WEBVTT - Dolphins Draft Talk with Dan Brugler of The Athletic 0:00:03.160 --> 0:00:15.720 Fail cutsdown Miami Run. What is up, Dolph Fans, and 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:19.239 welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the Miami 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:23.880 Dolphins official podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. 0:00:24.079 --> 0:00:27.240 How's it going everybody? It is Friday before Super Bowl. 0:00:27.560 --> 0:00:30.479 I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and I'm here to 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:34.240 bring you your daily dose of Miami Dolphins football. And 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:36.760 on today's show, We've got a great one for you, guys. 0:00:36.800 --> 0:00:39.720 We're talking all things from the Senior Bowl and draft 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:43.320 with the athletics Dane Brugler as well as Miami Dolphins Draft. 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:46.199 We'll get into the Dolphins presence in mobile coaching, the 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:49.320 practices in the game, Danes first mock of the year 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.520 fits for the Dolphins, breaking down this year's receiver's class 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:55.880 in comparison to last year's wide receiver class, and we'll 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:59.760 hear Dane's rookie, your evaluation on the Dolphins draft class. 0:01:00.080 --> 0:01:03.160 All of that and more on this loaded Friday, February 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:10.279 the five edition of the Drivetime Podcast. So the Super 0:01:10.280 --> 0:01:12.800 Bowls coming up on deck. It'll be the Chiefs and 0:01:12.880 --> 0:01:15.560 the Bucks Sunday from Tampa Bay. Can't wait to watch 0:01:15.600 --> 0:01:19.119 that game, the final football game of the season always 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:21.399 a better sweet moment, but that also means we get 0:01:21.400 --> 0:01:24.839 to turn ahead to the see time of season where 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:27.600 people that like to play the fake GM role like myself, 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:30.680 really enjoy the off season, free agency coming up, the 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:33.840 Combine before that, and then ultimately the Draft at the 0:01:33.959 --> 0:01:36.080 end of April. And that's kind of our focus on 0:01:36.120 --> 0:01:38.920 this edition of Drive Time. The Dolphins were in Mobile 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.559 to coach the Senior Bowl last week. We got Dane 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:44.000 Brugler from The Athletic here talk to us about that, 0:01:44.200 --> 0:01:47.400 about this year's draft class, about last year's Dolphins draft class. 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:49.640 Plenty of good stuff here on this edition of Drive 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.440 Time that's not waste any more of your time, and 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:56.440 get to Dane Bruegler from The Athletic and writing Shotgun 0:01:56.520 --> 0:02:00.480 Now on the Drivetime podcast is the Athletics NFL draft analyst. 0:02:00.600 --> 0:02:03.120 He's the co host of the Prospect to Pros podcast. 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:07.160 Dave Brugler, Dane, Welcome in man, Hey, Dravits, appreciate having 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:08.720 me on. Yeah, we're excited to have you in here 0:02:08.760 --> 0:02:10.720 because we tried to get you on during Senior Bowl week, 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:12.840 but we understand that's a very busy time on the 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:15.960 calendar for draft folks, and you did just finish up 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:18.959 the Senior Bowl. Week up next would be the Scouting Combine. 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:21.600 But I have to imagine as that changes in the NFL, 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:25.040 it changes for you a little bit too. Yeah, oh yeah, 0:02:25.080 --> 0:02:28.400 it's it's going to be a very different draft process. 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:30.120 And you know that's one of the reasons why the 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:32.520 Senior Bowl is so important. Um, you know, we don't 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:35.520 have a combine this year. We don't know what the 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.520 pro day circuit is going to look like exactly. Um, 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:40.600 you know, we we don't know, you know, we we 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:43.080 know there's gonna be plenty of virtual interviews and things 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:46.080 like that, but it's it's it's tough when you go 0:02:46.160 --> 0:02:49.600 back to the fall Scouts. Area scouts usually are on 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:52.440 the road visiting campuses during the week, going to practice 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:55.959 and you know, really laying the groundwork for the prospects 0:02:55.960 --> 0:02:58.000 in this class. But they weren't able to do that 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:00.760 last fall. It's a lot of virtual things and you know, 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:04.560 leaning on relationships at different college programs to find out 0:03:04.560 --> 0:03:07.240 all that information fill in the gaps. So it is 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:10.120 a very very different year. But that's why the Senior 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:13.120 Bowl was so important because teams actually got some face 0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:15.720 time with these players, none more than the Dolphins and 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:18.120 Panthers who were able to coach those teams. So a 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:21.520 really awesome opportunity for those two organizations. Yeah, I'm glad 0:03:21.520 --> 0:03:23.480 you mentioned. Let's go ahead and peel the onion back 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:25.520 on that just a little bit more here, because you know, 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:27.640 we talked a little bit off air about some draft 0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:30.200 analysts around around the country. We talked about you doing 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.680 your podcast with landser Line, who I've referenced on Miami 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.400 Dolphins dot com on the podcast here several times on 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:39.800 Drive Time. So you're in good company, Dane. But all all, 0:03:39.960 --> 0:03:42.400 you know, I listened to Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:44.800 and they talk a lot about the process of you know, 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:47.280 when you go scout a game live in the fall, 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:49.400 you kind of watch the way a guy interacts with 0:03:49.400 --> 0:03:51.280 his teammates, the way he is on the sideline, maybe 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:54.120 the way he has those conversations with coaches when they 0:03:54.120 --> 0:03:55.920 come over to coach him up or whatever it might be. 0:03:56.080 --> 0:03:57.720 Did you get a sense of that and mobile with 0:03:57.760 --> 0:04:00.800 the Dolphins coaching staff and and how valuable is that 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:02.440 that one on one time with his kids on the 0:04:02.480 --> 0:04:06.320 practice field. Oh, it's everything, because you know, even if 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:08.720 you're not going to draft the player, you know, who knows, 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:11.760 maybe in in four years you'll be looking at him 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:15.040 as a possible free agent addition, Um, you know, there's 0:04:15.080 --> 0:04:17.320 just so many connections. You know, he might be facing 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:19.520 these guys in week two, and you know you need 0:04:19.560 --> 0:04:22.360 a game plan for him. Um. And you know that 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:25.120 you could use it as as simple as you know, 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:27.440 eliminating guys. You know it just okay, it wouldn't be 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:30.039 a culture fit, wouldn't be a scheme fit. Um. But 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:33.679 what being at these events live is a big deal, 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:36.440 uh for evaluators. And you know, I've been going to 0:04:36.480 --> 0:04:39.320 the Senior Bowl for ten years now and it's you know, 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:42.640 I learned early on from my scouting mentors that you 0:04:42.680 --> 0:04:44.840 know what, you can learn a lot by just being 0:04:44.839 --> 0:04:48.080 observant and just keeping your eyes open and watching to 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:50.400 see how guys interact. And you know a great example 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.680 of that was Dalen Hayes Notre Dame pass rusher who 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:56.960 was on the national squad UH coached by the Dolphins, 0:04:56.960 --> 0:04:59.840 and every time he would come off the field from 0:04:59.839 --> 0:05:02.840 a rep from off the practice field, he would go 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:05.920 directly over to one of the assistant coaches and start 0:05:06.160 --> 0:05:08.719 breaking down technique and talking about what he's trying to 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.520 do there and what he needs and that this is 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:13.400 a guy that understands the value of the Senior Bowl 0:05:13.800 --> 0:05:16.920 and you know, getting that NFL coaching. So it's it's 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:19.640 a great, great opportunity for those players that were able 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:22.120 to go to Mobile. There's about a hundred and forty 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:25.200 of them that participated, and then just a great, great 0:05:25.200 --> 0:05:27.839 opportunity for the Dolphins to uh, you know, get a 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.440 better sense of who these guys are and they probably 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:32.120 have a little bit of a head start as we 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:34.479 really dive into draft season, and that would likely be 0:05:34.600 --> 0:05:38.520 Dolphins outside linebackers coach Austin Clark, who really did wonders 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:40.640 this year with some players like Andrew Van Giggle bringing 0:05:40.640 --> 0:05:43.480 their pass rush game along in his second year this season, 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:45.280 plenty of good teaching going on in the field. We 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:48.239 saw the all the ESPN You and NFL Network clips 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:51.400 with Joe Alexander, Anthony Camp and Nellie Lemuel John Pierre. 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:53.360 It was fun, you know, as someone that knows these 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:55.600 coaches and talks these coaches to to see them on 0:05:55.640 --> 0:05:58.520 the field in their natural habitat as it were, and 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:00.800 it made me wonder Dame, because you're out through every day. 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:04.479 You know, we watched Dolphins practice down and Davey, we 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:08.320 see Danny Crossman, Dolphins special teams coordinator, getting after one 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:09.960 of the best Dolphins are one of the best special 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:11.880 teams units in the NFL. Did you get a chance 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:15.440 to hear him yelling on the field out there at all? Oh? Yeah, 0:06:15.440 --> 0:06:17.840 you can't. You can't miss it. I mean if you uh, 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:20.040 if you're out there, if you're at the stadium, you're 0:06:20.080 --> 0:06:22.120 going to hear it, so you know. And then there 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:25.839 was I thought the Dolphins and nothing against you know, 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:28.000 coach Rule and the Panthers, but I thought the Dolphins 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:31.400 ran their practices much smoother. Um, you know, they just 0:06:31.680 --> 0:06:35.279 just from evaluation standpoint, it was everything was very quick 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:39.000 and clean, and uh really really enjoyed Coach Flores and 0:06:39.040 --> 0:06:41.040 his staff and the way they did things. So uh 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:45.200 now it was a a great first practice uh each 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:48.960 day and it really really helped evaluators. Three these guys out. 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:51.240 You're a natural podcast for day because you just led 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:53.440 me into my next question talking about what those practices 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.280 look like. And you know, because Flow always talks about 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:58.560 taking the lessons you get from the classroom, putting him 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:00.760 into the individual drills, and then carry it over to 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:03.360 the team periods of practice. And his biggest thing has 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:05.920 always been an improvement. And he talked about being better 0:07:05.920 --> 0:07:08.760 than you were in September by the time December rolls around, 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:10.440 I was curious to get your take on how the 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:13.080 national team progressed throughout the course of the week from 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.360 Tuesday to Thursday. They say it's all about improvement in 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:17.560 this week of Senior Bowl practices. Did you see that 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:21.320 from the Dolphin side? Yeah, that that's that's exactly it. 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:24.400 You it's tough when you're thrown into a game like 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:26.560 this because you're working with coaches you never worked with, 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:30.000 uh teammates you never played with, and you know you're 0:07:30.000 --> 0:07:32.680 thrown into this fish bowl and asked to perform at 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:35.280 your best, and so it could be tough. And usually, 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:37.080 you know, we try not to beat up on these 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:39.960 guys too much, especially on that Tuesday practice. But what 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:42.800 you do want to see is the show improvement throughout 0:07:42.800 --> 0:07:46.240 the week. Um as they gain that chemistry, as they 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:50.120 start to really digest the playbook, you know, the abbreviated playbook, 0:07:50.120 --> 0:07:52.760 they book they put together and take the coaching that 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:56.160 they're that's given to them by the staff. And so uh, 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:58.760 several of these guys I thought throughout the week got better, 0:07:59.120 --> 0:08:03.440 uh Tuesday to Wednesday to Thursday on that Dolphin squad. 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:04.680 I mean you could look at a guy like the 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:07.320 Metric Felton from U c l A, who was a 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:09.320 wide receiver in high school but they moved to running 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:11.080 back at U c l A. He was their starter, 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:13.160 but he was able to play more of a wide 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.640 receiver role, uh down in mobile and I tell you, 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:20.800 just getting some instruction from the staff in terms of, 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:24.000 you know, the pacing the steps of his routes because 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:26.800 obviously he's he's very unpolished in an area because he 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:29.840 wasn't asked to run the downfield routes very often. But 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:31.240 by the end of the week, he was looking a 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:33.840 lot more comfortable, a lot more confident, catching the ball 0:08:34.000 --> 0:08:36.079 very well away from his body. So I thought the 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:39.680 Metric Felton was, uh, you know, a great, great example 0:08:39.679 --> 0:08:41.760 of that who took the coaching and then got better 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:45.000 and better each week. Trey Brown, the corner from Oklahoma, 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:48.160 another one under size, so easy to overlook him, but 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:51.360 the tenacity that he plays with the competitiveness. Um, you 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:53.120 know he he was a little two hands on earlier 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:54.440 in the week, and then as the week went on, 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:57.760 started to show a little more, a little more savvy 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:00.200 with the way that he would disrupt routes and you know, 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:04.000 his presence and coverage. So, uh, you know, two examples 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:06.160 there for guys that I got better and better as 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:08.320 the week went on. That's great stuff. And you mentioned 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:10.680 Trey Brown. How many times that guy intercepted pass and 0:09:10.679 --> 0:09:12.559 one on one drills like that doesn't happen very often, 0:09:12.840 --> 0:09:15.280 and he was doing it regularly. It seems like out 0:09:15.280 --> 0:09:17.200 there on the practice field. This is going a little 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:18.760 bit off script D and so just hearing me here 0:09:18.760 --> 0:09:21.000 for a second, But you mentioned Metric Felton. You know, 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:23.480 it reminds me of last year Antonio Gibson really kind 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.320 of jumped into the to the spotlight in the Senior Bowl. 0:09:26.440 --> 0:09:28.120 Could you get the same stance in terms of that 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:30.120 receiver running back type of convert, Like, how does the 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:33.920 Metric Felton compared to Antonio Gibson. Yeah, Felton's making the 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:38.560 opposite transition where yeah, Gibson was a wide receiver in college. 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:41.120 But you know the Senior Bowl thought, okay, this is 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:43.679 an opportunity for scouts to evaluate him and running back 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.280 and Felton it was the obvious or the opposite. Uh, 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:49.520 and so it'll be interesting to see. This is a 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:53.160 very loaded slot wide receiver group UM this year and 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:56.120 this year's class, and so he's kind of jumbled together 0:09:56.360 --> 0:10:00.160 with UH. You know there's Elijah More, Rondale More or 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:05.280 Shy Smith, Key Johnson two to at well, UH, Dwayne Eskridge, 0:10:05.320 --> 0:10:09.880 who was another wide receiver who was outstanding throughout the 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:12.400 week of practice at the Senior Bowl. So there's just 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:15.840 a loaded group of wider stivers, especially in the slot, 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.679 those inside guys that are going to go somewhere between 0:10:18.679 --> 0:10:21.200 the second and fourth rounds UM. And so I thought 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:23.120 he helped himself in terms of just putting himself in 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.760 that mix and really showing what he could do. UH. 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:28.000 And that's and it's an example of you know, if 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:29.920 he doesn't get to go to the Senior Bowl, you 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:32.440 know he's if Antonio Gibson doesn't play at the Senior Bowl, 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:34.599 he's probably drafted him with a six round as a 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:37.120 wide receiver. And you know, teams aren't quite short to 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:39.760 do with him. Dmitri Felton, same thing. If he does 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:41.360 not able to go to the Senior Bowl, he's probably 0:10:41.360 --> 0:10:43.280 a late rounder, you know, and you're kind of a 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:45.439 gadget guy, not sure what to do with him. Now 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:47.160 he what he showed at the Senior Bowl that he 0:10:47.200 --> 0:10:49.640 can be more of a downfield threat as a receiver 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:51.880 all of a sudden instead of a late rounder. He's 0:10:51.880 --> 0:10:53.800 probably gonna go so more in that third fourth range. 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:55.520 It's awesome to get to get a chance to watch 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:57.400 these guys go up against their peers that way, because 0:10:57.440 --> 0:11:00.240 you know, maybe competition in college levels not always on 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:01.920 par with what you might see in the NFL. So 0:11:01.920 --> 0:11:05.480 seeing these guys against fellow NFL players, it's an awesome opportunity. 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:07.960 It's and I think it's definitely a tip of the 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:10.040 hat to Jim Naggie for what he's made the Senior 0:11:10.040 --> 0:11:11.599 Bowl and just his short time there. He did the 0:11:11.640 --> 0:11:14.400 podcast a couple of weeks ago, and man, he's getting 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:17.120 like even just getting nausey. Harris and Landon Dickerson, Mac Jones, 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:19.599 DeVante Smith, all those Alabama guys down there after the 0:11:19.679 --> 0:11:22.040 National Championship, What a what a feather in his cap 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:23.880 that was you mentioned the receiver's day. I want to 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:25.760 circle back to that here in just one second, but 0:11:25.800 --> 0:11:27.840 I want to come back to an article you posted 0:11:27.840 --> 0:11:30.000 after the Senior Bowl practices had wrapped. Maybe he was 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:32.400 after the game. I forget who were your big winners 0:11:32.440 --> 0:11:35.679 of the Senior Bowl, just in general thirty two team perspective, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:37.839 not an individual club. Who are your big winners of 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:41.000 the Senior Bowl. Well, it has to start with Quinn 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:45.360 Miners from Wisconsin Whitewater. Uh. He coming into the week 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:48.040 he was viewed, the highest grade I heard on him 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:49.800 was a six round pick. That was the highest grade, 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:53.960 just pulling different teams, and now he's probably the top 0:11:54.040 --> 0:11:56.600 one hundred conversation. He's probably a Day two pick with 0:11:56.640 --> 0:11:59.640 the week that he had. And he didn't play this year. 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:02.920 Division three did not have a season. And you go 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:05.040 back to his two as nineteen stuff and it was good, 0:12:05.360 --> 0:12:08.360 but it wasn't dominant. It wasn't amazing, um you know 0:12:08.400 --> 0:12:10.840 the way you wouldmit necessarily think at the Division three level. 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:13.120 But the last year he was able to rework his 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:16.360 body and really work on some of the finer points 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:20.160 the position. He goes to UH two mobile and just 0:12:20.240 --> 0:12:23.160 was dominant from from day one. And not only that, 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:25.400 but he was a left guard in college and he 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:27.960 had never snapped before. And he goes to center and 0:12:28.040 --> 0:12:30.120 he's playing center during practice like he's done in his 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:33.000 entire life. So Quinn Miners, Uh, just one of the 0:12:33.440 --> 0:12:37.400 biggest risers this year. Um, he's going to you know, 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.280 make a big jump off up draft boards. Could be 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:43.679 one of the first you know, three interior alignment or 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:47.360 three centers I should say three centers drafted with Creed 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:50.600 Humphrey and Josh Meyers. So it's just a really big 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:53.600 jump for him. I thought Richie Grant, the safety from UCF, 0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:56.160 was outstanding. He had a third round grade on him 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:58.320 coming into the week. He jumped up a full round. 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:00.560 He's in the second round mix now. Could go easily 0:13:00.559 --> 0:13:05.040 in the top fifty range ball skills former wide receiver, 0:13:05.240 --> 0:13:08.160 so he does wide receiver like things at the catch point, 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:10.120 which is what you want to see. He can run 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:13.560 the alleys downhill and blow up, run support, blow upuys 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:15.240 and run support. So there's just a lot of things 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:16.960 you can do with the Richie Grant. He can play 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:21.319 different positions on the field, and that versatility really is key, 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:23.800 And you know, I think I mentioned D. S. Gridge earlier. 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:26.559 I liked him coming in. I had I think when 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:29.319 I my talk one hundred board he was seventies six overall, 0:13:29.320 --> 0:13:32.200 I believe. So I had a mid third round grade 0:13:32.280 --> 0:13:34.800 on D. S. Cridge coming into the week, but no 0:13:34.800 --> 0:13:37.400 one could cover throughout the week. And he's small, uh 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:42.520 five nine. But when you have that gear changing acceleration 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:46.240 where you just can keep defenders off balance and create 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:48.960 your own separation like that and also be very strong 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:50.959 at the catch point with your hands, uh, you know 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:53.040 there there's going to be a place for you in 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.600 the NFL. And I think that's going to translate. So 0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:57.520 I think D. S. Cridge he was already in that 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:00.720 third round mix, and he even helped himself more with 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:02.400 this week a Senior Bowl. So you made a couple 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:04.600 of comments there that have have me going off script 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:06.200 once again. Day. I want to pick your brain here, man, 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:08.520 because this is great stuff you mentioned. You know D. S. 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:10.920 Gridge might be a little bit undersized Dwayne Eskridge out 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:13.200 of Western Michigan. That seems to be the case with 0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:15.320 a lot of receivers in this group. You mentioned too 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.840 to at well earlier, people talk about Davonte Smith's slender frame, 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:21.600 the slim reaper, Like how important is size in today's 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:24.560 NFL at that position? Maybe in general? Like is it 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:25.880 as big of a deal as it used to be. 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:30.120 There's different philosophies from team to team. You know, the 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:33.520 Ravens drafted Marquise Hollywood Brown in the in the first round, 0:14:33.600 --> 0:14:36.680 where a lot of teams would not have done that. Meanwhile, 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:39.320 I DK Metcalf in the same draft because the full 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:42.760 round later. You know, I just there's different philosophies with 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:46.160 different teams. And I think more than anything, more than size, 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:48.680 more than it's just it's about speed. Can you can 0:14:48.720 --> 0:14:52.120 you create separation before and after the catch? You know, 0:14:52.160 --> 0:14:55.920 when I was, you know, learning how to scout and 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:58.560 all that things, you know, I was taught when it 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:00.840 comes when you're scouting receivers, comes down just two things, 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:02.600 you know, just keep it simple. Can you get open? 0:15:02.600 --> 0:15:05.040 Can you catch the football? And you know that was 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:07.200 that was a while ago, But now these days, I 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:09.240 think there's a third element to that. Can you get open? 0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:11.320 Can you catch a football? And then can you create 0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:14.240 after the catch? That is becoming more and more just 0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:17.880 such an important part of today's NFL. UM and you know, 0:15:17.920 --> 0:15:20.800 you you're looking for those explosive plays, and defenses are 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.120 trying to stop those explosive plays. So if you can 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.360 find guys that can, you know, help create those those 0:15:26.440 --> 0:15:29.480 chunk plays, those home run plays, then you're you're in 0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:31.520 good shape. And that's why Davante Smith, even at a 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:34.560 hundred seventy five pounds, is still going to be somewhere 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:37.320 in you know, the top ten, top twelve mix because 0:15:37.360 --> 0:15:41.120 he's just he's proven himself as that big play guy. Um, 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:42.680 and you know the guy like to to out well 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:44.880 who I think it's very similar to a Hollywood Brown 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.680 where he's five nine seventy pounds, just you know, a 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:52.200 very skinny, slender frame. But when you watch his tape, 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.240 he just looks like he's moving at a different speed 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:58.440 than everybody else. He can fly consistently win over the top. 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:01.120 So um, you know, run l Moore's in this mix, 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:05.360 Elijah Moore a Maori Rodgers, who's another uh standout at 0:16:05.360 --> 0:16:07.600 the Senior Bowl. Uh. He's another guy in that day 0:16:07.600 --> 0:16:10.800 two mix who is a little bit undersized, but again 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.120 he is play strength is a big part of what 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:15.800 he does. So he might be short, but he's not small. 0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:18.520 He's he's pretty well put together. It's you know, size 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.880 is something that you know, each each receiver brings something 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:24.600 different to the table. But more importantly, it's about speed 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:27.960 and create. You create this your own separation and create 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:31.520 those big plays. Yeah, you mentioned create separation, catch the football, 0:16:31.600 --> 0:16:34.000 create big plays after you catch the football. I mean 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:36.760 that reminds me of what to a tongue of Byloah 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:39.680 had in spades at Alabama that really helped that offense explode. 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.200 And isn't that kind of what you can capitalize on? 0:16:43.280 --> 0:16:45.520 The accuracy and the timing and the quick release and 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:47.960 the kind of shark between the ears processing the two 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:49.640 a tongue of Baloa has, Like, isn't that a great 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:52.160 fit for him to have those guys that can create 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:55.080 that separation because of that pinpoint accuracy that helps to 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:58.840 create the act. Yeah, no question. Yeah you wanna you 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:01.360 want to put these guys in position so they can 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:04.680 catch the ball and stride and with if they only 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:06.960 have a step of separation, that's all you need and 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:10.200 just let them do something after the catch. And I think, yeah, 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:12.240 with two uh, that's exactly what he can do. With 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:14.800 he's got all that twitch in his in his arm 0:17:14.920 --> 0:17:17.679 where he can fire off those quick throws. Uh. And 0:17:17.760 --> 0:17:19.440 the way he sees the field, the way he can 0:17:19.520 --> 0:17:23.119 process before the snap, he understands where that vulnerable matchup 0:17:23.200 --> 0:17:25.920 is going to be. And so as he develops chemistry 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:28.560 with his receivers, uh, you know, we'll see if they 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:31.600 maybe add another receiver in the draft for this offseason. 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:34.080 And as he gets you know, more comfortable at those 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:37.520 guys and understands exactly where they're going to be. Uh. 0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:39.119 You know, I think there's a big jump coming for 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:41.640 two uh. Uh you know, between his his first year 0:17:41.640 --> 0:17:43.480 and a second year. It's it's tough to play the 0:17:43.560 --> 0:17:47.080 quarterback position at the NFL and when everything is it's 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:49.960 all predicated on timing, and I mean you have to 0:17:50.040 --> 0:17:52.800 be able to uh, you know, hit your receivers on 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:55.840 time or you're just it's it's not going to end well. 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.240 And so with the guy like to uh, I think, 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:00.760 you know, he was so used to guys being a 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:03.360 little bit more wide open um at the college level 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:06.399 at Alabama, and he just has to adjust to the 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.000 differences between college open and NFL Open. And in the 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:12.359 NFL Open, those those those the windows are just a 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:14.760 little bit smaller, and so I think you'll adjust. I 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:17.359 think you'll get there. It's just, you know, it's it's tough, 0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:18.840 and you know, I think he's in for a big 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:21.679 jump as a sophomore in his NFL career. Not to 0:18:21.720 --> 0:18:24.240 mention the NFL basically having no offseason and what he 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:26.000 did have of an office, and he was rehabbing the 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:28.320 hip that was injured just last November. So I mean, 0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:30.120 it wasn't that long ago that he was coming back 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.360 off of a very serious injury. We're happy to see 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:34.200 him healthy, moving around and feeling good down here. I 0:18:34.240 --> 0:18:35.920 can't wait to see what he does. Like you mentioned 0:18:36.119 --> 0:18:38.440