ezraqo. Like, as a rock who hasn't really worked out. And I think you want, you still need to, I think, be tooling up that, that defensive front. And honestly, the best player available in this spot might be trying to take one of these big guys like Parker or whoever. But maybe they like a corner enough to reach here.

But again, you have Delane off the board, Jamon McCoy off the board. Do you want one of the small guys like Avion Terrell or DeAngelo Ponds? Probably not. I think you'd be dipping kind of deep into like the second round values to go corner here. So I think focusing defensive line might be the right idea. All right. Parker wasn't even on my radar here.

Probably should have been the edge from Clemson. Like you said, Comst to Bradley Chubb, 21 years old. More of a sort of set the edge. physical butt kicker type edge than I just, hey, pin your ears back and go get after the quarterback. But that fits if they're bringing a fanjo scheme. That's the type of player he would like to have there,

you would think, in Christian Parker. So if they doubled up, that would be really interesting. Now you added Quinn and Williams. You kept Kenny Clark. Now you got two edges here. You drafted an edge last year. You're building it up front. I like Terrell, I think, maybe a little bit more than you do.

I would kind of be intrigued with Terrell at this spot. The corner from Clemson, little undersized, 5-11, 186, 2 and a half year starter, did play outside in college, can play press, can play zone. Just looking at it, I was like, is he Trent McDuffeyish here, Aviontorell, and you look at those Eagles defenses, you know, Cooper DeGine, what a big pick that was for them, a difference-making nickel for them in that fancio scheme.

So I think those are the two guys, as I'm looking at it, who would probably come to, actually, I would add Sadiq in there. Sadiq, you could, maybe you're just saying, man, we didn't think he'd still be available. He's one of the best 15 players in the draft by our board. Let's not overthinking and let's take him. So Sadiq, Torel, or Tj Parker, man, that is a pretty spicy choice there for the Dallas Cowboys Austin. Which way do we go here?

I think I'd rank them if it were between those three. I think I'd go Parker, then Sadiq, then Torell. I'll multiply a little bit. I don't see the McDuffie Coms with. I think he's a little bit too thin for that. Maybe not as physical, not as much of a tackler. I think with Parker and Falk, right,

who we've obviously mocked to them as well. Like, I think both of them need to play their best football in the NFL to be really worth the first round talents that they are. But like, I still think athletically and just like overall, the prospect of what they could be is still very exciting.

With Sadiq, the questions I'd have are, you know, how much do they like Ryan Flowernoi? Do they want him on the field more? Do they want to run more? That's true. With Pickens and CD and Flowernoi.

Because I think Jake Ferguson has to be on the football field for them. And do they want to, to play a ton of 12 personnel to make the Sadiq thing work? I don't know. Like that's, that's why Sadiq is so hard to mock, right? Because you immediately have to say like, hey, what's our plan for him? I don't think he can be a tight end one right away where he's on the field every play and he's, he's, you know, run blocking all those types of things. I think he has to come in almost in like an Isaiah likely role out of the gate where you're kind of, okay, where is he? What is he best? He's doing these different skill things.

But, no, I think I'd go Parker, then Sadiq, just for the chance that he is what everyone thinks he could be. And then probably Terrell. All right. You can, you can never go wrong. us building on the lines of scrimmish. Let's put our football guy hats on and say, that's how games are won in the NFL. It is true. I think it's smart to build those areas. You talked me into it.

I wasn't thinking T.J. Parker for them in this spot, but they double up. They go Falk. They go Parker. People are looking at this D-Line. People are looking at this offense. People are looking at this new defensive coordinator and saying, are they the favorites in the NFC East going into 2026? So, all right, you talked to me into it there with T.J. Parker to the Cowboys.

And the last pick we will do today, the Pittsburgh Stillers. I got to say, I looked at this roster for this exercise. I'm like, not a bad roster. I think they got some talent, you know, I'm like, talented front seven. You know, some players in the secondary, O line's not bad, could go best player available, could go interior offensive line or offensive line overall. Obviously, I don't think you're drafted in a quarter. back here unless you have a Ty Simpson take for me and a big surprise,

or you could just kind of take the best defensive player. I actually thought T.J. Parker, I was like, oh, that fits. He's a Pittsburgh Steeler, put him down. But we have Parker off the board here. So what direction do the Steelers go in? I mean, it's a tough spot. I think that with the offensive line, I still think you can throw resources at that. And maybe it's Blake Miller, the Clemson offensive line. Do you go Caden Proctor, the Alabama to tackle both those guys like projects, still need to figure out what

they're going to be. Do you go Caleb Lomu, the Utah offensive tackle who's more like a traditional tackle than Spancer Fanu, who's maybe could kick in the guard, maybe center? I think investing in the offensive line makes sense. They haven't, all their picks there haven't completely panned out. Best defensive player available, you're kind of looking in the secondary, right? Do you go Terrell? Do you go with the Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeill Warren? I don't know where to go here, honestly.

I think Pittsburgh has a lot of needs everywhere. I think part of this too is I just don't really understand what their plan is. What are they trying to do? Is Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rogers going to win nine, maybe 10 games and losing the wild card round? Probably what is this team after that? It's one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. It's kind of like pick someone who you think is going to be good, even if they're not going to contribute right away, probably, because I don't think it's not like, we're maximizing this window, we're going all in.

I don't think there is a ceiling chance that McCarthy and Roger, are playing in the AFC championship, right? I think the ceiling chance for this team is they need to get younger, they need to get cheaper at certain positions, they need to get smarter. And overall, like kind of switch into this post-Tomlin era. We've kind of moved on very quickly, kind of like the Ravens moving on for Mentor,

that's been easier to grasp because Mentor previously worked for them. I think they're ready for that change. There's a lot of talent on that football team. There's a two-time MVP at quarterback more recent than Aaron Rogers. And with the Steelers, old roster, Mike McCarthy, who hasn't really panned out in recent years. I don't know. I think the Steelers are kind of in this no-man's land,

making it to where, like, just throw a dart at the dart at the dartboard and you're still kind of looking at 2027 saying, who's our quarterback going to be? What are we building toward? What could you get for Pat Friermouth in a tree? Would someone be interested? I mean, a swap at some point.

That's it? It's a reasonable contract. I'm looking at it. Anything over a third, and I'm laughing. I don't think trading a second round pick for Friamuth, I think that would be insane. Now, maybe it's like a third and a fourth, but you're getting something back.

I don't know. I don't even think that. I think a fourth feels. It's a lot. Yeah. Yeah, so would you trade Friarmouth for a fourth and take, and you just say Sadiq's easily, the best player? I mean, if Rogers wants it, if McCarthy wants it, sure. Like, I kind of made, you're kind of, you've got all your, you know, ducks in the McCarthy Rogers thing working out.

When you look at the staff that McCarthy put together, it's like half of it is guys that he's worked with before. It's very much like, we're bringing the guys back together. Get the band back. Yeah. And if like, if you're getting the band back together and the most important decision makers on the team are Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rogers, probably should align with what they, what they need. right? And I think if you are trying to, I guess, keep competing and stay in this window of what has been mediocrity, absolutely, but maybe in their case, they see it as winning football. Yards after the catch with Sadiq. Rogers can throw those, you know, two yards passes. I do not trust McCarthy to figure out Sadiq, and I think Aaron Rogers could be frustrated with Sadiq by like week four, right? And they're playing like someone else in that spot.

I think it probably makes more sense for them to play someone that can like play right away. Maybe it's a key Messador here, a little bit older, but fits right into that older group, can play opposite of T.J. Watt, be that swing player when they have guys missing time. This is tough. Watt has missed time. It's tough. I don't know who to go with. Proctor, do you say, Kaden Proctor, do you take him the tackle from Alabama and just say, let's not overthink it?

You know, we just really like him and we'll figure it all out. We'll figure a way to get the best five out there. You mentioned Emmanuel McNeill at Warren, the safety from Toledo. That's one that you could, I guess, kind of say for the Steelers. I like it. could see maybe Terrell there for them. Man. What about Peter Woods? We haven't talked about him. Is this two, are you not a Peter Woods guy? Defensive tackle from Clemson? It felt like going into last year, you know, if you would have told the Steelers, you would have got Peter Woods with the 21st

pick. They would have been like awesome. But he did not have a good year last year. And now it looks like his stock has fallen quite a bit. Do they look at that and say, hey, people are overthinking it. This guy still has a lot of talent. He's only 21 years old. Let's build on the lines of I'm too indecisive, I don't pick restaurants. When I get, you know, when I get to a place like this, I can't pick. So you're going to have to make the pick for us. I just am throwing out names in your direction. Honestly, maybe it's Aviontorel.

And maybe I'm just too low on him. I can see him in the uniform. I think taking Peter Woods, just to hit on the Peter Woods, I like McDonald a lot more, the Ohio State defensive tackle. I'm going to take like a big guy in the middle. Caden McDonald is who I'm thinking about here over Peter Woods. And then the edges, right, you're taking a bit maybe of an older edge in the key Messador. Does that really feel a need?

Is that what they're looking for? I don't know. I'd rather probably say, I think Avion Terrell or one of these tackles, pick your favorite, Lomu, Miller from Clemson, Proctor from Alabama, just because you need to keep throwing resources at the offensive line.

But yeah, I think that's where I'm at. Maybe Terrell or one of these tackles. All right. We're taking Terrell, so that would give them a corner group of Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, and Terrell. I mean, so yeah.

It's a talented, talented group there. So, all right, we're going to give them Avion Terrell. All right. That was a fun exercise. You know,

I feel like I've just been cramming like, you know, over the last week, I've just been like, man, I'm behind on the draft. I got to get ready. And now I just got all these takes built up. And now we're doing this mock exercise.

So that takes us to through the 21st pick. And I think of the next show we do, we'll just go ahead and do 22 to 32 to 32. See, we don't need to fit in a whole mock draft in one show. Austin, we like to spend our time, talk it out, give each team their due.

That way, no fan base is mad at us. So I think it worked out well. I do think doing this exercise and kind of like just considering you're not going to get any of these top 10 players. Because when you look at who you guys drafted in the first 10, it was actually exactly the top 10 players on the latest consensus board. So you're getting kind of like the 10 best available prospects in the top 10. When you go into the second 10,

you're dealing with a couple guys that you feel like could be good right away. Maybe it's the Thinaman, maybe it's Vega-Ewan. Maybe it's Bansworth-Dalane. I think after that it's like, I don't know if this, guy's going to be good. I don't know if this guy's going to be healthy. I don't know what position this guy's going to play. But he's the best player available. He's whatever, the athlete, whatever. And I think that's kind of by everyone has kind of talked about this draft class as maybe not being a good one. It's because the blue chips run out quick. And then when you get into some of

these valuable positions in the middle of the first round, we're like, I know I need to be taking a pass rusher. I know I need to be taking a tackle or a corner. It's like, buddy, it's not that deep in the first round. After McCoy, after Delane, you're starting to scrape a little bit. after Fanu is already off the board, you're starting to scrape a little bit to tackle right away. Into your offensive line, it's Vega. So I do think that this draft in the middle parts,

that's why I think there are going to be teams kind of clamoring maybe to trade down. If there's a team lower, that's maybe overconfident in their own evaluation of one of the top receivers in this class or one of the top corners, whoever it is. And even the blue chippers you mentioned in the top 10, we're talking to running back,

we're talking to safety, at least one off ball linebacker, maybe two. Let's see where we are with Rvel Reese by the time the draft rolls around. So yeah, it's like, you know, you typically would want premium positions and you just feel, it doesn't mean you're going to be right, but you feel really good about it. Hey, this is a clean prospect who we think is going to be good. And it's tough to find those guys. And then you get past those and it's the questions like you just mentioned there with a lot of these guys.

So yeah, it feels like every prospect in the first round almost has a question about them. And more so than usual. But you know what? That'll make fun. That'll make for fun content. here as we look ahead to next month's draft. All right, his name is Austin, Gail. That was a lot of fun. Thank you to Austin. Thank you to Christopher Sutton for producing. Thank you to Stefano Sanchez for video,

additional production supervision by Connor Nevins and Arjuna. Ramgopal. I'm Shil Kapady. We'll talk to you next time on the ringer NFL show. 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in D.C., Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-800-My-Ress.

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