On today's episode of Tickel the Draft Podcast, we talked about what does it mean to be impressive as a rookie at training camp? Lots of good insight there, what positions are the most interesting competition, what's making us raise our eyebrows? Man like the rock? We gotta find out and what does it mean? What do we want to see from a joint practice and our first preseason game. That all starts right now. Welcome to Ticket to the Draft Podcast. I'm Logan Paulson here with jes the Guy Jason,
and we had our first day in pads. Jason incredibly exciting.
Super exciting. I love football and so being out here at training camp. The pads are on. London Fletcher was here today.
Getting me juice. Get juice. Now.
So he starts, what you notice his posture changes.
It's like he's an awsome.
A little different.
Yeah.
Yeah, and you can see him too.
Fans, fans, We're going to see him Command Center live.
One of the things that I love about watching training camp is I get to walk up next to you and ask you, Hey, what are they doing out here? I get to talk to London Fletcher, Hey, what is this drill mean? How are we implementing this? I get to ask Fred.
Well, but he's always good for a life, He's always.
Good for a laugh, right, But there are you guys are so insightful about what we're actually seeing and how it applies to football evaluation for this team that we said, you know what, let's set up a camera at training camp show the field. Have you guys commentated?
Yeah?
No, absolutely, And that's what we do and we do it live. So if you can't make it out here to training camp as a fan, which you definitely should try to. The atmosphere is electric. But if you can't, our YouTube Facebook on x we are live from training camp and get to watch you guys commentate what's going on. Get to watch Jade and Daniels.
Yeah, it's been awesome. Again, just kind of like a little peek behind the curt here to see how detail oriented this staff has been, how the individual drills have gone, like the things they're focusing, the things they're coaching. It just it just it feels everything feel so exciting and new, and you know, we want to share that with you guys to make sure you check that out.
There is a different vibe, right, that's what the kids say these days, the vibe, there's a different aura, a different vibe. There is something about the urgency of practice. There's just there's something, there's something in the air, and it's it feels great. When you're out here, you'll feel it and hopefully it comes across on Command Center Live
as well. But Logan, I wanted to ask you a question because we were talking about rookies here, right, So with the vibe, with the aura, with the energy, how do you stand out as a rookie? What does it mean to be impressive as a rookie at training camp?
Because you did this?
Yeah, yeah, you have to stand out here rookie here. So how did you do that? And how are you looking at rookies out there on the field today and saying like, oh.
All right, you got a chance here and we're yeah. So I think the thing that I'm looking for with rookies is are they consistent? I think that's the number one thing is are they consistent? Do they come out, are they out here early? Are they staying a little bit later? Are they working their craft? Because that informs a type of professionalism that I think is important to this staff. Right. And then in conjunction with that, like, you know, how do you handle the mental load, the
mental stress of each day. I think, Dan, this is a little bit of a side is done a great job of scheduling training camp to allow these guys to be the most effective, which is awesome. But that's the first thing. Can the coaches trust you and you show that by taking what you learn in the classroom to the field. And so we have a hard time telling that exactly. But there are certain things right you know, our coach is yelling at guys. Are you having to
get re lined up? Are they disappointed with how you fit or communicated a certain play? All those things around the table, And then I think the other thing is you need to see a certain level of playmaking ability. Like I go back to when I played in San Francisco with George Kittle, and so George was hurt for most of training camp and I'm like, this guy's a fifth round pick. He's been hurt the whole time. There's no way this dude makes the team. And the first
day comes out to practice, what does he do. He mosses a safety for a touchdown. I was like, Okay, that's pretty good. The next play's in pancakes the outside linebacker. I was like, oh, that's pretty good. And then the third play is in he catches a drag rout across the middle field and runs eighty yards for a touchdown. So I'm like, guys probably making the team, you know
what I'm saying, Guys probably making the team. So I think like that level of playmaking is important, and handling the mental and the mental nuance that comes with each and every day.
Yeah, and I'm going to offer something that is not based in anything. It's just words, but it's body lingk right, Like you can't quantify that in any way. That's not based in any analytics, and there is actually no football IQ needed to see any of that. But it's how are players handling stuff when they make a play? How are they reacting when they don't make a play, How
are they reacting? How are coaches reacting? That doesn't necessarily mean as a coach yelling at a guy, because sometimes coaches yell at guys that are going to make the team because they're trying to motivate them. At Gurgem everybody responds differently to different type of coaching.
So but it is there.
Is something about, Okay, I didn't make this play, but my head's up. I'm running back into the muddle. I'm ready for the next one. Okay, here we go, right, and I'm going to make the next play versus, oh no, I didn't make the play. Head down, slunking over, walking back slow, you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, absolutely, And I think the other thing that comes out is I was just thinking, not about the rookies, but a couple of these young wide receivers and there's a guy that's having hard time catching the football, but there's also a guy who catches the ball every single time it's thrown to him. And if you're at practice and you're watching that, you'll get a feel for that. Over the course of the day. It's like, Oh, this guy is maybe not the most flashy guy, maybe he's
not being loud and crazy, but he's been consistent. And I think if you're here and you're kind of keeping track of people catching football's right, keep track of that because that stuff is usually pretty indicative. I'll tell you, i'ving been out here a couple of days of the whole you.
Know, Yeah, and it skews all the noise if you hear that over the mics. We are out here in the heat at the at the practice. They're tightening up the field.
They're making it nice in that field over there, that little turf field, they're digging that sucker up. You've got to come out to practice and see all the new stuff.
It's new. They are building from the ground up here, and that means the infrastructure as well. One more question before we go. When we look at the practice, when we watch a practice, when fans come out and see training camp, we're only seeing twenty five percent of what's evaluated. That's a number I made up. Maybe that's true, maybe that isn't. But DQ talked about this in one of his pressers. They come in, they have meetings, then they go out, they try and implement what they had in
their meeting out in practice. Then they go back and they review it, and then they install something else at the end of the day, the next install and then they come back the next day they look at that
insul then they go out and they practice it. So practice out on the field, actually in pads moving around is a very small percentage of what is going into this team, and we are not seeing what a lot of these rookies are doing off this field, So how do we evaluate as fans, how are rookies doing versus maybe inside the building.
Yeah, I think that's a really good question. And I think you know, Dan and today today is press conference brought up the quarterback room, and that's obviously a room a group that is very like mentally demanding, right, But what he said is like, you know, the question was regarding like how many guys are you going to keep, you know, and Dan's like, you know, because Sam Hartman hasn't begin a lot of throws. And Dan was like, you know, well, the evaluation process for our guys is
more comprehensive than that. We want to know. We want to see guys that are good in the room, that can develop, that are put in the extra time. And when you look at Sam Hartman in conjunction with those comments, you say, he's a guy that's obviously doing a good job in there. Because Dan made it an endpoint of the meeting saying or in the press of the day saying, hey, this is a guy that you know might not be get a lot opportunities, but he's maximizing his opportunity in
the building, right, great. And then he's a guy that, in conjunction with some other rookies, you stay in after practice every single day to throw. So he's not getting throws in practice, but he's making sure he's maximizing his time. So if I'm looking at a guy that I think could be developmental, he's done a great job in the
meetings with that stuff you just talked about. He's done a great job in the field being a pro and saying i might not begetting the reps in practice, but I'm going to make sure I'm ready when my opportunity comes. And we were talking about this the other day, like when he's been in there for probably ten reps all of training camp so far, and three of them have been like big time throws, Like he's found open guys down the field, and again he's working with the threes,
but maximizing your opportunity. So again, like Dan saying that kind of revealing what's going on in there with him, seeing him put that extra work out on the field, that all kind of coalesces and orbits this idea that yes, practice is important, but like how are you as a student, how are you as a teammate, how are you as a pro, and that a lot of that is revealed in the media room, not on the practice field.
Yeah, Sam doesn't get a lot of throws in practice. That doesn't mean he's not going to make this team. Yeah, but they were running a two minute drill fifty yard plus that's what it was. And he comes in, this is his only series.
He's going to get it.
This first throw thirty yards down the sideline, beautiful, right, just hey, I'm not going to get many opportunities. Let it rip. And it was a perfect pass. And again, that doesn't mean he's gonna make the team. It doesn't mean he's not gonna make the team because he's not getting those reps. There's a lot that goes into it. But it is cool to see that, right, like to see rookies when they get their number called, going out
there and making the play. So let's move on to the notion of winning jobs, because that's what all these rookies are trying to do. They're trying to win jobs. Now, it is way too early for us to be saying who's gonna make the team who isn't. That's not what I mean by winning jobs. As a guy who's done, who did this for attend years in the league of like, I need to come out to camp and I need to make sure that I am on this team. That's what I mean. What are you looking for from that?
What these guys got to do? And what are you seeing out at camp where it's like, Okay, these guys are there's a competition here right there. They're going to make it difficult because good teams cut good players, right, and that's what we want here. We want good players to be cut. Not necessarily we want them to be cut. I don't personally you want that, but I want the competition, the talent level to be so high here in Washington you're gonna have to let somebody go that's a good player.
So what are some of the positions that you're seeing? Man, there's some good competition here. It's gonna be tough, tough sledding for coaches. I had with trying to figure out who makes this team.
I think the number one spot probably is the defensive back group. I think those guys have just been kind of the next level, you know what I mean. In terms of expectations. You mentioned Tyler Owens, like he's had a great camp so far, but like does he make the team, and so you know, it's just the competition there is crazy. And what I'd say, what you need to see from those guys is a level of consistency
and a certain level of playmaking ability. Right. So, because we've been talking about Tyler Owens, to just sit on him for a second, like you see him flash right and again, that level of consistency day in and day out. It's important. But in order for him to kind of say I deserve to make this and take this and this to be my job where I need to be in this six man rotation of dimes, strong safety, free safety, maybe a Buffalo Nickel type role. I started, I need
to start making more plays consistently. Right, So like today with that Kasmaran thing, that ball's got to come out, even though it's a great play, get that ball out right, and then all of a sudden it's like, Okay, he's playing big boy football. He moves with the twos, he's getting more reps. And I think that that's ultimately what you want to see. What you want to see in
terms of kind of differentiating yourself, it's making plays. It's the consistency and the mental kind of grind, you know, like when you're watching like Ben Sinnett, you know, like they got him playing fullback, they got him playing tight end, they got him playing a wing. He's playing in the slot. Can he balance all those plates? And so far, so good, And he hasn't really had a ton of mental mistakes as far as I can tell. They're not barking at Ben to get back in the huddle or he's misaligned,
like he's doing what he's supposed to do. So it's the mental consistency. It's throwing in enough plays to kind of show you belong and then not being afraid on a day like today with the pads on of the physicality, and I think all those things are kind of hard to evaluate and hard to juggle. Like I want to talk about Mike Sam but I haven't. He hasn't stood
out to me. And that doesn't mean he's doing a bad job, right because like when I've seen him, like when they're doing punt return drills, I'm like, there's no quicker human alive than him, right, Or when they're doing dB runfit drills over with the defense and you're watching him, you're like, man, like, look how quickly he's able to
fit that gap. I haven't seen him in team because our angles all crazy are all off to the side, So it's hard to kind of account for every position because you're watching the offense some plays, you're watching the defense some plays. I want to talk about him more in terms of his ability to win a starting job. I can say from what I've seen, he's done a
good job. But it's that's the that's the challenge for us in terms of evaluating this is like we don't get the play to play, the down to down kind of look at these guys that the coaches do.
What are you seeing out there that's making you raise an eyebrown? Oh okay, like not a negative play and they're like, ah, like the rock right yeah, when like, yeah, I smell what you're cooking there? Yeah, what are you seeing out there where it's like you maybe didn't expect this out of them, or like they're coming in here and they're doing something that's a little unique to you and it's like, oh man, that's exciting for this rookie.
Yeah, I think it's It kind of depends on the position obviously, but obviously I got to start with like kind of the big dog, the elephant of the room, and that's Jadeen Daniels. You know, every time he's throwing the football, he's got great touch on the ball, his feet, his playmaking ability. We talked about that, the consistency. It never feels like it's too big for him. Like all those things we just talked about in terms of winning the job. He does that. So you know, the every
day he's been pretty on it right. You know, there's days that are a minuses, there's days that are c pluses, but he's kind of right in that positive variance, which you love to see. You see the physical talent, he see his ability to make plays, and you see the fact that despite all the speed and all the physicality, he's not overly flustered. So he's a guy that to me, every time he's out there, I'm not saying it's must see TV, but he just consistently makes the right decision.
And I love when I see Cliff kind of putting a little fairy dust on a play. We got a little something going on shift different person or whatever it is, and Jayden knows exactly what Cliff's trying to get out of that and where the ball needs to go. And I'm just like, that's a mature, competent football player. So to me, that gives me a big eyebrow raise from the rock, you know what I'm saying, Like that gets me pretty excited.
So yeah, and I mean the millions and millions of LSU fans, that's a rock reference. We're not wrong when they said this guy has it, like we're starting to see it here. And so you hear this sometimes when you have a rookie come in. It's not just quarterbacks, but yeah, it applies mostly to quarterbacks. Says, Oh, it takes them a little bit, like you see, it takes them a little bit get used to the speed. And that may very well be true for Jaden, but it
doesn't look like it. He's out there with some veterans that are on this team and he doesn't look like he is processing any slower or moving any slower. And for a rookie coming right in, that's exciting. I hope that that stays through the joint practice and through preseason. And obviously he is a rookie. There are going to be growing pains, but you expect certain things in training camp out of the gate with a rookie quarterback. You're kind of ingrained to be like they're gonna it's gonna
take him a little bit. It just doesn't look like it's taken him a little bit. It looks like he's hit the ground running. Let's move on real quick.
Here.
Two joint practices, IDJ just reference the next time we come on, we'll probably be after that first preseason game against the New York Jets. So what would you want to see in a joint practice? Why is a joint practice for rookies It's more important than training camp a regular training camp practice because everybody says, these joint practices, that's where you get that's where you really get some evaluation.
And I'm really glad you brought that up, Jason, because like the thing about joint practice is like think about regular practice, is you've been working with the same guys, right, same guys for all of Otier's, all of mini camp, all of training camp, and as a former player, you develop a feel for that guy. You understand what he wants to do, he knows what you want to do, and that hyper competitiveness is good for you, but it also is comfortable because you're like, I know, this defense.
I know when he lines up like this, he's stunning across my face. I know when he's tight like this, he's doing it as a false read because he wants me to step tight like I know that about him as a person. And it's because you get so many reps with the same guys, and so one of the things we just talked about in terms of, you know, like what does it take to win a position or what do you want to see from a rookie? In terms of that, what is the word I'm looking for
that consistency day in and day out. Is what happens when we change the paradigm, right, what happens when we're playing a different defense. Can you take what we've learned in the classroom and apply it to the field. Can you take what you've learned in the classroom and the techniques we've learned over the last three months and apply it to this new personnel? Or you know, does Brandon Coleman go out there and lose his mind when he sees you know, Hassan Reddick rushing the passer for example,
It's going to be stressful for him. It's going to be a different personnel, But it does does he just kind of sit in and say I got this, I be here, I belong or does he kind of panic And you see a lot of rookies. You know, I went through this in my first couple of joint practices where you're like you get almost panicked because you're like, I have to do something different, I have to try harder. But it's like, no, you have to go the other way.
You have to kind of tighten it up, Tighten the screws, tighten the technique, tighten the focus. And that's that's, to me, is the sign of a true professional. And I think it's a really good indicator in this joint practice of saying, you're a good player versus our guys every single day,
but are you good enough to play NFL football? And I think this is a really good gauge of that because it's like, all of a sudden, everything is a little bit different, and if you can handle that change, you're in a good spot.
How does that bleed then into the preseason game, because that's what we're going to get to see as fans. We don't get to see that joint practice, we'll hear a little bit out of it. The rumors and whatnot, but we'll actually see it on that game on Saturday. So what do we look for in the preseason game to kind of like give us how a rookie has progressed from the joint practices to that.
Well, I think that's again, this used to be the only thing we had, right, joint practices weren't as popular, and obviously they've become more popular in recent years, and rightfully so, because you're trying to protect your quarterback, you're trying to keep people safe. But I think the preseason is a great indicator of that because it's the same thing we just talked about, but a different a different
set of clothes. Right they you know, you got to put your uniform now, you got to walk out to the field, you got to do your warm up, you're on TV. Now, you're with a new you're in a new environment. They're in a new environment. And again it's really simple, but can you handle that uptick and stress? And there are guys that handle it beautifully and their gamers and they look better than you ever thought they would on the you know, based on what they did
in practice, that's awesome. And other guys they they shrivel up and they die in that kind of environment. So I think it's that. I think it's the other the same thing you get from joint practice and the difference in competition also, So I think the joint practice is important because teams are going to show they're going to do more to flush you. From a technical standpoint, You're going to get to see more of the Jets offense
or defense. And as a rookie, like, how do I handle Like if I'm Mike sander Still and I'm the nickel player and we've got a tight bunch and they motion to it, do I know my checks versus that? You know, It's not like I've been here out you know with Cliff and I've got the script that I'm really ready to go. It's like I'm playing a game and it's lets me see, I don't get that kind of stress. I get the stress of Ron TV. It's a game, Like do I still think clearly and make plays when I have to?
Yeah, I would say watch special teams preseason like that. That's going to be where you find out as a as a fan, what the coaching staff is going to be thinking when it comes to the bottom of the roster. When you start getting close to that fifty three man, whoever is running out there on special teams, that's big.
Yeah, that's real big.
So see who's running out there on special teams, and if they're making plays on special teams consistently, that's a good indication that they may make this team.
I think that's one hundred percent right. And you know, it's something we talked about on our Command Center podcast when we were first day of training camp. It's like, it's really not the sixth wide receiver eth versus the fifth wide receiver. It's the fifth and sixth wide receiver versus the fourth tight end, the third running back, the
sixth linebacker, the seventh defensive end. Like all those guys are competing for those special team snaps, and whoever comes out there and does a good job and is that dog like, they're going to make the team. And so if you're looking for a depth chart, obviously look at the ones and the twos and how they tried out there. But look at that first the ones kickoff, right, is your favorite rookie on that team? Yes, then it's a
good chance they're going to make the fifty three. And obviously as the preseason goes on, there's a lot of time, right, a lot of time to kind of hiccup or accelerate or whatever. So it's not the end all be all, but it's a pretty good indication of the pulse in the direction the coaches are thinking.
Yeah, I like Tyler Owens a lot, just from what I've seen here in training camp. You had a really good day the other day. You could tell you had a good day because of body language. Making plays doesn't guarantee he's going to make this team. So I am very interested to see specialty against New York Jets. When we see that on Saturday. I'm going to keep my eye out for him, and I hope he makes some place and I hope that all this that we've been seeing out here translates over there for him that in
that vein this is not on the sheet. Give me one rookie you're looking for the scene in the preseason game.
Gosh, I think there's kind of can we tear this out? Can we do like different levels?
Of course.
Yeah, So obviously Jayden Daniels in the preseason game, if he does play, what does he look like? You know, again, we've seen him every day in practice. Does that carry over if he goes this franchise goes, So obviously that's a big one for me. The Ben Sinnat thing I think is fast Ben Sinnett thing, excuse me, is fascinanding because it's like, how are they going to use him? And they're not going to show too much in the preseason, but like, where is he lining up? How does he
catch the football? Does he get some opportunities in the past game. Luke McCaffrey kind of in that same note, he's been a little bit quiet out here. I love watching him practice. I love the intention, I love the focus, I love the physicality. I just want to see him catching footballs, you know, and he had hasn't done that at a super It's not that he has that he's dropping balls, just isn't a lot of opportunities and sometimes that's how practice goes. So does that change once we get
into joint practice in preseason? And obviously, again the Brandon Coleman thing, if he does play, is he the Brandon Coleman we saw today or is he the Brandon Coleman from the first week of mini camp and OTAs like he has he shown that maturation. So that's kind of again, all those guys are probably making the team. That's a want to cluster them kind of by themselves. In terms of that next group of guys, I'm how do they use Dominie Campton, Is Tyler Owens playing teams? Is NORL
Powell the defensive tackle? Does he flash with some pass rush juice? Does he cover kicks? I mean that's something they were messing around with him. So if he's covering kicks, like obviously, they're trying to find a way to justify
him making the roster. And then those two young running backs, I think are two other guys that have kind of circled that and for whatever reason, every preseason one of those UDFA running backs makes a splash and ends up kind of making waves to either make the practice squad or make a blate push for the roster. So those are some guys. And then chinogier A Newsium is a guy that has just the quarterback from Caliro State, his physicality,
his speed. He's been a little bit banged up the past couple of days, but I want to see him out there because he's a guy that during the off season process, well, I was just like, dude, this guy looks like a guy and he hasn't been playing because of the injury, but if he can, that'd be awesome and I think that'd be cool. And then one more guy, because I know we just lifted off like twelve people. Is Jordan McGee the linebacker? Because again they're moving him
all over the front right now, that's Tanna's gag. Yeah, can we get a Can he find a consistent home and make some football plays because that would be pretty fantastic.
I'm so excited for football to be back. I can't wait to see actual football to my TV. I wish we could see the joint practices because really we could maybe get more out of that than these preseason games these days. But I'm yeah, I'm super excited. Like you said, Jade and Daniels, Right, that's the guy, that's the guy. You want to see him. You want to see him do well. So Logan, thanks so much for being a
party to take to the draft. We'll be back after that first preseason game, right yeah, all right, lock it in, h