WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Holiday 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:04.560 Hi, get everybody. 0:00:04.559 --> 0:00:08.360 I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading the Bengals Boot Podcast. 0:00:08.520 --> 0:00:14.720 The holiday oh holiday addition, as the players begin a 0:00:14.760 --> 0:00:18.160 five week break before training camp, but we don't here 0:00:18.160 --> 0:00:21.400 On the pod. Coming up, I'll talk to Trevor Sikkama 0:00:21.520 --> 0:00:24.400 from Pro Football Focus about what it's going to take 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:28.120 for the Bengals to surpass Baltimore in the AFC North, 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:32.720 followed by five observations about one of the biggest storylines 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:36.280 will be focused on in training camp. The Bengals Booth 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:38.640 Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:43.080 be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber, 0:00:43.320 --> 0:00:46.680 future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business 0:00:46.680 --> 0:00:49.960 and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.040 the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is 0:00:53.080 --> 0:00:56.680 the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a 0:00:56.720 --> 0:00:59.360 quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of 0:00:59.400 --> 0:01:02.480 this podcast as delivered write to your phone, tablet, or 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:06.600 computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:13.760 greatest thing since Knockout Roses. My stepfather was a wholesale florist, 0:01:14.040 --> 0:01:17.040 so you would think I would know something about flowers 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:21.480 and how to grow them. Unfortunately I don't. Whatever the 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:24.920 opposite of a green thumb is, you're listening to them. 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:29.600 That's why knockout roses are so great. They're already planted 0:01:29.600 --> 0:01:31.840 in front of our house when we moved in, and 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:36.960 with little to no maintenance, they bloom beautifully year after year. 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:40.080 All we have to do is prune them occasionally and 0:01:40.120 --> 0:01:43.199 that's it. Sun and rain takes care of the rest. 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:47.160 So if you're looking to add some beautifully colored flowers 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:51.120 to your home, knockout roses are hard to beat and, 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:55.880 more importantly, for me, easy to grow. Now, let's get 0:01:55.880 --> 0:02:00.040 to football. According to ESPN bet, at this point of 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:03.400 the off season, Cincinnati is tied for having the seventh 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:07.200 best odds of winning the Super Bowl. This week, I 0:02:07.280 --> 0:02:11.040 discussed the roster and some key off season question marks 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:18.120 with Trevor Sikama, an analyst and podcaster for Pro Football Focus. Trevor, 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:21.240 you've probably been on a bunch of podcasts where the 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:25.359 host near the end says, tell us where people can 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:28.000 find you or find your work, And I want to 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:29.720 start with that because it seems to me that, in 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:33.560 addition to your written content, you are doing more and 0:02:33.639 --> 0:02:37.040 more podcasts and Pro Football Focus, so fill us in. 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:38.160 Pro Football Focus. 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:39.720 They keep you busy, but I'm glad that they do 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:42.240 because I work with a lot of great people, get 0:02:42.280 --> 0:02:44.520 to do a lot of different shows. The main one 0:02:44.560 --> 0:02:47.520 that I do is the PFFNFL show that I get 0:02:47.560 --> 0:02:49.440 to do with mainly Dalton Washman, but we have a 0:02:49.480 --> 0:02:51.440 lot of other great people who are in on that 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.200 show as well. Max Chadwick is a familiar face there, 0:02:54.760 --> 0:02:56.960 those guys doing the college show also dabbling in the 0:02:57.040 --> 0:03:01.959 NFL world. I also cover the NFL Draft three sixty five. 0:03:02.040 --> 0:03:04.880 That's my true passion, is the lead draft analyst for 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:07.800 Pro Football Focus, and I do that over the NFL 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:10.840 Stock Exchange show with my good friend and co host 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.959 Connor Rogers. So it definitely keeps us busy, even here 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:16.160 in the middle of the offseason. It gives us things 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:18.200 to think about, and we're already thinking about that twenty 0:03:18.240 --> 0:03:20.680 twenty six NFL Draft class to win some summer scouting. 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:23.600 So the work never stops, the podcast never stopped. 0:03:23.639 --> 0:03:25.880 But I love it. I love what I get to do, 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:27.519 so it's always great when I get the turn. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:27.839 Of my gun. 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:32.120 So with the title NFL Draft Analyst. Let's discuss the 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:35.480 Bengals draft. They had six picks. The top three were 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:38.080 Shamar Stewart, Demetrius Knight, and Dylan Fairchild. 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:38.920 How did they do? 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:44.120 I look, I actually really liked what the Bengals were 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:47.840 able to do in the draft. I think that the 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:51.320 Shamar Stewart pick, obviously, I think that what's going on 0:03:51.760 --> 0:03:54.600 with him and the contract situation, it. 0:03:54.560 --> 0:03:56.040 Put the dark cloud over it. 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:00.320 Honestly, though, the way that I saw this is this 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:04.360 is kind of what they really wanted Miles Murphy to be, 0:04:04.720 --> 0:04:07.240 except for just maybe like a higher ceiling type of 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:09.400 version of that. Not that Miles Murphy can't find a 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:11.720 place on the defensive line, whether it's on the interior 0:04:11.840 --> 0:04:13.880 or the edge, but I think they were hoping that 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:16.000 he'd probably find more of a home and be more 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:17.880 dominant as an edge rusher. And I think they think 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:20.520 the same now of Shamar Stewart, who I think is 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:23.600 like Miles Murphy just almost super charged a little bit, right, 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.080 taking a super Mario mushroom or something with the size, 0:04:26.120 --> 0:04:29.360 to strength, the explosiveness, all that good stuff. So I 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:31.640 know that the contract situation that he's currently in kind 0:04:31.640 --> 0:04:33.440 of clouds that a little bit. But this is a 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:35.880 very talented football player and one who is a highly 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:39.279 regarded recruit for a reason, somebody who at texts A 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:40.680 and M really had to get on the field over 0:04:40.720 --> 0:04:42.280 the last couple of years and develop him in any 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:42.840 way that he could. 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:45.440 And then of course you have this year starting with Nick. 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:47.360 Scorton there on that team, So I think it's still 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:48.880 going to be a little bit of time and development. 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:50.640 It's going to take a little bit of time for him, 0:04:50.680 --> 0:04:52.120 but he's got an incredibly high ceiling. 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:54.200 I like the Dylan Fairchilds selection as well. 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:57.200 This is an interior offensive line that really just had 0:04:57.240 --> 0:04:59.400 to get a lot better from what it was last season. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.000 And there's some familiar faces there, Ted Carris obviously one 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:03.320 of them playing at that center spot. 0:05:03.320 --> 0:05:03.960 But then it. 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:06.560 Feels like those two guard spots are up for grabs 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:07.960 and it's sort of going to be a training camp 0:05:07.960 --> 0:05:09.520 battle of who's going to come out and win those 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:11.960 and I think that Dylan Fairchild could very well. You know, 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:17.159 he's coming from such a highly successful program at Georgia. 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:20.919 He's faced some of the best interior defensive linemen in 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:23.000 the SEC over the last couple of years. So I 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:24.720 like the fact that they've either got him his depth 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:27.440 or maybe as an early starter. Here, Demetrius Knight was 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:30.440 somebody who you know, when I was looking at night, 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:33.120 I didn't get to him until sort of late in 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:34.840 the process. I didn't really know a lot about him. 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:36.200 And it kind of makes sense, right, I mean, he's 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:38.800 a Georgia Tech for all those years, plays but sort 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:41.960 of sparingly. Okay, maybe as one year left or I 0:05:41.960 --> 0:05:43.840 think he had two years left of eligibility. But he 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:45.719 goes to Charlotte, so he kind of goes down in 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:48.040 competition a little bit, but he shows out really well. 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:50.680 So then all right, well, Charlotte to Columbia South Carolina. 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:52.599 That's not too far away. They've actually been able to 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:55.880 see me play. Let me go to South Carolina. And yes, 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:58.680 he is an older prospect, but man, you love what 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:00.600 he's able to bring to the table, in my opinion, 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:04.440 especially as a will linebacker, which is perfect for what 0:06:04.480 --> 0:06:07.240 the Bengals need. Right They've got Logan Wilson in the 0:06:07.240 --> 0:06:09.240 middle to be able to play that mike linebacker role 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:11.400 as the centerpiece of that second level of the defense. 0:06:11.800 --> 0:06:12.840 Now Demetrius Knight. 0:06:12.839 --> 0:06:15.160 He's a player who you know, when I watched him 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:17.120 and I first looked at his measurables, I was like, man, 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:19.560 you know, he's big enough to be able to play Mike. 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:21.240 I actually kind of like him as a Mike backer, 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:23.040 and I still think that he could be a good 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:23.960 Mike linebacker. 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:26.760 But really it's that run and chaseability. 0:06:27.000 --> 0:06:29.560 It's his fluidity and coverage and the potential that he 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:32.560 has there that really gets me excited. And so I 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:34.840 think he landed in a perfect spot where he can 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:38.520 play more as that in space linebacker. You know, Logan 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:40.640 Wilson's the one who's calling things out, He's getting the 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:43.560 run fits set everything like that, and then Demetrius can 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:45.080 play a little bit more in space and run and 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:46.560 chase a little bit more. So I think that that 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:48.920 gets a lot out of what he brings to the table. 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:50.719 I think Breck Carter kind of the same way, coming 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:53.280 from Clemson, another athletic linebacker to bring in that depth 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:55.440 and kind of get that same player there. And then 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:57.599 I'll just shout out Tis Brooks as well. You know, 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:01.040 when I was watching Tis Brooks, he had some of 0:07:01.040 --> 0:07:04.200 my favorite vision of any running back in the class. 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:07.400 Now that is my as people ask me all the 0:07:07.400 --> 0:07:09.560 time kind of about how I scout and what I'm 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.520 looking for and things like that, generally not to give 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:14.040 away too much of the secret sauce. 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:15.480 I don't really care. I love talking about it. 0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:19.840 But I have about ten categories for every single position, 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.080 and there are things like for running backs, for example, 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:24.520 it's you know, like how often they can make guys 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:27.280 miss elusiveness, you know what they are after contact, you 0:07:27.280 --> 0:07:29.680 know their strength after contact, their vision. 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:32.480 Things like that, right, And it's not like all. 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:35.560 Those ten categories are just okay, it's one out of ten, 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:37.040 it's one out of ten. It's one out of ten, 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:38.680 and then we get to one hundred. That's a fine 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:40.600 way to do it. But as I've been scouting over 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:42.680 the years, I find tune in a little bit to say, like, 0:07:42.760 --> 0:07:46.480 you know what, actually, visions the most important part for me, 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:48.160 and so I give it a little bit higher of 0:07:48.160 --> 0:07:50.880 a weight, a higher percentage. So maybe out of ten 0:07:50.920 --> 0:07:54.480 points instead, now vision might be out of sixteen or eighteen, 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:56.480 so there are more points to be gained, because I 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:59.920 think that that trait is more valuable if you can't 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:01.680 see the field the way that you need to. No 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:04.320 matter how fast yard, no matter how strong you are, 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:06.080 you're just gonna flame out in the NFL. 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:07.920 Trent Richardson is a great example of that. 0:08:07.960 --> 0:08:10.960 Look how incredible Trent Richardson was when he was at Alabama, 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:14.000 and yet he gets to the NFL. He just could 0:08:14.000 --> 0:08:16.720 not read blocking schemes the way that he needed to. 0:08:16.800 --> 0:08:19.480 He did not have that running back vision to match 0:08:19.520 --> 0:08:22.840 the athletic traits. Taj Brooks a little bit of the opposite. 0:08:22.960 --> 0:08:25.160 I'm not sure that he is the best caliber athlete 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:27.520 for the position, but man, can he see it? He 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:30.000 is patient, He knows where these blockers are going to be, 0:08:30.120 --> 0:08:32.040 he knows where his aiming points are. He knows when 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:34.120 he needs to arrive to get past them, past the 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:35.520 line of scrimmage and into. 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:36.120 That second level. 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:38.199 So it might not be a big home run hitter 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:39.599 for you, but I think there are going to be 0:08:39.640 --> 0:08:42.520 a handful of plays throughout practice preseason whenever he gets 0:08:42.520 --> 0:08:45.720 his chances to showcase his stuff. The Bengals could look 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:47.720 at him and say, man, all right, is he gonna 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:48.920 be the dynamic. 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:50.480 Early down back for us all the time? No, but 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:51.559 especially if there are some. 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.040 Injuries, we feel good about the high football IQ this 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:55.720 guy has and putting him in the lineup. So that's 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:57.600 just sort of an overview of when I'm looking at 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.400 the names in their class, of this class some of 0:09:00.400 --> 0:09:01.920 the thoughts that I had of them pre draft. 0:09:02.600 --> 0:09:04.920 Trevor Sikramuff from Pro Football Focus is our guest. I 0:09:05.000 --> 0:09:07.200 want to circle back to Shamar Stewart for a second. 0:09:07.320 --> 0:09:09.439 Everybody is focused on the fact that he only had 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:12.199 four and a half sacks, and that's fair. It's certainly 0:09:12.400 --> 0:09:15.560 a major point of discussion. I've made the case though, 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:19.000 that saying that he wasn't productive just because of that 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:22.360 stat is an overstatement because he was good against the run. 0:09:22.720 --> 0:09:24.199 He had a lot of pressures. 0:09:24.840 --> 0:09:25.560 Am I right? 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:27.959 Is that how you felt about Shamar Stewart? 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:30.439 Yeah, so I agree with you. 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:35.719 He his tape looks different from a player that you 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:37.360 would say, like, oh, just you know, one and a 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:39.840 half sacks every single year. Like when you see a 0:09:39.840 --> 0:09:43.400 player who has three years of either rotating and contributing 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:45.720 snaps or even starting snaps for them to have that 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:49.640 little production, I think that your mind immediately goes to like, Okay, 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:50.480 this guy can't play. 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:53.520 He's not gonna make it, and you know, a. 0:09:53.520 --> 0:09:55.079 Little bit of a puff in our chest here, I'd 0:09:55.120 --> 0:09:57.079 say that this is all Shamar Stewart's a good example 0:09:57.080 --> 0:10:00.559 of why PFF exists, in my opinion, because you get 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.800 to go beyond just the common stats there. And sometimes 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:07.240 the stats do tell the story correctly, but sometimes they don't, 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:09.120 and I think you need a little bit more context there. 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:12.840 In that regard, I will say this, The pass rush 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:15.480 metric that I like to lean on so much more 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:21.080 so than sacks is a passers win percentage, and for 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:25.320 Schmar Stewart that passor's win percentage of And just to 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:29.200 give people a barometer here, you know, like twenty five 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:32.319 to thirty percent of a pastor's win percentage how often 0:10:32.360 --> 0:10:35.079 you're winning one on one against your matchup that is 0:10:35.559 --> 0:10:36.840 in front of you, whether or not you make it 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:39.080 to the quarterback or not. Right, because it's independent of that. 0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:41.920 Let's say that the offense is running a play where 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:44.440 the ball's coming out of his hands within two point 0:10:44.520 --> 0:10:48.559 five seconds. Well, even if you're Trey Anderson, right, A 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:50.400 great example of somebody who wins one on one a 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:52.720 lot very quickly, even if he wins within the first 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.520 two seconds, well, he's not going to get a sack, 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:56.120 he might not even get a pressure because the ball's 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:56.920 coming out so quick. 0:10:57.040 --> 0:10:58.800 But he still did his job. He's still won. 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:01.520 And so pastors win percentage is something that's a little 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:03.640 bit more concrete. It's something that's a little bit more 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:06.079 stable that we can predict that we like to lean 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:08.120 on a little bit more. If you have a twenty 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:11.160 five to thirty percent pass or twin percentage, that's crazy. 0:11:11.200 --> 0:11:13.400 That's like defensive player of the year type of category. 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:16.160 Twenty to twenty five is normally that tier one of 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:19.600 edge rusher's, the Trey Henderson's, the Miles Garretts, the Michael Parsons, 0:11:19.679 --> 0:11:21.400 the TJ. Watts like those guys, a lot of them 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.080 in their best years, they're in that range fifteen to 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:26.720 twenty really good starting edge rusher. You get down to 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:29.720 ten to fifteen percent, it's like, okay, it's not bad. 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:31.520 Maybe a starter, rotational guy. 0:11:31.520 --> 0:11:34.079 And if you're below ten percent, you're probably your team's 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:36.920 probably looking to upgrade your spot if that's how you 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:40.720 are consistently playing. Shamar Stewart was right around that fifteen 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:44.120 percent pass or twin percentage this past year. So it's 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:46.320 much more indicative of what this guy can do as 0:11:46.360 --> 0:11:48.640 a pass rusher rather than just looking at the one 0:11:48.640 --> 0:11:50.600 and a half sacks that he had. So he still 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:52.319 needs to put it together. I still think he needs 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:55.679 a better pass rush plant, specifically before the ball is snapped, 0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:59.200 but at least that physical ability was able to show 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:01.000 out in that sort of metric. So that's the way 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:03.760 that I viewed Shimar Stewart. And you're right, strength wise, 0:12:04.040 --> 0:12:07.800 length wise, overall body type, really good run defender as well. 0:12:08.120 --> 0:12:09.920 You picked this guy because you hope that he has 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:13.240 a high floor because of his athletic and strength gifts, 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:16.000 and then also because of high he has a high ceiling. 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.320 Those are the types of first round picks that you 0:12:18.400 --> 0:12:20.160 love to make, and hopefully we get to see him 0:12:20.160 --> 0:12:20.760 on the field soon. 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:25.040 One more draft related question before I changed the subject. 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:28.719 After the draft, the Bengals signed center Seth McLaughlan from 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:32.760 Ohio State and defensive tackle Eric Gregory out of Arkansas's 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:37.400 college free agents. Did you like either or both? And 0:12:38.400 --> 0:12:41.600 did anybody else that they signed in the undrafted category 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:42.520 catch your eye? 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:46.120 So I haven't seen their entire undrafted free agency list, 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:49.000 so I'll kind of like go down their their depth 0:12:49.080 --> 0:12:50.839 chart and see if I recognize any names here. I 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:52.560 don't know a lot about Gregory, but I do know 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:55.520 a lot about McLaughlin, who, before he got hurt, man 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:57.800 he was playing very very well. And this is somebody 0:12:57.800 --> 0:12:59.680 that before he even went to Ohio State, when he 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:03.440 was an Alabama he wasn't consistent. 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:04.160 The way that he needed to be yet. 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:06.400 But I watched him and I go, Okay, I mean 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:09.439 we've got something here. We've got something where very clearly, 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:11.800 whether it was as a sophomore or a junior, before 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:14.319 he got hurt and before he transferred over to Oiowa State, 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:16.960 he showed signs of like, all right, this guy kind 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:18.600 of plays the game like a pro, you know, like 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.400 the movement skills, they're quick, they're precise, He's thinking about 0:13:22.400 --> 0:13:24.960 things the right way. Now, there are times when, okay, 0:13:24.960 --> 0:13:27.480 it might show up he's not the most physically gifted 0:13:27.679 --> 0:13:30.280 interior offensive lineman. Okay, he might get knocked off of 0:13:30.320 --> 0:13:33.120 his balance and off of his feet a little bit. 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:35.520 Maybe it takes him a little bit more and asking 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:38.800 him to reach completely across the body. If you're talking 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:41.439 about an inside zone or an outside zone rushing play 0:13:41.520 --> 0:13:43.720 like that's a little bit difficult for him, but he 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:46.000 does a lot of the really solid things well. And 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:48.040 I think it's traits like that when when you hear 0:13:48.080 --> 0:13:50.560 stuff like that about an interior offensive lineman, you don't 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:52.800 have to worry as much as you would maybe if 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:54.840 you heard those exact same things about an offensive tackle, 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:57.120 because if you're an offensive tackle, you've got to kind 0:13:57.120 --> 0:13:58.400 of be left on an island. 0:13:58.080 --> 0:13:58.480 A little bit. 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:00.920 Well, when you're on the interior, actually when you were 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.520 at center, so much of what you're able to do 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.560 is chemistry based. It's so much around you know, Okay, 0:14:06.840 --> 0:14:09.280 not only do I have to know my own strength 0:14:09.320 --> 0:14:10.520 and weaknesses very well, because I. 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:12.080 Talk about I feel like I talk about that all 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:12.480 the time. 0:14:12.640 --> 0:14:16.679 Interior offensive linemen have to self scout as good as 0:14:17.080 --> 0:14:19.600 as good as anybody can, because you not only have 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:22.120 to know your own strength and weaknesses, you've got to 0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:23.920 know the strength and weaknesses of the two guys next 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:25.760 to you, whether it's a tackle or in the center's case, 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:27.920 whether it's the two guards. So you got to know, like, okay, 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:30.800 well you know I got Let's say Fairchild wins the 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:34.080 starting gig right and and McLaughlin might be able to 0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:35.800 go like, Okay, I got Fairchild next to me. 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:36.200 All Right. 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.280 He's a little bit lighter, but he is quick. So 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:40.320 if we're ever in a situation where I need him 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:42.680 to bounce off of one defensive tackle and help me out, 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:44.040 I know he's going to be able to do it. 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:46.800 So all that to kind of say, I hope that 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:49.600 he gets back to that pre injury form Seth McLachlin, 0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:51.400 because I thought he was. He was playing at a 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:53.480 really high level before he ended up getting hurt. And 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:55.600 I just think that you already saw the baselines, whether 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.760 it was at Alabama or Ohio State of him preparing 0:14:58.800 --> 0:14:59.600 and playing like a pro. 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:01.840 So I think that he was a really nice undrafted 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:02.240 free agent. 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:05.840 Dad, I actually have one more draft related question. It 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:09.040 goes back to last year's draft. The tackles last year 0:15:09.080 --> 0:15:11.920 were thought to be historically good. Eight were taken in 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:15.640 the first round. A Marius Mims was the fifth tackle selected. 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:20.200 One year later, how high would a Marius Mims be 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:22.920 on that tackle list based on his rookie year? 0:15:23.320 --> 0:15:23.880 Oh wow? 0:15:24.120 --> 0:15:27.480 Okay, so the twenty twenty five class, let's take a 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:29.320 look at the offensive tackles and the guys that were 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:32.440 drafted there, Uh you had. 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.920 Will Campbell obviously went four harmon Membugo seven nine. 0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:39.400 I meant last year's class. 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.800 So if the eight taken last oh oh, okay, Marius 0:15:42.920 --> 0:15:45.360 was fifth. And I'm wondering based on the fact that 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:49.520 he got to play, he played well if if it 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:52.440 were done again, now, you know, would he be in 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:54.720 the top two or three? Would it be Joe Alton 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:56.880 then him, or would he be at the top. 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.880 Yeah, Like I so, I think the all still still 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:06.000 that top guy there. But man, it's basically anybody's It's 0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:08.840 basically anybody to take that second offensive tackle spot. 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:09.320 It really is. 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.880 I mean, like Leatham obviously got some playing time. He struggled, 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:13.840 but he moved from left to right. The same exact 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:16.680 situation with Tolise Fuanga. Both of those guys. I like 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:18.720 the decent amount, but anytime you're throwing them on the 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:20.480 other side of the line of scrimmage, it's hard enough 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:22.680 as a rookie, and then when you're switching everything, it's 0:16:22.720 --> 0:16:24.440 sort of tough to think about. But I think a 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:27.440 Marius at least like to your point, like he looked 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.680 as advertised when he was out there, Like, yeah, okay, 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.040 he's a little bit raw, but we knew that was 0:16:32.080 --> 0:16:34.160 going to be the case with his experience coming out 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.880 of Georgia and him missing that the time at Georgia 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:40.880 due to injury. I think I think Olu Fashonu probably 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:43.240 is still well. I guess not still he was the 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:47.400 third offensive tackle taking he's probably the second guy. But 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:49.280 then yeah, I mean, Mims could very well have been 0:16:49.360 --> 0:16:51.200 right there, picked within the top ten. I think that 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:54.240 he had a year where you feel good about it 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:56.360 moving forward. You know, did he like the world on fire? 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:57.520 Was it as good as Joe Alt? 0:16:57.640 --> 0:16:57.680 No? 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:00.520 Okay, but that's why Alt's going is the first defensive 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:03.000 tackle here in this discussion. But I really do think 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:06.840 that he gets picked eighteenth. You could very well make 0:17:06.880 --> 0:17:08.840 a case for him to go fringe top ten if 0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:11.040 this is sort of this redraft and be that second 0:17:11.119 --> 0:17:13.880 or third offensive tackle take and probably, I would say 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:16.080 in the conversation for that third offensive tackle take in. 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:19.600 Trevor Sikoma from Pro Football Focus is our guest as 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:22.760 PFF's lead draft analyst. I'm sure you watched a lot 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.480 of Notre Dames defensive players over the last couple of 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:29.919 years and therefore saw Al Golden's defenses. What did you 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:34.000 think of the higher and do you expect significant improvement 0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:37.840