Drafted as a production of tree Fort Media, Clutched Sports Group and I Heart Radio. We're so excited and we cannot wait to speak to later when you're in the NFL. I'm saying, welcome back to Drafted. In this episode, we'll take an exclusive look at the final forty eight hours of our four first round hopefuls, McKay, Beckton, Chase Young,
Levisca Chenault, and Jeff Okuda. We're going inside the moments before the Polish TV appearances and rehearsed interviews, inside their lives, and into their homes as they experience what they hope is their last two days before becoming professional football players. Atlanta, trying to trade up, the tits, trying to trade back. I think so. I mean, I really don't know, because you've already controlled everything. Yea. Enjoy the ride, man, Yeah
for sure, coach, you're calling me man. Their dreams of success, super Bowl rings, pro Bowl selections, multimillion dollar contracts that will all come later. Right now, their only goal is getting picked as high as possible. Okay, we go, Grandpa. I really don't With a draft only two days away,
the pressure on every player intensifies. I think the pressure of any first round pick, A lot of times come from within within their circles, within their family setting, within their mindset of comparisons of those who are in the draft process with them, and so I think that's self inflicted pressure. Rich Paul had of Clutch Sports on some of the challenges facing all the players in the draft,
and especially these four highly touted athletes. When we try to explain I tried to explain it to every guy being drafted. There can only be one team to take you. When you get there. The process of proving yourself no matter where you're going to draft start saw all over again. And most importantly, you have an opportunity and what you
do with that opportunity is up to you. The difference is prior to all other times that you were in this position in terms of a new environment coming from Uni league to middle school, to high school to college. The difference in this situation is you're now pro, and when you're pro, there's a ton of expectation that comes along with it. Former Louisville offensive tackle McKay Beckton's feeling the stress of such high expectations and it's starting to
show in some unexpected ways. I'm just saying why you can't use that one day? I gotta walk all way to the moon. Come on, it's a charger right here. It does the same thing we got. Thank you said keep that phone. That's why I got the box too. Even something is mundane as a phone charger can reveal the apprehension these athletes face with tens of millions of dollars on the line. Oh, Colin heard, Colin heard? I mean this in this top five? How risk proce? Wait?
What do that mean? HW? Risk prospect? What do that mean? Oh? I'm terrible. Dang dang. It's because being chosen as a high pick is about a lot more than pride and achievement. The financial difference between the first and last picks of round one is over twenty five million dollars. Falling even five spots at the top from number one to number six will cost a player ten million bucks. That's a heavy burden for anyone, let a own a twenty one year old. They told on a documentary on this is
dumb though for like doing this right now. I just want to get drafted. All this extra stuff it's just uncalled for. Seriously, this is Simone Beckton McKay's mom. Yeah, I'm saying it like it's easy. I don't understand she was tolerant. Yeah I did. Yeah, it's telling you definitely love the damn mm hmm. I'm get because of me, because it's you, because I'm I just wanted to face.
That's Sarah Walker, McKay's former academic counselor at Louisville, checking in on how he's holding up as the big day arrives. I don't want to check up, yawn, but I do not have the Yeah I don't. I'm literally you're gonna laugh for I like already like here like already, oh
my gosh, already. Oh I'm going to bed. The bond between an athlete like McKay and the people who helped him grow and succeed can be extremely close, thanks to years of working together towards their shared goals, graduating with a degree and getting to the NFL. Thinking about all the days when you were displaying ye, I don't want to do this. I don't want to football, And I was like, so, what, like, how are they gonna work?
Like are they? Before? No, we we got like they gave us like cameras to like they give us like I phones and like they're gonna call the I phone and then we're just gonna be tuned in. And whenever I get picked, they're gonna put the camera on me, and I just I gonna go hmm. I don't know. I mean, I got this, I got this. I don't want to be of shirts or like over here. I got you. Okay, Well, I don't want to keep you, but I feel I'm super excited. Thank you, and um,
I will not send you a finding. All right, all right, hey, all right, we're talking about media safety because you can buy. I don't care, honestly, I really don't. I don't care who haven't paying me. I don't care. Well, I go, Grandpa. We'll be right back. M Former Ohio State defensive lineman Chase Young, another presumed top pick, deals with the same pressure, you know, And I'm like, it's a Bruce optimistic two one for the one for the dude. Yeah, he's hitting
the weights to work out some pre draft. Jenner's no good. I come to you because you did tell me he said you're going to locker room talk about phones. Who was like, if you're in the locker room and it's gonna be you on your phone. Okay, so he's now I'm just drugging h m hm up three h four, uh more, one more, one more, let go. He was saying,
you're go in the locker room. He telling me, I stopping my Maybe it's just like, don't worry about nothing else, focus on football, said, and take care of you for the rest of your life. He said, You're on your phone. He gon me, in the league too long, You're gonna locker room on your phone. He's just saying, like, if you're gonna in, just focus on everything else basically on your phone or like just on your like type ship you guys be in the league. He was like, yeah,
but if you're going there, your football right. Why. Even someone is seemingly unassailable as Chase, arguably the most dominant defensive player in college this past season, and someone whose former teammates described as a cool, laid back guy, even he finds himself mentally struggle with his typical workout as the draft nears and the pressure intensifies, making sure though that um keeping it locked up even when I sit down, no about how fast it's alway I'm gone, instead of
doing yeah when you count count wa wa two because it funk out my mind said, and I'm sorry because you I was doing that. Nah. I'm just saying with these johnps, I don't like hearing six teams. I like, why why two? So many? Right? They said, think this. Yeah, the drafts never ending scrutiny can unnerve any prospect, and with newfound millions coming their way, these rookies suddenly faced never ending financial and business propositions on top of the
football stress. If I know you've heard probably some of the horror stories of rumors that go on in this business to the amount of debt that these players get in and uh, the rules that are being broken before they even get into league. Clutch Sports Group agent to Marius Bilbo, this is a very transactional business. The word agent. And I tell all my clients. If I say real estate agent, I'm here to sell your home. You know, it doesn't make me a bad person, but I'm here
to sell your home. If I say insurance agent, I'm here to sell your insurance package. Prem get my percentage and move on. And it's the same thing with NFL agents. I saw so many agents from baseball and football come in and one thing I knew they couldn't do. It couldn't relate to me. They only cared about the sport. They never asked a question of what if it doesn't get you. The multimillion dollar contract are set you up for life, and that was what I was really intrigued by.
I played for a couple of years, went out to Arizona and Dennis Green was there, had a chance to build some friendships with an Kwan Bowden watch Larry Fitzgerald, a close in person. Was released from them, went to Dallas under Bill Parcels. I was actually the third quarterback behind bledso Romo, and then I was running scout team quarterback getting chased by the markets where and those guys all the time. Roy Williams, so I saw a lot in my football career. Um was always business minded and
that's what I did for myself. I always had a passion for sports, but I knew it would end, you know, because everybody wants to help a professional athlete get in the league, right, that's the easy part. But who wants to help them get out when it's over? That's the hard part. And I only hope that these guys that signed me can look beyond the agent and get inspiration
as a professional. You know, you meet a guy like Leviska and you hear the stories the dress and while they were grown out, you meet his mom, Annie, who was a college basketball player, and you know how she's you know, fault to raise her sons while keeping her husband's memory alive. And you know, you can see it in his eyes. You can see that he's he's passionate, but you can see there's something there that's that's still hurting, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know that a
young boy who's played football wants to see his father there. Well, I didn't had no dream at all. And that's Levisca Channelt wide receiver from the University of Colorado, another first round hopeful. Now, I really had no dreams playing it any sports. To the others, it was not until I got got around it and I started doing it, and I started like just overcoming obstacles and just overcoming just you know, the hard times and just realizing like basically,
I'm built for this. And then of course I couldn't play basketball because of my hand in ninth grade, because I really was gonna play basketball when I got two older, I want to play basketball. I don't want to play football. So I was gonna play basketball. But my hair and length bread So yeah. The Dinesoto, Texas high school basketball coach had a rule about no long hair, and Laviska had grown his signature dreadlocks as a way to honor
his deceased father. Got the dress. It was like a little bit aufterwards when I realized and you know, just thought about it, and I was like, yeah, maybe maybe I shouldn't come my hair not only does it like represent something, and also like it's just like part of my fashion. So I love my hair. When Laviska heard the no longer hair rule, his mind was made up. His basketball career was over. Instead, he focused on football,
but that path was far from a straight trajectory. Here's Leavisca with his family together in a house outside of Dallas, trying to sort out exactly how he got to this moment, only days away from the NFL. Then firstman year use the varsity kicker, Well, hello, hello, I didn't kick in too, but I went on varsity, you know. No, I was kicking it and punning for my team. And then when he played in middle school, well he really showed out Pop Warner. I wasn't running to the super Bowl two
years in the row. I was like a blull bag running back. Yeah he was tough. One time I got Tim Bold think you was boy. You remember I grabbed he dragged out Tim boys one time. They were never They didn't know that about level. He dropped dragging all the way to the end zone from like five yards away. They could even tap on him. So he's been running over right, So I saw it him. So when you went to that stage where a Nang grading all this stuff, I saw you. I'm already owen that trampoline bar Junior
Calves boom jumping out the house jump down. Strength coaches aren't known to use the leaping off the roof onto a trampoline method, so it's difficult to gauge with impact that had on developing Leavisca's thirty plus inch vertical. I don't know what. Yeah, we definitely, I think kind of jump on the roof jump. You know, my cousins came and got on the trampoline. We were small in so when we got in there, we jumped on fine jump
next or next thing, I don't know. Maybe at one time, I just kept following my leg like you're stuck in up. Remember when policies to get up there and we spread award. He started just like I used to be scared of bass ye. I was trying to see here one tongue. And now remember when we was trying to do conflict. I love I love when we play football and all the time. The trampoline is only part of the story. But I was on Lang grade B team. I just started parents season I was ten grade. Was oh my god,
I had one touchdown. I think it wasn't until telling It was until like I was doing scout team against varsity and I'm out there like bawling against these like way older than like two years older than me, so and they're saying, like you're gonna be good, You're gonna be good. So that's when I really started. Was like okay, so like tenth eleven grade back the time. He talking about when he stored Scott and I told him abuse to look, who better than me? That's why I always
say I'm something like you need. That's why they called me magic. But who better than me? That's Lepisca's mom, Annie A k A. Magic. She was a star basketball player at the University of Dubuque, and she passed athleticism and a love of sports to her kids, along with the mindset to win. He had to go out there and he had to pause. You don' remember that time we had and you was a little down. I remember clar today. I said, son, you gotta keep your head up,
you gotta keep running. Who better than you? It's somebody doing something that you think, Wow, that's that's good. Not what they're doing. If they don't want to show you, just take notes. So that's what I said. You don't know when that speech who better than Me? I mean, you didn't say a lot. I don't remember the exagg speech. These ideas and her speeches created a certain culture within the Chanault household. We would compete in so many games, like in the house far as, like girls versus boys,
and it's kind of a water fight. They say, you're just like flicks and water on somebody and the other person go overboard, and it just got out of hand. So now we're like getting buckets in and we just founded anything with water. We're just throwing it like we got the water holes went in the house with the water holes. Now who you know, like going in the house with the water holes, Like you gotta know, this
is somebody that's very competitive to do that. So, like, regardless of how simple was, it just we met it. Everything competitive, and I think that's what just made me so tough. And I think that's why the whole family
just so tough. Whatever. We had like five football fields behind our neighborhood and I'm ten years old at the time, nine years old somewhere around there, and we were go older and play football and I'm playing with two plus year old people and I'm ten years old and I'm just out there having fun with it and like not crying, you know, just out there compee. So I think my younger years it was definitely just made me so tough. And I always wish that we can get back to
that level. Now instead of worrying too much about when and where Levisca will go, they're putting demarius advice into practice. What are y'all prepared to do? You know, it's six months. I want to see myself as a or I want to be in this position is six months, don't wait. They want to translate le Visca success on the gridiron
into something bigger off the field. It goes for six months your way, like like, do you have anything specifically like you you're the boss, you see you do you have anything sific tasks that you won't each want to do? Like it's something in your mind that you said, Hey, I want you to take care of this, and I want you to take care of this and I want you to take out if it's idea, you were here to support you. Now I hear what you're saying, fight
tak Yeah, because I have that. Well, my vision is to keick off this clothing line for him to visit is two loves. Finish that out, take care of that because it's it's way passed. We got the ship of Scores group we're attacking, we got our text out, We've got everything is ask a little bit legit to go. So what you do, everything that you buy, everything that you like that POWs everything that goes on in your business. So but with that being said, I'm just telling that
that process ground had already been said all it. So that's the focus. If you want to do something, make sure that he's making money also with along with you. You know what I'm saying, because you believe it or not. We gotta profit him too. So anything you go to you remember he's about so whatever. His lines and things are this up to him. So he got a lot of show things to think about to Trump, just just
put that out there. It's a lot for a twenty one year old, especially as he approaches the eve of what's hopefully the biggest day of his life. But living Cassette, his family has never been short on competitiveness or ambition. I want to get my own shot. Um. I want to drive for a minute because I love to drive. Love love like. Um. After that, once I can tell you I'm going to come out and I'm gonna hire
someone to drive for me. They do a help of people, get another truck and soon um, then I'm going to fashion. I'll just working in school. Being a single mom. It's a lot of work. Yeah, Like you gotta be for him. But you know what I'm saying, be a ghostwriter after their life type of other stood too and as gonna say, it's a media plane like I wanted to be. I don't know about all the bad ground. Yes, I want to get back in nursing too, let me squee I
want to be. I don't know how. Yeah, I'm trying to get a farm gone, so we can make our own food. We gotta go out and at nobody else food. And he could be eating right. He knows exactly what's in his food. The Renault family has big plans for life after draft day, but all that has to wait until after his name is called. We'll be right back. Former Ohio state cornerback Jeff Okuda is another likely high
first round pick in these last forty eight hours. He's characteristically focused on the moment, any little detail, detail, where she did, where she didn't do, anything about you say some conversation have this coverage asking thing. Do you remember that conversation. Yeah, that's Damarius Bilbo again, the agent we heard from earlier, from seeing some of the things take place in the media that we talked about a week ago. Right, Yeah,
you are the Unitedate Temple. But being that a lot of these teams know that they can get a corner at five or six. As we're Jaalen Ramsey the ladder or Pastor Pieters and have gone. They are using a third you know, gained some draft capital and picks across the draft. We fully expect me to be a top team given the top seven day top poltick. That's based on how those birth were paying uh if they stayed good.
This might seem trivial, but as we noted, the difference between a few spots in the top ten is millions of dollars and NFL contracts have few we're guarantees than the other major pro sports. So watching those early first round picks unfold can be excruciating for the top prospects. Every time they hear a different player's name called instead of their own, they'll know they just missed out on
another million or more. Preparation and knowing what to expect can at least help them deal with some of this pressure and stress. Yeah, we talked about the market and marketability and spots. Obviously you know tachot there and that's the most money you're gonna need the top of the big but other markets, if there's a lamp pocket that trades of um, that's a combination of a first five thing and needed a great market that we can definitely use you with some other stuff, so you know, and
that whole But they're ready here. I will kind of learn through if there's any trade after the second ummaller go from there to make sure you're communicate with us. Answer your phone any you don't know, UM, don't worry about the area code. Okay, all right, perfect. We're so excited and we cannot wait to speak to you later when you're in the NFL. Okay, thank you so much. I'm saying as the hours remaining wind down, that was close to Jeff, continue to reach out. What up, boss?
What's ups? Just chilling to figure out where you're gonna be living in a few weeks. Yeah. This is Jeff's strength and conditioning coach who has been working with leading up to the draft. Well where are you right now? You're still in town? Yeah, I'm that apartment still Okay, Okay, got it. You've been staying in shape. Yeah, I've been conditioning it every other day, doing push ups all that. I didn't do the same workout that you sent the first time, the conditioning, but I just like kind of
like added on to it, like change direction stuff. So I'm getting it in. I've got another one. And we read vamps that I sent to you as well. I'm just added tode your attitude, your bridge account been there and uh and get that, all right? But what Atlanta trying to trade up? The Troit is trying to trade back? I think so, I mean, I really don't know. Like I thought it was gonna be a trode for a long time, but I don't know if it still might be. But I just don't know, like who's trying to trade up?
I got you. I got you. It's like you've already controlled everything. Yeah, so enjoy the ride, man, Yeah for sure, coach. Appreciate you calling me, man, Yeah, no problem, I'm gonna jump. But I just wanted to say I was thinking about you, and I'll be watching and I'll swing in. Congrats. Taxa is gonna get thrown into the next text message, would
I'll be good? Alright, appreciate it. OK. Yeah, So I put in manus order from our dishwasher my sink to the but that little switch things not working on the sink anymore. Tens of millions of dollars on the line, a lifelong mission to reach the NFL so close he can feel it. And this is what Jeff o'cuda is doing. It's a perfect example of his uncanny ability to stay focused on the present, or what scouts call his Zen like patients, one of the many qualities that make him
so dominant on the field. Yeah. Yeah, it's not working. And I put I put a mate. Yeah yeah, when I when I plucked the switch, it doesn't turn on two three zero one. Okay, I put it in a request or talkson on Monday, I think, No, no one's got back to me. Okay, let me see if I can out there today. Okay, thank you, And uh, they don't have to. I'm about to leave for the day, are they they don't have to be here, right, Nope, you don't have to be there, all right, cool, appreciate it.
You're welcome. Have a good one. Beyond all the usual anticipation in scrutiny, this year's draft and the coming season involve other unprecedented challenges. It's a Jeff again. Uh, I got a call from somebody that they gotta Fermanece comes to my apartment. They have to ask me some questions, Yes, sir, just for a quick question here. How did they be going so hard? That's going good? Can't complain that's good. It's just pore a good question. To be tested positive
for COVID nineteen. No, have your trouble to any countries within the last forty five days for which the CDC has issued a pandemic related Level three travel help not is alrighty? Have you come into contact with any individual that has tested positive for COVID nineteen No, sir, do you currently have a fever of more? Already and make a quick call a man's and have him head up there for you shortly, sir. Okay, thank you, You're welcome.
Have a good A potential first round picks like Jeff McKay, Levisca, and Chase normally would fly to the city hosting the draft. They do endless media appearances, picking out new suits, carefully planning the moment they walk across the stage and shake the commissioner's hand. But in almost everything is up in the air. Literally. I wake up every morning waiting to walk outside and see zombies. I'm like, is this a
scary movie? Like is this one of these sci fi flicks that you know you hear this alarm and you just start seeing people walk down the street and like, what the hell is that? Agent to Mary is Bilbo again? So you know, my job for the players is to get information because there's this huge disconnect because we're dealing with something that nobody knows what it is. And not only are they going through their first draft experience, but
they're going through during a pandemic. So it's gonna be different. Well I be able to have a rookie mini camp o t a s where am I just gonna be thrown in the fire? You know what I'm saying. Can you can you imagine a Chase Young standing across from an eight year veteran in camp and it's like, okay, well,
where's that rookie that's coming in with me? This is why I gotta go against the first day, you know, So you can hopefully say that they will be the first and the last draft class that experiences something like this. Here's Chase and how he's hoping to manage this year's
unusual situation. A few things have to change is we're definitely taking taking steps to be more healthy, keeping hand synthesizer, gloves, masks, those types of things in the car, you know, not going out um to too many places for obviously what I wear. Can't with a Gucci suit anymore because I believe it's in Italy, they said, and they won't get here in time, so I'll be wearing a brand called John Elliott. I'm a designer based out of California. Might
have to change how we're doing a draft. A lot of my friends and family will be outside, and after I get drafted, I don't go outside and just greet them as safely and healthy as possible. And yeah, only a few people in the house, but you know that's how I'm planning on on doing the draft. I'm definitely grateful for this whole opportunity. Um. I pray to God every night and I think him for every time I wake up, um, and and and can sleep in and
wake up again. Um. So I'm definitely grateful for this opportunity. Um, and I'm gonna show it. I'm gonna give everything I have. What I've really been doing is making sure that the players understand that there are people out there that are really facing life of death situations. So remain humble. Understand that you're still blessed. You got to college and got an opportunity get a free education, that's number one. You know, you don't have that debt on yourself. You don't have
a debt on your mom. You know, even if you've got a guy who is an undrafted guy. You know, who makes the roster. Now you're going to the league. You're gonna make more than most doctors make. You know, just say salary, you know, So be thankful for those things and that's when the bigger blessings come. And this is the time where we focus on people and not be that selfish athlete that's just worried about myself. Coming up on the next episode of Drafted. The neighborhood that
Keyshan and I both grew up in. You grew up fast, Keyshawn Vaughan. When I first had the dream of benefits five six years old. Me having that dream is kind of something that helped me on a straight path. You have a lot of kids to come through and play with a lot of passion, and play with a lot of hard, tough, grimy and have a lot of grit. I've coasted a lot of great bags in my seventeen years of coaching in Metro Nashville. Then he's the best by far. I'm a big person who want to prove
people wrong. So I mean he's been underdog. Somebody care with much pride, and I knew I had to get surgery I Really like broke into tears right when they told me was not an internal lane. Drafted as a production of tree Fork Media, Clutch Sports Group, and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Gardner, Lisa Amberman, Eric's a Lot, Sean to Tone, l Ki and me Keepet Michael Key. The series is produced and written by Eric Winer. Brahm is our coordinating producer. Tom Monahan is
our senior audio engineer. Mixed and edited by Steven Johnson. Additional production help from Tim Shower, June Rosen, and Hailey Mandelberg. For transcripts of the show and more information on Drafted, go to tree Fort dot fm, and for more podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.