Draft Show: Back With Brugler

we've got a week full of shows. We are back because the isis subsided as well in Texas, so we're glad to be back here on the Draft Show, presented by Miller Lite. As always, I Usue Morrison. We do not have Brian brought us nor Bobby Belt today Sad Day, because they're both having some fun out at the super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, but we will have them on

tomorrow instead of Brian and Bobby. We are happy and delighted to welcome back to the show one of the Draft Show originals, mister Dane Brugler from the Athletic Dane. How's it going, my friend welcome back. That's not the same. No, it's going well. Always always enjoy to hop on with you guys. So this is gonna be fun. I can't wait. Well, we're gonna We're gonna pick your brain here over the next forty five minutes. Absolutely, But first tell us how

are things going. I mean, you're in the middle of your busiest time of the year, really ramping up and getting the beast taking care of which of course is a must read for anybody around the draft whenever it does release. But everything going well for you and this journey again. Yeah, you know, we just got through All Star season, Shrine Game, NFLPA uh, Senior Bowl of course. And you know this, this whole process is all about cross checking, right, So h by the time the season's over,

most of the the hay is in the barn. At that point, all the work has been done, You've watched the tape. Now it's the chance to cross check what you thought. Uh. And that's what these all these events are for the All Star Games, the Combine coming up here in a little bit. The the official Combine invite list just got released today, so uh, you know, I don't think there are any big surprises on that, but uh, you know,

it's it's just another step in the process. So and then after the combine obviously Pro Day's workouts and so, you know, each each step tells us something, It helps us out as we go through this process of trying to figure out this draft class, who's going to be a fit for which team, especially the Cowboys. Uh, it's it's uh, it's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun. So what year is this for you now covering the draft? Are you in the double

digits yet? And the fact that you've already gotten to where you are is remarkable. I mean, the the path that you have blazed for yourself has been so fun to watch. But where does this draft class kind of rank for you in terms of the ones that you've seen to this point. Yeah, you know, I just got home from Mobile and I was counting the years. That was my my twelfth year going to the Senior Bowl U. So yeah, we've been doing it as a long time. But you know, it's it's it's hard to really ranked

draft classes. You know, I find it hard, at least for myself, because you know, we see these guys in the NFL and it's kind of hard to just eliminate that from our minds and just focus on, you know, how we saw them as prospects. But you know, this is a class that's really interesting because you know, I think we've got two non quarterbacks in that top tier, Jalen Carter from Georgia Willie Anderson from Alabama, whichever order

you want. In my opinion, it's those two. Then there's a little bit of a drop off and then until you get to that next tier of non quarterbacks, and then of course the quarterbacks. Uh, it's a really unique group. You've got, in my opinion, the top quarterback in the class Brice Young, who is a complete outlier from a sized perspective, and so every team's gonna look at that

a little bit differently. You've got a guy like c. J. Stroud from Ohio State who had a good career and then he played his best game of his life in the final game and the Peach Bowl against Georgia, and so how do you you know, way that compared to the first twenty seven games of his Ohio State career. Will love Is from Kentucky did not have the senior year many expected, but he's still a really talented player. You've excited for what he could be at the next level.

Then Anthew Richardson from Florida. He's got the most upside of any of these quarterbacks. So it's a really interesting group of quarterbacks. And then the non quarterbacks. I think that you've got again two at the top, then a drop off and then that's where you know, we start to see the depth throughout the late first round, second round, third round, fourth round. So, Dan, you just mentioned quarterback. What did you think about Jake Haner? Is it how

you pronounce his name? Is that correctly? Is that? I felt, yeah, I felt like he he showed some good things um and this uh and the Senior Bowl, and I felt like he really rose and stocked his In my opinion, I feel like he rose the stock a little bit

now he played. Yeah, he was my top quarterback at the Senior Bowl going into the WEEKUM And so it wasn't it wasn't the sexiest group of quarterbacks because you know, we're used to having maybe a first rounder in there, you know, justin Herbert Carson wentz uh, you know, Baker Mayfield. These guys were all the Senior Bowl, right, We didn't have that this year. No, Will Levis Hendon Hooker was hurt um, But going in I thought, you know, Jake Haner was the best of the group. And he doesn't

look like much. You know, he's six foot, just over two hundred pounds, um. You know, the arm is good, not great, but his competitive juices, his uh you know, just that competitive toughness that he brings is so profound and something that coaches are going to fall in love with. Uh. You know, I think just I go back to last year, it's ucla one of the best comeback performances I've ever seen from a quarterback and that has stuck with me.

And you know, coming into this year he was hurt a little bit, but when he's on the field, that frozen State offense would go. And so I think that I don't know that he's ever going to be a long term starter, but I think he has a floor of being a Taylor Heineke. You know, yeah, that's yeah him. Yeah. Yeah. Not big guys not gonna necessarily wow you with the physical traits, but they're just gamers and you know, they're accurate, they anticipate, they do quarterback things right, you know, We're

so used to a lot of these college quarterbacks. It's projection in terms of reading the defense, in terms of making protection calls. With a guy like Jake Haner, you know he can do that. You can see what he's doing out there and the way he's processing. So no, yeah, I'm a big fan of hanter Um. You know, I don't I don't know that he did enough to get

in that top one hundred conversation. But if I'm in the fourth round and I'm looking for a quarterback to round out my quarterback room and someone just to add as a backup possibility, Hayner would be definitely a guy at target. I'm glad you brought him up because han out of Fresno State, one of the words that I had seen was moxie. I mean, he just has this moxie about him, this upside that might be limited, but

his toughness and his grit shine through that. And that's kind of what it looked like from the quarterbacks as a whole. In Mobile Max Duggan, you could throw him into that same conversation. Maybe not the most talented guy, but a guy that people will rally around. You saw that. Of course, they're in the playoff run with TCU and then Clayton Tune in there as well. But Dallas has had a history of drafting quarterbacks that have been at the Senior Bowl. Of course, Dak Prescott was a Senior

Bowl guy. They've they've been interested in guys that have been in Mobile. So, out of the six guys that you got to see actually played Dane, which one stood out to you the most that could be a potential fit for Dallas. Would it be a Jake Haner him? It might be one of these other five. I mean, I think that Hainter would certainly make sense. Clayton tune,

He's seen a lot of football, played a lot of football. Um, and I go back to that UTSA tape earlier this year where he put the team on his back in the late in that game into overtime. Um, I think that Clayton tune there. He's overcome a lot of adversity. Uh, you know, just the last three years. Uh, he had forty touchdowns this year. Nobody else in AAC history the American Conference has ever thrown forty or more touchdowns in a season. So, uh, you know, he's a productive guy.

There's there's a lot to like about him. Um, you know, I think Max Duggan, he's another guy were you really appreciate the competitive toughness. This is a guy that he's a son of a high school football coach. Uh. You know, there's a lot of things where you know, check the boxes from a mentality standpoint, from a competitive temperament standpoint. Um, it's just there's some things on the field he needs to needs to work on. The mechanics can get all

over the place. Uh. It just being a more consistent thrower of the football so he can be accurate from snap to snap. So uh, I think he maybe has a little bit more upside than say a hainer or a tune. But he has a lower floor too, So you know, it's it's it's one of those trade offs with a guy like Max Duggan. I'll give you one more name who wasn't at the Senior Bowl. He was actually at the shrine, Aidan O'Connell from Purdue. Okay. I liked him better than several of the quarterbacks that were

at the Senior Bowl. I was surprised he didn't get an invite. Just an accurate, quick release type of quarterback. Not the most mobile guy. And then that's that's a trade off with him. You're not getting a guy that's going to necessarily make guys miss in the pocket extend plays. So you wish he was a little bit quicker with his lower body. But this is a mature guy. He's married already, he's got his degree, he's ready for pro life. But just drop him in the locker room and I

think he'll be a backup from day one. Yeah, And you mentioned in regard to in regards to Bryce Young, you talked about his size and how that might be concerned. I think that's also too similarly with Heiner, is that he's a smaller guy. You know, you worry about how is he gonna performing, know with big linemen around in whatever the case may be, his escapability whatever. So I

just wanted to add on that. I feel like that might be a reason why his you know, maybe he's not picked super early as well, because it's his size and that being a big factor for the position, right, And you know, I think to your point, it's it's not just you know, can he see over the line or something, it's Kenny hold up durability wise, you know, it's Kenny because both these guys are a little more

on the slight side. Uh. So, you know, it's and we know in the NFL everything happens so much faster, and especially with Bryce Young. Look, this is a guy that he thrives by welcoming that chaos. He thrives moving in the pocket and you know, waiting an extra half second to let that route come open. But in the NFL, even even in comparison to the SEC, things happen quicker. And so is he going to take more hits? How much does he how many hits does he have in

that one hundred and ninety pound body. Uh. You know, it's the last twenty five years we have had three hundred and one quarterbacks drafted. Only two were below six foot and below two hundred pounds. We're talking about a complete out and neither of those guys who were top one hundred picks. So to draft a guy like Bryce Young with that size profile top three, which I'd be shocked if he fell out of the top three, it's

just something that we really haven't seen before. And that's why I think, you know, in the past, you know, with most quarterbacks and we try to figure out where they're headed in the draft. We look at the breadcrumbs, you know, we look at try to connect the dots. With a guy like Bryce Young, who is such a complete outlier, it's really tough to do that because you know, it's he's that much of an outlier that you know, a guy like Chris ballad general manager with the Colts.

He's a guy that really loves the traits, he loves size. But how do you how do you do that with the quarterback position, where yes, you wish you were bigger, but if he's really good at being a quarterback, you know, how do you how do you balance that? And it's it's just a really fascinating test case for a guy

that's undersized but a really really good quarterback. Yeah, what does that say about Bryce Young and what he's brought just based off of his talents in his skill set alone, that he's even in that conversation, that status remarkable Dane,

about how little those guys have gone in the past. Now, before we take our first break, I want to talk about what position outside of quarterback stood out to you the most in Mobile Which one kind of caught your eye and uh surprised you or maybe didn't surprise you based off of the position groups that you saw at the Senior Bowl. Um, I think wide receivers. Uh, you know that's the sexy position in mobile. You know that

that the guys that really have a chance to shine. UM. Jaden Reid was very good at a Michigan State Uh that that Michigan State offense just that it really struggled this year without Kenneth Walker, and so I don't think his senior tape really did him justice. But you go back to his junior tape and that's where you know, you see why a lot of scouts gave him that third round grade coming into this year, and I think

the Senior Bowl kind of reminded us of that. I'd be surprised if he's not a top one hundred pick. Michael Wilson out of Stanford. He has missed more games the last three years then he has played, and obviously a red flag and something that teams have to figure out. But for his size six two to fifteen, moves really well, catches the ball through traffic. There's a lot to like about Michael Wilson. It's just durability wise. You know, where do you what's the price tag? Where do you draft

a guy like that? So the wide receiver stood out. There are a few pass rushers that looked good on defense. I thought a couple of corners really stood out. Darius Rush from South Carolina. Maybe I would argue nobody made himself more money than Darius Rush, the South Carolina corner with the way he played at the senior boy he was running routes, four receivers, making plays on the ball. No other dB touched the football more than Darius Rush.

And he's really interesting background. He's a guy, you know, a big fish and a small pond type of guy, where he was always the best athlete growing up. So he's playing quarterback, he's playing all these positions. Goes to high school and he started as a quarterbacks as a freshman. That's how good he was and how small his high school was. But you know he's playing Receiver's recruited as a receiver, goes to South Carolina, will must jump moves

in the corner. So he's really only been playing corner for a couple of years. And you see him getting better and better and better. And we saw that in Mobile. He was also the fastest player at the Senior Bowl. According to the Zebra Technologies they're on field testing, he was over twenty one miles per hour. He was also one of the longer players among the defensive backs thirty two inch r thirty two and a half or thirty two and three quarter inch arms six two, so good

sized player. He can run. As sending tape, I worry about him as a tackler, but I know he has the size, the speed, and the coverage ability. And when you have that, that's gonna get you drafted somewhere on Day two. Probably Yeah. For me, I really am trying to focus more on an offensive line and understanding what

those guys are doing. And I felt like it was good to see some of these offensive linemen who I think it's an interesting class because I feel like a lot of these guys are not long in the tooth, but to college standards, maybe they are because you have more juniors to me and seniors that guys that stayed, and I feel like that's a that's valuable for the offensive line position just because those guys get more time. And so I was looking at John Michael Smith's really

he stood out to me. A Valia from TCU. I felt like his even if his hand tech isn't there, well, if his hand tech isn't there, his feet can do it. You know. I me personally, I really was trying to look at some of these offensive linemen and how they played. And I mean, Cody mock Like, some of these guys really stood out to me and made I think they

made a case for themselves in the Senior Bowl. But really it was the fact that I was just like, Okay, what I saw on tape was real, right, like, Okay, you actually do know how you actually do have a good anchor right like you do. Your hands are super explosive. I was just impressed with some of those guys that came out there and made something. It made something, you know, shake yesterday, well today for yesterday in the game. So for me, that's what I was really looking at. This

offensive line, defensive line, this in a Senior Bowl. I've got a couple of names. It sounds like it's a positive thing. That's a great point. Sorry, Dan, I didn't mean to cut you off there, but it sounds like it's a positive thing. Because wide receiver an offensive line, both of which shining and mobile, both of which the Cowboys could certainly take a look at Dan Yeah, no question. And I think, you know, to your point with with offensive linemen, it's you know, once you get to the NFL,

all offensive linemen are. You know, they're they're quick, they're strong, they're powerful. You know what separates offensive lineman in the NFL is really the technical skill. Absolutely, that's what you're looking for. And so I think a guy, you know, you mentioned all the guys you mentioned, Yeah, they're seniors, they're fifth year guys. A couple of six year guys in there. Hey, um, I could argue that maybe the best offensive player throughout the week was Osyrius Torrens from FLOD.

He's yeah, he was a guy that you know, he was really good at Louisiana Lafayette. He didn't need to transfer to the SEC. He would have been already in that top fifty conversation if he stayed put. He decides to go to the SEC and challenge himself. He follows his head coach Billy Napier to Florida, and SEC competition was really not a problem for him. And so I think he has cemented himself as a top forty prospect in this draft could very easily go in the first round.

Should be the top guard in this draft. I just it depends on if you think Peter Skerronsky from Northwestern's a tackle or a guard. But besides Scarronsky, I think he should be the first guard off the board. John Michael schmittz it was kind of like I mentioned with Jaden Reid, how you know you get to go back to his junior film to really appreciate Jane Reid. It's kind of similar with John Michael schmidts. I don't know that his senior His senior year tape was was good.

It was okay, but I thought his junior year tape was a lot better. And I think the senior board really reminded us of that is okay. This guy, you know, whether you want to no matter what you want to throw at him, if you want to use power, you want to use quickness, uh, you want to use your leverage,

he has an answer for it. And he's a guy that has played a lot of football um and so he looks like a plug and play center and someone that might not have a huge ceiling as a as a as a starter in the NFL, but you feel really good about his floor. You feel really about good about him coming in from day one and helping your offensive line. Jaylen Duncan is another gentleman that I felt like,

uh came out and showed some some good things. His instincts were pretty good at his feet, his hands from Maryland, by the way, Yes, from Maryland. By my mistakes, he does look like he needs a little bit of polish, but I feel like he still came out and showed power in his hand. I feel like his hand tech,

especially as improved since college. I don't know if he's been working with somebody or not, but I felt like his hands were a lot stronger in the senior bold than I've seen them on film when I was watching back at him. I like it overall. I think offensive line is certainly a strong point for a lot of the guys in this draft, and it's something that the Cowboys are gonna have to continue to take a look at as well. Like I mentioned a couple of moments ago,

but yeah, you mentioned John Michael Smith's Minnesota. Matthew bergeron from Syracuse. He had a good week as well. Oh, Cyrus Torrance out of Florida, and then Steve Abila out of TCU. Lots of offensive linemen talk here to open things up. But when we come back, we're gonna do some twitter on the twenty. How could the most recent Cowboys hires influence their draft strategy? We'll talk about that when we come back with more Draft show presented by

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Miller Time. Celebrate Responsibily twenty twenty one. Miller Brewing Company for Orts Texas is the Dallas Cowboys dot Com Draft Show. Back here on the Draft Show presented by Miller Light Episode three of the twenty twenty three draft process. Here with Ayisha Morrison. I'm Kyle Yeoman's and our special guest Staine Brugler from the Athletic on the line at the moment. It's time now for some Twitter on the twenty Twitter

Twitter Twitter on the Twitter. We have a tour coming by, and I was like poking up in the air and they just kind of like laughed at me the whole way because I was waiting on the sounder. But we got it. We're good. Let's get into it a little bit now. There have been forty five questions asked about be Jean Robinson at twenty six. It's been a topic of conversation amongst Cowboys Nation. I'm not going to answer one specific question, but because everybody asked about it. I

want to get Dane's thoughts on it. Bijean at twenty six? One, is it even possible? Does he fall that far? And two? Does it fit the Cowboys? And it does it fit the value of a pick at number twenty six? Does it fit the Cowboys? Absolutely? Yeah, I don't here's any question about that. Now, obviously we'll see what happens this offseason, you know, at running back for the team. Um, you

know they've with Zeke and Pollard. Obviously they have to make decisions there and figure out what's going to happen. But if if they enter the draft and you have a need at running back, you know, you can't do any better than be Jean Robinson. You know, he's he's so impressive with the way he can make you miss with both his power and his quickness. He has vision, he runs with tempo and forget the running back route tree. He can run a wide receiver route tree no problem.

Line him up in the slot and he'll run a post for you. And he's a very good pass catcher. So and there's just a lot to like about him as a complete back. Now and we're talking about you know, later in the first round. So we're not talking about a top ten pick here. You know, he's he at least should be part of the conversation. Now, I think that, all right, Well, first we'll do will he be there?

And I think there's a good chance he is. You know, when you do a mock draft and you go through the first twenty five picks, it's hard to find a really logical landing spot for him. You know, a team that really needs that running back that you know would conceivably take him in the first round. So I think there's a good chance he is still available after the first twenty five picks. Now is the value there? Should the Cowboys do that? That's that's where it is a debate.

And I don't know that there's necessarily an absolutely right or absolutely a wrong answer here. It's more about, you know, hypotheticals and what are your what's the best way to build a roster? I mean, you know, you look at the Cowboys. A lot of their first round success the last you know, ten years or so has been taking positions early that maybe aren't high valued whether and they've hit on those, you know, like Zeke has been a good player. Um, you know, especially on his rookie contract.

And you think about Zach Martin, you think about some of the other positions they've drafted first round, they've hit on those. But is it and this is philosophy, uh more more philosophy question when you when you look at the draft and what you want out of your first round pick, should you be going for that high floor You should be you know, going for more of a high ceiling prospect at a premium position, whether that's corner, pass rusher, offensive line, if you can find a stud

receiver in the late first round. So, you know, I think it's a philosophy that the NFL is constantly evolving. Front offices and the way they think are constantly evolving. Uh. You know, Will McClay does such a good job of kind of spearheading all of that, and you know, putting the Cowboys in position to you know, build the board and really target what they need. So where we are right now, this is what early February, I will be surprised if Bjean Robinson ends up with the Dallas Cowboys.

That would surprise me, but you don't rule it out. With the history of how this team drafts. I love it. Dane just go ahead and put it out there, because half they just had their hearts feelings. The other half of Cowboys Nation just just jumped up in elation. They were just ready to roll. As So are we asking which running backs would maybe fit with the Cowboys? Possible we are doing moving forward, maybe in the later rounds,

Probably not at twenty six. Oh y, yeah, Well, I mean if we're looking at the deep running back class, right is yeah, this is a deep running back class, right. I mean, I'm sure you guys have looked at these guys and you probably agree. It's just you know, you don't have to get that guy in the first round. Last year, we only have like like three running backs drafted the first like ninety picks or something. Yeah, this

year it won't be like that. We're gonna have you know, one, maybe two in the first round, two, three in the second round, four or five, six in the third round, and then there'll be good players. If I can get Eric Gray from Oklahoma in the late third, early fourth round, I'm I'm feeling like I just stole him. So you know, it's it's a position that you don't I feel really comfortable waiting on. With this draft class, that we have

this year. Yeah, there's a couple big twelve running backs that aren't named b Jean Robinson that you should keep your eye on, both Oklahoma and then another Texas guy who of course was at the Senior Bowl in Rashaan Johnson who had a hand injury. But my goodness, he's he's a downhill runner as well. All right, second question, who was the most pro ready wide receiver that you've seen so far in this year's draft. I'll start with Dane,

but I want Aisha's answer on this one too. I would probably go at Jackson Smith and Jigbo Ohio even without the production this year because of the injury. Yeah, wow, Yeah, it doesn't bother me at all. I mean this guy, I mean c J. Stroud over the summer said that Smith and Jigbo was the best route runner he's ever played with. And let's remember he played last year. His wide receivers were with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, two guys that just went over a thousand yards receiving in the NFL.

And the third guy and he also plays with Marvin Harrison and Bucca is a really good receiver. I mean, Ohio State has just been pumping out those receivers. But CJ. Stroud definitively said Jackson Smith and Jigbo is the best route runner he's ever played with. And look, Smith and Jigba was not gonna run great. You know, he's gonna be a mid four or fives guy. That's not his game. His game is route running out of the slot and being a reliable pass catcher, and it's really good ball skills.

I do wonder if he's a fit for this this team because to me, Smith and Jigbo, if you're not playing him in the slot, I think you're misusing him. Ceedee Lamb, I think does a lot of great things from the slot. You know, do they want to keep Ceedee Lamb working from as an inside receiver or are they, you know, willing to move him outside. If they're willing to keep him on the outside, then I think Smith

and Jigba becomes more of an option. But if you want Ceedee Lamb working a lot from the slot, then I don't know that Smith and jig was necessarily a fit. So I don't get mad at don't get mad at me, but I think this is this guy's a lot of people's favorites. But Tank Dell was very impressive to me. He was impressive to me because I feel like the gentleman just has a feel for the game as a receiver.

And when I say that is I mean like if I think he understands like a corner sitting on his hips, so let me, you know, flip my hips here or let me go up field, let me turn up field from he just looks so natural to me, as opposed to a lot of receivers that we saw out there that just understood leverage, understood how to go pass people,

knows how to accelerate, when to accelerate. The hand fighting was there, but the route running sometimes it seems like he's freestyling, and just for him to be freestyling and getting open in that way, I'm like this guy with some polish and maybe a little bit more refining could be dominant. To me, he was one of the only gentlemen that looked like he had star power every time he touched the ball, and so I feel like, with some coaching, this guy could really get it done. A

Tank Dell from Houstons and Nathaniel get Nathaniel. Nathaniel, let me say Nathaniel Tank Dell. His tape is phenomenal. I mean, his tape is fun to watch because he's a playmaker. But Dane, I was actually going to ask you about him a little bit later in the show, but I'll insert another player into bat tell me more about than Fanuel Dell and what his overall scouting report looks like, because I used just not alone. He impressed a lot of people in Mobile, Oh, no doubt. I mean he

was the most sudden wide receiver at this year's Senior Bowl. Um. The way he can settle uncover in the blink of an eye is really impressive. He can really scoot and he can win over the top. He can get open when he wants. And obviously the big thing you worry about is he's small. He's a letter and sixty three pounds. Um. You know, we we've seen you know, I remember it wasn't at two two years ago the kid in North Texas, Jale Darden who uh you know a lot of people

liked I liked him, Dan round of the Bucks. Yeah. Well, and you know the size size really worried me. And that's you know two two out. Well with the rams they took him in I think the second round he has not panned out, So it's I think it's fair to question the size and how that's going to translate. But I do agree on hundred percent with some of his instincts as a receiver. The way he could the

way you could snap off routes really really impressive. So if you're comfortable with the size, I think that you know you're going to look at Tank Dell as a as a possibility on day two. How much bigger is he than CD when he came out, Oh, CD's got four inches on as far as like, but are you worried about the hider the way more than Probably a little bit of both right then? Well, because he climbed the ladder quite a few times also too, I mean, he doesn't seem like he struggles with high point in

the ball or his hands or anything. So I just wonder, I mean, if he if he puts on a little bit more size, I guess if he's going to be the same guy. But I just was impressed with just the natural I'm a receiver. You look at that guy, you just immediately say like, that's a receiver, and that's a guy that can get open on his own, and I think he would be QUB friendly in a way

as well. I also think that's the thing. If you're gonna be undersized, you know, if you're gonna be my size and play wide receive in the NFL, you better be pretty good. That would be good. You know, he and he and he is that. No, to your point, he is. He is very good. He's a very good athlete. He catches the ball pretty cleanly for a smaller guy. Um. You do question, though, what is the growth potential? You know, Kenny get to one seventy I'm not I don't know.

I don't know that he can, but I'm not gonna say you can't. So you have to. I think you part of drafting him as early as that you have to be a little convinced that he can get a little bit bigger. Um. And that's something that I think scouts will be a little bit split on. Okay, you're a little bit bigger than five eight one sixty three, right, Like you're a little taller than that, Dane. What's your scouting report looking like? If you were measured at the

Senior Bowl, what would it come out to be? Uh? Probably yeah, maybe five nine five nine and a half. I'll give you the half. I don't want to know what my forty. I don't want to You mentioned we

talked about Michael Wilson from Stanford. Yeah, we talked about him, and granted I understand it's he has me torn a bit because as a route runner, I know that we talked about oh, Jackson Smith and Jake Yes Jackson, Yes, we talked about him, but man, uh, Michael Wilson's route running was to me was so impressive, just how fluid he seemed and and I don't know if that came with the fact that maybe when he had the time off when he was injured, he was just like, hey,

let me just you know, act like I'm running routes. But the guy just seems like he understands how to get guys get, you know, to beat press coverage. And I think that's a huge part of what the NFL is doing now and going back into playing a lot more pressed. So I'm excited to see Granted, I understand you mentioned his injuries, but if you are going to take a chance on him, you are getting a more refined route runner um to Stall. Then I think a lot of wide receivers are to start. So I was

impressed on him as well. And for you know, the character, the intelligence, He's exactly what you would expect from a guy at Stanford. Like he is a very very intelligent guy. And I think that that plays into what you're saying. He understands, uh, some of some of the details of the position that other people might overlook. He understands leverage, he understands depth. Um, so yeah, to your point, very good route runner and you know they're just he can

catch the ball through contact. He's a good He's a bigger athlete. He has the size too, but he moves like a smaller at exactly. And that's what that's what's interesting to me is that his feet for him to be so so tall and like lean, his feet match and that's that's what's It's not something you see like that when you see a guy that big and physical, and so I feel like he's going to be a mismatch issue issue at points in time if he is

going to be someone that is drafted here. He's got that inside outside versatility too to be able to play tough on the inside and then move back outside. With his size, he's an interesting mid round prospect. You can keep him healthy. You're trying to step in, Yeah, trying to staff is good. He Another reason he's kind of the ideal mid round target is because he can also

give you value on special teams. So when you're looking for that number four receiver on the depth chart, uh, you know, he just checks all those boxes, um, and so for the right value. You know, I don't know what's that third round, fourth round, wherever he ends up going. Um, you just hope that. And this is where scouts, uh, you know, you're on pins and needles going into the combine because you're hoping that you know, the guys that

you like that you gave good grades to. You're hoping the team doctor comes out and gives you the thumbs up that hey, yeah he's okay for us. Uh. You know, some teams will use number systems one, two, three, four, Uh, you know what what number is he? Is he a guy that's going to be a box player, Like we're not going to draft him, or you know, or is he good enough we can work with those injuries or

there's no long term worries. So a lot of scouts would be on pins and needles waiting for those medical results. And how about Stanford putting a prototypical wide out in Michael Wilson to the Senior Bowl, but also putting in Elijah Higgins, who is a little Debbi cake away from being a tight end. I mean six foot to two hundred and thirty pounds, I mean two twenty eight is what he weighed in in mobile. He's either a big slot or he might actually end up being a tight

end at some point. He's got to fix up his route running a little bit, but he was kind of intriguing to me, kind of flashes as a matchup piece down the line. Now, next question, and it does have to deal with wide receivers, but I kind of want to open it up just as a general conversation. Our friend co Fax goes on here and he says, Will McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer taking over the offense changed the type of wide receivers that the team draps, and how

would it change things. I don't want to just pigeonhole this this topic to wide receivers because it could change multiple things. Does it change anything immediately day off? Based off of what you've seen for Brian Schottenheimer in the past. The new offensive coordinator brought in, he's not going to be calling plays, It'll be McCarthy. But how much does it waiver the way that the Cowboys have thought in

the draft process. Yeah, And I think some of those questions are going to be a little unanswered because, like I said, when you you know, you're a long time offensive coach, you've had a little bit of time off or you know, a little time not calling plays, how does your philosophy change with how you want to attack the game. And I think really a lot of the ANSWER's stem around Cede Lamb. You know, I mentioned earlier how he does a lot of great work from the slot.

So Ceedee Lamb's the you know right now, he's the best weapon you have on offense. So you're gonna build your offense around putting Ceedee Lamb in advantageous positions. So where's that going to be? Is it going to be fifty fifty inside outside, is it going to be more eighty percent inside? Where do you want Ceedee Lamb to be? And I think the answer to those questions will dictate what you do around him. So I think that's what you start with Ceedee Lamb. You know, are you going

to be a twelve personnel team on offense? You know what, how are you going to use the tight ends? I think a lot of these questions. You know, we can look at what you know coach did in Green Bay all those years. We can look with Schattenheimer did all those years as an offensive coordinator in the past. But again, I think philosophies change, and you know, the offense offensive football in the NFL is so evolved so much that I think a lot of these questions are going to

be a little bit unanswered as we go into this offseason. Now, that's a good point. And you mentioned the tight ends. It's crazy because I went into this draft thinking like I don't see the Cowboys looking at tight end just because not right away, just because you know, you got Jake Ferguson. You also too, you got Peyton hender shot that you got as an undrafted free agent last year. I don't know what's happening with Dullan Shels. When I was just thinking of I was like, well, maybe it

could go tight end. Maybe with what you're saying in the way that I mean, Obviously, philosophies do change and stuff, but tight ends for either one of those gentlemen have been important just for the running game and all the things that they do. There, did any of the tight ends stick out to you, um, Dane in this in this in the Senior Bowl, because I had a guy that I thought stood out just because of his blocking ability. Who's your guy? Oh well, let me go find my

notes on Oh Taiter Todds, don't rush. It's okay. We could let Dan answer first. Yes, yeah, for me, I paint that there is there is my note through here.

I want to hear what you what we thought about him? Now? Yeah, So I feel like he showed obviously he showed his the blocking ability is there, but just the fluid, the fluidity out of the blocks is I think it's important moving forward because we're seeing a lot more tight ends that are, you know, showing like, hey, I'm blocking here, but I could slip out here and I'm a receiver now, and I think that has value. Also, I don't know if he has a whole bunch of yackability, but he

has the size to break tackles if necessary. He made some pretty dope high point catches also too in the game, and I just this those are the things that stood out last year with Jake Ferguson. I think that's how he got drafted because to that point, I thought Jake Ferguson was good, but his Senior bowls will really made people be like, hey, listen, this guy maybe has some receiver qualities as well, and so paying Durham kind of sprinkling that onto the his ability to block the way

that he does. I definitely feel like he's gonna be someone that people are looking at, just because run blocking from the tight end position is starting to feel like something that I know this team finds important they emphasize this year because you had two rookies coming here that I thought one of them could block pretty well, but then you saw the other one come through and he was like, oh, okay, so we're teaching blocking here. So

I don't know. Moving forward, I want to keep an eye on him because I feel like his blocking ability is what's going to really take him over the top. In my opinion, YEP, I agree with a lot of what you said. His ability to snatch snatch of football outside of his frame, it was really on display during Senior Bowl practices. Um. I thought he didn't outstay any job in that area. And this is a guy that he was a four year lacrosse player in high school.

He only played football a senior year. So, you know, a guy that is a tough, physical athlete. He has translated that to the football field. I thought he did an excellent job blocking. Um, you know, I don't know what his upside is in terms of, you know, Canny be a big play threat. I don't know that he's necessarily that. But I feel like I can trust him.

I feel like he's getting better and better, and I can feel I can feel comfortable with him as my my number two tight end and then maybe a guy that can ascend even more after a couple of years in the program. But you know, he reminded me a little bit of Jesse James, Uh, you know who. He was pretty good out of Penn State. Had had a pretty good career with the Steelers, Uh, you know for six seven years. Um, that's what we reminded me of. But I think, you know, and especially we're talking about

a fourth or fifth round guy. I think, I don't know, maybe he gets in the top one hundred if a team really likes him, But I think we're talking more early day three for Paying Durham and so for that price tag, Yeah, I'm all over him. This is a it's a really deep tight end group. I mean, I've I've never seen so many tight ends worthy of top thirty, top fifty consideration then this year and so first round, second round, even into the third round with a guy

like Sam Laporta from Iowa. You know, I think it's a really deep tight end class this year. But it's also one you could feel like, you know, you're not gonna feel pressured to take one early. If you're a team like the Cowboys, you feel like you can wait to the third or fourth round and still feel pretty good about the guy you're getting. It kind of goes back to what you were talking about. You initially it doesn't look like a need, but at some point it

might be a need. And if a guy like Paying Durham works his way into the fifth round, sixth round, all of a sudden he's on the table for you, why not use one of those comp pics to shure up your tight end room. Actually, if you're gonna move on from Dalton Schultz, that's the biggest factor with it. And you mentioned like we you know, Dane, you mentioned sorry, you're gonna go no, no, as you say, just to add on to that thought, like this is, when's the

last time this team drafted a tight end? Uh, you know, in in the first round. You know it does time decades, decades, you know, but even like like the top one hundred picks, you have to go. I think it's maybe Gavin Escobar the last time they think at a tight end and the top one hundred. So you know, this is a team that historically tells us they are okay, waiting until the fourth round to get a guy. We need to take our second break. When we come back, let's do

some tell me more. I'm gonna bring up some players. We're gonna throw them at Dane. We're gonna throw them at a show. We're gonna get their their scouting report, get their thoughts with a little bit of tell me more. When we come back with more Draft Show presented by Miller Lite. I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboy. Blockchain dot com is one of the most trusted ways

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and os with me Everson Walls. With Star Sports Tours, you can visit Cowboys Travel dot com to book your travel package. Today is the Dallas Cowboys dot Com Draft Shop. Back here on the Draft Show. We love having Dame Brugler as a part of the show. Even in the middle of the break, Aisha and Dane chopping it up. We're having some fun here on a Wednesday. Brian and

Bobby will be back with us tomorrow. They are out in Glendale, Arizona as a part of the one oh five three, the fan coverage of the Super Bowl, but they will be back on the Draft Show. Dame Brugler, Aisha Morrison, I'm Kyle Yeoman's We've got Chris Meme and the back wrapping things up with a little bit of tell me more. So I had I had four names written down to tell me more of two of them we've already hit, and that was Tank Dell out of the out of Houston wide receiver and then Clayton Tune,

quarterback from Houston. I want to start with running back from Tulane. And this is somebody who caught my eye during the Cotton Bowl because I went to the game just as a fan, just kind of watching. Taj Spears is a dude. Because as soon as I saw him in the Cotton Bowl up against USC, I went back watched his tape. I was really impressed with us his explosiveness. Not a big guy, he's actually pretty slender for the position,

but overall five foot nine two oh five. But man, this guy's fun to watch and he showed it again in Mobile Dane. Love him. I mean, he's so much fun to watch. Um he's uh, he has that elusiveness so he can create his own yardage. Um, he's very slippery, very dynamic. Uh. The start stop cutting skills are really impressive. But he also brings patience. Um, you know he's got that uh, that that patience behind his blockers and then boom, he's gone dart that darting acceleration as soon as he

finds that crease. Um not a powerful guy to like, you know what you're saying with with the lack of size, But he's not soft either. You know, he's not a guy that's gonna go down necessarily with arm tackles. Um. You know he will keep his legs moving. Uh. You know. So I think that explosive read playing burst, I want that on my team. I want that in my offense. Reminds me a lot of James Cook out of Georgia last year, who the Bills took in the second round.

I think you're talking similar running style, similar athletes. I think he shows potential for three down duties. You know, he wasn't a high volume pass catcher at Tulane, but he catches the ball pretty cleanly, you know, when he is targeted, caught the ball well down to mobile. So I'm you know, it doesn't have the desired run strength or the build, but somewhere on day two I'd feel very comfortable drafting him and having him be a key

piece of my running back rotation. The biggest obstacle for Spears is going to be the medicals past knee issues with him. So he's one of those guys where I'd be crossing my fingers waiting to hear back from the doctors about long term what it looks like. Is he a guy that you know we'd be okay drafting and so, you know, hoping for good news for him on that front. Yeah, you mentioned his health issues, and that's actually one of

the things that I took down. It was that's why in the in the Senior Bowl, I was looking at how he held up in pass pro and he actually, to me, showed such a willingness and pass pro that I wasn't saw sure I saw from him consistently during the season. Maybe you know, when I watched philm on him, maybe that was because of the injury. So I was like, okay, does he trust his body here, because obviously that's going

to be a part of the game. But one thing that I liked from him in a game where a lot of two highs played, Now, hey, the dude is a really good underneath the option that can make something out of nothing. He's such a good security blanket, and I like how he separates and you mentioned him being a receiver. I think that's having receiving qualities. That's kind of what I've been looking at in every running back I've looked at, because in this NFL right now, it

feels like you're running back. Yeah you want the power guy, but it feels like the guys that are a little bit more slippery and have some receiving qualities are the guys that are, I don't know, getting get They get my attention at this point for what you're trying to do offensively. So his receiving qualities are what really stood

out to me. I know he can run the rock, but he has soft hands for a wide receiver, and he's decisive, like you said in regards to him hid in the hole and being like, yeah, I want to go right here, so I'm gonna go. And that's that's something that I feel like is going to be important for the home run ability in him moving forward, something that Tony Poller possesses as well. Yeah, I'm excited to see how he ends up testing. I want to see how he blows the interviews out of the water, because

apparently he's just a fun guy to talk to. So I'm interested to see how he rises, because I don't think Dane said a moment ago with the second round James Cook, I don't think his stock is set in stone right now. It's a middle round stock. But he's probably gonna rise as we go along. Same thing with this guy that I'm bringing up. And this is somebody that you had your eye on, Northwestern ed Rusher, Addie Tommy wa Addie Bari. I did it as much as I could. I didn't name as close as I could,

Tommy wa Atabari. I wrote it. I wrote down the pronuncia. I've got it too, and I I would not butcher it. But yeah, he looked right. They look crazy and I like it like he sees Yeah. I mean he's vicious in a in a sense. And me, you know, we were just talking about it before the break. Just how if you look at him on paper, you look at his size and stuff, You're like, Okay, is this a is this what he's supposed to be doing? But then you watch him in the Senior Bowl and he's just

like he's ripping through guys. He has so much. He can have speed to power, which is weird, he's twitchy. I was asking Dane like, what is he missing? What is he missing? If you weren't gonna, you know, draft him, why would it be And it would just be because of you know, with Danson it's just he's not the typical build, I guess for that position at this point, who cares? Can the guy play? Like? Guy? Is he disruptive and he's gonna get on people's nerves. I think

he's gonna get on people's nerves. Bitten's gonna people's get on people's nerves. Um, I see what it is well Bitten from Wisconsin, Wisconsin, my bad. Yeah, yes, I feel like those guys are just disruptors in the past. Rush ability um is something that I feel like a lot of people are looking at DT these days. So yeah, I like I like Homie. I like the crazy what you think Dane well, and that's what what you really like about him, even though he doesn't have maybe the

ideal height and weight. You know, he's six one and a half two hundred and eighty five pounds, but he has disapportionate arm length and hands. I mean he has thirty four inch arms, almost eleven inch hands, so and he he uses that when you say that's a lot with shorter defensive lineman, but he really does use that natural leverage to his advantage to get underneath blockers. We saw it consistently in the one on ones down at the Senior Bowl. Uh to use that natural power get

underneath blockers drive him backwards. Um, he's shot out of a cannon at the snap. You love that initial quickness, that upfield quickness that he brings to really threatened gaps is impressive. He's very very active with his hands, so even when he does get locked up, he doesn't stay locked up for long. He is so active that he is always trying to get off of those blocks. Twitchy athlete.

So yeah, there's just again, Yeah, like we said, one of those guys that maybe on paper doesn't necessarily grab you, but you turn on the tape and it's like, okay, tape after tape after tape, you take all your notes, you look down, You've got way more strengths than than than negatives, and it's like, Okay, why shouldn't I like

this guy? And so I'm actually I'm working on my top one hundred that'll be out on the Athletic next week, and it's like, I don't know how I keep this guy out of my top one hundred with what I saw with my own eyes down there at the Senior Bowl, with you know, watching the Ohio State tape and seeing him against that Ohio State offensive line, watching him over his career, it's like, man, I would you know, sure, I'd love to get him in the fourth round, but

I don't know if he's gonna last me that long, So it's gonna be hard to keep him out of my top one hundred. Remember the name Addie Tommy Addie Barre. I tried it again just for my own practice, just to try and put it out there. We're gonna get it by Tommy too, So yeah, you can go by

Tommy if oh Tommy Patty bar that's even better. Very nice, all right, last guy, And this is a wide receiver that I know Cowboys fans have been asking about a couple different times, but we haven't talked about him yet, kay sewn Booty Is that how you say his name? Bo Boat from LSU? I looked at his pronunciation. It's still it's not a great pronunciation, but I think it's Booty LSU wide receiver came out potentially in your top one hundred Dane what is where does he kind of

rank and what does he bring to the table. He was one of the bigger wild cards in this draft, um because I think you just don't know. Okay, like three four years from now, he could be going to a second Pro Bowl, he could be on a third team. Neither of those outcomes would surprise me. Honestly, he is that much of a wild card. When you watch the good it's really good. You know, you throw on the Georgia tap, the SEC Championship game, you like what you

see from him. But too many other times he disappears and he's just not a big part of the offense, and so you know, you just really question just what type of impact is he is he bringing to your offense. Because of that, I think that that good chance that knocks him out of the first two rounds and then it's just about, you know, each team and where they would feel comfortable rolling the dice on a guy like this, third round, fourth round, wherever that is, but a couple

of other things working against them. A lot of teams that I've talked to see him as a slot only guy. You know, a little more drops than you want to see from him. But he's a really good athlete. I think what he does best is after the catch. It's kind of like Jamar Chase coming out of LSU. He was so good after the catch because it's not just speed with him, it's body power and the ability to break tackles and create Boote has that as well, so he can take a simple screen and break a few

tackles and turn it into a forty yard gain. So the agility, the acceleration, the body type, all are things that you really like about him. It's just you want to see him be more consistent catching the football. You want to see him be better in contested situations. Um, it's just you know, it's it's gonna be a lot of a lot of question marks that teams have that they're hopefully going to get answered at the combine. Like I said, he's just a wild card going into the process.

That's what I got written down said I said, don't like how he played through contact. Like That's what I said, is um, And that's I mean, I guess that's something that's similar kind of what you were saying, is like the inconsistency is there's like there's times I was watching him and I was like, Okay, I see him, Okay,

where is here? I haven't seen him for like ten minutes, you know, so um And I don't know if that's play design, if that's how that is, but I just want him to be more, to insert himself more, you know, just to be more present you know through if through through plays, if that's the way to worth that. So that's what I had written down for him. Yeah, I don't have a whole bunch from him yet. And there's

some off the field concerns. I think there's a couple of things there that can maybe come into play at some point. Overall, it's not even just that it's it's on the field. There are question marks. He was in twenty twenty, there was arguments that he would be one of the go to receivers in college football, and he's had two years since then to try and live up

to that billing, and he never really did. He was a solid receiver, had production, but never really found a stride enough to really raise his draft stocking up to where people could be excited about taking him in the top fifty, which is where his talent and his ceiling could potentially land him, but that's going to do it for us here on the Draft show, Dane, thanks so much for taking some time with us. This was a blast as always, and I'm sure we'll see a little

bit more down the line. We'll see in Indianapolis coming up in a couple of weeks. Right, absolutely, no, this is absolutely my pleasure. I appreciate you guys having me on. Hopefully we can do it again. There you go check him out on the athletic he's got the top one hundred coming out the Beast is it's a countdown to the Beast? Are you stressing about it yet? Are you starting to sweat a little bit about that? When you kicked off the show saying how many DIAC until the Draft?

I got stressed out a little bit myself, I know, right right, maybe I should take that out that that was a stressor Yeah, you know, yeah, it's a team. It'll be here before we know it. So it's gets creeping up on us, no doubt about it. Well, we're gonna have some fun here over the next seventy one day or seventy eight days now, so now we can

check this one off the bar on the Mark. We'll be back tomorrow with Brian, Bobby Iesha myself will be here for another hour as we break down some more NFL Draft prospects and what maybe Brian and Bobby thought about the Senior Bowl as they're out at the Super Bowl. But for us today, for Chris Beam, Aisha More, our special guest Dame Brugler, I'm Kyle Yeoman saying so long. We'll see tomorrow with more of the Draft Show. Presented

by Miller Lite. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.