To on the move, Darlan Jeeve Speedways past Peas d From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield.
He's got my advans in the playoffs.
What is up Dolphans and welcome to the Draft Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and on today's show, our first football Friday of twenty twenty four, I have a couple of guests lined up for you guys from the Jags Beat, Demitrius Harvey joins me to break down the Jacksonville Jaguars where they are currently with their systems operations,
with their injury report, and so much more. And we'll welcome in Kyle Krabs for his weekly spot in season to go around college football and talk about some prospects. I'll also make my Week one NFL picks after winning one hundred and ninety one games a year ago, my all time greatest season picking games. All of that and a heck of a lot more from the Baptist Hell Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drivetime Podcast and I am thrilled today to have the
opposing beat back on the show. My guest is Demetrius Harvey, reporter for Jacks dot Com. Demetrius, how are we living?
Brother?
We're doing all right. We're excited for the for the seasons finally here. It almost seems like every year we're going through training camp. It feels like it's long and ruling, and then all of a sudden, boom, it's week one, and yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.
I feel like as you get older, that's kind of how it goes, because when you're younger, maybe you have fewer responsibilities, less obligations, and the time off seems longer. But you know, life kind of gets in the way and you get through, you know, those offeas of months because you have other things going on in your life.
Maybe that's maybe that's just me.
I don't know, but let's go ahead and kick it off here with just I just kind of want to get a rundown because I was kind of going through this in the podcast earlier in the week, taking a look at every team on the Dolphins schedule and how they, you know, kind of fared in training camp through the injury situation.
So I was hoping to get.
A rundown from you on the Jags and their health and injury situation. Also, you know camp battle winners, just if you wanted to give us, you know, the nuts and bolt from training camp.
What all of that looked like the last month here for the Jaguars.
Yeah, you know, injury wise, I guess i'll start there.
You know.
Obviously, Eric Armstead signed here and I think March around then during free agency, and he sort of had that off season knee surgery. He had a meniscus injury with
the forty nine ers during that Super Bowl run. So he had been rehabbying pretty much throughout the entire offseason, and he hadn't even stepped foot on the practice field really until I think it was the week after or maybe you know a few days before the Bucks joint practices, and then he'd even participate in the Bucks joint practices. So so he's sort of been delayed, or probably the most delayed out of the guys that are expected to
start on the defense. And then as far as Darnell Savage, he's another one who he hadn't been off the practice field. You know, he's been on the practice field, but he had been wearing a red no contact jersey throughout the entire offseason program, in most of training camp. You know, he didn't even step foot on on the field as far as tackling or or or making contact until the final week of the preseason. You know, those are two of the major injuries. Obviously, Andrew Wingard who went on IR.
He's their backup safety and special teams ACE. He's gonna miss a lot of time. He missed pretty much all of training camp with a knee injury. He's gonna miss at least the first four games of the season because he's he's now on IR. Other than that, I don't think that there's been any other major injuries. You know, a couple of Nixon bruises. You know, Tyson Cambell had an ankle for a couple of weeks, but he's fine.
Daniel Thomas, the backup safety, is another guy who might miss a little bit of time, but but they expect him back this week too. So as far as injuries are concerned, it seems like it's it's all golden. But in terms of the actual training camp, and and and and and what went down, Just to give you a little bit of a perspective, you know, everything's new, so we're all trying to play catch up in terms of
of of what we're seeing. At least on the defensive side of the football, there's been a lot of battles. You know, at cornerback, you had Ronald Darby versus third round pick Jari and Jones. We all thought going in that that was gonna be a pretty intense battle, but it seemed like Darby sort of took took off with that pretty early on, and so he he's gonna be their starting cornerback opposite Tyson Campbell. The same goes with
the nickel and safety position. They're they're they're being a little koy with it in terms of Darnell Savage's real position, but but he's gonna be playing nickel and and and you know that that that sort of solidified itself throughout
the offseason, throughout training camp as well. On the offensive side of the football, there weren't very many battles, I guess if you want to point to one the backup quarterback position, you know with Mac Jones and Trevor Lawrence or Mac Jones in a C. J. Bethard, sorry, you know that those two sort of went at it and then you know, Unfortunately for Bethard, he suffered a hip injury or actually it was a groin injury, and and so he's gonna miss or you know, he's gonna miss
at least seven weeks because they release him with an injury settlement, missing four four weeks, and then there's three weeks that he can't sign with the Jaguars. So those are pretty much all the camp the camp battles I can think of, and and sort of what went down during training camp as far as that's concerned. But yeah, pretty clean training camp. No real tough injuries. Not really much in terms of players coming back from injury from last year other than Lawrence and and and and guys
like that. But but yeah, it was a it was pretty clean.
I feel like that's the only win you can really get in training camp is just coming out of the other side clean and being injury free. And for Jags fans, another big win is getting your quarterback locked up for
the long term. The Dolphins fans know about that as well as both Tua and Lawrence get their contracts this summer, and I want us to go back to that position there with Trevor Lawrence obviously the biggest part of any team is the quarterback, and especially when you pay that quarterback upwards of two hundred million dollars over the life
of the contract. I'm curious, Demetrius, in what ways have you seen him, I guess, take ownership of the offense, ownership of the team in this new era where once you get that contract and you're like, obviously the first pick of.
The draft is the franchise quarterback.
But now at this stage it's like, all right, this is entirely your team. How have you seen him kind of take ownership of the offense and of the team since that contract?
Yeah, you know, it's actually been pretty cool.
And now that I'm thinking about it, it's interesting just seeing Lawrence's growth from twenty twenty one when he was first drafted here in Jacksonville to now, it's been tremendous. I think that in terms of his demeanor and how he talks and how he addresses people, it's always been consistent. He's he's from the Dabos Sweeney era during in Clemson. He's been a star his entire life. You know, he
knows how to handle the media. But when when you think about how he interacts with players, you can see more and maybe I'm overstating it a bit, but but
I don't think I am. You know, you you see him more talking to guys after plays, you know, working with a guy like Gabe Davis, who might be a veteran and might be a little older than Trevor, but but you know, he's a he's a new player to this team, you know, making sure that Brian Thomas is up to speed on what he's doing, interacting with Evan Ingram, him and him and Evan are our team captains this year for a reason, because you know, those are the
two guys that are the pillars of the Jaguars offense. And then you can't forget about Christian Kirk. And you know, the the interactions that I've seen Trevor have with those
players in particular has been has been great. And you know, during this offseason, before he even signed the contract, quarterbacks coach My McCoy sort of talked about he wants Trevor to not only master the offense in what they have in front of him, but also just in terms of that understanding and and and taking advantage of of what he's been able to to sort of build on over the last few years, he has to really own it. He has to he has to be the guy and
and and I think that that's what we're seeing. We're seeing more of a leadership role from Lawrence, not that he didn't have it before, but before you're actually, you know, really ingrained in the offense, you know that he started in twenty twenty two with with the Peterson. Before you're really ingrained, you you you can't necessarily tell people what
to do because you're telling yourself what to do. And I think that right now we can really see what what what this these last couple of years have done for Trevor. And then really once he signs the contract, you know, he remains the same steady, calm, cool, collected and so I really think that he's he's reaching the point of his career where he can be the guy the faith of the franchise, and I think he's owning it.
Yeah, these two quarterbacks, you know, Tua and Trevor Lawrence both come from an era where there's so much change in the college football landscape.
And you know, we talked with two about this all the time, about how.
Last year was the first time he had back to back seasons with the same play caller since his high school days and now going into his third season, which is the exact same situation for Trevor Lawrence going into his third year with Doug Peterson.
So the similarities continue to stack up with these two guys.
They faced off in college, they played, I believe, once again each other in the pro so far, and we'll get that rematch here in the opener, you mentioned a player that I wanted to talk about here in the offensive portion before we take our first break, and it was Brian Thomas, the first round draft pick of the Jaguars, who you know, we heard coach McDaniel to press conference earlier this week talk about how they did plenty of
work on Brian Thomas. As you know, they went and got Odell Beckham, so obviously receiver was a big priority for them this offseason. With that late first round pick the Jags wind up to get the Jags do wind up getting Brian Thomas Junior. How does his inclusion, do you think into this offense kind of change things for a team that maybe last year didn't really have that you know, vertical stretch element. Is he provided that right away as a rookie.
He is, and and it's actually interesting.
You know, when he first started out in training camp, it it wasn't exciting. It was like, you know, you you draft this this incredibly fast, four three three speed wide receiver out of LSU who dominated, you know, seventeen touchdowns, just just a crazy last season of his college football career. And then comes into camp and and they're running short routes with them, they're they're not really giving them the ball downfield, and so there was not really much to say.
It was interesting.
Usually everyone hypes up the the the wide receiver. I mean, we saw what Malik neighbors and in New York, all of all the attention he got. But I think what they did was, you know, there was a plan and and so we we saw that sort of unfold where they're trying to teach him the little things, the short intermediate routes, the screens, the whatever they they want to
throw at him. And then later they least i mean against the Buccaneers and joint practices, we saw him go deep plenty of times and he and he burned those those defenders. And then we saw it in the game again against the Buccaneers where you know, it looked like he was going deep. The corner, who probably covered him a lot during the joint practices, sort of stood stood
back and he was afraid of getting beat deep. And then all of a sudden, Brian breaks off his route and it was a perfect pass from I think CJ. Beth or mac Jones one of the two, and completed it to Brian. And that's just sort of the element that I think the Jaguars are hoping to get out of Brian Thomas. Not only will he be able to, you know, catch balls downfield, but he's also going to be that threat. And so you're gonna see the safeties back off, You're gonna see the corners back off, and
then that opens up everything underneath. And and that's sort of the direction I think the Jaguars offense is headed in. They they have always been a sort of I don't want to say dunk and dunk offense, but you know, more of a West Coast style offense, more horizontal, you know, things like that, quick passes, get it out, get it out of Trevor Lawrence's hands, and if he has time this year, I really do think that that's a perfect fit for Brian a perfect fit for a guy like
Gabe Davis, who also is known for getting downfield. And I think that that's sort of what they want and that's what they expect out of these out of these guys this year.
That's funny.
It's kind of the conversive what the Dolphins did this offseason because they clearly have two of the best field twitches the entire game, and Tyreek and Waddle, but they go after John hu Smith and even Odell Beckham as well, who does have the vertical element of his game. But on top of the Lake Washington and Jalen, Right, what those guys can do almost like opposite types of needs these offenses had, and they went after it accordingly. Let's go ahead and finish up here in our first segment
before our first break, right here, Demetrius. And when I look at the Jags reports, you know on on Twitter or you know wherever you get your training camp reports across, you know the landscape, I tend to only really trust my own eye because training camp is a whirlwine.
So it's tough to get those.
But what I did see was some concerns about the offensive line, and when I watched the games, you know, despite a few pressures, they still move the ball well when Lawrence was out there. My question is, are those concerns valid from the fan base of the Beat writers and why or why not? Do you think the offensive line had a good or a bad preseason?
Yeah, I mean I think they're valid. You can probably lump me into the concerned bubble.
You know.
It's the issue that that that I've seen. It sort of goes back to last season. I mean this this offensive line struggled mightily. I mean they were one of the worst rushing teams in the league. I believe they were twenty ninth, if not worse than that or just
around there. And so when you look at at at the turnover, you know, they they didn't have a left guard until the trade deadline basically, and when they brought in Ezra Cleveland and then he came in there hurt and and so you know, there was just a lot of moving parts. There was a lot of injuries, There was a lot of poor play. They sort of went out and tried to remedy some of that. You know, they replaced Luke Fortner with a veteran in Mitch Morse.
They retained Cam Robinson because there was some question or whether or not he would still be the team starting left tackle. Obviously, Anton Harrison is entering his second year. And so what I've seen throughout training camp is is, you know, you is not enough. You know, you don't really have a good idea of what this offensive line is going to look like because first of all, they're
only in pads so much. Secondly, no one can touch the quarterback, so there's a question on whether or not it would have been a sack or whatever the case may be. Is the defensive line going as fast as they as they should be, And I think the concerns really got elevated for me, at least against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Didn't seem like they did a good job in joint practices in terms of getting off the ball. The Buccaneers pretty much stopped all the runs. You know,
there was some pressures. Even when I talked about that Brian Thomas, you know, deep touchdown catch he had against the Bucks and joint practices, Trevor probably would have been sacked on that play. And so when you look at what we've seen last year and then you look at this year, pretty much every every player on that offensive line aside from Mitch Morris is returning, and so you have an older Brandon Sheriff who definitely didn't look like in All Pro, you know, as he was with Washington
in years past. You have a Cam Robinson who has been hurt a lot of a lot of time in his career, and then you have Ezra Cleveland who's still, to me is unproven. So the concerns sort of match up with what we saw last season, and they really just have to go out there and prove it. You know, I did see some good things against the Falcons, but then we have to remember, you know, the Falcons were
playing third and four string players. Rahee Morris just doesn't want to play his his starting line guys in the preseason really that much. And so when when you factor all that in that the concerns I think are valid. Do I think that they're going to be a bad offensive line this year?
For sure?
Not necessarily, It just the the concern is there, and I don't think it's gonna be a race until we actually get the games played.
Really good stuff there on the Daguars offense.
From Demetrius Harvey at Jacks dot Com, you can find him there as well. I was at Demetrius a two on Twitter or X. Let's go ahead and take our first break right there. Come back on the other side and talk about this defense under new coordinator Ryan Nielsen all that next year on the Draft Time podcast, my guest Demitrius Harvey, Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation.
We did the offense.
Let's go ahead and flip this thing over to the defense with my guest today, Demitrius Harvey, and talk about Ryan Nielsen, who came in here last year as the DC of the Falcons in joint practices, and I really wasn't impressed by the way those guys played for him in two days of practice and the game, as you mentioned, against backups and with their own backups as well as the Falcons kind of ran that operation the same way
last year in the preseason. Just from a structure standpoint in your study of his defense in Atlanta, what you expect me to bring to Jacksonville? What do you think the Dolphins can expect to see from their defensive structure comes Sunday under Ryan Nielsen.
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting.
I think we'll all kind of get a good glimpse of that for the first time in riek one. And I say that sort of jokingly, but but but it's it's kind of serious because you know, during training camp, Nielsen he has a great, it may be a great method of going about things. The Jaguars rotated guys in like no other you know, I I saw backups and third string players playing with starters. I saw, you know, for for instance, Miles Cole, their seventh round rookie, playing
on the same line as Treyvon and Walker. And then we see we see Darnell Savage playing nickel, but he's listed as a safety, and and and and we have competition between Chad Mooma and Devin Lloyd as the as as one of the starting linebackers. And then we have foye A luik And potentially being a weak side linebacker rather than the middle linebacker. But that's not all cleared up necessarily either. So you know, to me, I think that this Jaguars defense is going to be a surprise.
But at the same time, when when you look at how they play, and you can still see what they like to do, even when they're rotating guys in and out, they're changing the the defense around a lot.
They're they're gonna be a really fast defense.
I I just know that I think that what they've done is sort of simplified what these defenders sort of done, sort of did the last couple of years under Mike Caldwell, where there was a lot of thinking, there was a lot of gray area, there was a lot of open for interpretation changes on the fly. This year's defense doesn't
seem to have that. They they attack, their aggressive. That's sort of the mantra that Ryan Nielsen has has given to the Jaguars, and he's taken from you know, his time with the Falcons and probably his time with the Saints as well. But but you know, he's he's continued to sort of go into that. What I what I can say about the Jaguars defense is the defensive line is going to be the featured unit among the group.
You know, they are they are rotating in and out, they are they are fast, they are they are playing a different style of defense than we've seen before. You know, in your past they were a three four defense. Now
there are four to three defense. And so I really think that this this year's defense is going to be interesting to see just because of not only the personnel that they have, you know, Chine's Allen, Eric Armstead, Trey Von Walker, you know, Devon Hamilton, guys like that, but also because of what Neilsen sort of brings to the table. You know, he's obviously had a background as a defensive line coach. We saw him routinely with that unit throughout
throughout the day during practice. It's gonna be interesting. I think that it's gonna be a new look. It's gonna be it's gonna be fast, it's gonna be aggressive.
You kind of answered my final questions there and that rundown, which was very thorough, and I appreciate that, and it's I guess I got to thinking when you were going, you know, over everything there. It seems like early in
the season. You know, I look at the Dolphins schedule the last couple of years and I was kind of tracking when they face teams that are working in new d c's or maybe you know DC's that haven't really proven themselves, that's when they hang the big points, like vance Joseph last year was his first year in Denver seventy Burger, which I know that's kind of anno for
anybody across the NFL. But even two years ago, you know, Mike McDonald after the Dolphins and Ravens game when the Dolphins scored forty two points and came back from down twenty one in the fourth quarter to win that game. After that, he basically was perfect for a year and three quarters to get himself a head coaching job. So it kind of seems like when a team works in a new DC, maybe he doesn't have the connectivity right away. That's when Miami can get their you know, their gaudy
point holes up there. But I think that for the Jacks perspective, it sounds like the kind of reduced terminology, maybe just the ability to play faster because there's left less interpretation, to your point, seems like maybe that shouldn't be the case for the Jackson this game.
Would you agree with that?
Yeah? I think so.
And it's funny you mentioned it because yesterday Josh hens Allen met with us and everyone was sort of peppering him with with questions about the defense, like when is it going to look like what is this?
What is that?
And he was just like, is that what everyone's talking about? Like calm down, like we all understand this defense very well, like it's it's not a big deal, this isn't this isn't something where they're going to be entering week one confused. And I think that that probably just speaks to what the defensive coaching staff has been able to do as far as teaching, allowing these guys to learn understanding what
is going on. And then also you factor in less gray area, more understanding your assignment, not really making not really leaving too much room for mistakes. I think I agree with you. I think that it's it might be a little bit less of a confusion and and sort of have to work through it over the next couple of weeks before they really gel and it's it's more going to be Okay, this is our assignment, this is what we're supposed to do.
Now.
Will it be perfect?
I don't think so, just because you know, that's just not the nature of the NFL. But but but I do think it's going to be a little bit better than people might expect.
Yeah, I mean I keep thinking about how this game might shake out, and you know, given the offensive continuity on either side and then the new DC on either side, I kind of feel like we could be in store for some points come Sunday afternoon. I'll go ahead and end with this for you here, Demetrius. I end the segment with the opposing beat writer the same way every single week here in season. And it's as simple as this. The Jaguars win the game if and then you get to fill in the blank.
Yeah, the the Jaguars win the game if the Jaguars and and offense are and the Trevor Lawrence can can actually get the ball downfield, they can they can utilize the rushing attack. I think that that's what it's gonna boil down to. You know, if Travis Etn is able to get going and the Jaguars can sort of control the tempo rather than let Miami dictate it, then I
think they win the game. If if they can't run the ball, they have to pun a lot and they give you know, Miami, Tyreek Hill, Jaywen wadd or all those guys more opportunities than I don't think they're gonna win the game.
Sounds good. He's at Demetrius eighty two on Twitter. You can find him at Jacks dot com and an f a U alum as well.
Don't forget that local.
I guess someone local, right do you consart Boca part of not not really South Florida?
Right, No, it's out for it's local to you guys.
It's not local to us.
It's But at the same time, I always I'll always say, go owls up here.
Hey man, that was a fun Final four run a couple of years ago. Demitrius Harvey, appreciate your time today, man, we got a lot smarter about the Jacksonville Jaguars. Best of luck this season, but not on Sunday. And thank you again for your time.
My friend.
I appreciate it.
Good luck and away he goes and in comes the music. You know what time that means? It is time to pick the Week one games across the National Football League. We did the Week one game already and I'm actually recording this segment before it gets played. So did we win the game? On Thursday? We picked the Chiefs over the Baltimore Ravens and the opener. I don't know what happened yet in that game. Tonight we have a game as well, which, by the way, do this all the time.
Give me more NFL football on Friday nights. Give me the Packers over the Eagles. I'm a big Packer believer this year, not so much on the Eagles with new coordinators and a team that really fell off the rails last year. Give me your Dolphins over the Jacksonville Jaguars. I'll take the Falcons over the Pittsburgh Steelers. I do not have a lot of high hopes for the Steelers
this year. I think that Kirk Cousins gets his first win with the Falcons as they go after their NFC South Division championship that I think they cruise to this year. I'll take the Bills over the Cardinals, but come on, Kyle Murray, go Cardinals.
Give me the Bengals over the Patriots. I think it's going to be a rough, rough.
Year for New England, and even if Jamar Chase is not playing that game or for a long time for the Bengals, I'll still take them in this one. I'm gonna take the Titans to upset the Bears on the road in Chicago and spoil the Bears fun for the opening game that they all think they're gonna win and get off to a playoff season start.
I don't see it that way for them this year.
I'll take the Vikings over a Giants team that I have picking first in the draft next year. The Raiders get an upset win over the Chargers. As you guys know by now, I am bearish on the Chargers, not.
A big believer there.
I'll take the Colts over the Texans in a big upset and Opening Day as Anthony Richardson goes off in that one. Take the Saints over the Panthers kind of a ho hum game there. I'll take the Seahawks over the Broncos. Give me the Cowboys over the Browns. I went back and forth on that one, but I feel like Dak and CD kind of have something to prove in their first game back this season. I'll take the Washington Commanders to go on the road in Tampa Bay and win a game in a hot, hostile environment.
Over Baker Mayfield and the Bucks.
And then on Sunday Night Football, I'll take the Lions over the Rams, mostly because of the location of that game back in Detroit, and the Niners over the Jets, which, by the way, how funny is it that the Niners that the Jets fans had all summer thinking we might not have to play Brandon Ayuk. We might not have to play Trent Williams, we might not have to play Christian McCaffrey.
Wrong.
All of them back in the lineup and you will see them for a beatdown on Monday Night Football. Those are the picks, last break right there. Come back on the other side and talk to my good buddy Kyle Krabs about his mock draft, the weekend in college football and Dolphins and Jags opener all that next Draft Time podcast, your host Travis Wingfield, brought to you by a donation. It is a football Friday, and that means I'm bringing in my buddy Kyle, Kyle Sthman.
It sound like you're gonna go to a pickle Rick there?
Should we should we started off with pickle Rick?
Then I'm doing good, buddy, scale of one to ten, give me way way this for me here. First week of the NFL season is underway right now. The Dolphins are less than forty eight hours away.
Where you're at right now on that scale, uh.
Probably about a seven and a half.
And then I'm gonna wake up on Saturday and it's gonna be an eight and a half.
And then you're gonna wake up on Sunday and give.
Me a ten at a full ten, full stop ten. Yeah, that's good to hear. I think so too.
I feel like maybe with you know, kids involved in family life, like maybe you don't get as geeked during the week because there are so many.
Boxes to check to get through the Sunday. But I feel the same way, man, because we are here, we are back.
There is football across the street, like I said, less than forty eight hours away from right now, and let's go ahead and actually start here first, because I'm so glad Kyle that you are back riding full time draft content again, separate from your Dolphins content, and you can find Kyle's work at the thirty third team, where he has recently been named their NFL Draft lead.
So Kyle, congrats, thank you TOFF.
You're welcome, and as we sit here today and get ready for Opening Day, we just may Your column had me excited about the possibility of a love landing a stud in this draft, because I think you kind of nailed it for the Dolphins pick. But tell the folks where you went with pick twenty six, which, if my math is right, would mean a divisional round exit. Does that mean a playoff victory for the Miami Dolphins.
That's what I did do.
I did avoid the low hanging fruit of taking just the odds for the season as determining the draft order, and I instead did go pick all the games for of course your predictions and then do playoffs over that.
So yeah, yes, correct. The Dolphins making a Divisional round appearance and drafting safety Malachi Starks from the University Georgia with my mock draft, and Starks, if you caught the highlight, made a Odell Beckham esque leaping interception defending a fade from the slot up the far sideline in the Georgia opener against Clemson, kind of eerily reminiscent of his first game as a freshman in twenty twenty two when they played Oregon.
He made a very.
Similar type of play, just on the other sideline down the field. So the ball skills here for Malachi Starks are outstanding. As far as why it was a choice for the Dolphins, we know Javon Holland is in the last year of his rookie contract right now. You have Jordan Poyer and Marcus may Is kind of the next two guys with experience in that room. They're both on one year deals, so you just don't know who's gonna
be back. You try to make picks with logic of okay, where is there not long term stability with the nucleus players of the room, and as of right now, with the information that we have, safety was one of those spots. It was kind of an intersection of value. And by the time everybody's listening to this, my top fifty rankings will have come out at thirty thirteen as well, starts at top ten player in the class. But you have
guys at this position for whatever reason. Kyle Hamilton I thought was a top three player in the class and he went barely in the top fifteen. You have Brian Branch, who I thought was a first round player who slid out the first round altogether intoin Winfield junior head first round tape of Minnesota didn't go. Javon Holland falls out of the first round as one of the more dynamic all around safeties in the game. It's it's just an
unfortunate reality of that position. For whatever reason. The way that it's being treated is it's not prioritized in the draft process because of positional value, whether fair or foul. So That's where I think the big struggle is with Malachi Starksys is like, there's no doubt this is an elite player, but how does that get valued if he is indeed a safety who can come down and play in the nickel.
I would add my maybe all time favorite draft hit personally and Jesse Bates as Amit Brown draft pick who went on to be an All Pro.
At that position. Man, it's those.
All those players you mentioned there are what I think in the building they call force multipliers, guys that do multiple things that really kind of you know, extend their impact beyond just their own role on the defense. And first here, I just I love the exercise of doing a mock you know, every step of the way. I know some fans will tell you why you're doing a
mock draft when the games haven't even begun yet. It's like because of that reason, you get this exercise of where the roster stands today and how that could impact potential draft implications.
So I think it's a great exercise.
And then to put a bow on that point, man, like you know, you mentioned the safeties with Kyle Hamilton Anthony Weavers here now, and so this is a defense that I think really utilizes their safeties in multiple ways, especially in those big nickel packages and finding ways to kind of create those you know, almost roverlooks for guys like Kyle Hamilton, for a guy like Javon holland for a guy like the Georgia safety you've talked about here. So great stuff all around. Let's go ahead and get
into the weekend of college football. And maybe we had a good one last weekend. We didn't have you on the show for that, but it's a great weekend of college football. And right back up, I believe noon kickoff for our first game, correct.
Yeah, Number ten Michigan hosting number three Texas. There's a lot of talent on the field for these two teams, needless to say, on both sides of the ball. So regardless of who has it, it's not like one of those matchups where you look at it and you're concerned about, oh, do I have to go get my snacks out of the kitchen because Texas has It's doesn't work like that.
So ballers all up and down the field for these two teams, and players that are probably gonna be well represented in the first thirty two picks.
What do you like, I mean, let's go over here, because you know this is a big game for well, I don't know. I mean you could probably lose this game and be okay from a playoff standpoint, right because of the expansion. Now you can't go full Florida State and lose your first two Sorry Brett are Brett Brett?
Guys in here at for State of Love is not gonna love hearing that.
But I think they're the first team knocked out of the college football playoff, but they can either team can afford to lose this game, so it's fun for us to get a pigmare matchup.
But it's more about the prospects, right, Yeah.
So I think you look at Michigan defensively and they have a chance to have legit three guys maybe in the top half of the first round. Will Johnson at corner, who right now is my top overall player in the class. Six foot two corner with a lot of length and physicality, good ball skills, but like silky smooth for a player of his stature is what makes him pretty rare. You have Mason grahamt at defensive tackle, who has some shades of Christian Wilkins to his game. I think the motor
is there, the point of attack play. If you watch Mason Graham, I guarantee you as a Dolphins fan, you will see a lot of what ninety four look like for his time here with the team. And then the other defensive tackle that they have, Kenneth Grant, is three hundred and thirty pounds, freak athlete, very dynamic, pretty good pass rush profile as well. That's kind of always the thing about those guys that are up in that that weight class is what are they bringing on passing downs?
And you see Grant good first step, being able to convert the power and collapse and push the pocket and get back in the lap of the quarterback. So from Michigan standpoint, those are the players on their defense that I think make them a hallmark matchup. And then from Texas's standpoint, they have an offensive tackle Calvin Banks, who I think has a chance to be a top twenty draft selection as well, super athletic, freakishly long. And then they've got a quarterback in Quinn Owers who has a
lot of fans. I think he showed a little bit more comfort in doing some of the things that we're so used to seeing a quarterback do with manipulating defenders with his eyes and the ball handling skills that kind of allow you to create space to throw the ball. This was kind of the first time I saw quinn Ouwers really do that for a sixty minute contest in their first game of the season against Colorado State.
That is a noon kickoff on Fox Texas at the Big House against Michigan. Great stuff there, Kyle, And usually we have a full slate, we go down like three or four games, but I'm not really you know, seeing one that jumps off the page outside of that game.
So I want to go ahead and just play Dealer's choice here for our guest, the great Kyle Krast and the Lockdown Dolphins podcast in thirty third team, What game you're looking at me as far as a fun prospect matchup you can think that could take place across the rest of the college football landscape.
Well, I'm selflessly going to take another one in the nun block, so you might need to have two screens going on. But what you should always.
We have pitt at Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh has a tight end Gavin bar following you, who I think is a nice prospect. He's been a multifaceted player to position. And then Cincinnati has a potential day to interior defensive lineman who I think we mentioned last year, Dante Corleone.
His nickname is the God Godfather, and he he.
Had some medical issues that kind of put his availability in question. He's been cleared, so he's going to make his return to the field this weekend. So I'm selflessly going to pick this game for Corleone. But at the very least, you do have players both sides between Pitt and Cincinnati that are going to have your interest.
So that's kind of the other one.
When you're kind of early in the schedule, you have a lot of the big schools playing smaller programs kind of their tune ups before they get into the conference play. But that Pit Cincinnati game is one that I do have circle that have my eyes on.
Looking forward to that one in the game that's gonna happen about oh Man doing live math nineteen hours prior to Dolphins and Jags kickoff across the street here at hard Rock Stadium as the Hurricanes are back in action.
But I don't want to talk about that game. I want to talk about the one.
He played on Saturday, And I just want you to tell the folks what I already know about one Caam Ward.
He is a baller.
He has all of the arm talent in the world, and I think you saw it against Florida with the armslots. I mentioned the ball handling with Quinn Uhs, but I think Kim Ward's ball handling skills as far as playfakes, being able to kind of sell different kinds of plays, being able to quickly get the ball and catch and release if you want to go with quick client timing type stuff. Some guys they kind of sit there and fumble around, trying at the laces before they throw the ball.
Not Cam. Cam has all the elasticity in the upper body in the world.
And what he's able to do as a result of that, and being probably a little bit of an underrated athlete. He's not like a true dual threat type player, but he can get outside the pocket. You saw that with some of the scrambles against Florida and just the it's never too fast for him. Now, that doesn't mean he doesn't always make great decisions with the ball. And that's the big thing with Cam that he has to cut down this year on a platform like he has in Miami.
But I knew about Kim Ward going back to when he first transferred to Washington State Goku and but there were times last year like I wanted to watch Kim wore play and I couldn't even get the game on TV.
I know.
So it's a totally different ballgame from him, and I think he's going to totally change his perception. I had him going to the first out of my mindcraft because I think if he plays anywhere near the calibery of game that he played against Florida, and he does it with any level of modest consistency from start to finish, you can't tell me he's not gonna go in the first round. And I know for Miami quarterbacks at the
college level, it's been a minute. The last one was Brad Kaya, and before that, it's a long list of guys that came through before he got a guy that got drafted.
So I think it's a.
Great thing for the Gains program and it's a great thing for Kim Ward. I think it's a great fit.
I'm laughing because you know how like there's certain accounts on Twitter that will tell you that player xes better than Tua, that that's always been the case, Like going back to the Tannehill days, this player is better than Tannehill. And Brad Kaya was one of the ones that I often saw in that argument. And I just laugh because no, he never was. He never once was, never was gonna be, it never will be. I digress, But yeah, man, that's
good stuff. It's he's he's so fun to watch. And I'm curious, just kind of a quick follow up for you, because the pick that he threw is like, oh, you can't do that. He did a couple of plays where he would make those throws across the body and almost like effortlessly nonchalant making those plays.
I'm curious.
Is that something that when he gets to the league you want to coach that out of him or do you say that's part of the package that comes with all the you know, glitz and glamour of camp Ward.
I think there's a line that can be walked there. I don't think you want to fully take that element out of his game, just because it's part of what makes him so dynamic. But there's a time and a place to do it, and there's a time and a place to understand we need to concede the down. Don't do something crazy on first and ten at midfield because
you got two more downs, right. I think I go back to when Ryan Fitzpatrick was here in twenty nineteen and kind of him talking about when you throw interceptions and when you're aggressive, and I think that's very applicable to the game. So I think for Cam it's more of a management of the decision making, not necessarily I don't want to do this and I want to put you in a box.
It makes perfect sense.
I mean, I think that you know he's grown in that regard from his time at Incarnate Word to Washington State Gokoog's and here with the Hurricanes as well. So the Hurricanes play Florida A and M across the street at six o'clock on Saturday. You can check that one out, as well as the Michigan Texas game and the Pitt in Cincinnati game that Kyle talked about. But the big one on Sunday, Dolphins and Jacks. Kyle, just real quick,
tell us a couple of things. You're looking forward to that game, and who do you think takes the openers? If the Dolphins for there would be their fourth consecutive opening day win.
Is that what you have?
Yeah, you can put me down for Dolphins win. I think this is gonna be a close game. I think Jacksonville has done a lot of nice things between the addition of defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, with all their physical talent that they have on the defensive side of the ball. The reinvestment in wide receivers kind of changed the dynamics for Trevor Lawrence. I think for my Miami's perspective, their skill players, I think are going to create some space
against the back seven. Though I look at the safety room, I look at the linebacker room, I look at the corners outside of Tyson Campbell for Jacksonville, I think Mike McDaniel can do a lot of really good things to create space with that group. And I kind of trust Miami to have more pressure answers when they're on offense against Jacksonville's defense. Because Trevor's throwing two gave Davis wasn't here last year, Brian Thomas wasn't here last year. There's
a lot of new in that wide receiver room. So I think those are some of the storylines that will play into what I think will be a hard earned Dolphins victory at hard Rock State.
I think it's one of the best matchups of Week one, quite frankly, looking up and down the schedule outside of the primetime games, which are loaded, by the way, and I can't wait to well, we're recording this before Thursday. But the Chiefs and Ravens and Packers and Eagles is good. And Jets and Niners and Lions and Rams. Those are my I love when the primetime slants like that because I don't get to watch any other games on Sundays
because I'm watching it and covering the Dolphins game. So a great Week one slate, a great Week three, no Week two slate in college football. You can find him on Twitter at grind the Tape, Lockdown Dolphins Podcast, Draft lead for the thirty third team All Star Dad, a decent deadlifter, great Robert Downey junior impressionist.
Pumpy breaks Key, that man's national treasure.
He is Kyle Crabs.
Kyle, thank you so much for your time today, my friend. It's always fun having you on the show.
Thanks Travis.
And he's off and so are we.
With the last podcast before we have a football game in twenty twenty four for your Miami Dolphins. On Sunday night, I will have the recap podcast right around eight o'clock or so before primetime the Lions and Rams game, so keep an eye out for that. The postgame show right after Triple Zeros on the clock for Dolphins and Jags with me, Seth and Juice.
Check us out there.
We'll have the film recap podcast on Monday night, and then we'll have a short week so a preview podcast I believe on Wednesday, and the Football Friday podcast gets bumped to Thursdays, so plenty of content coming your way. In the meantime, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcast from. Go ahead and give me a follow on social at Wingfield NFL. The team at Miami Dolphins check out the fish Tank podcast and fish Tank Iconic.
With Seth and Juice.
Really good stuff on the comeback the Dan Marine ninety four opening Day shootout and victory for the Miami Dolphins. Check out the YouTube channel for Media Availabilities and Dolphins HQ, which is live right now. Our first episode is up. Please go watch that several times over and pump those numbers up for us and last button, not least, Miami Dolphins dot Com until next time. Fins up cal on Cameron Daddy's coming home.