WEBVTT - S3 Episode 3: What It Takes 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:03.000 Drafted is a production of Tree Fork Media, Clutch Sports Group, 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:10.800 and I Heart Radio Actual. I just said, I just say, 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:19.960 welcome back to Drafted. I'm Steven Johnson, and in our 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:23.439 last two episodes, we followed two of the highest rated 0:00:23.480 --> 0:00:28.360 prospects in this draft class, superstar receiver Davante Smith. I 0:00:28.480 --> 0:00:30.800 never bagged down for nobody. I don't care who you are. 0:00:30.880 --> 0:00:37.000 How I've always been scrappy and dominating offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood. 0:00:37.120 --> 0:00:39.400 You gotta move another human being who doesn't want to 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:42.720 be moved from one point to another. Now we're less 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:45.080 than twenty four hours away from the start of the 0:00:45.159 --> 0:00:48.400 first round in Cleveland, Ohio. The next step and Alex 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:52.440 Leatherwood's long term plan is finally on the horizon. From 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:55.760 mastering his blocking techniques to playing for the top college 0:00:55.800 --> 0:01:00.320 program to learning multiple positions on the offensive line, remove 0:01:00.440 --> 0:01:03.400 he's made has been a deliberate march to this point. 0:01:04.240 --> 0:01:09.200 He's definitely a mastermind and planning and executing. The next 0:01:09.240 --> 0:01:11.760 big step on Alex's master plan is to become a 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.880 first round draft pick. That's part of the reason he 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:18.479 returned to Alabama for his senior season. Although whether he'll 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:20.680 be picked in Round one or not is still up 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:23.560 in the air. In fact, it's such a big unknown 0:01:23.880 --> 0:01:28.240 that ESPN's NFL expert Jeremy Fowler calls to Marius Bilbo, 0:01:28.560 --> 0:01:32.640 Alex's agent at Clutched Sports, to specifically ask about Alex's 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:40.160 draft position. So what do I owe this honor of 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:43.720 hearing from Jeremy Fowler. Jeremy Fowler asked to Marius, if 0:01:43.720 --> 0:01:46.600 Alex is going to be taken in the first round. Man, 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:49.040 that's that's that's a question for us. All I got 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:51.320 in between and this. I literally told him, this is 0:01:51.360 --> 0:01:55.640 a huge gap. Huge I got in between nineteen and 0:01:55.760 --> 0:01:59.240 forty and the range. And I say that because most 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:01.920 teams I've talked with Jeremy they only have like fifteen 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:07.800 and sixteen first round grades. Most NFL teams only have 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:11.119 first round grades on fifteen or sixteen players. This year, 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.519 because there was no scouting combine, the college season was 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:17.360 about half the normal length, and a large number of 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:21.760 players opted to sit out the year completely. Scouts and 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:25.240 executives accustomed to making draft decisions with folders of data 0:02:25.320 --> 0:02:28.040 and dozens of hours of game tape are now being 0:02:28.040 --> 0:02:32.320 forced to do a lot more speculating a sure guy, 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:34.920 like for Leatherwood to be a guy that's a plug 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:37.120 and play guy. I mean, for god, say, he won 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:40.000 the Outline Trophy. He played at Alabama, he played at 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:44.120 the highest level of football. He played multiple positions, whether 0:02:44.120 --> 0:02:46.880 they be guard, on left tackle, and the right tackle 0:02:46.960 --> 0:02:49.320 too because he protected to his blind side. You know, 0:02:49.600 --> 0:02:51.880 I've always saw him as one of the top tier guys, 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:54.960 and you know, so it has been not concerning, but 0:02:55.080 --> 0:02:57.800 just I think people are reaching for other guys because 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:00.239 he's such a sure guy. He's such a short pick, 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:04.680 people start reaching outside of that and saying, Okay, every scalt, 0:03:04.760 --> 0:03:06.920 every person want to be the guy that discovered that 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.320 next guy. And I just feel like Leatherwood is a 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.640 safer guy when you when you're using the first round 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:12.919 pick on the guy, you want to make sure he 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:15.519 can come in and play. And people always talking about 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:17.840 that guard and tackle, which can he be? I mean, 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:20.359 I say, look at look at the guy from Washington 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:23.280 redsk and that's just franchise tag. He was drafted from 0:03:23.320 --> 0:03:26.799 Iowa the tackle and they slid him down and he's 0:03:26.800 --> 0:03:29.360 an All Pro guard. You know, I think that the 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:35.720 least that's what you get with Leatherwood. Ironically, teams are 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:38.080 questioning whether Alex is too much of a sure thing. 0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:41.200 He won the Outland Trophy, which is given to the 0:03:41.200 --> 0:03:44.600 best interior offensive lineman in the country, and on top 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:47.680 of that, he has consistently played at an elite level 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:51.400 for multiple years and has excelled at almost every position 0:03:51.440 --> 0:03:55.480 on the offensive line. So of course teams are doing 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:58.080 everything they can to p Coles in his draft status, 0:03:58.840 --> 0:04:01.960 asking questions like does he have a natural position in 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:06.040 the NFL? Is he a true franchise left tackle capable 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:10.120 of protecting a quarterback's blindside? Or has playing at Alabama 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:13.040 already helped him peak and therefore do other linemen have 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:18.720 more of an upside in the long run. It's enough 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.040 to make even the most confident prospect begin to question 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:24.800 himself and being an anchor on the line is absolutely 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:29.560 not how Alex Leatherwood's career began at Alabama. Here's Alex 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:32.320 talking about arriving on campus as the most sought after 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:37.880 offensive line recruit in the country. I was bright eyed 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:40.120 and bushy tailed. Is that what they called it? I 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:43.160 was definitely that when I first got there. But um, 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:45.320 the hardest thing I feel like, you get such a 0:04:45.360 --> 0:04:48.960 good player, you're like top playing in the country, coming 0:04:48.960 --> 0:04:51.280 out of high school, all that stuff you think of, 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:55.040 how ship and then um season comes in life, you're 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:56.960 not starting this. She kind of like hits you hard, 0:04:57.000 --> 0:04:59.120 you know what I mean? At first, I was but 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:01.480 hurt and my felings. I'm my damn not starting to 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:04.799 not playing him just on the sideline bench warming and ship. 0:05:08.360 --> 0:05:10.359 Alex was the top ranked recruit in the state of 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:14.159 Florida and the top ranked offensive tackle in the entire country. 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:17.760 Coming in as a freshman and not playing wasn't a possibility. 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:21.640 He ever considered happening. His close friend and teammate to 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:26.520 rest Parks weighs in on some of Alex's challenges. The 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.480 biggest obstacles to Alex probably had to take on going 0:05:29.520 --> 0:05:32.960 through this program and him executing his plan was making 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:37.560 sure he was consistent with everything that he did. Consistency 0:05:37.640 --> 0:05:39.640 is such a hard thing to really do for a 0:05:39.720 --> 0:05:42.880 lot of people, especially at this level, and we're all human. 0:05:43.839 --> 0:05:47.400 It wasn't just the struggles with consistency. The initial conditioning 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:51.600 and physical demands also caught Alex off guard. It was 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:54.640 definitely tough at first. I graduated early. I got there 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.440 in January and that's when we do our winter conditioning program. 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:03.800 Fourth quarter blare easily by far, the most harsh thing 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:09.840 I've ever done in my life. Here's Alex's teammate Jurez again, 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:14.840 Oh whoa who All Right. Running program consists of us 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:21.320 working really really hard in training. We run like crazy, 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:24.520 like it's It's probably one of the hardest things that 0:06:24.560 --> 0:06:27.280 I've ever done in my entire life. And I know 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:31.520 that I'm smaller than Alex, so running is not that 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:34.200 hard on me. But going through that program, I felt 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:35.760 that as I was going to die every time I 0:06:35.800 --> 0:06:39.200 did it. So Alex, yeah, he's very much a hard worker, 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:43.520 but that is something that will fight your brain at 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:49.480 the core. College football fans have likely heard whisperings of 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:53.839 this notorious conditioning program. However, the details of the workouts 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:57.599 are guarded like a national secret. Here's Alex again offering 0:06:57.680 --> 0:07:02.040 a low level security clear in summary, it's a funnel 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:06.279 running heavy lifting. Um. I know when we had got 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:09.080 a new coaches staff changed my junior year on a 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:11.920 new oldline coach, Coach Flood, he was like, I can't 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:14.960 believe it. Y'all are like America's biggest cross country team. 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:17.320 He's a lot of running, That's all I got to say. 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.840 Here's Jarazz again on how challenging these workouts can be 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:26.000 regardless of your size. It's a level of not understanding 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:28.160 is this my body hurting or is this my head? 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:30.160 Like my brain? And I know that he struggled with 0:07:30.160 --> 0:07:34.120 that because that is that's some ships. Sorry excuse my language, 0:07:34.160 --> 0:07:36.880 but that program is some ship that that that we 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:40.600 cannot survive. You know. Um, there are many moments where 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:43.280 I felt as, oh, I'm about to stop playing football. 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:45.680 I can't do this anymore, Like I was willing to 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:47.960 give up the entire sport at some point, just because 0:07:48.000 --> 0:07:49.880 I knew that I was just I can't do this 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:53.040 workout anymore. This is it's really hard. But I've definitely 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:56.000 seen him kill those workouts at times and seeing the 0:07:56.040 --> 0:07:57.880 workout kind of get the best of him at times. 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:02.760 They can be humbling for an elite recruit to suddenly 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:06.760 find himself overwhelmed by practices and workouts, many of which 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:10.040 are so demanding you openly question your desire to continue 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:13.440 playing the sport. And after each grueling week of practice, 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:17.520 Alex spent every Saturday watching from the sidelines, only playing 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:19.920 in mop up time to run out the clock. This 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:23.120 kind of adversity often leads to young players blaming coaches, 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:28.760 finding excuses, or even transferring programs, But instead Alex looked inward. 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:32.600 So like the first couple of weeks, I was just 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.360 for myself and things like that. But shortly after I 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.800 was like, let me clearly, I'm not playing because I'm 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:44.280 not ready. I mean, just um self talking really like 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:48.800 licking myself in the mirror, having a tough conversations with 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:52.600 myself and talking myself through it, you know, live down. 0:08:53.240 --> 0:08:55.640 While am I not playing all that type? Shipn't really 0:08:55.679 --> 0:08:59.320 like me answering the question for myself. That was the 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:01.120 only answer, you know what I mean. So I was like, 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:04.480 we're gonna fix it. So learning how to be like 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:07.240 mature and a grown man about my work and my 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:12.200 practice in my craft, Durette saw Alex's preparation and work 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.679 ethic begin to transform, and his master plan growing even 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:20.240 more detailed. The way that he went about that struggle 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:24.719 about like him always being his playbook, always watching film, 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:26.840 always making sure that he's up, meeting when his coaches, 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:29.079 and and making sure that the rest of the guys 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:30.400 on the on the line of doing what they have 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:34.000 to do, Like he chose to hone in on his 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:37.160 struggles in a sense and polish him to his best ability, 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:40.440 versus let them bring him down in a sense or 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:43.640 or really shake his world. By the end of Alexi's 0:09:43.679 --> 0:09:46.559 freshman season, Alabama makes it to the two thousand and 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:53.400 eighteen National Championship game against the University of Georgia. I mean, 0:09:53.720 --> 0:09:56.120 of course I was excited about the game. I had 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:58.400 all the faith in my team that we were going 0:09:58.440 --> 0:10:01.400 to get the job done and what they asked and 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:03.880 all that good stuff. So I wouldn't really check him 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:07.400 about the game. I was just uh grateful to be there. 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:10.480 But my mom was the furthest away from like playing, 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:15.120 you know what I mean. Alex anticipates having an amazing 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:18.719 view from the Crimson Tide sidelines throughout the night, and 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:22.200 then Alabama's starting left tackle gets hurt in the third quarter. 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:28.160 As the injured star leads the field, the team turns 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:31.600 to a freshman who barely played the entire season, who 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:34.240 had no intention of ever getting into this game, and 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:36.960 who now has to step up with the national championship 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:43.600 on the line. Yeah, Essentially, he got hurt, and I'm like, damn, um, 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:45.040 I hope I don't go out here and get my 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:47.880 ass whooped on national TV because this is like the 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.320 only game everybody in the country is watching right now. 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:53.280 I'm a freshman. I think it's like a couple of 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.880 first rounders on that defense like us, like it's too 0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:01.120 really good as Russia's all the goods. And I'm just like, damn, 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:03.240 these are some grown ass man. We just dude's probably 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:06.319 got children and ship. I'm like, what e team, I'm 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:10.600 gonna go get my ass whooped. Perhaps seeing the concern 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:14.439 and Alex's eyes, Alabama coach Nick Saban pulls him aside 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:16.840 and gives him a quick pep talk. He was just like, 0:11:17.000 --> 0:11:20.720 take it up play by play, don't worry about what 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:22.840 happened to last play, and don't be too anxious about 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:24.720 the next play. But all you gonna do is do 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:27.400 your job. And and we trusted you because we we 0:11:27.520 --> 0:11:29.240 got you out here so you can do a job, 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:34.760 So do it. Basically, the bright eyed, bushey tailed freshman 0:11:35.200 --> 0:11:39.080 is thrown into arguably the worst possible scenario, playing his 0:11:39.200 --> 0:11:42.440 first significant minutes of the season in the second half 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:46.360 of the National Championship game against the top ten defense 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:50.559 full of future NFL players. Alex breaks the huddle, settles 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:54.360 into a stands and the ball is hyping. As soon 0:11:54.400 --> 0:11:56.560 as that balls not on my first play out there, 0:11:56.920 --> 0:11:59.480 all the butterflies are gone. Like that, it was over with, 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:03.480 and like I went out there and I was like black, 0:12:03.559 --> 0:12:06.240 I'm a dog too, you know. So we find them shot, 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:08.079 we find the dance from the tango, we finish, see 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:09.680 who wanted more? And you know what I mean, I 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:14.319 was good. Once he got that first play under his belt, 0:12:14.480 --> 0:12:17.640 Alex's confidence grew and if you recall from the end 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:21.160 of episode one, Alabama and Georgia take the championship game 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:24.040 into overtime. It's really a blessing because like, if I 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:28.240 would have carried on that season hill and sorry for 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:30.840 myself and not really putting the work in to like 0:12:30.880 --> 0:12:32.319 be the best player that I can be, then I 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:35.040 probably would have winning that game and lay the egg. 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:36.800 But I didn't. I went out there and I'll trusting 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:39.240 my train and trusting my work. The work that I 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:42.400 put in your ship, I bought out. He excelled all 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:45.000 the way into the final play of the game when 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:47.840 Alex holds up the pass rush long enough to give 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:57.880 the Alabama quarterback time to throw deep down the true freshman. 0:12:58.280 --> 0:13:06.680 I'm good, l up Deafantam Alabama right, George your heart. 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:11.480 If he doesn't stop his man, the ball never rives 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:15.400 in Davante Smith's hands, and Alabama potentially doesn't win the 0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:20.400 national championship. He'd spent the whole year preparing for this opportunity, 0:13:20.760 --> 0:13:25.679 and then it actually happened. He called the touchdown and 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:29.079 like everybody swung the field shout. I was in shambles. 0:13:29.120 --> 0:13:33.280 I was crying, eyes out for life a whole hour after. 0:13:33.720 --> 0:13:35.679 I was a bad award because like you're coming from 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:39.720 like a bad high school program, then as a freshman 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:43.200 going to the best college football program, putting in all 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:45.680 that work, you know what I mean, and even like 0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:48.080 behind the scene when like you cannot playing and ship 0:13:48.559 --> 0:13:50.559 and to see all your hard work coming fruition and 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:53.839 come to life, like I contributed to that win. I 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:56.560 helped my team win that and that's something that will 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.520 never be taken away from me. That ship was insane, 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:01.880 isn't that them? Like that first one? Nothing like that 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:06.079 first one. Alex won the National championship again this past year, 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:08.800 but it didn't live up to that final play his 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:12.560 freshman year, and maybe nothing else ever will compare, or 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:16.080 maybe his next life changing moment will transpire when all 0:14:16.200 --> 0:14:20.720 his hard work and sacrifice culminate once again, this time 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:24.200 with an NFL team calling his name in the draft, 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:32.880 something that he hopes will happen very very soon. We'll 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:50.880 be right back. A few hours after talking to ESPN's 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:55.200 Jeremy Fowler, agent to Marius Bilbo gets another call from him. 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:57.640 This time the call is about a new agent at Clutch, 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:01.680 not the players they represent. We are growing. I told you, 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:05.680 I told you long ago that Rich was better than advertised. 0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:08.680 He knows what he's doing and we have a vision 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:12.600 for the football side of Clutch and is shown on 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:15.640 this final day before the draft kicks off, Clutch Sports 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:19.359 announces they've signed agent Nicole n Yeah. She's She's impressive, 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:22.360 very impressive, and I've always been a fan of her. So, 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.000 like I said, it's it's official now, so we're excited 0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:30.760 and ready to get to get the building. Over the 0:15:30.840 --> 0:15:33.480 last few years, Nicole has become one of the most 0:15:33.560 --> 0:15:36.720 high profile agents in the NFL, and in twenty nineteen, 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:40.160 she became the first black female agent to ever represent 0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:43.000 a top ten draft pick, and like Alex and DeVante 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:46.080 and many of the other players she personally reps, the 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:49.480 road to the NFL has not been easy. Here's Nicole. 0:15:51.120 --> 0:15:53.560 I grew up in what I would call the hood, 0:15:54.840 --> 0:16:00.520 a dairy impoverished neighborhood, below the poverty line and really 0:16:00.760 --> 0:16:04.640 in the middle of gang violence and a lot of crime. 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:09.360 Just not your middle class American family was very much 0:16:09.880 --> 0:16:12.760 we're just trying to survive. And most of the people 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:17.480 that I was surrounded with were black males that lived 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:20.760 that same life. Like our only goal was to get 0:16:20.760 --> 0:16:22.120 out of the hood. How do we get out of 0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:25.120 the hood? And some didn't make it out. My brother, 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:28.400 for example, was killed at one He was shot and 0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:31.560 killed because of gang violence. Like many of the people 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:33.920 I was surrounded, I did not make it out. However, 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:37.880 some of them did because of sports. Nicole grew up 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:41.560 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Oklahoma for 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:44.600 undergrad and for law school, and during her time there, 0:16:44.600 --> 0:16:48.680 her career in sports came about very naturally. There were 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:50.560 a lot of players when I went to Oklahoma that 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.400 I knew from either back home or we talked, and 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:57.400 so I would watch them kind of make it out 0:16:57.440 --> 0:16:59.360 and make it into football, maybe go to the NFL 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:02.360 for a year too, because the NFL's career link is 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:05.480 really short, and then i'd somehow see them like on 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:08.720 Christmas break back in the hood, or broke everything that 0:17:08.760 --> 0:17:11.359 they had for a couple of years, They're already broke, 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:15.240 and I could not believe it. I could not understand 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.920 it because once I was out, I was never looking back, 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.320 and I'm like, what in the world, Like, how does 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.199 how does that happen? How do you have millions of dollars? 0:17:23.240 --> 0:17:26.879 I mean, I just I could not make sense of 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:30.440 it in my head. But sevent NFL players within two 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:35.119 years of leaving the NFL claim some level of financial distress, 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:37.879 whether that stay filed bankruptcy, they go broke, And so 0:17:37.960 --> 0:17:39.800 I tell my guys, I'm like, that's three out of four. 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.760 I mean, there is no reason that that should happen. 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:47.119 And so it was like my mission to help these 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:48.920 when I want to say young men, but these were 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:53.080 my friends. I got certified at. Most of my clients 0:17:53.080 --> 0:17:55.080 were my exact age, these were my peers, These are 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:57.760 people I grew up with. So you hear agents or 0:17:57.760 --> 0:18:00.520 financial visors talk about players going broke because the family 0:18:00.680 --> 0:18:04.280 is like, you know, mooching off of them. I get it, 0:18:04.280 --> 0:18:07.640 though it's not just mooching off. It's it's survival. There 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.560 is nothing else. And so I get when the aunts 0:18:10.600 --> 0:18:12.920 and uncles and moms and dads are calling for money. 0:18:12.960 --> 0:18:15.320 I know where that is coming trump and I know 0:18:15.320 --> 0:18:17.919 how to handle and navigate that because even just as 0:18:17.960 --> 0:18:20.520 a lawyer, I had the same thing happened. I'm not 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:22.399 an NFL player. I don't have NFL player of money, 0:18:22.600 --> 0:18:24.840 but even just as a lawyer of being successful in 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:28.840 that not the same same exact situation. And so I'm 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:32.160 able to relate to them on just again another level, 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:34.679 and I'm like, oh, yeah, we're from the same situation. 0:18:34.760 --> 0:18:37.920 Like they got it, they understood like we we both 0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:49.639 came from the same circumstances. After Clutch makes the announcement 0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:52.600 about Nicole, they throw a dinner in Cleveland to welcome 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:55.720 her as the new president of football operations and to 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:59.160 honor their draft prospects who flew into town. This includes 0:18:59.200 --> 0:19:03.119 Alabama received for Davante Smith, who was enjoying some bread 0:19:03.160 --> 0:19:12.159 and butter at his table. But it's sweet Matt, we 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:21.720 will just call this. That's Davante's agent Kelton Crenshaw talking 0:19:21.760 --> 0:19:24.600 about how he's receiving text from coaches and teams even 0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:28.320 at this late hour the night before the draft. Specifically, 0:19:28.359 --> 0:19:32.320 he just received messages from Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rule. 0:19:32.800 --> 0:19:35.760 Carolina has the eight overall pick and is one of 0:19:35.760 --> 0:19:40.119 the teams reportedly interested in drafting Davante. This is the 0:19:40.160 --> 0:19:42.920 game team's play as the draft gets closer and closer, 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:46.639 scrambling to do their final homework on potential picks or 0:19:46.720 --> 0:19:58.080 showing their interest without tipping their hand. What you did, 0:19:58.119 --> 0:20:02.520 Ohio State. But I'm still pretty nuest you know how. 0:20:05.760 --> 0:20:08.840 This is Maverick Carter, a longtime friend and business collaborator 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:13.240 with Clutch Sports founder Rich Paul and NBA legend Lebron James. 0:20:13.720 --> 0:20:16.639 That ship was right, but I was room for the 0:20:17.119 --> 0:20:20.360 Did you kicked our show? How are you doing? Dog 0:20:20.400 --> 0:20:24.359 for good? Yeah? Good? Cut that nervous entage so good. 0:20:25.600 --> 0:20:29.040 No matter where you going, keep out in New York 0:20:29.040 --> 0:20:31.440 and Caney, Yeah, you just don't want to be in 0:20:31.480 --> 0:20:39.000 New York, Texas too, Just like Alex and their teammate 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:42.480 Landon Dickerson. Davante is worried about paying too much in 0:20:42.520 --> 0:20:45.840 taxes as soon as he enters the NFL. Apparently, the 0:20:46.000 --> 0:20:48.919 University of Alabama locker room spends a great deal of 0:20:49.000 --> 0:20:52.919 time discussing state tax policy in between crushing all their 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:59.600 opponents and winning national championships. So you want to be Texas, 0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:03.600 say this, see Florida here you're staying with From my text, 0:21:03.920 --> 0:21:05.800 I live in Kelly. I know where. It's like I 0:21:05.840 --> 0:21:12.520 ain't try to come out now. It's like love and 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:18.600 literally choked the Brady like a month after day wanted 0:21:18.640 --> 0:21:22.320 he was came at tam Super Bowl. I think I'm 0:21:22.359 --> 0:21:24.920 a good standing I like he likes you buying the house. 0:21:25.520 --> 0:21:28.879 That's what being up the top. It's nice time up 0:21:30.640 --> 0:21:34.960 good meaning who what everything, appreciating food coming out, food 0:21:35.000 --> 0:21:44.760 coming out? You are ye snake sound. Some people might 0:21:44.800 --> 0:21:47.280 be impressed with these new celebrity circles and the late 0:21:47.359 --> 0:21:51.360 night text from NFL executives. Davante Smith is not one 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:53.800 of those people. He's more interested in eating his steak 0:21:54.000 --> 0:21:56.480 that just arrived so he can head back to the hotel. 0:21:57.359 --> 0:22:07.439 Excuse me, I had a one something similar. Yes, it 0:22:07.600 --> 0:22:18.840 is personally you want this steak. He's offering his steak 0:22:18.840 --> 0:22:21.520 to his little brother Christian because he likes the steak 0:22:21.560 --> 0:22:23.920 well done and he won't eat it if it's too rare. 0:22:24.359 --> 0:22:26.439 He likes a one sauce on it, and he doesn't 0:22:26.440 --> 0:22:29.280 care what anyone thinks about that. He knows what he 0:22:29.359 --> 0:22:31.480 likes for sure. He knows what he likes. He knows 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:33.399 we just like he's a very deliberate guy to be 0:22:33.480 --> 0:22:37.399 so young. This is his agent Kelton talking about that 0:22:37.520 --> 0:22:46.280 high level of self awareness Davante always exhibits. He's not 0:22:46.359 --> 0:22:48.760 like one of these people that's just kind of like whatever. 0:22:48.840 --> 0:22:50.959 He has strong opinions for sure. But as far as 0:22:51.040 --> 0:22:54.520 like getting rattled even like will you hear stories of 0:22:54.680 --> 0:23:00.560 like how during the season when like Certainty Bees and 0:23:00.720 --> 0:23:03.080 like said things that are kind of quote unquote took 0:23:03.080 --> 0:23:04.960 shots at him. Those were like the guys he had 0:23:05.000 --> 0:23:08.320 like his best games. Generally, he doesn't really get too high, 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:10.680 he doesn't get too low. He's a very even killed 0:23:10.920 --> 0:23:14.840 young man. He's definitely mature beyond years. He just does 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:17.399 everything the right way. Man. He knows what he likes 0:23:17.560 --> 0:23:19.680 and he sticks to it. And based on his two 0:23:19.760 --> 0:23:24.240 national championships, winning the Heisman Trophy and completing arguably the 0:23:24.280 --> 0:23:27.199 best season a receiver ever had in college football. His 0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:30.200 approach seems to be working. So instead of a steak, 0:23:30.320 --> 0:23:33.639 Devanta eats some mashed potatoes as Clutch Sports founder and 0:23:33.720 --> 0:23:39.520 CEO Rich Paul stands to give a toast, I just 0:23:39.560 --> 0:23:51.840 want to you know, often time the only opportunity in 0:23:51.960 --> 0:23:55.160 the time he was thinking about it fo way, So 0:23:55.200 --> 0:23:58.840 I want to say the relationship you all lot tomorrow 0:23:59.640 --> 0:24:03.960 and I want to be to Yeah for cold Heads 0:24:05.240 --> 0:24:14.000 days are official your first day for a while. He 0:24:14.880 --> 0:24:17.200 rather is to both Bill Hall and Kelton as well. 0:24:17.840 --> 0:24:23.399 Smile all you guys who behind the other. Here's a 0:24:23.520 --> 0:24:26.119 Rich on the decision to bring the over to Clutch. 0:24:26.760 --> 0:24:30.480 The coach great watched her a long time, inquired about 0:24:30.480 --> 0:24:34.359 her around the league. Nothing but great things, really professional, 0:24:35.160 --> 0:24:37.320 really good agent. We didn't hire her because she was 0:24:37.359 --> 0:24:39.679 a woman, because she was a black woman. Hired her 0:24:39.760 --> 0:24:43.000 because she was in a great agent. Unless she knows football, 0:24:43.080 --> 0:24:47.960