Bengals Booth Podcast: What Would You Say

most frequently mentioned names. Plus, I'll talk to the Bengals first round draft pick for last year, offensive lineman Jonah Williams as he prepares to protect his new quarterbacks blind side. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Prime Sport, the official fan, travel and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet,

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Bows headphones. So check it out on the pre Draft Party presented by Bows Thursday at seven thirty as we count down to the number one pick. It's a tradition on this podcast just before the draft for Dave Lapham and me to play prognosticators, but this year we had to change things up a bit, all right, lap Over the years, you have become legendary for your ability to

predict the Bengals first round draft pick. Nostradamis like over the years, Kevin Zeitler in two twelve, when the world was saying David de Castro, Tyler Eifford in two thirteen, even though the Bengals still had Germaine Gresham at the time, John Ross with the ninth overall pick in two seventeen. So your track record is very good. I'm positive you're going to get that first round pick right this year. Yeah, I don't think. I don't think many you're gonna miss

miss this one. It's uh. Joe Burrow obviously is going to be the guy, and he's been the guy I think for quite a while. I think they've made the decision on that a while ago. You have people like Chris Simms saying it's to clean his tape he's ever seen of a collegiate quarterback. And you know Chris Simms, I respect I did to cover to his games when he played at University of Texas. His dad, Phil obviously we know well and he understands quarterback play. Chris does

as well. So when guys say somebody like that says gives that kind of an evaluation and meaning something that you know, well, how about the year he did have went to national championship, the Heisman going to be the number one pick in the entire draft. That's a triffect that not many people cann claim. Plus, he holds records sixty touchdown and passes in a single season accounted for sixty five total touchdowns. Those are both records. I mean,

that's that's a resume that is just unbelievable. But you know what's kind of weird since the coronavirus were last year, Joe Burrow offers twenty eighteen season where by the way LSU receivers led the country and drops. So Burrow wasn't as bad as people think by his numbers in twenty and eighteen, But Joe Brady would not be offensive coordinator Carolina. Joe Burrow would not have been able to show the

season if in fact, there is no college football. I mean, it's it's it's unbelievable how fate can can can be the biggest factor in anybody's career right time, right place. With respect to Joe Burrow transferred to LSU, you know, avoiding a pandemic. As it turns out that it's it's not the year that he has the season that he has, or he wouldn't have had it. It would have been necessarily, it would have been totally different. And it's crazy when

you think about about that. But I think Joe Burrow is is the guy that's going to be the first pick of the draft, and deservedly so. Lap. I'm glad you mentioned Joe burrows junior year because a lot of people keep talking about his astronomical grow from junior year to senior year. And there's no question that statistically, his senior year stats are far better. But if you go back and look at his last four games of his

junior year, you could see what was coming. He started to do what he did as a senior in the last four games. And if you look at his Fiesta Bowl performance in particular against UCF that's a team that had a twenty five game winning streak at the time. He got blindsided by a three hundred thirteen pound defensive lineman after throwing an interception early in that game might have killed another quarterback. He bounced us right up, fires up his teammates throw us for three hundred ninety four

yards in four touchdowns. The Joe Burrow that the world saw as a senior was starting to materialize in the last four games of his junior year. Yeah, I think that toughness we've talked about before started up in Ohio. Statement rber Meyer decided when he wasn't, you know, the number one quarterback, he was down the ranks a little bit.

He decided that he was a scrimmage. Joe Burrow with twos and threes against your house state number one defense, and he got brutalized, brutalized, you know, his mothers and tears watching it in a squad scrimmages two saturdays in a row. And all he did is, like you said, get up, dust himself off, never you know, complained to his teammates, to his coaches. All he did was play. And I think he won a lot of guns over. I mean, his teammates at Ohio State paying their own

way to get to the National Championship game. To watch Joe Barrow in a national championship says everything I need to know about Joe Barrow. He was on Goal Like and Wingo this week on ESPN Radio, and I found it very interesting. They're asking him about what he's been able to do during these stay at home times, and he actually said that he thinks it might be an advantage for him. He's had no distractions. He hasn't been flying around the country going from team to team for interviews.

He's been basically working out where he can find patches of grass, throwing to old high school buddies. And I just like the fact that boy you talk about not making excuses to say that in his personal development, this actually could be advantageous. And it also gets back to something you said on one of our previous podcasts. You were hoping he wouldn't throw too much in the weeks and months leading up to the draft, going from team to team and doing workouts. Well, he's been able to

control that because of these stay at home restrictions. And the reason that you know, I was hoping that Dan is a lot of these first year of quarterbacks. You know, they're not used to the length of the NFL schedule, and it might not be that long this year, so it might not be as big an adjustment for Joe Burrow, who knows who knows what is in store. But other other quarterbacks, I mean, they get on they have problems.

The last quarter of the season. You know, it's just like, oh my gosh, through so much in preparation for the drafts, then the draft, then the OTAs, then the mini camps, then this then that man, my arms hanging off my shoulder, and Joe won't experience of that. I mean, I do think that this, this uh kind of time coming up

is tough though. When the OTAs and mini camps were going to take place, Joe Burrow to get his timing and rhythm down with you know, Aj Green and other receivers, and just to familiarize himself at the Bengals offense and start to establish relationships with his teammates and just a bonding that goes on. I remember, you know, way back the day the first mini camp I went to. It's like, oh boy, these guys are good. This is an adjustment. I mean, all of a sudden, you've better crank your

miles per hour up with your movement. You know, a bunch of miles per hour. You're in the Audubon now You're not on just a regular highway in the United States of America. This stuff is fast, unfolds fast. So I do think that there's a little bit of of a of an issue with regard to that, because there's

no way you can mimic it. You know, he Joe can't on his own, you know, virtually assimilate you know what you would assimilate with with on the field experiences that you would there are OTAs and mini camps and you know, sinking up the timing and everything with utter back on the National Football League. So with that in mind, does it make sense to try to hold on to Andy Dalton if you can afford him as a mentor.

Andy Dalton experienced something similar but different his first year in the league as a rookie because there was a work stoppage, so there wasn't an opportunity to install with coaches like like Joe Burrow is going to experience virtually. I mean he's gonna be every single day, you know with Zach with the coaching staff installation, all the mental reps will be there, but it's more important in my

mind for the physical reps. And what the Bengals did, courtesy of Andrew Worth and Domant Peco being the two leaders eat side of the football, basically established their own little mini camps as such, with these workouts and the installation of the offense. These guys you know, looked at that down. Pecco had the defense down and they made

it work. Andy Dalton got the timing down with his guy drafted with him aj D Green and other receivers and goes on to have a nine and seven record once he gets back with Jay Gruden, and he's a quick learner, um, you know, and goes to that nine and seven record. So that that, in my mind is a little bit better scenario than what Joe Burrow may

be facing. So yeah, I guess to have Andy Dalton m right there in case Joe has issues, which I don't anticipate, because the big thing on Joe Burrow, you know, his wonder List score comes out at thirty four, amongst the highest of the quarterbacks. He's very smart in general as well as football like you, and he's he's a very competitive learner. And that's the thing about him. He's the first guy in and the last guy to leave.

And his preparation is like his teammates are in awe of al Brady and Peyton Manning and people like that. So um, you know, it's it's it's going to be an interesting, an interesting adjustment for all involved. You know, Joe borrowed the player of the coaches, his teammates, and Andy Dalton's a He's a term insurance policy, is what he is. He's a one year insurance policy if in fact, he decides that it's okay with him to do that,

if that's his best option. But he's not going to do it at seventeen point seven million, that's for sure. I thought it was interesting in his recent interview with Mike Silver from NFL dot Com that really, for the first time he said there was a scenario where he

could come back to Cincinnati. I think up until then, every bit of body language and anything he had said in interviews before he left town at the end of last season indicated that he was fully convinced that he would be moving on and getting his chance somewhere else. And I still think that's probably likely. But at least he opened the door to potentially being the veteran mentor

slash backup right. And I think if he decided, if he gets his mind right in that regard, he'd be as good as there is in the league, because you know, he's he's not only a quality player, he's more than quality human being. I mean he's he's up across human being and um, you know, to have Andy Dalton as somebody for Joe Barrow to bounce things off of, or if in fact he is struggling, you know, to to

observe and watching Andy. Andy Dalton could install the Bengals offense to Joe Barrow as well as anybody in the organization. So to have, you know, to have that as in as a COVID charge policy would not be bad. And like we've talked about, I mean, he's the victim of the musical chairs. The music stopped, and there's more guys than chairs. Two of the guys that are former first picks in the NFL draft, you know, you get Cam

Newton and you get Jameis Winston out there. The teams can sign when they if they so desire for no compensation, no trade, and they can do new contracts. In Andy's case, if the trade we're talking about draft capital and you're talking about assuming a seven teen point seven million dollar contract, those are two inhibitors. For sure. The Patriots did pick up an extra fourth round pick for Gronk, I'm sure the Bengals would happily take it in exchange for Andy Dalton.

It's interesting you look at the two teams that have the most text in the draft of Miami Dolphins fourteen, I think that gives the Patriots at East doesn't maybe more They were number two and a dozen, I think, and this one might give them thirteen. So both teams, you know, in need of quarterback others late lated mock drafts, and so if it have the Patriots trying to make a move for tah because you know, obviously Bill Belichick

and Nick Saban have a very very close relationship. You'd get more information from Saban about two than anybody and I think he does have a high respect for to it. But if he can't get to it. In my mind, Dan, like we talked about earlier, I think the guy that could slide his love and you know, you see love anywhere from some were in the top ten in some mock drafts, not even being draft in the first round

another mock drafts, and I think he is. He's the one that there's a big divergence of opinion on and if he's there at the end of the first round, the Kansas City Chiefs, you know, with the with the teams that have the most draft capital, now, the Miami Dolphins would have already had their first three pick their three first rounds beyond they still have eleven picks though,

left to work a deal with Kansas City. The Patriots would still have a dozen picks or so themselves to work a deal if Kansas City doesn't want to work a deal. And the reason the teams wouldn't want to work the deal is like to them, Lamar Jackson thing trade up to the end of the first round. Get the fifth year in the rookie contract. Instead of four years, you get him for five and you can build accordingly

around him and make it a better football team. But if Kansas City doesn't want to do it, it it takes two to tango. Who's the next team? You know, a few twelve hours later, the Bengals are around the clock, and you've got two teams that Okay loves are the last option, the Patriots and the Dolphins, both in the same division. We want to get them. We don't want the other team to get them. I mean, there may they have all kinds of draft capital left. There may

be an opportunity there. It's going to be interesting. I think Kansas most slides Kansas City and the Bengals are going to be getting a lot out of phone calls at the end of day one in the beginning of day two, depending on how it all unfolds. All right, so you have extended your streak of nailing the Bengals first pick, selecting Joe Burrows, and now let's have some

fun this year. We want a definitive prediction. Will each give one a definitive prediction for the Bengals selection at the top of the second round if they wind up choosing thirty third overall, what do you say, Dave Lapham, My dream pick would be Kenneth Murray, but that's a pipe dream. He's not going to be there. Patrick Queen would be another dream pick, but he's I don't think he's going to be there. Dan that those guys I think are just you know, Chase On, Patrick Queen, Marma.

We've talked about those guys in the past. I'd be if any one of those guys are there, man run up to Santa Claus and give it a turn in the card because it's Christmas. But I do think, you know, Zach Bonn could could be there. He's more of an outside guy. I think the guy that they need a little bit better fit. I've talked about Jordan Brooks, and I've seen he's starting to get a little bit more,

a little bit more buzz. And I've seen him, you know, in some mock drafts, moving up, moving up pretty significantly. I like the guy. I mean, he's this kid is six feet, two hundred and forty pounds, ran a four to five three. I mean, you've got two hundred and forty pound linebackers running like cornerbacks. It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous how these guys are our genetic freaks. You've got thirty

four thirty five inch length arms. I mean, he is, he can come downhill, make plays, He'll run sidelines to sideline. He's a he's a contact ratio guy. He just watch him. He just impacts the game. He impacts the game on a snap by snap basis. So you know, I'm wondering the thirty three is a little bit too rich for him. But he's a he might be a little bit better fit because he's a he's a space linebacker, space stack linebacker and off the line of scrimmage, you know, a linebacker.

And I think I do think, you know, I think Zach Bond would get some consideration. I think it might be a little bit too rich for Zack Bond potentially, and it might be a little bit too rich for Jordan Brooks. But you know, would they go offensive lineman at that point? Dan, I mean, it's one of the top four tackle slides. You know, they may have to think about that. And as we've talked about, I mean, this dis draft is interesting in that last year, twelve

defensive lineman went in the first round. Twelve people panic there were defensive lineman being drafted at the end of the first round that a lot of people had rated as third round picks. But when the run started, people panicked. You know, will the run be? It could be as balanced the first round. Could be four quarterbacks taken, at least four receivers, at least four linebackers, at least four offensive line at least four cornerbacks. Okay, which one of

those position groups is going to get the run? And that's what's going to be interested in for the Bengals if the run happens somewhere else. But instead of wide receiver, man, if you got a wide out there game that you had rated the middle, you know, fifteen to twenty in the first round. How the hell do you not take

the guy at at thirty two. So it is going to be a very interesting, interesting draft for the Bengals, and to have that first pick in the second round, Like we've talked about the phone calls they might get, irrespective of that, it doesn't matter about that. They're going to be the first one to be able to take the slider. Well, whoever the slide guy is, the Bengals are in position to say, bone, that's my guy. What if aj Taro is there from Clemson, this kid, I mean,

a cornerback could slide that. You know, people really like. It's fast, he's long, he's fluid. I mean, the guy can play and you know you'd think, wow, how about if a cornerback like that is still there at thirty three? And that's that's a premost spot for the Bengals to be. I mean, that's why I think, I really do think that there's there. They'll be maybe a handful of guys, maybe a half a dozen guys that they'd be good with at thirty three. So if somebody wants to trade up,

you know, just don't trade back. More than you know, five or six spaces. Make sure you're still in the thirties. Don't trade out of the thirties. You'll still get a guy that you've you've evaluated, okay at thirty three and still and then pick up another pick. I would like to see the Bengals. I don't think this is a great year again to have twelve to fourteen draft picks because of the coronavirus. Hell, how many you're gonna make the kick? How can you evaluate how many you're gonna evaluate?

How many draft picks and how many college fusions. I don't think teams are gonna bring ninety players in. Why the hell would you bring ninety players in. You might only bring in seventy seventy five eighty players because instead of evaluating these guys and thinking, oh, this guy might be one of my best you know, fifty one, fifty two, fifty three, and my roster. Hell, with that, you know you got you gotta start really working on your team,

putting your team together. The whole process is going to be sped up. If you're cluttered with ninety players. I think that's going to be an interesting dynamic too. So to move it makes sense to the Dolphins, the Patriots to get off some of their picks, and I'd like to see the Bengals maybe pick up a couple, you know,

maybe have nine draft choices instead of seven. I mean, seven wouldn't be terrible, particularly where they're picking them, But you know, nine picks, you know, you start to get up to double dig digits in this year of the coronavirus. How the hell you're going to evaluate an everybody? Anyway? You may not have a training camp, much of a

training camp to evaluate these guys. They've already cut one preseason game off, but down in the three preseason games, you know, I don't know, it's it's just I don't think. I don't think this is the best year years to have all those draft picks accumulated because of the coronavirus. All right, So if they wind up choosing at number thirty three overall and Murray and Queen aren't there, Jordan Books, Jordan Brooks, rather, linebacker from Texas Tech, four year starter,

is your guy? All right? I'm gonna cheat a little bit on my guy. Peter King came out with his mock draft on Monday. He said that Queen is still going to be there, So I will say, Queen, now, I know you would do the same thing if you thought he was there. So it's it's cheating a little bit on my part, but I'll go ahead and predict that he'll be the guy. And again, if he's there, they'll sprint to the podium. I would think there's no doubt.

I mean, if Queen is there, Um, you know they're gonna be a King's feel like kings run that cart off as best they can to take the queen with the being the king. Uh, there's no doubt about it. Um. And also in Peter King's mock, he's another one that had Love sliding out of the first round. Love was not picked in Peter King's draft in the first round. So it's like the thirty three and Love slit in

Peter King's estimation. Um, it's to be that is. That's the one thing that I'm going to be most interested in is watching love how much love Love get Because we've seen we've seen great quarterbacks, you know, Aaron Rodgers, I mean, you know, slides down at the twenties. We've seen all kinds of quarterbacks that people thought were gonna go high. But in this era, of you know, the

emphasis even more so on the passing game. It makes you think, you know, how can how can a guy that some people have as a potential top ten pick not even get picked in the first round based on you know what goes on in today's National Football League? All Right, So I've I've made the Queen election, even knowing that it's a little bit of a cheat. I'm using Peter King's mock draft as my rationale for being

able to select Patrick Queen. But just to be a little bit more fair, I'll pick another guy my one A selection, and this is somebody I mentioned on a previous podcast, Utah cornerback Jalen Johnson. I think he's got what you're looking for at the position. He's tall, he's about a six footer, about two hundred pounds, had a great career at Utah, and I think it will reflect the fact that Will Jackson's going into the final year

of his deal. They only signed Mackenzie Alexander for one They have prioritized cornerbacks high in the draft in the past. So if I can't get Queen my official prediction, I will move to my one A selection. Utah cornerback Jalen Johnson. My one a selection would be if all these linebackers get taken and quarterbacks Coultie, what if one of the better offensive tackle slides. It's it's a pretty it's a

pretty deep draft in offensive tackles. But I mean there's there's a little bit of a drop between, you know, the first handful and the next level. Um. You know, people say wills Worth, you know, the Flipplop, which one they think is number one? They've got to Becton in that in that mix, the monster out of Louisville. They have Andrew Thomas from Georgia, you know in that mix. Um to me, Johnston from USC has got tremendous movement. Jackson would be a great pass protector in the National

Football League. But I mentioned this guy, Isaiah Wilson, and I saw I think Cougar King had Isaiah Wilson in the first round. I'm not mistaken. I think I saw Isaiah Wilson at the end of the first round in Peter King's mock. Guys seven three hundred fifty pounds the other tackle at Georgia. I'm not you know, Law needs some work, but he will mull you now. He doesn't

have the movement that Jackson has. So it's like, do you want the is big behemoth out there who will you know, eclipse the sun and be hard to get around, or do you want you know, more of an athletic movement guy that isn't quite a stout. You know, it's just pick, you know, pick your poison. And I do think the Bengals covered that, you know, the big monster's guy, so Isaiah Wilson might be again, might be a little rich.

That's why I think if they can trade back guys like we're talking about, yeah, you know, could still be there and they pick up another draft pick, I think, you know, that's the home run obviously, but it takes two to tango. You have to have, you know, somebody that's willing to pull a trigger with. And I think if you trade out of the first pick in the second round, you are looking for a third round pick, so a second and a third, or maybe somebody's second

and high fourth. That would be a realistic expectation. If you give up the first pick in the second round, and that's the sweet spot of the draft. I mean this draft that I was talking to John Lynch at the Senior Bowl, And I'm like, John, you got the thirteenth pick in the draft at you know, have another

draft choice till the fifth round. And he's like, yeah, you know, we're you know, we're thinking, you know, we're going to work hard, suit we can how valuable that thirteenth pick in the first round is did There's no doubt about that. He goes, but we feel comfortable that there's a starting wide receiver for us in the fifth round.

That's how deep the wide receiver position is. They think that toward the middle of the of the you know, of the fifth round, middle toward you know, middle or back third of the first round, they can still get a starting caliber wide out. That's how much value there is every single round, you know, at the at the wide receiver position. And uh, you know that's not the I mean, it's it's it's very very deep at wide receiver, the deepest obviously, but fortunately for the Bengals, it's deep

at linebacker. It's deep at offensive tackle. There's a half a dozen cornerbacks, you know, and then it kind of drops. It's it's a questionable draft for for tight ends, defensive tackles. There are some, you know, real good ones at the top, but it's not quite as deep at the interior defensive lineman. So this draft couldn't hit the Bengals, you know, with some of their needs pretty darn well, particularly you know when you're talking about getting extra you know, second or

third or even early fourth round picks. All right, we're gonna move on to our next topic, and this is sort of along the prediction line. I want you to give me a few names for guys later in the draft that you would love to see wind up in a Bengals uniform. Here's the guy that's split up into the first round in some mock drafts. LK and Wilson. Kid that I've been talking about, saw him at the

Senior Bowl. Played at Wyoming. He was one hundred and ninety five pound wide receiver, defensive back in high school. Three year captain at Wyoming, First All American at Wyoming since like nineteen ninety seven. Very intelligent guy. We're gonna sup four to six at six two two forty five, two fifty issue. He's twenty three years old though, so you know he's he'll be twenty four shortly. He's he's not He's not you know, a kid which you can

look at as a positive and negative. He has more more years on him, obviously, but but he's mature and at the Senior Bowl then this dude was serious as a heart attack. Now. I mean he he was all business down there. I'm watching, you know, I tried to watch, not just because he can't watch, can't go in the meetings, but I'm watching guys, all right, who's gravitating to who Who's you know, Who's who's the the uh, you know, the big person personality, Who's the guy that people want

to hang with and talk football or whatever? And this guy, man, he wanted none of that stuff. I mean, he was just on time. He was the first guy there, you know, totally serious. Look, never cracked a smile. I'm here. This is a business trip, and I'm treating it as such. And man, I'll tell you what. If he's done in the third round, got gotta think about him a little bit. Um, you know, he's he's he's definitely definitely an interesting, you know,

interesting guy. Um, there's a guy that in the third round caliber player offensive lineman to play that the senior Bill Matt Kurt from Connecticut six seven, three hundred and eighteen pound guy or another you know another uh you know, uh mature guy. Um you know that. I think that that I'm not sure even third round, even with the first pick in the fourth round, he could very well be there for you, There's no question he can very

well be there, um third round. I mean if from the wide receiver position, what if a guy like Ragar or Pittman or are you what if those one of those guys is there at the very beginning of the third round as possible, because if they're a second round, you know, second round rated person, it could easily slide to the first pick of the third round. So I think,

you know, guys like that. I just really think that with the depth of some of these positions that the Bengals would have no problem taking another player at um man, They're they're in a good position there. Don't think it's going to be picking for the time one hundred players in the country the ninety seventh pick in the draft. But a guy, you know, it's interesting you look at

Logan Wilson like I was talking about. I've seen him rated as a player anywhere from twenty ninth best in the country to like in the one thirties or almost one forty because you'd swing and it's it's it's you know, it's funny how to each their own. Everybody has different opinions, and and but it only takes one you know, only takes one team to rate a kid twenty ninth best player. And if he's there at the end of the first round,

you haven't need a linebacker. You know, he could get taked, or he could be there early in the second round, or you know, uh, if it's more like people that haven't rated, uh, you know, and let's let's split the difference, haven't rated in the in the sixties or seventies, you could be there for in the third round, and it'd be a great pick in the third round. And I think that's where a guy like Logan Wilson or you know, a guy like Kurt or people like that, you know,

might be available. So I'm interested that you identified Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson and didn't mention a Keen Davis Gaither, because that's the guy who, it seems to me, pops up most often as a third round potential Bengals linebacker selection. And he's I saw him at the Senior Bowl. He was on the South team Dan and he's like he's a little laundersized and runs about like the other He's fast.

I like him. I like him a lot. I mean I could see him maybe third might be a little rich as high in the third round as they are, but if they get an additional third or that, definitely he's in the fourth round. If he's there on the fourth round, boom, no hesitation, I'm taking that kid in the fourth round, no doubt about it. All right. I'm gonna give a few names now that I would love to see wind up with the Bengals at some point later in the draft. I'll actually start with a third

round possibility. And this gets back to something you were saying. One of these highly touted widery evers that's a first round grade on somebody's board is going to be there at the top of the third round because of the depth of this year's class. And the guy that I am going to identify as a potential top of the third round wide receiver is Laviskas Chenault from Colorado. And the reason why I could see him sliding is his injury history. He was hurt at the combine. He needed

surgery after the combine. I think it was something like a sports hernia, so it's something he should bounce back from. But it's just one more factor for why he might be there at the top of the third round. So I'm going to throw out Laviska Chenault as the holy cow, that guy's still on the board selection and say that I would love to see him still there at the top of the third round. As for other guys I would love to see at some point, we're talking like

fifth to seventh round. Got a soft spot for UC tight end Josiah Deguara, having watched him play for the Bearcats. Six two, two hundred forty two pounds, so he's a little bit shorter than you would like at tight end, but he crushed at the combine. Ran a four seven forty had the sixth best forty time among the tight ends, number one of the bench press among the tight ends with twenty five reps. It's a guy that was about two hundred ten pounds when he got to UC, added

thirty five pounds during his Bearcat career. He would be great on special teams. He played special teams at UC, had more catches as a UC tight end than anybody in school history, including Travis Kelsey or a Brent Sellek. So I would love to see Josiah Deguara wind up with the Bengals late in the draft. He was Jonah Williams high school teammate in Fulsome, California, so they are fast friends. So I've got a soft spot in my

heart for Josiah Deguara. I also would love to see Michael Warren wind up with Cincinnati at the end of the draft. The great you see running back former mister football in the state of Ohio. But let me throw out one non Bearcat, and this is a guy that you would have seen at the Senior Bowl. Colorado linebacker Davian Taylor, who's a total wild card because of his family's religious beliefs. He was his family as a Seventh day Adventist. He did not basically play high school football,

then went to junior college, wound up at Colorado. Crazy athlete. Ran the one hundred and the two hundred at Colorado even though he's an undersized linebacker, then ran a four three nine at his pro day the same as Isaiah Simmons. Totally raw. Doesn't know what he's doing at this point at linebacker but he would be that to take a chance on a guy type of late draft pick. I'll tell you there are so many linebackers that can run. But chan that you mentioned another guy, are you the

same type of guy? They're they're good um run after catch receivers, so they play receiver like a running back, and I think their style of play can lead to injury, you know, because they're so physical. I mean the they basically they covered contact, you know, and the physical part of the game is is big with them. And the Bengals coached at the at the Senior Bowl like them, like them a lot, and uh, Luke Fickle came over

to see him and visit him at practice. Uh you know, when he was recruiting down there in Alabama, MIDI recruiting trip out of it to stop over and see the kid. And they love them jan Dan As you know obviously he's he's a he's a great kid. And Darren Simmons, you know, uh thought that he could obviously make an impact on special teams as well. But there are there are so many linebackers that in this year's draft that run like cornerbacks. I mean they're running the fourth three.

If you don't run if you're if you're four six or more, you're man, You're you're you're pokey. I mean, you can't run. You can't with these guys. It is unbelievable. There's a there's a kid named Gay that ran like a four you know, sub four four forty Will Gay, linebacker from Mississippi State. Yeah, that kid, he ran a four. He ran a four four six with a thirty nine and a half inch vertical leap. And this kid is you know, look you look at it and it doesn't

really translates a football player yet. He's ras rock and B. But you look at some of the physical things that these guys did, It's like, god, Lee, man, what are they eating? How are they working out? What the heck are these genetic freaks doing. It's the forty times, you know, and I know they know you can make so much

money at the combine. They have tracked coaches, you know, teaching them all if we trick of the trade, that run the best forty times they can possibly run, and the best get offf they can get for, you know, playing twenty splits and then the forty's. It's turned into a cottage industry on its own. But the fact that they can get themselves and you know, trained to be able to run like that is incomprehensible. And then you look at almost a forty inch vertical. I mean, that's

your sheer explosion. Now you have, guys, you have an offer works at three hundred and thirty. Some old pounds had a thirty six inch vertical and ran a four eight five forty Are you kidding me? That's that's ungodly. I mean that that's ridiculous. That the numbers that some of these guys put up at the combines these days, it is crazy. What was your reaction to Gronk to the Bucks? I mean not shock, miles, surprise, but when Gronk had that emotional presser where he said, you know, um,

I was losing the joy in my life. Bottom line is here here, here's here's in the nutshell. In my opinion, Bill Belichick grinds you to dust and you can you go, and Bill Belichick will always have player they want to go to the winning because they want to win a Super Bowl. But staying there for Gronk was there for nine years, Brady for twenty. Brady is the most mentally tough guy. I think there isn't the history of the world for him to put up with Bill Belichick for

twenty years, nine super bowls, win six of them. You know, Gronk won a bunch of Super Bowls as well. You pay a serious price, though, at some point in time, even winning super Bowls becomes, oh my god, this is dredgery, this is this is no fun. And Gronk's whole thing at that press was, you know, I just I'm struggling. He was almost crying. He was almost tears, and I

don't have a joy in life that I need. Bottom line is, as it turned out, he had just burnt out mentally with the grind of Bill Belichick, and he physically felt like he could still, you know, get it done. I heard he's already back up to about two sixty, had lost a ton of weight. He's back up to about two sixty and uh, you know, I'm sure he'll be a situational guy down red zone. Um, you know those types of things. I don't think they're gonna grind

him like the like the Patriots did. But Dan, when he was playing, even even the last the last season he played, his numbers were down in terms of but he was like a third tackle, the best blocking tight end in football. So I mean, the guy is a complete player. Does he have anything after being off for the amount of time? Is his body recovered or is it where it's well, that's too much, Like I'm not gonna be able to get back to the level of play that I was able to play out. I mean

that's the big question. You know, Brady and Rock, it's gonna be a you know, a side show down there in U in Tampa Bay with Bruce arians allowing Ron to eat Rock. And that's gonna be matrid. You know, that's gonna be a Matriot Garden reality TV deal down there. Um. And I think that's the reason he's gonna do it. Is the antithesis of Bill Belichick is Bruce arians Ea likes is fun. PA's gonna be Pa is going to

have a good time. He's gonna have himself an adult beverage, is going to have his He's gonna kick back and relax. I mean, and he's gonna he's gonna have a different relationship with as players. It's not gonna be drudgery. It's gonna be fun. And I think that's a big thing I think that's Grady and Cronk. I think that's what they're both looking for at this stage of their careers. Could guys have played ten to twenty years for Forrest Greg, Oh yeah, that's that's that's a very that was a

meat grinder, you know. And with collective bargaining, the union being so much stronger, and um, you know, the safety is a supposed priority of players. Uh, Forrest, Greg would have to adapt to today's football. I mean the training camps we have, the forest, Greg, mana chevits Now, you slept well at night, you know, you woke up from morning swamp. You slept well at night. I'm telling you that.

And uh, you know you started training camp but a little over sixty four and finished at about sixty three. You're looking so much he netcut shortened, you know. I mean it was one of one of those kinds of deals. But again, you know, Lombardi he had credibility with us because he did everything Lombardi asked him, and Lobarti asked him to do every bit that he was asking us

to do, and maybe even more so. But the bottom line is, I'm not sure there's I don't think there's any way you could play twenty years with that type of pace, you know, that type of a pounding and a grinding that went on physically, that if you made ten there was a big deal. Twenty would have been like, are you kidding me? That's incomprehensible. All right. I don't know about you, but I am really excited about this draft.

I'm always excited about the draft. I love it. I love reading about these guys in the days leading up to it. But we are so starved for some sort of live sporting event right now. I just think it's going to be awesome to watch. I do too, you know, I think that, like we were talking about, you know, almost kiddingly, they could have made an exception this year and done an entire week and had each round you know, take and probably less time round one, you know, maybe

the first three rounds two hour shows. Maybe give each team ten minutes for each pick, so the networks could run all every all kinds of things about every player that they could run and have the country just absorb, you know, every story. And there's there's some amazing stories, you know. I mean, it's it's incredible every year, not just from football standpoint, but what these guys you know, had to be exposed to, uh, you know, in their lives.

I mean some of the some of the things that some of these players had to overcome, you know, Uh Murray for example, the linebacker from Oklahoma. UM. They saying that at the UH when he interviews with people, it's the best they've ever been around. Multiple teams have said that. I mean, he's got he's got three special needs siblings. He helps his parents with three special needs siblings growing

up his whole life. You know, stories like that. It's like, man, So I think they could have They could have made the draft probably you know, the first three three rounds two hours and then an hour each from that point forward to finish it off, and would have had huge numbers. Seven million people watched the Last Dance, the first episode of Last Dance. What kind of numbers is the draft going to get? The live draft? What kind of numbers?

It's going to be crazy? It definitely will be. And let the record show that if the Bengals select Jordan Brooks, linebacker out of Texas Tech, and round two, Dave Lapham's legend will grow. Well. I honestly, I hope Queen's there because I'd like to select him. That's kind of what happened last year. As I recall, you had predicted that Andre Dillard would be their first round pick, but you said, if Jonah Williams is there, you didn't expect him to be, but if he was there, the Bengals would run to

the podium to make the selection. And that's basically how it played out right right, And that you know, I think I do think that you know, Queen Is is somebody that you have to you have to give high regard this another guy. These guys run like deers. I'm telling you though, the more you watch Chase and you know, I know, I know it's a clear cut situation. You know, with the Washington Redskins, you know I would not There's

no way they're not taking Chase Young. That this guy is like a you know, it's like a superhero physically, I mean, it's gets ridiculous. Chase on No. I telling you, now, this guy can pass rush and the thing that he can do when he gets the edge, he can almost put his right shoulder when he dips, you know, to the quarterback or his left shoulders. He's rushing them from right end and they have to, you know, dip and bend. This guy bends, I'm telling you, Ben, his elbows almost

on the ground. His shoulders looks like it's almost like a foot and a half two feet off the ground. The dude can bend like like Gumby. It's the athletes in the physical abilities of these athletes on a on a year by year basis is confounding and astounding. All right, we'll be doing videos for the Bengals website night after the pick start rolling in, so looking forward to getting your thoughts on the guys they ultimately wind up selecting. Same here. Dan looks forward to it as well. It'll

be a lot of fun to the draft. Couldn't come at a better time, because Ben, I've had enough these groundhog days, you know, every day being almost to say it's how how can you change it up? Well, the draft will change it up, so Thursday, Friday, Saturday won't be quite like the groundhog days of the last month or so. And we invite you to frequently check Bengals

dot com throughout the draft. Lap and I will be joined by Bengals dot Com editor Jeff Hobson for video recaps every day and we'll post a new in depth podcast after the draft is completed. The Bengals only have one first ground draft pick this year, at least so far, but when they take the field this season, it's going to feel like they have two. That's because their number one pick from last year, Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams, fine he gets to play after missing his entire rookie

season due to injury. I spoke to Jonah on Wednesday. The Bengals will be adding two first round draft picks this year, and no, I am not breaking news about an upcoming trade, and Joe Burrow will be one and offensive lineman Jonah Williams will be the other, the first offensive lineman picked in last year's draft, number eleven overall, who unfortunately could not play last year due to a shoulder injury. Jonah, thanks for joining me. Let's start with

the obvious. How is the shoulder. It's great, It's really good. You know, unfortunate what happened, and you know, it sucks, but I'm trying to make the most of it. And I've been feeling, you know, pretty much one hundred percent since the very beginning off seasons, so haven't had any hitches with my training and just just continuing to you know, try to get better and feel better than I was even before any of this happened. If and when some

sort of team training begins ends, will you face any limitations. No, I'm one hundred percent go to go. That is great news for you and the Bengals and Bengals fans. Jonah. Right now, guys have to be creative when it comes to training. And I saw a video recently if you pushing a truck, tell me about that workout. Oh, it's funny because, uh, you know, obviously with with what's going on, you know, the a lot of gyms are clothes and

everything's just kind of kind of weird. And so some of my my other old lineman buddies um started pushing, you know, trucks. My friend jac Hastenaur was pushing trucks in Minnesota to get a little bit of work in. And then one of our other friends there's like a skinny guy was pushing the tahoe and he challenged me and I'm like, I can't let you know, the skinny

guy push the car and I don't do it. You know, I gotta I gotta rise to the challenge, So, uh yeah, I pushed the truck around a little bit, and you know, I felt like football for your second Jonah, when you were twelve or thirteen years old, you started building a weight room and your parents' basement. So I think you are uniquely qualified to be resourceful when it comes to finding ways to train. Yeah, i'd like to think. So,

I think it's paying off. What else can you do right now in terms of studying, game, film, training, et cetera, everything that you would normally be doing this time of the year. What can you do well? The goals, you know, to make everything as normal as possible. I think me and most football players are people who kind of thrive with a routine and a schedule and some structure. And so you know, we're starting this virtual this virtual period next week we will be doing you know, zoom meetings

and that type of thing. And just received my iPad earlier and they're going to start pushing film and playbooks and all that to it. So kind of the goal for me is to you know, obviously I'm not physically in that setting, but I think it works best my brain to treat it like, all right, this is my work day. You know, I'm and do my physical exercise training drills, everything I can do, and then study my film playbooks kind of get into all that. So, you know,

just trying to make everything smooth. Whenever we do go back, it's a it's a smooth transition that doesn't feel like, you know, a jarring change or anything. We are visiting with the first offensive lemon picked in last year's draft, Jonah Williams. The anticipation is you'll be able to step right in and play left tackle this year. Are there any uncertainties in your mind about your ability to step right in and do that after missing last season? No,

I mean I feel good. I appreciate, you know, the coach's confidence in me, you know, to to allow me to go compete for that role. But I feel great, and honestly, I feel I feel better than I did before before any's injuries and stuff, just because you know, it's not college anymore. We're not training to run forties and do all those drills and stuff like that, all the kind of non football stuff, like just every hour of every day has been dedicated to a rehabing the shoulder,

getting that right. And then now that that's one hundred percent has been for a few months. It's just all about, you know, taking care of my body. I've been working on flexibility, moving and all that stuff on top of obviously strength, and so I feel like I'm moving better, i feel quicker, more athletic, and that's kind of the feedback I'm getting from the people I'm working with too, So, you know, a full confidence. I could have done it last year, but I feel I feel better and I

was last year for sure. Janah, you were in every meeting last year and you practiced on a limited basis in December. How much did that help? It helped a lot. I mean, obviously it's it's tough, and it was hard going to work every day and just feeling like you're kind of letting people down or disappointing. It's, you know, just the situation that's out of my control, you know, which isn't which was an ideal, But I you know,

my goal was to make the most of it. And you know, I think the coaches were great and letting me come to every meeting and you know, spending some time with them outside of that too, just like you know, continuing to invest in me even though I couldn't perform for them last year. So I mean, I feel like, despite having not played, I feel like kind of the wurky seasons out of the way. I know what the

NFL's like, I know what to expect. I know kind of the level of professionalism that's expected, something really comfortable in. And so I think that, yeah, you know, going back, it's going to feel like I have a little bit of experience. And obviously you know that'll change as I start to actually take game reps and all that. But I do feel like kind of that that novelty has kind of gone, and it's it's a it's just you know,

work in business. We are visiting with Jonah Williams. It's been a very eventful offseason for the Bengals, and that's before we get to the selection of Joe Burrow and the other players that the Bengals wind up taking. This weekend, they signed eight unrestricted free agents. They spent more than one hundred and thirty million dollars, including the addition of a potential start around the offensive line and Xavier Sue of Philo. What was your reaction as those names kept

rolling in. It's exciting. I mean, I think there's a lot of there's a lot of new blood in the building. You know, obviously the new coaching staff coming in. Have a lot of faith in them, Um, and I have a lot of faith in the vets that are here and that are staying. And you know, the guys that were bringing in all seem like great players. I'm looking forward to get and know him and you know, UM getting on his teammates and friends and all that. So,

you know, it's exciting. I think that it's just I don't know, I mean, it's it's it's always exciting to come to work and to come play the sport. But when you have all this new blood and all this new new talent around you, you know, you kind of want to you kind of want to try out the new toys. Joe. It's no secret at this point that the Bengals are going to select Joe Burrow number one

in the NFL Draft. You faced him a couple of years ago when you were at Alabama and he was just getting started at LSU, and it did not go particularly well for Joe in that game. That Crimson Tide shut him out. But then this year in Tuscaloosa, Burrow and the Tigers put forty six points on the board, which doesn't happen to Alabama period very often, especially at home. You're an SEC guy, I imagine you were watching. What are your thoughts on your future teammate and quarterback Joe Burrow.

I mean, yeah, it was pretty incredible what he was able to do the whole season. And I think that, you know, obviously else he's always been a great team and they're always a challenge for us, but you know that challenge was never offensively, you know, that wasn't really

what else he was known for. Their great defense, you know, just being a physical, mauling team, and so what they're able to do this year, obviously beating US at Alabama, all the other big games they won, and how they perform in the playoffs and stuff like that, and it

was it was impressive. And honestly, you know, I feel like there's always kind of I always felt I was like, well, you know, they're great, but maybe someone will stop them, you know, like just wait till they play so and so, and then they just kept doing they just kept winning. I think it says a lot about that team, their coaches, and obviously what Joe was doing at quarter back. So yeah, I mean it's I haven't really seen a better, uh college season from a quarterback than that. So that was

pretty impressive. Did you watch the semi final win over Oklahoma winning through seven touchdown passes in the first half, and then the national championship game against Clemson and think, huh, this guy might work on our team. Yeah, I mean, it's it was incredible he was able to do. And um, yeah, Clemson's obviously a great defensive team. That the team that we faced and a couple of times and there were

always a great defense. And you know, I think that they came out hot and unless you kind of struggled on their first drive maybe two driss so and then all of a sudden they just started clicking and you know, it just looked like no one could stop them. So really really impressive what they did. Are there any former Alabama teammates that you are hoping will wind up in Cincinnati? Yeah, I'd take any of them. You know, they're all great guys.

I'll do to you know, obviously, I think you're are great football players, and you know, obviously it's to the coaches what they think our team meets are. But you know, Hopefully, if they're picking between Alabama guy and an Alabama guy, they'll take the Alabama guy. Well done. I have an opportunity earlier today to speak to your former high school teammate, former UC tight end Josiah Deguara, as he prepares for the NFL Draft. What do you think of his NFL prospects.

I think he's great. I mean, he's he's an incredible player. He was in high school and he wasn't Cincinnati. UM, so you know, I was kind of like joking with him during the season. I'm like, dude, you gotta you know, you gotta come down and play with us next year, Like he gotta, um come join the team. I think he's a He's a great tight end, really versatile guy. He's physical, so he can play h or y or wherever anyone wants to put him. Um, good hands, all

that stuff, everything you want to see from the tight end. UM. So I think, you know, whatever team gets him is going to get a hell of a player. And you know, I hope it's us, but I don't really gonna say. Jone, Let's turn the clock back one year when you walked up on that stage, shook Roger Goodell's hand got the Bengals number one Jersey. What are your most vivid memories

of your draft experience? It was just pure you know, excitement, like just an awesome feeling sitting there and you know, getting the getting the phone call off from the five one three number, you know, and when the Bengals were on the clock and talking to a coach Taylor and coach Turner and everyone, and obviously an old experience, it just kind of feels like a blur, you know, kind

of like a dream. Um. But yeah, I mean it's it's a reminder I guess of it coming around of like how grateful I am for for the opportunity that they gave me and obviously wasn't able to really capitalize on it with what happened with my shoulder and OTAs. So I think that you know, just that reminder plus like my excitement and everything everything that's been going on, just like how eager I am to get back and get to work, and um, kind of prove that they

made the right decision. I don't think anybody has a doubt that they did make the right decision and that you are going to have a great NFL career. I appreciate your time today. Stay safe when you push those trucks, be careful with your back, and when we're all allowed to be back together again, we look forward to seeing you here in Cincinnati. I appreciate that. Thanks for having me.

That's going to do it for this episode of The Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you by Prime Sport, the official fan, travel and hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe, and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde, and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast