WEBVTT - Fozzy Whittaker on Saints Podcast | March 31, 2025 0:00:05.200 --> 0:00:08.799 Welcome in to the New Orleans Saints Podcast, present a 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:13.560 buy seatcake. You'll hear from players, coaches, broadcasters and writers 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:17.680 that cover the NFL on a daily basis. The New 0:00:17.760 --> 0:00:25.080 Orleans Saints Podcast starts right now. Here's your host, Aaron Summers. 0:00:27.120 --> 0:00:30.240 Welcome into the New Orleans Saints Podcast. Aaron Summers here, 0:00:30.320 --> 0:00:33.600 we are starting our Draft preview podcast leading up to 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:37.160 the NFL Draft April twenty four through twenty six. We'll 0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:40.279 have three a week breaking down the prospects, what the 0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:43.479 other NFC South teams are looking to do, and of course, 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:46.640 what could be in store for the Saints. With pro 0:00:46.720 --> 0:00:50.000 days wrapping up, we are focusing on LSU prospects today. 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:53.279 As the Tigers held their pro day last Wednesday, there 0:00:53.360 --> 0:00:55.320 was a lot of noise coming out of the combine 0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:59.360 about top offensive tackle Will Campbell and his arm length, 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:02.080 his measurement Wednesday, silence that noise. 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.639 For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:08.440 nobody said anything about my play. So now all of 0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:12.000 a sudden, Armley decides if I'm a good player or not. 0:01:12.319 --> 0:01:16.080 I think it's bs, But you know, any decision makers 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:18.319 in the NFL, they don't really care as all. You know, 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.360 people who don't coach, and they don't coach for a reason. 0:01:21.760 --> 0:01:24.120 Campbell measured thirty three inches, which is viewed as the 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:28.520 threshold for NFL tackles. Tight End Mason Taylor participated in 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:31.880 on field drills after opting out at the combine. Taylor 0:01:31.920 --> 0:01:34.200 said a lot of his time in Indie and when 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:36.920 meeting with teams is on showing what teams are getting 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:38.920 on and off the field. 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:41.360 Yeah, I mean, I just really try to pride myself 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:43.720 in any meeting I talked to a team being that 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:45.959 all around guy, all around player as a tight end, 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:48.960 you know, doing whatever is asked of him, whatever's on 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:50.840 my plate, and kind of being a guy that's an 0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:53.160 every down player as a tight end and doing everything 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:55.360 in the run game past game. So that's really what 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:56.080 I pride. 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:57.560 Myself on, what I try to sell myself on. 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:01.000 And then also just being myself in those meetings, you know, laughing, 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:04.000 jogging around with the guys, you know, meeting new people 0:02:04.040 --> 0:02:06.360 and just being myself, showing my character and you know, 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:10.320 things are things are bigger than an athlete from me 0:02:10.440 --> 0:02:12.440 just being a better person and you know, being that 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:14.440 locker room guy and that great teammates also what I 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:17.000 try to pride myself on and so myself to these teams. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.399 For today's podcast guest, I'm bringing in longtime NFL running back, 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:26.679 former Texas back, and current ESPN analyst Fozzie Whittaker. Whittaker 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:29.840 was on hand covering LSU's Pro Day for SEC Network 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:33.959 and had some great insight into the potential draftees. Fazzi, 0:02:34.040 --> 0:02:35.400 thank you so much for joining me on the New 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.360 Orleans Saints podcast. I knew the minute I saw you 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:40.920 at LSU Pro Day that you are going to be 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:43.640 my guy to break down the LSU prospects for me, 0:02:43.760 --> 0:02:45.560 so I appreciate it. How are you. 0:02:46.360 --> 0:02:49.040 I'm doing fantastic vins, Aaron, thank you for having me on. 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:53.040 I'm excited to talk about the NFL drafted LSU Pro 0:02:53.120 --> 0:02:56.280 Day did not dis the point in the slightest. Yeah. 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:58.720 I mean last year there was so much hype around 0:02:58.760 --> 0:03:02.280 their pro day just because the class was so loaded 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.079 with Jayden Daniels, Malik Neighbors. But there were quite a 0:03:06.120 --> 0:03:08.640 few people out there at this pro day as well. 0:03:08.800 --> 0:03:12.639 Six got drafted last year. How many LSU players do 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:13.760 you think are going this year? 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.480 I think for sure. I have five on my mind, 0:03:18.520 --> 0:03:24.840 and it obviously starts off with standout tackle Will Campbell, 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:29.720 who clocked in thirty three inches on the arm, so 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.240 his arms actually grew since the last time he was 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.960 at the NFL Combine when he was measured there. He'll 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:39.920 be most likely a top ten NFL pick to one 0:03:39.960 --> 0:03:43.240 of the teams that likes him the best, and a 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:45.640 lot of different draft boards. I've seen him as the 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.600 top tackle, I've seen him as the second tackle, and 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:52.160 sometimes even as the third tackle, but regardless, I think 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:55.720 he still will get drafted in that top ten range. 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:58.240 He didn't participate at all in the Pro Day. He 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:01.400 let his tape as well as as his performance at 0:04:01.400 --> 0:04:04.520 the Combine kind of do the speaking for him, and 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:07.040 typically that's what we see of some of those big, 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:11.520 high caliber athletes like Will Campbell. But it was really 0:04:11.560 --> 0:04:14.480 cool getting to see him in person, comparing you know, 0:04:14.560 --> 0:04:19.000 different size and metrics, in particular Kelvin Banks. I was 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.280 able to do Texas Pro Day the day prior, so 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:24.240 on Tuesday I got to see Kelvin Banks work out, 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:27.000 and then that following day I got to see Will 0:04:27.040 --> 0:04:30.240 Campbell in person as well and comparing them to two 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:33.279 of the top tackles in the NFL Draft. This upcoming April, 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:35.920 I thought was really neat and really cool and I 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:38.360 was just happy to be there. But definitely Will Campbell 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:41.560 is the top prospect there. You look at Brayden Swinson, 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:44.880 who I really love as an edge prospect, probably fits 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:48.760 in a three four scheme as an outside linebacker. Really 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:52.600 came on his senior year, his last year there at LSU, 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.000 and the thing that impressed me the most was how 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:59.359 much his past rush presence increased. And obviously the production 0:04:59.440 --> 0:05:02.359 speaks for self. Eight and a half stacks, double digit 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:05.880 TFLs as well as just being a factor and a 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:08.479 leader on this football team. I believe he has the 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:12.280 possibility and chances to really sneak into that second round 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:14.960 and be a solidify a second round prospect, and somebody 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:17.320 will be able to utilize him in year number one. 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:20.600 In his rookie season, he also was in attendance there. 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:24.440 Did not do anything combine related to the measurements, but 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:26.599 that was it didn't partake in any of the on 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:30.880 field drills or exercises, and for the most part, I 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:34.240 think the film also was speaking for itself in regards 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:38.080 to Brayden Swinson the one that I was most intrigued 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:42.400 to watch those with Mason Taylor another combine standout that 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:46.760 brew proved how well and how soft he can track 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:49.320 and catch the ball at the combine. But some of 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:51.719 the questions that needed to be answered was what was 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:55.360 his top end speed, like, what was his blocking ability 0:05:55.480 --> 0:05:57.880 going to be like in comparison to what he's been 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:00.760 able to do as you know, the more prolific tight 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:04.039 end that has ever come through LSU doors. And I 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:06.480 think he put a lot of those questions to rest 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:09.960 with his pro day performance. Didn't need to catch like 0:06:10.000 --> 0:06:12.280 I said, because he did so well at the combine, 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.840 but he showcased how versatile he can be as an 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:18.320 inline blocker and sometimes even whenever he's out on the perimeter. 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:22.440 Some of the scouts had him doing specific blocking drills 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.520 to gauge where his strength and his power is and 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:29.800 not to mention the strength twenty eight reps on the 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:32.800 bench press for Mason Taylor, so not only can he 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:35.479 do it as a receiving threat, but also can do 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:37.880 it whenever they need to put his hands in a 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:40.560 dirt and a lot of people were referencing his style 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:45.280 of play to George Kittle, and that's a great comp obviously, 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.839 somebody that's done it at a very high level in 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:50.359 the NFL. If Mason Taylor can do some of the 0:06:50.400 --> 0:06:53.560 things that made George Kittle successful, then I think Mason 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:56.000 Taylor has an opportunity to have a standout career in 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:58.320 the NFL. So those are a couple of the top 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:01.240 prospects that I was able to witness. Emery Jones will 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:04.240 be another one. I think Miles Fraser also can be 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:07.839 a late round draft pick that'll be getting attention. But 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:12.760 definitely some exciting athletes that showcase their abilities. Coward Lacy 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:16.520 also receiver as well, that had a lot of scouts 0:07:16.560 --> 0:07:19.120 watching what he did, and I think I think he 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:24.280 helped himself putting on you know, kind of receiving clinic 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:26.320 and being able to showcase what he can do as 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:27.240 a receiver as well. 0:07:27.880 --> 0:07:29.800 Yeah, a couple of players I want to kind of 0:07:29.800 --> 0:07:32.560 go back and highlight here. You mentioned off the top, 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:36.600 Will Campbell, because yes, everybody was obsessed with how quote 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:39.760 unquote short his arms were, as thirty three supposed to 0:07:39.760 --> 0:07:45.520 be the threshold for the NFL tackle. He was really 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:50.120 interesting talking to him afterwards. I mean, he did not 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:54.920 appreciate people's perspective on that and what people were saying, 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:58.240 and rightfully so, he's very confident in his work on 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:00.520 the field and what he does and said that the 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.440 feedback that he got from a lot of people in 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:06.120 the NFL was he could very much be a tackle 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:08.920 at the next level. Did you think there was a 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.960 little bit too much made about that because it really 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:15.960 wasn't a big difference. Thirty two and five eighths and 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:19.280 thirty three doesn't seem like a huge difference. 0:08:20.000 --> 0:08:23.360 I'm gonna tell you this, Aaron, just like any any 0:08:23.480 --> 0:08:28.400 time that football season is not in play, everything is 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:31.280 blown out of proportion. And obviously it starts with the 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.120 NFL combine, it starts in media have. 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:35.920 To find stories to talk. 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:39.840 About exactly and you and I both know, but from 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:43.559 my perspective and just from an analyst perspective as well 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:47.040 as a former football player, professionally. 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:50.360 If you can ball, that's what matters most. And I 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:54.280 guarantee as the scouts that are scouting Will Campbell and 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:59.120 anybody else that was perceived to have measurables that weren't 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:03.079 ideal to the stereotypical type of tackle or the Joe 0:09:03.200 --> 0:09:08.640 Burrow hand incident more recently as well. Anybody that turns 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:10.480 on the tape and says, hey, we're not going to 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:13.480 draft this guy because he doesn't have thirty three inch arms, 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:17.360 it is probably not in the right position to actually 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:20.600 make decisions for that NFL football team. If you turn 0:09:20.640 --> 0:09:22.839 on the tape for Will Campbell, I mentioned it earlier, 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.120 speaks for itself. But the thing that stands out to 0:09:25.120 --> 0:09:27.800 me the most is how calm and patient he is 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:31.079 in his set. He went up against guys that had 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:33.600 long goarms in the SEC he went up against some 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:37.640 of the best pass rushers in the country, and seeing 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:43.120 the way he stayed patient, confident, and comfortable within the pocket, 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:47.360 keeping it clean, letting Gared Nussmeyer do exactly what gart 0:09:47.400 --> 0:09:51.840 Nussmeyer does, throwing for over four thousand yards. That's truly 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:56.440 what NFL teams and scouts are clamoring about now. From 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:58.640 a media perspective, yeah, we're gonna blow it out of proportion. 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:02.080 That's our job, right to make sure the storylines are 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:04.840 rolling in the headlines. If something looks a little bit different, 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:07.320 well we got to highlight that different because there's not 0:10:07.440 --> 0:10:10.520 too many other stories that are happening during this time 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:15.439 for preparation of the NFL Draft, and so the arm 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:18.440 reachs does get blown out of proportion quite a bit. 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:21.160 But whenever you throw on the tape, you start to 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:24.400 see how consistent of a player he is. And that's 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:27.240 not just from this season, but you go back even 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:30.920 to last year. You see the consistency play in and 0:10:30.960 --> 0:10:34.520 play out. You see the consistency weekend week out, year 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:37.160 in year out, and that's what made him a three 0:10:37.200 --> 0:10:39.679 year starter since he stepped foot in Baton Rouge, and 0:10:39.679 --> 0:10:42.960 that's what truly is going to separate him as being 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:45.880 one of the most dependable guys in this NFL draft 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:49.720 because of how many games he started consecutively since he 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:53.400 stepped on the field. Then miss naps always was a 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:56.680 staple whenever you're talking about protecting the blind side of 0:10:56.720 --> 0:11:00.680 the quarterback and then showcasing like it doesn't matter what 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:04.520 my metrics say. I'm a football player and I can 0:11:04.559 --> 0:11:07.360 play left tackle in an elite level, and I think 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:10.000 and I believe he'll be able to do that at 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:11.800 the next level as well in the NFL. 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:15.120 Yeah, I loved his attitude about it, and he was 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:18.280 very confident and good for him. When you think about 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:22.040 Mason Taylor, obviously everybody thinks about his father and knows 0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:26.720 that he comes from NFL pedigree, but he looks like 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:29.640 an NFL player. He looks the part. And he said 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:32.400 he didn't participate in the on field work at the 0:11:32.400 --> 0:11:36.000 Combine because he still wanted to train for it. It's 0:11:36.120 --> 0:11:38.280 kind of weird to me that you have to train 0:11:38.600 --> 0:11:42.960 for these drills at a combine or a pro day 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:46.480 differently than you actually would train to actually play the 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:49.600 game that you're going to be drafted for. What is 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:54.360 your take on the point the purpose of these pro 0:11:54.440 --> 0:11:57.760 days versus people participating or not? You know, how much 0:11:57.800 --> 0:12:00.000 do the measurements matter versus what you're seeing on film. 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:03.640 It's funny you bring that up, because that was a 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:08.160 question that I asked several of the LSU Pro Day participants. 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.680 The common thing was like, Hey, now I get a 0:12:11.760 --> 0:12:14.760 chance to not train for the forty but actually train 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:19.080 for football, because that's the most important aspect, right. We 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:23.280 sometimes can lose sighte as fans, as people that are 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:26.600 on looking, even as media members, we can lose sight 0:12:26.679 --> 0:12:30.840 of what the real goal is during these opportunities and 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:35.200 during this timeframe, right, we do get to see a 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:37.800 glimpse of what your top end speed looks like in 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:40.800 the forty yard dash, and I thought Mason Taylor really 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.800 helped himself out. Unofficially we were able to clock them 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:46.160 at a four or five nine. That's what several scouts 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:51.480 were able to clock in his pro day, And I thought, maamn, 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.440 if you turn on the tape, you don't necessarily see 0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:56.840 four or five nine jump off the page. But it's 0:12:56.880 --> 0:13:00.400 because of how smooth he runs, how effortless he looks, 0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:02.880 and then the way that he runs his routes. It 0:13:02.920 --> 0:13:05.600 almost seems as though he's running the same speed the 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:09.640 entire time, which makes it very difficult for linebackers and 0:13:09.720 --> 0:13:12.920 safeties to cover and try to find an edge on 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:16.839 defending a guy like Mason Taylor. But these scouts, whenever 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:19.120 you get them all in a place and they get 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:21.959 that clock out, they get their time four or five nine, 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:25.240 they woe. Okay, we had this guy pigged. It's maybe 0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:28.319 a four to six eight four seventy one type of guy, 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:30.800 and he comes out here he wows us with a 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:34.080 four or five nine. That's what the combine and the 0:13:34.120 --> 0:13:37.560 pro day is typically four right. It's just an additional 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:41.800 data point to help prove what you've already analyzed from 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:46.040 the on tape production, because ultimately, on field production is 0:13:46.040 --> 0:13:49.400 going to be the basis of where everyone is being 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:52.719 perceived to be drafted at or what their draft grade is. 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:56.000 And if you participated in the Senior Bowl or if 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:59.400 you got an invite to the East West Shrine Game, 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:02.959 any of these additional bowl games that you get a 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:04.880 chance to meet with scouts and they get to see 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:08.160 you practice against some other top tier opponents. That's an 0:14:08.200 --> 0:14:11.960 early glimpse as well, and additional data points for some 0:14:12.040 --> 0:14:15.000 of these NFL teams to get hands on experience with 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:18.080 a lot of these draft eligible guys. So, Mason Taylor, 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:21.120 you already mentioned it, the family pedigree and the heritage 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:24.480 that he possesses. He's already been prepared for a moment 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:27.200 like this, But seeing the way that he went out 0:14:27.200 --> 0:14:30.400 there and seized that moment last Wednesday, I thought was 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:33.560 truly impressive and in the showcase how good of a 0:14:33.720 --> 0:14:37.560 pro athlete he can be. He possesses the mindset and 0:14:37.640 --> 0:14:40.520 what it means to be an actual pro and then 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:44.840 all the scouts, all the coaches, and even GM guys, 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.400 those that sit in the office, those that were in attendance, 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.360 can say, Hey, we know we're going to get out 0:14:50.360 --> 0:14:53.040 of this guy over thirteen hundred yards of production since 0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:55.760 he was the tight end at LSU. Let's go ahead 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.640 and see how we can continue to make our pick 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:03.120 feel as though we are more confident in it by saying, hey, okay, 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:06.280 whenever we need a one on one difference maker on 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:10.560 third down, how does Mason Taylor become that guy for us? 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:13.200 And they can reflect back on the four or five nine. 0:15:13.240 --> 0:15:16.240 They can reflect back on him being able to pass 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:18.440 pro and then leak out into the flats if that's 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:20.360 something they need him to do. They can reflect on 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.160 how his hands are soft, or whenever you need a 0:15:23.200 --> 0:15:27.720 big play e overtime as a true freshman against Alabama, 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:30.720 we know the moment does not get too big for 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:33.480 a guy like Mason Taylor. So they use a lot 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.320 of the combine as well as the pro day type 0:15:36.320 --> 0:15:39.960 of setting to be able to re emphasize and reinforce 0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:42.440 some of the traits that they've already been able to 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:46.640 witness them partake in whenever they play their previous seasons 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:48.960 or in previ or in seasons prior. 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:52.680 I think somebody who maybe grabs some attention that he 0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:57.600 wasn't already having was running back Josh Williams with his numbers, 0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:02.280 I mean, a forty two and a half introvert is insane, 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:06.560 and then he ran a four five point forty, which 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:11.360 was obviously the fastest there, but again extremely quick. How 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.720 do you think he helped himself out with his ability 0:16:14.800 --> 0:16:18.480 to showcase his speed its athleticism at the Pro Day? 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:22.240 Yeah, the number one thing. And so many people have 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:25.160 already talked about the storyline of Josh Williams, but I 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:28.480 have to start there before I even get into his 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:32.560 performance at Pro Day. Is his performance whenever he first 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:36.640 stepped on campus right originally as a walk on, overlooked, 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:39.760 wanted the opportunity to play at the university that he 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:43.480 grew up loving and supporting, and he finally got that opportunity. 0:16:43.520 --> 0:16:46.640 And whenever that opportunity came for him to actually step 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:50.240 onto the field, he sees every moment and advantage And 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:52.800 that's the type of work ethic, that's the type of guy, 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:55.760 that's the type of pro player that you're going to 0:16:55.800 --> 0:16:57.760 get out of Josh Williams. And then it shows you 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:01.200 the sign of respect that he has amongst his teammates, 0:17:01.360 --> 0:17:05.080 being awarded the number eighteen number in this previous year, 0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:09.000 of being the leader, of being what it means to 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:11.919 be an LSU Tiger, not only on the field, but 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:14.400 as well as off of the field, and being able 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:17.640 to graduate with two degrees from LSU and he did 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.679 it with an NBA. We all know how hard that 0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:24.080 can be, as well as managing his time, being able 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:26.840 to make it to practice, study for the proper things, 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:30.240 and then now prepare for the NFL Draft and take 0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:32.400 part in LSU Pro Day. I thought he really made 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:35.080 some money. So I say all of those things to 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:38.399 give you a little backdrop about Josh Williams and how 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:41.159 he's already been prepared to be a pro right his 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:45.119 start in college. He already was behind all of the 0:17:45.160 --> 0:17:49.159 other scholarship guys, and even this year, splitting carries was 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:51.719 something that probably he didn't think he wanted to do 0:17:52.119 --> 0:17:55.200 or he didn't think was going to happen, But having 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:57.960 the opportunity and ability to be prepared for the moment 0:17:58.320 --> 0:18:01.680 to show up and show out whenever the opportunity presented itself, 0:18:01.840 --> 0:18:04.720 whenever he need to do that, I thought was shrutly amazing, 0:18:04.760 --> 0:18:06.919 and that gives you an insight on the type of 0:18:06.920 --> 0:18:11.040 preparation that he's had, not necessarily just for this past 0:18:11.080 --> 0:18:14.280 season at LSU, but also his preparation for the pro 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:18.119 day enshowing you how the pro type of mentality and 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:21.639 approach that he's been able to attake can help him 0:18:21.960 --> 0:18:25.080 be more of a draftable or even signed as a 0:18:25.080 --> 0:18:28.160 free agent type of guy. And I think him as 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:30.840 a physical specimen. I don't know if you've ever been 0:18:30.880 --> 0:18:34.840 able to see Josh Williams in person, but this guy 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:39.560 looks like a Greek god and he is built like 0:18:39.800 --> 0:18:46.480 a just a fighting machine, built like a refrigerator on steroids. 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:49.240 And he's not on steroids. I'm not saying that he is. 0:18:49.320 --> 0:18:52.760 I'm just saying this guy looks like he is in 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:57.320 physical shape, and that's what you want to see right 0:18:57.440 --> 0:19:00.560 at pro day's. I've witnessed several in the past where 0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:04.040 guys show up, they're out of shape, they're tired after 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:07.280 going four or five reps. They don't look like they 0:19:07.440 --> 0:19:11.240 prepared for in the proper way of this being probably 0:19:11.240 --> 0:19:14.840 the most important job interview of their life, especially for 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:19.280 their future career. If being and partaking in the NFL 0:19:19.440 --> 0:19:23.119 is what they ultimately want to achieve. That's not the 0:19:23.160 --> 0:19:26.200 case with Josh Williams. He showed up prepared, ready to go, 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:29.359 and then whatever his number was called, he proved to 0:19:29.440 --> 0:19:33.640 a point that hey, I've been doubted my entire career. 0:19:34.040 --> 0:19:37.679 I've been doubted since I stepped foot in Baton Rouge 0:19:37.800 --> 0:19:42.400 on campus. I've been doubted by other people that have said, hey, 0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:45.719 you're not a number one starting running back type of 0:19:45.800 --> 0:19:49.919 caliber player at a university like LSU. Well, let me 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:52.280 show you all the type of work that I put in, 0:19:52.320 --> 0:19:55.720 and let me show you why you couldn't be more 0:19:55.880 --> 0:19:59.439 far from the truth, because this is who he is. 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:02.160 That's what he's been since he stepped foot on campus. 0:20:02.160 --> 0:20:05.800 So from an NFL perspective, from a scout perspective, they 0:20:05.840 --> 0:20:08.240 know exactly what they're going to get with Josh Williams. 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:10.800 They know exactly the type of guy that's wanting to 0:20:10.840 --> 0:20:13.760 show up, go to work, stay extra, to be able 0:20:13.840 --> 0:20:16.520 to do the things that a lot of rookies may 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:20.919 not want to do. It's just unfortunate his start happening 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:24.560 a little bit slower in his progression of being one 0:20:24.560 --> 0:20:27.399 of the top backs at LSU. It just took a 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:29.840 little bit longer to get there, and that may hurt 0:20:29.920 --> 0:20:34.280 him from a draftable position perspective, But at the end 0:20:34.320 --> 0:20:36.600 of the day, I do truly believe he'll get an 0:20:36.640 --> 0:20:40.080 invite to somebody's camp or have an opportunity to be 0:20:40.119 --> 0:20:42.240 a free agent deal. And that's whenever he gets a 0:20:42.320 --> 0:20:45.399 chance to make the biggest impression and showcase why he 0:20:45.600 --> 0:20:48.960 is one of the type of pros that NFL scouts 0:20:49.000 --> 0:20:51.960 and coaches always clamor about having in a locker room. 0:20:52.680 --> 0:20:56.400 You could almost see the emotion come out of him 0:20:56.400 --> 0:20:58.440 when he ran the forty. You know, all the work 0:20:58.440 --> 0:21:01.720 that he's put in his journey from being a walk 0:21:01.760 --> 0:21:03.880 on to getting a spot on the squad, and then 0:21:03.920 --> 0:21:05.800 the performance that he was put on. I mean, he 0:21:05.960 --> 0:21:10.959 let out a scream and pounded his chest and he 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:15.760 was completely fired up and rightfully so after his forty, 0:21:15.920 --> 0:21:19.320 and you couldn't help but be happy for him. After 0:21:19.480 --> 0:21:23.159 his performance for Pro Day, there was somebody there that 0:21:23.320 --> 0:21:26.440 obviously got to display some of their skills in front 0:21:26.480 --> 0:21:30.760 of the scouts that isn't draft eligible, with quarterback Garrett Nesmeier, 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:35.840 somebody who now with his dad on the Saints staff 0:21:36.560 --> 0:21:38.240 is gonna be close to our area, a lot of 0:21:38.400 --> 0:21:41.679 LSU fans here as well. What do you think that 0:21:42.240 --> 0:21:45.159 we're gonna see from him once Draft Day comes? He's 0:21:45.200 --> 0:21:47.720 got another year at LSU. Do you like how he's 0:21:47.880 --> 0:21:50.040 rowing though there at the Pro Day? 0:21:51.080 --> 0:21:54.560 Absolutely, And got a chance to speak with him as 0:21:54.600 --> 0:21:59.280 well once Pro Day finished up, and Garrett was gracious 0:21:59.359 --> 0:22:02.199 enough to share some of his time with us, and 0:22:02.680 --> 0:22:06.959 I asked him straight up, Hey, your dad has taken 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:11.800 part in a probably countless number of workouts, whether it's 0:22:11.800 --> 0:22:14.240 as a coach, whether it's as a scout, whether it 0:22:14.280 --> 0:22:19.000