Bucky Brooks, Charley Casserly On Dolphins Draft

combine here in Indianapolis. Plus, the Dolphins made their first signing of the off season last week with Michael Roberts. Will jump into his game and what he brings to Miami. All of that and more here on this Thursday, February edition of the Drivetime Podcast. And we are here in Indianapolis getting a look at prospective players ahead of this

year's draft coming up at the end of April. But the Dolphins made their first splash of the off season with the acquisite of former Toledo Rockets and Detroit Lions tight end Michael Roberts. We're gonna get to Michael here in just one moment, but we start with the availabilities of Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and general manager Chris Greer. First, we'll start with coach, who had plenty to say at his media availability down in the scrum here at the

Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. And the first quote that popped out from the entire thing, the thing that I chose to lead my story with up on Miami Dolphins dot com, where you can find these transcripts and articles about what coach and Chris Greer said and all the content available for all you Dolphins fans out there, was adapt or die. And he said that in reference to the workout and on field changes and schedule changes here

at the combine. And how refreshing is it to hear that from your coach in the league where frankly, there's still are coaches out there that adhere to old school principles and are not willing to adapt with the modern times. But here in Miami that's just not the case. Brian Flores knows that this league adapts on a yearly basis, on a monthly basis, on a weekly basis, heck, even on a drive by drive basis, you're gonna have to adapt yourself and adjust end game, and Brian Flores gets that.

He gets the nuances of the modern day game. He was also asked about the appointment of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey and asked whose idea was that, who first brought Gaily into the forefront and coach said, that was my idea. He knows about coach Gailey because he coached against him in the past and Gaily was always tough to deal with schematically. Coach said, he's good situationally. I've just heard

so many things about him as a teacher. The big thing for me is always teaching, and he's a great teacher. And we know the success the Dolphins had last year with undrafted free agents, late round draft picks Andrew van Ginkle coming off the i R late in the season and contributing as an outside linebacker and at that same position, not a draft pick but a guy they acquired the first day of September last season, and Vince Beagle getting him acclimated and having him produced at a high level

throughout the course of the season. It really speaks to Flores and his coaching staff's ability to teach guys and get them adapted to what they want to do and get them productive on the field on Sundays, and that's

what Flora sees in Chan Gailey. And Chris Greer was also asked the same question about Chan Gailey, and Greer mentioned that he got several texts from folks around the league saying that Gailey was a great hire both for his football acumen but also for the person that he is and that teaching aspect of his game shows up on a daily basis. Coach wasn't the only one that

praised Gaily for his adaptability on game days. Chris Greer had this to say of Chan Gailey, quote, he was a little bit ahead of the r p O game early on before it became in style for the rest of the league. And another similar question that was posed both the coach and Chris Greer was about the value of tailbacks running backs, I suppose in the modern day game, and coach had this to say, quote, running backs come in all different shapes and sizes. It depends on who

you've got. We're always going to do what's best for the player, and Chan has done a really good job of fitting the scheme to the different players he's had, so again, more of an adaptability and form fitting your scheme to the player strengths, opposed to forcing those players to do what you want them to do, even though it might be out of their comfort zone a little bit.

And when it was time for me to ask a question for Brian Flores, I thought I would ask him what the most important thing he could take away from this week here in Indianapolis, going back on his career both in New England and here in Miami. And he had this to say, quote, getting to know them, the players. There's a lot of juniors here that we don't really know that well. Finding out how smart they are, the things that are important to them. I want to know

about the person. We watch all of the film and have an opinion on how talented these players are, how do they work, how important isn't to them? And are they going to make the sacrifices necessary to become the player that they want to be? End quote, And I just love that quote from coach. It's all about how you work and your mindset and your mentality. It takes a certain level of character and and work ethic to

become a Miami Dolphin. And that's the kind of mentality they want to put forth going forward into the future

under both Brian Flores and Chris Greer. Now, of course you know both these guys couldn't get out of there without being asked about the quarterback position, and Flores was asked about what traits are most important in a quarterback and the it factor and Flora's basically, when asked to as a quarterback have to have the it factor, he said, well, the great ones have it, so yeah, they got to

have the it factor. He also talked about how the intangibles are difficult to discern, but these interviews helped the teams decide what makes a player tick, especially at quarterback, and Flora's talked about those traits that defined the coveted it factor. Do guys rally around him? Coach said, it's something you see when you watch the film. You get to know the player, the people around him, his coaches, his high school coaches, anybody who he's had an effect on.

You want to get to know them and have those conversations. It's a feel and as a group, myself and Chris Chris Greer, of course, we spend a lot of time talking about a lot of different things. If we feel like a player has that that's something every organization is looking for. Everyone has a different thought process and an

opinion on that. Now, the question I asked Chris Greer the Dolphins GM was about how much does the Dolphins available cap space and available draft capital basically make them an attractive free agent destination or give him a bargaining tool to attract players to Miami. And Chris had this to say, quote, it's a big piece. People want to

see that you're trying to do things to win. What we've done and what we've acquired, for any player, especially a younger player, would be excited for the opportunity to know that they're coming in with a lot of draft picks, a lot of good young players, and the chance to grow and build with them and build something special here

in Miami. And quote and he also spoke about the goal and you're number two off the top of his press conference and how the goal was to just continue building and how Brian and the coaching staff did a great job of establishing the culture last season. And the narrative was out there that, yeah, the team was tanking, but Chris said that it was clear the team was not tanking. That was never their goal it's important to establish that culture of winning, the importance of winning and

doing things the right way end quote. And being around both these guys, you just can tell these guys both want to win more than anybody out there as much as you want to win. And Dolphins land rest assured coach and Chris Career both want to win ten times more than that, if not even more than ten times.

And I said this back on Lockdown Dolphins in training camp, just being around coach and this regime that you can see the confidence that exudes off of those guys, and it really a bodes well for the Dolphins heading into the future. And you're number two of this process. And of course they were both asked about the quarterbacks here in Indianapolis working out at the scouting combine ahead of the draft up in April, and Chris Greer asked about what are some of the important things he hopes to

find out about the quarterbacks. He responds, quote, just getting to know the person. And that's the case for every person, not just quarterbacks. Leadership, mental toughness, character on and off the field. It's important for every position, but especially quarterback. He also spoke about the importance of finding that quarterback, and he agrees it is very important. Every team that has one will tell you that, and we want to

get to that point. Ryan Fitzpatrick did a great job last year and he'll be a great person to show

whoever it is, how to be a pro. And on the earlier podcast this week, back on Monday, we talked about the quarterback rankings with Joe Burrow to a Tongue of Vloa and Justin Herbert the one to three guys up on the Draft network dot com, And of course both Chris and Brian were asked about two a tongue of Vloa and what they want to see for him from him this week rather at the scouting combine, and Flora said, quote, there's a lot to know about a lot of players, but it's just what we talked about,

love of the game, intelligence. But that's for any player, not just quarterbacks. We're not going to elevate these guys, and this is me speaking now, They're not going to elevate guys from different positions above anybody else because everybody on this roster, everybody on this team, everybody in this organization is all important and coach has intimated that fact. Before and press conferences. From those guys that cooked the team, meals from those ones that fly the team playing. Everybody

has a part in this process. We're all working together and the goals to get everybody on the same page. So they want people in this building that love the game, that have intelligence and back to to a coach says, the medical is obviously a part of that. We're early in the process here. I haven't met him yet. I'm looking forward to meeting him and a lot of these players.

There are a lot of talented players here. And quote and Lewis Riddick and Daniel Jeremiah and Kyle Crabs have all said that this is the deepest draft class that they can remember in some time, and a great time to have fourteen draft picks, and they projected sixteen after compensatory picks get put in, and six of those picks in the top seventy picks of this year's draft. Great

time to be a Dolphins fan. So we've heard from coach, We've heard from Chris Career, and with that, let's go ahead and dive into Chris Career's first move of the off season, acquiring tight end Michael Roberts Roberts at a breakout season in ten in college, scoring sixteen touchdowns sixteen coming from Toledo, Roberts, a fourth round draft pick of the lines in seventeen, impressed the most in Indianapolis with his seven point oh three coned time and from his

player profile page up on NFL dot com and Lanzer Line scouting report. Roberts had to overcome a lot of adversity from a young age. His father was incarcerated, he was diagnosed with a d D and a speech impediment at a young age, and while his grades improved after he received diagnosis and proper treatment, Roberts did not receive a scholarship offer and the hardships well, unfortunately they had

not concluded at that point. He lost his grandmother to cancer and his younger brother was killed in an accidental shooting. But still Michael persevered. He enrolled at Toledo as a student and walked onto the football team, and those sixteen touchdowns that he scored back in sixteen ranked six in all of college football. Zerline notes of Robert's career receptions either move the chains or put points on the board.

That is production baby. He has massive, massive hands, eleven and a half inch hands attached to vines on his shoulders by way of thirty three inch arms. He goes six ft five two seventy pounds, and yet, as their line notes, he's able to maintain body control and work the end lines in the end zone and sidelines in the passing game. He has a strong base and is

a capable run blocker. He's a versatile piece that should match chan Gailey's multiple offense very well and bolster the back end of the tight end room behind Mike Asiki, who of course had his breakout season back in twenty nineteen. Last year, Roberts has been held back by injuries as a pro, most notably missing last season with a shoulder injury.

And Roberts actually drew the interest of the New England Patriots, but that shoulder injury nix and agreed upon trade to the Patriots, and Roberts instead wound up being released by the Lions and spent the entire year rehabing the shoulder injury that he had that season. Dolphins fans likely remember him from that game back in team when he caught two touchdowns as a member of the Detroit Lions, and

watching this player on film. Personally, he certainly has the makeup of a modern day player with the length and athleticism combination and just overall versatility and pro football focus. Loved his pass blocking work during his time with the Detroit Lions, and you can also substitute the extra sixth offensive lineman at times for a guy like Roberts and give yourself some extra pass catching ability and not losing a whole lot in the run game as well. So again,

versatility allows the offense to be more multiple. And when I watched him on tape, I love the way he is quick, but not in a hurry. He'll square up his man that's assigned to cover him in the passing game and especially on play action when he does a good job of simulating blocking action, then he quickly crossed his face to get into his pattern. He's savvy at creating leverage opera tunities that way, and he also helps himself by positioning himself properly in the run blocking game.

By most accounts, the tight end draft class this year is let's just say lacking. Kyle Crabs, who had a chance to speak to down on the floor in the scrum at the Convention Center Wednesday in Indianapolis said that this is one of the weaker classes we've seen in some time at tight end. But NFL Networks Bucky Brooks likes a lot of the offensive positions in this year's class, and he has the Dolphins taking in his current mock draft up on nfl dot com Mock Draft two point oh.

He has Miami taking a quarterback, a cornerback, and a running back in the first round. And let's go ahead, now and roll my interview with former NFL player and area scout and current NFL network on air personality and Move the Sticks Podcast co host Bucky Brooks. What's Up Dolphins Travis Wink with you guys here Miami Dolphins Dot by Bucky Brooks, NFL Network and the Move the Sticks Podcast. Bucky,

thanks joining us, Hey, thanks for having me. It's no problem. Well, I want to get your first perspective on you, your former scout in this league. What's what's the number one thing a scout can accomplish this week here in the new Now, there are a couple of things that a scale can accomplish. One is getting around the players like we've done all the tape work, we've seen them on film, but we may not have had many interactions with them.

So now getting the field for the player, how they're going to fit into the locker room, do you like the personality, does the personality job with the coaching staff? All those things are really important. Yes, we will also get the medical information and all this stuff that doctors and trains the take care of that. But the most important part is to get a feel for the player and how you kind of fits the culture of the

locker room. And another thing we talked about on Your Move the six podcast, your co hosting and Jeremiah said the receiver class could have as many as twenty three receivers in the top three rounds. What's another position group to you that has similar depths of the wide receiver group. The cornerback class is pretty solid. It may not have the top end um players in terms of the depth like the wide receivers, but they're a ton of cornerbacks

that will play. People will talk about Jeffrey Couda, c J Henderson, Trevon Diggs. You go a little deeper, uh, there there are plenty of guys Damon Arnett that can play. And so I think it comes down to what do you like, what are you looking for? The big thing is and in scouting circles they talk about trying to find a six ft corner. Well, in this class, here a ton of six ft corners that are two hundred pounds that can match up with some of those big

bullies on the outside. And so a lot of dB coaches, a lot of defense coordinators are excited about what the class could bring. And you mentioned Trayvon Digs. He actually comes off the board to the Dolphins, and your second mock draft up on nfl dot com right now, I want to go over that mock draft with you here real quick. You got two, a tongue of val and number five overall. What do you what's you're feeling about two in that position and possibly his fit here with

the Dolphins. Well, I think it's a great fit. Um, I think it's it's a great fit. I think he's a terrific person. I think the character kind of shows when you get around him. We've seen him and handle the media days and those things. He can play. I call him the left ended version of Drew Brees. Quick, decisive, deadly, accurate, understands how to play a quick rhythm game. Has enough escapability to make some things happen with his legs, but he can slice you up as a pocket pass, and

I think that's what you want. The big thing for two, obviously, is the injuries. Can a team be patient enough to let him fully he'll up let him develop. Maybe he's rash it or four year, but I think if you let him rash here four year, you could get a star player. You have Trayvon Diggs coming off number eight team. What's the thing about him that most most makes you attractive to the Miami Dolphins and pick a team. He's long, he's range e, He's versatile in terms of his technique.

He can play man to man, he can play his own coverage. He is a former wide receiver who has ball skills, and in this league, the ability to get turnovers is critical. So when you find a cornerback that can catch the ball, that can make plays is a huge difference. It really impact not only the defense but your offense because of the extra opportunity he has the ability he'll tackle. But there are a ton of guys that can kind of fit there. I just think Trayvon

Diggs would be a perfect fit for the Dolphins. That they picked and then finally pick twenty six DeAndre Swift, the first running back off the board. We heard him talk earlier today about his versatility. Is that kind of the main thing you look for with DeAndre Swift and running back that can come in and contribute day number one? Yeah, he's the natural. Um, he's very natural and everything that he does, whether it's as a running back, catching past protection,

he does all those things very effortlessly. Big time player. No people kind of wonder should we take a running back in the first round. I think his talent merits being a first round pick. He's a game changer, a guide that to me is a day one starter. We're seeing how these young running backs have been able to impact the game immediately. I think he's an impact player at the position. He's Bucky Brooks at the NFL Network and the Move the Sticks podcast Travis Wing with you

guys here a Miami Dolphins dot Com. We'll see you next time. Really cool to catch up with Bucky Brooks there. I'm a big fan of the Move the Sticks podcast. He and Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network. Of course, Daniel does the NFL Networks anchor coverage of the draft and the scouting combine this week here in Indie and Bucky of course, a former player in the league, and a great opportunity to pick his brain there about the draft and all the options that Dolphins have in front

of them coming up this April. We also had a chance to catch up with Charlie Casserley, the former GM of the Washington Redskins and of course now on air personality for the NFL Network. Let's go ahead and get to that interview all right here with Charlie cashually the NFL Network and former executive GM with the Washington Redskins. Charlie, thanks for joining us today. Gall you it's exciting of the combine. Yeah, it's when I'm starting from the Miami Dolphins. Mean,

this is what they played fourth the whole year. All these draft choice get a chance to see players. Fans gotta be fired up. Fourteen draft pick before the compensatory picks come in. We're definitely fired up about that. I wanted to get your feel here about what is the number one thing a GM or executive can accomplish this week here Indianapolis. Well, believe it or not, it's not

something that you see on television physicals. This this comment was started as a cost efficient way to get threety physicals. That's why we started this thing, okay. Uh And then there it was one of you know, we got them here, Hey, why don't we time them? You know, why don't we do some drills with him? Hey, let's interview him. Hey wait a minute, let's do our psychic. So that's kind of how this thing is grown. It's let's do this, let's do that, which is good. Uh So the physicals

are number one. When I did I wanted the physicals, the chance to do your quote mental testing on your own because you had a whole group of players you can get Hey, you didn't have to fly them in. You got that done. And then watch the position drills the forty Yes, I wanted to know that. So I when I'm watching the position drills, I kind of got a feel for what the guy is. But those are the three things to me that I got out of it. We talked about all the draft picks of Dolphins have

this year, and the offensive lineman spoke today. Can you guys go over the offensive line class and what stands out to you the most about these kids? I think you've got four guys that could go in the top fifteen picks. Uh and and part of its need and some of its ability on all of them. Okay, first of all, Beckham, Beckton, excuse me from Louis excuse me, Louis Bill. This guy is massive. I'm watching him on tape.

This guy really moves well for a left tackle. And he's six ft seven three and sixty eight pounds or whatever. Guy's a giant, so I want to see him alive. Is the movement that good? What's the body's This is a good body or is this not a good body when we see it like that? Because not a good body means that's not gonna help him in the NFL. Okay. Then we go to Alabama, Okay, and we got wilkeson the offensive tackle air. Okay, I've only seen him play right.

Can he play left? Okay? That's my point, Dick, and that guy play left? So I'll see that in the drills. Right, Thomas from Georgia left tackle? Maybe that's your left tackle. Uh, you know, he's more of a can he be physic nicole enough? Now? I don't know who'll get that here? Okay? And then you go to the Iowa kid works uh right tackle? Right guard? Can he play left tackle? Is he athletic enough to play right tackle in the drill? So those are the things I'll look for with the

offensive lineman. An offensive line class deep this year. Receiver class deep. What's the position group that you're really looking at that has the depth that could go with some good talent into Day three this year? Well, wide receivers is to do that. But to answer your question another way and not to avoid it, wide receivers answer, Okay, what I want to see is the defensive backs. I put six in the first round of my mocked drift.

Part of its need, part of its ability. And what I did is I when I go down my knees list, and I go down my ranking list, and I try to match it that way as I go. But there aren't enough good corners in the league. You've got teams throwing the ball all over the place. You have both Super Bowl teams. We're more reliant upon their front pressure than their secondaries ability. The cornerbacks ability and and those are the two best teams in football, and they could

get better at cornerback. Charlie Castle appreciate it. Thank you so really great insight there from both Charlie Casherley and Bucky Brooks of the NFL Network. I was also on the floor for the running back interviews at the Combine on Wednesday, had a chance to catch up with DeAndre Swift, Zack Moss, and j K. Dobbins, as well as Cam Akers from Florida State. Let's go ahead here first from DeAndre Swift of Moss drafts, have you is the first back off the board? How inform would that be to you?

Gonna be the first back taking this year? Been amazing as a kid dreams, I mean, especially coming from the city I come from that A lot of good comes out of the village. So just to make it out being on this route that I'm more, um, I don't take it. Let that, don't take it for damage. So I know what my city is supporting me is. So it'll be a blessing just to be a group of Money's backs, a lot of great banks in his players. Just to be at the top of um you mentioned

at the time as a blessing. So DeAndre talks about his versatility earlier in that media availability as well, and that was what we heard Bucky Brooks talk about in terms of having him as a top back on his draft board coming up this April. We also caught up with Zack Moss from Utah. And for those of you that are new to the podcast, I am a Washington State Cougar alumni and so Zack mossing over the Coogs

this year in the Pac twelve matchup. Maybe I'm a little bit sour about that, but I still have an affinity for Kyle Whittingham and the players at that Utah program. So I asked Zack Moss what was his biggest takeaway from playing underwitting Ham there at Utah. I also asked him who the toughest player he went up against on the other side of the football to maybe give us an idea about who the best defensive player was in the Pac twelve this year. Zach Utah is known for

its kind of physical brand of football. What did you learn most from playing under Kyle Winningham? Um to be a tough, smart guy. You know. Um coach always looks for guys that was tough and it's smart, you know. You know, it's different things being tough, you know, and causing counties and things like that, but he uh, he very Uh he's still unless to be touch of my guys, to be accountable car ourselves and what we did on the field. So um, it was a pleasure, you know,

being coached by Winningham and my time there. Who was the toughest player you went up against on on the other side of the football team, on the other side on the oppositions, Uh, probably Troy died we played. I

played in him twice in my career. Of that Oregon the line make it little And up next on our tour here of the running backs cam Acres from Florida State and the adversity he faced this year with f s you maybe not having the year they're accustomed to down there in the A c C. With the Florida State not only looking up to the expectations you guys normally expect. We were able to take away from some of the adversity you went through this last season. Like

I said, you know, God don't make any mistakes. So whatever situation you put in making work, making work, you gotta be the best you and whatever situation you and you gotta be a leader, steer, you gotta be a young man. You gotta be the young maid you are, and that's that's and then finally, and then finally, my first interview of the day was with j K. Dobbins, not an interview, but just sitting there at his podium talking to him. And you're gonna hear a stumble on

my question here. You heard me talk a little bit fast earlier to Bucky Brooks, maybe a little bit nervous going in, but we got kind of calmed downs that day went along. So just ignore my stumble and focus on Jk's answer here because I loved it about how he dealt with playing against teams that were ranked and the great performances he had in those games against ranked teams. Okay, you had some of your biggest game in the big

time ranked opponents. What isn't about the primetime spot and that brings up the best in you always work for it, you know, the spotlight moments. You know, it's about where outside of the lights. You know, when the lights aren't on me. You know, it's games that I do, you know, trying to be ready to go when that time come. Like prime time isn't really PN time's name. It's like a normal day office because it worn't hard work and so whenever it comes to those games, I'm very cool.

So a good opportunity to catch up with some of the running backs there and if Charlie Castley and Bucky Brooks. Thank you to all those folks that join the podcast. Here with us today on the Drivetime Podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins Official podcast network. We're gonna talk to

Kyle Crabs of the Draft Network Tomorrow. We're also going to have some interviews with some more TV personalities and draft analysts, as well as talk to the defensive linemen and linebackers down in the scrum at the Convention Center here in Indianapolis. Will be there all day long, giving you guys tweets, updates, articles up on Miami Dolphins dot com, and of course one more podcast to close out the

week here at the scouting Combine. Next week we'll come back with you guys and recap the scouting Combine and all the times and who tested the best, all that fun stuff on field workouts ahead. But as for today's episode of the Drivetime Podcast, that is going to be my time. Follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. Of course, follow the Miami Dolphins at Miami Dolphins Check out the audible and the fish Tank podcast, both part of the Miami Dolphins podcast network, and I will talk to you tomorrow.

Fins up, fins up, fins up.