Steve and Paige Dimakos Break Down the 2021 NFL Draft

um do my own thing today. So have the opportunity to work with a past guest, page Demacos on football. We're just breaking down some of the pre draft and some of the outstanding quarterbacks that are heading into the draft, and then also obviously easy talking about some wide receivers and dabbling in the DBS. So I hope you enjoy uh the pre draft slash, free agency slash heading into the off season. We cut to it Steve Smith Sr.

And Gerard Little John. But Gerard has allowed me to stare the ship solo today, so I hope you enjoy it. Appreciate it. God bless man. It's it's the time of the year where everybody starts to question quarterback one. It's my favorite time of the year where everybody starts to manufacture storylines about why, uh, insert quarterback is not going to be QB one. So I know that it's officially draft season because that started recently. Do you know why

that is so much manufactured information? Specially with why especially with quarterbacks. I think the reality is fans care about that position so much, right, so when you're talking about it's, it's a it's it's such a polarizing discussion points, so people are so int sit in it. And then on top of that, obviously, when you're evaluating a prospect, you

can do your best, but there's no sure thing. Right as much as we want to say Trevor Lawrence is a absolute sure thing, you can't actually quantify that because everything that happens in the NFL. Yes, he can have unbelievable traits, great arm, great accuracy, But if he goes to the wrong system or Urban Meyer ends up failing as a coach, that might be more on the system and less about the player, and that has to factor in.

And people just don't really talk about that that much. Well, people don't really you know why they can't talk about that because they don't know about it exactly, and they're not in those places. And so but here's another piece of the puzzle that I think one that people don't really realize this at this point of time. And it took me probably about my second year of being at the combine being an analyst, that I really realized why and what the combine is for. The combine is not

a place where they talk good about you. Do you know what the combine is. It is a place where they fill in the gaps of what you don't do well and why haven't you done well? Right? And so let's start it off with let's bypass Trevor Lawrence because that is low hanging fruit, right, Trevor. I had the opportunity to see Trevor Lawrence throw, and I summarize it

like this. I had my question marks about him until I went to see him play when dug down Deeper and looked at some film and what I really loved about Trevor Lawrence is you imagine six ft six, two thirteen pounds, the inability to lift weights because of a non um a, a torm labor or whatever degree of

labor straining has non throwing shoulder. He has not been able for the last two months, possibly or longer, we don't know been able to lift, so he hasn't been able to get into his body start to develop his NFL football body and a football body is different. And why is that difference, Because we'll talk about some guys on this list of players, especially why receivers that lack

muscle structure and why is that important? Because when you have a guy like a let's see a Khalil mag that can run a four four or four or five, chase you down and dripping wet after things, given you are a hundred and seventy five pounds, that's why muscle mass is an important task because if they're going to invest all this money into you and you all you gotta do is get on the skateboard and you're out for the season. You that skateboard hits a rock and

you know longer can play. That means now they have no r o I return on their and everybody wants an r o I everybody. So yes, it is a business, but the fan is an entertainment and it's an avenue and opportunity to air their grievances, to complain about their team, to uh put down a player. But at the end of it. It's all about for the league, for the teams they return on their investment and also um having a ten or twenty x return, you know, having so much more returned and they put into it that it

makes it worth it. A great example is the New Orleans Saints when they when Sean Payton signed Drew Brees. When you say ten x return on what they now on the flip side, right, you look at like the trade to facilitate for some of the recent cornerbacks right that you've seen happen in the NFL. Right where you're watching the Rams giveaway first round picks like they just have them forever, right, and you're going, Okay, are you going to acquire more first round picks? Or like, how

exactly are you doing this? Right? Because that's the most valuable asset as you're talking about. It's like the stock market. You're investing, you're trying, you're going and you're looking at things and you're going, Okay, when I, when I do all the homework, this is the best case scenario for me. And still, how often are people missing out on prospects?

I mean, there's the reason that head coaches and gms get fired and people move on is because this system is not perfect and you can't quantify everything that it takes to be a great prospect, and there are a lot of things that are you know, intangibles that don't show up on the fit, that don't show up in the film room, that don't show up on a stat sheet.

And that's why, to me, the important part of the combine has always been the interviews that actually happened behind the scenes that the fans don't see, nobody sees except the players and the coaching staffs, and that's the important information they walk away from because at the end of the day, most coaches and gms go into that knowing everything they need to know physically on the film from

what they've seen from the player. Right, there's very few players that are actually going to either raise or lower their stock coming out of there unless they bomb an interview. And that happens a lot, happens a lot, it does, it does. So let's let's let's dig deep in here. So let's go with Justin Fields. Okay, what do what do you What do you like or dislike about Justin Fields? So let me start off by saying, I think it's an incredibly unfair that Justin Fields seems to be getting

knocked for what we would call helmet scouting. Right, So you're looking at the Ohio State emblem and people are going, well, he played at Ohio State, so he's not going to have success in the NFL. And the reason are saying that is because there's a list of quarterbacks from that university that have failed in the NFL. And what I would tell argue back to that person, because that is the number one thing I see on Twitter right is is well he went to I have steady sucks. Yeah, dude,

trust me, I'm like less and less every day. But yeah, that's a that's a smart move. But Fields, he is the only quarterback of the recent grouping of guys that actually had a first round grade from most people. Like I understand, Dwayne Haskins got drafted in the first round, but that's because Dan Snyder knew him growing up and he went into the draft room and said, you're drafting this guy. That was not what the coaching staff and the GM wanted to do. Dan Snyder went in and said,

this is what we're doing. Dwayne Haskins was not a first round guy, and so I don't think it's unfair to put Justin Fields into that category. I also think it's just when you look at a prospect. One of the most important, slash impressive seasons we have seen thus far has been Justin Fields from two years ago, right, an unbelievable season. Then he comes into this this season. The toughness that he had to outplay Trevor Lawrence in the biggest stage. Okay, he went toe to toe. That's

the letter. I look at that memory and I go, those moments matter. It's what Deshaun Watson did so well. Right, you come up and show up in those big moments. He has that it factor, that wind factor. He went he was injured, he was hurting, He went up against Clemson and he was the start, not Trevor. Trevor is excellent, but the better quarterback that day was Justin Fields. And I don't understand why the kids get knocked. I really don't. Well.

One one of the reasons he's getting knocked is because of what you say, school success and the suit right, the saying not that people are looking at trade trade lands a system and understand this a scheme is a scheme. Right. One of the things we look at what's going on is how many players are getting traded right now or are no longer on their teams because or soon to be not on their team because they cannot perform well enough consistently in their current scheme. Because here's a question.

Here's the question for you about the scheme, because I think this is really and I love your perspective on it. Does it say more though about the coach and the arrogance of like the yet of the scheme. I'm gonna say where you're going. I'm gonna say all. And here's why it's all you're saying. A scheme can be good and bad. Great example of a scheme, The Los Angeles Rams have a scheme, right, Kyle Shanahan has a scheme. Matt Shaw played that scheme in that scheme very well

under Gary Kubiak and Kyle Shanahan. Would you not agree. Jimmy Garoppolo at times of play has played exceptionally well in that scheme, Okay, Kevin Walters love him play exceptional in that scheme. Went to Tennessee and you never heard of from him again. Sometimes schemes can help and hurt you, meaning you can adapt to the scheme so much that your inability to adapt when you become when you get out of that scheme, all of a sudden, you become

a dinosaur and don't even know why. You find you find yourself being extinct because you've mastered the scheme and then you unfortunately are released or you go to another team and you can't figure out the new scheme. It happens, for sure, right just it's just Westwalk has been a dynamic player with two quarterbacks, primarily in the slot. But when he was in Miami, Miami game up for a coke and a back of chips, and he comes out and he's one of the best slot receivers to ever play.

Master in the scheme. Now, is it a It's indictment on how idiotic Miami was. Absolutely, but it also shows how dysfunction they were and how their scouting department struggled. They had the scheme that didn't fit the player and sometimes and and I have a coworker named Mike rob that I never used this without telling him. He always says, too many coaches rely on the exes and oh's and

don't give enough credit to the Jimmy's and Joe's. I love that right, because it is about understanding what your player can do in the scheme, but also enhancing your scheme and adjusting your scheme to the player. That's exactly that you think exactly because I think the best example for me is, you know, you look at a John Harball and the Ravens and they completely revamp what they

do for Lamar. Yeah until I'll start until yeah, until and then and then for whatever reason, and then I look at them and I go, okay, so now what's the next progression? Maybe gets some more talent for Lamar so that you can't continue to build off of that. But that's that is an example of I I see as the quarterback position is the most important position. It's what we're all talking about. Why are so many coaches so I don't know, arrogant or stuck in the ways

to not change or adapt. I don't think it's necessarily arrogance. I think it's there are some coaches that are out there that just they just know the scheme. Yeah, they can't coach anything else. They can't because they have they have gotten a PhD or major only in that right. They know this type of offense. And that's why they only go to certain teams, and this coaches stays with that coach, and that player stays with that player, because then they go to these other schemes and it's like,

that doesn't make sense. I've played in I played an old school West Coast George Seyferts West Coast, Gary Kubiak's West Coast. Struggled in that for a while, took me a lot to adapt to. And then I played in a version of New England Patriots, and then I played in a number system, and all of them, some of them have rules that just don't make sense, and so I've had to adapt and figure it out, and I made some mistakes, but I just know I've I've been

lucky enough to learn enough offense to go. I'm glad. I'm done playing. That's that's all I go Earlier, I'm glad played so so. One of the things that I think I noticed about Justin Fields, right, every quarterback in this draft has had a great game and a bad game. The reason why with Justin Fields, why so many people are on him a little bit, is because the quarterback, the quarterback position has become such a hot topic and

a hot button where if you don't have one. If you don't have a good relationship, and if you don't know how to navigate through the ugly nous of miss picking a quarterback, it could cost you your job. Yeah. Right, So Justin feels biggest his biggest weakness right now, the processing speed. And think about it. When you're a quarterback, you can't you cannot not process the play and the

defense quick enough. If processing it is not your forte you should not be being draft in the top five, or if you are drafted in top five, or if you are a reach, like a like a love a Jordan's love for Utah State, you must sit that young man. And that's one of the things that I know. And and here's why I know. Justin Fields was was at Georgia originally. You're telling me Justin Fields cannot outplay from that's a definite knock. Well, here's why he could not

play him. He could outplay him, but he didn't know he could not outplay him from the shoulders up at that time when he was young. Right, And not saying that he's not smart, he is smart. He's a smart young man. He's playing quarterback. There are very few dummies playing quarterback. Now you can process information slower and maybe not see it as quick, But that doesn't make you dumb. So I'm not saying Justin Fields is dumb. What I'm

saying is compared to processing it, the processing speed. And here's and here's why it's an unfair advantage to a young man. When you look at the greats to Bree processes information, Tom Brady processes information, Peyton Manning, I can name them on and on right, even Jason Campbell process information. The disadvantage that Jason Campbell and Alex Smith had is they always, either in college or in the league, had a new coordinator at multiple times. Talks about but it's

a huge factor. Yes, think about as soon as you have mastered one offense, gotta learned a new one. Figure it out. That's like that. That would be like as soon as you figured out your iPhone or Android, they come and they forced a new down your throat and you have to now be able to work. So you gotta download this and download that. So that's the thing with Justin Field, says he doesn't believe what he sees and reacts fast enough. That's gonna allow some comfortability and

coaching and all that stuff, but he could play. Doesn't have a lot of turnovers. Um has the oneness to show uh elusiveness, not not afraid to dip his shoulder and try, you know, and try to run somebody over. So I really I really love that about him, right. But the only thing I think that I don't like that some people like us, he relies on his He relies on his quickness a little bit too much sometimes, Yeah,

because he's pretty quick. Potentially they set handspeed like four for eight and I was like, excuse me, excuse me, twitch fast twitch is not missing that young man. He

is all over. Yeah, he's very very athletic. And I think, I think, to me, the things that I've I've just there are criticisms that you can take away from every one of these quarterbacks, right, I think, not including Trevor Lawrence, who I don't think is you can, yes, he's QB one, but you can't just automatically say he's got no flaws. There are flaws. There's flaws for everybody. But I think the biggest thing with Justin is exactly what you what

you brought up right with the processing. But the thing that I'm frustrated with is more so the conversation that seems to be happening and the outside, which is not only that um Justin Fields is not QB two, it's that Zack Wilson has now entered this conversation of being QB one even right that there's that there's NFL organizations that are interested in Zack Wilson even ahead of Trevor Lawrence,

which I think to me is a little crazy. Some people are putting him ahead of them because they already know that Trevor Lawrence is not going to be there when they get him exactly manufacturing storylines. Yeah, so they're like, he's not gonna be there, So why why are we're gonna shop beyond our spinning lemon when we know we're not even gonna get it. So let's go ahead. Let's let's go ahead and moving forward right for sure. Zack Wilson, though, you know, I think one of the one of the

interesting things about him, I have a unique perspective. I was actually at Provo well two years ago now when Utah opened up playing at b y U, and I was on the sideline. Now you know who impressed me more? It wasn't Zach Wilson. I didn't even know he played. Here's why because his office A line was so bad and so one of the weaknesses that he has is untested under pressure. And that's not a knock, that's just

the facts. He has not been able, we have not been able to see how does a young man handle pressure? M like real pressure, not you cef pressure. I'm talking about playing a really really good team, not a team that is giving up. But I'll just put it like this, a prom date. How about that? That's the code I like to use. Prom date. I think for me, it's

not even that, it's thinking past that. Right when we were talking about in our pre show about how the NFL factor has to play in more right, where it's not just it's it's yes, it's not even all the players he played against his college football it's to your Khalil mac discussion earlier, what's going to happen when it's not Ohio State that's rushing you? It's uh, I don't know. For instance, let's use Patrick Mahomes that as the latest example what happens when your offensive line can't hold up.

In Vita Van the Dominican SU and JPP and Shack, Barrett and everybody are getting in your face NonStop. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter who you are, because you can't you can if you if nobody's protecting for you. Patrick Moms was not good enough to four seven yards and of scrambling, Yet none of the four seven yards equal to four seven yards of total rushing for the knee. There's a lot of backpedaling. That brother was.

You know what, I haven't seen a brother run that much until the opening line in a horror movie, because we all know on every horror movie who dies first, it's always the black dude. Always, it's always always the brothers. It was in a horror movie, open and saying for four quarters though it was a horror movie, for him,

for being honest, it was it wasn't too good. What kind of team do you believe should reach out and draft, Zach Wilson, Uh, Well, I think there's who I think should do it, and then I think who's going to be probably dumb enough, and it's not gonna be a

good scenario. Right, Oh, I like to start with then, Okay, so let's start with where there's a lot of pressure, right, Arguably the most pressure, and the offensive line isn't great, the weapons aren't the best, and I don't trust what they're doing because I had to have, you know, ten plus years of showing us that they can't do. And that's New York Jets, right that's where he's getting He's getting mocked to a lot. There's a lot of discussion

that they like him, Do we trust? Do we trust New York with that media market and all that pressure and everything that they're able to do to be able to bring in a guy who probably in a best case scenario would have some time right to sit and maybe learn the position, but we all know that's very rare for today's quarterbacks when they come in have to be ready to rock. That is a scenario that I think is very likely to play out, and unfortunately for

Zach Wilson. I think that will play out unfavorably for him and unfavorably for the Jets because I don't have a lot of faith in that team to be able to upgrade at the positions that they need to and and be able to protect him, be able to run the football, be able to They need to add a lot offensively to get that to to a position where you can fairly evaluate the quarterback because they need they need some corners, they need an edge rusher, they need

a quarterback, and I also I think they need some office a line. The question is going to be how are they going to maneuver themselves through the off season, which Robert salis what I love hearing is he's going to run the same type of offense like Kyle Shanahan. So that tells me that they're gonna not allow as much pressure to be the onus on the quarterback. So that's good for sure. But who's gonna be that running

back that they can depend on? Who can who can execute that zone scheme offense that they want to run? Who are the lineman because whatever they were running last year it didn't fit them. So I'm not sure is the zone? Do they have the zone scheme type of guys this year? And how's it gonna look? So is it the scenario that they they draft Zach Wilson and and and keep Sam Donald and and allow him not to play? Oh man, I hope for Sam Donald he

gets an opportunity to go start fresh somewhere. I think it's just it's it's it's soured so quickly in New York and quickly. Yeah, and to your point, like, yes, Robert Salo wants to run what Kyle ran in San Francisco, but Kyle's not in New York. Okay, So it's like it's one of those things. It's like, yeah, to to the scheme conversation we had earlier, and there was a point at which we were hiring coaches who had like touched Sean mcveigh's hands, right, because it was like, by proxy,

it will be Sean McVeigh. Right. It's the same thing with Shanahan where these a lot of guys start getting credit for things that they don't necessarily get credit for or shouldn't get credit for, and you don't really know how much of it is going to be able to transfer over right, And I don't I don't necessarily like uh that scenario for New York. Now, on the flip side, I would love to see John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan get real dicey to trade up to get Zach Wilson,

of which we know they like him. M mm. So okay, we skip where did Justin Fields go? Then? What what do you like him to go? Uh? That's that's the that's the tougher one, right because it's like, I you're gonna you're gonna hit your sign back there. Uh Where do I want him to go? Where do I think he will go? Are two different? Both both okay, alright, alright, Well where do I think he will go? Is um

more than likely. I think he's gonna fall a little bit, and there's gonna be a team that's gonna move up that will end up facilitating a trade. So I don't think that. I think there's been a lot of trades in the first round because there's quite a few teams that are up in that top ten that don't need quarterbacks, and I think they're going to get out right. That's what happens, right, These guys all come in, We're like, oh yeah, you got a second round, third round grade

and it doesn't matter. They're all going to go in the top ten picks. This is how it happens every year. We can pretend it will be different, but it never is.

So I think, you know, be interesting to see a team like a Washington potentially move up and get a guy like Justin Fields right where they could potentially have him sit for a little bit and learn, and you almost play out the exact same scenario that played out in Kansas City, where maybe Alex Smith plays for a period of time or a whole year in Justin end up playing. That's the guy who Yeah, I just don't really like I know that they say that, but I

just don't. I don't really believe that. Honey. I think he's I think he knows that offense is better than any out on there. You don't think it was like two seconds of fame, right, you don't feel like it was just like a little bit of magic for a moment. And how was some of the passing he was throwing magic? You've seen the office a line. Yeah, you've seen a lack of run game that they have for sure. I just like, I don't know, I just don't believe it. It's like to me, I want to see it a

little bit more right before. That's why you gotta let him play to see it. He did it a little bit in Carolina. Yeah, he did a little bit in Washington. Okay, hadn't you know, give him a year and see and then if it doesn't work out. I trust Ron, right, I trust Ron to make I trust Ron. I'm just I'm just interested in seeing how Scott does because Scott knows. See, that's a guy who knows that system. That's the only system. Scott knows his dad's system. That's the only system he knows.

So let's go to um. Two guys I think are very interesting, non mobile Jones and and the young stud Air Quotes who has never really played against great competition, Trade Lane. I'm excited about tred Lance. Who you want to start with? Mac Jones or Trade Lance. That's called trade lance because here's here's the comparison, NFL comparison that that I've heard. He has Taysom Hill with legitimate arm talent. It's so funny to me that Taysom Hill is being

used as an NFL comp is absolutely fantastic. But that's the fact that it's being quantified by saying that you can actually throw the football. That's actually a compliment. That's a good thing. Is it is it? Is it a compliment to where they're using your name and then they're saying with a legitimate arm talent. But this is a guy who is a Swiss army knife, but yet they utilize him more in a non traditional quarterback way than

you would like. If you're quarterback, that would be like, I'm a wide receiver, but they only primarily put me at running back. Then that doesn't really that doesn't really show that to have a lot of confidence in me, receiver. Listen, I I will drive the trail Lance Hype one. He obviously suffered from the fact that North Dakota State did not play football. It's absolutely one game that's a huge

factor for him. Not his fault. Not his fault, right, So you have to it's unless unless you are blaming COVID on him. No, I am not. I'm not just making sure and I'm actually shocked that North Dakota State did not find a way to play football. They tried, they really really tried, um, but they only had one football game, so that really that hurt him, right, But he has been training. He has been training with my

boy Quincy Avery for a while. He's been out of QB takeover, doing a lot of you know, getting himself right, doing everything he can to stay in shape and put himself in the best position he can't. If you watch his twenty nineteen film, you're gonna see some of the most impressive film of the quarterback bunch, right, and that's the film you have to evaluate. You have to go

back and you have to look at that. And I think, as we talked about earlier, a little bit of the helmet scouting is happening right where we've had Carson Wentz most recently come out and obviously uh is coming off of a terrible football season, um, and so people are looking at that and going, well, he's going to be Carson Wentz? Right, which version of Carson Wentz is he gonna be Carson Wentz? Carson on because if he's seen Carson went and we're talking about m v P caliber,

we're talking about this version. Now, let's break down accuracy, because here's a problem with accuracy. If you're telling me that's your biggest weakness is accuracy and your quarterback, that is like I love using food. You are a cook and you cut your average and twenty meals a day, you're cooking twenty els and about every four meals just piss poor. That's not good. No, it's not good. If playing quarterback and accuracy is your biggest weakness, that's not good.

Especially if you're that wide receiver going across the middle and there's a middle linebacker or a safety and you go ahead and let one zing. Mm hmmm. You know who does not have to deal with that inaccuracy? Trey Lance? That receiver does? That receiver goes up like he didn't? Did it again? Lead me out to dry? Yeah, it's not. Listen. The thing with Trey Lances it was we talked about best case scenarios or places I'd like to see guys go.

Where does he need to go? So I like a scenario with Trey Lance because we did not get another

year of progression. I like a scenario that could play out where he goes and is drafted early UM to a team like potentially in Atlanta Falcons, where Matt Ryan is going to be the starter, and he has an opportunity to sit out for a year and get better at least a year, maybe longer, and learn from a really good starter, A new a new head coach often mind a head coach yep, who's had success in being able to take a quarterback in Ryan Tannehill who wasn't

having success and turned him into a successful quarterback in Tennessee. So he's shown that he has that a Well, here's your problem with that Atlanta must find a run game very quickly. Then yes, if they do not find a run game, this success is not going to happen. They're not going to have that much success in in Atlanta

if they don't get a run game. And really, that run game is needed because when you look at a Julio Jones, really, and this has more to do with less of those guys more of the surface, that artificial surface puts a toll on your body. And if they you know, Julio is gonna average about three games where something's gonna break down, not because Julio doesn't train, but that artificial surface is unforgiving and it breaks guys bodies down.

For sure. I think there's they're in a good position with where they're drafting right in Atlanta to be able to do that and facilitate getting a guy like a Trail Lance with their first pick, and then because they come back around in the second round and they have that really picked that one of the top tier running backs will be there, that they could go and do that with their second overall pick and be able to add somebody that will be able to help them out significantly.

So out of I haven't gotten to the running backs. But out of the running backs out there right now projected in the top twenty, who do you believe is an outstanding runner but also must catch the ball out of the backfield that can do that in a way that takes some pressure off of a Matt Ryan, take some pressure off of that offense in the passing game where they they they can run the ball and also have an outlet in the flat that can be like, uh,

you know, impact player. So who's gonna be there? We love Nag Harris, right, we love Travis et n. I think there's a shot that you could potentially have one of those guys fall right in a very similar scenario as we saw that donea fall because there's so many people are quarterback hungry. Talking about Mac Jones, his biggest weakness is he's you know, he's had the opportunity and has so many great, fantastic players around him, really don't know how he handles pressure. The same way was that

Zach Wilson, his his big his wing those easy situations. Yeah, absolutely, And I think you you look at that, and you also look at some of the criticisms that are now coming out about tah who came one year prior, and I think that is a fair helmet scalp because they had nearly the same weapons and a very similar offensive line. Where you're going, okay, you have to top You got two guys at least that are going to go in the first round. Right, you have two first round wide receivers,

You potentially got a first round running back. You got two first round offensive lignement. I mean, it's it is a It is a dream scenario for a college quarterback. Right. And some of the things that were criticisms of Tah that are now happening right now is is he's having trouble with his progressions. He's having trouble reading some half the field. Uh, he's not getting to what he needs to get to while people are watching them. Are you

breaking this down? You're like you're holding back. It's it's because I'm trying. Because listen, Miami offense fans, they get mad at me for saying that they should trade for DeShawn Watson, and I just don't understand it, Like I don't get it. Deshaun Watson is amazing and he's gonna, like you hope to it could possibly be Deshaun you know, Deshaun's DeShawn Right, I don't get that whole argument. It

becomes a outstanding tool versus another version of Deshaun Watson. Listen, if I personally think, you know, first of all, when I hear names chan Gaily, I don't think of explosive offense. Yes, that that has been the issue right there, when you think of uh Charmer, Yep, you don't think of explosive offense. You really don't. I mean you think of middle to row and and so they had a guy who would

teach fundamentals and you could not expect explosive offense. But the fact of the matter is, I think Jones is a little bit different where his underneath accuracy is best out of everyone in his draft. So that tells me that his ability to process things. Yeah, he may have an easy situation, but his ability to process things is remarkable. So I love the ability for him to process right. The only thing is, you know he's not let me read what my my notes saying, I have to be

very careful not to come across a certain way. Um, he offers almost nothing as a runner outside of the pocket that is accurate. That's statue would be the other way to say that, right, Um, the reality is hopefully for mac right, he's going to get an opportunity to go to a team that's in a better situation. Sounds very New England new ish. I think it'd be great. Here's the catch twenty two. You hope with the catch space that New England has that they actually utilized and

get it. The type of non robots that they have on defense. They get that on offense because usually offensively they have robots, you know, and then defensively are the air quotes rogue players, right, the collins that you know, the non traditional pay a guy like a Stefan Gilmour that's so unlike them. They usually get a good player until he's ready for him to get paid. Then they move on and then they yeah, they see you later, Geid.

They need to go ahead and spend some money and put if they get Jones, they need to put some players around him that when he sneezes, it is a completion, it's a first down. It's the best case I think, the from a from where they're drafting right and also just I think the scenario that could play out. I think it would be good for both sides. Are they be good for both sides? That they'd be good for New England. I think it'd be good for mac Jones as long as they do what you are saying, which

is they need to spend some of that money. They need to go upgrade at positions. And I know that that's they used unorthodox for them, but they need to go to the dealership and get some luxury vehicles Stambos used car dealership. Okay, I know you're trying to help us, but no, you need to go ahead and go to the good dealerships. We want Lambos and for our yes, please and thanks and see here's why you get those kind of cars. Those cars you only drive on one

day of the week. Yeah, on Sundays when it's nice sunny, and when on Sundays. What a nice assumption there, Sunday drive Sunday drive some Lambos and Ferrari. You cannot take the luxury vehicle out on a Wednesday because generally going to church, you cannot be parking on Lambo outside of church going to Bible study. M hmm, all right, let's go. Let's go to my favorites Love Wide Receivers. Now I

getting it picked on because of wide receivers. So I'm not I'm telling you right now people, if you're watching this, cut to it, you're watching page. I do not like any wide receivers in this draft. I think they're all fantastic. I do not like any of them. Meaning I think if you pick a wide receiver in the draft, I would say that's a great pick because because I don't want people to say, oh, Steve likes this guy over

that guy. No, I just every every guy that I've watched so far, they have something that I go wow, Yeah, there's a lot of good. There's a lot of depth in this wide receivers son of depth, which means some guys are gonna get their feeling hurt. They're gonna drop to the second or third round. Yeah, it's especially when you look at some of the success that some of

these guys over the last two classes are having. Even a guy like a Darnell Mooney in Chicago is a fifth round guy right coming in and playing a part right away. I mean, it's just there's a lot of depth. These guys are coming in and they're more NFL ready than we are. Well, well, I wouldn't say that depending on the guy. We're not used to a guy like Justin Jefferson coming in and already being that dude. I mean, that was an impressive rookie campaign with a a ni

make offense. That's not an explosive offense. Well but see, here's see. I set you up and you didn't realize it whose offensive whose offense coordinator? But are you going to tell me that it's exploited? Gary? And when you think about Gary Kubiak his offense, there's always one wide receiver thatt ball. Ye, And it wasn't Adam Feeling. This year was always one guy another guy. You will only get about six or seven and but the main guy

catch a thousand balls. That's true. No, that's accurate. That's one of the reasons why I went to Baltimore. When I went to Baltimore, I went to Baltimore. Gary Kubiak was the guy. I was like, Look, in my career, I'm used to catching seven or eight balls a year, right, I'm never really, I've only had one year of a hundred plus. Most of the time I'm catching about seven or eighty. Eighty six is a great year. Nineties not

happening fifty sixties. So I understand that. So I knew going to Baltimore, if I can play with Gary Kubiak's offense, I'm great. And so with Tory, I knew Tory was the guy. So I'm like, all right, Toy is gonna catch his hundred passes. I'm gonna go ahead and catch my sixty or seventy. And I'm used to doing work with sixty or seventy. That's how it works. Okay, alright, I will facture that in as we talked about this evaluation. I appreciate that. Just to be clear, Uh, he does

not like any wide receiver over the other. I'm I'm reiterating what he already said. He likes them all. They're all the same grade. He's not choosing one. They're all the same great. You know what that great is perfect. I don't want a perfect grade. I want a bawling great because perfect won't get your ass drafted, but balling will get you drafted. Balling will get you drafted. I'm gonna start adding those to the scout in your ports

with balling just next to every receiver. Here's a great example. Cincinnati had a great quarterback, great guy. He's a great guy, but couldn't win in the big games. The Red Rocket himself. Yes, Mr Andy Dalton, great guy, Yeah great, love him to come to my doorstep and date my daughter. Not play any football games though. Oh it's so good, it's so good. Listen. I'm just envisioning like that is something exactly my dad would say. He'd be like that guy, perfect guy for

my daughter. But I don't want him start in a quarterback. It's just, you know, it's not that's not the same equation, right that, very very rarely do those line up from the father perspective. Uh, who you want to start with? Who you want to go with? First, Let's just talk about the Let's talk about the two Alabama guys here right in, Jalen Waddle and DeVonta Smith. Um. I wanted to play you against yourself here and make you pick one, but that is not happening. We decided. Remember we're only

talking about how we like everybody the same. I love how you had a plan, but I had a plan. Been in a lot of horror movies already. No, Listen, I'd love to know, obviously from the wide receiver here, what stands out with Jalen Waddle and DeVonta Smith because obviously, uh, DeVonta Smith had an unbelievable college campaign this year and was he did? And And what what I find interesting is if Waddle wouldn't got hurt, would Waddle been in

a position that DeVante Myth would have been in. It's hard, it's hard to say. No, it's hard to say. But what you have to understand is they played in a great scheme and they they both flourished. But when I look at wild one of the things one of the biggest weaknesses is experience, right, And here's the experience. And if you look up the definition of experience, I love this. It says known and feel that can come with good coaching staff. Great example of of knowledge and feel with

with experience is no offense. No offense. Was not a was not a very good past catching tight end out of Iowa. He was not known for what he has known for right now. He is not a guy. He was not a guy that you said we have to watch out for him. And that means he got coached up. He took the coaching and experience started to allow his knowledge and field to make him a pro bowler, make him a make him a threat a offensive threat, offensive weapon.

Imagine what will happen if Denver upgrades at a quarterback position. That might be nice too, it would be, but then that also requires them to upgrade an offensive coordinator as well. I don't necessarily believe it's all locked, but I don't think it's lock is all a blame. But also don't think past Schermer's as good of a coordinator's. He keeps getting all these jobs. It's fair. He's one of those guys. He keeps getting jobs and people are upset with him

after a year or two. He does it every year. And they had a little special magic that year that he took from Minnesota and kind of got himself that head coaching job in New York, Right, and then hit yeah and then back to reality. Okay, I want to know, from your perspective on Jamaar Chase, who a lot of us like as as the top guy, but sat out this year, right, how much does that hurt him coming into this process, because obviously you know you don't think so.

I don't think so, because of what he's put on film prior to now. If he was a guy, if he was a guy like could Darius Tony that could hurt him. But what he's put on film, he's a top ten He's a top ten guy. He's a special player all around. Um, what he can do. And then you also, but here's the thing, you can't remove what he what he's done with a top tier quarterback, with

Joe Burrows. Yeah, for sure, you know has sneaky speed, has he will have no trouble if he continues to work out and do what he does, he will have no trouble maneuvering himself through NFL corners. Um. Some of the NFL comparisons that I think, obviously outside of the off the field issues, this guy was on his way to be a dynamic player is justin black men mhm. There are sometimes off the line though he doesn't really and I think that's more of coaching. He doesn't because

he's playing. Sometimes he's just he's playing. He can play so well and with Joe Burrows and there was so much better than teams that he sometimes will you know what we call casually come off the line. So he didn't always attacked with menace, but when he did turn it on, you saw it. So he just just a little stiff. But I mean, you know, when you're six two pounds, you're a little stiff. He's also a sophomore, right, so he's not He's still young still heck still growing

as well, So I really like him. Plays with strength though. I really love the strength that he plays where goes up to the to the catches the bars at the highest point. Really love him. The thing though, switching back to the Alabama guys, I think Waddle has that ability and arguably the most explosive all around player out of these guys other than Kyle Pitts. And we'll get into him. He if you just put Kyle Pitts and you use

the word tight in with him, that's just disrespectful. Yeah, it's a disservice to how how much of an impact he's going to have on an offense. He is the prospect as much as all the wide receivers that are phenomenal. He's the guy I'm most excited about man with um Philadelphia getting Yeah, that'd be I mean, obviously Philadelphia needs some offensive weapons made a lot for sure. Davante Smith. Oh here's the thing that that that really is interesting

to me. And they say, um M small mhm. He is He's not Um, he's not thicking the upper or lower body. He's still has still fill in. But imagine this. I was five nine one seventy two and I had to actually eat and like take protein to gain weight. Now you know, forty two years old, and I'm balancing. I'm I'm running my tail off to keep keep myself below two hundred pounds, right, because you just learned how to do it and your body gets used to it.

But I mean what DeVante Smith could do off the line? Yes, the scheme um one of the interesting parts though, And I have to go to my nose because this was really cool and this is this is the geek in me. So people say, oh, he was in the scheme, right, So just last year, just last year, in the regular season and postseason, he had eight hundred seventy one total snaps. Do you know how many times he was in the slot. Let's go three seventy but you know how much out

wid five hund five times. So that lets me know that he can dominate at his size. Because the guys that you are drafting, right, the Patrick Sir Tan the second had to cover him outside. So he knows how to utilize his He needs to utilize his hands more. But that's coaching five D five snaps, so out wide week four forty five times week week five, seventy seven times week four or forties forty four times forty six,

fifty three, forty seven, twenty five. I love that because it shows he's not a gadget guy like people think he is. He played in a slot, but that really where he made his bread and butter, where he made his draft status. Is that work on outside that that like I like to call it that big boy work. He did plenty of big boy work. I think the people that are knocking him, it's it's what we do

every year. Right, you're looking for things to criticize about the players because that's you're trying to project and see, you know what he's going to be able to do in the NFL. And I understand, Yes, he's slim, right, he's a slim guy. It you know, Buck probably dripping wet um. But he's you know, he's still growing, right, there's still gonna be progress that has made throughout his you know, he's a young kid getting a real weight regiment.

But here's a he could fit it any scheme. You know why he has what teams love, and I'm telling you it happens all the time. Sincinnati's done it. I got called out in the draft, I mean a combine because I was talking about Henry Rugs how fast he was. I was like, hey, John Ross is fast too. But here's what the league always salivates over speed. Oh yeah, I mean they will their kidney for speed. You can do. Can I'm not saying he can't. Davante Smith can catch,

but teams will do whatever it takes. If a guy has speed, they get their left kidney if he can run. Because the cold in him I'm talking about I'm talking about in CVS. Walgreen's ride aid all of them rolls of flu shots right there, that they'll still they'll still draft him because that it's because they're going to tell themselves that they can coach everything else, but they can't coach that speed, right, you cannot, And that's what the

that's what they're gonna tell themselves. And I understand that to a degree. So interesting guy though. Cad Darius Tuny because very shifty, but he's always seen to be a little bit off balance. For me, we like him a

lot um. He's he's a guy that I would consider a riser, right, somebody who's had some some good opportunities over the last even coming out of some of the more impressive conversations of the last six weeks, I'd say with with Senior Bowl and everything that's going on, I think these are He's he's one of those guys that people have had a lot of positivity coming out and

and he's been rising up the draft boards. Um, you know, he battled some injuries, you know, nagging shoulder stuff, so that's gonna play a part in trying to see who he's going to be. But you know, we have him listed as you know, a wide receiver three and in a vertical attacking scheme, and that's that's what they that's what the scouts are looking at him and thinking that he's going to be able to play a part of

He's listed as around one guy. Um, there's actually we've got Rondelle Moore, Rashaan Bateman, k Darius Sony and then the three guys we've already spoken about. So six guys, six wide receivers in the first round, which is Bateman and and and today's are very interesting because both of them can catch Tony I like his after catchability, but he lacks polish and you can with some good coach and become smooth. But he's always slipping. That's because he's

planning so hard. He's gotten so much Atta boys, and how elusive he is that he's always trying to do the home run, and he goes sometimes east and west too much. You have to you can't can't. You can't build a house by taking the bricks off. You just gotta catch the ball, go for So sometimes he does that too much. But I think you know, with the right coaching, that can get him out of it. The only thing though, and and here's my comparison, you know who.

He reminds me of a herky jerky version of Peter Wark herky jerky, because Peter was Peter Peter Work was smooth. Peter Peter Work was not fast, but he was smooth. And he put I'm putting hurkey jerky inside of what we're doing. From now, he can move, He can get out of any problem, but he's always like he'll get out of a problem and then he'll slip halfway through. Go. But look at his film, he'll give na I'm gonna go try and quantify exactly what you're talking about. Because

I love hurty jerky. It's my new favorite terminology because when you watch him, he'll give a guy who move off the line, like I seen him give him a move. He gave a rocker step two steps off the line and hit a slant, but then he failed slipped. I can't be doing that. But because he's he's emphasizing a move so much, he he'll put his foot in the ground. Joke, someone get extra five or six more yards in near slip. Right. So that's why I say herky jerky. He's just ricky jerky.

I think that's fair. That gives a good description of of what what's happening. He's definitely manage me of Peter Ward that he can just go out there and make some place. He's not gonna wire you a speed, but he's gonna wire you with his ability to just play ball. Ability to play ball. Herky jerky all new new, uh new terminology coming to the draft network. I told I told everybody that that's gonna there's gonna be Steve Smith

uh all wide receivers get balling underneath here. That's that's my other other draft takeaway from this is balling and hurkey jerky new favorite things are we going to talk about? Because this is, if I'm being honest, here the thing I was most excited about because this position, I'm hoping you can pick one or the other. Right, So we're not picking water receivers, but from a cornerback lens. Right, when you're looking at the position that you, as the

wide receiver is going to have to go up against. Right, there's a couple of guys that were in the top tier range, very close to each other as far as overall scouting grade. Right, Caleb Farley from Virginia Tech, Patrick Surtan from Alabama. The third guy, J. C. Horne from South Carolina. So those are the three guys I got. Who of these guys, uh, most impresses you. Here's my real football answer. It really depends on what offense a

m I am. Yeah, that makes sense right, because Patris certained the only question is how how how much topping and speed does he have? That's it. Yeah, that's the only question you have as a wide receiver. You're in trouble. That means you have to go in your bag of tricks and you gotta pull them all out for all seventy place right. You look at his lineage, his DNA, his pop played against uh, his dad killer m. His dad has obviously been in his life and teaching him.

He's also his son is taken the coaching of great coaches, his dad and all that stuff, and he's applied it. That doesn't always work. Second generation football players are very few because they've grown up a different type of way. They've grown up with all those natural abilities that they don't always work as hard. Sometimes you're I've told my kids this, your name will get you in the door, but if you don't work hard, that name and gets your thrown out the door too. And just and Patrick

has done a great job. He's technically advanced, he's smart, he's long. It's hard to find negatives when you're talking about him. It's hard. It's hard to find things you don't like. He's It's these top three guys, especially the top two, especially Caleb Farley, Patrick Sir Tan there really impressive. But really his weakness is tackling. M hm use six one two oh five. You gotta tackle. Yeah, No, that's a big that's a big issue for him. It's a big issue for him. Have any he's long length and

he's a lunger. Yeah, no, that's that's accurate. Lunging means you're trying to compensate for something. And then when you do his NFL camp, Drake Kirkpatrick had a tough here in Arizona. But he can play. Yeah, you can play for sure, but when he starts to launch, that's where he gets yourself in trouble. So you hope, you hope for him that he can get a little bit you know, depending on what coordinator is going to, what what system he can coach, you can get coached up a little bit.

Right Where the other two I think you hope, right, the other two guys think you're able to understand that they can come in and play a bigger part earlier on where you're looking at, you're gonna want to see more progression. Right, That's where I put the two top two guys in Tier one, and then I think you drop it off for j C and everybody else past that point. But you know, Caleb Farley is exceptionally impressive. Played quarterback earlier on in his in his football career

and makes the transition to cornerback. He's got a really high grade for us. The guys really really like him. Here's the issue. What's the issue? You talk to people and what did they say? His best year was in? Absolutely I don't love that. Mm hmmm, I don't love that. Your best is in and your weakness is press man experience, but you have the physical attributes that say you should be impressed all the time. The question is why isn't the impressed? But he has a makeup speed? M So

is it is it? Is he? Is it lazy? Or is it the coaching staff the way they taught him how to play? I don't know. I wasn't there, but press experience but has makeup speed. That's a little bit risk reward. Why is the risk reward like that? Because usually the when you're afraid to press up, that means you don't have the makeup speed. So which guy do you like more? Then? Do you like Curtain more? Do you think he's already? I like Curtain more because you

gotta stay in the NFL family. You got to check the DNA, and you know what the DNA is, and then you look at the film and they all aligned. Yeah, and obviously coming from a big boys school, big boy conference, understands has the pet degree. Big yeah, big boy mindset for sure. That's I mean wide receiver in cornerback. You have to have a certain swagger to play that position. You have to have the mental confidence to be on

that island by yourself. Take reset in line back up, because it's the easiest thing for everybody to see when there's a mistake made right there. It's the easiest. You don't have to be scouting NFL high level. You can watch an average fan and they can go, hey, they missed that route. Look at that cornerback. It's the easiest position for somebody to look and go, oh, they made a mistake. Right, You're on an island. So it's also one of the places you can get yourself paid the

most in the NFL if you elevate to the highest level. Well, thanks for the time. You got anything to say. You gotta exit. I gotta exit. Listen to everybody that wants to check out and and see everything that we're doing. Just go to the draftwork dot com. Right, it's the time of the year, where um, the guys have We've done The guys have done an exceptional job scouting the

players all year long. I gotta. I went and looked at your website and got all this stuff down and uh printed up, and I was like, man, I pretty impressive of of of how you got them ranked and all that stuff. So I I cheated and use some of that information. Listen, that's what it's there for. That's my own for my own benefit. Listen, we got some guys. We've got guys that worked with Scott Pioli and Bill

Belichick and Oregon Football. We got a lot of a lot of great guys that have done I'd have lost me. I'm a you talk guy. Come on now. So I appreciate joining the podcast again and hopefully everybody enjoys the rest of draft season. Sure to be a lot of free agency moves, a lot of quarterbacks on the move, a lot of quarterbacks that are gonna go in the first round. It's always fun for the fans. So I

hope everybody enjoys it. Well. I appreciate it. Page, Thank you, Thank thank you for listening to Cut to It with Steve Smith Senior and my co host You are a little John Dad beat Me And wherever you listen to your podcast, you can get us on I Heart Radio also on Apple Podcast, whatever you wherever you need, we are there. Just download us and follow us at cut to It on Instagram and act cut to It on Twitter, and visit our website cut to It podcast dot Com.

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