Drive Time: Answering Your Mailbag Questions

want to say, peel back the onion. You guys really help me by doing that, because I've got so much content to get done before I go on paternity leave as my third child, my second daughter is going to get here sometime in mid to late June, and I have to basically have like five or six weeks of content ready and I have none of that done yet. So you guys really helped me kind of get a quick episode in and I can get to work on future episodes. So let's go ahead and jump into the

mail bag here. I tweeted about this and it did come from the mail bag, but I thought it was worth pulling back up here because it's.

haven't done the homework. And now I'm trying to be as kind as I can about that, because that's all that would produce that take, because if you just go back and watch the tape, if you go and look at the numbers, you can find the stuff. With a thirty second Google search, you can find it. And so I thought it was worth covering here because I tweeted about it, but I just want to go ahead and

put it on the show. I put most of my content on this show, all of my content, I should say, and I only put a small amount of what I do on social anymore, because that's very much intentional.

And I went in the thread and every single reply was from a bot, obviously, but it was like, grock, explain this, what's happening? Why don't I understand this video. It's like, well, dude, because you haven't. All you do look at your phone day like you don't have an education because you're too stupid a thing for yourself. And that's why I don't really use Twitter anymore, because it's either boss or morons, and I just can't really deal with that. So I apologize if you're active on Twitter.

There's some good accounts on there still, but it is a wretched website these days, and so I don't use it very often, but i'd use it for the Twitter mailbag when I need you guys just help producing the show. So I tweeted about it and it was about the nose tackle comment. So Kenneth Grant played almost three times as many snaps in the B gaps last year at

Michigan as he did in the A gaps. The B gap means you are basically no further than the inside shoulder off of the guard or no further inside than that, and the A gaps are when you play head up over the center or off either either shoulder of the center. Jordan Phillips played two hundred and forty three snaps in the B gaps compared to two hundred and eighty three in the A gaps, So he did play more nos, but by forty snaps and compared to you know, two

hundred and forty versus two hundred and eighty. And when I watched his tape, I mean the tape is the biggest indicator of all this stuff. Watch his tape and I think that he that the real professional upside and where you can unlock Jordan Phillips as a guy that I liked on on day two because of his upside is as like a three technique Christian Wilkins type who has pass rush wiggle but also the strength to hold

a point against the run. It's like an eighty percent snap taker that I think he can be at that position with some work inside at the nose tackle. But I think that Zeke Biggers was drafted more because remember this is like going back to the thing like he didn't catch passes as a running back in college. Why is he going to do it as a pro. You can't say that because if he wasn't asked to do it, and that's all you have to go off of, and that's all you have to go off of.

from that position. Jordan Phillips played more NOS and can do it, but I think that his best work in the NFL is going to be as a three technique. And then Zeke Biggers, who I think profiles by far the most as a true NFL NOS tackle, a seventh round draft pick who I kind of think you're going to get like ten twelve snaps a game from this year as a based down heavy front nose tackle that just clogs lanes and plays the run game. I think that's his projection at the next level. But that's not

what Georgia Tech had him do. They had him played three hundred and sixty nine snaps in the B gap compared to just forty two as a nose tackle in the A gap. So the data tells you straight to your face, that ain't what it is, and the film further confirms that. In fact, the film kind of flips the point on Biggers because he is an NFL nose tackle in my opinion, Can he do more and expand that profile?

on a bumming, whatever it might be. And then last year, I just think the entirety of last year, like so much went wrong you can kind of just throw in the trash. But I think that he's I still believe twenty twenty two is who Jayleen Waddle is as a player in terms of production. And then I think the obvious one is Jalen Right. I think he's gonna have

a great season. I don't think it's crazy to expect that by the Buccaneers Patriots game down the stretch end of the season that he might be like the running back one. And that's not a slight to a Chan by any stretch, because eight Chan is one of the most electrifying eligibles in this league. But I think we've been over this. I think that his role is better served as being more of a jack of all trades, you know, kind of a floating utility type more than

just to every down running back. I think Right can be the every down running back. I think that he could have a I think you could have a thousand yard season if it gets enough touches give him two hundred Carrieres, I think he could do it. I think Kenneth Grant is my third pick, and I think because

he's going to be good right away. I think he's already going to be, like by the time we get to the Jets Monday night game, they're gonna be talking about him as like an established starter in this league three games into his career.

parameters to all of this. So what one team might be doing versus another team might be skirting the rules because all I know is you can't do certain things, like you get a certain amount of time on the grass, you get a certain amount of time with coaches, with the players. That's why I've been so pumped up about what I've been seeing here this entire offseason because the coaches only get a finite amount of time with the players,

but the players can go on the field themselves. And that's why, Like when I watch Tyrel Dotson and Jordan Brooks get the entire defense and go through the entire list of calls and changes and shifts every single day after practice to kind of, you know, rehearse what they just worked on. They al post practice walk through that really encourages me. And they can do that. So that's all part of the CBA with what they can and cannot do. So technically speaking, there shouldn't be a difference

across different camps. There's definitely no contact. They don't wear shoulder pads, they don't wear pants. They're just wearing helmets

and shorts in these practices, shorts and shells. So I don't know how you'd make it tougher without contact, right, So this time of year, it's all about technique and install So like they're making their proverbial swing changes right now and they're trying to enact those and coaches love this time of year because it's the only time where you can just drill on your fundamentals.

work it out on the course. Can you can improve things, but it's a big gamble to try to work on things while you're playing the game, Whereas this time of year, you're on the driving range, you can go ahead and tinker and play around with things. So coaches love this time of year to work on those fundamentals and techniques. Sean, and there's there's no difference because you literally can't. It's

it's the same rules for everybody. Sean at pass and yell, I think I said that, right, Pa s C I n E L past.

It's it's the number one criteria, and how they look in terms of like their building size and stature compared to their contemporaries, and now that we get to see them alongside those contemporaries, it's a great a great tool for measurement. Like I remember when Channing Tyndall tracked down this thirty yard seam shot that Tanner Connor I think

it was. I think it was it was training camp because Kyle Krabs is out here and we were like, WHOA Like Tanner Connor's like a twenty two mile per hour top speed guy and that linebacker just ran with him. Now it didn't matter because here we are four years later. But it's it's obviously more than that. So I look for guys that can, you know, that can be engaged, and they're always tuned into what their coaches are saying.

They're asking coaches for extra you know, tutoring during the drills, they're running between drills, they're getting back in line and not deally dialing around like dance and have fun, but like you know, that's when it's time to focus up and lock in.

But take a look at evaluation, Like there's a reason why you are wrong, and I am wrong on roster predictions because the coaches know what the players are trying to do at practice. We don't. We don't have that, you know, we're not afforded that luxury. So that's why I like, you're like, wait, why did he make the roster? Probably because he was executing his assignments every single day and just because he didn't have a bunch of long touchdowns.

Then you know it doesn't have to be the case, Like you can have an effective day at practice without it looking like it to the fans at the Man the myth forty five who faced more double teams in college Kenny g or Mason Graham. I didn't have this stat when I first wrote it down, but I went back and found it for you, all right, So I came back and found some metrics. I don't know how reliable these are, but I did see that Mason Graham had significantly more double teams than Kenny Grant did than

Kennethy Grant did at Michigan. It was sixty two to like twenty nine, was the chart that I saw, But I'm not sure how accurate that is. I can double check that and come back and maybe maybe get you a better answer, but that's I think it was. I think it was that there was that much disparity there. But they both got double teamed a lot in the running game, you know, on duo blocks, an inside zone, and then in past wrestling situation they kind of shared

the bulk of it. But I think over the course of the entire season, Mason Graham did about double up on Kenneth Grant there at Randy d easily. What are the player's perspectives of their new teammates. I think it's maybe a little bit too early to answer that, because, well, one, I haven't been around the guys in that capacity in the same way. So maybe maybe doing media day, I'll ask some of those questions and we can get some some further answers on that and circle back.

just I cannot help myself. It's been a problem since I was at Locked On and David Locke was always like, hey, twenty two minutes, dude, You're like, save it for another show. I'm like, I just want to do more Dolphine football content. So this mode because I always feel like I'm rushing through the mailbags at the end of episodes. But now I can just get to all these and just kind of hang out and crack a cold one with the boys. That's what it feels like. Anyways, you guys watch the

Outdoor Boys channel yet at all. I've been talking about it all week. I feel like I saw one where he punched a fish to death. He was like, Oh, get me a rock to smash this fish's head, and he's like, I got it, punch of the fish. I was watching my wife and she's like, he's got to be like an eagle scow or something because he's so dorky,

but so mainly it's just such an interesting combination. And he's a great film editor too, Like guy takes like fifteen thousand clips of every single video and then he edits down to like two minute clips where he shows you everything he's doing and it's just so good and so arduous. Anyway, off the rails here, let's get back into the mailbag pod here at Kevin Wagner PhD. Is that Wagner or Wagner? I hope I'm saying that right.

I know everything is a big names, but are you interested in seeing what some of the young corners on this team can do Johnson, Matree, Bonner, all very interesting prospects. So first of all, I love this, And in my freaking note right here, I wrote that I think Jason Matrie has the goods, the temperament, the suddenness, the competitiveness. Every time I've watched him as a Dolphin, I've been impressed.

And in a league where off the radar guys make impacts every single year, like remember when the Chargers, you know they had tar Heeb still who I didn't know who that was last year when he got drafted, and then he just starts making plays and gets like a game win. He pick in the Atlanta game, a fifth round pick, buried on the depth chart at started training camp, and then he winds up being like a starter down

the stretch. That would not have That wouldn't have shocked me for Matre if he had jumped into the slot cornerback role and Cater gets kicked outside. And that was what I had planned out for you guys. And then as I go to tape some of this on a Tuesday afternoon, I find out that Jason Matrie has been placed on injury reserves.

I mean there's four obvious ones, right like Patrick Paul is gonna be your left tackle, Jalen Wright is gonna be a serious factor in the running game, Chop is obviously like already that dude, and then Malik Washington. Gosh, it's it's tough. I I I think Chop is going to have a very productive year. I think the way he works and the way he came on and that first step quickness all coincides with what this defense does.

And while JP and Beachub are kind of getting in the swing of things, I think he can kind of carry the pass rush there.

your first round pick from last year. Just keeps on getting better and we'll trust that trajectory. At Julian at Mack Arrow Draft era, what a great freaking name.

than what we get for a draft pick. I do agree that would be the ideal route, but at the same time, like you probably want a corner in return for him, maybe a safety, right And if that's what you get the team that's trading away that player, yeah, they could see as a one for one upgrade, but I feel like you want to add Ramsey to the mix and not, you know, not like just do a

slight upgrade on one position, if that makes sense. So I was looking at the Rams and the Commanders and the Cowboys rosters and like there wasn't a lot in those positions that interest me. Like for the Cowboys, it was like Savon Revel, but they just drafted him, So I don't know why they would do that, but I

would love to get that taken care of. Or like Malik Hooker, they're older but still very productive safety I think from Washington, like tight end BENSONO was a guy that I was interested in, But otherwise there's not anybody in that defensive backfield. It's guys like that, you know, cheap players and rocket contracts I think can be productive

across the rosters. So to your point, like, I love the idea because if you get a player, you're getting impact in twenty twenty five, whereas the pick wouldn't an impact until at least twenty six, and if it's a third or fourth round pick, most likely not till twenty seven. So I like where your head's at, and I think that's part of the process in terms of trying to

get a deal done there. And you know, Ramsey on Tuesday tweeted like just the number five and it's five days until June first, so like, you know, okay, yeah, okay, Jylan like yeah, Then at Canny Spartan, do you think it's more likely Cam Smith finally breaks out or that

Jason Marshall is a hit early. That's a tough one, man, because again, the issues that have kept Cam off the field, the health is a big issue there, obviously, but also just like the the natural feel I talk about for the game all the time hasn't been on there hasn't been on tape for me in two years, and typically I think that's tough to catch back up to.

the running game. But to your point, he gets hurt often, and that was kind of the knock on DeShawn Elliott when he got here, and then now he's been healthy ever since. So sometimes it works out for guys, other times it does not. I don't think it's a soft tissue thing for Iffy as much as it is like contact, which was to Shawn Elliott's issue. It's not a Joey Bosa situation for the Bills, who, by the way, already has a calf injury and it is supposed to miss

a bunch of time. According to Sean McDermott. Like sometimes guys just can't like Toronto Armstead, their body just won't let them do it right. I don't think that's the case for Iffy. So in terms of adding someone, there are names all over the free agent market right now. I continue to really like Julian Blackman, who's I don't know why he's not signed. We got Marcus May like a few weeks from now this time of year last year, So if you could make that happen, I'd be pretty

excited about that. You're gonna see Marcus Williams name probably attached a lot, but watching his film last year was kind of rough. So even with the connection there to coach Weave, I'm not sure that's something you want to explore, but I think that you should look into it.

I would be inclined to explore that option. Nick at the real Lefty fifty three, there are a lot of players that will get starting opportunities this year. Paul Davis or Morris rookie defensive tackles, Jonah, your in line tight end, your outside corner. Who do you think is most likely to shine from those guys? And who do you think the Dolphins need most to shine? But I think, gosh, you guys keep asking me to make Sophie's choice or

pick my favorite child because you listened his name. I just told you Kenneth Grant was gonna be awesome on it right away. I think both KG and Jonah are going to be plus starters in year one, So I'm gonna go with those guys. And I think that would be probably the answer to both questions, because, uh, I mean, if if Jonah doesn't work out, then you're you're going towards Liam or Larry Borum right in that direction, and

I'd rather have Jonah in that position. If KG does not work out, you're looking at another rookie somebody to Jones. I think you kind of need both those guys to be what you expect them to be as first year players, and for me, that's like, you know, green players. I think that Jonah, Jonah and James Daniels signify and ability to be more adaptable, more amenable to winning games against tougher teams and more and not not even just like more physical teams, but better teams. The way you can

line up and just go win a football game. I think both Jonah and KG give the opportunity to do that, and Kg's ability to help you play lighter boxes and what he can do there and how he can it really expand the pass rush of Zach Sealer and the rest of the guys up front because of what he does. I think that the ripple effect of him there and the ripple effect of what Jonah means for the offense in terms of how they can be left handed if they have to be. I think both those guys are

the answers to your question. The cornerback spot, though, I would say, like that's probably the one that you need to shine, but I don't have a good answer for who that could be right now. I don't think that you can just skate by on like, oh, the pass which is very good, so we can throw some rookies out there, like, I don't think you're I think you're playing with fire if you do that. So it's the spot right now that like everybody else, I'm most the

most questions about. Let's take our last break, right there, come back on the other side and finish up your mail bag questions on the Draft Time podcast brought to you by Autoation. Right we're back, Let's go ahead and jump into a few more of your male bag questions and then get the hell out of here and enjoy a weekend that will take us into June and possibly a resolution on the Jalen Ramsey saga.

I'm not actually, yeah, I am, I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna sit there and not do content. I'm like, who am I kidding? You're not supposed to win your oppternity, but I always do he's a psycho. He needs the football in his life, so hopefully we get some new players or something to talk about in that time.

with the Tuesday episode. So if you didn't hear Tuesday's episode, which if you're writing into the podcast, I am imagine you're in every episode listener, so that wouldn't make much sense. But if you didn't check it out, go back and look at that. I talked about the influence of the running game and staying out of negative runs and staying in proper down in distance and the threat of that to influence the middle of the football field. And I

don't know if you guys follow Wattleville. I'm not sure his entire name, but he keeps on posting these clips of really good two of throws and I'm really enjoying the discourse in the in the comments section because football's

in esoteric sport. Esoteric means difficult to you know, understand in parts, right, And I love that people are interested by it, but not everyone knows what the hell is going on, because I'm seeing comments like he clearly made that predetermination on the throw before he took the snap, Like, dude, there's there's a clip with a throw to Malik on an mbreaker where he puts the ball on the leak right out of the break and it's it's such a good window fit and you see both the middle of

the field safety and the mic linebacker kind of influence off to the right.

the clock. Because sorry, my wife just texted me, because when he can do that, and he can be sharper pre snap and have a little bit more of a relaxed approach pre snap. I think that makes him the most deadly version of himself post snap, where he knows if I can get my footwork to this spot and drive to this direction, I can move that defender and that will clear this land. I have this leverage of this defender, my trust Malik to win the inside leverage there.

Like that's how two was. Brain works in processes and stuff real time. So the easier you can make the pre snap process, the better I think his post snap can be. And I really, really really think that we will get back to that with the improved running game and with receivers that are on their p's and q's. You know, Tyreek, if you want to take us word for the fact he's working harder this year, he says it every year, so I don't know. But if you do get a refocused Tyreek, I think that will be

a big part of it. I think we're deeper in all the eligible rooms at running back, at receiver, at tight end with Pharaoh Brown, with Nick Westbrook a k A with in my assumption, a jump and workload from Jalen Right, So I think that just better overall surrounding cast a better offensive line that will create more of a running game.

It's kind of two different skills and arts. So the more you can make the defense think about the running game and stay out of those negative plays, it obviously creates more advantageous situations. So throw the football, but it also sticks in the back of that defense's mind. I have to be ready for Patrick Paul trying to steamroll me, and I can't just throw my pass rushbo out there because he's gonna knock me on my butt. So there's

a lot of things to go into it. The Tuesday episode is a great starting point, and then I think what I just said there kind of covers it all. Sebastian at Finns Fan forty seven. My daughter has a Sebastian in her class and it's all Spanish speaking except for my daughter, and she comes home and she speaks a little bit of Spanish and she'll say, it's Sebastian and it's the cutest freaking thing in the entire world. So when I see that name, I think about Sebastian,

who leads the team in sex. He's going with Chop. Sebastian is yeah, I mean Zach has Yeah. I'm gonna go with Chop two. Either Chop or Jalen Phillips. That's my two picks. I think JP's a fifteen sat guy waiting to happen. It's just been on a hole for a few years and it's kind of maybe a little bit presumptuous to jump to that mark right away, but I do think JP can get back there.

Brown and Right and Washington in their second year. I think they have to find a way to get away from the leaning on the screen game because last year the screen game effectively replaced what was a running game that just didn't exist after that Buffalo game, right Like it was tough sledding for most of the year after that contest. So I think that your ability to get the running game going with those guys off the edge and how they can impact. All those guys you mentioned

are good blockers besides Right. Obviously it's not a blocker, but all those guys can help your running game and you can reduce the number of reps you have in the screen game. But also I think a Kyne's ability to block off the edge and insert into the runfit or into the run blocking ski kind of allows you to be very versatile with your personnel like you can have You could have John Whu and Akeene and you can consider an eleven personnel where you think John who's

the tight end and Akeeni is the receiver. But you can swap those guys or can serve as a two tight end personnel package because Akeene can do that stuff. So I'm very excited about what he can do. I think Parroh Brown gives you similar, like better blocking than what Julian Hill was last year, even though I think Julian can take a big step this year. And he gives you more downfield threat as a pass catcher too, So there's all kinds of stuff. I think it really

helps the short intermediate game. That's kind of where they can focus on and just continue to get Reacan waddle back to the intermediate and deep game. Ken Dasher at k DASH sixty five, Travis, love your work, Appreciate your positivity.

long term upside as well. But either way, I just love the attitude change that comes with those two guys because they are both mean, physical, drop their shoulder pads and pick up an extra yard through contact type of runners. They're they're both really good locker room teammates type of guys. So I do think I'll stack Gordon as running back three going into camp in terms of my expectations for

how it will play out. And we'll see, but I really want to see a chans roll, you know, sparse more out and I want to see so much more of you Lan, right, and then if we get to those guys, and that's a good problem to have, it's a good problem to have two more here live fighter at brand Branderson seven four seven four oh Man what's

your thought on these Finns podcast de measuring contests. I will say this, back when I was trying to make a name for myself and I when I got into this, my goal was always to get to this position and beyond hopefully, and so I I took it as a slight if you didn't find my content as good as somebody else's, because I felt mine was the best out there, and I probably felt a little bit of a need to kind of denigrate other posters to show you how

much better my content was than theirs, which was always the wrong approach. And that's how I feel about it now, Like in hindsight, I could have been better about it back then, but now looking at it from this perspective, do good content and nothing else will matter. If you're posting about other people, that's time you're taking away from yourself to create good content.

think that's that's my new old man perspective. Last one here from at Jason Sarney. Jason, what's up man? Hope you're doing. Oh, I'm sure I'll see you down here for camp sometime this summer. Who is going to be a Day three steal of the twenty twenty five draft picks for the Dolphins? And why is it? Dante Trader Junior. I love when Jason gets on a kick about a player. He is very convicted in his beliefs. I love your

belief in him. I haven't really seen him play yet, but he's been so impressive as a person that that has me excited.