April 26, 2025 • 34 mins
Colin’s top takes from the NFL Draft!
Colin’s joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the NFL Draft!
They start with the Jaguars giving up WAY too much to draft Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and believe unless he is a two-way pro bowler… the move isn’t worth it (2:30). They debate whether Cleveland reached for DT Mason Graham at #5 and believe there’s a real chance the Jags pick they received could be a top 6 pick (6:30).
They react to the Raiders selecting RB Ashton Jeanty at #6 and point out that Geno Smith has played very well with a solid run game and play action, but John adds the caveat that Jeanty played against subpar competition in college (9:30).
They argue that few 2nd year quarterbacks in the history of the game have had more weapons to work with than Caleb Williams after the Bear drafted TE Colston Loveland at #10 (12:15).
They point out that high character led to Emeka Egbuka moving up draft boards to land at #19 with the Buccaneers and that Baker Mayfield will now be working with a stacked offense (23:00).
The project that the Titans and Raiders will be the two teams that gain the most offensive juice (27:35), and Colin argues that the pick of Omarion Hampton makes the Chargers a “Jim Harbaugh football team” (30:00).
Finally they react with pure SHOCK that the Falcons traded a future 1st to draft James Pierce Jr. (35:30)
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.)
Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!
#Volume #Herd
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
All right, John Middlicoff, former NFL scout, we do.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
We do this every year.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Obviously, we go through the first round picks and let's
not waste any time. Let's get past cam Ward at
number one. That was an easy one, the most interesting one,
and boy, my phone blew up. Cleveland got a haul.
I think, way too much for a non quarterback. So
Cleveland gets three of the top thirty six picks. Now,
if you add all the picks they got in from
(00:36):
the Jags next year, they're just doing that to get
a quarterback next year. So next year, of the top
thirty six picks, Cleveland has three of them. They got
a haul, and then they go down to number five
and you know, getting a starting defensive tackle. I'll get
to that in a second. But the GM for the Jags,
who I was told actually worked from home in Saint
(00:56):
Louis a lot even when he was a RAMS employee,
is a young kid. So this is the adult table
being a GM. I don't like the swing. Travis Hunter
is a great player, but unless he's a pro bowler
on both sides of the ball, it feels like way
too much to give up. And I think Cleveland was
clearly doing it to get Amo for next year's quarterback draft.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I mean, I think it's the easiest trade that Andrew
Berry and Kevin Stefanski will ever make. They might have
just got contract extensions from Haslam sitting behind him.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
In the draft room.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I'm with you, how can you make this trade, Colin?
When you don't know your team, you know, part of anyone,
whether you're taking over a football team, taking over a business,
you got to let it settle and see what you have. Well,
there's obviously no way. They haven't even been on the
field in shorts and T shirts. They don't know if
their quarterback's any good, they don't know how talented their
unit is. I get the ownership there, as you know,
(01:45):
flush with money and aggressive and everything, but I think
being this aggressive for Liam Cohen and Gladstone, the young
thirty four year old GM, when they have never worked
with the players on their team. It's one thing if
you had been around for a couple of years and
you have a pretty good feel like we're a player
or two away, let's swing for the fences. That's insane, Colin,
(02:06):
to throw away your next year's first round pick. And
I get it he was. He had a front row
seat there for Les and Shawn trading all those first
round picks over the years, they were typically a player
or two away, right though with the Rams, So I
thought it was for a non quarterback. I mean, we've
seen some off the forty nine ers made one for
trade lance. I think it's one of the craziest Draft
(02:27):
day trades I can remember for a non quarterback.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I'm trying to think of the last time I got
three texts from NFL employees and all went mistake by
the Jacks, like all landed on the same spot. And
this is a very young GM. And again, Travis Hunter
is going to be a really sensational talent, there's no question.
(02:51):
But there's also going to be some growing pains on
the fact that he's not going to be in meetings
for one side of the ball on a regular basis. So,
and I mean, listen, this really isn't as much about
the Jags as it is Cleveland. They're trying to get
out from this tonnage of Deshaun Watson's contract, and the
way to do it is get a star quarterback. I mean,
that's how the Broncos got out from the ton of
(03:12):
Jeer Russell Wilson. They got bo Nicks, who will be
free for four years. So yeah, I didn't. I didn't
like it at all. I just think, you know, we
could always take shots at Cleveland. But I've always been
a Stefanski fan, and I have people that really like
Andrew Berry. I think this is a really easy deal
to make. And then, by the way, you slide down
(03:33):
to five. Now, a lot of people think Mason Graham
is more in the eight to twelve range as a
draft pick because it's ceilings low, and I think in
most years that would be fair. One of the people
that loved what Cleveland did didn't love Mason Graham as
a number five pick. He said he's closer to ten
(03:54):
than he is to five. But again, he's going to start,
you know in that division, Northern Division, it's a rugged division.
Did you like what Cleveland did at five with Graham
after making a pretty shrewd move to get all those picks?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, to me, the note that I wrote down, I mean,
Travis Hunter for Cleveland doesn't do that much right.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I mean, there are.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Several players away in their quarterback situation's disaster. When you
think Mason Graham, and you watch the way Michigan's played
the last couple of years obviously in that area. Too
ideal for the AFC North like that, that'd be my thing.
Like that guy is just made do play in cold
weather against Pittsburgh against Baltimore. Yeah, teams that want to
play physical, slow down the game.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
So I listen, this is draft.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
I mean McMillan went eight, Kelvin Banks went nine. I
mean this wasn't exactly Tony Boselli, you know, and Miles
Garrett coming off the board here right in this ragne.
So I have no problem with going Mason Graham to
me where they could have taken me and you colin
the moment they made that trade, Cleveland won the draft.
Yeah they get next year's to me, the likelihood Jacksonville
(05:01):
first time head coach, young coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I mean, they could easily be a five to six
win team.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
We do not know if their quarterback is good and
he has struggled to stay healthy. And I get Liam
Cohen had a big year with Baker Mayfield, but Baker
he did resurrect. Baker Mayfield was good the previous year too.
That's how Dave Canalis got a job. So it's not
like he just made Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfields now two
good years in a row. So I think that the
(05:26):
Cleveland again could have taken anybody the moment they got
the future one and the second.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Think how often we see.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Good players get drafted in the thirties. Happens every year,
regardless how good the draft is, because the same type
player is there in the mid thirties. It can be
impact starters that you get for like one point five
million dollars a year.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, and that's what to your point is Cleveland gets
Jacksonville's first round pick next year. What's crazy about that
is that could be a top six pick easy.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I mean, that is nuts.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
We've seen it happen a couple of years in a
row where the Lions benefited. The one year when they
had the Stafford trade and the Rams had that awful
year and McVeagh like thought about quitting football to go
work at Amazon. They got a top what they got
the six pick that they turned into Laporta in Gibbs.
We saw it the year when Denver was awful and
Seattle got a really high pick and took Witherspoon. We
(06:22):
have seen these future ones on. It's usually a player
trade Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford, whatever, but sometimes on a
draft day trade remembers Chicago traded from twenty to eleven.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yes, with the Giants, and.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Then they were terrible the next year, and the Giants
got multiple picks in the top ten. Now, you still
got to make the right pick with that selection. But
the amount of flexibility if you let's assume Cleveland isn't
going to be that good, I mean their quarterback situation disaster.
If I tell you next year they have picked five
and nine, yeah, you got a lot to work with.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
That's why they made the move.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
This was a real obvious one to me, and I
had mentioned this multiple times. Geno Smith with a run game,
throwing on play action, is actually a pretty good quarterback.
He's very Sam Darnald. When he gave Sam a little
protection and a run game, and he can throw when
nobody's quite sure he's throwing. He's very effective. When you
(07:21):
force Donald or Gino Smith to throw on third and eleven,
or they have to throw it a beat fast, that's
when you get the mistakes. I thought genty and I
also wonder this, if you look at Pete Carroll's history.
He's old school, Marshawn Lynch, Reggie Bush, Lendale White. His
great teams have had stars in the backfield, which sets
(07:44):
the table for his offense. Pete hates mistakes by quarterbacks
and Geno doesn't make a ton when he's throwing on
play action.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
So I think Genty, I love that pick for the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I have been.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Probably one of the counterculture movements here with this asmin
gent like hype.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I mean, people have been.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Comparing to Barry Sanders or you know, Ladanian Tomlinson. I
think any time that you compare a player to the
greatest of all time, it's like when you're comparing cam
Ward to Patrick Holmes, we gotta tell you to pump
the brakes. But I you know, listen Kenneth Walker who
was picked later when he was healthy for Seattle with Charbonade.
Their run game was good, like you said, Gino was
really really GOODEP. My issue here is, like I have
(08:28):
experience in the Mountain West. I know the difference in
the competition relative to the Big Ten and obviously the SEC.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It is dramatic.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Now in an individual, like in a vacuum, he has
a special talent, and he had the opportunity to surely
go to Texas or Ohio State. He turned down money.
So it wasn't like people didn't want him. But like
playing against Washington State, New Mexico, Fresno State, and San
Diego State is going to be a little different animal
than the Chargers, Denver and Kansas City, which you could
(08:57):
argue is the best defensive division in the sport. We
know Mentor and how good the charges are, so it's
just gonna be difficult for him.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
We saw this year.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
You know, I don't the Raiders offensive line's okay, but
it's it's gonna be tough. I just I get it.
I honestly thought they would go with a lineman there,
especially a defensive lineman. You know, remember Pete Carroll over
the years has now it hasn't always worked out. Bruce Irvin,
I thought he would be aggressive there. But you know
that they swung for the fences. It gives them some
(09:25):
star power that there's no disputing. It makes them more
interesting to watch because they they were an unwatchable product
the last couple of years. So Austin gent Tp Carroll,
Gino Smith, I'll pay attention. I still I mean, I'm
not picking them to win that many games based on
what we what we have on the roster right now.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Colston Lovelin was plus six fifty to be the number
ten pick. He he's a very unique player, so I
know three t I mean, the Rams and Chargers both
liked him. The Bears obviously liked him, and even with
cole Comett, they now have DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, cole Comett,
Colston Loveland. They went and got Dolman, the center from Atlanta,
Joe Tooney. They liked their right tackle. I was texting
(10:06):
somebody in the league about this, and one of the
things we both landed at was the future of this franchise.
They've never had a great quarterback is Caleb Williams. You
have to make it work. You know the talents there
and this is like this is like weapons plus plus
plus plus plus. You have to make this work.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
I don't remember a young quarterback on a second year
of a rookie deal getting more help. They go outside
Ben Johnson, whose I would say, one of the more
hyped doc's of the last decade. Yeah, you mentioned you
forgot the Rams offensive lineman that they also traded for
that Ben Johnson had coached in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
So they get a new.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Center, two new guards they already hadn't invested in tackles.
DJ Moore is one of the more verstable players in
the league. They invested the ninth pick last year into
Roma Dude Day.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
So it's like, if you're.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
A Chicago their defensive personnels are good and they have
an established defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen coming. You know,
the hype that was behind the Bears last year I
thought was crazy. I do think there's some substance now
behind this. Now, I don't know if it's gonna work.
I gotta let it breathe here for a month or two.
But there is, you know, legitimate pieces on the offensive,
a defensive line, a play caller that knows what he's doing,
(11:20):
a defensive coordinator. You know, ebra Flus had to be
the defensive coordinator and the head coach. He was completely
over his head as a head coach. Good defensive coordinator.
Now Dennis Allen can just focus on the defense. Ben
can just be the head coach, slash the offensive coordinator
and really just focus on Caleb. To me, the question
is going to be and I think this is the
working thing with all these young quarterbacks moving into the league.
(11:41):
Can they teach him to get rid of the ball
quicker and play in a more rhythm timing offense, run
the ball more like they did in Detroit because and
the one thing they got going against him is the
division is really really good. So it's not like it's
hard to win ten games, especially a franchise that has
not been winning. But I would feel much. I know
the hype was so crazy last year behind the Bears.
(12:03):
If I was a Bears fan right now, I would
just feel like we have a real identity and team
right now.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Well, and I also think if you go look at
what happens at the end of the year, it is
really hard even if you have a great defensive team. Remember, statistically,
defensive players get hurt more than offensive players. It's a
more reckless side of the ball. And so what if
you start looking at the end of years. Great Niner
(12:31):
defenses two three years ago can get carved up. Good
Philadelphia defenses can get carved up. And my takeaway is
if you're like Pittsburgh's got all sorts of defensive talent,
the Bears are like listen, historically they would go. Over
the last fifteen years, they've had very good defensive players.
If you're going to be if you're going to be
(12:51):
heavy on one side of the ball, if you're gonna
make mistakes, if roma Dunza's a mistake, it's the right
side of the ball to make a mistake, not a
safe or an off ball linebacker. Like I look at
it and I think to myself, there are not a
lot of teams in this league, John that have Colcombe
at Colston Loveland at tight end. And by the way,
for a young quarterback, tight ends are a great ally.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Two things.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You know, we talked so much the hype on Tyler Warren,
I mean his team because Michigan was bad this year
and Loveland had gotten injured, he became kind of the
apple of everyone's eye.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
He's massive.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Well, it's not like Loveland's small. He's basically six six,
two fifty. He's huge. How about Harball as a talent evaluator,
I mean, I think they sent a record last year
for guys getting drafted in a class. They just they
had an awful team.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
This year.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
They had three guys get drafted in the in the
top thirteen picks.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
The two of them were defensive tackles.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I mean, I mean the Harbaugh say what you want.
That guy can evaluate young men to play football.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Holy Molly well.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
And by the way, that's why when the Charger I
remember talking to Dean Spanish about this, I said, you're
gonna get the next two years. You guys will draft
as well as anybody. Because Jim recruited all these players.
It was about the thirdieth first two years for Pete
Carolyn Seattle. Probably the first two to three years Pete
crush the draft, and then by year four, five, and six,
you just lose a connectivity to college football. But Harball
(14:16):
last year, great draft. This year will be a stupendous draft,
and he's probably got them one more year where you
recruited guys and saw him on tape. The NBA eighty
two game grind is done. Now the real fun begins.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
The NBA Playoffs.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Love them.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
They're here.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Time for drama, clutch moments, Steph Curry, Lebron joh dropping plays.
I can't wait. If you're looking to make the playoffs
even more exciting. DraftKings Sports but Cashua Cover. They're the
official sports betting partner of the NBA playing games all
the way to the finals. Now's the time to back
your favorite players and teams as they chase glory. So
all season long, Draft King's been the go to spot
for NBA player props. That doesn't stop now. If you
(14:53):
want to make your playoff experience even more intense, try
placing a bet in your favorite player's performance. Will they
drop thirty forty? Who knows more or it's your call.
If you're ready to place your first bet, download the
DraftKings sports book app. Takes ninety seconds. Lock in your
bets and let's make the playoffs unforgettable. Here's something special
for first timers. DraftKings customers that are new bet five
bucks that's h five bucks and get two hundred bonus
(15:13):
bets instantly. Just make it a playoff run to remember.
With DraftKings, download their sportsbook app. Takes ninety seconds to
codes colin C l I N that is code colin.
New customers get two hundred bucks in bonus bets betting
just five only on DraftKings.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
The Crown is Yours.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler in New York
called eight seven seven eight hope and wire text Hope
and y four six seven three six nine in Connecticut.
Help is available for problem gambling call eight eight eight
seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG
dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of boothill Casino
w in Resorting, Kansas twenty one on over agent eligibility
varies by jurisdiction, Void and Ontario New customers only. Bonus
(15:50):
bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance.
Four additional terms and responsible gaming resources see DKNNG dot
co slash audio.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
You know I love the general manager of the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers. Have I told you this before they went
and drafted Imika Egbuka, the wide receiver at Ohio State.
I I believe most general managers believe he is one
(16:26):
of one, the best receiver or the only receiver to
be a first round receiver. I think the Texas kid
as a late first rounder. Everybody I talk to love him,
and what's great is he can play sideline. But he
didn't take that many snaps outside for Oil State for
obvious reasons. They're stacked at quarterback with Jeremiah Smith or
at receiver. They're stacked. They don't need sideline receivers. He
(16:49):
would be a sideline receiver or a slot receiver any
other program in the country except like Ohio State and
Alabama because they have so many great players, so he'll
come in and immediately play for them. I think he
is a prime example because he's not a burner John.
He's a prime example of maturity, interviews, professionalism that could
(17:10):
have moved him up ten to twelve spots. He was
considered a second round talent the minute the season ended.
His value beyond being excellent, is he is considered a
mature in a league where we're having wide receiver divas
emerge like every weekend. I think his personality is a
huge part of him going this high.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Well, one thing I remember the stat last year when
the Week one is that Tampa had like forty three
or forty four drafted players on their fifty three man roster.
Jason light has been, if not the best, a top
two or three drafter over the last five or six years.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
And when you.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Look in, you know the Baker that you originally started
talking about back at Oklahoma is a completely different human being.
Now Tampa's got a really high level team. Know from
Wharfs to Mike Evans to Vita Vea. I mean, their
guys on their squad are just like Honestly, Jason Light
comes from New England and I'm talking the Vrabel Bruskie
(18:11):
New England days with Tom Brady. He's kind of built
that version with Baker Mayfield as his quarterback. Super smart,
super tough.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Steve Kim told me he thought Jason Light was one
of the best scouts he'd ever followed it. Ki Kime
told me because I always told we. Kim got in
and got into a discussion with me about two years ago.
We're smoking cigars, and I said, you ever noticed every
Buccaneers team is stacked. They just couldn't get the quarterback
right before Brady. But like and he goes, oh, yeah,
(18:39):
it's Jason. He goes that he is. He is as
good a scout as we've had in this league. He goes,
he just didn't miss he was so good. You know,
that's and that's how you become a GM. You're a
great scout.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Initially, well, they built their offensive line from taking smaller
school tackles and tournament at guards and centers, and you know,
obviously they've had Mike Evans to kind of settle in
Vida Vey as like a stalwart players minus, you know,
separate from Tom Brady. But yeah, I mean you tell
me he could have drafted anybody. It'd be like, yeah,
(19:13):
I like to pick now. Like you said, I mean,
this guy, what didn't he set records at Ohio State
for yards, catches games. I mean, he's he's a stud.
The other thing is when you go to a team
that has I mean they re signed God when they
got him on a cheaper number because he remember he
shattered his ankle. Obviously they still have Evans, this guy
the pressure on him to They're not gonna need him
(19:36):
to catch seventy balls next year. Their running game last
year with Bucky Irving, I mean their team honestly, they
in a weird way underachieved because they had so many
injuries the second half of the season. On defense, they
couldn't stop anybody. To me, if they are healthy, there's
a pretty big gap in that division if they're healthy,
like between them and the number two team. Like, the
(19:57):
only reason it was close between them and Atlanta this
year is because they had a million injuries on defense.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
But like, they're a much better run organization.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
You know what Baker's turned into the like, there's no
disputing Baker's really become the last two years a top
ten quarterback. Yeah, and clearly just his maturation. Like a
lot of us guys, you know, in the late twenties,
it kicks in. He gets married, has a kid, and
he's a different guy.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
And as a.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Player, he plays much faster, had slimmed down. His arm's
always been great. And now he's got three with Obuka,
with Mike Evans and Godwin and running backs and a
good offensive line. I mean that their offense should be
really good.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Colin.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Now, if you look at the draft so far, there's
only two players that I believe can turn losses into wins.
Cam Ward at Tennessee replacing will Levis. If I told
you they won four more games just simply because of
significant upgrade at quarterback in that division, I think we
both go yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I mean cam Ward to will Levis Is is a
D to a B. And the other player that I
I mean this draft is not exceptional. I do think
Ashton Gens will be a pretty spectacular player for the Raiders,
and with Chip Kelly's brain, the brock Bauers Gino Smith.
This is not a draft where people are changing outcomes.
(21:18):
And Jayden Daniels changed outcomes. We thought Kayleb Williams, would
it Bo Nicks changed outcomes. I could argue that Tennessee
and Vegas will be because of their first round players.
Would you agree, noticeably more dynamic offenses and an offensive league.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I think there's been one team, minimum from the top
five that has made the playoffs over the last five years.
And you know, I remember when the forty nine ers
had the number two overall pick and they took Bosa
and then all of a sudden they had a thirteen
win team and they were in the Super Bowl in
twenty nineteen. I don't know if there's one of those
teams here, but I'm with you. I mean that they
lost Josh Jacobs last year the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
And their running game was a Joe.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I mean, they were just they were in bad shape
as an organization. So anytime you get a guy that
that that is that good. But like I said, you
know that going from the Mountain West, he's a fantastic
prospect and a fantastic his His his tape this year
look like a high school kid going to Nick Saban
in his prime. But it's a pretty big difference. I mean,
their division is really really hard, and you know, Cleveland,
(22:23):
I think is.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Cool with sitting back.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I do think there's a lot of pressure on Will Campbell.
He is a guy that if we assume that the
Patriots are going to be a viable you know, low
level like kind of like Denver was this year operation,
they're gonna need Will Campbell to the don't need to
be Trent Williams, but can he just be a starter,
a solid player that you can kind of rely on immediately.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
There's gonna be Listen, the arm length thing.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
People push back, but it's it's I know it's crazy
to sound like an inch is a make or break deal,
but historically it is difficult out there on edge. Think
how many teams now have good pass rushers.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Okay, Chargers select o Marion Hampton, the running back from
North Carolina. Okay, so this is interesting. So I went
to dinner with Greg Roman, the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.
He was on Friday night, and you know, he's not
gonna give me any intel, but we we really talked
a lot about football and what the team needed, and
(23:21):
I wasn't going to pry information.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
But the one thing that we you know, we agreed with.
I said, I wouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Shocked if you guys didn't go tight end, running back, interior,
offensive lineman, wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And you know Greg acknowledged.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
He goes, Listen, we got good players, but we probably
need a little juice. We probably need a little bit
more juice. And and that's that. And I said, do
you like Colston Loveland? He's like, everybody likes Colston Loveland.
Do you like Hampton? He goes, everybody likes Hampton. So
I mean this to me, Nauseie Harris and Hampton. Okay,
(23:54):
now with Joel Ault last year and Mashaan Slater at
left tackle, John this is a Jim Harball football team.
I picked them to win their division this year. This
is a Jim Harball football team. Between those two picks,
a power running speed guy Naji Harris, by the way, Similarly,
now he didn't have the burst of Hampton, but Naji
(24:14):
Harris is a power running back. I mean even last
year JK Dobbins, who's got some girth to him, got
some size. This is really starting to feel like a
Jim Harbaugh team.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Well, if you had to bet right now, who's gonna
have the better career Omarion Hampton with Harbaugh, Who's I
think gonna retire as the Chargers coach and Genty with
the Raiders situation, you would have to bet on Jim
Harbaugh and his running back. So, you know, I think
a lot of teams in the league thought that Omarion
Hampton was a big time player. Now Genty got all
(24:48):
the buzz and all the hype. This guy's a stud Colling.
They gave Naji Harris some money. I mean, think about
the discussion when DK mex calf was on the block
that the Chargers are going to go trade for him.
It's like, guys, I never understand these people making these
these guesses about what Harbaugh's gonna do. That is just
(25:10):
so different from what he's done for fifteen twenty years
offensive linemen, running backs. He'll he'll take another linebacker. I mean,
it's the way he builds his team that they're gonna
be good. I Mean, it was pretty clear last year
with Denver and with the Chargers that was going to
be the worst version of those two teams. Try Sean
Payton and him moving forward, That's why the pressure on
(25:31):
you know, each and Andy feel like we gotta stay
We got to keep nailing picks. We got to keep
being good because these guys are coming and listen, I'm
not trying to be a Raider hater here. They're going
to be better. But from a roster standpoint, to me.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
They were clearly the fourth operation in this division.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
So if you look at what they have now, they
have their quarterback and Justin Herbert, they have their left
and right tackle, Slater and Joe Halt. They have Nause Harris,
who was clearly under you lie than under coached in Pittsburgh.
I mean he even admitted Naji Harris acknowledged we didn't
really have we didn't really have an identity in Pittsburgh,
(26:08):
which they don't off actively. Now you've got Hampton the
breakaway runner and Najee Harris the power runner the offense.
Now now they're going to go interior, O lineman, sideline
receiver and tied end at some point in this draft
that's where they're going. It feels like it feels like
to me, this is one of the more predictable teams
(26:30):
in the draft because the defense, let's face it, last year,
it overachieved or at least achieved to the level that
should have with Brandon Staley. I think the Chargers. I
think everybody in the ballpark knows what that Greg Roman
needs juice and he just got a powder keg of it.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I mean I saw Greg Roman a decade ago with
Frank Gore kicking everyone's ass, and that Harbaugh team their
best receiver was Michael Crabtree. And I think we all
believe that Justin Herbert has a chance. I know he
had a really bad playoff game. Peyton Manning had a bunch.
I mean, the NFL, you don't get a seven game series,
so you have a bad playoff game. It leaves the
stink in everyone's mouth. Do you want to sell Justin
(27:08):
Herbert stock?
Speaker 4 (27:08):
I'll buy some.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I would imagine Greg Roman says like, we like this
quarterback a lot, and I don't blame him.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
So I think the Chargers listen.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
I mean, if I was a betting man, I would
say that Jim Harbaugh is gonna end.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
His coaching career as a Super Bowl champion.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Now, it might not happen in twenty twenty five, but
they are going to be a major, major factor not
just in the AFC, but in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I think over the next several years.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I mean, this guy is basically six foot two hundred
and twenty five pounds, runn a four four five.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
This guy's a stud.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
I mean, this guy part of when you draft this player,
he's going to be with the nucleus of Alt and
Slater and Herbert now for the next five six years. Like,
this is part of that nucleus with some of the
guys they drafted last year. And to me, if Naji,
you know, for a while he got overdrafted. Yeah, looking back,
you know he's a first round pick, but he's not
(28:00):
that good.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
But he's a good role.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Player, and I think sometimes in Pittsburgh they were very
dependent on him. Now he just gets to be a
role player for Jim Harball, who will mix these running
backs in with Greg Roman and they will run the ball.
Danniels row, They're gonna play defense and run the ball
Danniars throw. He's been doing it. I mean, he probably
wished he could have done it when he was a quarterback,
and he's been doing it ever since he was a coach.
So I couldn't be any more bullish on the Chargers
(28:22):
at least shocking pick so far. At the night harp
Aft took to go running back in the first round
the Rams.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
So there were two beliefs with the La Rams. They
really like Colston Loveland and they really liked rock Bowers
last year. So McVay, who has a history with tight ends,
would like to get a tight end. But I had
talked to les Sneed during the off season. I talked
to him probably two months ago and we just had
(28:53):
a text exchange and he said, listen, it wouldn't crush
us if we moved out of the first round because
they don't have a second round pick.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
So yeah, they traded with Atlanta. So the Giants traded
with the Texans, and then.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
So the Falcons at twenty six take James Pierce the
Edge from Tennessee. So Atlanta's had a lousy pass rush forever,
so I mean they have struggled with a pass rush,
so that is predictable. Remember they've got Matt Judon last
(29:37):
year from the New England Patriots. They thought would help.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Listen to this, Colin, listen what Lesnie just did. So
they traded with the Falcons. They get their second round pick,
which is pick forty six, they get next year's first
round pick.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Oh jesus, so the Rams have nexteer ones next year.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
So the Rams.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Now have you said they didn't have a second round pick, yeah,
the Rams. So the Rams get a second round pick,
now pick forty six, that's our first pick of this draft,
and they get next year's Falcons one.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Wow, and that will be a top fifteen pick.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
You would think that that seems to get to trade
up to get James Pierce.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Oh, I think that's Schniper.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I think that's insane. I mean some of these, some
of these trades, Colin, I just.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
I don't understand that.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
My mind around, I'm at a loss for words.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
You just got Atlanta's first round pick for James Pierce,
the third to fourth best edge rusher in not a
great edge rusher class.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
At least if you're trading a future first round pick
and you get Travis Hunter, a guy that's never unprecedented
what the guy just did probably since leather helmets, someone
playing both ways, right, So.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
It was that s I mean, you're looking.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think it's crazy, but I given a future first
round pick to do it, Like, at least you could
justify it in the room, James Pierce, decent Rusher. I
mean at pick twenty five, you don't trade a future
first round pick to trade up for a player in
the twenties.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
That's that can't happen, especially.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
A lot a d lineman. What defensive lineman is he
off the board? Six or seven? I think how many
guys have already come off the board that all these
teams passed on?
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Jesus maybe one thing.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
If someone was falling because of a you know, like
a Laramie Tunzel bong issue or something, you're like, well, this.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Guy should have been the fourth pick in the draft.
We're going all in. He's one of the most talented guys.
That's crazy. That's well.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Also, so the Rams will have two number one picks
next year. There's in Atlantas, so you're gonna probably get
one that's the top fifteen and one that's somewhere in
the twenties.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
But remember.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Stafford's there's a sense in the room. Stafford's got two
years of the Rams left. So next year is the
year you would draft a quarterback or later in this round,
Later in this draft, like fourth round. Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Again,
I feel like Cleveland took Jacksonville to the cleaners, and
I feel like the Rams took Atlanta to the cleaners.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
How often I don't ever remember Jesus a team getting
another team's first round pick.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
In a bad draft for the fifth best egge rusher.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
It was drafting twenty six.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Usually, when you accumulate those first round picks, you're drafting really,
really high. That has to be at first in the
Internet era, I'm drafting twenty six and I trade back
and I get to the team's first round pick, and
I'm not trading a player, right, I'm not trading, you know,
for DK Metcalf or Tyreek Hill or something. I'm literally
just trading you pick twenty six. Now, the Rams also
(32:51):
gave their third round pick this.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Year, so well, they have two thirds and a fourth,
so they have a second there. Now, let's they have
a second, a third, a fourth, and four sixes.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
They don't have a lot of needs.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
John, they need a corner, an inside linebacker, they could
use a tight end, and an offensive tackle.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
They need have four needs.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
And I understand that that Sean and Raheem are good buddies,
but that felt like taking advantage of everybody. Now I
do wonder for the GM, Terry Fontineau, for Raheem Morris.
I mean, that owner's mid eighties. He has unlimited amounts
of money. And you've talked about this for a long time.
(33:34):
These owners now in basketball and football are firing guys
paying you thirty million dollars away.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Is couch change to them.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I wonder if these guys pissed off the owner last
year because they got over aggressive with Cousins and then
they fell in love with what's penix after and then
Cousins sucked. Now the owners meeting with Cousins, you know,
because he's pissed off. He just gave him ninety million
dollars and Cousins got a no trade clause, so it's
not easy to just deal them. He's kind of got
them by the balls and let's and then they missed
(34:01):
the playoffs last year. You know, they hire the biggest
staff in the league, and Raheem goes, well, we plan
on losing coaches because he's acting like we're gonna be
really good. They go under five hundred. I wonder if
that owner is like, you guys better win and win now.
I don't know how much longer I have. There's pressure
on you, guys. This felt like one of those, like
(34:22):
there's pressure from above the volume,
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
All right, John Middlicoff, former NFL scout, we do.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
We do this every year.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Obviously, we go through the first round picks and let's
not waste any time. Let's get past cam Ward at
number one. That was an easy one, the most interesting one,
and boy, my phone blew up. Cleveland got a haul.
I think, way too much for a non quarterback. So
Cleveland gets three of the top thirty six picks. Now,
if you add all the picks they got in from
(00:36):
the Jags next year, they're just doing that to get
a quarterback next year. So next year, of the top
thirty six picks, Cleveland has three of them. They got
a haul, and then they go down to number five
and you know, getting a starting defensive tackle. I'll get
to that in a second. But the GM for the Jags,
who I was told actually worked from home in Saint
(00:56):
Louis a lot even when he was a RAMS employee,
is a young kid. So this is the adult table
being a GM. I don't like the swing. Travis Hunter
is a great player, but unless he's a pro bowler
on both sides of the ball, it feels like way
too much to give up. And I think Cleveland was
clearly doing it to get Amo for next year's quarterback draft.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I mean, I think it's the easiest trade that Andrew
Berry and Kevin Stefanski will ever make. They might have
just got contract extensions from Haslam sitting behind him.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
In the draft room.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I'm with you, how can you make this trade, Colin?
When you don't know your team, you know, part of anyone,
whether you're taking over a football team, taking over a business,
you got to let it settle and see what you have. Well,
there's obviously no way. They haven't even been on the
field in shorts and T shirts. They don't know if
their quarterback's any good, they don't know how talented their
unit is. I get the ownership there, as you know,
(01:45):
flush with money and aggressive and everything, but I think
being this aggressive for Liam Cohen and Gladstone, the young
thirty four year old GM, when they have never worked
with the players on their team. It's one thing if
you had been around for a couple of years and
you have a pretty good feel like we're a player
or two away, let's swing for the fences. That's insane, Colin,
(02:06):
to throw away your next year's first round pick. And
I get it he was. He had a front row
seat there for Les and Shawn trading all those first
round picks over the years, they were typically a player
or two away, right though with the Rams, So I
thought it was for a non quarterback. I mean, we've
seen some off the forty nine ers made one for
trade lance. I think it's one of the craziest Draft
(02:27):
day trades I can remember for a non quarterback.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I'm trying to think of the last time I got
three texts from NFL employees and all went mistake by
the Jacks, like all landed on the same spot. And
this is a very young GM. And again, Travis Hunter
is going to be a really sensational talent, there's no question.
(02:51):
But there's also going to be some growing pains on
the fact that he's not going to be in meetings
for one side of the ball on a regular basis. So,
and I mean, listen, this really isn't as much about
the Jags as it is Cleveland. They're trying to get
out from this tonnage of Deshaun Watson's contract, and the
way to do it is get a star quarterback. I mean,
that's how the Broncos got out from the ton of
(03:12):
Jeer Russell Wilson. They got bo Nicks, who will be
free for four years. So yeah, I didn't. I didn't
like it at all. I just think, you know, we
could always take shots at Cleveland. But I've always been
a Stefanski fan, and I have people that really like
Andrew Berry. I think this is a really easy deal
to make. And then, by the way, you slide down
(03:33):
to five. Now, a lot of people think Mason Graham
is more in the eight to twelve range as a
draft pick because it's ceilings low, and I think in
most years that would be fair. One of the people
that loved what Cleveland did didn't love Mason Graham as
a number five pick. He said he's closer to ten
(03:54):
than he is to five. But again, he's going to start,
you know in that division, Northern Division, it's a rugged division.
Did you like what Cleveland did at five with Graham
after making a pretty shrewd move to get all those picks?
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, to me, the note that I wrote down, I mean,
Travis Hunter for Cleveland doesn't do that much right.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I mean, there are.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Several players away in their quarterback situation's disaster. When you
think Mason Graham, and you watch the way Michigan's played
the last couple of years obviously in that area. Too
ideal for the AFC North like that, that'd be my thing.
Like that guy is just made do play in cold
weather against Pittsburgh against Baltimore. Yeah, teams that want to
play physical, slow down the game.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
So I listen, this is draft.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
I mean McMillan went eight, Kelvin Banks went nine. I
mean this wasn't exactly Tony Boselli, you know, and Miles
Garrett coming off the board here right in this ragne.
So I have no problem with going Mason Graham to
me where they could have taken me and you colin
the moment they made that trade, Cleveland won the draft.
Yeah they get next year's to me, the likelihood Jacksonville
(05:01):
first time head coach, young coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
I mean, they could easily be a five to six
win team.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
We do not know if their quarterback is good and
he has struggled to stay healthy. And I get Liam
Cohen had a big year with Baker Mayfield, but Baker
he did resurrect. Baker Mayfield was good the previous year too.
That's how Dave Canalis got a job. So it's not
like he just made Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfields now two
good years in a row. So I think that the
(05:26):
Cleveland again could have taken anybody the moment they got
the future one and the second.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Think how often we see.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Good players get drafted in the thirties. Happens every year,
regardless how good the draft is, because the same type
player is there in the mid thirties. It can be
impact starters that you get for like one point five
million dollars a year.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, and that's what to your point is Cleveland gets
Jacksonville's first round pick next year. What's crazy about that
is that could be a top six pick easy.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I mean, that is nuts.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
We've seen it happen a couple of years in a
row where the Lions benefited. The one year when they
had the Stafford trade and the Rams had that awful
year and McVeagh like thought about quitting football to go
work at Amazon. They got a top what they got
the six pick that they turned into Laporta in Gibbs.
We saw it the year when Denver was awful and
Seattle got a really high pick and took Witherspoon. We
(06:22):
have seen these future ones on. It's usually a player
trade Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford, whatever, but sometimes on a
draft day trade remembers Chicago traded from twenty to eleven.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yes, with the Giants, and.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Then they were terrible the next year, and the Giants
got multiple picks in the top ten. Now, you still
got to make the right pick with that selection. But
the amount of flexibility if you let's assume Cleveland isn't
going to be that good, I mean their quarterback situation disaster.
If I tell you next year they have picked five
and nine, yeah, you got a lot to work with.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
That's why they made the move.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
This was a real obvious one to me, and I
had mentioned this multiple times. Geno Smith with a run game,
throwing on play action, is actually a pretty good quarterback.
He's very Sam Darnald. When he gave Sam a little
protection and a run game, and he can throw when
nobody's quite sure he's throwing. He's very effective. When you
(07:21):
force Donald or Gino Smith to throw on third and eleven,
or they have to throw it a beat fast, that's
when you get the mistakes. I thought genty and I
also wonder this, if you look at Pete Carroll's history.
He's old school, Marshawn Lynch, Reggie Bush, Lendale White. His
great teams have had stars in the backfield, which sets
(07:44):
the table for his offense. Pete hates mistakes by quarterbacks
and Geno doesn't make a ton when he's throwing on
play action.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
So I think Genty, I love that pick for the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I have been.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Probably one of the counterculture movements here with this asmin
gent like hype.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I mean, people have been.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Comparing to Barry Sanders or you know, Ladanian Tomlinson. I
think any time that you compare a player to the
greatest of all time, it's like when you're comparing cam
Ward to Patrick Holmes, we gotta tell you to pump
the brakes. But I you know, listen Kenneth Walker who
was picked later when he was healthy for Seattle with Charbonade.
Their run game was good, like you said, Gino was
really really GOODEP. My issue here is, like I have
(08:28):
experience in the Mountain West. I know the difference in
the competition relative to the Big Ten and obviously the SEC.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It is dramatic.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Now in an individual, like in a vacuum, he has
a special talent, and he had the opportunity to surely
go to Texas or Ohio State. He turned down money.
So it wasn't like people didn't want him. But like
playing against Washington State, New Mexico, Fresno State, and San
Diego State is going to be a little different animal
than the Chargers, Denver and Kansas City, which you could
(08:57):
argue is the best defensive division in the sport. We
know Mentor and how good the charges are, so it's
just gonna be difficult for him.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
We saw this year.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
You know, I don't the Raiders offensive line's okay, but
it's it's gonna be tough. I just I get it.
I honestly thought they would go with a lineman there,
especially a defensive lineman. You know, remember Pete Carroll over
the years has now it hasn't always worked out. Bruce Irvin,
I thought he would be aggressive there. But you know
that they swung for the fences. It gives them some
(09:25):
star power that there's no disputing. It makes them more
interesting to watch because they they were an unwatchable product
the last couple of years. So Austin gent Tp Carroll,
Gino Smith, I'll pay attention. I still I mean, I'm
not picking them to win that many games based on
what we what we have on the roster right now.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Colston Lovelin was plus six fifty to be the number
ten pick. He he's a very unique player, so I
know three t I mean, the Rams and Chargers both
liked him. The Bears obviously liked him, and even with
cole Comett, they now have DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, cole Comett,
Colston Loveland. They went and got Dolman, the center from Atlanta,
Joe Tooney. They liked their right tackle. I was texting
(10:06):
somebody in the league about this, and one of the
things we both landed at was the future of this franchise.
They've never had a great quarterback is Caleb Williams. You
have to make it work. You know the talents there
and this is like this is like weapons plus plus
plus plus plus. You have to make this work.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
I don't remember a young quarterback on a second year
of a rookie deal getting more help. They go outside
Ben Johnson, whose I would say, one of the more
hyped doc's of the last decade. Yeah, you mentioned you
forgot the Rams offensive lineman that they also traded for
that Ben Johnson had coached in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
So they get a new.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Center, two new guards they already hadn't invested in tackles.
DJ Moore is one of the more verstable players in
the league. They invested the ninth pick last year into
Roma Dude Day.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
So it's like, if you're.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
A Chicago their defensive personnels are good and they have
an established defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen coming. You know,
the hype that was behind the Bears last year I
thought was crazy. I do think there's some substance now
behind this. Now, I don't know if it's gonna work.
I gotta let it breathe here for a month or two.
But there is, you know, legitimate pieces on the offensive,
a defensive line, a play caller that knows what he's doing,
(11:20):
a defensive coordinator. You know, ebra Flus had to be
the defensive coordinator and the head coach. He was completely
over his head as a head coach. Good defensive coordinator.
Now Dennis Allen can just focus on the defense. Ben
can just be the head coach, slash the offensive coordinator
and really just focus on Caleb. To me, the question
is going to be and I think this is the
working thing with all these young quarterbacks moving into the league.
(11:41):
Can they teach him to get rid of the ball
quicker and play in a more rhythm timing offense, run
the ball more like they did in Detroit because and
the one thing they got going against him is the
division is really really good. So it's not like it's
hard to win ten games, especially a franchise that has
not been winning. But I would feel much. I know
the hype was so crazy last year behind the Bears.
(12:03):
If I was a Bears fan right now, I would
just feel like we have a real identity and team
right now.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Well, and I also think if you go look at
what happens at the end of the year, it is
really hard even if you have a great defensive team. Remember, statistically,
defensive players get hurt more than offensive players. It's a
more reckless side of the ball. And so what if
you start looking at the end of years. Great Niner
(12:31):
defenses two three years ago can get carved up. Good
Philadelphia defenses can get carved up. And my takeaway is
if you're like Pittsburgh's got all sorts of defensive talent,
the Bears are like listen, historically they would go. Over
the last fifteen years, they've had very good defensive players.
If you're going to be if you're going to be
(12:51):
heavy on one side of the ball, if you're gonna
make mistakes, if roma Dunza's a mistake, it's the right
side of the ball to make a mistake, not a
safe or an off ball linebacker. Like I look at
it and I think to myself, there are not a
lot of teams in this league, John that have Colcombe
at Colston Loveland at tight end. And by the way,
for a young quarterback, tight ends are a great ally.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Two things.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You know, we talked so much the hype on Tyler Warren,
I mean his team because Michigan was bad this year
and Loveland had gotten injured, he became kind of the
apple of everyone's eye.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
He's massive.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Well, it's not like Loveland's small. He's basically six six,
two fifty. He's huge. How about Harball as a talent evaluator,
I mean, I think they sent a record last year
for guys getting drafted in a class. They just they
had an awful team.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
This year.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
They had three guys get drafted in the in the
top thirteen picks.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
The two of them were defensive tackles.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I mean, I mean the Harbaugh say what you want.
That guy can evaluate young men to play football.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Holy Molly well.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
And by the way, that's why when the Charger I
remember talking to Dean Spanish about this, I said, you're
gonna get the next two years. You guys will draft
as well as anybody. Because Jim recruited all these players.
It was about the thirdieth first two years for Pete
Carolyn Seattle. Probably the first two to three years Pete
crush the draft, and then by year four, five, and six,
you just lose a connectivity to college football. But Harball
(14:16):
last year, great draft. This year will be a stupendous draft,
and he's probably got them one more year where you
recruited guys and saw him on tape. The NBA eighty
two game grind is done. Now the real fun begins.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
The NBA Playoffs.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Love them.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
They're here.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Time for drama, clutch moments, Steph Curry, Lebron joh dropping plays.
I can't wait. If you're looking to make the playoffs
even more exciting. DraftKings Sports but Cashua Cover. They're the
official sports betting partner of the NBA playing games all
the way to the finals. Now's the time to back
your favorite players and teams as they chase glory. So
all season long, Draft King's been the go to spot
for NBA player props. That doesn't stop now. If you
(14:53):
want to make your playoff experience even more intense, try
placing a bet in your favorite player's performance. Will they
drop thirty forty? Who knows more or it's your call.
If you're ready to place your first bet, download the
DraftKings sports book app. Takes ninety seconds. Lock in your
bets and let's make the playoffs unforgettable. Here's something special
for first timers. DraftKings customers that are new bet five
bucks that's h five bucks and get two hundred bonus
(15:13):
bets instantly. Just make it a playoff run to remember.
With DraftKings, download their sportsbook app. Takes ninety seconds to
codes colin C l I N that is code colin.
New customers get two hundred bucks in bonus bets betting
just five only on DraftKings.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
The Crown is Yours.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler in New York
called eight seven seven eight hope and wire text Hope
and y four six seven three six nine in Connecticut.
Help is available for problem gambling call eight eight eight
seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG
dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of boothill Casino
w in Resorting, Kansas twenty one on over agent eligibility
varies by jurisdiction, Void and Ontario New customers only. Bonus
(15:50):
bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after issuance.
Four additional terms and responsible gaming resources see DKNNG dot
co slash audio.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
You know I love the general manager of the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers. Have I told you this before they went
and drafted Imika Egbuka, the wide receiver at Ohio State.
I I believe most general managers believe he is one
(16:26):
of one, the best receiver or the only receiver to
be a first round receiver. I think the Texas kid
as a late first rounder. Everybody I talk to love him,
and what's great is he can play sideline. But he
didn't take that many snaps outside for Oil State for
obvious reasons. They're stacked at quarterback with Jeremiah Smith or
at receiver. They're stacked. They don't need sideline receivers. He
(16:49):
would be a sideline receiver or a slot receiver any
other program in the country except like Ohio State and
Alabama because they have so many great players, so he'll
come in and immediately play for them. I think he
is a prime example because he's not a burner John.
He's a prime example of maturity, interviews, professionalism that could
(17:10):
have moved him up ten to twelve spots. He was
considered a second round talent the minute the season ended.
His value beyond being excellent, is he is considered a
mature in a league where we're having wide receiver divas
emerge like every weekend. I think his personality is a
huge part of him going this high.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Well, one thing I remember the stat last year when
the Week one is that Tampa had like forty three
or forty four drafted players on their fifty three man roster.
Jason light has been, if not the best, a top
two or three drafter over the last five or six years.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
And when you.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Look in, you know the Baker that you originally started
talking about back at Oklahoma is a completely different human being.
Now Tampa's got a really high level team. Know from
Wharfs to Mike Evans to Vita Vea. I mean, their
guys on their squad are just like Honestly, Jason Light
comes from New England and I'm talking the Vrabel Bruskie
(18:11):
New England days with Tom Brady. He's kind of built
that version with Baker Mayfield as his quarterback. Super smart,
super tough.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Steve Kim told me he thought Jason Light was one
of the best scouts he'd ever followed it. Ki Kime
told me because I always told we. Kim got in
and got into a discussion with me about two years ago.
We're smoking cigars, and I said, you ever noticed every
Buccaneers team is stacked. They just couldn't get the quarterback
right before Brady. But like and he goes, oh, yeah,
(18:39):
it's Jason. He goes that he is. He is as
good a scout as we've had in this league. He goes,
he just didn't miss he was so good. You know,
that's and that's how you become a GM. You're a
great scout.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Initially, well, they built their offensive line from taking smaller
school tackles and tournament at guards and centers, and you know,
obviously they've had Mike Evans to kind of settle in
Vida Vey as like a stalwart players minus, you know,
separate from Tom Brady. But yeah, I mean you tell
me he could have drafted anybody. It'd be like, yeah,
(19:13):
I like to pick now. Like you said, I mean,
this guy, what didn't he set records at Ohio State
for yards, catches games. I mean, he's he's a stud.
The other thing is when you go to a team
that has I mean they re signed God when they
got him on a cheaper number because he remember he
shattered his ankle. Obviously they still have Evans, this guy
the pressure on him to They're not gonna need him
(19:36):
to catch seventy balls next year. Their running game last
year with Bucky Irving, I mean their team honestly, they
in a weird way underachieved because they had so many
injuries the second half of the season. On defense, they
couldn't stop anybody. To me, if they are healthy, there's
a pretty big gap in that division if they're healthy,
like between them and the number two team. Like, the
(19:57):
only reason it was close between them and Atlanta this
year is because they had a million injuries on defense.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
But like, they're a much better run organization.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
You know what Baker's turned into the like, there's no
disputing Baker's really become the last two years a top
ten quarterback. Yeah, and clearly just his maturation. Like a
lot of us guys, you know, in the late twenties,
it kicks in. He gets married, has a kid, and
he's a different guy.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
And as a.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Player, he plays much faster, had slimmed down. His arm's
always been great. And now he's got three with Obuka,
with Mike Evans and Godwin and running backs and a
good offensive line. I mean that their offense should be
really good.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Colin.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Now, if you look at the draft so far, there's
only two players that I believe can turn losses into wins.
Cam Ward at Tennessee replacing will Levis. If I told
you they won four more games just simply because of
significant upgrade at quarterback in that division, I think we
both go yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I mean cam Ward to will Levis Is is a
D to a B. And the other player that I
I mean this draft is not exceptional. I do think
Ashton Gens will be a pretty spectacular player for the Raiders,
and with Chip Kelly's brain, the brock Bauers Gino Smith.
This is not a draft where people are changing outcomes.
(21:18):
And Jayden Daniels changed outcomes. We thought Kayleb Williams, would
it Bo Nicks changed outcomes. I could argue that Tennessee
and Vegas will be because of their first round players.
Would you agree, noticeably more dynamic offenses and an offensive league.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I think there's been one team, minimum from the top
five that has made the playoffs over the last five years.
And you know, I remember when the forty nine ers
had the number two overall pick and they took Bosa
and then all of a sudden they had a thirteen
win team and they were in the Super Bowl in
twenty nineteen. I don't know if there's one of those
teams here, but I'm with you. I mean that they
lost Josh Jacobs last year the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
And their running game was a Joe.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I mean, they were just they were in bad shape
as an organization. So anytime you get a guy that
that that is that good. But like I said, you
know that going from the Mountain West, he's a fantastic
prospect and a fantastic his His his tape this year
look like a high school kid going to Nick Saban
in his prime. But it's a pretty big difference. I mean,
their division is really really hard, and you know, Cleveland,
(22:23):
I think is.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Cool with sitting back.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I do think there's a lot of pressure on Will Campbell.
He is a guy that if we assume that the
Patriots are going to be a viable you know, low
level like kind of like Denver was this year operation,
they're gonna need Will Campbell to the don't need to
be Trent Williams, but can he just be a starter,
a solid player that you can kind of rely on immediately.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
There's gonna be Listen, the arm length thing.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
People push back, but it's it's I know it's crazy
to sound like an inch is a make or break deal,
but historically it is difficult out there on edge. Think
how many teams now have good pass rushers.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Okay, Chargers select o Marion Hampton, the running back from
North Carolina. Okay, so this is interesting. So I went
to dinner with Greg Roman, the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.
He was on Friday night, and you know, he's not
gonna give me any intel, but we we really talked
a lot about football and what the team needed, and
(23:21):
I wasn't going to pry information.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
But the one thing that we you know, we agreed with.
I said, I wouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Shocked if you guys didn't go tight end, running back, interior,
offensive lineman, wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And you know Greg acknowledged.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
He goes, Listen, we got good players, but we probably
need a little juice. We probably need a little bit
more juice. And and that's that. And I said, do
you like Colston Loveland? He's like, everybody likes Colston Loveland.
Do you like Hampton? He goes, everybody likes Hampton. So
I mean this to me, Nauseie Harris and Hampton. Okay,
(23:54):
now with Joel Ault last year and Mashaan Slater at
left tackle, John this is a Jim Harball football team.
I picked them to win their division this year. This
is a Jim Harball football team. Between those two picks,
a power running speed guy Naji Harris, by the way, Similarly,
now he didn't have the burst of Hampton, but Naji
(24:14):
Harris is a power running back. I mean even last
year JK Dobbins, who's got some girth to him, got
some size. This is really starting to feel like a
Jim Harbaugh team.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Well, if you had to bet right now, who's gonna
have the better career Omarion Hampton with Harbaugh, Who's I
think gonna retire as the Chargers coach and Genty with
the Raiders situation, you would have to bet on Jim
Harbaugh and his running back. So, you know, I think
a lot of teams in the league thought that Omarion
Hampton was a big time player. Now Genty got all
(24:48):
the buzz and all the hype. This guy's a stud Colling.
They gave Naji Harris some money. I mean, think about
the discussion when DK mex calf was on the block
that the Chargers are going to go trade for him.
It's like, guys, I never understand these people making these
these guesses about what Harbaugh's gonna do. That is just
(25:10):
so different from what he's done for fifteen twenty years
offensive linemen, running backs. He'll he'll take another linebacker. I mean,
it's the way he builds his team that they're gonna
be good. I Mean, it was pretty clear last year
with Denver and with the Chargers that was going to
be the worst version of those two teams. Try Sean
Payton and him moving forward, That's why the pressure on
(25:31):
you know, each and Andy feel like we gotta stay
We got to keep nailing picks. We got to keep
being good because these guys are coming and listen, I'm
not trying to be a Raider hater here. They're going
to be better. But from a roster standpoint, to me.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
They were clearly the fourth operation in this division.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
So if you look at what they have now, they
have their quarterback and Justin Herbert, they have their left
and right tackle, Slater and Joe Halt. They have Nause Harris,
who was clearly under you lie than under coached in Pittsburgh.
I mean he even admitted Naji Harris acknowledged we didn't
really have we didn't really have an identity in Pittsburgh,
(26:08):
which they don't off actively. Now you've got Hampton the
breakaway runner and Najee Harris the power runner the offense.
Now now they're going to go interior, O lineman, sideline
receiver and tied end at some point in this draft
that's where they're going. It feels like it feels like
to me, this is one of the more predictable teams
(26:30):
in the draft because the defense, let's face it, last year,
it overachieved or at least achieved to the level that
should have with Brandon Staley. I think the Chargers. I
think everybody in the ballpark knows what that Greg Roman
needs juice and he just got a powder keg of it.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I mean I saw Greg Roman a decade ago with
Frank Gore kicking everyone's ass, and that Harbaugh team their
best receiver was Michael Crabtree. And I think we all
believe that Justin Herbert has a chance. I know he
had a really bad playoff game. Peyton Manning had a bunch.
I mean, the NFL, you don't get a seven game series,
so you have a bad playoff game. It leaves the
stink in everyone's mouth. Do you want to sell Justin
(27:08):
Herbert stock?
Speaker 4 (27:08):
I'll buy some.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I would imagine Greg Roman says like, we like this
quarterback a lot, and I don't blame him.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
So I think the Chargers listen.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
I mean, if I was a betting man, I would
say that Jim Harbaugh is gonna end.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
His coaching career as a Super Bowl champion.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Now, it might not happen in twenty twenty five, but
they are going to be a major, major factor not
just in the AFC, but in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
I think over the next several years.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I mean, this guy is basically six foot two hundred
and twenty five pounds, runn a four four five.
Speaker 4 (27:38):
This guy's a stud.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
I mean, this guy part of when you draft this player,
he's going to be with the nucleus of Alt and
Slater and Herbert now for the next five six years. Like,
this is part of that nucleus with some of the
guys they drafted last year. And to me, if Naji,
you know, for a while he got overdrafted. Yeah, looking back,
you know he's a first round pick, but he's not
(28:00):
that good.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
But he's a good role.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Player, and I think sometimes in Pittsburgh they were very
dependent on him. Now he just gets to be a
role player for Jim Harball, who will mix these running
backs in with Greg Roman and they will run the ball.
Danniels row, They're gonna play defense and run the ball
Danniars throw. He's been doing it. I mean, he probably
wished he could have done it when he was a quarterback,
and he's been doing it ever since he was a coach.
So I couldn't be any more bullish on the Chargers
(28:22):
at least shocking pick so far. At the night harp
Aft took to go running back in the first round
the Rams.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
So there were two beliefs with the La Rams. They
really like Colston Loveland and they really liked rock Bowers
last year. So McVay, who has a history with tight ends,
would like to get a tight end. But I had
talked to les Sneed during the off season. I talked
to him probably two months ago and we just had
(28:53):
a text exchange and he said, listen, it wouldn't crush
us if we moved out of the first round because
they don't have a second round pick.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
So yeah, they traded with Atlanta. So the Giants traded
with the Texans, and then.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
So the Falcons at twenty six take James Pierce the
Edge from Tennessee. So Atlanta's had a lousy pass rush forever,
so I mean they have struggled with a pass rush,
so that is predictable. Remember they've got Matt Judon last
(29:37):
year from the New England Patriots. They thought would help.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Listen to this, Colin, listen what Lesnie just did. So
they traded with the Falcons. They get their second round pick,
which is pick forty six, they get next year's first
round pick.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Oh jesus, so the Rams have nexteer ones next year.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
So the Rams.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Now have you said they didn't have a second round pick, yeah,
the Rams. So the Rams get a second round pick,
now pick forty six, that's our first pick of this draft,
and they get next year's Falcons one.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Wow, and that will be a top fifteen pick.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
You would think that that seems to get to trade
up to get James Pierce.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Oh, I think that's Schniper.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
I think that's insane. I mean some of these, some
of these trades, Colin, I just.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
I don't understand that.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
My mind around, I'm at a loss for words.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
You just got Atlanta's first round pick for James Pierce,
the third to fourth best edge rusher in not a
great edge rusher class.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
At least if you're trading a future first round pick
and you get Travis Hunter, a guy that's never unprecedented
what the guy just did probably since leather helmets, someone
playing both ways, right, So.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
It was that s I mean, you're looking.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think it's crazy, but I given a future first
round pick to do it, Like, at least you could
justify it in the room, James Pierce, decent Rusher. I
mean at pick twenty five, you don't trade a future
first round pick to trade up for a player in
the twenties.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
That's that can't happen, especially.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
A lot a d lineman. What defensive lineman is he
off the board? Six or seven? I think how many
guys have already come off the board that all these
teams passed on?
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Jesus maybe one thing.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
If someone was falling because of a you know, like
a Laramie Tunzel bong issue or something, you're like, well, this.
Speaker 4 (31:33):
Guy should have been the fourth pick in the draft.
We're going all in. He's one of the most talented guys.
That's crazy. That's well.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Also, so the Rams will have two number one picks
next year. There's in Atlantas, so you're gonna probably get
one that's the top fifteen and one that's somewhere in
the twenties.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
But remember.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Stafford's there's a sense in the room. Stafford's got two
years of the Rams left. So next year is the
year you would draft a quarterback or later in this round,
Later in this draft, like fourth round. Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Again,
I feel like Cleveland took Jacksonville to the cleaners, and
I feel like the Rams took Atlanta to the cleaners.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
How often I don't ever remember Jesus a team getting
another team's first round pick.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
In a bad draft for the fifth best egge rusher.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
It was drafting twenty six.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Usually, when you accumulate those first round picks, you're drafting really,
really high. That has to be at first in the
Internet era, I'm drafting twenty six and I trade back
and I get to the team's first round pick, and
I'm not trading a player, right, I'm not trading, you know,
for DK Metcalf or Tyreek Hill or something. I'm literally
just trading you pick twenty six. Now, the Rams also
(32:51):
gave their third round pick this.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Year, so well, they have two thirds and a fourth,
so they have a second there. Now, let's they have
a second, a third, a fourth, and four sixes.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
They don't have a lot of needs.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
John, they need a corner, an inside linebacker, they could
use a tight end, and an offensive tackle.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
They need have four needs.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
And I understand that that Sean and Raheem are good buddies,
but that felt like taking advantage of everybody. Now I
do wonder for the GM, Terry Fontineau, for Raheem Morris.
I mean, that owner's mid eighties. He has unlimited amounts
of money. And you've talked about this for a long time.
(33:34):
These owners now in basketball and football are firing guys
paying you thirty million dollars away.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Is couch change to them.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I wonder if these guys pissed off the owner last
year because they got over aggressive with Cousins and then
they fell in love with what's penix after and then
Cousins sucked. Now the owners meeting with Cousins, you know,
because he's pissed off. He just gave him ninety million
dollars and Cousins got a no trade clause, so it's
not easy to just deal them. He's kind of got
them by the balls and let's and then they missed
(34:01):
the playoffs last year. You know, they hire the biggest
staff in the league, and Raheem goes, well, we plan
on losing coaches because he's acting like we're gonna be
really good. They go under five hundred. I wonder if
that owner is like, you guys better win and win now.
I don't know how much longer I have. There's pressure
on you, guys. This felt like one of those, like
(34:22):
there's pressure from above the volume,
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.