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Speaker 1: Welcome and everybody to a Monday edition of Texans All Access,

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Speaker 1: I would say from the Honday Texans Radio studio, and

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Speaker 1: I guess it is. It's just the mobile version. As

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Speaker 1: in Indianapolis, Indianna. Charles Barkley would be very proud that

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Speaker 1: we are Indianapolis, Mark Vanimir and myself, John Harris, coming

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Speaker 1: to you live from Naptown as we get ready for

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Speaker 1: the NFL Scouting Combine, our first time here in two years.

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Speaker 1: I was actually talking to somebody on Sunday about this

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Speaker 1: when I went to go watch Houston Krugers. It's a

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Speaker 1: blast event that we did before COVID hit. We went

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Speaker 1: to the Combine, we came back, we had about a

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Speaker 1: week and then we were down in a a digital studio,

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Speaker 1: the rodeo shutdown. Everything shut down, and a few days

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Speaker 1: later a certain trade happened and well, our worlds like

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Speaker 1: fell all in on us at that particular moment. But

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Speaker 1: we're back at the Combine in twenty twenty two, and Mark,

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Speaker 1: that is great news. How are you doing, my friend.

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Speaker 1: I'm doing great, Johnny, And I'm glad you saw the

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Speaker 1: cougs in there. Not new digs anymore, but relatively new

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Speaker 1: as that for Tita Center is really special. They did

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Speaker 1: an amazing job converting Hafies and I know a lot

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Speaker 1: of people have been there since they've done that, but

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Speaker 1: I know a lot of people have it. So if

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Speaker 1: you have a chance to go over, I guess it's

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Speaker 1: a very tough ticket right now to get into that

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Speaker 1: place because it doesn't see a ton. I think it's

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Speaker 1: perfect for what they have right now. Although the way

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Speaker 1: they're playing right now, Johnny, they might need a nine

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Speaker 1: thousand seed arena or something because they're so hot. But look,

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Speaker 1: they'll take it one step at a time, and I'm

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Speaker 1: excited for March Madness coming up for them, in particular Mark.

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Speaker 1: We've seen a lot of good defensive basketball teams over

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Speaker 1: the years. I don't know that I've seen a team

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Speaker 1: as good defensively. Holy smokes, you talk about relentless. Wow.

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Speaker 1: I don't know that Houston without Sasser and without Mark

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Speaker 1: can score the ball enough. But they are going to

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Speaker 1: choke you. I mean, if you see them on the

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Speaker 1: schedule and you're a scorer, you just you gotta know

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Speaker 1: you're getting nothing that day. I mean, you're gonna be

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Speaker 1: grinding to get the double figures. They are tough, tough, tough.

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Speaker 1: Kelvin's done one heck of a job with that particular team.

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Speaker 1: But it was good. I saw Dana Holgerson a little bit,

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Speaker 1: and so Chris Pesman got a chance to see. Uh.

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Speaker 1: I met the mayor. I met Sylvester Turner over there,

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Speaker 1: so that was kind of cool. And I actually had

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Speaker 1: a chance to chat for I don't know about thirty

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Speaker 1: seconds with a particular attorney that we all know in

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Speaker 1: this town who was as nice as he could be,

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Speaker 1: Rusty Harden. So I spent a couple of seconds with

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Speaker 1: him at the game. So it's a lot of hobnob

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Speaker 1: but if you will out there at the University of

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Speaker 1: Cougar's games, that was fun. I really appreciate them taking

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Speaker 1: care of me, and Don Sanders were taking care of me.

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Speaker 1: But it's Indie. It's combined time and Mark, I don't

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Speaker 1: know about you, but it feels like the earth is

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Speaker 1: back on its axis. Oh yeah, being in Indianapolis and

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Speaker 1: just being here and feeling you know, honestly combined fever.

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Speaker 1: But we've come to this event so often and to

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Speaker 1: not have it, you know, sort of marked time with it.

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Speaker 1: But we get a chance to finally be back in Indianapolis,

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Speaker 1: and I know it's gonna be different. I know things

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Speaker 1: are gonna be changed from the last time we were

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Speaker 1: there in twenty twenty, but I think the overall gist

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Speaker 1: of it being back in Indianapolis is gonna be good.

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Speaker 1: Your thoughts about being in Indianapolis back after two years, Well,

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Speaker 1: the interesting thing is, you're right, this is the last

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Speaker 1: major NFL event until or before COVID hit. And I

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Speaker 1: remember the NFL meetings otherwise known as the Owners meetings,

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Speaker 1: but by the way, they don't call them that, but

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Speaker 1: they're the NFL annual meetings. In late March, I was

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Speaker 1: I had my tickets ready for that one and whatever

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Speaker 1: it was mid March when the world shut down. Then

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Speaker 1: it was shortly after that they announced no owners meetings

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Speaker 1: this year, and so that's been since nineteen But this

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Speaker 1: is just two years ago. What's fascinating to me is

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Speaker 1: it's only two years ago that we were in Indie

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Speaker 1: for the combine. It feels like five years ago. Certain

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Speaker 1: in certain ways, time flies right, and it's all just perception,

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Speaker 1: your kids growing up, whatever the case may be. But

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Speaker 1: in this case, it feels like time has crawled since

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Speaker 1: we last had the combine because it's only two years ago,

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Speaker 1: yet it feels like much longer. But here we are,

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Speaker 1: and I'm really excited about it. I think that a

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Speaker 1: lot of memories pop up. This is really exciting because

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Speaker 1: you have picks, you have opportunity, you might get more picks.

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Speaker 1: All of these guys in the upper echelon right, the

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Speaker 1: top prospects, the top guys in the Harris one hundred

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Speaker 1: and all the other ranking lists, all those guys are

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Speaker 1: extremely relevant to the Texans. We don't know what they're

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Speaker 1: gonna do. We have no clue what they're gonna do.

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Speaker 1: We could try to guess, but we don't know. I

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Speaker 1: don't know if Nikossario knows. We will catch up with

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Speaker 1: him tomorrow. By the way, we'll have a Tuesday visit

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Speaker 1: with Nick as Sarrio will likely go live on social

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Speaker 1: media platforms. Will definitely have the whole visit on Texans

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Speaker 1: All Access Tuesday night. Wednesday night, Lovey Smith will likely

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Speaker 1: go live with him as well. They'll have press conferences.

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Speaker 1: It's gonna be awesome catching up with those guys in Indy.

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Speaker 1: In the belly of the Combined Beast. We've been going

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Speaker 1: my first combine was twenty fifteen. That was my first combine.

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Speaker 1: You've been going, you've been going before that, But I

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Speaker 1: know that when we've been there been some things that

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Speaker 1: have stood out sort of our favorite moments or just

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Speaker 1: moments that will we'll never forget. And you know, it's

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Speaker 1: the first night. Nothing's really happening tonight on Monday, but

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Speaker 1: we're here either way. But just seeing the convention Center

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Speaker 1: and seeing everything, it makes me think about so many

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Speaker 1: different moments. I think one that stands out to me,

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Speaker 1: and we'll kind of share some of them that we've

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Speaker 1: had over the years. One of my favorites, Mart was

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Speaker 1: back in twenty it was actually it was my second combine.

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Speaker 1: And back in the day, they used to stuff all

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Speaker 1: of us, which they could never do now. And by

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Speaker 1: all of us, I mean all the media members, every team.

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Speaker 1: I mean you couldn't do this now. But they put

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Speaker 1: us in the West essentially the West Club VIP section

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Speaker 1: for where the Colts have their club section. Now, it's

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Speaker 1: not like ours. If you've gone to the West VIP

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Speaker 1: or eas VP, you know that that's a that could

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Speaker 1: be a massive area, but it's not like that. It's

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Speaker 1: a much more smaller, condensed area and I remember going

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Speaker 1: in there and it was sardines. I mean, we are

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Speaker 1: just They've got three podiums set up in there, and

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Speaker 1: whenever a quarterback would go speak, I mean there would

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Speaker 1: be a throng of pep people hanging off a speaker.

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Speaker 1: I mean, it was nuts. It was crazy. Well, behind

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Speaker 1: those three podiums they had probably about ten tables, and

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Speaker 1: if you weren't going to the podium to speak, then

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Speaker 1: you went to those tables. Now in the convention Center,

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Speaker 1: they have like eight podiums and then they've got about

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Speaker 1: another eight to ten tables, kind of the same way

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Speaker 1: that if you're not going to podium, you still go

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Speaker 1: to one of the tables, and you can have media members,

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Speaker 1: you know, you can have media members that can sit

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Speaker 1: there with you. So it's twenty sixteen and I'm going

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Speaker 1: to different tables and I'm listening to the guys speak

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Speaker 1: and I'm thinking about some of the guys that I'd

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Speaker 1: like for the Texans to bring in. And then this

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Speaker 1: media member starts asking players and it happened at a

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Speaker 1: few tables, what do you think you're gonna run the

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Speaker 1: forty in? And some guys are thrown out. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: run for two. I'm gonna run the four three range.

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Speaker 1: I mean, guys are thrown out crazy numbers. I'm like, oh, okay,

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Speaker 1: that'd be kind of fun if you did that, and

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Speaker 1: they're just shooting the moon. I mean, there wasn't a

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Speaker 1: guy that I remembered that said, oh yeah, I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: run four two and then ran four two. There was

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Speaker 1: nobody that said I'm gonna run four four and then

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Speaker 1: ran four four, with the exception of one guy. And

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Speaker 1: it was the quietest guy in the entire building. And

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Speaker 1: I was sitting just to his right, and that was

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Speaker 1: former Texan Will Fuller, And I'm sitting next to Will,

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Speaker 1: and we got to know Will over the years. He

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Speaker 1: didn't say a whole lot. He didn't want to say

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Speaker 1: a whole lot combine interviews with the media and not

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Speaker 1: something he really wanted to do. But that same media

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Speaker 1: member had come around and I sort of caught I

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Speaker 1: saw him out of the corner of my eye, and

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Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, he's gonna ask the question, so

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Speaker 1: I'm curious to see what Will Will say. And he said,

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Speaker 1: what are you gonna run the forty in? And without

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Speaker 1: missing a beat, Will goes four three two, and I

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Speaker 1: mean not I mean not like four three in the

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Speaker 1: four to three ring, four three two like bang, like okay, wow,

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Speaker 1: And I knew he's fast. I knew, and I knew

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Speaker 1: that number it was for a guy like that, he's

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Speaker 1: probably pretty fast. But he didn't, you know, he didn't

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Speaker 1: like follow up like that's what I think. He just

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Speaker 1: said four three two. He looked at the guy and

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Speaker 1: guy goes okay, and then the next guy asked the

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Speaker 1: question where you go? It was typical Will. He wasn't

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Speaker 1: gonna put any fluff on it. You Just two days later,

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Speaker 1: Will stepped up to the line and was wrong, but

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Speaker 1: was wrong, and he ran a four three one. He

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Speaker 1: was but he was off by one hundred of a second.

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Speaker 1: But I just remember we had flown back and I

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Speaker 1: woke up that Saturday and he's you know, f they

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Speaker 1: go off about a quarter and I'm like, okay, here

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Speaker 1: we go. They go to commercial, they come back and

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Speaker 1: they're like, you have to see this run Will Fuller

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Speaker 1: four three one, and I just went whoa. He called it.

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Speaker 1: He absolutely called it, not thinking at that point the

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Speaker 1: Texas would end up drafting him. But I just remember thinking, boy,

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Speaker 1: he called. All these other guys were totally off, totally off,

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Speaker 1: including former Texas Tyler Irvin, because when he was asked,

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Speaker 1: He's like, oh, I'll be in the in the four

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Speaker 1: two range. And Tyler ran the four four range was

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Speaker 1: fast enough, but the fact that he ran he called

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Speaker 1: four two and then ran four to four, and Will

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Speaker 1: just went yeah, four three two, just looked at the

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Speaker 1: guy and then turned out the next day he actually

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Speaker 1: ran four three one, just to shade under, what are

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Speaker 1: you predicted? I'll never forget the look on his face

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Speaker 1: as if, yeah, I'm just gonna do this, And then

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Speaker 1: he did, and he did actually better than he thought.

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Speaker 1: He was the only guy that I'd ever heard that

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Speaker 1: actually short changed himself when came the forty yard dash

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Speaker 1: to combine. It was crazy. That's absolutely incredible. I want

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Speaker 1: to ask you this, and I don't know if you

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Speaker 1: know the answer now, but when guys getting ready for

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Speaker 1: the combine, how often do they actually run a full

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Speaker 1: forty or a series of forties just to get ready

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Speaker 1: for that event or are they just doing general speed

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Speaker 1: training and not putting the clock on themselves much. I

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Speaker 1: would imagine they do it at least once or something.

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Speaker 1: But Are you gonna make too big a deal out

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Speaker 1: of this? If you run a lot of forties? You

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Speaker 1: know I have top speed. Aren't you risking hamstring injuries

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Speaker 1: or whatever? Yeah, I mean, I'm with you. I think

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Speaker 1: it's it's a lot of ten yard you get off

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Speaker 1: a lot of ten yards sprints, just to really get

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Speaker 1: that part of it down. Make sure that you're running

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Speaker 1: with the proper form. As crazy as sounds, running in

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Speaker 1: a straight line, you see some guys that started kind

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Speaker 1: balance is off, because their get off was not good.

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Speaker 1: So yeah, they probably run it a couple of times.

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Speaker 1: And I'm sure he probably ran in a couple of

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Speaker 1: times and that was his best time and he just

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Speaker 1: rolled out when did it? Ran four three one, sort

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Speaker 1: of like six foot two two and thirty pound dk

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Speaker 1: metcalf hit a few years later he ran a four

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Speaker 1: three two at that size, But that was one that

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Speaker 1: stood out for me. How about for you? All right?

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Speaker 1: So my second combine was our twenty fourteen combined that

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Speaker 1: that was your first and obviously looking for a quarterback, right,

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Speaker 1: you're not you don't have full knowledge of who the

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Speaker 1: Texans are going to get because there's no Ryan Fitzpatrick's

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Speaker 1: signed yet, free agency hasn't started yet. You know they

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Speaker 1: need a quarterback. Matt Shop not coming back. He was

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Speaker 1: still on the roster, but you know he's not coming back,

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Speaker 1: so what are they gonna do? And the quarterbacks were

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Speaker 1: of great interest, so Derek Card, Teddy Bridgewater, Jimmy Garoppolo,

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Speaker 1: Johnny Manzell. The list goes on and up. But I've

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Speaker 1: told this before, and you mentioned where the combine used

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Speaker 1: to be with the media stuff in that West Club

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Speaker 1: of Lucas Oil Stadium area and with Bridgewater. It was

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Speaker 1: less formal then, and it wasn't as informal as the days.

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Speaker 1: I remember when we were in a hotel and we

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Speaker 1: would have to wait in the lobby and wait for

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Speaker 1: the GMS to come out, and we'd talked to three people.

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Speaker 1: Four reporters were there. I mean mcclan was there at

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Speaker 1: the very start of the whole thing, right, I mean

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Speaker 1: we were there as it evolved, of course, but it's

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Speaker 1: evolved since then. But at this point Bridgewater would have

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Speaker 1: to take a walk back to the elevator, and often

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Speaker 1: with an escort, but sometimes it was a somewhat intern

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Speaker 1: type of escort right. Very often, gil Brandt would bring

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Speaker 1: the players up, but when they would walk back because

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Speaker 1: there was a backlog, they would walk back with some

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Speaker 1: sort of god right, so an in turn or whatever.

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Speaker 1: So I walked and talked with Teddy. I got an

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Speaker 1: interview with Teddy and we stopped at the elevator and

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Speaker 1: we talked for a few more minutes. So I had

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Speaker 1: a nice one on one with Teddy that you would

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Speaker 1: never get today. I mean, look, the Hutchinson's gonna be

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Speaker 1: on serious x M NFL radio, Texans radio, as as

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Speaker 1: highly regarded as we are, They're not gonna bring us

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Speaker 1: Hutchinson and people like that. It's not happening because then

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Speaker 1: everybody would want them, and it's just it's too much.

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Speaker 1: It's too much. They're just gonna do the media briefings.

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Speaker 1: But that and Derek Carr. Because Derek Carr actually sat

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Speaker 1: down at the table at our table. He is like,

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Speaker 1: I was like, hey, can you join us for a

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Speaker 1: few minutes. He's like, yeah, sure, with you know whatever? Mark,

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Speaker 1: Yeah sure, you know, because I knew him as a kid.

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Speaker 1: So those I'll never forget those moments, particularly Derek. Of course,

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Speaker 1: I gotta find that interview, by the way, and maybe

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Speaker 1: we'll run it later this week, yes day, or pieces

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Speaker 1: of it, because we don't want to hear the whole thing.

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Speaker 1: It's just me gushing about Derek as a after practice.

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Speaker 1: That is, it's always know the quarterbacks when you see

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Speaker 1: him at the podium, and I'm I'm trying to remember

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Speaker 1: what year it was where there was a handful. What

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Speaker 1: was the Deshan Kaiser year? Was that twenty seventeen seventeen?

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Speaker 1: I think it was twenty half that the year, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I think it was twenty seventeen. I said that he

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Speaker 1: won the press Yes, yes, listen, I don't but but hey,

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Speaker 1: to be fair, I said, I don't know if he's

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Speaker 1: gonna be any good, but he won the press conference.

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Speaker 1: That's what I said about Kaiser. I didn't know if

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Speaker 1: he was gonna be any good at all, but I

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Speaker 1: felt like he did the best job up there. If

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Speaker 1: the guy's I heard, because I didn't hear everybody. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: but to that end, uh, you're right, he did. He

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Speaker 1: did win. He was pretty good up at the podium

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Speaker 1: h that particular day. Now, I didn't obviously turn out

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Speaker 1: to be the player that he did. I think the

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Speaker 1: one other one that stands out for me Mark was

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Speaker 1: and I mentioned his name a little while ago, and

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Speaker 1: that was DK Metcalf. So that was is twenty Was

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Speaker 1: that twenty twenty, No, that was twenty nineteen. It was

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Speaker 1: twenty nineteen. It was twenty nineteen. Yeah, it was twenty

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Speaker 1: nineteen because A. J. Brown came out the same year.

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Speaker 1: And the way that they had the convention center set

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Speaker 1: up at that point is they had all of us

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Speaker 1: on the and I say all of us, the team

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Speaker 1: media and most of the media, team media, all of

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Speaker 1: our radio spots, and all our TV spots were all

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Speaker 1: in this one area that was adjacent to where they

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Speaker 1: had set up the stands to do the bench press,

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Speaker 1: and so we could walk over not even not even

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Speaker 1: twenty five thirty yards away, and we could go watch

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Speaker 1: the bench press. And I remember the receivers were going

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Speaker 1: and the order that they had gone in. I think

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Speaker 1: the receivers were working out first, so that I think

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Speaker 1: it's typically the same now. They might have might do

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Speaker 1: things a little differently now because I think they're doing

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Speaker 1: bench press and the workouts on the same day, But

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Speaker 1: either way, they were doing the bench press that day

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Speaker 1: and they always give the player the mic and the

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Speaker 1: player says DK metcalf Ole miss handing mike back. And

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Speaker 1: then they work out and some guys will stand up

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Speaker 1: there and they go, you know, John Harris Brown University.

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Speaker 1: I'll lift at my pro day. And it's always funny

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Speaker 1: to watch the scouts just kind of scoff for, oh man,

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Speaker 1: what's he doing. The audience is great, yeah, exactly who's who.

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Speaker 1: The scouts are just awesome because they just they're like,

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Speaker 1: oh man, I knew this guy was gonna not do anyways.

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Speaker 1: DK metcalf Old miss slides under the bench and then

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Speaker 1: he throws up like twenty eight or twenty nine reps

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Speaker 1: and I just remember thinking he's six two two thirty.

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Speaker 1: He plays receiver. Yeah, and then A. J. Brown his teammate.

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Speaker 1: Then I don't know which one came first, but they

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Speaker 1: were dueling it out. One did like twenty seven, Deca

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Speaker 1: did like twenty eight or twenty nine or something of

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Speaker 1: that magnitude, and I'm like, these guys are beasts, and

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Speaker 1: neither one of them went in the first round. But

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Speaker 1: I just remember watching DK metcalf throw up weight and

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Speaker 1: I'm just I'm giggling to myself, like is this for real, Like,

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Speaker 1: is this for real? That there's a receiver thrown up

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Speaker 1: this many reps of two twenty five. That's it definitely

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Speaker 1: is crazy to see at the combine. But Mark, we're

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Speaker 1: gonna have a great week. Like you said, We're gonna

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Speaker 1: have Nick Kissario on Tuesday, We'll have Lovey Smith on Wednesday,

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Speaker 1: and we will have plenty in between. Mark, I know

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Speaker 1: you gotta get some sleep and we've got some great

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Speaker 1: interviews coming up and talk about a few of these

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Speaker 1: Combine participants. Appreciate your time. Mark, Thank you. Johnny there

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Speaker 1: it is coming up. Next, Pete Sampson. I filed Pete

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Speaker 1: for a very long time because he talks about the Irish.

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Speaker 1: Learned a little bit more about Kyle Hamilton. Next right

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Speaker 1: here in Texans All Access, right here in Texans All Access.

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Speaker 1: Right here in Texans All Access. Welcome back, funny edition

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Speaker 1: of Texans All Access from the Hyunday Texans Radio Studio

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Speaker 1: mobile version in Indianapolis. Charles Barkley would be so proud

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Speaker 1: of the way that I handled Indianapolis, Indiana for the

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Speaker 1: twenty two NFL Scouting Combine. We're all here, We're gonna

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Speaker 1: have plenty for you. We're gonna have Nickossario on Tuesday,

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Speaker 1: that being tomorrow. We're gonna have Lovey Smith on Wednesday,

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Speaker 1: that being two days from now. And it's fantastic and

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Speaker 1: I'm your host for this evening. John Harris, football analyst,

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Speaker 1: sideline reporter. It's time to hear from a guy that

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Speaker 1: I have been We've been talking to for a long time.

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Speaker 1: I say we my first radio coast with Sean Pendergast too,

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Speaker 1: you here in the mornings on the Sports Radio six ten.

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Speaker 1: He is a domer i e a Notre Dame grad.

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Speaker 1: So we talked a lot of Notre Dame football in

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Speaker 1: our college Football Wednesday shows many many years ago, and

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Speaker 1: one of the guys that we wanted to talk to

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Speaker 1: was a guy named Pete Sampson who then was with

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Speaker 1: Either Illustrated. He is now with the Athletic and the

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Speaker 1: beat writer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. For the Athletic,

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Speaker 1: of course, he has seen Kyle Hamilton up close and personal.

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Speaker 1: Indep City, our good friend got a chance to catch

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Speaker 1: up with Pete Sampson to talk about the Irish safety.

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Speaker 1: The twenty twenty two Top NFL Draft Prospects series continues.

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Speaker 1: Who might the Texans draft this year? Could it be

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Speaker 1: safety Kyle Hamilton out of Notre Dame. So y IM

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Speaker 1: chatting with Pete Sampson. He's a beat writer for the

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Speaker 1: Athletic he covers Notre Dame football. You can follow him

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Speaker 1: at Pete Sampson. Pete, welcome in and so glad to

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Speaker 1: have you joining us today. It's glad to be with you.

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Speaker 1: It's all. I'm fascinated to sort of see how kay

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Speaker 1: Kyle Hamilton go go in the draft because I think

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Speaker 1: you don't find a lot of top five picks at

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Speaker 1: that position, but he's He's His talent warrants that kind

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Speaker 1: of consideration. Yeah, there have not been a lot of

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Speaker 1: safeties that go at the top of draft boards, especially

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Speaker 1: like in recent years. But Hamilton has been projected to

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Speaker 1: go as high as number three, even to the Texans

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Speaker 1: by a lot of these mock drafts recently. What's sort

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Speaker 1: of an packed can a guy like Hamilton make immediately

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Speaker 1: in the NFL when he goes out high. I think

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Speaker 1: he almost allows you to play eleven and a half

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Speaker 1: on eleven defensively, and this is something that I think

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Speaker 1: Hamilton's potential as yet to be unlocked. It's like, this

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Speaker 1: is a weird thing to start on, but like the

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Speaker 1: hash marks are so much closer in the NFL than

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Speaker 1: they're in college, Whereas in college, like if the ball's

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Speaker 1: over to the right hash and you're playing the left

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Speaker 1: hash is a safety, Like that's that's hard to cover

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Speaker 1: that much ground. He did it in college, but with

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Speaker 1: the ball being so much more central in the NFL,

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Speaker 1: I actually think his impact will be enhanced at the

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Speaker 1: next level because he's going to be able to sort

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Speaker 1: of be a middle field safety central to the ball,

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Speaker 1: and you know, get somebody who can play like kind

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Speaker 1: of a single high if you want to. He was

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Speaker 1: just I mean, he was an a racer at Notre Dame.

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Speaker 1: He took away so much stuff if there was a

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Speaker 1: bust in coverage. His interception at Florida State, the second

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Speaker 1: one he had there, where he ran about thirty five

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Speaker 1: yards while the ball was in the air, which is

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Speaker 1: completely ridiculous. And I think that's the kind of stuff

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Speaker 1: he can do at the next level, even more than

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Speaker 1: he did at Notre Dame, just of the way the

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Speaker 1: field is formatted. I feel like in reading about him,

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Speaker 1: I read so much about his versatility and all the

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Speaker 1: different types of receivers. He can cover, and he can

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Speaker 1: line up close to the line of scrimmage, he can

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Speaker 1: play back deep. I mean, tell us a little bit

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Speaker 1: about his versatility and what you saw from him in

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Speaker 1: your time covering them. Yeah, it's it's interesting because, like,

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Speaker 1: I never felt like we got to see like the

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Speaker 1: full Kyle Hamilton experience at Notre Dame other than maybe

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Speaker 1: just a few games this season before I had the

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Speaker 1: knee injury that knocked them out. But they would use

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Speaker 1: him in the box, like if they're playing a run

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Speaker 1: heavy or an option team that you know, they line

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Speaker 1: up in a four four, they roll them down. When

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Speaker 1: they played USC a couple of years ago, that was

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Speaker 1: the USC team with Michael Pittenham and i'manras Saint Brown

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Speaker 1: Tyler Vonds. They lined up at as like a deep

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Speaker 1: field safety, like twenty yards off the line of scrimmage

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Speaker 1: and basically don't let anybody get deeper than you, so

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Speaker 1: he can give you everything. Um. When they played Stanford,

428
00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,760
Speaker 1: their best player in the past game was a tight end,

429
00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,720
Speaker 1: think Kolbie Parkinson. So they line up one, line him up,

430
00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,840
Speaker 1: one on one on him. Um, so they've sort of

431
00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,520
Speaker 1: asked him to do everything and he's done it, so

432
00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,200
Speaker 1: it's um, he can. You can make him whatever you

433
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,320
Speaker 1: want to make him at the next level. And that's

434
00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,520
Speaker 1: that I think is going to be fascinating to see

435
00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,359
Speaker 1: wherever he goes. How do you maximize a guy like

436
00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:27,840
Speaker 1: this when you first started covering him? I mean, is

437
00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,399
Speaker 1: it surprising now to see that he's projected to go

438
00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,320
Speaker 1: as highs he is and then he might be the

439
00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:35,879
Speaker 1: top safety taken? Is it surprising considering where he was

440
00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:37,879
Speaker 1: when he first entered Notre Dame and you saw him

441
00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,080
Speaker 1: first play or did you sort of see it the

442
00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,280
Speaker 1: writing on the wall for him? You felt like it

443
00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,960
Speaker 1: could happen, um, just because like he's huge when when

444
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:47,760
Speaker 1: you see him at the combine and you'll be like,

445
00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,919
Speaker 1: you're you're only six four, like you you're with the wingspan,

446
00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,479
Speaker 1: I mean, he looks like he's six six. And then

447
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,520
Speaker 1: his first practice at Notre Dame he had three interceptions

448
00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,719
Speaker 1: and they're like, okay, what like what up with this kid?

449
00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,600
Speaker 1: So you knew you knew there was like the extra

450
00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,439
Speaker 1: stuff there to say that you thought he was going

451
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,080
Speaker 1: to be a top five pick when there hasn't been one.

452
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,040
Speaker 1: And I don't know if you go back to Sean

453
00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:12,960
Speaker 1: Taylor or Jamal Adams or how far you have to

454
00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,640
Speaker 1: go back, but that would be of right the reach.

455
00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,399
Speaker 1: But there was no doubt from his first practice, like,

456
00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:21,480
Speaker 1: all right, this is what a first round pick looks like.

457
00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,520
Speaker 1: He just needs three years to get there and lo

458
00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,520
Speaker 1: and behold, here we are. But yeah, you always knew

459
00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,359
Speaker 1: he was gonna be a high end NFL guy. All right.

460
00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,359
Speaker 1: Speaking of interceptions, Lovey Smith. In his defense, he really

461
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,800
Speaker 1: emphasizes takeaways. Eleven different players had an interception last year,

462
00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,479
Speaker 1: and it seems like Hamilton's done pretty well for himself

463
00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:39,840
Speaker 1: in that department. So what can you tell us about

464
00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,600
Speaker 1: his ball hawking skills and facing opposing quarterbacks? He, I mean,

465
00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,880
Speaker 1: he's excellent. He had two picks in the opening game

466
00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,320
Speaker 1: at Florida State this year. That the second one was

467
00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 1: just ridiculous. It was like, right when it happened, You're like, okay,

468
00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:55,960
Speaker 1: well that's going to be on his draft highlight reel

469
00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:00,800
Speaker 1: that we see two thousand times in the spring. You know,

470
00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,800
Speaker 1: he can cover so much ground, really good ball skills.

471
00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,560
Speaker 1: Not somebody who I think is going you know, he's

472
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,440
Speaker 1: not just going up to make a play on the ball,

473
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,840
Speaker 1: he's going up to take it away, so he's just

474
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,639
Speaker 1: he's around the ball. That's another thing. Like his first

475
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,840
Speaker 1: snap in Notre Dame Stadium was a pick six. Wow.

476
00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,159
Speaker 1: That was the second game of his career, And it

477
00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:24,440
Speaker 1: wasn't like he made an amazing play. It was a

478
00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,560
Speaker 1: ball got deflected from a defensive end and it came

479
00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,119
Speaker 1: right to him. But like at some point you're like,

480
00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,159
Speaker 1: wait a minute, why does the ball always seem to

481
00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,200
Speaker 1: come right to you. He's just in the right place

482
00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,600
Speaker 1: at the right time. In addition to being a great athlete.

483
00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:41,560
Speaker 1: So if if you're if you want a versatile safety

484
00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,800
Speaker 1: who ups your turnover rate? Like this is the guy.

485
00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 1: I think he's got a real special ability in those regards.

486
00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:50,320
Speaker 1: We'll sign me up for that. That all sounds all

487
00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,240
Speaker 1: fine and dandy for us. How about four for you?

488
00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:55,920
Speaker 1: You've covered him, What is there a particular moment or

489
00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 1: a memorable game that really stands out to you in

490
00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:02,600
Speaker 1: his career? Certainly the floor State game this year was unique.

491
00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,120
Speaker 1: You know, his first game in Notre Dame Stadium when

492
00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:07,520
Speaker 1: he had the pick six side of the gate. You know,

493
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,359
Speaker 1: this doesn't really apply to the NFL. But his games

494
00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:14,639
Speaker 1: against Navy were really remarkable because he would just Navy

495
00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:20,480
Speaker 1: is the ultimate scheme over talent team and they just

496
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,040
Speaker 1: couldn't get a blocker on him. They could, they couldn't

497
00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,320
Speaker 1: get a hat to him because he was too fast

498
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,520
Speaker 1: and too explosive. So he was just really fun to

499
00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,800
Speaker 1: watch a weekend and week out. It would be hard

500
00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,359
Speaker 1: to pick one, but it certainly the moment that stands

501
00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,760
Speaker 1: with you the most is his second interception at Florida

502
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,160
Speaker 1: State where he covers three quarters of the field horizontally

503
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,280
Speaker 1: with the ball in the air and you see the

504
00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,119
Speaker 1: reaction of Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. He's just like,

505
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,639
Speaker 1: what the heck was that? Like, There's no way I

506
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,119
Speaker 1: could have seen him coming because he was out of

507
00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,800
Speaker 1: my field of vision when I released the football. So yeah,

508
00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:59,200
Speaker 1: there's been a lot of just freaky plays like that.

509
00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,640
Speaker 1: We're just like, this is this kid really is sort

510
00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,400
Speaker 1: of built differently than any other safety that I've seen.

511
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,439
Speaker 1: What about adversity, I mean, he's he's obviously been very

512
00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:10,199
Speaker 1: talented from the get go, but have you seen him

513
00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,399
Speaker 1: go through adversity and how how did he handle that?

514
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,320
Speaker 1: How did he come out of it. On the other end,

515
00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:20,040
Speaker 1: he hit an ankle injury his sophomore year, missed a game,

516
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:25,480
Speaker 1: came back, then had sort of a foot surgery, which

517
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,040
Speaker 1: didn't really hold him back. You know, the biggest adversity

518
00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,040
Speaker 1: he had was the knee injury suffered against usc midseason.

519
00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,520
Speaker 1: You know, he trained to come back. I think if

520
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,720
Speaker 1: Notre Dame had played in the College Football Playoff, he

521
00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,640
Speaker 1: definitely would have played. When they dropped down to the Fiesta, boy,

522
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,119
Speaker 1: he's like, you know, this isn't the risk verse reward

523
00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,159
Speaker 1: is not there, So that that's probably the biggest adversity

524
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,440
Speaker 1: he's had athletically, and I think sort of how he

525
00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,520
Speaker 1: comes back to that we'll see at the combine. I

526
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,680
Speaker 1: fully expect that he will be sort of one of

527
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,399
Speaker 1: those guys who puts up numbers that creates buzz beyond

528
00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,080
Speaker 1: the highlights. So just yeah, he has not had a

529
00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,719
Speaker 1: whole lot of adverse seeded overcome in his career. I mean,

530
00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:04,080
Speaker 1: he grew up in a householder. His dad played in

531
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,360
Speaker 1: the NBA for a couple of years, trained NBA athletes.

532
00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:13,360
Speaker 1: His mom was around the Atlanta Falcons with her profession.

533
00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,719
Speaker 1: I believe in real estate, so he sort of grew

534
00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,080
Speaker 1: up around pro athletes, so like the fact that this

535
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:23,480
Speaker 1: is happening is not going to awe him. And I

536
00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,800
Speaker 1: think that that as a bonus wherever it takes him.

537
00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,320
Speaker 1: He's not going to get to the NFL and be like,

538
00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,440
Speaker 1: oh my god, like I'm around pro athletes, like I

539
00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:31,920
Speaker 1: have all this money, Like what am I gonna do

540
00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,480
Speaker 1: with it? Like he is a really measured guy who

541
00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,040
Speaker 1: I think sort of thinks very big picture. I think

542
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,119
Speaker 1: you even saw that with some of his name, image

543
00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 1: and likeness dealings last year. Very thoughtful about it and

544
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,639
Speaker 1: I think very measured, very deliberate about it. You know,

545
00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:48,400
Speaker 1: I wasn't going to just take every deal to make

546
00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,000
Speaker 1: a quick buck. Sort of sees himself as a brand,

547
00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,560
Speaker 1: and he sort of executed some some business deals, whether

548
00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,080
Speaker 1: it be a memberabilia or merch that sort of fit

549
00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,960
Speaker 1: with his brand. So I think whoever drafts him as

550
00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,720
Speaker 1: getting a very like you're getting a great athlete, like,

551
00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,720
Speaker 1: but you're also getting a really mature individual, you know,

552
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:11,320
Speaker 1: who's I think, very certain of himself and where he

553
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:13,240
Speaker 1: needs to go as a player, where he needs to

554
00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,399
Speaker 1: go as a business. I think those are those are

555
00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,680
Speaker 1: positives whoever picks him up all right along those lines.

556
00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,000
Speaker 1: What's he like personality wise? I know you've spent a

557
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,200
Speaker 1: lot of time with him, his family, gotten to know

558
00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:25,840
Speaker 1: him really well. What's his what's he like off the field?

559
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,040
Speaker 1: What's into he is? Um? You know, he's not into

560
00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,280
Speaker 1: like any crazy stuff. I mean, he's like a video

561
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,000
Speaker 1: game kid, likes hanging out. But I think the thing

562
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 1: that really strikes you is like he's a very mature,

563
00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,600
Speaker 1: twenty one twenty two year old kid. You when you

564
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,600
Speaker 1: sit down with him, you don't feel like you're talking

565
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,160
Speaker 1: to a college kid. You feel like you're talking to

566
00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,560
Speaker 1: a young adult. So that's part of it. He's you know,

567
00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,280
Speaker 1: he's very stubborn, might be too much, but not by

568
00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 1: a lot. Like he's when he makes a decision, like

569
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,320
Speaker 1: he'll dig his heels in on it. So and he

570
00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,600
Speaker 1: knows how good he is, Like I don't wanted him

571
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,760
Speaker 1: to come. I don't want this to come across as

572
00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:04,800
Speaker 1: I'm presenting this kid, it's like, oh, gosh, shucks, I'm

573
00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:06,719
Speaker 1: just really good at football. Like, no, he knows how

574
00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,080
Speaker 1: good he is. So again that gets into like the

575
00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:13,880
Speaker 1: certainty and you know the deliberateness of like how he

576
00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:17,760
Speaker 1: views football where it can take him financially professionally. So

577
00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,680
Speaker 1: he's I would describe him as sort of a mature

578
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,800
Speaker 1: kid where you feel like you're talking to a guy

579
00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:26,520
Speaker 1: in his late twenties, not his late teens or early twenties.

580
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,600
Speaker 1: All right, Well, if the Texans don't take Kyle Hamilton,

581
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,480
Speaker 1: I know Notre Dame's got some other prospects that are

582
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,360
Speaker 1: going to be up at Combine and that you'll be

583
00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,400
Speaker 1: covering here that you've covered in the past. Give me

584
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,560
Speaker 1: another name or two that Texans fans should look out

585
00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,000
Speaker 1: that's not named Kyle Hamilton. Yeah, if you're in the

586
00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,480
Speaker 1: market for a running back, Kyron Williams is a really

587
00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,560
Speaker 1: interesting prospect to me, kind of you're all around, all

588
00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:54,000
Speaker 1: purpose back, incredible in blitz, pick pick up and diagnosing

589
00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:58,480
Speaker 1: what teams are throwing at your quarterback, really good receiver,

590
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,960
Speaker 1: incredible personality. You will be spoiled if you get to

591
00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,160
Speaker 1: cover him because he's a great quote and fun to

592
00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,920
Speaker 1: deal with him that way. So that would be the one.

593
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,480
Speaker 1: It's you know, and then down the draft, Kevin Austen

594
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:15,480
Speaker 1: maybe a late round pick. He was Notre Dame's number

595
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,600
Speaker 1: one receiver last year and said his career has been suspended,

596
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,440
Speaker 1: he's been injured, has not does not have a lot

597
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,720
Speaker 1: of tape, and so if you can get him in

598
00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,600
Speaker 1: the right system, I think he could be a value

599
00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:30,040
Speaker 1: pick for you as a fifth, sixth, seventh round type

600
00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,880
Speaker 1: of pick. That those would be the two guys that

601
00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,680
Speaker 1: are kind of worth monitoring. It's it's not a great

602
00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:38,960
Speaker 1: year for Notre Dame in terms of volume of guys

603
00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:43,960
Speaker 1: who are draftable, but Kiriren Williams third fourth round and

604
00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:46,200
Speaker 1: then Austin in the later rounds, those would be the

605
00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,960
Speaker 1: guys that I'm most interested to see where they fall

606
00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,520
Speaker 1: this cycle. All right, we'll have to see what shakes

607
00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,680
Speaker 1: out with Notre Dame prospects and the Texans this year. Pete,

608
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,600
Speaker 1: thank you so much for the time. Pete Sampson, beat

609
00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,000
Speaker 1: writer for the Athletic Covers Notre Dame Football. Follow him

610
00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:03,120
Speaker 1: at Pete Sampson. Pete appreciate the time so much. Anytime.

611
00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:05,880
Speaker 1: Thanks for having me. Man. I would kill for his pipes.

612
00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,800
Speaker 1: Pete Sampson's got some sweet, sweet pipes. And by the way,

613
00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:14,160
Speaker 1: Kyle Hamilton number one on the Harris one hundred and

614
00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:17,000
Speaker 1: we'll stay that way. Because there will be nothing short

615
00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,160
Speaker 1: of him running a five five forty, which is probably

616
00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,920
Speaker 1: not gonna happen. You could tell how fast he is

617
00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,840
Speaker 1: just on tape. He is an absolute baller. A dpcit

618
00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:29,080
Speaker 1: who had a chance to learn more about him with

619
00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,520
Speaker 1: Pete Sampson, beat writer for the Irish. For the Athletic,

620
00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,120
Speaker 1: Charlie Potter knows all there is to know about Alabama football.

621
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,320
Speaker 1: So let's learn a little bit more about Evan Neil

622
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,960
Speaker 1: from Charlie Potter. Next right here on Texans All Access

623
00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,520
Speaker 1: Aren't Texans All Access Aren't Texans. It's our final segment

624
00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,480
Speaker 1: of this Monday edition of Texans All Access from Indianapolis, Indiana,

625
00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:55,160
Speaker 1: as we get ready for full on proceedings tomorrow. Here

626
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,600
Speaker 1: for the twenty twenty two NFLS Scouting Combine. Cannot wait

627
00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:01,920
Speaker 1: on your hosts this evening. John Harris, Football Ana, a

628
00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,880
Speaker 1: sideline reporter. One guy that I am truly excited to see.

629
00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,920
Speaker 1: Just there as certain things at a combine that, oh,

630
00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:12,600
Speaker 1: I would say, always impressed me. Speed is always one,

631
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,680
Speaker 1: and size. When you see some guys you're like, my gosh,

632
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,000
Speaker 1: that guy's big. I remember seeing Daniel Falle from Minnesota

633
00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,520
Speaker 1: the tackle at the at the Senior Bowl, and holy cow, well,

634
00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,920
Speaker 1: Evan Neil has that same sort of build and he

635
00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,640
Speaker 1: is an athlete and he is the number three overall

636
00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,560
Speaker 1: prospect in the Harris one hundred and Charlie Potter from

637
00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,760
Speaker 1: Bama on Line knows all about Evan Neil in dpcity

638
00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,000
Speaker 1: who cut up with Charlie to learn more about the

639
00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:43,120
Speaker 1: hulking tackle from Alabama. The Texans have had a lot

640
00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,560
Speaker 1: of moving pieces on the old line, and Neil has

641
00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,080
Speaker 1: moved around it seems like quite a bit himself. He's

642
00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,760
Speaker 1: made starts at left guard, left tackle, right tackle in

643
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,720
Speaker 1: his three seasons. Well, you've you've sort of watched him

644
00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:55,600
Speaker 1: over these past three years. Where do you think his

645
00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,840
Speaker 1: best fit will be as NFL? Yeah, I mean, you're right.

646
00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,640
Speaker 1: He has I think thirty games of experience. He only

647
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,160
Speaker 1: missed one and that was due to think illness a

648
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,680
Speaker 1: couple of years ago. And so you know, he's been

649
00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,080
Speaker 1: a guy that's been a fictional Alabama's offensive line, but

650
00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:12,000
Speaker 1: it's been in different spots. He has double digit starts

651
00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:15,120
Speaker 1: at three different positions. He started his career at left guard,

652
00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:18,960
Speaker 1: started thirteen games there in twenty nineteen, then He moved

653
00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,479
Speaker 1: to right tackle in twenty twenty, the year Alabama won

654
00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,280
Speaker 1: the National Championship and also won the Joe Moore Award

655
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,040
Speaker 1: as the nation's top offensive line. The last year he

656
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,120
Speaker 1: kicked over the left tackle with Alex Leatherwood turning pro,

657
00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,080
Speaker 1: and really he seemed like that was the place that

658
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,400
Speaker 1: he liked the most. Of course, that's where he played

659
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,280
Speaker 1: a lot at IMG Academy before coming in Tuscaloosa, so

660
00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,000
Speaker 1: I think that's probably where he wants to play. I

661
00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:47,200
Speaker 1: think at this point, though, you know, anywhere on offensive

662
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,880
Speaker 1: line as a starter, it would be advantageous for him

663
00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:51,960
Speaker 1: and something he would look forward to. But no, I

664
00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,680
Speaker 1: think that flexibility certainly helps because a team in need

665
00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,520
Speaker 1: of any kind of offensive line help can look for

666
00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,800
Speaker 1: Evan Neil to plug a a spot. Not at center, obviously,

667
00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:04,160
Speaker 1: but he can maybe start his career at guard. But

668
00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:07,280
Speaker 1: I see him just with his frame being six to seven.

669
00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,080
Speaker 1: Alabama listed him at three fifty, but I think he

670
00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:12,560
Speaker 1: lost a little bit of weight. He can certainly play

671
00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,959
Speaker 1: tackle at the next level. But I think that versatility

672
00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:18,279
Speaker 1: is a strength of his and something that you know.

673
00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,759
Speaker 1: I think teams will cover it because you only want

674
00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,640
Speaker 1: to carry so many offensive linemen and the fact that

675
00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,600
Speaker 1: he can play multiple roles and wear multiple hats, I

676
00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:28,400
Speaker 1: think is something that will certainly help him at the

677
00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,759
Speaker 1: next level. Yeah, and you know, it's not that often

678
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,839
Speaker 1: that offensive lineman garner a lot of honors. You mentioned

679
00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,400
Speaker 1: some awards that he had gotten, but Neil, it seems

680
00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:40,440
Speaker 1: that he received some offensive player of the Week honors

681
00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,879
Speaker 1: multiple times from the Alabama coaching staff. So entering the NFL,

682
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,120
Speaker 1: what do you think is his biggest asset? What does

683
00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:50,120
Speaker 1: he bring as an offensive lineman? Yeah, I mean, you're right,

684
00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:53,720
Speaker 1: Alabama coaching staff didn't hand out a lot of player

685
00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:56,320
Speaker 1: of the Week awards to offensive lineman this year. You know,

686
00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,279
Speaker 1: it was kind of a down year given that they

687
00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:00,520
Speaker 1: won the Joe Moore Award last year as a unit,

688
00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,960
Speaker 1: but Evan Neil was that constant force upfront for UA.

689
00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:08,200
Speaker 1: And you know, I think it was six or seven,

690
00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,600
Speaker 1: maybe even eight times that he got that award from

691
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:13,560
Speaker 1: the coaching staff. And you know, I think he's a

692
00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,400
Speaker 1: well rounded offensive lineman. I think Alabama a lot of

693
00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,120
Speaker 1: the times they didn't want to tip their hand and say, hey,

694
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:21,799
Speaker 1: we're going to run it to the left every time.

695
00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,479
Speaker 1: But it was a good bet that you know, Brian

696
00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:26,880
Speaker 1: Robinson and these running backs in Alabama, hab we're going

697
00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:29,440
Speaker 1: to run off of Evan Neil's left or right hip,

698
00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:31,879
Speaker 1: and you know, he's strong in that aspect, but he's

699
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,719
Speaker 1: also a sound as a pass blocker. The offensive line

700
00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:39,040
Speaker 1: as a whole didn't necessarily pass protect very well for

701
00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:42,239
Speaker 1: Bryce Young, even though he won the High Trophy, he

702
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:44,319
Speaker 1: was running around a lot. But I think Evan Neil,

703
00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:46,640
Speaker 1: you know, was just a consistent factor over there. So

704
00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:49,080
Speaker 1: I think he's an all around, you know, really strong

705
00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:53,359
Speaker 1: offensive lineman, both from a physical and literal standpoint. But yeah,

706
00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,880
Speaker 1: I mean it's tough to kind of grade this past

707
00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,279
Speaker 1: year just because the group is a whole kind of

708
00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,880
Speaker 1: took a step back. But I don't think that's necessarily

709
00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:03,880
Speaker 1: a knock on Evan because when you look at it,

710
00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,200
Speaker 1: I mean, the cream rises to the top, and he

711
00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,200
Speaker 1: was the guy that stood out most among that starting five.

712
00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,040
Speaker 1: You know, I often like to ask different reporters about

713
00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:14,719
Speaker 1: players and adversity and things that they've overcome, but it

714
00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,960
Speaker 1: just seems like for Neil, having to play three different

715
00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:20,960
Speaker 1: spots in three different seasons is you know, quite a

716
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,120
Speaker 1: challenge in itself. How did he manage that and really

717
00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,759
Speaker 1: thrive no matter where he was playing on the line. Yeah,

718
00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,040
Speaker 1: it felt more like a promotion for him because he

719
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:31,360
Speaker 1: just kind of took advantage of the opportunity when it

720
00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,440
Speaker 1: presented itself. You're coming in as a true freshman. You

721
00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:38,040
Speaker 1: guys don't really start a lot as freshman and Alabama,

722
00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,080
Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's notable when it happens guys like you.

723
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:44,719
Speaker 1: Andre Smith has done it. Yeah, Cam Robinson who's with

724
00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,200
Speaker 1: the Jaguars. Jonah Williams who was left tackle for the

725
00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:49,759
Speaker 1: Bengals and played for the Super Bowl this year. But

726
00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:51,680
Speaker 1: the list isn't very long. And so for him to

727
00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:54,440
Speaker 1: come in and navis spot at left guard in twenty

728
00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,600
Speaker 1: nineteen on an offensive line with a lot of big names,

729
00:36:57,840 --> 00:36:59,560
Speaker 1: he says a lot. And then the following year you

730
00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,040
Speaker 1: had Jed J. Wills moving on to the NFL, that

731
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,719
Speaker 1: right tackle spot becomes available and he slides right in.

732
00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,360
Speaker 1: It's kind of like, you know, as a beat reporter,

733
00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,520
Speaker 1: you kind of do depth chart projections and things like that.

734
00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,360
Speaker 1: Going into the spring and the summer preseason camp all that.

735
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,520
Speaker 1: It was very easy to pencil and Evan Neil at

736
00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:20,560
Speaker 1: right tackle then, and the same goes for this past

737
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,120
Speaker 1: season when Alex Letherwood moved on to the league. You

738
00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:25,720
Speaker 1: had an opening at left tackle. You wanted to protect

739
00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:29,000
Speaker 1: Bryce Young's blind spot coming into his first year as

740
00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:31,759
Speaker 1: a starter, and you move that big body of Evan

741
00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:33,520
Speaker 1: Neil's over there, and he does a really good job

742
00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,680
Speaker 1: in that regard. So it's difficult to make that transition

743
00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,080
Speaker 1: for any player just moving from a different spot year

744
00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:44,080
Speaker 1: to year. But I think it was more so, like

745
00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:47,160
Speaker 1: I said, a promotion for him where he started where

746
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:49,400
Speaker 1: there was an opening, and then each time there was

747
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,839
Speaker 1: an opening where he felt more comfortable, he was able

748
00:37:51,880 --> 00:37:54,520
Speaker 1: to step in and really do a seamless job in

749
00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,280
Speaker 1: that regard. All right, what about for you? You've covered

750
00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:00,560
Speaker 1: him in his three seasons there, it's been the most

751
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:04,200
Speaker 1: memorable matchup or game of his that you've covered. That's

752
00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,360
Speaker 1: tough because you know Evans a guy that whenever he

753
00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:09,640
Speaker 1: plays you just don't really hear his name a lot.

754
00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:12,320
Speaker 1: And as an offensive lineman, you know that's what you do.

755
00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:14,960
Speaker 1: You want to happen. So I don't have one that

756
00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,480
Speaker 1: just sticks out more so than than others. I do

757
00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,320
Speaker 1: think Again, I feel like a broken record almost, but

758
00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:23,280
Speaker 1: this year was was big for him because the offensive

759
00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,960
Speaker 1: line was weakness is a weird word to use for

760
00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,839
Speaker 1: a team like Alabama who played for a national championship,

761
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:32,799
Speaker 1: but on an offense that had a lot of explosive playmakers.

762
00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,960
Speaker 1: They clearly had the Heisman Trophy winner. The offensive line

763
00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:38,840
Speaker 1: at times was a weak link. But that wasn't the

764
00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:40,959
Speaker 1: case for for Evan. It was more of the guys

765
00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,040
Speaker 1: around him, and those were guys that were stepping into

766
00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,400
Speaker 1: new roles and you know, maybe some unfamiliar spots. So

767
00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,880
Speaker 1: I think for him to be a guy that it

768
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,560
Speaker 1: was a consensus All American was recognized by the coaches

769
00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,520
Speaker 1: and in the conference by you know, all the outlets

770
00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:00,720
Speaker 1: that go into making up the consensus All America teams.

771
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:03,200
Speaker 1: And then to be recognized by his teammates as a

772
00:39:03,239 --> 00:39:06,560
Speaker 1: team captain one of four on Alabama's team, I think

773
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:08,800
Speaker 1: says a lot about him and the way that he

774
00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,000
Speaker 1: was kind of able to anchor that line and not

775
00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,040
Speaker 1: only lead them on the field, but lead them off

776
00:39:13,120 --> 00:39:15,399
Speaker 1: of it when they had some new guys stepping into

777
00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:17,759
Speaker 1: new roles and things like that. So I think for

778
00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:21,200
Speaker 1: him to be kind of that steady force and kind

779
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:24,359
Speaker 1: of a stormy season this past year. That stands out

780
00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:27,160
Speaker 1: more than anything for me, just because you know, there

781
00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:30,160
Speaker 1: weren't a lot of great games from an offensive line

782
00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:34,440
Speaker 1: standpoint as a whole. But Evan it's not really his fault.

783
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:36,320
Speaker 1: It wasn't with things that he was doing. He was

784
00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:40,200
Speaker 1: the good and some of the bad whenever you come

785
00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,880
Speaker 1: to look at Alabama's offensive line's past fault. I know

786
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,520
Speaker 1: the past two seasons have been sort of different covering

787
00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:49,040
Speaker 1: a team with COVID going on, especially across football across

788
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,920
Speaker 1: all teams. But you know, what does Evan Neil like

789
00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:54,239
Speaker 1: off the field? Did you get a chance to know him? Like,

790
00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,920
Speaker 1: what's he into, what's his personality Like, I'm going to

791
00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:59,760
Speaker 1: see him at the combine here coming up here very shortly.

792
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:02,040
Speaker 1: I'm very curious what he's like off the fields. Yeah,

793
00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,520
Speaker 1: I mean you mentioned with the pandemic, it's it's been

794
00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:07,720
Speaker 1: tough just to kind of get that beat writer player

795
00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:10,680
Speaker 1: relationship as you've had in past years. Because you know,

796
00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:13,640
Speaker 1: Evan came in in twenty nineteen, he was a true freshman,

797
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,840
Speaker 1: and then Alabama plays in the Citrus Bowl, so you know,

798
00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,400
Speaker 1: the locker room isn't as open it is maybe for

799
00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:22,799
Speaker 1: the college football playoff and things like that SEC championship game,

800
00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,200
Speaker 1: and then you have two years of just really virtual

801
00:40:26,719 --> 00:40:30,040
Speaker 1: press conferences, zoom meetings and interviews and things like that.

802
00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:34,120
Speaker 1: So we haven't gotten a chance to really know Evan

803
00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:36,400
Speaker 1: as well as some players in the past, just because

804
00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:38,560
Speaker 1: again they don't talk as freshman and then when he

805
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,520
Speaker 1: comes up as a starter, it's in front of a

806
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:43,399
Speaker 1: camera and we're not in the room. But everything I've

807
00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:46,320
Speaker 1: gathered is he's just a guy that players like to

808
00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:48,879
Speaker 1: be around. Again, he stepped into a leadership role this year,

809
00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,279
Speaker 1: and he's probably a little more quiet, but you know,

810
00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:54,480
Speaker 1: he has a deep voice and when he speaks, people listen.

811
00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:56,480
Speaker 1: I think that's a reason why they voted him as

812
00:40:56,520 --> 00:41:00,160
Speaker 1: a team captain this year. And you know, he's ever

813
00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,640
Speaker 1: had been a guy where you have to cover things

814
00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:04,480
Speaker 1: off the field, and that's kind of part of the

815
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:06,759
Speaker 1: job as a beat reporter when when things happen from

816
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,560
Speaker 1: a new standpoint. Evans never been that kind of guy.

817
00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:14,000
Speaker 1: So yeah, he just seems like a player that goes

818
00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:16,480
Speaker 1: about his business and you know he has you know,

819
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:19,840
Speaker 1: good character and personality and things like that. Nothing just

820
00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:25,080
Speaker 1: you know, completely overwhelming or you know, boisterous or anything

821
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:27,200
Speaker 1: like that. But he seems like a guy that would

822
00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:29,160
Speaker 1: fit in well in a pro locker room. He's kind of,

823
00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:31,000
Speaker 1: you know, ready for that. I think he's kind of

824
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:33,359
Speaker 1: been a guy that's been all business since he came

825
00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:35,239
Speaker 1: now Obama, and that's a big part of coming from

826
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:38,280
Speaker 1: a place like IMG. So I think wherever he lands,

827
00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:40,120
Speaker 1: he's going to be a guy that that fits in

828
00:41:40,239 --> 00:41:43,080
Speaker 1: well and is someone that you know doesn't take long

829
00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:45,920
Speaker 1: to acclimate to the lifestyle of a pro athlete. But

830
00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:49,160
Speaker 1: Charlie hits in a big one right there. If you've

831
00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,480
Speaker 1: got the athleticism, you've got the desire, you've got to

832
00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:56,880
Speaker 1: want to and you can avoid those pratfalls being a professional,

833
00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:00,359
Speaker 1: you'll be around the league for a long long time

834
00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:04,840
Speaker 1: and have a long, illustrious, productive career. I think Alabama

835
00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:06,759
Speaker 1: players sort of get the fuel of that when they're

836
00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:09,480
Speaker 1: at Alabama. There are rock stars down there in the States.

837
00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:11,680
Speaker 1: So every time a little bit of it the NFL,

838
00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:17,720
Speaker 1: you're throwing a ton of money and responsibility and pressure

839
00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:20,000
Speaker 1: if you will be an NFL player, it ramps up

840
00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,080
Speaker 1: a little bit. But hopefully every Kneel is a guy

841
00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:23,880
Speaker 1: that can handle it. We'll see if he ends up

842
00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,480
Speaker 1: being a Texan come April. Big thanks to Charlie Potter,

843
00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:31,560
Speaker 1: to Pete Sampson, of course, dpcitu and Mark Vanimer. So

844
00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:33,880
Speaker 1: all of you for listening. We will see you tomorrow

845
00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:37,880
Speaker 1: where we will have Nick Cassario right here at the

846
00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:41,640
Speaker 1: Combine in Indianapolis. Appreciate you guys listening. We'll see you

847
00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:44,920
Speaker 1: on Tuesday and let's always go Texans