To on the move, going deep Speedways Pass.
From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield.
He's got my hands in the playoffs.
What is up, Dolph Fans? And welcome to the Drive Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield.
And on today's show.
We continue with the Draft preview series, two position groups. Today, Emery Hunt helps us break down the running back class.
E J.
Snyder helps us with the defensive tackles. All of that and a heck of a lot more from the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the Drive Time Podcasts. Kick it off today with my first interview talking running backs. Emery Hunt. You guys know who he is, The CBS Sports HQ's Emery Hunt the middle of his usual three draft season appearances here on Draft I will talk to him again for the udfas
here in a month or so. Emery, how you doing man, and where is the energy level for you as we come down the home stretch of draft season.
I'm doing fine, man.
In the interview level is high because we're getting closer to the draft season, Draft Day right and you know, I released my Draft guide, so I'm out promoting that thing, and I'm all about now talking to football because I finally able where was able to finish, you know, covering these prospects, so now I'm able to talk about these prospects.
It's funny.
I feel like that's almost like a movie star or a comedian who has a new hour out. It's like they put on all that work and they grind all that time. But for the most part, those are the ones that that professional. They seem to hate the interview circuit, the talk shows, the podcast, all this stuff, But it sounds like for you, that's when the fun begins.
Right right, because you got to talk about what you just watch.
And now that now that you are comfortable talking about prospects and giving your take on it because you have a more well rounded take on the class on individuals, Yeah, let's get out here and talk about it.
I'm not going to throw them under the bus, but I will say one of my good friends in the industry who actually cannot do the draft preview series so you can use you can put together the pieces there.
And figure out who might be. But he was telling me, like Travis I'm tired, man.
I'm so tired.
This is an exhausting process, and so that's why it's so valuable for someone like me to rely on someone like you and the rest of the community. We have doing this for us here to break down these position groups and give us some more widening perspectives on what this draft class looks like. Let's go ahead and start here, because I want to start with the actual Dolphins current running backs.
And I think we talked about this in Indianapolis.
What better time for a refresher than right now, because Miami had two rookie backs last year that were completely different in terms of their play style.
Both productive. One played some one played a little bit.
Wanted to get your thoughts on the first season of Devon a Chan and Chris Brooks and where you see their games going. And you're number two here for Mike McDaniel on the Dolphins offense.
I'm excited about a Chan because again, I love speed, and he has the ability to hit the home run from anywhere on the field and we saw that at times.
You know, you just want him to stay healthy.
I know injuries are a freak occurrence, so you can't predict that but if he's out there, I expect him this year to have even more of a role in that game. I know we talked in India about the quietest one hundred yard game and the fastest one hundred yard game. So with someone like that, I'm excited for him now that he's going to have a year of pro strength and conditioning, doesn't have to do all the
travel circuit that he did during the draft process. And for Brooks, we know about what he was able to do at the Hula Bowl last year. Physical back end again going into year two with a lot of these guys, if he could stay healthy, he could be that pay center for the run game because of what he brings to his table from a physicality standpoint. So you expect these guys in year two much calmer offseason as opposed
to the draft cycle. So I expect those guys to hit the ground running, both figuratively and literally.
Andy, I'm impressed, man, because I have a buddy that a long time listener of the podcast, met up with a few times one of the back in Seattle, and he's always like telling me about segments that he likes in the podcast, Like I recorded that two days ago, I forgot what it is?
Can you riind me?
You just pulled back a segment from a month and a half ago that I've forgotten about and you remembered it yourself.
So you are impressive of my friend. As always.
Let's go ahead and talk about this draft class though, because and you know the reason I bring up eight Chan and Brooks because both those guys, you know, I think are gonna have, you know, good roles for the Dolphins this year. But I just can't imagine pick twenty one being a running back Dolphins or otherwise. I mean, the room is pretty good right now, and I'm not sure the draft class has a player at that spot.
But that's why I wanted to get you on.
I'm curious who is your top back and where do you think he comes off the board. When does the running back run begin in twenty twenty four.
I think it begins on date two. My number one back is Braylan Nollan out of Wisconsin. The reason why I had him number one, outside of him being super talented, it's the fact that he has youth on his side.
He's super young.
He started college at what's seventeen years old, so and he was total net a big ten at that age, and so when you think about him, combining his foot work his physicality, I just like the.
Way he runs the ball.
I think he's gonna be a solid pro, and I feel like that's gonna be one of the first backs. I know people love Jonathan Brooks. Not gonna get an argument for me in that regard, But I do feel like we'll see the run on running backs go maybe mid second round into the third round.
So it kind of sounds like fifty five for miami'd be a little bit two like, because I know the Cowboys are at fifty six and everyone's kind of got their first running back pencil in there. But it sounds like fifty five might be a little bit too rich. Is there a spot maybe where you think a run begins? Like I'm thinking, because the Dolphins could stand to.
Use more mid round draft capital.
They go from pick fifty five and then not again till one fifty eight if they wind up back in that third or fourth round. You know, I like, there's a great picture of Mike McDaniel with Xavier Worthy at the Texas Pro Day, and it's like, yeah, he probably likes that guy. Because the four to two to one speed, right, you can. You can put that together there. But I'm curious if there's a back in that third or fourth round that you might like as a potential option.
Should Miami acquire another midground drafted.
Listen, and with the way the kickoff return rules have chan you know, so you add that element to it. And we're talking about third round because even though I think this guy may be gone, he would be perfect because he kind of gives you the best of both worlds.
He's big, explosive, he's you know, physical, and that's Isaac Garrindau out of Louisville four to three explosive, has kickoff return in his background at the University of Wisconsin and reminds me a lot of Michael Turner, you know, a big, big back that has explosive speed. Also, if we're sticking with the theme of the Dolphins backfield and speed, how
about Jaydon Shirton out of Mama. You know, here's someone five seven one ninety and I truly believe someone like Heaton Mitchell helped him out last year because people looked at Mitchell's size and that's probably why he didn't go in any of the rounds right, he went undrafted, but you couldn't ignore his explosive playmaking ability and his speed. And he gets out there for Baltimore in the preseason and it didn't take long for people to realize, Yo, this dude got the juice.
Sherton has that juice.
Sherdon is someone that I've watched over eleven games in his three year career at Mamath, and he is someone that can, you know, fit with the Dolphins want to do running the football, fit what they do athletically because
he has game breaking speed. And when you're thinking about the new kickoff returnal rule, that's a guy that can probably help you out as a former running back back there or as a running back back there, you know, and you're trying to create different blocking schemes and trying to pop up in the lane.
You want someone that's used to setting.
Up his blockers, that's used to kind of being patient and exploding, exploding through a hole and exploiting a hole.
Sherton would be a perfect guy in that regard.
Great stuff there.
I have three follow ups off of that, and the first one is not even a question. It's just I literally wrote down Isaac Grendo. Ask Emery where he thinks that he goes, because I'm again four three to one speed, right, Like, if you can run.
Fast, you might have a role in this offense.
And I think about, you know, watching him just hit those second level like a couple of broken tackles on safeties and all of a sudden it's a long touchdown. So you mentioned you think third round for Grenda, how do you think that his skill set would translate to the Dolphins wide zone primary running offense.
Listen, here's the thing.
If you are a former kickoff returner, you used to be basically running outside zone, right, So you know, you that's the most ideal fit someone that has experience in returning to kicks. I mean, look at their depth, look at their backfield, Moster return kicks, h Chan return kicks, Wilson return So it's like, you know, this is har for the course.
So he fits in perfectly in my opinion.
The last follow up I had for you here was regarding you know, you mentioned Keaton Mitchell and like, gosh, what a fun player he was. It suck when he went down last year with that injury, But I'm curious why it seems like this position more than others.
And I don't have numbers behind this. This is just kind of my feeling.
It seems like running back, more than any other spot, can get Day three guys or even udfas that come in and don't just contribute, but turn into like star pieces on the off. Keith Mitchell's a great example of that. Why do you think that is at this position?
It's a self fulfilling prophecy.
You know, you keep telling yourself that, don't take running backs in the first round.
You can find them anywhere.
So you don't take running backs in the first round, and you get guys they probably should have gone around earlier in whatever round you take them. And he's like, oh see, look we got a guy that was undrafted. He you get running backs anywhere. Well, you've told yourself all throughout the years, you know that guy probably should
have been a second round pick. And you know, especially now with the it's funny because everyone speaks in terms of contracts, right, Well, you know, you never want to pay a running back on you know, a second contract, and you know, is anybody getting kept nowadays, Like we just saw quarterbacks get moved on their first contract.
Running back everybody's getting moved.
So if you have a guy that's good for three years, kudos to you.
You know what I'm saying, Like, that's that's a.
Great thing because we are going to the days where you saying, Okay, this guy's gonna be our running back for the next decade, but this quarterback is going to be our next quarterback for the next fifteen years. Those days are gone. People are getting you know, people, you barely get three years with a team even if you're good. So you know, people just told themselves over time that running back position don't matter until they knee deep in
the playoffs. And he's like, man, you can't run the ball. Well you think you just you think that. So that's where I feel my stance is on that position.
A little bit of.
Salt in there.
I love that from you former running back himself giving
us some information here on the podcast. And you know, I look at like it's funny how quick perception can change, because you know, when a chan comes off the board as a third round draft pick, it's like that that's a third round rookie doesn't really have much expectations going into at least among the you know, most of the casual NFL fan base, and then now a year later, with just one hundred carries later, it's like he looks like a star talent.
So it's funny how quickly that can change.
And speaking of that third day in late round draft picks, last question for you here Emory Hunt, CBS Sports HQ Day three gems. I've got no one better in the world I go to for Day three gems and Emory Hunt at the running back position in particular, what you got from a big dog, Well.
You know, he's a name that's popular.
Will Shipley I feel like fits Miami in his versatility, and he also has kickoff return capability, So that's one guy to keep.
An eye on jailing right.
I know people love him because of his speed, but I feel like Miami would be another place that could use him because of his one cut downhill nature. You also want someone his teammate Jabari Small could be another one.
So there's a bunch of these type guys.
But if you want a deep cut, someone that no one is talking about. He's a Canadian cat, so we may see him get drafted in the CFL as well. At running back. Michael Herzog of Hillsdale College Division two program. He's like a Division two version of Will Shipley. He has fantastic footwar agility, great kickoff returner average eighteen point seven. You allso returning his career, you know, it's a GMAC Player of the Year, two time first team All Conference guy.
And I watched him down at the College Grown Showcase, and you know, so that's going from Division two and watching watching him against FCS and FBS competition. More than held his zone all week long. Very good receiver that can beat you down the field. So he's someone that again, he's a he's a Canadian born player, so he's eligible to be drafted in the CFL. Had a really good
CFL combined a couple of weeks ago. But he's someone that if he's on the NFL roster as an undrafted freezing it wouldn't surprise me.
Hillsdale College pool, it's always impressive, can you So? One thing I'm trying to do a better job of myself is as mentioned in the names of or the colleges of these players, the two teammates, what school were they part of?
Tennessee?
Tennessee?
Okay, thank you, Dot, I just had to clarify that because you know he brought awesome names. Sometimes you don't remember college they went to, and then the fans like, hey, what are you talking about back there? It's like I forgot, because like I mentioned, I forget my own podcast half the time.
Anyway.
So there you go, CBS Sports HQ at f Ball Game Plan on Social Emory Hunt, Emery, can we get you on the books for early mid May for the UDFA podcast again?
Absolutely, and eighty fans out there, make sure you order the Football Game Playing Draft gud over nine hundred individual scouting reports, the largest draft guide out there, Football gameplan dot com slash twenty twenty four draft guide, And if you've been a loyal subscriber to The Draft Guy since twenty twenty, right now you'd be sitting on over forty three hundred individual scouting reports.
That's just insane, it is.
And you know there's value top for sure, no short changing that. But if you want sleepers, this is your man. This guy watches more players than anybody else out there. Emry, appreciate your time. As always, I'm thanks for promoting The Draft Guy. I almost let that up on the wayside. Thanks for doing that. Thanks for your time today. My friend be good man.
Appreciate you, Travis.
And there he goes. Always a fun chat man.
I always like getting new voices in the podcast here, but the camaraderie and the just overall, I guess, chemistry with guys that you know, it's tough to beat that. Speaking of that, let's go ahead and take our first break and come back on the other side with another good friend of mine who does a great job in the space from Bootleg Football, e J.
Snyder.
That's next Draft Time podcast to your host, Travis Wingfield, brought to you by Auto Nation. Draft Talk season rolls on here with my next guest, friend of the show, friend of Travis. That's me from Bootleg Football, e J Snyder. EJ, what is up, buddy?
It is that time of year.
We are all on full sprint, caffeinated, no sleep, just welging towards the draft at this point.
That's all there is to it.
It comes faster every single year.
I feel like, maybe that's having children, maybe that's you know, just being busier as you get older in life. But I feel like, man, this year's class kind of snuck up on us here and here we roll into I don't even know what position group number of thiss is. We are doing defensive tackles with you here, but maybe five or six, I don't know.
I've done a lot of these last couple of days. Let's go ahead and get into it.
And I had Trevor Sikkima on the show on Friday, who I know did your podcast as well, to talk about the edge group. And you know, I'm looking at this Dolphins defense and Anthony Weaver and so many different groups that have these crossover type of positions and defensive tackle, defensive end kind of falls in that mold.
Safety and cornerback kind of falls in that mold.
Well, like they ran up in Baltimore and they always had on their D line in Baltimore Underweaver their true nose tackle. Right, But then like a bunch of these super versable guys who can play all over the front. So I guess first to kind of make this Dolphins focused originally, here, I want to ask you about the post Christian Wilkins era, the value of Zach Sealer, the additions of tier Tart, Binito Jones, Nebel Gallimore, Jonathan Harris retaining to Sean hann who had a good year last year.
I'm curious what you think of the approach there of signing all these veteran, versatile guys to pair with someone as good as Zach Seeler. Do you see a Raven's type of approach here up front for the Dolphins.
Seems like that's what they're going for, and again, the fit is still a thing. Like on paper, that approach matches up with the way they worked in Baltimore, and I like a lot of those guys, like I think Tier Tart if he can, if he can rebound from his year last year, He's an incredibly talented guy that flew under the radar for years.
Jones I like coming out. He's I think a little bit more limited, but really useful in his role.
Gallimore was a guy who was super high on in the draft, had some up and down years in Dallas. But again, I think if he fits in Weavers system, that Baltimore system, that versatile system, he could be a guy like Tart that has a lot more impact than his contract would indicate.
Let's just put it that way. So I like the approach.
I don't think they're done, but it certainly feels like they are setting up to say, these are the chess pieces we need to do the things we want to do on defense.
Yeah, there's a couple of guys and we're going to get into it here in just one second that I think make a lot of sense at pick twenty one in this position group if they are on the board, and of course if the ball the board falls a certain way, you never know how it's going to happen
until DRAFTA actually gets here. But you mentioned Benito and Tierra Tart there, and I kind of want to circle back and just follo up on those two guys, because you know, they had Michael Pierce in Baltimore, and they had previously Brandon Williams.
And the Dolphins don't have the three hundred and fifty pound guy.
Most guys, most teams don't have those guys, especially that good.
Of players at that size.
But I'm curious because Benito is like that true nose, right, squatty body three thirty five, six foot one, can get under your pads and play the run that way. And then like tir Tart, you know he played a lot of zero and one in Tennessee.
You mentioned the kind.
Of the revert year last year after a great twenty twenty two season, but he does that at like three to zho five. I'm kind of curious, Like I guess the question is how important is that mass at that nose tackle position, because I'm watching tr Tart's tape and it does doesn't seem to like hold him back at all.
The fact that he's only three hundred and five.
Pounds weight is misleading in a lot of positions. It certainly can be in defensive line.
Uh.
You know, the greatest Aaron Donald said that he played one of his best seasons ever at two.
Sixty five, which is bonkers. Let's just put that out there.
But I don't think he really probably felt comfortable saying that until he retired, because it's just such a trope. Right, You've got to be heavy in the pants to play that position, and we know that's not true.
If guys play with great leverage.
You talked about Benito being a little bit shorter, that can actually be a benefit. You can get down underneath guys, and if you understand leverage we always talk about wrestlers on the offensive line, you can play with leverage and
hold your spot without being three point fifty. So I think it's good to have those guys, but it is also okay to have other players who don't necessarily crack the three ten, three twenty mark, who play with leverage, who plays strong, who have long levers and understand how to use them, and our position verstable. I really think Tart is going to play more out towards a you know, a traditional sort of three four, you can call it a five tech a four. I like he has that
ability and versatility. He can set the edge. We know that, and that's a very useful position in that Ravens defense. It's really the reverse of pin and pull on offense, right. If you're talking about pin and pull offensive runs. If you're the defense, you are pinning and pulling an edge and rotating the defense around it. And we know Tar can do that. So he's a valuable guy. The weight doesn't bother me so much.
Yeah, you nailed it, man.
I think Tart is to me, he stands out among that crop of free agents. I think that he's got a lot of good football in him and excited to see what he can do here, especially next to a guy like Zach Steeler who man Steelers pick stunts and what that does for spacing for not just the defensive tackle next to him, with the linebackers, and you talk about blitzing linebackers, my god, Jordan Brooks and David Long and because they getting better than that.
I'm just very excited about what this might look like.
And it's like, you know, change can be difficult in the NFL, but sometimes as a content creator, it's fun to be able to kind of analyze what that change might look like. I think for the Dolphins this year on defense, you could see a good amount of change in terms of the scheme and how things are done and your pressure packages and all that stuff. So a big part of that is going to be what happens at the defensive tackle position going forward. Because you mentioned
that they could be maybe not done there. They have done a good job of filling out the spots on the roster just to give themselves sheer numbers and allow them to go BPA, which I think every team wants to accomplish. And so I'll start there at pick twenty one. And I've had this debate with my good buddy Kyle Krabs, who I always say does the second best Dolphins podcast
out there. Love you, Kyle, but we've had this debate for a couple of months now, Johnny Newton or Byron Murphy, is that you're one and two?
Who goes where?
And who do you think would be a better fit for the Dolphins if they're both on the board for either EJ the old three for one question.
There for you, I love the three for one.
That's great, sufficient and we need efficiency during draft season. Certainly Murphy and Newton arm I one and two. They're the top tier of dts in this draft.
For me, where they go. Murphy's probably off the board first.
The league seems a little bit higher on him, mostly because of ceiling and potential. Not that he's not a good or very good player now he is, but I think the league looks at him and believes he has a little bit more growth left in him than Johnny Newton, and that is candy for draft evaluators. They want potential, they want to be able to develop, they want the highest possible ceiling, especially with picks in the top twenty. So I think Murphy probably goes off the board first
because of that. The absolute soonest he could go off the board is to a team that I love, Chicago at nine. I don't necessarily love that scenario, not because I don't love Murphy, but it's a bit of a nightmare scenario where all the offensive players they really want are off the board. They don't really have a crying need for offensive tackle. There'll certainly be some great ones available, and say nobody wants to trade up, everybody just sits on their cards.
You got to pick somebody. The Bears do need a three tech.
It's not a.
Great value slot, good match potentially from skills, but it would feel like a little bit of a letdown at pick nine for me. You know, if not, he's gonna be in consideration. That's Murphy down the board. Cincinnati at eighteen and the Rams at nineteen are absolutely going to be looking to take a defensive tackle, and if he's still there, I think they'll count their blessings and run that pick in. If not, you know, we'll see Newton could go first. Again, it's eye of beholder. He is
a very good player. He is extremely well regarded a little more polished at this point than Murphy. But again some people might summarize closer to his ceiling, he's probably going to drop to the twenties. If Murphy is the first pick because I don't see two defensive tackles in this draft going in the top twenty. So Newton could be there at twenty one for the Dolphins. If he is sad, he should be off the board no later than twenty seven because that gauntlet of Minnesota, Dallas, Green
Bay in Arizona. He's not getting through those four Like even if Murphy's gone or vice versa, if there is a good defensive tackle for that run of four teams, they're going to pick the next one because it will be value at that point in the draft. So both these guys are going to be off the board probably before thirty. It's a question of you know which one
goes off. In terms of the Dolphins, I especially with Anthony Weaver coming over, I would think they might like Murphy a little bit more as a really explosive first step. Newton's a great penetrator. They're very similar players. Both of them impact game wreckers, slashing three type tacks. I think Murphy might give you a little bit more against the run.
Newton's good against the run. I think m Murphy could be better, And I think from Anthony Weavers perspective, he might say, hey, this is the guy I want to work with because I think there's some things there to shape and he's used to doing that.
In Baltimore Murphy's tape the Alabama game and talk about undersized zero techniques, right, Like, I know, three hundred pounds isn't real undersided, Like you just did a good job describing why it's not. But my god, man, like the way he handled those guys. That's Alabama and he just handled him all day long with his strength and his quickness and everything that he brings the table.
So you can't go wrong there.
I'm glad you mentioned the Bengals and Rams because like Dolphins fan will say, like Christian Wilkins has gone, we have to find a replacement there. It's like they lost DJ Reader and Aaron Donald too, so like we are not the only ones that have lost D tackles and what has become one of the most talent rich positions I.
Think in the National Football League right now.
With that, you know, Christian wilkins entire class was loaded with D tackles there, So it sounds like you've kind of are answer my next question for you. Nobody else detackle in the first round, right.
Braden Fisk from FSU could sneak in. But he's not a lock. I think he's just outside.
He is an early, early, early day to guy. I'm talking like off the board by pick forty, so you know, top eight picks of the second round. But if there's a team and again the position they had as their first choice is picked over, picked out, and Braden Fisk is there and they love him, you know, at the end of the first round. He is one of those guys that could slip in and the you know in the late twenties, early thirties, and I would not be
surprised at all. Again, very disruptive player, a little bit more undersized than the other two. Certainly not quite as long, but just so fierce and so quick on that Florida State defensive line.
I think that the Dolphins would be wise and every team does this obviously, but like the due diligence to understand, you know, what the board could look like, because when I do the mock draft scenario just for the fun of it and trying to figure out what it might play out to be, Like, there's a lot of times I go through the draft board it's like, maybe there's a good trade down spot here reminded he could accumulate more picks because I really want to get back into
that third fourth round personally, just because I love that portion of this year's draft in particular, and it seems like, you know, having those types of guys in your friend of mind, Like even in the early second part of the part of second the early part of round two, you might be like, Okay, we can move back in the second round, get an initial third round pick, and scoop up a guy that we thought maybe would have been a pick at twenty one.
So I think there's lots of options there for the Dolphins.
But if they don't do that and they just chill on defensive tackle until pick fifty five in the second round, who do you like in that spot. The one guy that comes to my mind is the former or the offspring I should say, a former Carolina Panther who was pretty good defensive tackle as well.
We'll definitely talk about him. We already talked about Fisk. If he's there, you run that pick in. I don't think he's lasting to fifty five. Again, I don't think he's probably lasting through forty, but if he did, that would be a boon and a blessing for Miami, if not in terms of guys that are more likely to be there. Ruc of Roro Row from Clemson is is a really versatile piece. I could see them liking more of a four eyed a six tech type, but really
athletic and Weaver can work with that. He's got good size. He can play again multiple spots. He could play the heavy end of that front if you really want him to, you could slid him outside. He could do a little you know, Chris Jones impersonation, Chris Jones light on the end, still got that quickness against overwhelming, Maybe a tight end just for fun, because we know the Baltimore defensive scheme loves its mismatches. So he's a guy that I would target.
And then the guy you were talking about is Chris Jenkins from Michigan. I'm a touch lower on him. I could see them taking him on traits alone. He is an athletic monster at this point in his career. He is an elite run stopper, and I don't fifty five feels a little bit early to me to get an elite run stopper. Now, the folks that argue for that selection will say again, he's got untapped potential as a pass rusher, and a guy like Weaver could bring that out of him. If they see that, sure they'll go
for Jenkins if he's still on the board. The reason I said I was a touch lower on him is as a player right now, he's great at stopping the run, even at his sort of undersized frame, but he doesn't have that real pass rush flash, which is why we're still talking about it being on the board in the fifties.
That's why I love this year's class so much, and the fact that the Dolphins are picking a couple times high this year. It's been a while, Don't get me wrong. I love cashing in Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb and you know, all these players we've been able to acquire with the high draft cap that we've used Dalen Ramsey for instance. But it is fun to have picks high on draft night, and I'm excited to look at what
happens at pick twenty one and fifty five. Let's go ahead and take our last break of the show right there. Come back on the other side, talk about EJ. Sleepers here for defensive tackles in the twenty twenty four Draft Preview edition of the Draft Time podcast That's Next Travis
Wingfield j Sewnder brought to you by Auto Nation. Back here, final segment with my guest today, e J Seiner of Bootleg Football breaking down this year's defensive tackle class for the twenty twenty four NFL Draft and the EJ My normal audience is sick of hearing this because I say it on just about every I feel like every podcast has that, right, like they have their tropes that they go back to time and time again.
Do you and Brett have one that maybe comes up a lot? I feel like you would.
We have a lot.
And I was just smiling on my end listening to you say our audience is sick of hearing this, and I was thinking, what are bootleggers hearing? And I'm sure there are some things that we have hit many times, whether it's players we really like that we've seen or interviewed, or you know, there are certain players that just leave a funny taste in our mouth and they tend to come up and look, fans love the disagreements.
We don't have that many, so I think they like them even more.
But there's definitely things at this point in draft season that they've heard multiple times that they're probably rolling your eyes when it comes across.
I remember Ryan Tannehill's press conferences.
He used to say each and every day so many times, and each and every day phrase is like if it's each or every they're both the same thing.
So I know this each and every because you already mentioned that.
And so my tagline for my old Lockdown Dolphins podcast used to be like your podcast each and every day here on the Blockdown podcast network.
But I digress. What I have been saying in this draft.
Cycle on every single episode is almost a copy and paste question, like we have a pick at fifty five and then a bit of a break unless we trade up for more picks until one fifty eight, our next pick in the fifth round. So let's say that hypothetically that Miami does split the weight between those two picks you mentioned Chrishankins. They're a little bit as a guy
that you might see in that realm. But between pick fifty five pick one fifty eight, if Miami were to make a move down or up the draft board and get themselves back into that third and fourth round range, any defensive tackles you like in that spot.
Yeah, if we're talking about third and fourth round, we're talking about pick sixty five to one thirty five. Lots of talent in there in this draft. In the defensive tackle class. We'll start with the stumps up front. We talked about Benito Jones at the top. If you want another guy like him, then I think is even better. Guy like Tovandre Sweat out of Texas is really fun.
Big guy weighs in three because he didn't famously didn't weigh in at the Senior Bowl, so it probably about three eighty at that point, maybe three sixty, who knows, but he's gonna be right near the top of that
range and then down near the end of that range. Again, if you're looking for an absolute tree stump in the middle of a guy named Christian Boyd from Northern Iowa who he saw at the Shrine Bowl as a real value player, and I think Weaver would have a blast with him because he does have penetration ability, but he is incredibly strong, put up forty something reps on the bench.
At his pro DA.
Just an absolute tank of a human. Really nice guy too. For the three type techs, three tech types. I should say the more slashing folks. This is a tremendous sweet spot in the draft between sixty five, one hundred and thirty five, right near the top.
Brandon dor Lis from Oregon.
He's a guy if you miss out on a roller Row has a lot of the same traits, a lot of the same size. I think he'll be off the board by about eighty, but if you miss out on Rook, he'd be your backup plan. Michael Hall had a really good Senior Bowl Ohio State, true three trick penetrator. Anytime after about pick ninety five for me is good for him. He is the guy that is going to poke holes in an offensive line. You'd give him one gap and tell him to get through.
He'll be able to do it.
Dwayne Carter from Duke is right there too, one of my favorite this type of players in this draft. He's going to be I think right around thee hundred mark, and that's largely based on this year's tape. If you go back and look at last year's tape. If he'd come out last year, I think he's a guaranteed top seventy five pick ton of talent.
I don't think he got that much worse.
Sometimes situations just change, and evaluators have multiple years of tape to look at.
Folks are seeing stuff with Dwayne Carter.
I think everybody's kind of wait and thinking they might have him in the back pocket and somebody's gonna pull him early and disappoint folks. And then a little farther down, Leonard Taylor from Miami again more like Michael Hall, true three tech plays with a bit of a narrow base, but man, he can penetrate.
Miami played him out of position this year. They played him more at zero one.
They asked to bulk up because they had a defensive tackle leave right before the season started, and he kind of took one for the team and moved over and bulked up. Not his best role. He's back, slimmed down. He looks much quicker and more explosive.
There.
He's probably somewhere in the somewhere in the one twenties, early to late don't know. But again, if you're looking for that piece to add, that would be the guy.
I think it's very valuable to have these conversations because the Dolphins next year, the way it's played out right now, we'll see things can change because of playing time and all that stuff. But right now, the Dolphins figure to have three third round picks next year because of the losses of Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt and free agency
and non competing contracts coming in. As far as how that compensatory formula plays out, so Miami, I think with that, I think they have a their schedule for a sixth.
Round comp pick next year as well.
So all those future picks, I think there is a chance they could dip into that pool and move up or just That's what makes this so much fun, man, all the permutations that could possibly play out here, with all the options you have with all these teams, and they're multiple draft picks for years and years to come.
Good stuff there.
I want to finish up with the last question here for you the sleepers, right, this is kind of where you know area scouts make their money.
I think people like you and Brett probably this is where.
You kind of put a feather in your cap as a guy that you called like, I'll never forget what I had a great post once upon a time about central Michigan and I was like two names to keep an eye on. Antonio Brown pretty good right, and missed that one by a little bit. But I thought, I thought they were pretty good at college, so I took one. I got, I bought it, you know, five hundred and onemost Hall of Fame type of receiver.
So I'll take that.
But anyway, that's where these types of conversations I think really provide values, these late day three options. What do you like there? Man, defensive tackles in that range on rounds five, six, and seven.
Yeah, we're we're now post pick one hundred, so you know a few of the guys will probably lead off Day three. McKay Wingo from LSU is a lot of fun as a splashing three tech. He is undersized, he is short, he has short arms, but man, he can really move. And anytime after about the one fifty mark, McKai Wingo, I think is gonna have a lot of interest from teams who want that one piece and missed out or just prioritize other positions up high and think, hey, we could add this guy as a sort of Nascar
type rusher to our third down package. He is going to be, I would say, pretty pigeonholed in that role. Early in his career as a sort of late down pass rusher. I think he can develop into more, but he's probably the He's the race car of this group, so I think he'll go ahead of these other two guys. And then Juwan Briggs from Cincy was at UVA, finished up at Cincinnati. He's gonna be underdrafted. He was really
explosive at the Shrine Bowl. Definitely caught her eye. We like, who's the guy from Cincy, and then we realized that he'd been at UVA for four years and he just had a grad transfer year at Cincinnati. Really transitioned his body during this process. He's taken it very, very seriously. He is a super smart guy and fun fact, sang for my cousin at UVA. He's also a singer, so I think Bruce Feldman posted a solo and I was like, wait a minute, sent it to my cousin. I was like,
Juwan's one of your guys. He was like he was before he transferred. So, uh, you know, if you're looking for singing defensive tackles, I mean it worked out for Kobe Turner and the Rams.
There you go, it's Juwan Briggs.
And then the last time I just watched to.
A tongue of iloa. Seeing Bob Marley's what's the name of the song? Every little thing is gonna be all right? What's the title that song?
Don't even know three Little Birds the I mean, I don't know it because things like that. I just watched it last night. So good company there.
Yeah, No, it's always great to have that talent in the locker room for sure. Last guy is Jordan Jefferson, another LSU guy who is a hulk smash type player who can really set an edge for you, and that is a necessary skill. We talked with Matt Bowen about this all the time that if you can't set an edge, it's.
Going to be a really long day. I don't care what level you're at.
You need that guy we talked about earlier in this podcast, that you need that sort of pin and poll guy.
Jefferson's going to be available.
That is the one thing he does really well right now is just beat up offensive tackles, not move a lot. He's not going to give you a lot of pass rush, but you're going to get him very late because of that. So I think you'll go in a similar range to Briggs really probably around pick one seventy five or a little bit later, but a lot of value there because it is a role that will keep you employed in the NFL.
For seven or eight years.
E J sneunder Bootleg Football.
I feel like this time of year with all my friends that I do these podcasts with, it's almost like when the comic has a new special coming out and he does the same, like eight podcasts that you listen to the comedy podcast like I've seen you on NFL Sack Exchange, which, by the way, that episode that you guys did together was really good.
EJ.
Just seeing Trevor make the rounds, like Trevor saying like, oh, hopped on Rich Eyes new show today? Like yeah, you hopped on though, did you have one of the biggest shows of all time? Good for you, a big dog, So really cool to get you guys on here. Appreciate your time man. And he's at EJ Football on Twitter, the Bootleg Football podcast. Check out the YouTube channel as well. These guys are doing elite level content for a long time now, so you're missing out if you're not checking them out.
You're the best. EJ. What are you guys working on?
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention this on the podcast every time you came on telling me when the division previews are starting this year.
Oh boy, Division previews will probably start a little bit earlier this year, maybe end of May. We'll see, if not first thing in June. It won't be middle of June like it was last year, so we'll be cranking those up. They will be similar, but as always a little bit different. We've got some improvements, but for now we are again racing to the draft. I think we have content coming out every day. Next week, We've got Daniel Jeremiah coming out. We've got Matt Bowen, Emery Hunt.
You know, we've got three more Shrine Bowl interviews sprinkled in.
Jeez, we had Brandon Thorn for offensive line.
Almost forgot the best offensive line guy out there on the podcast. Just because there's so many, so literally content almost every day up until the draft. They won't be sitting down with Jordan Reid after the draft talking about some of the best fits in the draft, and then then we might get some sleep good stuff.
Appreciate you, Jay Man, thank you, and that will do it.
I know I told you guys we were gonna do non Dolphins type of content on the podcast. But we're gonna have to rush some of these in here because it got kind of behind on the position groups. But I did ask those guys some Dolphins specific questions, so that's where I make it up in the interrum. In the meantime, you all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts from. Go ahead and leave us a rating, leave us a review,
Follow me on social at Wingfold NFL. The team at Miami Dolphins. Check out the fish Tank Podcast with Seth and Juice, the YouTube channel for Dolphins Today Media Availabilities. The drive time free interviews will also have the draft of players on the podcast as well. Don't miss that and last button, not least Miami Dolphins dot com. Until next time, fits up Carolina and Cameron. Daddy, He's coming home.