WEBVTT - Breaking Down the 2020 Defensive Back Class with Ben Fennell 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:06.680 Practice were Alford Patrick drawing high Partford textole what a 0:00:06.880 --> 0:00:12.320 win for this Miami Dolphin team? Wow? What is up? Dolphins? 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.400 And welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the 0:00:15.440 --> 0:00:20.680 Miami Dolphins official podcast network covering your Miami Dolphins. How's 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:23.560 it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:26.080 I am here to bring you your daily dose of 0:00:26.160 --> 0:00:29.600 Miami Dolphins football. And on today's show, we've previewed all 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:33.879 the positions on offense for next week's NFL Draft, and 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:36.400 this week we're gonna go over the defensive side of 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.680 the ball, starting with the defensive backs in this year's class, 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:43.960 a good group of cover corners, versatile safeties, and impact players. 0:00:44.400 --> 0:00:47.560 We'll talk to NFL Networks and NFL Films Ben Fanel 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:50.479 about these defensive backs, all of that and more on 0:00:50.520 --> 0:00:56.960 this Tuesday, April, the fourteenth edition of the Drivetime Podcasts. 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:01.160 And to be perfectly Frank is one of my favorite 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:05.080 positions to scout, evaluate, and talk about in all of football. 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:07.479 We're gonna get into the weeds on the defensive back 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:10.600 class and this year's draft on today show. And times 0:01:10.640 --> 0:01:13.399 have certainly changed with how we look at these guys 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:17.280 as versatility is really becoming prevalent across the league. We 0:01:17.360 --> 0:01:20.600 saw Eric Rowe play multiple spots last season. We've seen 0:01:20.640 --> 0:01:24.320 Bobby McCain pace play safety, and nicol and this year's 0:01:24.360 --> 0:01:27.360 class is packed full of guys that can do just that, 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:31.280 play multiple positions on your defense. This interview is going 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:33.880 to detail that, but some other fun stuff about your 0:01:33.880 --> 0:01:37.600 Dolphins as well. You'll hear Ben talk about Miami's accomplished 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:41.440 free agency period for helping to reduce need heading into 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.200 this year's draft and hoping to put together a squad 0:01:44.440 --> 0:01:46.760 that can line up and play a game today. Is 0:01:46.800 --> 0:01:49.640 the idea of free agency, Ben says, and that gives 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:53.120 you ultimate flexibility on draft day, and with fourteen picks, 0:01:53.320 --> 0:01:56.000 Miami are in a good position to select the best 0:01:56.000 --> 0:01:59.760 player available, regardless of position. And one last note that 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.480 did make it into the podcast, and since Ben works 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.720 with the Philadelphia Eagles on the Journey to the Draft podcast, 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:09.600 he knows our new linebacker Cammu grug Hill quite well 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:12.480 and he said that we Dolphins fans will love this 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:15.480 guy not just for his special team's work, but what 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:18.040 he can do on defense as well. And calm Wu 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:21.000 himself mentioned that to me on the podcast. He did 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:23.240 on the interview series with the free agent signings a 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:25.720 couple of weeks back, and Ben said that when Cammu 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:27.919 got hurt last year in camp, you could have heard 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:30.800 a pin drop out there in Philadelphia. The team was 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.799 devastated by that loss to begin the season. But that's 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:36.720 a linebacker. We're going to discuss that position along with 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:39.680 the defensive line in our final draft position preview on 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:42.880 tomorrow's Drift Time podcast, but asked for today, let's go 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:45.920 ahead and get into the defensive backs with Ben Fennel. 0:02:46.200 --> 0:02:48.640 And joining me on the podcast now is Ben Fennel. 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:51.760 He covers the NFL Draft for NFL Network. He's part 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:54.320 of the Journey to the Draft podcast with Fran Duffy 0:02:54.520 --> 0:02:57.840 on the Philadelphia Eagles podcast Network. Ben, how's it going, man, 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:00.880 It's going great, I say, as good as it can 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:03.320 go in this crazy climate in the world right now. 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:05.600 But we're two weeks away from the NFL Draft, and 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.240 it's crazy to think we're already in mid April. Yeah. 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:10.040 You and I spoke a little bit off air about 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:12.480 kind of some of the challenges of doing all this 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:14.480 virtual work these days, and you had told me that 0:03:14.480 --> 0:03:16.960 the Eagles sent you a microphone, a new microphone so 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:19.240 you can record your podcast from home. Now, how are 0:03:19.280 --> 0:03:21.160 you doing with the quarantine man? You just staying safe, 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:24.920 You're staying healthy. Are you staying sane? Yeah, trying to. 0:03:25.160 --> 0:03:27.240 You know, the first week was a little tribal, you know, 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:29.800 it was sleeping in and not putting pants on and 0:03:29.919 --> 0:03:31.639 staying up all hours of the night. And then we 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:33.840 got a little structured. You know, we're waking up, we're 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:35.920 making to do list, We're being a little more productive 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:38.520 the past couple of weeks. Uh. I'm used to being 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:40.200 home part of the year, so I have a pretty 0:03:40.200 --> 0:03:42.920 good at home station to still watch film and be productive. 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:45.360 But uh, kind of hurts to not be at NFL 0:03:45.400 --> 0:03:48.120 Films right now working on my draft coverage. It's kind 0:03:48.120 --> 0:03:51.240 of a fluid situation right now. Every day is a 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:54.760 new kind of revelation with the broadcast, so a lot 0:03:54.760 --> 0:03:57.920 of moving parts, but it seems like the show will 0:03:57.960 --> 0:03:59.720 go on. I get some pretty odd looks from my 0:03:59.720 --> 0:04:02.160 neighbors what I'm doing lunges across my backyard with my 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:04.760 weights out there. My my makeshift jim is is getting 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:06.440 me by for now. But we have you on here 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:09.480 Ben to talk about this Miami Dolphins secondary and the 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.280 draft in the secondary, and when you're talking about defensive 0:04:12.320 --> 0:04:15.120 backs with Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins, that's where 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:18.719 it starts. He has a really really strong resume in 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:20.960 his past in New England. Now in Miami and he 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:23.880 in defensive coordinator Josh Boyer have really done a good 0:04:23.960 --> 0:04:26.839 job of bringing up young defensive backs and developing those guys. 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:29.839 And now we get Cal defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:31.719 who coached a few of these guys are in this 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:34.320 year's draft class last year at Cal. Can you kind 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:37.839 of give us a outsider's perspective and outsider's synopsis of 0:04:37.880 --> 0:04:40.040 those three guys and how they work in the defensive 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:43.800 back room. Yeah? Well, obviously Brian Flores and Josh Boyer 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.520 were tied together in New England and Boyer being a 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:49.719 defensive back pedigree is more of a defensive back coach, 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:52.680 even though he did have the defensive assistant uh and 0:04:52.760 --> 0:04:55.240 the you know, the defensive pass game coordinator label with 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:57.720 the Dolphins. He has a pedigree in the defensive back 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:00.600 room to coach cornerbacks and safeties. But what they all 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.039 like in New England is they like versatility, they like 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.000 interchangeable parts. We're starting to see that with the Eric 0:05:06.120 --> 0:05:09.159 Rose and Kyle Van Noise of the world on that defense. 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:12.760 But first and foremost, they believe in fundamentals. And I 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:15.840 think we get so excited with upside and speed and 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.520 length and measurables, and I just love how archaic these 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.719 teams get, whether it's New England or now the Miami Dolphins, 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:26.040 and they believe in fundamentals first and foremost. And I 0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:29.159 love hearing that they're number one trade and defensive backs, 0:05:29.279 --> 0:05:34.000 especially corners, not cover, not ball skills, tackling. We only 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:36.960 get eleven on the field. Everybody must be able to tackle. 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:39.000 And I just love the philosophy that they have for 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.480 cornerbacks to say, you know what the number one quality 0:05:41.520 --> 0:05:44.039 and corners they must be able to tackle. And I 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:46.640 think you're starting to see that trend with these bigger 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:49.120 corners going after the Byron Jones of the world, the 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.320 Eric Rose of the world, those hybrid safety corners with 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:55.520 really good size. They clearly have a type. And last 0:05:55.560 --> 0:05:58.039 year at training camp, an old football nerd like me, 0:05:58.160 --> 0:06:00.360 I loved watching it because they would break on team 0:06:00.440 --> 0:06:03.880 drills and go into ball security drills are tackling drills 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:06.520 or block beating drills. It was relentless and that's one 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:08.160 the Dolphins were one of the top teams in the 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:11.000 NFL last year when it came to fewest penalties assessed 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:13.400 against them, So it definitely had an impact in your 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:16.200 number one, Ben, you mentioned the addition of Byron Jones 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:19.120 and also the multiplicity of Eric Rowe in the secondary. 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:21.159 Let's go ahead and start there with the former though, 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:23.320 a guy that played in your division last year in 0:06:23.320 --> 0:06:25.960 the NFC east of Byron Jones. Guy comes into league 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:28.800 as a cornerback, moves to safety, goes back to cornerback. 0:06:29.000 --> 0:06:31.760 He could really do it all. Canny. Yes, he's a 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:33.680 really impressive player. And there's a couple of people in 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:36.120 the draft that kind of look like Byron Jones. That's 0:06:36.160 --> 0:06:38.520 one of the easy comps to Jeoffrey, a Cuda from 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:41.640 Ohio State. He really looks like Byron Jones with his length, 0:06:41.720 --> 0:06:45.559 his size, his ball skills, his physicality. But Byron Jones 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:47.640 can play anywhere on that back end of the defense. 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.560 And Dallas played him at corner, they played him at safety, 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:53.479 they played him at nickel. I think just having that experience, 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:56.880 the versatility. We all know his explosiveness with this jumps 0:06:56.880 --> 0:06:58.880 in the world record broad jump at the Combine a 0:06:58.880 --> 0:07:01.719 couple of years ago. But a really impressive player that 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:04.520 went through kind of a revolving door of defensive schemes 0:07:04.520 --> 0:07:07.000 there in Dallas. So I'm hoping he's given kind of 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.680 one role, one position, one assignment to really take and 0:07:10.680 --> 0:07:13.000 tackle and then move forward with his career. And then 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:15.120 last year we had Eric Row a transition into more 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:17.440 of a safety role and he was covering tight ends, 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:20.400 covering backs, and doing some different things on that Dolphins defense, 0:07:20.560 --> 0:07:22.720 and he was really erasing most tight ends that he 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:25.040 went up against, with a low completion rate, a low 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:27.320 yards per target rate, all the good stuff you want 0:07:27.320 --> 0:07:29.120 to see from him. Now, you had a chance to 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:31.680 see Eric Row up close and personal there in Philadelphia 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:34.000 for a year. What was your takeaway from what Eric 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:36.280 Row can do for a defensive backfield. You know, in 0:07:36.280 --> 0:07:38.880 a similar conversation of Byron Jones, you didn't know if 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:41.000 he was a true corner or a true safety coming 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:44.720 out of Utah. A massive, massive corner with really good speed. 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:47.640 He's a guy that Chip Kelly kind of designated just 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:50.280 to take away the ex receivers from opponents and just 0:07:50.360 --> 0:07:53.040 locked down the number one big receivers, which made him 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:55.480 a really good presence in the red zone, really good 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:58.440 down the field and protecting the vertical balls, really good 0:07:58.480 --> 0:08:01.480 ball skills, good and runs support. And I'm telling you 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:04.840 without pads on, Byron Jones and Eric Row are gonna 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:07.920 look like twins out there. There are two massive cornerbacks. 0:08:08.280 --> 0:08:10.200 And you mentioned the cornerbacks out on the edge of 0:08:10.200 --> 0:08:12.960 the Miami Dolphins. Looking at the Draft Networks big board 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:15.360 right here of cornerbacks, we have several guys slated to 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:17.520 go in the top fifty according to the Draft Network. 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:19.440 That's where I want to go ahead and pivot to you. Now. 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:22.000 You mentioned Jeffrey Okuda off the top of the podcast, 0:08:22.040 --> 0:08:24.600 and what he does, I think pretty much unanimous number 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:27.120 one cornerback on everyone's big board. Can you just kind 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:29.200 of sort the cornerbacks that you think might go in 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:32.079 round number one for us here? Ben, Yeah, absolutely, I 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.559 think it's pretty consensus that Jeffrey Coud is gonna be 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:36.160 a top ten pick, and then there's a bit of, 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:38.960 you know, contention with who those next off the board 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:41.040 are gonna be. Whether it's a c. J. Henderson at 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:44.359 Florida that has some questions, you know about his physicality, 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:45.960 but what he's gonna do is wake up in the 0:08:46.000 --> 0:08:49.439 morning and lock down the number one receivers and man coverage, 0:08:49.440 --> 0:08:51.640 and that's what you want on the outside in the NFL. 0:08:51.960 --> 0:08:54.760 So I think C. J. Henderson's in that conversation. Christian 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:57.000 Folan is starting his work work his way into that 0:08:57.040 --> 0:09:00.120 conversation after a really good year with L s U 0:09:00.200 --> 0:09:03.200 and then Trayvon Diggs, who is in the exact same 0:09:03.240 --> 0:09:08.360 mold as Eric Row and Byron Jones, long, strong, broad, 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:12.080 six one two pounds and can run. They all are 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:14.600 in that same type of mold and package right there 0:09:15.040 --> 0:09:17.200 for the Dolphins. But you know, when you're looking at 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:20.720 the collective defense and the collective roster and the Miami Dolphins, 0:09:21.040 --> 0:09:23.880 I love what they did in free agency because the 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:27.199 the old adage from GMS are can you go into 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:30.280 the draft ready to play a game? And I feel 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:32.480 like the Dolphins are ready to play a game. Obviously 0:09:32.480 --> 0:09:34.680 there's some questions here and there with some talent level, 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:37.040 but I love what they did and bringing in Byron 0:09:37.120 --> 0:09:41.160 Jones and stockpiling some other players in the linebacker position. 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:43.040 I think they're ready to play a game, and now 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:45.560 it's just see where the board falls to them and 0:09:45.600 --> 0:09:47.960 what type of value is available to them when they're picking. 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:50.520 I really do like the way they approach for agency 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:53.080 as well, because they went after some positions where you know, 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:55.120 we've had some different guests in the podcast where maybe 0:09:55.120 --> 0:09:56.760 some of these guys that come off the board, like 0:09:56.920 --> 0:09:59.360 for instance, they got Eric Flowers and Ted Carriss on 0:09:59.400 --> 0:10:01.719 the interior offensive line that might be more of Day 0:10:01.760 --> 0:10:04.760 two projects or Day two prospects, i should say, or 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:07.200 off the defensive end position group where you have Chase 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:08.960 Young up top, but then maybe there's a bit of 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:11.240 a drop there in terms of the next tier of players. 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:12.880 So they go out and get aug Ball and Shack 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:15.360 Lawson and round out that position group. Like you said, 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.520 to be ready to play a game, to be flexible 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.120 on draft day. Now, this defense wants to be flexible 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:22.800 and its secondary and you mentioned the tackling skill set 0:10:22.800 --> 0:10:25.720 of cornerbacks in this defense and the fact that Miami 0:10:25.880 --> 0:10:29.679 do have Xavien Howard and Byron Jones here. Nick Needham 0:10:29.720 --> 0:10:31.800 had a good season last year. We have Bobby McCain, 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:34.480 who plays some free safety and slot. I just want 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:36.520 to ask a couple of questions here, Ben, of this 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:39.440 of this cornerback group, who do you think is the 0:10:39.440 --> 0:10:42.080 best tackler? And also what you who are some guys 0:10:42.080 --> 0:10:43.840 in that kind of day two range that might come 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:47.200 off the board and be productive starters right away. Yeah. 0:10:47.240 --> 0:10:49.120 You know, when I look at the Dolphins team, I 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:51.880 feel most comfortable with the secondary. I like these pieces 0:10:52.040 --> 0:10:56.040 Avian Howard, Eric Rowe, Adrian Colberg, Byron Jones, Nick Needham 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.520 is a really interesting player, I Bobby McKean. But if 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:01.160 there are still looking to stock aisle and add some depth, 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:04.760 because we know depth is going to be tested looking 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:07.440 at the tackling position, obviously those guys at the top, 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:10.480 the Jeffrey Acudas and Treyvon Dicks, have really good size. 0:11:10.760 --> 0:11:12.920 But once you're starting to get into day two and 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:15.360 looking at the you know, Jalen Johnson's of the world 0:11:15.400 --> 0:11:19.480 from Utah or Reggie Robinson the second from Tulsa, who 0:11:19.559 --> 0:11:22.280 I think is the day two version of Jeffrey Acuda. 0:11:22.600 --> 0:11:26.880 When you're talking six foot corners, two hundred pounds, running 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:31.280 under four or five, jumping ten six and abroad, there's 0:11:31.320 --> 0:11:34.480 only three corners in this draft, Jeffrey Acuda, C. J. Henderson, 0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:37.160 and Reggie Robinson at of Tulsa. So I don't think 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:39.640 Reggie Robinson's getting a whole lot of love that he 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:41.439 should be getting. I think he's gonna be a bona 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:43.760 fide Day two player right there. And there's a lot 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:46.560 of other guys with some really good size, whether that's uh, 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.400 you know, Josiah Scott at a Michigan State or a J. 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:52.559 Terrell at a Clemson, these guys with a lot of experience. 0:11:52.600 --> 0:11:55.360 A J. Green at Oklahoma State is a tall, upright 0:11:55.440 --> 0:11:58.760 corner with really good physicality that's starting to get some buzz. 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:01.240 And then there's some smaller guys that you don't think 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:05.720 you're gonna be tough, like a Jeff Gladdene who's pounds, 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:08.760 but it's as feisty as anybody in this class, very 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:11.559 much like a giant Alexander who's carved out a nice 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.000 role with the Green Bay Packers. So they don't all 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.480 need to be six one to ten to be a 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:19.320 physical presence. Some of the little spark plug guys like 0:12:19.320 --> 0:12:21.439 a Jeff Gladney could fit in as well. We've got 0:12:21.440 --> 0:12:24.040 Ben Fennel here on the Drivetime Podcast, part of the 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:27.040 Miami Dolphins official podcast network. He comes over from the 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:30.360 Philadelphia Eagles Journey to the Draft podcast with fran Duffy 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:32.800 on their network. There, Ben, I want to ask you 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:35.960 here because we know the Patriots, Lions, the Dolphins, all 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:38.880 these Belichick disciples and people off of the Bill Belichick 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:41.120 tree play a lot of man coverage. You're gonna see 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:43.880 the Patriots, the Lions, the Dolphins rank one to three 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:46.079 in man coverage for the most part pretty much every 0:12:46.120 --> 0:12:48.400 single year while those guys are there. So who in 0:12:48.440 --> 0:12:51.360 this class gives the best man coverability and maybe you 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:53.360 can separate this for us top of the draft, middle 0:12:53.360 --> 0:12:56.680 of the draft type of thing like that. Yeah. Absolutely, 0:12:56.760 --> 0:12:58.600 So you know the man coverage you obviously you are 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:00.360 going to go right to the SEC. A lot of 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:03.960 these guys have tons of experience Trayvon dig c J Henderson, 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:06.320 But I love the kind of next tier of press 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:09.680 coverage experience, whether that's Lavert Hill out of the University 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:12.840 of Michigan. This Michigan defense sent twelve kids to the 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:16.480 combine talented, talented group that just could not get on 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:18.599 the right track in the wind Toll, But there is 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:21.240 tons of good talent and upside with this team in 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:23.640 the vert Hill that showed up to the University of 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:26.600 Michigan playing press man from day one, and Don Brown's 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:30.079 defense a lot of good experience on tape. Damon Arnett's 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:33.520 another one. Shaheim Carter at Alabama plays a lot of 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:36.079 press man there in the SEC. So you can even 0:13:36.160 --> 0:13:38.080 go to day three with some guys a little bit 0:13:38.120 --> 0:13:40.800 off the radar, like a Troy Pride at a Notre 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:43.400 Dame who ran really well, or DeMarcus a c at 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:46.440 of Missouri. Those guys in the sect are used to 0:13:46.440 --> 0:13:48.920 playing man coverage. So if you're gonna find one of 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:51.160 these guys in the Big twelve, like a A J. 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:54.800 Green or Jeff Gladdeney that's used to that off coverage position, 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:57.120 there might be a little bit more of a learning 0:13:57.160 --> 0:13:59.600 curve to get up there and press coverage. In the 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:02.079 NFL on Sundays, we talked a little bit about Bobby 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:05.199 McCain's ability to play both free safety and nickel cornerback, 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:07.720 and he did that last year with the Miami Dolphins. 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:09.640 And we come into this class with some guys that 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:11.280 can do a little bit of both of those things. 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:13.600 But depending on where Bobby plays, we might have some 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:16.840 opening areas at the safety position for example. For example, 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:19.360 so in the safety class, can you tell us who 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:21.480 you like in the first round? Which guys really top 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:25.120 the charts in the NFL drafted safety Yeah, I've been 0:14:25.160 --> 0:14:27.680 absolutely blown away with Xavier McKinney in this draft. I 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:29.920 think he's a clone to like a Malcolm Jenkins style 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:32.680 of player, a guy that you just want around the box, 0:14:32.720 --> 0:14:36.080 around the football, good and run support, good blitzer, but 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:39.640 he can match up against tight ends, matchup against slot receivers, 0:14:39.680 --> 0:14:41.760 a smart player. I think he is a bona fide 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:45.440 Round one player. Now that next year is the interesting conversation, 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:48.240 is that Grant Delpit, is it Jeremy chin At a 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:51.040 Southern Illinois? Is it Kyle Dugger out of the lenore 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:53.080 rhyme that's starting to get a lot of steam. Those 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:56.040 are more rangey back end players with some really good 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:58.600 length and size. But when you're starting to talk about 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:01.640 the safety position, the NF bell is obviously a sub 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:05.160 package defense, but we're getting away from the small nickel 0:15:05.480 --> 0:15:07.880 and we really want the big nickel package, and that 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:10.680 means having three safeties on the field. But in order 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:13.360 to have three safeties on the field, you better be 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:15.880 able to cover. So I have a big category here 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:19.040 called coverage safeties, and I think this draft has a 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:22.560 lot of interesting players of coverage safeties. And that's like 0:15:22.600 --> 0:15:25.560 a Covan Wallace at a Clemson who's been there for 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:28.360 four or five years, a lot of good experience. Again, 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:31.880 just like a Xavier McKinney can match up against tight ends, 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:35.520 slot receivers, good blitzer, good ball skills. And it's a 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:37.800 bunch of other guys like that, whether that's Brian Cole 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:40.320 the second at a Mississippi State, who is a former 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:43.520 four star receiver at the University of Michigan that came 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:45.760 over and play nickel that miss to Be State, or 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:48.320 a Terrell Burgess at a Utah it's really a one 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.360 year player, but a really really good player on that 0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:53.840 Utah defense that could come and play the alley and 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:57.120 can also match up against these skill players on offense. 0:15:57.320 --> 0:15:59.440 I just think there's different players in every level of 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:03.840 the draft, and I love evaluating good players on bad teams. 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:07.280 And that's Nigel Warrior at the University of Tennessee, who's 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:10.160 a highly touted four or five star player coming in 0:16:10.480 --> 0:16:13.120 obviously like the University of Michigan just couldn't get the 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:17.320 wind toll going. But a really talented player with explosiveness, 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:21.160 coverage skills, filth, physicality. I just love digging into the 0:16:21.160 --> 0:16:24.760 players that always get miss evaluated because they're on bad teams. 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:27.080 I think Nigel Warrior is gonna be a pleasant surprise 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:30.080 to somebody on Day three. You talk about versatility at 0:16:30.080 --> 0:16:32.240 the safety possession, guys that can come down cover the 0:16:32.280 --> 0:16:34.680 slot but also have range on that back end, and 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.920 how valuable that is in today's matchup NFL. A couple 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:39.520 of guys on this list I want to ask you 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:41.600 about because one of them played for a team that 0:16:41.680 --> 0:16:44.360 was good last year, but historically the Minnesota gophirst have 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:46.240 not been at one of the better teams in the 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:49.200 Big Ten. So Antoine Winfield junior there at Minnesota, and 0:16:49.240 --> 0:16:52.280 also California's Ashton Davis. That guy can flat out go. 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:54.440 He was a high hurdle champion I believe it was 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:56.880 in high school. So these guys have the range, the speed, 0:16:56.880 --> 0:16:59.120 the versatility. What do you make of those two's games? 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.520 So ash and Davis, obviously the track star came walked 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:05.120 on as a football player. Was more of a track 0:17:05.160 --> 0:17:08.600 recruit on the cow goldenbarrass team there. But it will 0:17:08.600 --> 0:17:11.159 be interested to see the former Cow coach now with 0:17:11.200 --> 0:17:13.240 the Dolphins and how interested he's gonna be with some 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.400 of his former players. They had a really impressive secondary. Also, 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:19.440 Cameron Binnum coming out next year should be a top 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:23.520 fifty player. But um yeah, Ashton Davis is more of 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:26.960 a back end player rangie free safety in my opinion, Uh, 0:17:27.040 --> 0:17:29.320 kind of like a Jeff Heath with the Dallas Cowboys 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:33.119 but then going to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Man, these 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:36.879 have some really intriguing players and obviously starts with Antoine Winfield. 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:41.080 Huge season in ball production, bunch of impressive interceptions, seem 0:17:41.160 --> 0:17:44.359 to be always around the ball, that magnet player where 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:47.080 the ball just gravitated towards him. I think he's gonna 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:49.320 be somebody went down around the box, more like a 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:52.880 Tyrone Matthew style of player to blitz the run support. 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:56.360 He tested really well at the combine. I didn't necessarily 0:17:56.400 --> 0:17:58.879 see that on the tape, but a really fluid player, 0:17:58.960 --> 0:18:02.399 instinctive player. But don't sleep on the nickel player at 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:06.760 Minnesota either. Chris Williamson, who's a Florida transfer, which a 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:09.280 lot of people didn't realize coming from the SEC, and 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:11.520 he showed up and played really well in the Big Ten, 0:18:11.960 --> 0:18:14.720 one of my first and foremost combines snows. I would 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:16.040 have loved to see what he was going to test 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:17.960 there at the combine. I thought he was kind of 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:21.080 a high four, four, four or five player, but that 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:24.399 Minnesota defense a lot of good players with some good versatility. 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:27.760 So I expect Antoine Winfield to be a Day two player, 0:18:28.080 --> 0:18:30.520 and if somebody takes Chris Williamson on Day three, I 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:32.720 think they're gonna get a good steal. One more question 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:34.359 for you here, Ben, just to get a kind of 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:37.280 general vibe of the way this draft board could play 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:40.440 out on the first round over under? What is your 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:43.280 over under on the number of cornerbacks and safetyes dbs? 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:45.639 And Toldal we see their name called on right on 0:18:45.760 --> 0:18:49.560 night number one Thursday on the NFL Draft DBS. That's 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:53.800 a great question. So I feel really good obviously about 0:18:54.040 --> 0:18:56.119 you know, the Zavia McKinneys of the world. Are we 0:18:56.160 --> 0:18:59.280