WEBVTT - Ian Cunningham breaks down Draft Weekend | Bears Weekly 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:05.279 Welcome me in double Bears Weekly, a Chicago Bears Network production. 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:08.760 Download the Chicago Bears official app brought to you by 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:11.920 Verizon to follow the team on the Joe. Bears Weekly 0:00:12.039 --> 0:00:15.840 is brought to you by Advocate Healthcare, Beeth Rivers, CD telling, 0:00:16.120 --> 0:00:19.640 Connie's Pizza, and Miller liked. Now it's time for Bears 0:00:19.640 --> 0:00:22.799 Weekly with the Voice of the Bears Jeff Shodynia on 0:00:22.880 --> 0:00:24.919 the New Bears Radio Network. 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:30.120 Them New Bears drafted last week, providing more building blocks 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:32.080 for the future. We hear from the men who built 0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:34.279 that class and from the tenth pick in Round one, 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:36.839 offensive tackle Darnell right here in moments. Good to have 0:00:36.880 --> 0:00:40.279 you alongside this evening, great weather here in Chicagoland beautiful 0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:43.040 and this is Bears Weekly on ESPN Chicago and the 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.400 Bears Radio Network. Joining me as always a broadcast partner, 0:00:46.440 --> 0:00:50.280 Tom Fair and from Serious XMNFL Radios. Moving the chains, 0:00:50.400 --> 0:00:52.680 Jim Miller. We're here today until seven o'clock. Our producers 0:00:52.760 --> 0:00:55.560 Dan Really, Jordan Treadup. Thank you to the executive producer 0:00:55.560 --> 0:00:58.200 of the Bears Radio Network, Eric Ostrotski, and thank you Jay. 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:00.360 Can't you taking care of business at the e PN 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:05.200 one thousand studios, gentlemen, reactions dominating the headlines over the 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:08.320 course of the week. Of course, everybody's grading everything. We 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:11.960 don't do that, but what do our experts believe happen here? Tommy, 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:12.679 We'll start with you. 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:14.600 Big Jeff. Thanks. 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:17.119 You know what, all I'm looking forward is to getting 0:01:17.160 --> 0:01:20.720 the rookies on their feet and look how they take 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:24.280 the classroom onto the field and look to see what 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:26.800 their assets have been presented to us. 0:01:26.640 --> 0:01:29.040 Before they were ever drafted, to see. 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:31.840 Really how they fit into that role, to see how 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:34.920 they're going to be able to fit into the competition 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.160 of the position that they've been picked for. 0:01:37.520 --> 0:01:39.119 So there's a lot of things that you have. 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:42.000 To look at individually about the player, but it's all 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:45.440 about their athleticism, how they react according to the position 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:45.959 they play. 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:49.280 And Jim, Yeah, you know, I like the draft. Obviously 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:52.760 when you get Darnell right, many thought he was definitely 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:55.600 one of the top right tackles in this draft. I mean, 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:57.440 this guy was down at the Senior Bowl and he's 0:01:57.560 --> 0:02:00.920 just was ascending the whole time. You come away from 0:02:00.960 --> 0:02:03.440 the Senior Bowl. He started to work his way into 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:05.920 the first round, and you know, I think they got 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:08.760 themselves a nice right tackle. Well, we'll see how these defenders. 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:11.760 I think Tyreek Stevenson, the cornerback from Miami, a lot 0:02:11.760 --> 0:02:14.160 of length there. He's a bigger defensive back like a 0:02:14.280 --> 0:02:18.040 James Bradbury type of player for the Philadelphia Eagles. And 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:21.639 you know, the defensive tackles both Gervin Dexter and Zach 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:23.840 Pickens a little bit different when you look at the size. 0:02:23.880 --> 0:02:26.600 But Pickens to me is really quick off the ball, 0:02:26.840 --> 0:02:29.160 so we'll see if he can have an impact defensively. 0:02:29.160 --> 0:02:31.400 And rush On Johnson, the running back who they took 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:35.680 from Texas. Unfortunately he had the broken hand at the 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:38.480 Senior Bowl and had to leave, But you know, when 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:40.600 you're sharing time with one of the best running backs 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.519 in the draft, Bijon Robinson, this guy is still a 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:45.760 quality back that I think can be a player for 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:47.720 the Chicago Bears as well. But a lot of picks. 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:49.720 We'll see where they all find a spot and if 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:52.480 they can all fit and they'll have that opportunity, because again, 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:55.280 I don't think there's any sacred cows or anything slated 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.959 for everybody just to be an automatic starter. These guys 0:02:58.000 --> 0:02:58.800 are going to have to earn it. 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:02.960 Bears are already reportedly agreeted terms with their fifth round picks, 0:03:03.000 --> 0:03:07.000 linebacker Noah Sewell out of Oregon and cornerback Terrell Smith 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:11.200 out of Minnesota. Too very athletic and very nasty players 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:13.640 of their positions. All right, before we break things down, 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:17.000 coming up tonight, we've got Ian Cunningham, the Bears assistant 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:19.200 general manager, kind enough to join us for a second 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.000 consecutive We will join us live coming up at the 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.760 bottom of the hour. We'll also here from general manager 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:26.160 Ryan Poles. But I had a chance to sit down 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:28.720 right after the draft and his arrival in Chicago with 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:30.760 the first round pick, the tenth pick in the draft 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:34.680 and hopefully signaling a long tenure career in Chicago tackle 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:37.560 Darnell Right. You know, for me, it's always an honor 0:03:37.560 --> 0:03:40.120 to interview guys who get to this level because you're 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:43.520 one tenth to one percent of the greatest athletes in 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:45.760 the world to get the honor of playing this game. 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:48.600 And then you're doing it now for this franchise, charter 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:51.680 franchise in the National Football League, just dripping with history. 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:52.960 How's that settle away? 0:03:53.360 --> 0:03:54.520 I mean it's crazy. 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:57.320 I mean, like you talk about a team or a 0:03:57.360 --> 0:04:00.360 franchise that's one of the original teams of football, probably 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:02.320 popularized football for all of America. 0:04:02.400 --> 0:04:04.560 Really, So it's just it's crazy that. 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:08.040 I'm here and they thought I could blend in and 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:10.400 do something good for this program as much as I 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:13.120 think that I can. So it's just I'm happy to 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:13.480 be here. 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:15.200 What is it that you think you can. 0:04:15.360 --> 0:04:15.800 I don't think. 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:17.880 I don't only think I've already scratched the surfaces of 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:20.919 what I could become, really, and I'm just happy to 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.800 take that next step and see what that next level is. 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:24.080 You know. 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:27.760 Yeah, well, now you don't have to study classes anymore. 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:29.480 You don't have to be a college student. 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:32.960 Now you're a businessman, right, ready to play a sport 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:33.840 that you. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:34.320 Grew up love. 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.680 And that's also a big hurdle for some folks, you know, 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:40.400 to getting over to that. Are you excited not just 0:04:40.440 --> 0:04:42.120 to be football focused no more? 0:04:42.200 --> 0:04:44.000 You're not training for track anymore? No, right? 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:47.800 Yeah, I'm not running around and fan X. You know, yeah, 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:49.560 I don't think it would be a big hurdle for me. 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:52.159 You know, there's also there's that foundation you got to build, 0:04:52.400 --> 0:04:55.560 like anything, But you know, I'm happy to just focus 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.560 straight ball. I mean, it's something that I've been I've 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:00.279 loved to do since I don't know how long. But 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:02.320 just to do it as a job of me is 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:04.600 I feel like I'm I feel like I'm pulling the 0:05:04.600 --> 0:05:08.039 biggest trick ever. I'm out here making you know, money, 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:09.160 just to do something I love to do. 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:12.800 So well, it'll get serious, man, It's gonna get serious. 0:05:12.520 --> 0:05:13.159 And a lot of fun. 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:15.119 I heard one of the best quotes I read about 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:18.040 you was one of the scouts that I follow said, 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:21.080 he's a grizzly bear. Plays the game like a grizzly 0:05:21.080 --> 0:05:23.279 bear that's just coming out of hibernation. 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:25.400 You ever hear that one? 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:29.480 You know, I never heard that exact quote, But I mean, 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:33.920 is that how you play? I mean, we'll see, we'll see. 0:05:34.200 --> 0:05:35.839 I think you play with an edge of my friend 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:38.200 and a little hungry like that bear. Now you're going 0:05:38.279 --> 0:05:40.800 from Grizzly Bear to Chicago Bear. So that's how they 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:43.520 used to play in this team. Franchise history is all 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:46.400 about that, that kind of nastiness, and you can see 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:49.080 it in your snaps for sure. Is this something that 0:05:49.160 --> 0:05:50.080 you were born to do? 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:53.080 It's definitely in me, So you know, I just got 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:54.880 to make sure I don't flip that switch too much, 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:56.520 flip it game there so. 0:05:57.360 --> 0:05:59.520 Well, you know I've heard you say that more than once. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:03.680 So do you need to flip a switch to get into. 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:05.839 That mode on game day? Or are you always on 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:06.760 the edge a little bit? 0:06:07.520 --> 0:06:10.039 You might hear the same people might say, you know, 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:11.960 there's nobody that can just flip the switch. I think 0:06:12.000 --> 0:06:14.160 that's just I don't think that's real. You know, if 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:16.040 I was sitting here staring at the face, you think 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:17.680 this guy is probably something wrong with him, you know 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.120 what I mean. But when it's you know, when it's 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:23.440 time to go like it's you know, you feel that 0:06:23.520 --> 0:06:24.720 you get I don't know what to talk about it 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:26.040 for real, might flip the switch right now? 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:29.919 Yeah, but I I'd love to see it. 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:32.320 What do you love about this game? And do you 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:36.040 love this game at at a level that is beyond. 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:36.760 Passion for the sporting? 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:39.839 Yeah, it's I mean, this is I don't have a plan, 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:41.279 and there's no plan b you know what I mean, 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:43.360 there's no It's not like y'all be like, oh yeah, 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:45.560 I have to make it. I'll do this and that's 0:06:45.560 --> 0:06:49.120 all I got. So this is what you see here 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:50.279 is what I got to give. 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:52.560 So when did it crystallize for you that you were 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:55.200 going to be NFL possible? 0:06:56.360 --> 0:06:59.840 It doesn't necessarily just crystallize at once. I guess if 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:02.000 you say it would have when it did crystallize, be 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:05.200 like somewhere around my junior year in college. And but 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:07.240 you know, you go through those times where you think 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:09.760 maybe I'm not good enough, but then you get better 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:11.120 and then you think, oh, I can really do this, 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:13.679 so just it changes. 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:14.600 But we're here now. 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:16.480 So yeah, I think the SEC can make a lot 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:18.840 of players think they're not good enough because it's essentially 0:07:18.880 --> 0:07:21.240 an extension of what we have right now in the NFL. 0:07:21.360 --> 0:07:23.840 Right you face to everybody. I mean you can go 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:26.520 all the way back to your freshman year. Uh that 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:29.960 did that harden your edge to get here to play 0:07:30.080 --> 0:07:30.800 the same I mean. 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:31.960 It's not gonna be too big for you. 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:32.560 Yeah. 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:35.280 Yeah, and definitely it's not gonna be too big. And 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:38.720 I've I've obviously NFL you're not gonna get the competition 0:07:38.760 --> 0:07:40.800 that you're gonna get, and you're not gonna you're not 0:07:40.800 --> 0:07:44.239 facing the NFL players every single like every single player 0:07:44.280 --> 0:07:46.600 in the SEC. But it's the closest, like you said, 0:07:46.640 --> 0:07:49.640 it's the closest you can get to it, and it 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:50.920 definitely helped me a lot. 0:07:51.280 --> 0:07:53.280 Would it be fair to say it seems like maybe 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:54.400 you got up for the big ones? 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:58.200 Though, I mean I think you everyone, I think everyone. 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:01.960 I mean it's hard to not to. And in this league, 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:04.280 everyone's the big one. So if that's my problem, you know, 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:05.600 I guess we're all do it. 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:07.119 Yeah. 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:09.720 I enjoyed the personality, and you know, you flip on 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:13.120 Tom and Jim the tapes of his play against Georgia, 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:16.400 his play against will Anderson and Alabama, those are very 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:19.320 signature moments and he really hauled himself up really well. 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:21.760 Tom overall reaction and head over to Jim. 0:08:22.280 --> 0:08:22.480 You know. 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:24.080 You know the thing about it is when you're six 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:26.800 five plus three hundred and thirty three pounds, you don't 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:27.360 blend in. 0:08:27.720 --> 0:08:28.280 You are it. 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:30.520 The reason that you were picked in the first round 0:08:30.800 --> 0:08:32.240 is you guys have to come in here and be 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:35.679 a difference maker on this football team is that struggled 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:38.440 last year on the offensive line and is searching for 0:08:38.480 --> 0:08:42.240 immediate help. So this is not a passive approach to football. 0:08:42.559 --> 0:08:45.720 In the flipping the switch thing. I think it's more 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:49.000 of a game day adrenaline. You don't carry the same 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:53.400 adrenaline a round with you Monday through Saturday during the 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:56.320 course of week of preparation and practice, but you have 0:08:56.440 --> 0:09:00.000 that adrenaline flow unlike any other on game day, whether 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:04.160 it's Saturday, Sunday, Monday night, Thursday, whatever the case is. 0:09:04.200 --> 0:09:07.560 So I like his personality. I think he'll be more 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:11.720 engaging the more time he has. But Darnell, it's not 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:13.679 time to blend in, it's time. 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:13.920 To be in. 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:16.880 Yeah, he's He's definitely not a band aid on the 0:09:16.960 --> 0:09:19.280 offensive line. This guy's going to be a foundational player. 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:22.440 Agree with the tape on Will Anderson. He kind of 0:09:22.559 --> 0:09:26.679 just swallowed him up that whole game against Alabama. When 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:29.560 I talked to Darnell, he thought the toughest pass rusher 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:34.000 he went against was bj Ojulari. But this guy's a bulldozer. 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:36.280 When he gets his hands on you, forget it, it's over. 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:39.960 He can physically redirect you, and very rarely do you 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:42.680 see that happen in the NFL, where an O lineman 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:46.160 can physically move a defender. Normally it's about stalemates. Tom 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:48.360 can talk about that, but This guy can physically like 0:09:48.520 --> 0:09:53.000 redirect defensive opponents that he's going against. This is a 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:54.440 very strong football player. 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:57.440 YEP six five and three h three thirty three the 0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:00.679 last listed weight for darn l Right. He was named 0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:04.040 the best blocker by opposing linebackers and defensive tackles during 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:05.280 Senior Bowl practices. 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:07.200 He definitely had a great week. 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.160 When we come back, a conversation with general manager Ryan Poles. 0:10:10.440 --> 0:10:13.240 This Bears Weekly on AESPN one thousand and the Chicago 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:14.199 Bears Radio Network. 0:10:14.880 --> 0:10:17.600 This is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:20.840 for twenty three years, Jeff jony Aik on the Bears 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:22.079 Radio Network. 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:28.960 Tom a student one day, prepare for the combine and 0:10:29.040 --> 0:10:33.040 all the testing season the next drafted, then you're in town, 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:36.319 meet the media. This week you're at mini camp and 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:38.760 a couple of guys already signed this Bears draft class, 0:10:38.920 --> 0:10:42.079 reportedly Noah Sewell and Terrell Smith out of Oregon to 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:46.000 Minnesota respectively. Before we rejoined, Jim and Tom sat down 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:48.200 with the general manager, Ryan Poles. Look back at what 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:49.920 occurred last week. 0:10:49.679 --> 0:10:52.120 In the draft. All right, can you exhale now? 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:54.480 Yeah, just a little bit, just a little bit. 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:58.040 Hey, recap the four months January, February, March, April, and 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:00.199 did you check all your boxes? 0:11:00.559 --> 0:11:00.760 Yeah? 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:04.160 I think we did, I really do. You know, once 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:05.960 the draft ended, you kind of sat back in your 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:09.680 chair and I had our guys pull up our depth chart, 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.320 and I just I couldn't be happier about the work 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:15.360 that we put in and the progress that we've made. 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:18.760 The roster's heading in the right direction. Again. 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:20.880 The goal is to compete for championships, and you got 0:11:20.880 --> 0:11:21.880 to have the players to do that. 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:22.880 You know, our. 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:26.360 Job is to build a football team. It's to build 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:29.520 a locker room. It's to build a culture that can 0:11:29.559 --> 0:11:30.920 withstand a lot. 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:33.800 Of different things. And so there's different pieces. 0:11:33.800 --> 0:11:36.560 It's the talent, and we do a fantastic job in 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:41.400 this room identifying talent. But then it's the person, the makeup. 0:11:41.679 --> 0:11:44.040 How do they what do they bring into our locker room? 0:11:44.080 --> 0:11:46.560 What do they bring to our team. I've talked about 0:11:46.559 --> 0:11:48.520 it before. You know, we're gonna go through some hard times. 0:11:48.520 --> 0:11:50.679 You always do, no matter if you have a Super 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:53.240 Bowl roster or a roster that you're just trying to 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:56.080 get up off the floor. And that resilience piece, that 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:58.840 group that can stay together. That's so important to us, 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:00.760 so we always keep that in mind. We want to 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:02.959 bring a really good group in here that can play 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:03.640 well together. 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:05.360 So that's the emphasis. 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:08.480 And a lot of times you may find some really 0:12:08.520 --> 0:12:10.439 good talent that at the time it just doesn't make 0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:12.000 sense for your roster at that time. 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:15.520 Culture's big. Obviously it was established, you've established it. Same 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:20.080 mind thought on it process with Matt Eberfluss. Was there 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:24.080 anything about it that it needed a boost in in terms. 0:12:23.840 --> 0:12:27.160 Of the locker room, in terms of culture, I. 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:29.520 Just say, just continue to bring in some good young 0:12:29.600 --> 0:12:33.679 players that have energy, that have charisma that they're hungry, 0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:36.720 and that's what we did. All these guys have a 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:39.240 chip on their shoulder and they want to prove that 0:12:39.240 --> 0:12:40.960 they can play in this league and then help this 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:42.480 organization win championship. 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:44.800 Are you only looking for guys with chips on their shoulder? Yes, 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:47.240 I mean, I mean a lot of these guys, man, 0:12:47.280 --> 0:12:50.040 they were five star prospects, had great careers in some 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.160 of the big conferences like the SEC. Obviously in the 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:55.640 Big ten that do most drafted conferences. But even those 0:12:55.640 --> 0:12:56.920 guys have chips on their shoulders. 0:12:56.920 --> 0:12:59.360 They do because you know they're driven to prove that 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:00.120 they can do it. 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:00.880 At the next level. 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.960 They might be five star recruits, they have a good 0:13:04.000 --> 0:13:07.040 college career. Now that next step is to be great 0:13:07.880 --> 0:13:08.960 at the highest. 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:10.439 Level, at the pinnacle of this game. 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:14.080 And you can tell through our research, through you know, 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:16.439 folks at the schools that are with these players, to 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:20.000 sitting down and interviewing them, you know one on one 0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:21.559 that they have something. 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:23.439 To prove, and that's what you look for. Lukeatz, you 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:24.320 had the Senior Bowl. 0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:27.440 A lot of your coaches for the top five drafted 0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:30.760 from the Senior by accident or was that really an 0:13:30.800 --> 0:13:33.640 important evaluation process in terms of find out what makes 0:13:33.679 --> 0:13:34.160 guys tick? 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:37.000 Yeah, important part of the evaluation process. 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:38.680 We had a unique view. 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:41.960 Just with Luke being the head coach, we had an 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:43.800 opportunity to even go into. 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:46.079 Myself and coach Eberflues. We had the opportunity to go 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:47.160 into the meeting rooms as well. 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.320 So I remember sitting behind Darnell, you know, in those 0:13:50.400 --> 0:13:52.680 offensive line rooms and first of all seeing how wide 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:56.679 his shoulders are, big head, big neck, but also how 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.160 he approached the game, how he interacted with his teammates, 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.000 and then seeing him going on the field and executed 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:04.559 at a high level. Being up close and personal. You 0:14:04.640 --> 0:14:07.160 got to feel that part. And then just when you 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:11.040 get good competition going against you know, other top end talent, 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:14.920 you can see how they react. I remember, you know, Stevenson, 0:14:15.040 --> 0:14:17.800 just the poise that he had in coverage and the 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:20.760 speed and the size and his press technique up and 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:23.000 close and personal. So you carry those things through the 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:24.400 process and I think it helps. 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:26.720 All right, let's talk about Darnell. What was your opinion 0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:30.880 of him before testing season and what was your opinion 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:32.120 clearly after? 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:35.120 Yeah, you know, I think we did a good job 0:14:35.200 --> 0:14:38.440 identifying that he was going to be a good tester 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:40.680 for his size. And I try not to get too 0:14:40.760 --> 0:14:44.560 crazy with the testing part for offensive lineman, but you 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:47.680 want some of those top end traits in your guys. 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:50.720 So by his tape, I could see for how big 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:54.120 of a man he was to move with light feet 0:14:55.200 --> 0:15:00.520 on contact, you see shock on defenders, and from there 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:03.640 you could see, Okay, this guy's explosive, he's got good quickness. 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:07.200 We look at lean body mass. He's got big, lean body. 0:15:07.280 --> 0:15:10.240 He's a big human being. He's got functional mass to him. 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:12.240 So you can see that on tape. So just the 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:14.760 testing part was a confirmation that he had all of 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:15.320 those things. 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.640 And you like to check both both boxes, all right. 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:21.040 So many coaches that I've spoken to many in this 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:24.400 scheme defensively say hey, if I had a started defense, 0:15:24.520 --> 0:15:26.600 I'm starting on the defensive line, but I'm starting at 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:29.080 the interior defensive line. Yeah, and do you agree with that? 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:30.360 Do you subscribe to that? I do. 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:32.640 I talked about this the other day. You know, those 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:36.360 guys can be multipliers. They can help everybody else around them. 0:15:36.400 --> 0:15:41.080 The linebackers flying around free, blitzing free, They dent the 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.400 pocket to create a shorter edge for defensive ends and 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:46.600 blitzers on the outside, and then they just when you 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:49.800 have a stout defense, especially in this division late in 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:52.280 the season. To me, I think that's a key component 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:54.880 to being a championship caliber team. So we invested in 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:56.720 that space and we made some good shrites. 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:58.880 Yeah, give me a little nugget on Javon Dexter out 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:00.720 of Florida and Zach Pickens's South Caroline. 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:01.000 Yeah. 0:16:01.080 --> 0:16:04.280 What stands out with Gravan is just it's the athlete 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.640 and the traits that he has to develop to be 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:10.760 a top end interior player. Really let on his feet, 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:15.000 former basketball player who also has that density to him 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:18.800 on contact, can shed blockers off of his body and 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:20.480 find the ball with good quickness and feet. 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:22.600 So all of those pieces came together. 0:16:23.400 --> 0:16:25.320 And I think even with his tape and what he 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:28.080 was asked to do in that scheme down there, I 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:32.040 think it masked some of the high end penetrating and 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:34.960 pass rush that he actually has in his body. I 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:37.680 think we'll be able to bring that out even more here. 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:39.280 Pickens, Yeah, Pickens. 0:16:39.360 --> 0:16:44.120 Another one just long armed, ability to shock and keep offensive, 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:47.000 you know, blockers off of his body, shed to the ball. 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:51.680 Another guy that has some high end physical traits. And 0:16:51.720 --> 0:16:55.000 then through our sports science program, we even see more 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:58.240 growth coming in his body in terms of lean mass, 0:16:58.760 --> 0:17:02.280 getting even bigger than what he is. So and both 0:17:02.280 --> 0:17:04.600 of those guys play extremely hard too, which is also 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:05.919 big for coach Flufs. 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.320 You have drafted six defensive backs in two years. Yeah, 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.440 and now you add a guy that is long Yep, 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:16.720 seems nasty. Does he like to tackle on the run game, 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:17.600 Tyrek Stevenson. 0:17:17.760 --> 0:17:21.640 Yeah, loves the tackle, loves to play physical. Another big 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:24.439 man with great length. The one thing that stands out 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:26.760 when you watch his press tape. He will get in 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:30.240 your face and disrupt timing, which is one again, a 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:32.600 multiplayer that can help everybody else the safeties over the 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:34.040 top of the pass rush to get home. 0:17:34.160 --> 0:17:36.760