WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Listen 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:06.920 Higain everybody, I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading The Bengals 0:00:06.960 --> 0:00:10.239 Booth Podcast, the Listen. 0:00:11.400 --> 0:00:11.680 Edition. 0:00:12.160 --> 0:00:15.160 As we get great insight into the Bengals twenty twenty 0:00:15.160 --> 0:00:19.000 five draft class from their new position, coaches and or 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:23.440 former college teammates. Then it's my one on one conversation 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:27.040 with the team's director of college Scouting, Mike Potts. The 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:29.520 Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, 0:00:29.560 --> 0:00:33.080 proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:40.159 business and community to a new level, and by Kettering 0:00:40.200 --> 0:00:42.880 Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health 0:00:42.960 --> 0:00:45.200 is the official healthcare provider. 0:00:44.920 --> 0:00:45.720 Of the Bengals. 0:00:46.120 --> 0:00:48.280 Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.800 latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:56.080 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:00:56.120 --> 0:01:01.360 the greatest thing since finishing a great book. I don't 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:04.800 read nonsports stuff as often as I should, but I 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:08.959 recently finished the book Killers of the Flower Moon, and 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:11.240 I'm so glad I picked it up. It's a book 0:01:11.280 --> 0:01:13.920 about a series of murders in the nineteen twenties, and 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:18.479 the research done by author David gran to explain exactly 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:22.640 what happened and why is nothing shorter remarkable. I know 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:24.679 it was made into a movie a couple of years ago, 0:01:25.000 --> 0:01:28.760 but in my experience, the book is almost always better 0:01:28.920 --> 0:01:32.280 than the movie. So if you're looking for something interesting 0:01:32.319 --> 0:01:36.280 to read, Killers of the Flower Moon gets a draft 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:41.000 grade of A. Now let's get to my first guest. 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.520 Now that the twenty twenty five draft is in the 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.240 rearview mirror, I thought it would be interesting to learn 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:49.400 more about the Bengals six picks from guys who either 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:52.800 already know them or are about to work with them 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:56.800 very closely. First round pick Shamar Stewart was one of 0:01:56.880 --> 0:02:00.080 three Texas A and M defensive linemen selected in the 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:03.920 first two rounds this year. Nick Gordon and Shamar Turner 0:02:04.040 --> 0:02:08.240 were the others. Furthermore, Walter Nolan, the player selected one 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.600 spot ahead of Stuart by the Arizona Cardinals, was his 0:02:11.600 --> 0:02:14.360 teammate for two years at A and M before playing 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:18.040 his final college season at Ole Miss. All of those 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:21.880 guys looked up to fellow defensive lineman and two time 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:25.640 captain McKinley Jackson, who had some interesting things to say 0:02:25.919 --> 0:02:31.480 about Stuart's low sack total with the Aggies. How do 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:33.760 you describe your former teammate Shamar Stewart. 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:36.960 First of all, he's a great individual, willing to learn 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:39.960 and listen. Never had proud of by itself, never uh, 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:43.239 just never been afraid to learn, always been a student 0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:45.359 of the game. And you know he's he's a specimen. 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:49.040 And I honestly like guys like six six to AE 0:02:49.600 --> 0:02:52.680 send it by to eighty is freaking nature. I mean 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:54.679 you've seen the numbers. I mean there's a lot of 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:57.720 speculations about production all that, but I mean ton of 0:02:57.760 --> 0:02:59.840 tape on and you'll see, matter of fact, turn of 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:03.240 two and watch every prospect that was on the tape 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:05.440 with him. I mean there's the other first round. These 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:08.920 guys want to take a round. I mean between Shamon 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:14.560 Stule and Walston Noland for their days, Samar Turner, guys 0:03:13.919 --> 0:03:15.240 on on so forward. 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:16.440 Like it's hard to. 0:03:16.320 --> 0:03:18.520 Make those plays when guys like that are playing around you, 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:20.320 Like it was hard to get those numbers like that 0:03:20.520 --> 0:03:22.160 when guys like that are playing around you. But like 0:03:22.480 --> 0:03:26.120 from a collective standpoint, I mean we did. We did 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:29.040 some well, and I give all the props to our coaches, 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:32.200 Terry Price with the Lajah Robinson, because I mean, look 0:03:32.240 --> 0:03:33.680 at them, like I said, look at the numbers, like 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:35.720 look at the tape, like it's this draft pick at 0:03:35.720 --> 0:03:38.320 the draft pick each year and we go to those guys. 0:03:38.360 --> 0:03:40.800 But chamorro Chamar's gonna be special tenant for us. 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:44.480 As the seventeenth pickers approaching. And you're I assume you're 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:48.400 following the drafts were you're getting excited about the possibility. 0:03:47.840 --> 0:03:50.360 Walter got drafted to the Cardinals. I mean, I haven't 0:03:50.360 --> 0:03:53.200 played with them. I didn't play with them this past year. 0:03:53.200 --> 0:03:54.920 Of course I'm in the NFL and he went to 0:03:54.920 --> 0:03:56.760 all missed, but you know, it's still support and love 0:03:56.800 --> 0:03:57.320 with my end. 0:03:57.400 --> 0:03:58.640 So I was glad then. 0:03:58.640 --> 0:04:01.280 And then I figured we was on the clock next saying, 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:03.600 I was like, damn, I heard I have seen Mi 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:05.960 dres about some more stoud getting dragged to us, and 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:08.400 I'm like, damn, I hope, I hope it's him right here. 0:04:08.640 --> 0:04:10.800 And I'm watching it and I got and I've seen 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:11.960 it like everybody ever seen it. 0:04:12.000 --> 0:04:13.840 And I was like, Damn, I'm parut of this kid, 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:15.360 because I love the work he put it in. And 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:18.440 I'm just more so power because because I was a 0:04:18.480 --> 0:04:20.680 guy he looked up to and learned from. And I'm 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:22.480 glad he's part of his journey and I'm glad I 0:04:22.480 --> 0:04:24.520 can help him, help him out at his next level. 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:27.000 It's from an experience I got being here for a year. 0:04:27.200 --> 0:04:29.080 I might not have much knowledge, but you know I 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:30.920 got I got some jewels to drop for him. 0:04:31.640 --> 0:04:34.560 As you mentioned, we've all seen the combine numbers and 0:04:34.600 --> 0:04:37.159 some of the crazy stuff that he did in terms 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:40.600 of this athleticism. What was the craziest thing you ever 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:43.160 saw that that made you think, Holy cow, this guy's 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:43.800 a different cat. 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.520 I mean, the first day he walked on campus, like 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:50.039 seventeen eighteen years old, looked like a full mon secuity guard. 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:52.479 I'm just like, damn, I'm like, how dore you just 0:04:52.560 --> 0:04:55.520 with a big baby face, a big smile full of golds, 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:58.560 And he's just like, I'm madteam, I'm like, damn, So. 0:04:58.600 --> 0:04:59.960 You ready to work? He said, of course? 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.560 And every since then, even Boughting started off with you 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:06.480 know kind of like you know, just like young, young natured, uh, 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:12.000 just your football capability, just god giving ability, and you know, 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:14.120 just didn't have to take mequ but like as we 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:16.840 started getting older and started learning and start learning how 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:19.640 to use what God gave us, that's when we're seeing 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:21.719 those this production in the sec like we did. 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:26.320 It sounded like you were a little bit annoyed by 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.320 how much people are focusing on the low stat or 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:32.040 low sack number in his college career. 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:34.240 I mean from the blind eye where you don't turn 0:05:34.320 --> 0:05:36.279 the tape and watch the tape. I could I could 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:37.880 get while you say that, you know, it's kind of 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:40.159 disturbing for someone that plays. 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:41.880 The sport and actually. 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:43.320 See what's going on and knows what's going on and 0:05:43.760 --> 0:05:45.880 just beyond their level. I know it's going on the 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:47.440 second level, third level, a lot of things to go 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:47.800 in to play. 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:49.640 So you know, I'm just I'm. 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.240 Looking at the tape rather than looking at the numbers, 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:53.240 and the tape is freaking immaculate. 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:54.800 Like this guy's special. 0:05:54.920 --> 0:05:58.440 I mean he's like a freaking a foot freaking bullet train, 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:00.960 like just running through through the get I mean, I mean, 0:06:01.360 --> 0:06:03.599 turn the Arkansas game, turn it on from twenty twenty 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:05.599 three and twenty twenty four, and you to me, like 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:09.200 the one year difference for him, and he still looks 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:11.440 exposed from both. Well, I'm just glad. I guess I'm 0:06:11.480 --> 0:06:14.159 glad to see like the traditioner he had this year 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:17.560 and just understanding his place that and the capability he has. 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:21.160 Later on the podcast, I'll talk to scouting director Mike 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:24.880 Potts on the Bengals plan for making Stewart a better 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:28.200 pass rusher. But now let's turn the second round pick 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:31.320 Demetrius Knight, who could be in the mix to start 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.760 next to Logan Wilson at linebacker. Here's this new position 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:38.320 coach and a newcomer to the Bengals coaching staff. Mike Hodges. 0:06:39.640 --> 0:06:43.320 What impressed you most about Demetrius Knight on tape? 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:48.080 The speed, the running hit, Uh, there's some there's some 0:06:48.160 --> 0:06:51.080 flash plays with him that are really exciting to watch. 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:55.280 And you know this game is a speed game and 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:56.920 so he fits right into it. 0:06:57.760 --> 0:07:00.919 After meeting him in person, it's impossible not to root 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:04.240 for the guy. His personality lights up the room. How 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:07.240 important are intangibles at linebacker? 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:11.920 I think if anybody goes through an evaluation process without 0:07:12.280 --> 0:07:16.600 weighing that part of the process or using that data point, 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:20.200 they're they're felling the system because it is critical because 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:22.400 at the end of the day, like it or don't 0:07:22.440 --> 0:07:24.200 like it, they're gonna end up being the captains of 0:07:24.240 --> 0:07:27.360 the defense and or at least the most vocal person. 0:07:28.000 --> 0:07:30.400 So the way they carry themselves, the way they do 0:07:30.440 --> 0:07:35.360 those things, really it can really heighten the defense as 0:07:35.360 --> 0:07:37.320 a whole. And so if you bring those types of 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:41.920 guys in, you know, hopefully the tide rises and we're 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:44.080 all rising together. So those are the I mean, the 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:47.040 character in the makeup of the linebacker room right now 0:07:47.120 --> 0:07:49.560 is really in a good place, and I'm excited about it. 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:53.040 He spent six years in college football, but really only 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:56.520 played linebacker full time the last couple of years. How 0:07:56.600 --> 0:07:58.800 much upside is left for a guy who will be 0:07:58.840 --> 0:07:59.720 twenty five in July. 0:08:00.160 --> 0:08:03.040 Yeah, I think that there is some growth there. There's 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:06.680 always areas for growth, myself included, and so we're always 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:10.680 going to identify those. And so there's clear I see, 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:13.600 I don't see his best football yet. I see I 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:16.760 hope that that's with us, and so we're going to 0:08:16.800 --> 0:08:19.440 work to maximize him from day one. 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.480 Night spent last year at South Carolina and the year 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:26.040 before at Charlotte Prior to that, he was mostly a 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:29.840 special team stand out at Georgia Tech, where his teammate 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:35.160 for one season was Bengals offensive lineman Devin Cochrane. You 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:38.280 were with Demetrius kind of before his career took off. 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:40.240 What do you think of what he's become over the 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:41.199 last couple of years. 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:44.880 Oh, man, If I had to put in a one word, 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:48.800 I'd just say resilience. You know, I've seen him when 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:51.400 I was at Tech. I saw the work ethic he had. 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.920 I saw just the type of guy was. You know, 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:57.440 I think he's married with kids now too, just family guy. 0:08:58.400 --> 0:09:02.000 You know. Honestly, it didn't surprise me. 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:04.400 You know, I knew that a guy like him would 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:06.880 would excel wherever he went, and that's exactly what he did. 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:10.280 He seems like a really easy guy to root for. 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:12.560 I would imagine as a former teammate, you had to 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:13.040 be thrilled. 0:09:13.240 --> 0:09:15.320 Absolutely, it was awesome to see that he got picked 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:17.760 up here. And then now I have to think about 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:20.000 blocking him. So that's another thing, you know, because I 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:22.079 remember just how hard he went, you know, in practice 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:24.080 and every day just his day to day grind. 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:26.880 You know, he's a guy who he's gonna bring it, 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:28.200 so you gotta be ready for. 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:30.240 Is he a culture center? 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:34.079 Absolutely yeah, talked about her hit on it earlier. Just 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:36.880 him being a family guy, not really something you see. 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:39.520 And then you know on the defensive side of the 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:41.400 ball too. You know, for him to be as a 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:43.760 stink in stincschool as he is as a linebacker, but 0:09:43.800 --> 0:09:46.440 then to be rooted in something that's bigger than you 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:48.320 know himself, is pretty is gonna be. 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:49.920 I think he's going to be a guy to look for. 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:51.920 He was a high school quarterback. 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:55.240 Did you at the stage that you played with him, 0:09:55.360 --> 0:09:57.880 was he still developing the skills to be a linebacker? 0:09:58.440 --> 0:09:58.880 Absolutely? 0:09:58.880 --> 0:10:00.800 I mean I would imagine so I had no idea that, 0:10:01.280 --> 0:10:06.280 But I mean I think seeing him, you know, body 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:09.480 type framework, you know what he the way he lifted 0:10:09.480 --> 0:10:11.720 when we would work with coach Lewis Carroll. 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:16.160 Again, I'm not surprising at all. 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:21.520 Later, Mike Potts discusses the reasons for choosing Night number 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:26.720 forty nine overall. In the third round, Cincinnati chose six five, 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:31.200 three hundred and twenty five pound Dylan Fairchild. Offensive line 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:34.720 coach Scott Peters traveled to Georgia for a hands on 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:38.079 workout with the Bulldogs starting left guard for the past 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:42.559 two seasons. Coach, what sold you on Dylan Fairchild? 0:10:43.080 --> 0:10:44.800 Oh, it's a number of factors, you know, Dylan. 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:47.319 We did obviously did a lot of work in the 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:50.320 draft looking at, you know, every guard that was conceivably 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:52.839 available for the draft, and one thing that really stood 0:10:52.840 --> 0:10:56.920 out with Dylan is is his just his size, athletic ability, 0:10:57.240 --> 0:11:00.000 in his play, strength, He's he's one of the strong 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:03.360 people I've ever tied up with. Very strong. He's a 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:06.800 great kid. He's humble, you know, he works very hard. 0:11:06.800 --> 0:11:09.160 He's extremely tough, and I think, you know, all that 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:12.240 stuff with his dimensions, his physical nature, the way he 0:11:12.280 --> 0:11:15.320 plays extremely hard, those are the things that we you know, 0:11:15.360 --> 0:11:16.200 really stood out to me. 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:16.480 You know. 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:18.200 I think he can set a firm anchor in there. 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:21.240 He's got the tools to play long, which is something 0:11:21.320 --> 0:11:22.840 we emphasize as in protection. 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:25.199 He's got good feet to move. 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:26.880 And I think, you know, he's got all the tools 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:29.240 you're looking for in a player, especially a guard. 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:30.160 You know. 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:31.680 So I think for for us, it was a no 0:11:31.760 --> 0:11:34.880 brainer at that point in time just to take Dylan 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:36.640 because I think, you know, like I said, he has 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:38.400 all the traits so that you're looking for in an 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:39.000 elite guard. 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:42.840 You referenced tying up with him. One of the most 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:46.679 famous draft stories in Bengals history involves Anthony Munyo's and 0:11:46.720 --> 0:11:49.679 you may know this Forest Greg goes out to California 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:51.800 to work them out. Forrest gives him a little pass 0:11:51.880 --> 0:11:55.240 rush move. Anthony jams him and knocks him on his butt, 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.000 and Forrest was convinced, all right, I've got my guy. 0:11:58.440 --> 0:12:01.920 When you tied up with Dylan, how instrumental was that 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:04.560 in making you think, Okay, I've got my guy. 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:07.200 It was actually very big. It's so it's funny that 0:12:07.200 --> 0:12:07.720 that happened. 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:09.840 I I have heard that story from Jim McNally, and 0:12:10.840 --> 0:12:12.680 you know, I like to put hands on guys because 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:14.319 you get a sense for how strong they are. The 0:12:14.360 --> 0:12:16.720 biggest thing for me is understanding, like how quickly can 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:18.880 they learn not just the things that they learn on 0:12:18.920 --> 0:12:21.160 the playbook, you know, that's very important too, to understand 0:12:21.160 --> 0:12:22.520 the offense and what we're trying to do. 0:12:23.280 --> 0:12:24.000 And they're they're kind of. 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:26.719 Their collective football IQ, But how quickly can they put 0:12:26.760 --> 0:12:29.360 that mind body connection together when they learn a new skill? 0:12:29.760 --> 0:12:32.120 And uh, when I got with Dylan. I was, I 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:34.360 was very imps I left very impressed. I thought, you know, 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:37.200 this is a guy that can learn. He can physically 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.200 apply things from you know, the classroom right to the grass. 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:43.800 He can make those micro adjustments with his body, you know, 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:44.679 when he's told to do that. 0:12:45.240 --> 0:12:46.679 I think it was I. 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:48.800 Was, I was thoroughly impressed, and I thought, you know, 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:50.480 in fact, I kind of pushed to pull on him 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:52.760 in a drill and I wasn't budgeing this guy. And 0:12:52.800 --> 0:12:54.880 I can't say that that's the first time I've actually 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:58.360 had a player that strong, honestly and in the many years. 0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:01.440 I've been doing this. So to me, uh yeah, it 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:02.680 was kind of a it was. 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:02.960 It was. 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:05.360 It was exciting because I thought I'd love to get 0:13:05.400 --> 0:13:07.640 this guy, and so it just happened to work out 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:08.840 that way that we picked him. 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:11.080 So so I'm really real pumped about it. 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.000 I think he gave up one sack in more than 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:17.680 eight hundred pass blocking snaps at Georgia. Obviously most of 0:13:17.679 --> 0:13:20.319 those games are in the SEC. Is that his strength 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:22.920 right now? His past protection ability. 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:26.240 I'd say that Dylan is a raw player still, so 0:13:27.040 --> 0:13:30.120 you know, his strength is his are the attributes he 0:13:30.200 --> 0:13:34.160 has and and his strengths are really the character, the person, 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:36.640 the football character. That's that's really how you project a guy, 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:38.920 because you say, well, he has the physical tools to. 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:40.120 Do all this stuff that we wanted to do. 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:42.600 And of course, like you know, everybody's different in college, 0:13:42.720 --> 0:13:46.280 I mean, players are trained differently. So I would say 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:48.520 that the strength that he has is his ability to 0:13:48.600 --> 0:13:51.920 learn techniques and you know, the raw canvas that he brings, 0:13:51.920 --> 0:13:53.400 it's it's a really solid foundation. 0:13:53.480 --> 0:13:55.760 He's strong, he's long, Like I said, he can anchor. 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:59.160 He's powerful, he's got, you know, a good head on 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.800 his shoulders, and he really wants to be great at football. 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:03.839 So those are the things I look at right now. 0:14:03.880 --> 0:14:06.079 I think from everything else is kind of a process. 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:07.920 We're gonna train him, we're gonna develop him, get him 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:10.320 doing the things that we do here. So I'm reluctant 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:12.720 to say his strength is passed pro I'm gonna say 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:14.720 his strength is all the traits that we like about 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:16.840 him right now. And I think as he grooms, as 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:19.520 we groom him and build him, I think we'll start 0:14:19.560 --> 0:14:21.640 to see a lot of these things start to shine through. 0:14:22.720 --> 0:14:23.000 Later. 0:14:23.200 --> 0:14:26.480 I'll ask Mike Potts if there were so many good 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:29.800 guards in this draft that the Bengals figured they would 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:32.560 be able to get a starter in the first three rounds. 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:33.960 In the fourth. 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:37.240 Round, the Bengals doubled down on the linebacker position with 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:40.640 a selection of Barrett Carter, a team captain last year, 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:46.280 who one NFL scout describes as follows a total slam dunk. 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:51.080 Not the biggest or longest guy, just a super tough, competitive, 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:56.800 physical leader. Once again, here's linebackers coach Mike Hodges. 0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:00.000 Well, he's a really smart player. He's been a cat 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:05.080 and for a long time. He's he's probably as more 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:08.520 of one of the more instinctual players in this draft class, 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:11.840 and so that pays dividends for him in a lot 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:15.320 of ways like it would anybody. But again, another high 0:15:15.400 --> 0:15:17.560 character guy like you mentioned. I think he's gonna come 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:19.400 in here and he's gonna compete, and he's gonna be 0:15:19.440 --> 0:15:20.960 able to be a swing guy if we need him 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:24.200 to because of his intelligence. So he's gonna give us 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:27.000 some flexibility. But he's a really good ad for our room. 0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:30.000 He never came off the field at Clemson, whether it 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:34.080 was on defense for every snap or special teams. The 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:37.800 overall value that he brings to a team strikes me 0:15:37.840 --> 0:15:38.960 as being extremely high. 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:39.440 That's right. 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:41.320 I think everybody that we bring in has to have 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:44.320 some sort of value outside of just playing linebacker. And 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:46.840 so if they don't fit into Darren's room or they're 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:49.720 not the number one guy, they're not really the right fit. 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:51.640 So they got to be one of those two things. 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:53.480 They either need to be a guy that could play 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.120 all four downs or at least early downs in fourth 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:59.360 down or early downs and third down. You know that 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:04.080 that formula has to add up, and he has proven 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:06.280 to do that. And it's interesting because in college football 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:08.480 there's so much rotation. You're like, why is this guy 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:12.440 coming off? Demetrius is a perfect example of that. He 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:16.280 played less than seventy five percent of the snaps, but 0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:17.760 this guy, they didn't want to take him off the 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:19.440 field and had They had a hell of a run 0:16:19.480 --> 0:16:21.400 the last couple of years, particularly this last year, so 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:23.520 he's a big part of that. And you can't find 0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:25.560 a person in that building that says anything negative about 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:26.000 this player. 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:27.560 So excited to get him in the room. 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:33.160 Ales Murphy was Barrett Carter's teammate for two years at Clemson. 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:38.000 You obviously know Barrett Carter describe him on the field. 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.600 Easy one is gonna give it his all, honestly, go 0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:44.120 one hundred and ten miles an hour, every single play, 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:46.320 regardless of where he's at, one. 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:48.800 Of the linebacker, the special teams. 0:16:49.040 --> 0:16:50.880 Rushing the pass, and dropping in coverage. 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:53.320 He's gonna let it, put it. 0:16:53.520 --> 0:16:54.680 He's gonna put his body on the line. 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:55.160 That's for sure. 0:16:55.760 --> 0:17:00.800 Coachable, respectable dude, most a lockable persons up. I feel 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:03.520 like he's a just a great all around player in 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:04.000 my opinion. 0:17:04.880 --> 0:17:07.879 I saw some comments from coaches and other guys that 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:09.800 played with him last year. It sounds like a really 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:14.160 high character guy, captain qualities, a good person for culture. 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:16.720 Oh yeah, I say that's spot. 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.800 On, right on, right on, a hit right on the head. 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:19.159 Honestly. 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:22.960 Uh, play with him for two two seasons when I 0:17:22.960 --> 0:17:24.959 was at Click Clemson and about I can attest to 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:27.840 all of those comments, and but that's that's just who 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:28.080 he is. 0:17:28.480 --> 0:17:31.600 Played a lot of special team snaps in college. Obviously, 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:33.920 when you're drafted kind of middle of the draft, you're 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:36.440 expected to contribute in that area right off the bat. 0:17:36.600 --> 0:17:38.359 Is that something he'll embrace in your opinion. 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:39.800 I mean, I think so. 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:42.000 Like I said, like, regardless of where you put him 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:43.480 on the field, as long as he's on the field, 0:17:43.520 --> 0:17:45.320 he's gonna put his body on the line and go 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:46.760 all out ever reason could play. 0:17:46.840 --> 0:17:48.840 So I do feel like he's a I feel like 0:17:48.880 --> 0:17:49.760 he's a player that's. 0:17:49.520 --> 0:17:53.120 Gonna make just make his Martin, just put his put 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:54.200 his name on the map, honestly. 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.320 Later, Mike Potts tells us why the Bengals doubled down 0:17:58.440 --> 0:18:03.119 at linebacker at that stage of the draft. Cincinnati doubled 0:18:03.119 --> 0:18:06.320 down again in the fifth round, this time on offensive 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:09.080 line by picking six to six, three hundred and twenty 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:13.520 pound Jalen Rivers. Once again, I discussed him with offensive 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:17.359 line coach Scott Peters. I'm not sure that I've ever 0:18:17.600 --> 0:18:20.439 read about an offensive lineman at the college level that 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:24.240 played so many snaps at tackle and guard in. 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:25.080