Draft WeekPalooza Day 3- Sandwich Props & Sessler Mock Draft

not what we are. We're an important podcast. We're a popular podcast where beloved in a large pocket of football Earth. So I don't need hardware, but at the same time, I really do need that validation. Give me the troph Well, I've got a couple of bones to pick here. Well, First of all of our audience we hear is overseas. So Susan Lucci was a famous daytime soaps actress who who would be nominated every year not get the award.

But I think we need more nominations for that. I think this was our first nomination in like six or seven years. I wish we were Lucci right now. I mean nominations, I mean from that angle, the Cyclops Corp. Or whatever they're called, like deserve a little bit of credit for nominating us, or at least listening to whoever wanted to nominate us. But I I just I'm with Dan. I viewed as an inciting incident. The whole awards UM industry drop a nuclear bomb on these people. Can we

at least clean up on the international market? Aren't there categories for American football in Australia where we've gotta be like crikey, Mike and the and the Kangaroo, Like, isn't there someone we could defeat? Like, isn't there some some tomato can some Peter McNeely is out there in the podcast industry. And if you view us right, if you view us sort of as like a rising boxer, we need to we need to clean up on a couple of chumps. It's kind of get our yeah, get our

ranking up. And we can't even get about we can't even get into the ring with anyone. Well, it's absurd, clearly over it. Thank you money for checking in. Um all right here we are. The draft is one day away and um, we got so much to get to. This is a big show. We are going to UM welcome back one of the great guests in the history of this show. And I won't say who it is, but I'll just say this guy is known to have some spicy draft takes. I'll leave it at that. Stick

a pin in that. Also, the fourth annual Mark Sessler Mock Draft, the really the mock draft of record, ultimately, at least that's the way I look at it. And Mark, how are you feeling confidence wise? I know there's a little bit of menace in the air this year because I do feel like Greg has his eyes on the mock draft in a way and maybe like sandbagging or otherwise this he wants to be a disruptor this year. I feel like, where do you come down in terms

of confidence level? And you sense that same air of menace? Confidence couldn't be higher. I sensed the menace, but I pay no I pay no attention to it. Um, there always are going to be dark energy is trying to take down something that must be brought to the light, something powerful and truthful. And it's like, you know, it's just watching JFK the Director's Cut the other night, and like you know, sometimes the end of the well the

biggest enemy could be right in your own house. I mean, Kevin, uh, you know what Costner's attempting to, you know, change history and and solve one of the biggest mysteries of the time. And Sissy Space, I the wife cannot get off his act. You know, why weren't you home for dinner? Are we waited for three? I mean it's like interviewing like Clay bertrand trying to like crack the biggest case in government history.

It's like settled down Sissy Space. So, you know, point being as I'm putting this mock traft together and literally made changes um five or six minutes ago, working with the social team to put out some art that we'll go with it right after this show there, So you know, I'm focused on production, not the enemy. So if you're a little out, like a projection though from Dan, like I I love the mock draft. When when Mark was sending out, hey, should we do the mock draft, I'm like, yeah,

let's do it. Let's keep doing it. Dan is just projected he doesn't like any segment that he didn't come up with, and it's like, you know, he's trying to say I don't like it. I bring it on. I want some mock drafts, all right? Well that those those typical Greg there. No, I I love it. I'm looking forward to it. And if you are New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison uh Mark, you have to be prepared for there to be a lot of outcry coming against

you as well, because that wasn't very popular. He wasn't very popular figure in his time. For a lot he was. They tried to unspool his entire reputation, and I'm prepared for that too. In fact, it's a little easier for me. I go in with no reputation, so you know, good luck unspooling it. And Gregg, what I'm trying to do, We've been doing this for many years, is set up a little like Yin and Yang and have some fun with it. You tried to put it, didn't get that, and then what I do as I fire back when

you come with the BS. See that's what it all happened. Okay, So there we go, set up very well, masterfully all right. Before any of that, though, we do it every year and we're doing it again this year. We make predictions ahead of the draft, but we do it in a little bit of a different way. We have some fun with it. Uh, they're sandwich props. You know by now what it's all about. The misso phonies out there, deal with it. That's just a part of the segment. Mark.

I know you're cringing a little bit too. You're part of that community. Don't take offense to it. It's just getting people in the mindset. We go around the horn a few times, make a prediction. You get the chance to either say, you know what, I think your prediction about draft weekend is accurate, so I'll stand down, or you challenge that person and you wager a sandwich. So with that in mind, and Mark, I am very excited for your mock draft in general. I like the idea

of you being at the center of this episode. So I want you to start this sandwich prop exercise thrown out there. All right, are we gonna be doing two or three? Because that will dictate what how many Let's let's say definitely two and then depending where we are time wise, maybe a three I got written down. Yeah, all right, so I'm gonna start, um, you know, with the car just getting out of neutral very football oriented one here. Zach Ertz will not be a Philadelphia Eagle

by the end of the draft. Alright, so basic, just a problem basics. Let's set one in terms of just um guidelines to make this nice and clean, because we're going to do, of course, a show tomorrow night after round one, and then we're gonna do a show Saturday night after the conclusion around seven. So let's make the runway here from right now until even taping time, until we get to this segment again in the back end

of the Saturday show. So not only do you have all the draft itself, you have that hour, two hours or whatever before we check in on these props. So you say, zach Ertz will be traded from the Eagles Super Bowl hero zach Ertz by Saturday evening. Take m hm. Really starting with a bang here? I mean, this guy had three d and thirty yards last year. Maybe he gets traded for a sixth round, big swap. He's the centerpiece of the draft. UM. I kind of think he will too. But I said the car was just getting

out of neutral. But we aly have three I I don't think I'm gonna take you on it. It goes against my normal philosophy, but I am with you. It doesn't make sense to me that he would stay on that roster. I'll take you on it. I mean the timing of it is, you're putting it in a box like they have to move him to to free up roster space or remove some type of issue they have. This could be something that comes after the draft. And

I also we've talked about Earth's a little bit. I know he's he looks slow and all old, but he's actually not old. And uh maybe he was just banged up, so maybe they do keep him around. I will take you up on that sandwich. All right, all right, let's um right now that we got the appetis out of the way, let's let's ramp things up. I'm really not exciting neither. Yeah, you set the bar now, want to be blown away? All right? Let me let me let me jump start us here, all right, Jimmy Garoppolo. Um,

it's gonna happen. It's going to happen. I believe the

reunion with New England Patriots goes down. And I'm thinking about that um seth Wickersham piece from a few years back, uh that highlighted the internal dysfunction at the time around power struggle with belichicked and Robert Kraft and Tom Brady's certain uncertain future at the time, and Jimmy Garoppolo waiting in the wings, and an element of that um that deep dive was Belichick's frustration that he believed he had the next phase of his and final phase really of

his career set up post Brady, because he believed in Jimmy g and he he thought that he was a guy that could take the torch from Tom Brady and they could continue to thrive as an a f C superpower. Things didn't work out. Garoppolo got traded to the Niners. Brady eventually they want Super Bowls after even that expose, but he eventually goes down to m v P. A lot of things happened, uh, including when the Pats won seven and nine with Cam Newton at a mail level.

So I think rather than trade up and go get a quarterback where they have fifteen right now, Greg Yea, or have someone falls on them pick, I think it's more likely that he goes and gets Garoppolo with this depressed value. The Niners obviously moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo. Thursday Night will become all beneficial and that trade happens. Uh. And this is onion hanger to get role here because the time elements tricky, like do you need to move

Jimmy g draft weekend? Not necessarily, but I say it happens and it gives everyone a fresh start, including the Patriots. Mm hmm. Walla Walla is a big onion, giant sweet Spanish onions are good. That is a big rent onion. I'll take you up on that. I mean, you got I feel like I got it there. Um. Part of me would be intrigued to see that. Um, but I think I'm gonna roll right into a related uh prop right after. Would you like to find out if I'm going to take a or not? Did you hear what

I said right after? Mark? I should have held I should Well you know why I would. I would wonder about one one second, Mark, Greg, you said Mark had an edge yesterday. You have the edge today. What's going on? What's going on? I got my punchers. Yeah, I'm excited. It's draft week. I don't know it didn't sleep much. Again, that's usually the factor. If I'm I love it, go ahead, Mark, you know, I just wonder if you know part of it was you sent Jimmy g out to uh playing

adult roles somewhere else. Uh, and he is not durable enough. You can't stay healthy. He cost twenty six million dollars. Like I wonder if maybe, if you're the Patriots or Bill Belichick, thinking, is this the best we can do? I I can't be their number one plan, but I'll take you up on it because it's extremely spicy and there is some connected tissue that would send them back there. It makes some sense. So I'm gonna do my biggest onion hanger. Now. Usually save it for the it's it's related,

and it relates to what I want to see. I always say, pick what you want to see happen, And what I want to see happen is Cam Newton play outstanding in and shut up all the honkers on sports Doc radio and Erica and everyone else, and like, go to the playoffs with Cam Newton playing well at twelve and five. Because by the way, Patriots fans, you're not allowed to root for them. If Cam Newton is great this year, you you are he jumped ship. It's too late. It's you got to find a new team. That's my

number one thing. But you know, really sports fandom works. But you know what, it would be even better than that happening Cam Newton doing all that with Justin Fields waiting in the wings, everyone wanting Justin Fields to start Week one, but he doesn't. And then Cam Newton plays so great off season that it's almost like a poor man's Mahomes and Alex Smith's situation for one, and you

got your quarterback of the future. And Cam, uh, you know, that's a good problem to have, and he probably goes on to do other things after that, and one way or another that Justin Fields ends up on this Patriots team at the end of this draft. I thought, in terms of making an example, you would cite Aaron Rodgers and Jordan's love which happened last year to ask Cam. I mean, I'm the bar. You know, the bar would be like top twelve quarterback in a in a good season.

It's a it's a savvy sandwich prop because you're not actually the part that's hanging onions is Cam Newton then playing and being a big time quarterback. But that's not part of the wager here. I mean, if if you don't think the Patriots is hanging onions, you know, get you know, tell all your friends to make that UM wager, because I think you could get you know, probably plus seven or seven to one at most at least dodds.

I mean that is pretty unlikely. I mean what I mean by that is yes, the field in terms of that, yes, that's also whenever you're trying to pay a player to a team. We've learned this exercise and many many times it usually doesn't work out. But I don't know, like the thing, did you see enough from Cam last season to think he has like m VP level type play still in his body? Right? The Cam part is just my I'm just letting the people know my personal feelings.

But for the this exercise, it's all about Justin Fields and and no matter what Cam does this year, I would love to see Justin Fields on this Patriots team. And I do think Cam would be a good sort of quarterback mentor um and a guy a veteran to have their whether Justin Fields if he was on the Patriots, was starting in week one or not at all, I think Cam would be a nice compliment for I'll take

you up on it. I it always concerns me when Greg's starts to get fascinated over another quarterback that you know, it looks to be at best the middle of the road patch, But here we are again, so we're just it's war shadows what we're dealing with with Cam Newton for the next four months on this point. I mean, i've i I since this podcast has started, since he entered the league, Cam has been one of my favorite players. That's fine, favorite team, but it's like it's Teddy Bridgewater,

it's Smith Cam Newton, like you Greg's defense Mark. You were the one that was going nuts about Cam signing with the Pats last year, last summer, thinking that he was going to be Cam still, but he's not. He's not Cam anymore. Just the guy. It would be fun, it'd be fun. Well, Dustin Fields is a guy that I it is hard to figure and maybe we'll talk with Spicy about it, but it is hard to figure how he's potentially falling because it's not just the athleticism.

It's the fact that I think if you broke it down and you asked all the people, who's the most accurate of all these quarterbacks? Accuracy just like the most important thing, it's probably Justin Fields, Like who had the most plays downfield where he put it on the guy's hand, just like Russell Wilson. It's probably Justin Fields to surprise guests. By the way, Yes, thank you, Greg the little think about that little punk teenager by the way, that gave Cam grief at Cam's camp. If you a couple of

months back, he's gonna seek out Cam again. If Justin Fields gets drafted, he's gonna come after him hard. So keep an eye on that subplot, alight, And we both are taking me up on that. I'll take you about it because yeah, like I said, it's it's very hard to match up player and teams specifically unless it's the

very top of the draft. Um and the Patriots, I know you've said they've traded up aggressively in the first round before, but they have done to get to get a quarterback, so not often, to be clear, they've traded down way, way way more. So Yeah, you're right, all right, go ahead, Mark, alright, let's keep like Dallas Goddard out of this. Anthony Becked, let's just I was going back. I had a Becked one here, but I'll bypass it. Um. Okay, So you know, big, big exciting scene in Cleveland. People

are out and about they've been vaccinated. Um, from what I know about Cleveland, that place is going to be looped up. And I'm just saying that there will be and this will be caught on camera. Um, they will have and by day I mean authorities at the outdoor draft area a problem with an animal running wild. Could that be like a police horse or could it be something or other. There's gonna be Um, it will be

a subplot. I'm not talking about like a monkey riding a dog as a piece of entertainment, but an animal they don't want out of control, um, creating some level of chaos by again the end of the seventh round. Well, you gotta take this whenever there's an animal involved here. I mean that's one of my rules with like a wild wild animal prop from Mark. Uh, always take the wild. I mean, yeah, if they like, bring out the the brown dog. Didn't he pass away? But they probably got

a new one. Um? Is that what you say about dogs that they pass away? I guess I mean he passed on pass away. It's kind of a you could say the dog dies. I don't really like anyways, You're right that dog died, right, But they've got a new dog. Don't they have a doggie? Yeah? I don't think it's related to um that him like trotting out, you know with like Jim Brown to make the seventy second pick or whatever does not count. But I'll take you up on well, that's not running wild. I mean this animal,

they're they're chasing him. You know, you've got figures of authority chasing the animal. So and in case that dog has indeed passed away, rest in power Brown's dog. It it did pass away. It was It's by the way, you always have to know with the sandwich prop game, the loopholes, you do not get caught in a loophole. Human beings are animals and Cleveland sports fans are animals. If there's some guy drunk, fact guy streaking through the

quad or whatever, like, does that count. No, you are correct, um, but I'm not putting that. I'm not putting them in the category of animals. I mean, like eight something that you'd like to temper and domesticate to some or how do your bidding that I was about to make an antiquate to Hey, that's what wives do. Oh well, okay, not humans. To be clear, I want to. I mean,

I hope I'm wrong on this one. If we get like a Buffalo Bill marauding through a huge crowd of people, that would be that would be fund But Mark wins on anyone to die. There you go, Mark, You're always wagering things that are around human misery. What's what's that say about? I think this would be joyful. I don't think it would be exciting personally. Seven killed in Buffalo Bill stampede. Mark Win's Chicken Farm sandwich. All right, I'm next. All right, you know I like it, Greg, I like

your angle. Pick what you want. Remember I did a sandwich proper last regular season, um that the Jets would be in playoff contention in December to believe it, but I wanted it to happen. So I'll do this again with the Jets. They trade up in the first round, it's no there's zero onions to be found with their second overall pick. We all know where that's going. But they're picking twenty three overall. A lot of people are mocking a defensive linemen because of the Robert Solo stuff,

and you know, and solid we trust. But at the same time, I would be a little bit like, Okay,

we've been down that road. UM, I would like to see them if there's not some like incredible offensive lineman that's fallen down the board, I would like to see them trade up in the first round, take some of these this stockpiling of draft picks they have over the next couple of years, and pair that with the twenty three overall pick and grab whoever that wide receiver that everybody loves that ends up falling um into the middle

of the pack. So if there's somebody sitting I was gonna say fifteen, but the Jets and Patriots an't gonna trade draft pick most likely, but in that zone, UM, i'd like to see the Jets go up. So they trade up in the first round and they take a wide receiver, let's go. I love it. Yeah, that's spicy, and um, I think they could certainly use one. I've seen some analysis that's like a big need. I don't

I don't quite go there. I mean, you got Denzel Mims, you just spent a lot of money on Corey Davis, you spent a lot of money on Kielan Cole for a fourth receiver. You still have Jamison crowd around the roster. Maybe he's not on the roster by the end of this draft if they make that move. But I like, and I'll take you. I just I just think they're okay. It's just not like a master need. They need some cornerbacks.

They need some offensive lineman, I think, and from what we understand in this draft, the offensive line, you could find some depth there. Uh there's some depth of that position, and then you you absolutely target that in the second and third rounds us another edge rusher. I know they signed Carl Lauson, but that he's kind of it. They

have a lot of needs. They have a lot of needs, but I like the idea of them saying we are going to not only bring this quarterback in but immediately give ourselves a boost on the offensive side of the ball. That's why I even be okay if they went and

got the running back Naja Harris. I I if they just make a splash on offense and say we are building a core that will scare people on Sundays, which it hasn't happened and forever, Um everybody taking me on it, I am because I think there's a couple of little factors, like the defensive tackle class we're all hearing outside of like one or two guys is abysmal um And yeah,

they could go edge. But I think something you said of mentioned was one of these key receivers tumbling down the board a little bit to where they'd say, you know what, we're going after it. They may not be alone, there might be competition for that, but why not overcorrect and add too much around your new quarterback? Ever Ceedee Lamb last year, I think a lot of people thought he was gonna go potentially five to ten, and then when he started falling into the teens, the Cowboys, they

went and got him. Who's that guy? Uh in? Because there probably will be all right, Greg, alright, I'm gonna just be very specific and say the Broncos get their quarterback in the first round, that they take a quarterback in the first round, I think there are candidates to trade up. I'm not gonna get overly specific. I feel like this is close to a coin flip, and that's not so bad. Not everything needs to be on things. I would say if you looked in Vegas, for instance,

this would be about a coin flip. I think it'd be a slight underdog that they would take their quarterback. I just can't imagine them getting out of this draft without it. How can How can you go into this season on the last year of Vic Fangio's chance, in my mind, with a pretty good roster Withdrew Locks one way or another. My my, my picks I just really are kind of clashing. Because the Patriots to get Fields, you know that that doesn't leave as many for the Broncos.

But the Broncos get it. Broncos, Well, you're kind of betting on your betting on two horses, which is fine, one of them will win. I like it, um, you know, I think they they've traded up, They've tried everything to get these quarterbacks. I mean Elway's record at this is is pretty terrible. I mean, does it happen if Fields doesn't fall to them? For instance? I'll take you on it, but there aren't a lot of you know, bread trumps

about them being aggressive on that front. Now, could be a spot that Detroit feels like the spot where maybe someone trades up, whether it was the Patriots or the Broncos for that matter. I'm I'm not gonna take you on it. I think that's what they do. I think they're due for a splash here and Drew Lock had his chance. He didn't cut the mustard, as they say, did not play the guitar very well. A bunch of bum strings. You know. He kept on hitting the wrong chords.

Speaking of the quad. You know, he's trying to strum wonder wall and trying to make some hot babe swoon, hit all the wrong notes, play the guitar, and good Little Boys are nominees in our Phrase of the Year so far, so at number nine, that's a good spot. Um, if someone falls or they have ammunition to move up, a couple of picks of need be so yeah. Usually just the smart play in this game is to take just about everything. But I really do think and they

don't have who's their backup right now? Um, they don't have one. It's still still drisk all and ripping right, And I think that's by design because I think there's the Independence Day, uh spaceship coming over, Empire State buildings set up happening. Here. Lock gets up to the backup or the temporary starter, and then the kid is there waiting in the wings and there's your quarterback room all right, uh so one more time and then we'll get to the mock draft alright, So like reg I am um

betting on two different horses because I like. What I want to just say real quick is what I sense happening in America. UM is like a back inalia is going to be descending on us this summer. You're gonna have a lot of people that have been trapped in homes and houses being absolutely crazy. And I mean I'm talking about all people in different stations of life. So this is really one of the first big outdoor public events. So I've talked about an animal running wild, which feels

of the spear it of the of the weekend. UM. The second thing that I've suggested and I believe will happen and laugh at me now and then find out later that I'm correct, we will see a naked body part um during NFL network or ESPN's coverage of one draft unintended. UM. I don't know where it's coming from. I don't think I'm not talking a player, probably, but who knows. But you know, there's gonna be a lot of weird stuff crowd shots. I guarantee we get something

that they did not UM dial up intentionally. You know. I like to like think about in the lead up to a show, whenever we takee like, you know, how's the show going to go? What's what are the mechanics of it? And I was thinking to myself, like Mark has his mock draft. That's gonna be a little tricky for him because he might step on some of his props. But little did I know Mark had it in his back pocket. He was just going to talk about naked

people and animals running through. Didn't prop about a draft pack anyone hurt. He kept tight end, a backup tight end. And naked body part. Well, this is tricky because we have to define the body part. I mean, my arm is is in my forearm naked right now. And I had a feeling that question would come, and I think it's a fair question. I wouldn't try. I'm not gonna

try to um a private part. Well, I'm not gonna pull one over on you guys by saying, oh, look at we saw someone's you know, hand extending up the wrist and arm area. It's like we're talking about something that should not be should not be seen in three are you counting the Hine's a butt like a naked but yeah, yeah, naked but the two bees, the V and the P that works, or a combination of you know, it could be more than one one of those together

in a combination. Yeah, absolutely sure, I'll take you on it, Dan, Dan's experience speaking with five year olds, that's where we're at. Yeah, I'll definitely take you by that. That's ridiculous. All right, thank you, Mark. Alright, Uh, finally all right. Excluding Jimmy G, who I've already excuse me, UM said, is moving in a trade. But let's just kind of let's keep him out of this conversation. There will be another quarterback who started football game or games on the move via trade

before Saturday night. So forget about Jimmy G. Keep take him out of it. Any other quarterback, a starting quarterback in one of them gets dealt and UM put some thought into this. I'm thinking about who are those guys? Okay, I'll get them to you. Teddy Bridgewater, I thought about. I thought somebody. I can't believe somebody. Well, Greg, you've still gotta go. I don't know where you're going with your last one, but um, Teddy Bridgewater could be on

the move. CAM hypothetically could move. Mason Rudolph started that game against Cleveland, right, so one starter more, it's gardener. Gardner means shoe, Drew lock Hell, Jordan's love. I mean the Packers obviously are are deep in on Aaron Rodgers once again. I think one of those guys, but it could be anybody that started a game moved over from Thursday to Saturday night. It almost seems like very probable

or possible. But I'm gonna take you up because sometimes these drafts just dripped by and none of these things happen. And I'll sit on that side of it. But you know that means even someone we're not talking up. By the way, if you're if you're like Brian Hoyer and you don't have a team and you started a game, that none of it has to be legit trade correct, Yes, okay, and I'll take you up. Teddy or Minju. I mean those two would be the ones that have circled mm hmmm.

I don't like not take I don't like not taking it, but I'm gonna not take it. Wow, I'm stunned. All right, good, I'm gonna go with my final prop as no running backs get taken in the first round. I've enjoyed some of these UM shows talking about different props. It's it's interesting of like different ways you can talk about our friends established the run Evans Silva and the Levitan there on the other side of this, they think even maybe

maybe more than one go. But I think in today's NFL Nach Harris to the Steelers is the one everyone's talking about. But if that doesn't happen, I think UH teams could wait. Javonte Williams maybe is another little little prop there that as the first running back off the board that I like, but I don't think it will be in the first round. No running backs in the

first round. I'll definitely take you because I'm looking down from around liken On and I see some real targets for running backs, and I could see a team trading back up to like thirty two or something, just to make sure that you've got the Jets sitting at number two right in the second round. I think they're going running back there, so you gotta try to get ahead of them. UM, I'll take you on it. And I think there is obviously a little bit of an industry.

UM people are spooked, and I think they feel like they're not on the right side of history. When you take a running back now, unless he's a sa Kwan Barkley generational type guy. I think these teams are now. They have it in their minds, and a lot of it is a herd mentality, like, hey, the smart football teams don't do this, and we're not gonna. We're not we don't want to be a dumb football team. So

I think some of that factors in too. So I'm gonna say I I agree that there will not be but I also know because I've done this before, Greg and it it um and it's always a little bit tricky on draft night when we play this game and then you have to go through the whole draft and you have to be like, don't pick her running back, don't pick a running back when you get to um and I So I admire that you did this, and I purposely stayed away from these type of wagers this

week for that reason. Yeah, I'll be nervous when the Steelers are on the board. That's that's the moment that the now I'm being anxious. Another team, all right, And of course Nick Fourtier over it. Go get my lunch dot Org has been tracking the stuff religious Lee for years and he's also on Twitter at go get my Lunch you could see the all time standings. Uh the um, you can go back for years now and check out how we did in pass drafts. I'm just gonna give

your heads up. It usually doesn't go well. Um, and it's kind of fun. It's kind of funny. He's even got a soundboard over there. Go get my Lunch dot org for some of the funny drops of all time. So go check that out. And Nick, thank you again for all that you've done for the show. Um, all right, let's go, let's get to it. It's time. Mark Sessler. You know we've always um, we've always waited for this

mock draft because everyone's sick of the know. It alls the people that they're braggy and they say, oh here's mock point one point oh two point oh three point put me on NFL network. Oh this is the tape I was chewing. Uh, I'm a real tape dog. That's not you, that's not Mark Sessler. Mark. I put in the work. I put in the work. I know who these guys are. I've watched a college football game, like, that's not you. What you do you lay in the weaves, and you wait till the draft eve and then you

drop a hammer that really affects the industry. And here we are again, the fourth annual Mark Sessler Mock Draft. How you feeling right now? Well, I'm feeling good, and I think you you hit on something that all these other people doing so much work, um, I take a completely different approach, which is do essentially about forty minutes of work and lean heavily on all these other tape guys that have done the hard work UM in life. I think that just starts to make sense as you

creep up an age. And so I've leveraged that, done very little, but I know the industry UM is waiting, all eyes on what will happen over the next minutes. You're more honest a lot of a lot of people, I think, but this is gonna last for forty minutes. Well the reaver like, I mean right, well, you know, even after the show, and he said he put forty minutes of work into it, And I think, I think you're just You're just more honest. That's what we should

call it. Mark Sessler's Honest mock Draft. Like that, and you could be like, if you want to look at it from a different angle. You could be like, you know how Kyle frant Good Morning Football, Friend of the Show. He's turned his body into a Temple seven. He his diet is outrageous. What what the the intake the amount of workout working out he does in the gym, and he studies all this. You're more like the seven minute

acts of the draft induction industrial complex. I mean, if that, if that's so, you're absolutely right, all right, let's do it, all right, let's get to him. Alright, Ricky, I believe we have a marks mock draft. Is alright, how would you like you only just to read these off? How do you just one by one here you can comment? You know, that's nice set up? Go ahead, alright with the first nick in the draft. I'm not gonna go like announced the same draft over and over like Roger

goodell Um. The Jacksonville Jaguars they take Trevor Lawrence. We know that. What do we even need to say about that? Pick by pick analysis? Here? Okay, number two, the New York Jets they take Zach Wilson. Of course they do a quarterback b y U very smart moves and you know what's funny about that, Like we've heard so much now about why he's not the pick, it actually weirdly makes me feel better about it because Sam Donald checked all the boxes of a guy that would work, didn't

work this guy. Oh, his schedule is soft, his body frame is not right. He's a kid from Utah, can handle New York. Great. All that makes sense. It's why it's gonna work this time. It's the summer of George theory. Go ahead, I'm totally with you. Number three pivot point in the draft to San Francisco forty Niners annoy many by taking Matt Jones quarterback Alabama. Yeah, I'm surprised how many UM people are still keeping Lance or Field in this spot. It's not that many. It's definitely the minority.

Mac Jones is the popular pick, and I would be shocked if it's not mac Jones at this point. And we talked about it on Tuesday's show, the Ian Rap Report report ruling out Justin Fields. You know, if you wanted to build an intrigue to the draft, but you didn't want to give it all away, that's the thing I wanted to give it away. Justin Fields is the guy that's kind of like the wild card if they

would have drafted him. Oh that's that's very juicy. Now I'm just like, get it over with your not taking fields. One of these guys should be okay or not. I don't know. Alright, Number four, there's gonna be a lot of reports of the Falcons. You know, the phones are gonna be ringing. People want to get up there to get you know, quarterback X. But they stay right at home and take Kyle Pitts, tight end out of Florida,

possibly the best player in the entire draft. This is where um, either the mock draft industrial conflict complex will like go off target or not. Because the ESPN is now saying this pick is happening. They're they're straight out reporting at Fowler and Graziano. So and this is where everyone's got got Pitts, I mean unite. He needs to be is like he needs to be Tony Gonzale is

great or whatever. Like DJ was on her show this month and said, don't get hung up on these wider these tight ends coming into the league and not being as great as advertised. This guy is basically a wide receiver, uh in a tight ends body and all that stuff. Well, he better be a superstar because, as I've said, I think they have so much leverage here they could they do a franchise reset with this fourth pick potentially. But you know what, Pitts is a super stud. It's the

right move. Yep uh number five. You know I didn't just like create drama just for the sake of it. I think there are some safe things happening. There are reports that the Detroit Lions have tried to trade up to this spot where the Bengals are at and the Bengals aren't having anything to do with it, which tells me because the Lions want a wide receiver that the Bengals due to Jamaar Chase wide receiver l s U being paired with this old teammate Joe Burrow like it,

I'd be bummed. I feel like I was thinking about a sandwich prop that Penny was a penny, So I can't I'd be if I'm a Cincinnati fan. I'm thinking, jeez, we saw it right there. We have this young quarterback that's such a stud, and we almost got him killed last year. And then you see this guy is a seen as a real big time alignment prospect and he's sitting there for you, and you go get a wide receiver.

I don't know about that. It's interesting because Pitts and and and Chase I think are as like universally beloved and as hyped, and I think as like believed to be as safe and good a pick as any at their positions in the last eight ten years. And it's sort of been overshadowed because of all these quarterbacks. But like, I don't think Pitts. I think Pitts is coming in with a better pedigree than any tight end in twenty years at least, maybe ever. And then Chase is close,

So I get it. I get all right, number six, Ricky, we have a trade. Mm he trade alert? Oh wow, alright, alright, the Carolina Panthers move up. Yeah. I would imagine the Dolphins were here. The Panthers conducted trade with the Dolphins, and they throw a little bit of a curveball. They take trade lance quarterback North Dakota State. Mm hmm. Would be fun. I like that. That's I mean, this is where Mark's starting to set himself apart. So far he's gone all chalk and this is this is spicy, this

is special. Yeah, And I can't believe that. It felt like such a good sandwich prop Nobody threw out there the Panthers what they're gonna do on draft day and this um like this one. You're fine now you're finding out now what they're gonna do. Ricky, we have a trade at number seven he trade alert. Alright, the New England Patriots. You know, Matt Patricia isn't there anymore, but they still have their little friends inside the building in Michigan, and they trade with the Lions and they go get

Greg's boy, Justin Field, quarterback out of Ohio State. I love It's marks mock draft. I mean, you just want me some sandwiches. I don't know who are who are their friends inside Detroit building? Uh well, I'm unaware that, like there's many people left over. Matt Patricia is with the Patriots though, um so maybe maybe that would help. Probably not, but I love it. Let's do it. You just wanted. Why do I feel somewhat like obligated to

let the audience know that yes, for better or worse. Um, many of the drops in the show, I work with Ricky on this one. I was hands off. This is an Erica Mark Sessler drop. Joint. I want everybody to know that. All right, keep going. This goes back to my point earlier. It's smart to wash her hands of that. Uh ricky. Number eight, we have a trade. He trade alert. Now Greg's annoyed by that too. All right. The Vikings didn't no, No No, the Dolphins were sitting here at eight.

After the Panthers trade the Dolphins Chris career Man, he is on the psilocybe and he's moving up and down the board. He allows the Vikings into the spot. Another trade. The Vikings go up and they get Penas Suell, offensive tackle Oregon. That's the one thing I think they might do if they were to move up the board, solidify that line for a change. I'm intrigued by the Vikings in this draft. I think they're an outside upset candidate to take a quarterback that that falls to. That's possible.

Number nine the Denver Broncos, well they're a little bit out of this quarterback mix. They didn't they weren't aggressive enough. They go Patrick Surtan, cornerback Alabama. We just talked about him with Chase Goodbread on yesterday's show, Can't Do It. You did you move him in the draft just because I said you'd have him go to the Cowboys. That is correct, Thanks for your honesty. That a little peek

behind the curtain there. Um. Yeah, if the Denver Broncos go into one with Drew lock as the unquestioned starter, they get everything to deserve. They will trust me, alright. Number ten, the Dallas Cowboys. You know they were divided. Some of them wanted Patrick Certan, but uh, you know, a higher power came in and altered the result. They get j C. Horn South Carolina cornerback. They need defense, they said, they do it. Jerry Jones has this little

Kyle Pitts fascination, but you're not getting him this time wherever. Alright, the crowd's going wide. Like I was thinking of our our guests. Do we want our guests to jump into this segment or we want to hold off for now? What do you think? I think we should give him his own world? Okay, but we I can, I can also we can. We're getting that part of the draft where you're feeling like, you know, let's speed it up

a little here. So New York Giants at number eleven, Jail and Waddle wide receiver Alabama suddenly that offense looks fiery, spicy. This is what this is my whole theory. If you're not sure on a young quarterback, build up around him and then give him a chance, which is kind of what I wanted to just do with Donald. Do it with Daniel Jones. If you have Kenny Golladay and now you have Jalen Waddle and you have Evan Ingram and se Kwan Back and Sterling Shepherd's in the mix, and um,

that is a nice that's a nice group. Okay, yes it is, alright, number twelve, we have a trade, Ricky he trade alert, alright, uh Las Vegas Um trades with the Eagles to move up to number twelve and they get an offensive tackle they've needed out of Northwestern Rashawn Slater. Oh my gosh, Ricky. I mean, I know we're in the middle of a mock draft, but we we have some big breaking news in real life which just blew

up our whole show. Come on, people, The Panthers are trading quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos for a sixth round draft pick. According to Tom Palasero. Nice com U wait that just ruined my whole Broncos though, I'm just lost the sandwich, by the way. Well that and you know what, yeah that it felt like they were doing the Independence day moved. They didn't have anybody in the quarterback room behind Lock, and now they have they have. I just want a sandwich, you said during the draft.

Oh no, that's that's the sandwich prop that was locked in, baby. I didn't take you up on it. So ultimately that gives me a chance to pat myself on the back. So I'll agree with that. I mean winners and losers list. Patrick starts handing the Broncos starting to look Yeah, that looks better. Wow, I you know, just before we move. I don't think that totally rules out the Broncos taking

a quarterback, uh in round one. This is a sixth round draft pick, um, and it's a long term decision to take quarterback, and and how can Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater confidently be their long term quarterback? So I don't think it totally rules it out, but it's certainly what does it mean last Anthers too? Now you got Sam Donald? There no true uh number two? Donald still holding his breath here? Put it that way, by the way, I heard, Yeah, that's a good point, dan Um, I

think they might be taken. I know Mark's got to moving up. And I just want to tell you all the Broncos fans out there, Um, when I kept pushing Teddy Bridgewater to Denver and they're like, don't put that evil on us, Come on, don't do that, It's like I did put that evil on you, and now he's on your team. Eat it. Oh my goodness, Yeah, I like him. If this is what the Broncos solution is. This is like four minutes after I made my last comment, Uh,

You're gonna get what's coming to you. And that's it. It's just like or Teddy Bridgewater still not good enough. It's a sixth round who who's probably not going to make your team and you you, I can I can confidently say their court a back position is better if Drew Lock never plays another snap and you play Teddy bridge Water and said, you're still in good shape, but you're better at the most important position for this year. So it totally makes sense for a six round pick.

And I'm sure the Panthers are eating most of the money as long as it doesn't prevent them from grabbing fields if you fail to them if they ever passed over that because of Teddy Bridgewater, you know, totally hide out in the Rocky manage totally. What an interesting trade in the middle of this particular show, a very interesting all right, keep going, Mark A right number thirteen. The Chargers take Micah Parsons linebacker Penn State UH number fourteen.

This is where the Vikings were. The Dolphins now finally sit home and this worked out well for them. Davanta Smith wide receiver Alabama. They pick up a bunch of picks and the guy they kind of wanted all along there it is. And that's that would be like the area where with my sandwich prop if if whoever is that guy that falls there, go be aggressive and try to trade into that spot because that feels like a great value. And just like with Daniel Jones, you're not

totally sure about two it yet. Give him will Fuller, you know, give him DeVante Parker, and now give him one of the top rookies UM wide receivers in the draft class and see if he's playing that guitar. Some people might take that pet think he's gonna take him at six. If this happened, Mark, and I'm writing Winners and losers like you know for the website. Oh, they'll get a lot of like a's and winners nothing, you know, and I file for two know people nothing people like

more than trading back and getting getting guys. People know. That's dead on all right? Now where the Patriots, where the Lions are, and they take Quitty pay Edge out of Michigan, not as you know, maybe high octaneous you would have thought they'd go, but they could have gone quarterback or wide receiver at seven. But that defense needs all sorts of help, so hard to pick who would be the first d drusher. I feel like one through six, it's like pick your poison anyone, you know, if different

teams are gonna like different guys. Yep, alright, Washington, Now we have a trade Ricky Wow, he alert. I mean the number of trades maybe a secondary trade drop, but that I'm out on that. I've lost that one like twelve times, so I didn't go down that road. But this is a bit of a more low k. They're only moving up four spots um to where Arizona was, and they take Jeremiah Wasasu Taramoa linebacker Notre Dame. Very

versatile player, like what I hear about him. I like what I hear earlier than people think, but I like, I like the kind of this guy's jim. Alright, we've got seventeen the Eagles where the Las Vegas Raiders were, Take a z's edge out of Georgia. You weren't concerned about the medical stuff popping up their mark, Well that's on the Eagles. You know they've got a they've got a gigantic life size cut out in Howie Roseman's office of a Z S O. Glari. Now, so all you

chips to the end of the table, all right. Now, the Dolphins again at number eighteen, take Jail and Phillips edge out of Miami a run on edge rushers, very nice, all right? Now nineteen where the where Washington was um Arizona takes Elijah Vera Tucker offensive line USC E V E VT. They need help, but in multiple positions doesn't It doesn't even matter where they play, and that that gets other teams a little concerned about the offensive line scenarios.

So the Chicago Bears, you know, as underwhelming as possible, sitting at number twenty, take Christian Derris saw offensive tackle Virginia Tech. That should help Andy Dalton throw for two hundred two thousand, five hundred yards and twelve touchdowns next season. So your mock draft, in some ways was a way to get another shot at Ryan Pace and the Bears are. The Bears are in a no win scenario. They're picking at twenty. There's there's almost nothing they can do outside

of trading for Russell Wilson that will satisfy anyway. But there will be whispers that they tried to trade up into this top ten area to get a quarterback and teams just wouldn't let it happen. Number twenty one the Indian Polis called Tevin Jenkins offensive tackle, Oklahoma State. You know they got their left tackle was retired. That's just a right that that was a need over It was a need that they addressed right there. Number twenty two

the Tennessee Titans. Greg Newsome, cornerback, Northwestern, oh. One of the one of the props I was thinking of throwing in, but it seems a little too dorky for Sandwiches. Was over five five and a half cornerbacks. I think there's gonna be a lot of cornerbacks and there here's one of them. I'm with you, um, all right, now, would I like to maybe alter this for something a little maybe more logical, Yes, but I care about our show

more and I know where Dan's heart lies. Number twenty three, the New York Jets take Landon Dickerson's center at Alabama. He will play nine straight years without missing a game. Stick it draft Nicks to do something that's never happened in the history of the Around the NFL podcast. Sandwich prop cut if Landon Dickerson goes to the Jets, even

though Dan didn't give it as a sandwich. I'm just gonna give Danna Sando just just for putting it out into the universe, and it gives us some excitement with that. And I was gonna I thought about that as a sandwich property, just like you know, lot of murdy and deep on this guy. And I need to be losing sandwiches because you know, I don't lose one, I don't gain one. If I'm right, I got you, I got you.

I appreciate that. But I have, you know, checked in with some Sparrows as the insider, and everyone's saying the same thing that this guy is a first round player that just no one's gonna pull the trigger because of the injuries, even if he was doing cart wheels with a recently repaired a c L tear uh during Pro Day, which seems crazy to me that he did that, but he also played in the championship game. I'm taking the l just um for sentimentality right there. Number twenty four

the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, Greg Nausea Harris running back Alabama. They have to they don't have to. Actually, they could go offensive line, but they don't love what's at all. They don't have to at all. I mean, you can find how a trade sermon in the second round. You find the second round running back. Defensive line is guar bitch, and if there's some value there in the offensive line or cornerback or wherever I'm staying in this mock draft. They don't like what happened here because a lot of

offensive linemen have have vanished. The Steelers are way too sensible and sorry boring um and successful by the way to do it. But I still would love to see them get crazy and go get a quarterback in the first round, but it's probably not gonna happen alright. Number twenty five the Jacksonville Jaguars take Christian Barmore, defensive tackle Alabama.

There are concerns if he's coachable, but Urban Meyer uh seems to be the guy who understands the college culture and the college players, and he doesn't feel concerned about bar Moore's He he understands them before they get a five year guaranteed, you know, contract that pays them like thirty million dollars. We'll see if you can handle a player. Then a little different here in the pros. Number twenty

six to Cleveland Browns. You know, they were very into Caleb Farley, but there are you know, the medicals are starting to become an issue. They go Gregory Rousseau edge out of Miami. They don't think the Gendeveon Clowney is enough at deposition, so let's settle down everyone. Number seven the Baltimore Ravens Jail and Mayfield offensive tackle. They got put in a little bit of a tough spot here. They had to go and look for the best lineman

available out of Michigan, Um greg your Saints. Number twenty eight take Xavin Collins, linebacker out of Tulsa. So if he's living in a dorm, he could just continue to live there. He doesn't even need to relocate. It's a very seamless pick up. I mean, this guy, I think this is the Patriots. Un Tulsa. Oh, actually right, it's it's I said, Tulsa. So he would need to leave his dorm room. That would be weird, Tulsa. It is

pretty far though. He did have a pick six to win a game in overtime, uh and against Tulane, and it is funny to watch him play Tulane. He's a two hundred and seventy pound off ball linebacker who is a valedictorian and wants to be like a doctor. And it looks like a Anna Monks, but he is a fascinating guy. He feels like the guy the Patriots will take at fifteen and everyone will go crazy because you know, no one sees him going that good value for the Saints.

At number twenty nine, the Green Bay Packers take Darius Tony, wide receiver out of Florida. They finally do what everyone hoped they would do a couple of drafts. I feel like they're like they're making a point now to stick it to everybody and be like, we're not gonna do what you want us to do. And take a wide receiver. Ever, I think it'd be funny if they took another quarterback starts just like build out that depth chart. Yeah, I think I probably definitely got that one wrong, all right.

Number thirty, Oh, Greg, Buffalo Bills, Javonta Williams, running back North Carolina. They love him. It's not too early to take a running back in your draft. They already lost that running back prop and now you're just sticking it to me. But yeah, that would be bad. You're exactly right. Number thirty one. This is Baltimore's pick from the Kansas City trade for Orlando Brown Junior. They take Trevin Morrigg

safety TCU. That's a Baltimore. If the Ravens have two first round picks and they don't take a receiver, I mean Lamar shauld start picketing outside the building or something, well, he will be more chaos. We invite it. Oh, last pick in the draft. We have a trade, Ricky, he trade alert little laugh laugh. That's disturbing. So there's the the idea that there's a trade. Is that what triggers the flag lens or is it the flathing? I don't

know just what's the connection. I like it. But I think I would actually suggest that Ricky was maybe had a little bit more to do with that part of it, so we could ask her when the time is right. It was like a chili cook off or something. She came straight here and yeah, I bet that's what was happening. Go ahead. So the Bucks allowed the Falcons back into this thirty second spot and they might be dealing with this for years to come. Oh, Greg Travis e t

n running back out of Clemson. Falcons need a running back. They don't like the Jets sitting there, you know, two picks later, so three running backs in the first round. I want zero. That would have been a good sandwich prop. Yeah, that would have been bold, all right, but running nude through the crop quaddle draft. Don't think about dogs. But I wish you well, that's good, good job, market, good stuff everyone except that. How do you how do you

count a win? Sorry not to like you have to match the team with with the player to count as a as a right answer, because you had so many trades, it gets a little confusing here, right way to do it? The spot is less important. I guess what constituent success there? Mark? How many? How many getting getting right. Are you feeling like you're a winner there? It is? Okay, so we'll

track that will circle back on Saturday. If he gets nineteen or more, Mark should host the show for the rest of the off season, and then I will say show host every show and if that, if Landa. Dickerson is one of them, I'll take one of those sandwiches and give it straight to Mark because you deserve it, my friend. All right, Ricky, let's do it. If you acoustics, by the way, I just found a safe space. Is this are the acoustic you're saying you're safe with us

two days ago? Then you're rescheduled league, But uh, it's good to see your freaking faces. That imaginement. Jonathan Williams going to have taken the league by storm. You know. Two Attack of Miloa is about is funny college football players I've ever seen in my life. This is what we're doing with the clown music here. This is so it's so it's a guy you're staking your name to.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Cole McDonald the quarterback in Hawaii. He's a pretty good athlete, and uh he will absolutely McDonald, Cole McDonald, Cole McDonald there is the legend himself. Well, you heard Chris Westling, a legend for all times. And Chris Westling had a friend in the desert. In fact, we called him this individual Chris Westlings desert consigliari for all things gambling. Excuse me, sports wagering, sports betting. I don't know anyway. Now, for I believe the fourth time

on the program, here he is Spice Rack. Welcome back to the Around the NFL podcast. You're muted, buddy. We'll edit it out, but you're muted. Don't edit it out. Mistakes happened on live television, Greg, nobody ever told you that the podcast. But we can't see Spicyl network next year.

We're working, we're working towards that, and um, you know, Spice, I think and you did request feel free to introduce me as the Midwest's pre eminent long shot parlay better kind of like that is, Let's let's catch up a little bit first. You are no longer in the desert, correct I am, But in your heart I'm there maybe uh once every two months, primarily primarily in Cincinnati. Yes, and Cincinnati, of course, where you met the great Chris Westling.

And I know it was important to you and and and important does before we dig into all the fun and making your annual um draft predictions. And by the way, we have our fund. But Spicy is as educated as they get and turned. This man is a college football

fanatic and he has good instincts. So yes, for every Jonathan Williams uh miss and everybody's got miss, he's got I don't think that was all the way I miss How about old McDonald, Yeah, that was all the way I missed the seventh round pick Cole McDonald and he's still in the league, so you know he was Cole McDonald. If you want to have a Cole McDonald pod on the heels of a theology pod. Relaxed Greig Okay, he was the first player cut from the last draft. Tough Sich,

tough sich. But anyway, before we dig into the predictions, and I want you to share your thoughts about where you're at, um, where you know now a couple of months since Chris passed. I know West was a very important figure in your life. Spicy zeus, I don't even know how to uh, honestly, we just had a couple of minutes of jokes there, but I don't even know how to transition into this. Really. I mean to say it's someone that I think about every day, or like

multiple times every day is such an understatement. Um he I mean even you know, as the red season fired up, you know, it became a little more difficult to be honest. I mean, it's there's nothing that happens in a Reds game to three times a game that I don't immediately think. You know, I would have texted West right then and there shaky bullpen guy or like an intriguing young fella. You know, it's like it's it's it's uh. I mean, he's on my mind constantly. I'm sure you know. I

know he is. You guys too, and go ahead, go ahead. Now, I was gonna say, Luis Castillo, the ace of the Reds, who struggling. I drafted into my fantasy league in a way as a nod to West, and it's like, let's ride together with Castilla as an ace his struggles. Like, I think, the same thing I want to text West and talk about is this guy going to get back on track? I mean, West was such a great, uh friend, but such an amazing sports friend to just shoot the s about and Spicy we are going to the Reds

Dodgers game today in honor of West. So just a little nugget there. Well, I gotta tell you the Reds one each of the last two nights against the defending champs. I don't I don't like their chances too much tonight. M Well, a little more hitable than he used to be. We we. I spoke with Spicy pretty soon after, you know, West died and and you said something you know that really stuck with me. But how how much West believed in you? Um? You know you you became friends with

West through his family. Who which Wesley brother was it? That was like, because you're three years younger than West that you were close with, and you kind of got to know West as an older brother. You know, Greg, I'm actually I don't know, maybe six six years younger than him, And the connection actually is that he was, Um it's gonna sound weird, but I used to see him a lot when I was younger. He was my neighbors cousin's boyfriend. I know that sounds crazy, but he

used to be over a lot. And then, uh, I don't you know, we just clicked right away. We connected right away. I think he identified me as someone who what what was that extra level of sports obsessive you know, he he, he recognized the younger Chris in that regard. I'm by no means as smartest or as well read as West was, but just on that sports front, just that extra level of passionate passion on every front really you know, just like it and it never and it

never stopped. And so but yeah, no, I meant from the second I met him, we yes, we clicked and we connected and we always like we were always in

like regular touch. But I he became someone that was like a measuring stick on every level, you know, like we were early in the fantasy football game, Like I always measured myself against him and anything I ever put out to the public, I always thought to myself, you know, what would West think or if he thought it was silly or you know, I had to check myself a lot, and you know, uh, and he checked me a lot,

you know, when we were younger. And I mean, yes, sort of rambling at this point, but no, I mean that's uh, we're kinda we relate to everything you're saying, especially what you said about how you know, having some a thought or a take about sports and you and you kind of hoped to pass that West test because you just we respected him so much from that standpoint, and like you know, when we talk about how do you honor the memory of West, like going to the

Red Dodgers matinee today and Lakisha is actually gonna be there with Link and she doesn't know that we're going, so we're gonna surprise her and that's gonna be a nice moment. And the facts spicy that you are on the podcast today, that is that is honoring West because he did love you. I wouldn't know you, guys. I wouldn't know obviously without without West. And you know, so West stays connected to us forever. And you know, as

that transition, West loved having you on the show. And West was so he you heard him at the end of that clip. I think it might be the first time we played him on the show since he passed away. Uh, he was the one that called out was that old McDonald's, which I always loved, one of my favorite lines and podcast history. So this is what we're gonna do. Let's transition now, um, because if Wes can listen, he's listening

right now. He wants to hear. We want to hear the spice Rack sleepers, the guys, not even sleepers necessarily, although we welcome sleepers of course, but the guys that spice Rack loves and feels very confident are going to translate from one level to the top level of professional football. The runaways. You're spicy, takeoff, baby. You know what, Let's start this runway with a let's defer to Mr Rosenthal over there in the top right WHOA you already know

I'm saying you. Well, what I know is before this college football season even started, I started getting the text about Kyle Pitts before, you know, before this season, that not only was he going to be the best player in the upcoming draft, but that he's maybe the best player spice Rack has ever seen, and that he's going to change the game, and that this is this is

you know, pre pre uh this season. And now we're coming into the draft where we're basically every evaluator is right on board with you after watching that season, and I think we we've almost short drifted him here because there hasn't been a tight end prospect in my lifetime. Um with this sort of juice and sort of attention. Not Vernon Davis, not Kellen wins On, none of these tight ends. Like you, you saw Kyle Pitts as as

a different guy before this season. I can only imagine after what he did in you feel it even stronger. You know. No, uh, thanks for the talk up. There no no need to watch a Kyle Pitts highlight tape when you've already watched fift his games. Not Ricky, knock it off. This isn't the episode for that. Ricky, don't try to control the program. Just roll with it. I think if she's gonna play that music, she should sure face. It is a different experience being able to I know,

I met, I met Ricky Hollywood. Yeah yeah, sure, A good big guy like I wouldn't I wouldn't have known that. Spicies like six ft. I don't know what he is. He's tall, he's a striking you know, he's intimidating. That's why Erica shut the music off. Go ahead, Spicy, what's next? Damn all right now? I feel rushed. But exactly, Ricky, exactly, if you have anything to stay on, Pitts, say it. I mean, highest arter, that's you know what Ricky. That's

a bold move and I respect it. On the Kyle Pitts front, you know, uh, he's like, uh, he will transform any offense from day one. He will. He's a contender day you know, year one to lead the NFL and touchdowns. Okay, now we're talking here. It's uh, it's so obvious that he's a mismatch problem. You know. Uh, he's one of the few. He might be the only tight end I've seen since Shannon Sharpe to be able to catch one at eight or ten yards and take a seventy Okay, all right, Uh shann was like six

one or six two. He was. I mean, I don't know how much blocking Kyle Pitts is gonna do, but certainly his run after the catchability is Wait so I'm talking, I'm talking. Yeah, But you know who cares about that? I don't flare, I I don't. I don't care if you can black Cincinnati native the idea of Joe Burrow throwing the Kyle Pitts. Do you think that's a Hall of Fame connection? You know what I is is as bullish as I am on Joe Burrow now and then,

and and everything in between. I'm I feel more confident putting Kyle Pitts and Canton right now. WHOA, Yeah, it's that's not that's not. Listen. Okay. So I was speaking of Greg on the phone just the other you know, maybe a week ago or so, and I was saying to him, you know, uh, it's he's not like the toughest prospect the spot he jumps off the screen. It's not one of those guys where you hear his name, hear his name and at the end of the game he has three for thirty eight. He's I mean, he is,

he's a problem. Let's let's let's roll on spicy. What else you got? Just if I could stick, if I could stick on pits for a second. He No, Well, let me just say, I mean, I just not what else needs to be said. I'm telling you is great? Is he is after the catch man in the red zone and on jump balls. I mean, he's already pretty much in a class of his own. You can put him, you can put him in this year. It's Hall of Fame coming up in August. I've met in Atlanta. I

don't think he's gonna get to Cincinnati. I think that's a nice and nice fit. Alright, Spicy, we got we have limitations. We gotta get to Dodger Stadium. Spicy, I mean to see your Reds and root for the Reds. So let's let's keep rolling here. Yeah, is that a question? No? What else you got? What else you got? Spicy? I got? I got a lot of guys. You know, what are you talking about? But your second favorite after Pitts, Who's who's the mid round guy? Or who's who's doesn't have

to be mid round? But who who is the guy that you really believe in that you think will get called Thursday night in first round? Well, I gotta tell you, you know, I don't. I don't Alijah More should get drafted. Um again, another thing, greg As, I was telling you the other day, I've been prone to falling in love with you know, the undersize, shifty, uh you know, punt return ability type guy. You know the guys who light up seven on seven and spring games and that kind

of thing. Um, But you know you can't, you know, he can't change your stripes. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stick with with Alijah More. He could hunt, he could hunt Mark, I could totally see him being one of the Ravens picks that seven or thirty one and catching like balls and being the guy that Lamar Jackson needs. I don't like that at all. I think the hit between him and us, as well as Tony Ben at Florida, UM, I it to me, both guys seem like just studs

slock eyes, just studs, studs in the slot. And uh, who's the best quarterback in this class? Spicy? The best quarterback? Is it Trevor Lawrence? Is he gonna be the best pro coming out of this class? Do you see somebody else? Yes? No, I take Trevor Lawrence and don't think twice. Not take him. That's to give and he's going there. But as far as just upside, he's the most ready day one eighteen year old I've ever seen. Period. He lived up to

the hype immediately. He within two or three weeks or whatever it was, um overtook the starting spot from a guy who just the previous season started you know, a final four game and nactually whatever it will final four game. I think Kelly Bryant, who eventually transferred to miss started like immediately as a true freshman, overtook the starting spot, you know before the end of September and upgraded the team. You know from day one. It wasn't a long term play.

It was right then and there. Uh so, and and the one thing that you know to to factor in with Trevor Lawrence if he gets a clever play caller, um not under do not undersell his athleticism, just his his ability to run with the football. It doesn't mean you want to run read option with him. It doesn't mean you want him lowering his shoulder in games. But this guy is fast, like I mean, he can like run by safeties. So uh, I mean, he's a slammed one of the best looking prospects I've ever seen. Who

do you want to talk about? Who you want to put the spice rack stamp on When we're playing those clips next year and we we bring up Antonine Winfield, that was a big that was a big win. Antoine Winfield could think that's a good guy, Spicy, because I want to help you by narrowing it down and so you can focus in on it. Who is somebody in this draft that's not getting a lot of first like first round hype or anything like that, but you could see becoming a pretty much an immediate starter, a Pro

Bowl type player, maybe even All Pro type player. Who's that guy that people aren't quite seeing how good he is? First of all, why hasn't Mark asked me a question? I am just a spune sort of soaking in the knowledge, and I mean that. But also on this podcast isn't hosted by thirty guys. It's fair, it's fair. Well, I'm waiting to find out. Let's go. I'm not buying mar Mark knows where to hit his spots. What I need

from you right now? Give me that guy, and then Cessler, I think, is going to follow up with something himself, and then everybody wins. What do you got? Well, how about if we're talking running backs all right, which obviously everyone knows you don't draft on early all that stuff, and uh, just you know, you just can't be too sure with with any of these guys, and it's it's almost a position not worth talking about. Um sell it. Javante Williams at North Carolina, Baby, Okay, let's talk. I

like him. I watch a lot of football with um. Now I'm telling you I have not done the mock draft, mock draft prep or you know, like this is not what I do all day. I bet on baseball. Okay, I track about fifteen baseball games a day. That's where I spend my time. You know. Uh, but I watched games. I watched more games than anybody just period. I watched

more games than anybody. And uh so I'll have during cost football season, like six or seven screens up at once, and uh you can only have the volume on one. All right, North Carolina. Every time I look up at this North Carolina game, there's a dude taking one seventy, taking one thirty or like leaning on a defense six seven eleven. I mean, just uh, you know, he he just stood out to me little frank vibe. I think

he's a young frank, young Frank vibe. But but I thought, I mean, this is you know, no disrespect to Naja Harris or or even like Jared Patterson Buffalo. Mean Jared Patterson at Buffalo and for like four thousand yards on six yards to carry. He didn't have that like all the tread and the time. You know he's he's he's relatively fresh, but he ran for four thousand yards in college. I just wouldn't put it past the alside A four hundred yard game. But he's uh. I wouldn't put it

past a guy like him either. But it's tough. I mean, if you're if you're not a good receiver from the start out of the backfield, it's it's you know, you almost become a like a not a gimmick, but you become a change of pace kind of guy, just a hammer as opposed to an all around guy. I mean, Spencer Brown at you might be another running back. I really like him. He has like seven career receptions. You know he's five ten to ten or you know, you know five eleven to fifteen or whatever that he is.

But he's like he's never caught the ball. So like he he's got the size you want, but does he have everything else? Yes, we've talked to all offensive players, learned a lot. Let's flip it the defense in your I don't, I don't. I'm sure they're technically sound. Um, surefire bets. Who is the nastiest defender in this draft in your opinion from what you've seen? The nastiest I mean, like someone that's gonna come in and be like this. The attitude of this defense now circles around this player

like a son a couple of years from now. You know, Zaleen Collins at Tulsa linebackers it again. You know, I was just talking about North Carolina games. This goes even more so with Pulsa games. It's not one I have the if I'm watching seven five six seven at once. I don't have the volume on a Tulsa game. Okay, but you have money on it and you're tracking it and you just keep seeing this guy make every single play. You know, he's not a combine where he's like a uh.

As long as I live, I will never forget seeing the one and only time Khalil Mack ever played, or like the only time I ever kill Kalo Mac. Play came in with all kinds of hype. They played Ohio State in September, and I'm telling you, within the first three minutes you couldn't believe what you were seeing. He this guy is not like that, of course, and they played the positions in all apens avon Collins as He's not gonna be one of these guys that flame out

after three or four years. I mean, this guy is like, yeah, this dude, here we go in summation. Kyle Pitts Elijah Moore, Trevor Lawrence is as good as advertised, Javante Williams over at UNC, Spencer Brown. Another option in the backfield Zaleen Collins from Tulsa. These are Spicies stars fore and uh, Spice let them know where they could find you on Twitter and and I sincerely mean this, sincerely mean this. Having you on the show is like a part of

West being here. So we love having you here. Just want to let you know that I, uh, listen, I feel I felt comfortable when I met you guys. I was. I spent maybe six eight, uh horrible months in Los Angeles, but I met all you guys, you know, multiple times, multiple times, got to hang out with you guys, zeus came to your home, you know. Uh. But I felt like I knew you guys from the start. So that was you know, I mean, it was just it was

just nice. That was nice. That was I like, that was like, uh, John Lennon had his lost I think it was like a lost weekend in Los Angeles. It was more than that. But but yeah, it mimicked what Spicy brought to the to the There was no warning to it was just like one weekend suddenly you were just like at West's house, and West was like, oh yeah, I think spicies hanging a few months. If you're comparing me to John Lennon, I'll take it that was. That's

my interpretation of look him up. I don't we don't really. Yeah, my name is brad Spicer. There's not wrong with the name. We didn't know if it was like, you know, like something like a stage name and you wanted to keep your private life private, look him up spiceler Um on Twitter and spicy what's that? No? No, not really, but go ahead, go ahead, because we had this nice you know, we had this nice finish to the show. Continue on. No, do you have something you want to get off your

chest before we say goodbye? Probably I already forgot what it was though, Okay, maybe all right save that and then next Yeah, if you're gonna tell me, tell people how to reach out to me, do so properly that you want the Twitter name, well, I don't want to read anything because I have underscore a right. This is where you kind of you guys, make a little a little diva guest here. This is where you could find Bradley Alan Spicer at spice, underscore, Rack, underscore m D.

But he's not a doctor Parley doctor. To be honest, I have woman. I know you want to rapt ready to go home. I need more interact. I needed the briefest interaction with Mark Sessler. But I'm not I mean, I don't get to see you guys anymore. For some reason, I thought going into today I was gonna be talking to you a lot. Mm hmm. Well look, I mean the floor was yours and you have my phone number. We can chat any time, and we can. You know, I'm the phone lines are open. I didn't I didn't

want to eat up. I just did an entire mock draft before you came on. So the reason why you didn't hear from Mark is like, no, Dan and I will cut in. I'm saying right now, I need back and forth. Like like Mark, if you could say anything to me right now, what would Well, I'll play you something. I remember speaking with you um in early February, and

I learned a lot about your story. And I feel like when I met you in person too, that you know, I knew the spicy that showed up on our show a couple of times, and there was something something that happened in Vegas with Dan that remains a mystery. But getting to know the real Spicy, Uh, there's a lot of depth and layer two you and um, I feel like, even though I know you a little bit more than I did, there's so many more countries inside of you

to still get to know. So the adventure continues, Spice Rack there that good? Yeah, that was good. It wasn't I want a dialogue is what I wanted, but but you got a monologue instead. All right, well you have to from Sessler. Wait, can I just say one thing? If we can go back? Really gotta go, Spicy, We really gotta go. Well, there's l a traffic. We gotta get the Dodger Stadium. Your Red's against the Dyer's big game, Kershaw against Sunny Gray. It's not personal, but we really

gotta go. Buddy. But what do you got? It doesn't matter. It did matter, but it doesn't matter. Go ahead, I'll remember this one. Don't worry about it. All right, Spicy, you know we love you. Come back there he goes. You know what? Okay, you want to know? What are you saying? Alright, I'm not I'm not stallin. I literally forgot when you just asked me about ten seconds ago.

Came back to me regarding a Mark monologue. Will you, gentlemen, Dan and Greg, will you agree with me that in the early days of the podcast, I'm talking, some of the funniest content you guys have ever had was Mark reading his um doing his live reads with Mr Flames Economic Press. I'm talking. I know that, I know that's a deep cut and stuff like, I don't mean that I told you about an hour ago that you're a

superstar at this Okay, in the most sincere way possible monologues. Okay, way back then, you guys agree, Greg, Dan of the classics of the Okay, bye bye, that guy is. That guy is the best. He's an experience somehow After all that, though, Erica cutting him off the screen still felt abrupt. He

was like, there was no way mid mid prayer. Well, that was what I was trying to say, was the only reason Dan and I were the ones that talked were especially me, Um, I'm the only one rude enough to like cut him off mid because there's just gonna be one thing and I wanted to, you know, conversationally, it's not a good Mark Sessler and spicy or not a good like Yin and Yang in terms of the conversation. Mark's not a guy that's usually gonna jump in to

try to transition or change the subject there. That's just the he Spicy just didn't understand that a lot of chaotic energy between I wasn't trying to like ignore him, if that's what he I mean when we've spoken in person. I really liked our talks, but I didn't want to pull us out of orbit because I thought he was you know, you know, I wish your poties latest. No,

that was great. I love it and share them. Um No, I just I feel like I need like maybe a Zanex or something to like a calm down a little bit because I was like a little I love it. Though I love him. He's great and and he he really like in the days after West past, you know, I wish my conversation with him was as meaningful as with anyone just hearing what he meant to West. So we're all going through that, that's part of it too,

We're all growing through that. And like he really looked up to him as a as a mentor, and when when he said like West believing in him and he gave some examples from from his life, Like that really resonated with me because I know that's true for a lot of people, like when West believe they showed like the confidence in them as a person, Like how much that meant? So what we we have that in common too.

And I can't wait till next year's draft prospects when this chaos happens again, Ricky, when you have to cut together the clip of best of Spicy, I feel like there's gonna be a lot of options from this, uh, this particular episode in one. All right, here we go. Yes, awesome, We're heading the Dodger Stadium. We're gonna surprise Lakisha and Link. It's gonna be great. Um Uh, Erica, you're driving right,

so you can come pick me up whenever, whenever you can. Um. And then we'll be back tomorrow night, Thursday night, late night. Check your podcast app of choice and it will be there. Are round one recap, so that's the next time you'll hear this show. So everybody get ready. The weight is over, the draft is here. Thank you to Spice Rack, thank you to you the listeners, and we will see you in about thirty six hours. With more more podcast content,

breaking down finally Round one NFL Draft. Until then, Heed the call s