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What is up? Dolphins? And welcome to the Draft Time Podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins podcast Network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. How's it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, one more day until it kicks off. The draft begins tomorrow night in Kansas City, and we have one of the top experts in the field on the podcast today breaking down all things, not just Dolphins Draft, but a fell Drafts twenty twenty three edition.
Jordan Reid from ESPN joins me. Plus we have some media availabilities to recap. We will do that at the end of the episode. Today from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is.
The Drift Time Podcast maya caffish fish. Let's give a warm welcome once again to a longtime friend of the Draft Time podcast. He's a draft analyst at ESPN. You all know the name Jordan Reid. Jordan, how are you doing?
Man?
I have to imagine this week is just a bit of a blur for you.
It is. It is a blur, man.
I'm like a kid leading up to Christmas day, long days. It seems like it's taken forever to get here, but it's going by really fast. So always excited to talk draft with you. Feels like we've known each other for twenty years now when it's been like five really six, So.
It does, man. I mean we've probably done I mentioned all the time, we've probably done double digit episodes here with you on the podcast. I love having you on Senior Bowl combine before the Draft and a little bit different for you this year now, I think in your elevated role with ESPN. And you mentioned all the all the spots that you're doing, man, so we appreciate you covering out some time. I have to ask you, though, do you have your vacation for post draft booked already?
Oh? Yeah, that's been booked since January.
I'm looking forward to it's spending some time with the wife and the kid is going to be traveling a lot of different places.
Looking forward to it for you, man. So, I think the last time we talked, you had just produced a mock draft, a seven round mock draft, which is one of the most impressive feats I think a journalist can accomplish, because, my goodness, that the decisions you have to make, two hundred and sixty something decisions over and over again. But you also recently produced we'll get to that in a minute, recently produce an article on ESPN Plus with your coworker
Matt Miller, Latest Rooms, News and prospect risers. And I wanted to kind of go across some of those items with you here. The first one in the piece, Jordan explores the possibility of the Texans passing on a quarterback at number two, and currently their quarterbacks are Davis Mill and case Keenum. I just can't imagine to meet Ryan's going into his first year in the big chair without adding somebody else to that room. Might they do it?
Might they pass at number two? And then from there, Jordan, there's a whole cavalcade of intrigue at that point in the draft, like it's a flex point, right, Would they circle back for a quarterback later on with their second first round pick? Does that make number three an automatic trade up spot for somebody? What would the ramifications be of the Texans throwing us a curveball at number two and not taking a quarterback.
I think this is the most interesting point in the early part of the draft. Two and three.
I'm fascinated by with the text of that two and then the Cardinals at three, just because the draft could be totally different than some of the mock drafts that we have been projecting. But with Houston, I just don't know how you sell to your fan base going back with Davis Mills or they signed case Keenem this offseason. Bringing both of those guys out there for another year. I just don't see how they're going to be able
to do that. And I know Demico Ryans is locked into a six year deal, so there's no pressing need to add a quarterback. But you can't speak in absolutes when you're talking about the draft, and what I mean by that is, let's pass on a quarterback this year.
Let's get one of Drake mayor capable next year.
But let's say you go out and you win six or seven games next year, and you're picking later on in the top ten, and those two to those top two teams at the top of the draft they need a quarterback. You're not going to be able to trade back into those spots like you were originally in twenty twenty three. So why not go ahead and get the most important positions solidify. You don't have to give up
any extra draft capital. You already have eleven other picks twelve total to address plenty of needs on your roster. So I just don't see how they wouldn't go quarterback at number.
Two, especially in a class that looks pretty good on paper. I mean, I know you've got a couple of guys that you're a big fan of, so in that instance, though, so I imagine you have Bryce Young going number one. Do you have the Texan taking a quarterback? And just in general the top five quarterbacks you've heard about, are there five first round quarterbacks? And where do you think they all wind up when it's all said and done tomorrow night from Kansas City.
I mean, whichever one doesn't go first, I think you take the other. If you're detextans, whether it's c. J. Stroud or Bryce Young, he should be fine with either one of them. Just get that position solidified. But right now I think it's four and impossible with Hn and Hooker being the possible as that fifth round guy. But for right now, your quarterback landing spots are the top two picks. The Colts at four are another obvious one,
the Raiders possibly. I don't think they're going to take one, but they could since they have Jimmy Garoppolo there already. They invested big money in him. Another sneaky one is Tennessee at eleven. There's been some whispers about them potentially trading up looking to replace Ryan Tannehill there. Milik Willis just didn't work out for them in his rookie year, and it seems like they maybe want a younger option
that has a little bit more upside. And then in the back parts of the first round you maybe talking Minnesota at twenty three that's looking for a quarterback too, So there isn't a whole bunch of landing spots. Nineteen Tampa bas shout Altro also mentioned them too. I think they're a QB needy team, so there isn't a whole bunch of landing spots that you can play matchmaker with. But inside of the top ten or the top twelve, I should say I think there's a lot of where
they could go. So top two definitely. Then with the Colts at four, whether they swap picks with Arizona, that's something that you definitely need to keep your eye on because Arizona shopping that pick very aggressively, So the Colts could stay at four, look to go at three. But Hooker is one that's very intriguing in this draft class, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where he ends up.
To me, that's what makes the draft so much fun for not just casual fans, with people that really study this thing closely is those quarterback the quarterbacks, the big names that generate the big trades in the top five, top ten, and really throughout the first round. Man, it
makes it a lot more fun. I think when you have a really good quarterback class, and you alluded to last year, Malik willis a quarterback that I think a lot of folks thought might go in the first round, maybe even top fifteen of that draft, and wind up going in the third round with only one quarterback in the first round last year, and to me, he kind of sparks this next question I had for you in terms of he falls into one of the categories, because
you know, I think this year's class Jordan provides a really good example of traits versus pocket polish and what you truly value from the quarterback position. I know you were a dual threat guy in college. Maybe you're a
little bit biased, maybe not. I don't know you can answer that for us, But I'm curious when you look at like Anthony Richardson or I'm Alik Willis as well, which different players but similar in terms of plus plus athletes who maybe had some more seasoning to happen for them before they were you know, pro ready type quarterbacks. Then you've got CJ. Stroud, this really high level ball
placement pocket passer. I'm curious where you stand on this modern debate about quarterback evaluations and where you come down, whether it's the traits guys you like, or a guy that you can point out and say that guy can win from the pocket. That's what I want.
Well, I think it's really interesting to see how the quarterback position has changed over the past decade or so. The game is really moving away from those traditional pocket
passers that win strictly with their brain in accuracy. So guys like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, those types of Matt Ryan, those types of quarterbacks that lack mobility, to now these physical specimens like Justin Herbert or Kyler Murray, those types of players of where they not only can beat you with their arm, but they can play sandlote football that I'd like to call it. They can win outside of the pocket and play off script.
So that's what you're looking for more so in these types of quarterbacks. But the most important part is being able to win from the pocket, just because teams are so good as far as scheming up schematically to where they can keep you in the pocket and they can blitch you when you're standing in the pocket, So you have to be able to stand in there and deliver.
So when you're looking at these athletic quarterbacks, yes, it's great to be able to what I like to call out athlete teams on the college level, but we've seen that you have to be able to win from the pocket, and I think players like Lamar Jackson some of these other quarterbacks that we have seen, they've been able to make that adjustment when they went over from the college game to the pro game. So I think that's going to be the biggest hurdle that players like Malie Willis
or Anthony Richison have to make. And I think Anthony is much further along than what Malik was as far as from a progression see, read, execute and react standpoint, So they're very different, like you said, and then also Richardson is much bigger than Malik Willis will was too, So with these athletic, mobile quarterbacks, I think that's where the game is really gravitating towards.
And that innate ability to kind of just manage the pocket, right Because you mentioned like Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, those guys they were always mobile within the pocket. They're not going to get outside and beat you for a big scramble, but they could find, you know, different openings and lanes within the pocket. And I think that quick twitch is something that you see pretty much every quarterback now that comes out has the ability to get off that spot,
reset and throw a strike down the field. So it's fun to watch man, it expands the game so much, it really increases the offense. And speaking of increasing the offense, one position that has also changed quite a lot in recent years is the running back position. In the next scenario in your piece on ESPN plus dot com is the b Jon Robinson conundrum. Here, he's the prime example that allows us to really broach that running back conversation
and where should you draft these guys? Where does their value become begin to start really take hold at a particular spot in the draft. I'm curious to get your take on the scuttle butt there with where he might go and what it says about the running back position in the modern draft. If this guy doesn't go, you know, consensus top five player, right, But if he doesn't go top twenty, what does that say about the running back position going forward.
Well, we've seen how devalued it has been, but it seems like a running back goes in the first round every single year. Every other year, there's always teams that value running backs may be higher than some others, just like some other positions. But we've seen in years past you can find these running backs in the later rounds, second, third, fourth, fifth round, even six or seventh. We saw in the
Super Bowl last year, what does Zia excuse me? Isaiah Pacheco was able to do for the Kansas City Chiefs and he was a great fine for them in the seventh round.
So it just depends on the team that.
You talk to, the scouttery evaluator that you talk to, of where they value running backs at. But Bijon's landing spot is something that people even in the league are all over the place with right now, just because terrific player. But they say, where do you take this player at, especially in a deep running back class? Do you use expensive draft capital on it? Expensive being in the first round to where you can get a player at more
of a premium position. But we both know the draft is an educated guest, but Bijon, he's an educated guest that you feel really good about just because of the talent that we're talking about. So it just depends on how you feel about taking running backs in the first round. So I would say his ceiling is probably Atlanta at eight, but also his floor is the Chargers at twenty one.
I think he probably go in that range somewhere.
That'll be interesting. He goes the Chargers wonder if an Austin Eckler trade might happen in the case of that does occur, because what a loaded backfield that would be with Bijon and Austin Eckler back there, and so you know, then you get this, I guess next wave, because Bijon's kind of put himself in a stratspere all by himself. In terms of the running back position, I think the consensus from what I've seen is Jamir gives as running
back too. I guess my question here is two full Do you think that means that Gibbs because of a potential Bijon slide, could he potentially slide as well? And then the rest of the running back class, like where's that sweet spot kind of come into play for this year's running back class. And then also the Gibbs question, if you don't mind, I.
Think we're going to see running backs fly off of the board in the second through fourth round. There could be as many as I think ten to twelve guys that go in that range just because outside of tight end and then also cornerback, I think running back is the most deep for the deepest of the positional groups this year, and you can get really good players in
that third or fourth round range. Zach sharbne UCLA Tank, Bigsby Auburn, Ti Spears two lane is realed off three guys right there that could go somewhere in the top one hundred.
So this running back class is really good.
But I think Gibbs is going to be the beneficiary of Bijon going so high, just because he's seen as that next guy in the pecking order. He could go as early as thirty to the Eagles. I don't think that's out of the question at all. But if he's there at fifty one for Miami, as soon as the team before them turns in the card, I would turn it in right.
After that, just because it would be such a good fit for them.
Not saying he's going to be there at fifty one, I actually doubt that he's going to be there at fifty one, just because he's such a dynamic player and he offers such a different skill set in this running back class.
But if he's there at fifty one, it's a no brainer for Miami.
I made that face and that noise because thinking about Jami or Gibbs being with the Philadelphia Eagles offense is just an embarrassment of riches with what they have already in terms of playmakers and speed in the running game. What Jalen Hurts offers, man that would be fun to watch also be a lot of fun to watch them here in Miami. We'll come back to that here in one second. Some more general NFL questions for Jordan Reid here ESPNS Draft analyst. I'm curious some surprise, potential surprises
that you could see playing out. Whether it's a pick that goes in the top ten that maybe we're not seeing a lot of mock drafts right now, a surprise top ten pick, and then somebody that you think that could sneak into Round one from the back end of Round one that no one's talking about as a potential Night one pick.
Yeah.
So I actually tweeted this out probably about an hour ago. Two names that I'm hearing constantly as late first round picks that could be a surprise Steve Avila, the interior offensive lineman of TCU. He's one that a lot of teams like. And then the other is Julius Brince, the cornerback from Kansas State. He's one that a lot of people like to and I put this in our notebook with me and Matt Miller today in that the NFL
is a copycat league. And we saw that the NFL made a mistake with Tarik wooland letting him slip to the fifth round, and a lot of teams see a similar player in Tarike wooland with Julius Brince. So there's going to be some team at the back end of the first round, especially at a premium position, they could say, hey, this guy could be similar to Tarik wooland very similar frame. No, he didn't run a four to six, but as far as the other measurables in the traits that he has,
it's very similar to Woland. So, like I said, it's a copycat league, and the NFL doesn't like to make those same mistakes twice.
So that's why I could see Brince being a late first round pick.
I remember Kyle Krabs, our close friend, was texting me at the Senior about Julius Brents and this guy is a perfect fit for Miami. At pick fifty one, they go out and get Galen Ramsey, which I think you could probably talk about the similarities in their games as well. With the length of the physicality there. So it's it's I love when my draft guests come on here and have similar praise for the same guys because it gives us, I think, a real narrowed focus on the real value
in this draft. Speaking of value real quick, you mentioned running back, tight end, cornerback. My question for you was, which positions do you think produce the most bang for a team's buck on Day two? Are those your three spots?
Uh? In this draft class? Yeah, I think that's where you're going to get the most bang for your book. I don't know if we're going to get a linebacker in the first round. If I had to guess, if one went, it would be Drew Sanders of Arkansas. He's my top ranked linebacker, but late first round. That's probably the earliest that he goes. The Bills at twenty seven I think make a lot of sense as far as the landing spot for him.
Running back.
I mean, like I said, those guys are going to fly off of the board late Day two or mid day two to early day three.
We're going to see a lot of those guys go off with the board.
So and then with corner those always go throughout the draft and you know, you hear a lot of names in the first round, but we're going to see a lot of names going the second round too. Keiley Ringo, Georgia, Darius Rush, South Carolina, DJ Turner Michigan. There's going to be a lot of names that fly off of the board in this cornerback group too.
Just a real quick follow up I had talked about in a previous podcast, if Keigley Ringo had another year of college tape that was really good, it could be a potential top ten pick. Is that Do you think that's true?
I wouldn't say top ten, but first round I definitely agree with just because and with Keighley, He's a player that I've been tracking over the past two years and he's a very scheme specific player. So if he lands in the right spot, I think he's going to be a really good player. Like he has to be in a zone scheme that forces him or that allows him to keep his back to the sideline to where he
can play a lot of zone and cover three. So if he goes to Seattle, San Francisco some teams like that that play that heavy zone scheme that allow him to just keep his back to the sideline and keep his eyes on the quarterback.
I think he could be a really good starter for you.
But if he goes to a scheme that allows him to play, it forces him to play a lot of man coverage.
I don't think he's going.
To be very good in that, just because it's kind of some of the shortcomings that he has from a directional standpoint and changing directions.
That's just not his area of expertise.
So where he thrives in So, just like any other prospect, he has to go somewhere that's the right fit for him. So Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle. I think he could be a really good player for any of those teams.
Yeah, I was going to say, that's kind of the hidden thing that I think most folks don't talk about is the importance of which team they go to. And you know, folks want to talk about mock drafts and just rattle off the guys and list of where they rank them and just think that's how it's going to go in terms of production. But it's always work that way.
So good stuff they're talking about, DBS. Let's go ahead and take our first break right here and come back on the other side of Jordan and talk about Dolphin specific draft needs and questions and fits and all that fun stuff. That's next. My guest today Jordan Reid from ESPN, your host Travis Wingfield. Brought to you by Auto Nation. Jordan Reid, ESPN Draft analysts here joining us talking about NFL Draft, Dolphins Draft. It kicks off tomorrow night at
eight o'clock. It's finally here, the NFL Draft twenty twenty three edition. On the corner or on the doorstep of arriving. Finally, after months and months of debate and all this fun stuff, let's go ahead and talk about the Dolphins draft approach post free agency because last time we had John Jordan, and we do this every year. We have you on Round Combine and then we have you on post free agency and we kind of get an addendum on Dolphins
draft approach here Jalen Ramsey, David Long. They add some variety in the receiver room with Brax and Barrios and Chosen and Anderson. They added some depth and competition to the interior offensive line with Dan Feenie new backup quarterback in Mike White. How is the Dolphins offseason gone so far? In your estimation and how do you like this roster heading into the draft.
It's a been an a plus for me whenever you can add these experienced veterans like a David Long, who I thought was a steal of a deal for them. For the two year deal that they signed for, I think it was like eleven million, which I thought he was going to get much more than that. Then you turn around and you get an established player like a Jalen Ramsey. But I think a sneaky good move for them this offseason was bringing over Mike White. Getting that
security for them. I think it's going to be big now you have that experienced veteran with Mike White coming in, who had a miraculous run with the Jets, one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. So and not to go on a tangent about a backup quarterbacks because I'm a former quarterback myself, but bringing in some experienced veterans like that, I think that's exactly what Miami needed.
But they do have some holes in some other places.
I still would like to see them add some linebacker depth, some more depth there running back, and then some interior offensive line depth too.
I think that's another area where they could look to address.
He said, interior offensive line, running back, in linebacker. That was my next question for you is what do you think the Dolphins need to get accomplished in this year's draft? And they have picks at fifty one and pick at eighty four, and then picks in the back end of the draft in round six and seven. So you mentioned
those three positions. What are some fits at that fifty first pick, middle second round, just outside the top fifty the kind of premium picks, right, Who do you like in that position, at any position for fifty one from Miami.
I would also add tight end into that too.
I think they could look to take tight end at fifty one too, just because we could see as many as seven going the top three rounds, which is right in the wheelhouse of the picks that the Dolphins have, So tight end could be another.
Area that they look to address.
But if all goes well, the perfect pick for the Dolphins at fifty one would be Jamiir Gibbs.
The running back out of Alabama. But that's best case scenario.
I don't think he's going to be available, but just imagine adding his speed and dynamic ability to Tyrek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and then some of these other explosive weapons that they already have. For two, with underbody Lowe, that would be an a plus selection for them. But with tight end, I think there's a lot of different directions that they could go. Tucker Craft from South Dakota State is one that I think they could have their eyes on.
There's plenty of others too. Darnold Washington is one that could be there.
I don't think he's going to be there, but he would be a really good piece for them to add.
So look for them to add a tight end at fifty one.
Who's a running back? Because you mentioned Gibbs a lot and you think he's going to be gone. I do too. It would be really cool if he was there. To see if the Dolphins went out and added him to this offense that has so much firepower and so much speed. Is there a running back maybe at that pick, maybe
a little bit later on that you like. It would be a good I don't want to say consolation because that sells the young man short, but a player that would be a good alternative to Jamior Gibbs if he's not there at fifty one.
So with the Dolphins running so much outside zone, they need a dynamic back, one that can just one cut and go and get up the field. One that I really like is ta J Spears from Tulane. If they're looking for that second day two pick for a player that could potentially be there, He's one that I love. He's one that a lot of people like inside of
the league too, So Taise Spears is another. But another that I want to add it I think is really really underrated that I think is going to be a much better pro than what he was college player is Tank Bixby out of Auburn.
He's one that I like a lot.
I think he would be a great fit in that outside zone scheme, just because he's at his best when he can attack what I call the outside shoulders of the tackle, just allowing them to win with angles and then allowing him to one cut and go whenever he sees those openings up the field, that's when he's at his best. And at Auburn, they weren't the best upfront, so he had to create a lot of lanes for himself in a sense, just because they weren't very good upfront.
But with those lanes in the outside zone scheme. It's probably going to be a big shot for him to have so much operating room with Miami's offensive front. So Tank Bigsby is a player that I think they could have take a lot of liking.
To as well.
What's your evel on him in terms of short yardage conversions? And I guess the role of the hammer because first of all, his name just sounds like a hammer, but also kind of plays that way, doesn't he.
Yeah, I mean he has plenty of contact balance, he could step through and run through tackles, but also he
can avoid and create new opportunities for himself. I think he's going to be He's a top five running back for me in this class, and I think he's quickly going to outplay his draft slot just because, like I talked about a little bit earlier, he's gonna like it's gonna be a new vision for him seeing these open running leanges, just because whenever he got the ball sometimes there was penetration in the first level and that's something that he had to fight through throughout his career, especially
his last season. But there's plenty of games last year of where he dominated in some games so I'm looking forward to seeing him on the next level, and I think he's going to be a much better pro than college player.
We definitely have experience with the Auburn running backs here in the past. Ronnie Brown, our former number two overall pick, that was almost twenty years ago. That feels wow. That makes me feel old, man. I remember watching that draft and seeing, you know, the debate between will it b Rodgers, will to be Brown? Whatever? You know, it was Ronnie Brown, but twenty years ago for that draft class. Let's go ahead and finish up right here, Jordan, your seventh round
monk that posted at the end of March. So you mentioned, you know, who are the guys you took in the six and seventh round that draft class. Understandably so with two hundred and sixty some picks, but you did have Gibbs there at fifty one. You had the tight end from Michigan, Luke scoon Maker pick eighty four, and then you come back with Alex Forsyth, who is a relative of one of my friends from back home. He played an orgon on the interior offensive line, and then m
J Anderson the edge from Iowa State. I'm curious do you still like that those four picks from Miami this year's class, and kind of give us a breakdown those guys if you can.
Yeah, I do. I mean, Gibbs is an obvious one.
We've already been in depth about him, and I'll just start with Alex Forsyth or I should say Luke Schoolmaker since he's the next pick. A player that's really underrated and he kind of gets lost in the shuffle a little bit with this tight end class. Very versatile, he's dynamic as a pass catcher, can run every route in the route tree that you want. He's a tryhard blocker that I like to call it. He can stand in
there and get in a way. He's not gonna mal people like a George Kittle or Travis Kelce or anything like that, but he can stand in the way and he's gonna fight. You can use him as a single blocker to block the end man on the line of scrimmish. He can double team and get hip to hit with offensive tackles, which is something that he had plenty of experience doing at Michigan too.
So he's a really underrated player in this class.
Third fourth round where I had him projected is exactly probably where he's going to go in this draft class. Alex Forsype is another that I think is really underrated in this draft lass. He's played every single interior spot, started at center during his time at Oregon. Really was the engineer or the catalyst of everything up front, which is exactly what the Dolphins need right now. I think they need some depth along the interior offensive front, so we'll see what happens there.
And then MJ.
Anderson is one that I like to play in the opposite of Will McDonald at Iowa State, another player that's getting a lot of late first early second round buzz right now, but Anderson held his own two.
A player that can give you a lot as a pass rusher.
Needs to improve a little bit as a run defender, get a little bit stronger in his lower half, but as far as giving pass rush ability, he can give you that walking through the door. Probably going to have to use them at what I'd like to call a DPR designated pass rusher early on while he still gets some more strength and gains some more weight.
You can find that at ESPN dot com as long as well as Jordan's other written work Jordan Reid, NFL Draft analyst at ESPN. He's at Jordan Underscore read on Twitter. Jordan, where can the folks find you? Come draft?
You can find me on any ESPN platform. You're gonna see me on there, but also ESPN Radio the final two days of the draft, So Day two, Day three, I'll be on ESPN Radio alongside Mike Tennenbaum, Bart Scott, Chris Canty and plenty of others. Will have analysis and instant reactions for every single pick made during the last two days of the draft.
Day two and Day three coin sides of the Dolphins draft picks. The share must be why I had you on here today, Jordan appre shire your time today, man, as always, be well and look forward to your vacation. Man, you definitely earned it.
No problem, Thanks as always, Travis.
And away he goes, and just like that, we have one more segment before the twenty twenty three NFL Draft. We are going to do one more piece of draft content, my twenty twenty three first round mock and my Dolphins mock.
That's next on the Draft Time podcast. We're also going to hear from Bradley Chubb and Durham smythe your host, Travis Wingfield, brought to you by AutoNation back here on a Wednesday, the before Draft Eve, although for the Dolphins, I guess it's Draft Eve's eve since the Dolphins first pick won't come most likely until Friday, always an opportunity to trade up, but we'll see what happens with that. Before we get to my mock draft one point zero.
I'm only giving you one this year. I actually have not really given I don't think I've given a mock draft in a couple of years on the podcast. But let's go ahead and do it this year and just kind of have fun. Because when I used to do these mock drafts, I literally would spend months preparing for
these things. I remember going to college classes back when I first graduated high school, and I would write out the draft order in this one class that I didn't pay attention close enough in and would go over the draft order to get that memorized, and then try to slot in players and do different scenarios hand written notebook, pen and paper of that style a little bit different nowadays we have the mock draft simulators all that fun stuff.
So I used to be really really into it. I'd write up a whole report on every single pick why they made the pick. It was like twelve pages long for a first round mock draft. Print it out. I put it in one of those binding things and make it look all nice and have it available for my guests at the draft. We'd watch it at my house. Now, just kind of went through this on the week of and had fun with it and tried to slot guys in.
We'll do that here in just one second, but first I want to go ahead and hear from Bradley, Chubb and Durham's my first The Dolphins outside linebacker was asked about Vic Fangio joining the Miami Dolphins staff and what the Dolphins and the players can expect from adding a legendary coach like Vic Fangio.
Oh yeah, man, that's one of my uh my favorite, one of my favorite coaches that I've been I'm saying in a room with just because he expects so much out of his players, you know, and he's gonna keep it straight up with you. If he calls a player and you didn't execute, he's gonna ask you, why didn't you ask you? What I put you in a position to exeque. Why didn't you so, I mean in this this high paced game we played, Man, that's what you need.
Just need that transparency, You need the uh, somebody to be on you a little bit when you hold you to that standard that we hold ourselves to. So uh, That's that's what he's gonna do, and I'm excited about it.
Let's jump ahead just a little bit here to a question that post to Bradley on that same topic about Vic Fangio's defense and how it benefits not just players like him up front rushing the passer, but on the back end as well, a defense that has traditionally been steeped primarily in zone coverages.
It benefits everybody, man, like you said, as a unit because when you when you got us just kind of thinking freely and just going out there and attacking and being able to take a tight end and not really worry about, oh I have to be in this gap.
Just go out there and play play fast, and we're gonna read off the and everybody around that has that same mindset that D line could just I feel like it's it's really meant for the outside linebackers to set the tone and establish everything established dominance, whether it be with the tight ends, whether it be with the tackles,
getting after the quarterback as much as we can. And when when that group does that, I feel like it makes everybody else's job easier because say I've got a guard pulling to me and a tight end trying to influence me out. So if I take the tight end and the guard, then Bake running free and then you know what I'm saying, David running free, and X could can free up and ca to pick that.
You know what I'm saying.
The quarterback is just trying to get the ball out of his hands, but then boom, he's right there in that position.
So I feel like it starts with us. Man, it's gonna have to end with us.
So we're taking that mindset, We're taking the meetings, making sure we living like that, and.
Trying to approach every day like that.
Let's go ahead and finish up here, I asked Bradley Chubb almost said Jalen Phillips about his teammate Jalen Phillips and what he's learned from the way he approaches the game being around a young player like JP. I asked him about the approach of the game and then the physical traits that he brings. Let's go ahead and play that two part answer back to back.
Right here.
He approaches like a true pro man. He understands the task at hand. He understands, you know what I mean, that he wants more out of himself as well. He wants to get those accolades. He wants to go to the Pro Bowl all pros, And you see it just by the way he approaches everything. The meeting room, he's with this new defense right now, He's asking questions, making sure he knows the ends and outs, knows when to take his shots and stuff like that.
In the weight room, he's a freak, you.
Know what I mean.
So you kind of like, coming into the season, you kind of see, oh yeah, okay, I gets he's working hard, but you don't really see it until the offseason work gets put in and we're on the field doing drills and you see the intent that he has that he's working with. So I'm really excited for his year three. Like I said, man, he's a he's a freak. Man do takes a shirt off. He's chisel, he's huge, he's you know what I'm saying, talks with the deepest voice possible.
So he has all the intangibles, man, and he's getting when it comes down to, like I said, the playbook and everything else, he's getting all that and he's becoming a true pro man.
I'm excited for him.
Let's finish up here with Durham Smyth, who I asked him about the second year in the offense and how that can benefit a player at your position. Where in the past Mike McDaniel has told us that learning to play tight end in this offense is different than almost any other place you've played in your football career. How is year two benefits you in an offense that can be tricky to relearn as a tight end or any position in this offense.
Yeah, I think it's hugely, you know, beneficial for us that that have been in the offense for more than one year now. And he's right on it's it's it's a different style really across the board at you know a lot of positions, but you know at the tight end position, we there's a lot of things you do in this this offense that you don't necessarily do in others. So I think, you know, just having the experience of
a full like I said, calendar year. In this offense, you know, there's a comfort level that that becomes established, and I'm excited to kind of get back on the field here in a couple of weeks to you know, build on that.
And you know through the summer and into training camp.
So I there's definitely a little bit of a learning curve with this offense at the tight end position, and I think, you know, the sky's the limit once we can, uh, you know, at every position across the board get on the same page.
And then how about the energy in the building coming back this week after a long offseason, getting back with the boys.
Yeah, I mean the boys are back, so that's always exciting.
That's first and foremost, you know, just get around everyone, and uh, that's that's the best time of.
The year when we're all back in the building together.
And yeah, I mean obviously, when you know, you look at us on paper, there's there's a lot of talent on the team, but that only goes so far. So I think everyone's excited to get on the field to try to you know, live up to expectations, establish some high expectations and you.
Know, really get this thing going. So I think we're all excited about it.
Alrighty, that's it. Last thing we have to do before the NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night at eight pm NFL Network, ESPN, wherever the hell you want to watch that thing at you can find it. We will not have a pick in the first night unless we trade up back on Friday to cover the entire day two potentially two picks, maybe more, maybe less. We'll find out. For the Miami Dolphins, We'll have plenty of coverage for
you guys when the draft goes down. Before we do that, though, why don't we go ahead and bust out a mock draft. I put this together on Tuesday morning, spent a few hours on looking at team needs and things like that, but mostly went to best player available and tried to match that with at least some motoricme of Okay, they have a bit of a need here. So I guess, using both of those schools of thought, we start with the Panthers Bryce Young, quarterback from Alabama. I would go CEEJ. Stroud.
I think the Panthers are gonna wind up taking Bryce Young. Will find out There's been all kinds of crazy reports coming out about what this pick might be, and who the hell knows. Man, that's where the draft is fun. We're just doing this for fun. So Bryce Young number one, I'm gonna buy into the fact that the Texans are going to pass the quarterback first and take Will Anderson.
And I get this.
I get a little bit annoyed by the fact that Will Anderson, all of a sudden this thought was a safe prospect. I saw one scout note that he was a double off the wall, while Tyree Wilson was upside and potential like two years ago. Man, everyone's like, I don't care about the quarterback class. Will Anderson will be the first player drafted. Regardless, He's still that great player. If the Texans do pass quarterback to me, it's got to be Will Anderson. And then I have a trade
the Cardinals. I think everybody's mock draft has the Cardinals moving back. I have the Raiders coming up to get CJ. Stroud, who for me is by far the best quarterback in this class. That's how I stack it. The Raiders come up and get the Ohio State product. The Colts take Anthony Richards him from Florida and try to build around his fantastic skills at which I think translates very well.
I think there's some innate ability there that he can really kind of harness and kick into high gear and become a high level quarterback if it happens for him that way. Seahawks Jalen Carter from Georgia the defensive tackle. Lions gets some strength, some reinforcements, I should say, in their secondary with Devon Witherspoon from Illinois. Tyree Wilson comes off the board here to the Cardinals out of Texas Tech. After trading back for number three. The Falcons were a
tough spot to peg right here. A lot of folks put in Bjohn Robinson here. I'm going to the cornerback position to pair with aj Terrell. Christian Gonzalez from Oregon, one of my favorite players in the entire draft class. He and Witherspoon and Joey Porter Junior for that matter, are really really good players. I have the Bears coming back with edge Nolan Smith from Georgia. I think he's a great player. I think they really last year kind of went through the defensive line and traded off a
lot of those parts. They're going to have to rebuild that group back up front. The Eagles just took the best player off the board here, and they always go in the trenches and refortify the offense and defensive line. So Broderick Jones is my ot from Georgia. He goes off the board top ten. Then I have a trade Steelers coming up to get Paris Johnson from Ohio State to fix their tackle situation. Next is the Browns. This
was a tough one too. They actually have a pretty good roster, which I think could make them competitive next year. We'll see what happens at the quarterback position. Hopefully it stays the way it was last year, just given a rooting for humanity in general. But I have Brian Branch from Alabama the safety here, the first and only one off the board. The Packers take a receiver in the post Rogers era, which would be funny to me, wide
receiver Jackson Smith and Jigo from Ohio State. Patriots get Lucas van Ness from Iowa two hundred and seventy pounds, really good athlete, just makes a ton of sense for that Belichick defense. I have the Jets taking a flexible offensive lineman with Peter Scarnsky from Northwestern figure it's to be a guard there for them. I think the Commanders get Will Levis off the board. They can talk about Sam Hawe all they want. I'm not buying it. If one of the top four quarterbacks falls to them, I
would slot that player into this position. Joey Porter Junior goes to the Titans. He just seems like a Mike Rabel player from Penn's state. The Lions come back and get Dalton Keen Kaid and replace T. J. Hawkinson after trading him away last year. Still didn't love that trade for them. I think Hawkins is a great player, but they're gonna replace him with Dalton Kinkaid here from Utah and my mock draft, I have Hendon Hooker going off
the board to the Bucks. They too were a tough one to pick because they got a lot of their guys back and that roster still has some talent on it, but obviously the big voided quarterback with just Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield, they add some competition there with Hendon Hooker. I have the Seahawks making a big surprise. They always do this every single year. I think with the way they want to run the ball, and be a power running team. Steve Avila from TCU makes a lot of sense.
I think he goes a lot higher than folks project. He goes twenty right here to the Seahawks. The Chargers get Darnell Right from Tennessee. I could see him being a top ten pick, honestly, but he falls a little bit here to the Chargers of twenty one. The Ravens state in the DMV and get cornerback Deontay Banks from Maryland. Heck of a player, looks like a Raven. Now I have the Eagles coming up to get Bijon Robinson, and how crazy would that first round be for the Philadelphi
Eagles to get Broderick Jones and Bijon Robinson. They swopt places with the Vikings up next, Jaguars take tight end Michael Meyer from Notre Dame, trying to build a twenty one personnel package. Evan Ingram on the tag. We'll see if that's a long term deal for him there in the future where they get the top tight end on the board here I should say number two tight end off the board after Kinkaid. The Giants at twenty five receivers A Flowers from Boston College. They need weapons, they
need firepower on that offense. Wasn't a big fan of the quarterback extension of the offseason, but they have to get more offense this season. The Cowboys take Elijah Canty from Pittsburgh, just an absolute phenom athlete. I think it's a good fit there to give that defense even more juice. I have the Bills going to the offensive line Osyrus Torrence from Florida to fix what was a weak spot for them last year. The Bengals at twenty eight edge
Miles Murphy from Clemson. They're gonna want to start letting expensive pieces go to pay for Joe Burrow's contract because they just have to have that money in escrow and you have to come up with it somehow. So that to me signals maybe getting cheaper at defensive end, a very expensive position. They start that process with my Murphy
from Clemson. The Saints take Mazia Smith from Michigan. They lost David Anyamada, Cameron Jordan's not getting any younger, so they're going to go ahead and try to restock the coupvered up front with a really good defensive lineman. Then the Vikings take Matthew Bergeron much to my chagrin, at pick number thirty here after going back in the drade and the trade with the Eagles to go get Bijon Robinson, and the Chiefs make Julius Brent from Kansas State the
last pick in the first round. So there's your first round mock, My Dolphins mock again, just kind of throwing some names I like here in terms of where I think guys might come off the board. Number fifty one tight end Darnelle Washington from Georgia. Number eighty four running back Ti j Spears from Tulane. I think gives the offense that juice that running back position to go along with the Raheem and Jeff Wilson and Savanna and Miles.
And then number one ninety eight the defensive tackle KeAndre Coburn from Texas, and two thirty seven a special team's ace as a rookie in my opinion, linebacker Ivan Pace from Cincinnati. There you go. Next time you hear from me, it will be Day two of the draft. Will recap picks fifty one and eighty four. We'll also have post night press conferences from Mike McDaniel and Chris Greer. We'll cover all of that for you guys right here on
the Drive Time podcast. In the meantime, it's gonna be my time.
You all.
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