S1 Episode 9: Middle Rounds

a tough three days for some guys. Clutch Sports agent Kelton Crenshaw on this process and what might be going through McKay's mind throughout these first nine picks. Some guys they still watched the draft from the first pick all the way through, so you've got three days of basically, it's just every time you hear a guy's name is called, you know, just it's like a dagger in a chest, you know what I mean, other players and at your position that you feel like you might be better than

or it's definitely wild. Um. It's It's even more surprising though, because I've been in other situations where I'm looking at a draft board from a team that's usually on point. It's super high quality, and I'm seeing guys, like multiple guys go off the board ahead of our guy, and

it's just like house, it's possible. There's so many emotions, it's so frustrating, and it's it is definitely you know, nerve racking for your because you know what these guys put into it, you know what I mean, you know

how they feel. I mean, you get a chance to meet their families, you know what this means to them, and I mean it's tough for You're talking to the guys moms and aunts and big brothers, and he's just explaining to them, you know, trying to go through the board and trying to say some positive things to just

keep them, keep them, you know, motivated. But at the same time, we've all seen situations in cases where guys who don't go where they think they should have went, or you know, they don't get athlete at all, but they get an opportunity and they make the best of it and they you know, become stars in this league. So that's that's another you know thing that that's as beautiful about the process. So I would say overall, the process,

it's enjoyable. It's just his heart wrenching. At the same time, it's emotional for the players and their families, and it's also a gut check for their agents, who have tied their own careers to the fortunes of their clients. Here are a few of the reps that clutch watching and waiting from a kind's name to be called as the Cleveland Browns go on the clock with pick number ten. Oh no, might not be. What I heard was that he has the most potential. That great, Yeah it grow

the Browns taking degit willis where they next? Right? No text from Bilbo, Yeah so that doesn't like that? And the NFL draft to your Jeddrick tackle Alabama? Don't you like? We'll not surprise that they go off the jeers the board. That's the second offensive tackle taking ahead of mackay, officially knocking him out of the top ten. McKay and his family take this in from their living room set up, struggling with their heightened emotions as he continues to slide.

He'll get him shop standing? What's that? Were you hand? Hurry all here about how hard lot was surprising the center to there? Hello? What come on? I can't here? Hello? How are you virginal dr So what hello, I'm doing good? Go tell you knowing Zurn. Remember we're talking about yeah, n y, that's where I'm ready to go. Let's gold. All right, how you doing, coach? I promise I'm bringing them code. They already packed. They already packed, coach. Let's sir,

let's ride. Thank you, you turn you know, you know ke work times of the city boy, you know the city boy. Let's go, let's go. You already know what it is. Oh yeah, oh yeah, all about situation, man, let's go. Let's go. Then let the cameras. Let's go the cameras. The pick is in. McCay gathers himself after finally discovering his new team that was yeah, Oh what's up, goes, what's up? I'm gonna call you back. I'm gonna call you back. While McKay answers the call from his former coach.

Fans on Twitter react to seeing the Beckton family on TV for the first time. The internet explodes over McKay's size and speed and how big his dad Jeromance. It was unexpected, the buzz we were getting that he was going to go high. You constantly see everybody saying he was you know, the top line in the draft or one of the top five lineen in the draft. But we kept hearing different things. People kept out of this different stuff we had. We heard full all the way

up to the Giants were it was full. And then you know, I think the race Cancers talking to him too, so I mean, but they never actually said they were evening a draft on at SU but the Redskins was talking to him also. He actually talked to the Redskins several times before, you know, before the draft. But it was God's plan for him to go to the Jets. So you know, we're at the Jets with Jets fans

were at to support the Jets. We um, you know, hope you get his goals and aspirations that he's looking for it With the Jets, fans tweet for their teams to pick Jerome Next, the joke grows to beckt in size proportions with the Sporting News and yeah who Sports picking it up, and Jets quarterbacks Sam Donald later making a reference to his dad hopefully playing defensive tackle for the team. It's a fitting joke for a journey that has always been about the whole family. Yeah, I can't

hear you. Who do you think was the most excited person in the room my dad. Probably between my dad and my mom, one of them too, because my mom was screaming the most and I couldn't hear and I tell her, like, Mom, you're right in my ear, I can't hear him. So I mean it was between them too. Honestly, We're all were waiting for the call. We're always waiting for it. And then once my phone run, you can see everybody just get exciting. We're all were waiting for

that call. So I mean, it's just a huge blessing because I've worked so hard to get to this point and they've been with me every step of the way. The moment meant even more after suffering through those first ten picks. My mom was all over the place, I mean, just seeing like as the top ten is going and I see my name wasn't called. Yes, I was just sitting there and thinking, like I was doubting myself. Actually, I was trying to figure out what was it me? Like,

where did I do wrong? Just I was just doubting myself the whole time. That's that's all I was thinking about. And nobody understood that in the room. But I was just like when they when they were getting picked, actually started to cry, like I was crying because I felt like I did something wrong. So I mean, it was just I mean, I'm not what I supposed to be at now, So I'm good about that. It's a great president. Honestly, it's it's amazing, probably the best president I've got. We'll

be right back. The first round continues with Las Vegas at pick twelve for the so called year of the wide receiver, and shocking none have been drafted yet. Wide receiver Laviska Chenault hopes he's the one to break that streak. I got one thing, something long. The one is gonna talking. I ain't trying to see. Lavisca is intent on being selected in the first round, and like every undrafted player, he grows more tense with each pick. Oh glad, we're getting to the best part of this dround. And I

talked about it earlier. He's on the receivers and once they start to go, it could be the go on a run. Will they go here? The pick is in of NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select every Rucks gratulations. Gratulations Henry Ruggs is the first and only receiver drafted so far until pick fifteen and the Bronco Jerry Judy. Congratulations Jerry, and pick seventeen the Dallas Cowboys self lamb

receiver and pick one eagle sl jen Oh. The next pick is another receiver, Justin Jefferson from l s U. The run is officially on at pick the San Francis go forty nine or select another Brandon Ayuk from Arizona State. The year of the wide receiver is coming to fruition, but Laviska's dream hasn't yet followed suit. As the first round winds down, a frustrated Lavisca turns off his recorder

for the night. Cornerback Bryce Hall also says goodbye to family members who came to watch Day one seven Tomall, Hey, we all no other day. I appreciate y'all. We're gonna link up tomorrow night Part two, Part two. Guys, on those trees, right, you offense? I probably will, definitely will they want offense? They you could just protected what he wants to do offensively, and it's gonna like that is all.

First rund before we say let's go now, you didn't commissioner, do it again tomorrow today we get one more night together, guys tomorrow today you know with s we all learning out tracking everything. And then the other were like, okay, that's six pointing, that's the that's sixth pointing. That's a lot. I'm proud to be about other people. I want to

know what the uh the draft order, the order. Just type in draft corner when us M R Bryson Endzel prepare for rounds two and three in the coming afternoon. Some interesting things coming up? Yeah, I mean they're on any trades happening. I'm feeling like homes of well just from the teams that have shown like a lot of interest in you auto dealership where they just moved down all the oh my god, look at the size. Maybe New England. Honestly I'm sorry, um yeah, seven because they

need they needed corner that day? Who got New England? No, they don't need a corner. But I mean, like you know, this week they've run through a lot of corners, so you know they're gonna start if the team needs a corner, like you know, it's going to be you and Kansas City right here exactly. Obviously a remarkable check around round the number one pick jump to say to that more on me a set after transferring from Ohio State where he didn't get this. It's first at all. I'm definitely

gonna sleep tonight with Round one officially. In the books, Mackai reflects back on his life changing day. It was surreal when I got the call. That was pretty upset because I was expecting to go earlier. But when I got the call, it was it was just everybody was just screaming. I couldn't hear the call at first. I had to everybody to be quiet so I can hear the call, all right, Hello, Oh come on, I can't

here Hello. That moment was crazy. I mean I was just waiting for my phone for my phone to ring. I just kept making sure my phone was on ringer. I was just I was just ready for that call, honestly. I mean my phone started to ring, like my heart just dropped. Everybody just started to scream, and I asked the call and it was Joe Douglas and he was telling me that they were gonna pick me in the next pick. So when he just finally said we want you to be a jet, everybody just started crying. It

was just great. I just I don't know, it's just a feeling I probably won't ever get again, I can say. And then like in the middle of the car, I just got pumped, like I just told him I was ready, like I'm ready to go, like I want to play right now. Like that's how I was feeling. Even though we didn't get to walk across the stage and sake Roger dell him, it's still a blessing, honestly. I mean, they still the NFL still found a way to make

us feel good about the draft. So um, it was just it was just great, good morning, it's the thirty uh Friday. They wanted the drafts last night. First round was last night, obviously, They two is today later tonight, rounds till in three. I'll be at Bama head towards my workout for the day. That's quarterback, is saying Bassie. He doesn't expect to be drafted today since most projections have him going in the later rounds, but a part of him still hope someone will take a chance on

him earlier. I kind of chilled last night watching the I was in and out watching the first round just because watching guys get pick kind of made me build up anxiety and things like that. So I was just kind of I had to get my head out of

it for a little bit. Oh today, I definitely helped clear my mind working out in the morning, because at the end of the day, no matter where my name is get called, I said, I got work to do, so got work to put in, and the work really never stops from me for anybody in this whole process. Uh So, just it's just another day, you know. Hopefully you know, I'm cut some time out here my name

called Celebrate, but then it's right back to work. So I'm just trying to keep that mentality, if you know, I still got things I want to achieve and places I want to get to. Uh So, I just gotta keep going. His agent to Mary's Bilbo calls to talk strategy pinning the fourteen range of corn so for six to go, you know, obviously, you know, I think Fulton

had come off the board earlier today. I think um digs to come off earlier to day, and then from there with this, it's a wild card out that because those two kids that went in the first round of the day. Literally I talked to eight executives. You think these kids that third round gradies. Yeah that the Allburn kid, right, yeah, the kid in the UK. But they but they you know, these things fall in love with speed, you know what

I'm saying. You know, they had the size and they had to speed, So I think that that's what they fell in love with. But you know, this could build situation if we if we still a running the day when we can see in the first picks, if we see you know, five corners on you know the first few teen picks are even you know, five or six in the first thirty picks in the in the second round, it's a good opportunity. You'll hear your name called earlier.

You're earlier than expected. You talked about Saturday when it could be earler and me expected because nobody expected that. Now again, the same way you can have a run on the position, you can have slowed down right because you look at you look at the running back. You had two running back in the first round, raids DeAndre Swift and Jonathan Taylor. They didn't even get to us

last night. You know, so, um, what players gonna what teams might start doing now it's going best player available or sitting on the pick and let people teams that need a need. So if you got a team like Detroit Lions that need a running back and and they got six picks into the second round, they might trade up with a Cincinnati bank gonna say we really want to SWOOFO. We wann't really want to get Johnson Taylor versus waiting their pick, and he'd not be there. So

you'll see a lot of that today. Starting um with the first couple of pie, you by see a little chain. The pigs get faster this round, you know what I'm saying, and so things will be spanned up a little bit more. So I just want to get being on the loop. I would rather than three because that will put everything down to roust. I just want to give you information.

But sounds good. We'll keep praying about this call. No doubt, as painful as it is to hear another player's name get called instead of their own, Bryson is saying want as many cornerbacks as possible to get drafted, and they want that to happen early and often because they move up the draft boards when the players above them at their position get taken. For example, if Bryce is the third highest rated corner on the team's board, and the

two players above him get picked. A team might draft Bryce earlier to make sure they don't miss out on him too. So with six cornerbacks taken in round one, Bryce is feeling optimistic. What not? What not? What up? It's day two Friday. We're looking at eleven four seven am and we just begetting our day for U the second and third round in the draft. Super excited. I

got a good feeling about today, fresh opportunity. I don't know what the future holds, but I know who old offensive lineman tremain Anchorm seems less confident, weighing the uncertainty of what rounds two and three might hold for him. Just got a call. It's like, you're having people over today, Like, I don't know, it's so weird, man, but somebody else, so many other people do, and they're like, yo, you're finding people over, like when we poplish a paying bottles.

I don't want to do that and suffer the embarrassment of not being drafted possibly and then you know, wasting their time lixting our time. And then it's like, oh, God, trains that asshole, you know, And then I'm one of those sad stories on the TV somebody not getting draft ed. I don't want that picnic. I really don't. I'd rather just I rather just know where I'm going, not even

be an announcement. Do I bite people over sit through awkward interactions between people that I have to somehow please, But do I need to please? It's really weird. It's tough. It's a lot we're not going on. You're not really sure where you gotta go from him and in our relationship and all that other ship. Like it's it's a lot to think about. Mm hmm, we'll see, We'll be right back. We're back in Dallas, Texas, with Laviska and his family settling in for the start of Round two.

So the Betels are officially on the clock. Where will they go with the first pick of day two? We literally had no idea what's gonna happen, And you know what, we kind of like it that way. The draft run a roll night to round too. Little facts were to be there. Cincinnati has the first pick in the second round and they need a receiver. Their Pro Bowl white out. AJ Green has been injured the last two years and only played nine games over that stretch. Now that the

team drafted their future star quarterback first. Overall, there's consensus they want to pick their future star received or next, but they need one who can stay healthy. Will this eliminate Leavisca? Okay, let's get just started with their picks. With two thousand draft, Cincinnati Bengals away See Higgins receiver Clemson. Tremaine's former Clemson teammate becomes the seventh receiver taken, and then it looks like the next pig is in PICKL

draft Indianapolis calls my gold pitman receiver. That's two wide receivers back to back to start the second round, neither of whom are Laviska Channault And adding to the stress, okay, they've accidentally paused the TV and can't get the broadcast to restart. This is especially unnerving since Laviska could be picked at any moment, showtime, at moments and the screen time, are you still sit down? What is that talk? Talk? What is it? H m h Y can't do this

moment just spost to play very words. But well here now yeah some playback and some yeah comes that coming open again, go back and me open back again, back again. Yeah, I'll go all the way out of slam. It's that oh yeah, not go back to slam, No go back. It was already programmed by time. Go back. You see the sling right there? Oh, y on now, or young guy, go on, go on? God now, go all the way up,

all the way up to the draft. It's gonna keep giving a go to go go go back to that, go all the way up, all the way up, go back. Crisis averted. Hopefully this is the only year prospects will have to worry about missing the moment their lifelong dreams come true because of overly complicated TV setups. But now Lavisca and the draft are back. Loss is a guy who can get some things stuck without doubt. You're talking

about a longer leader, hussy. Are you doing I'm good If I heard you time, Oh yeah, I heard a lot about that. How to make you let's do it. You got a good young reheating greeting question. He was at ouray with you. Yes, I'm ready to one. What's off back? Yes already right now, I'm back right now, Yes, sir, your nets the whole game. Yes, thank you, happy and thank you. See the sign on the seventeen year old sun shack year old. All right, what do you mean?

It's not on the Hordel general manager made let's see this the Jacksonville Jaguars or on a buck there you see duck round and David Caldwell, the general manager, mind work pigs through and we believe that at this point the past come in. What are the Jacksonville Jaguars going to do? We've seen a run on safeties and white receivers, so formless list it for second ti the first time? Hello,

o okay, come old story not running? Okay to his father, see this is not where Senior died unexpectedly when was only ten years old, slipped on gravel. Hello, it was fatally struck by a pickup truck. It was only thirty nine years old. Beside his redlocks as a tribute. Two

years later, father, and he is a guy. We want to he just hey mosgo yes, many Hello, Hello, I see you in the call, but I can't I can't actually physically see you or can you hear anybody I hear the like the spen Hello, I'm sorry, tell can you hear them when you're on at all? I can't, you can't, you can't get my laptop. All right, I'm

gonnaet just can't get my laptop, all right. Laviska is the forty second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars and the ninth receiver taken in the two thousand twenty draft. I can hear you guys now, Yes, sir, how you know I'm here? I'm here, That's all I do, Yes, sir, coach? Yes, sir? All right? Who that's crazy? That's crazy. Okay, you just talked to a commission. I haven't talked a commission, was cod Okay, now you gotta talk to commission sax Jackson fear.

That's crazy, everybody, Tito. He said, I'm gonna give me a call. The significance of getting drafted, discovering his future team, becoming an NFL player all starts to sink in until his thoughts are interrupted by a call from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and current Jacksonville receiver D. D. Westbrook. What's soo with it? Apretty much? Bro? Facts can't wait to work with you, Bro, But get that bund together? Yes, sir, Oh yeah, I can't real fast. Uh seems like it

was just yesterday. Actually, I slept good a lot of a lot of a lot of thinking. But now I don't I didn't care where I went. I'm just ready to get the work, to be honest, Yes, sir, I can't wait to get there. Thank you very much, apprety much, yep, appreciate it. Well, did not mean to say that. That's Lebiska's brother in the room talking with him. It seemed like yesterday. That it makes sense, seeming like it was just well, yeah, if like yesterday, um came fast. I didn't.

I should have added to it. I didn't add to it. No, that I was just our guard. I had the rest of the things I want to like come and that's really what it was. Yeah. I was trying to get the video, but I couldn't get locked up. Oh so I gotta just test this, right, you said, excuse me? No, Yeah, that was a commissioner and and D. D. Westmood. That

was a commissioner and D. D. Westmood. Okay, he's done, Yeah, he's done with the commission The rest of the second round unfolds, with three more cornerbacks getting drafted, but none named Bryce hall Or Is saying Bassie. Three running backs and another offensive linemen are also chosen, but Tremaine Anchrum

and Keyshawn Vaughan both continue their excruciating weights. Only the lucky ones like Levisca and mackay or Chase Young and Jeff Okuda get to worry about their new futures with their new teams and about catching up on messages in social media. Here's Leviska and his brother again. My phone is going. I was the type of dude going down to night like I'm getting random like so that they clearly changed. I know I'm there. He was going, Bro, it's going okay, it's doing okay. So many people would

be about Instagram going crazy. Oh my god, oh my god, I must have won crazy. That's crazy. I'm just ready. I'm ready. I'm ready go. Uh he' none you girl, I got you so already for you to get you working man. Question, you can quarterback, drill, get you set up with routs, hon, It's time to go. You're right time now. Honestly, I might go back to Colorado. Things over, Yeah, I got I can put it way more working in Colorado. It's just like it's basically like you just got done,

eat breakfast, nice time for dinner. It's a whole new play there. They're gonna be more food. It's a whole new play that I gotta, I gotta get ready for coming up. I'm the next episode of Drafting Rotor that baby like Smung grol Man. It's an honor to be a part of the team at Absolutely dree Day picks hopeful his lack of size five n likely contributed to

his slide down the board. Lack of size the Muslim teams that was telling me all bullshit and all of them teams are planning to kill their coach will have to be mad as hell that he is gotta Keshava. That's kind of how how does Go? Now? Drafted as a production of tree Fork Media, Clutch Sports Group, and I Heart Radio. The executive producers are Kelly Garner, Lisa Amerman, Eric's a Lot Sewn to Toone, l Ki and me Keegan Michael Key. The series is produced and written by

Eric Weiner. Jared Brom 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 Hayley Mandelberg. For transcripts of the show and more information undrafted go to Trefort dot f M. And for more podcasts. For my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.