1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Who welcome on everybody to a Monday night edition of 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: Texans All Access. I am John Harris for while Solom reporter, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: and I have joined by the voice of the Texans 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: right off the bat Mark Vanimir Mark, hope you had 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: a great weekend. How are you doing, my friend now 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: that we are eight, no ten days away? Oh, I 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: try to short change it. Ten days away from Draft 8 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. How do you feel on my friend? Well, 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: it's next week, Johnny. So like, once Monday hits, it's 10 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: basically here, right, you know, I mean, I don't. I 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: don't really think there's any difference. It's like kind of 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: like game day. Once you're into game week, you feel like, 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: all right, we're there, let's do this, let's rock. And 14 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: this to me is the off season super Bowl. It's 15 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: the biggest event of the off season. Always COVID or 16 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: no COVID. So this is gonna be huge first round 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: pick or no first round pick or no second round pick. 18 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: And I was on with Mike Keith on the Tennessee 19 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: Titans and he said, well, what's it what's it like 20 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: to not have a first round pick? I said, what's 21 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: it like to have a first round pick. You know, 22 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: this is three out of four years we haven't had Well, 23 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: we're used to this stuff. Let's go, we can deal 24 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: with it, let's have it. We gotta stop that though, 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: I mean we've gotta gotta we literally have to stop that. 26 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: We don't. We don't need to be given up first 27 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: round picks from now on. We need to save our 28 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: first round picks and then make the most of those 29 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: first round picks. You know, we need to do the 30 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hopkins JJ Watt sort of things in the first round, um, 31 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: you know, like we used to do, and that's what 32 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: we need to do going forward and not keep giving 33 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: them up. Now, the man who is going to be 34 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: making those picks third well, Friday and Saturday, and then 35 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: signing a group of undrafted free agents is Nick Cassio, 36 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: general manager. He will join us in the next segment. 37 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: We did an exclusive two on one with Nick. Had 38 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: a really good time talking about the draft, and he, professor, 39 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: is a love for a position in this draft that 40 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: will surprise all of you. All of you. Yes, I 41 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: won't tell you whether it was tongue in chic or not, 42 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: or whether I pushed him to it, or whether I 43 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: convinced him of it. But yeah, you'll have to stick 44 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: around for that. But Nick Cassario's going to join us 45 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: in a in the next segment, and they will also 46 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: go around the NFL. Trey Lance had a second pro day. 47 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: What does that all mean? Who's going number three to 48 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: San Francisco Plenty to hit later in the show? Well, Mark, 49 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: here's my story. So Friday, I was actually thinking about 50 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: writing at some point, I was like, man, what kind 51 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: of write about? Oh? I had this idea about value 52 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: in the draft, and then I was listening to Seth 53 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: and Sean in the morning and they kind of took 54 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: my idea and ran with it a little further. I 55 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, I'm gonna take that and then roll 56 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: with it a little bit further. Obviously, you and I've 57 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: been out. We talked about not having first round picks, 58 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: not having second round picks. You're not picking until pick 59 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: number sixty seven. And when you talk to people in 60 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: the city of Houston, Texans fans, they're like, yeah, you 61 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: know you got Nikissaria button. You don't know the first 62 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: or second round pick? Okay, yeah, we get that. What 63 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: was us whatever? I'm not really like of that mindset, 64 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,519 Speaker 1: like Okay, so you don't pick till sixty seven, you 65 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: still can get some really fine football players from pick 66 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: from the third round and on and so. As I 67 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: was kind of driving and listening to them and I'm 68 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: thinking in my head, oh, I know what I want 69 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: to write now, they kind of added some fuel to 70 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: the fire and they started naming some names. I was like, 71 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: you know, I wonder if you could put together an 72 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: offensive eleven and a defensive eleven of Texans draft picks 73 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: third round and later. And I went and did it, 74 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: and I wrote it. I was like, you know what 75 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: if I went, now, obviously you need forty six you 76 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: guys with depth, all kind of stuff. But I wrote 77 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: that list out on either side, Mark, and I looked 78 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: at and what, you know what, these are really good 79 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 1: football players found in the draft and then obviously after 80 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: the draft, in the case of AJ Boyer twenty thirteen, 81 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: Arian Foster two thousand and nine, Dylan Cole in twenty seventeen, 82 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: there have been a lot of players found later rounds. 83 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: And I don't know if that made me feel any 84 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: better or worse, Mark, but it felt like it proved 85 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: my point, and that is you can find excellent football 86 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: players from round three on. You need a little bit 87 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: of luck, you need some persistence, You obviously need to 88 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: do all of your due diligence. The Texas have proven 89 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: with all their general managers to this point you can 90 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: find some really good football players round three and beyond well, 91 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: I think you know as it relates to the this 92 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,799 Speaker 1: year's team, Johnny, when you look at the old line alone. 93 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 1: Now let's rewind when you look at and you mentioned 94 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: this in your article, Brandon Brooks and Ben Jones. You 95 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: have a third and fourth round raft choice. And I 96 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: know they didn't end up staying with this team, but 97 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: they ended up still playing in this league. And Ben 98 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,799 Speaker 1: Jones starts at center for a pretty good football team 99 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: that just won the division. And you saw what they 100 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: did the year before the postseason. We saw what Brandon 101 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: Brooks did. He won a Super Bowl in Philadelphia. So 102 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: those guys are third and fourth round picks. Derek Newton 103 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: was a really good right tackle for this team for 104 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: a time before he had the double knee injury situation, 105 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 1: and he was a seventh round draft choice. Look those 106 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: guy who's playing on the same line. Yeah, even the 107 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 1: greatest line in the history of the franchise was let's see, 108 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: what was it, third round pick at right tackle, undrafted 109 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: free agent Chris Myers was not drafted by the Houston Texans, 110 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,239 Speaker 1: Wade Smith was a free agent pickup, and Dwayne Brown 111 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: was of course the first round draft choice. Now, I'm 112 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: not saying they're gonna automatically hit on that here this year, 113 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: but it's very possible you come up with a really 114 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: good line this year with Titus Howard and right tackle, 115 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: and you still have Laramie and we've been over the 116 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: rest with Marcus Cannon, and if Britt turns out to 117 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: be what you wanted to be at center and they 118 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: work it out with guard, with Sharpen or whoever on 119 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: the other side, I mean, you do have some opportunities here. 120 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: So I really believe that you can put together a 121 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: good team with picks third on down. And we haven't 122 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: even gotten into the other position groups yet. You highlighted 123 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: it well in your article. I mean, you know, when 124 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: you mix in the free agents, not just undrafted free agents, 125 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: but free agents and or trades, you really come up 126 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: with some neat scenarios there. Neat Did I just use 127 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: the word neatness? I did, so I'm really eye opening 128 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: scenarios there. But you gotta hit on the right picks, 129 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,119 Speaker 1: the right acquisitions. And I think, you know, we won't 130 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: know until we know, but on paper, they're off to 131 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: a pretty good start here. I think the big challenge 132 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: is going to be, you know, what do you get 133 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: at corner? You know, it's very hard to those players, 134 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: it seems these days, to slip down, but you still 135 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: do it. I mean some of the higher priced guys 136 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: recently in free agency, you know, I have been like, 137 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: you know, Malcolm Butler. You know they got a foot locker. 138 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: You know Malcolm Butler. All right, I'm not saying that 139 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: he's you know, multi pro bowler, but he made one 140 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: of the great plays in the history of the Super Bowl. 141 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: So you do have players you can get, but again, 142 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: you gotta hit on it right, no doubt. And the 143 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: one thing that I said in the article is, look, 144 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: this is nineteen drafts. This is our twentieth draft, this 145 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: twentieth cost player draft, this twenty draft, nineteen drafts worth 146 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: and we're talking about one draft. But I've said with 147 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: this draft, look, if you get two to three starters 148 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: out of this one, you feel really good because then 149 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: you moved to twenty twenty two, and you feel like 150 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: first runner will be a starter, second rounder would be 151 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: a starter, and then third and beyond you get you know, 152 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: another starter. If you're able to get five starters out 153 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: of the next two drafts, how much better are you 154 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: down the road. I mean, that's what you have to 155 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: be able to do. And that's what the Texans have 156 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: not done recently, is they haven't hit and maximized all 157 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: those picks. Now, Jerry still out on the twenty nineteen picks. 158 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: Titus Max, You Titus started for two years. You know, 159 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: Max is in and out of the lineup in twenty 160 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: nineteen and then twenty twenty Lonnie Johnson went from corner's safety. 161 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: Jerry still out on Lonnie. You know Charles Amnner who 162 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: has made a lot of plays. You know, he's a 163 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: guy drafted after the third round, you know, but it 164 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: hasn't totally come together yet. I think this defensive scheme 165 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: change will help the men who more than anything else. 166 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: But when I look at players you know that have 167 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: come here after you know, third round and beyond, I mean, 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: you know, guys, it didn't take long for some of 169 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: these guys to step in, right away. I mean right 170 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: off the top. Unfortunately t J. Yates had to step 171 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: in and be a quarterback taken in the fifth round, 172 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: the two best running backs in this organization's history. We're 173 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: fourth round and beyond what Dominic Williams and Arian Foster, 174 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: you know, the tight ends, Owen Daniels, Jordan Aikins. I 175 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: mean it's you can find tremendous football players in third 176 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: round and beyond, which leads me to this question mark 177 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,719 Speaker 1: sitting at number sixty seven, Say nothing happens we get 178 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: to sixty seven, that's the first pick for the Texans. 179 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: There will be the last NFL team to select. Once 180 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: that's done, then we're moving on. You don't have to 181 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: talk about no first or second anymore. What position would 182 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: you be surprised that the Texans would draft at number 183 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: sixty seven? Like, what's your level of surprise? Like, man, 184 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: if they draft this position, I would be shocked. What 185 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: position is that for you? I think I'll give you 186 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: a few. I think quarter back would be a surprise. 187 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: I know McClain had Kellen Mond taken right then. Yeah, 188 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: I think somehow the world is going to talk themselves 189 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: into Kellen Mond going in the first two rounds by 190 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: the world. I mean, somebody's gonna take him, obviously, but 191 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: he might still be around there. I'll be surprised if 192 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: the Texas take him. If they do, it means they 193 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: saw a whole lot of value there and somebody who's 194 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: solid as somebody who could develop another position group. That 195 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: would surprise me a bit. He is running back right there, 196 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: only because I think it's not like they're loaded, Johnny. 197 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: They have three intriguing prospects there, veterans with Ingram, with Lindsay, 198 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: with David Johnson. I do believe that they can wait 199 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: on that position. I believe wide receiver would be a 200 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: bit of a surprise. I know this draft is loaded. 201 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: Maybe you get a stud in the third round somebody 202 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: slipped through, which is entirely possible. I probably should leave 203 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: this one out, but you know, again, they have a 204 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: lot of players there that they can utilize at that position. 205 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: When you look at you know, Cobb coming back, I 206 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: don't know how he fits in with you know, whatever 207 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: they think of QT, whatever this group thinks of QT. 208 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: With Brandon Cooks, who's still one of the better receivers 209 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: in the game, no doubt. And then you added Chris 210 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: Conley and the rest of the guys. I don't know. 211 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: You know, I think that's a bit of a surprise 212 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: if they take a player there. I would expect it 213 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: to be the least surprising things to me would be 214 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: anybody on defense, any position group you name it, probably 215 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: us starting with the least surprising, which would be anybody 216 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: in the defensive backfield, started with corner, safety, then working 217 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 1: on dan linebacker, defensive line. I just I expect them 218 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: to take a defensive player in the third round with 219 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: their first pick, the sixty seventh overall. But again, the 220 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: draft is always Philip surprises. I remember one year. I mean, 221 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: this has happened a lot of years. Actually, there's no 222 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: way they're taking a tight end all Wearing in the 223 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: third round. I mean, come on, but they did it. 224 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: So it's always possible to have a shock, if not 225 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: a surprise or whatever kind of pick wherever they're picking. 226 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: What I find interest. I think you're right. You're right 227 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: about running back and wide receiver, no doubt. I think 228 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: that running back there's there's kind of a gap after 229 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: the first kind of four guys and maybe some others, 230 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: but I think running back has got value throughout and 231 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,719 Speaker 1: you're not gonna get one of those top four or 232 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: five guys. More than likely they're probably gone by sixty seven. 233 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: Maybe not Michael Carter from North Carolina, but there are 234 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: a bunch of other guys that kind of run the game. 235 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: And I love this running back group, and I think 236 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: part of it is because I feel like we can 237 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: get one in the fourth, fifth, sixth round and feel 238 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: like that guy's got an opportunity to make an impact 239 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: on this team at some point. Wide receiver, same thing. 240 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: There are so many good wide receivers you've kind of 241 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: loaded up in free agency. Now, maybe not all make 242 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: the squad at that point, but you've gone out at 243 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: least gotten some guys to compete for the position and 244 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: you can still get good value and they're probably there's 245 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: probably a glut of about eight to ten guys that 246 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 1: you can take anywhere probably from fifty to one twenty 247 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: five that you can maybe interchange in some way, shape 248 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: or form. So you could get one with that second 249 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: you know, the second pick, I think one O nine 250 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: at you know, in the fourth round, or maybe I 251 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: don't even to the fifth round. You can't have those 252 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: two particular positions. Quarterback, there's the top five who we know, 253 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, just the Fields, Trey Lance mac Jones. 254 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: Then there's Mond Then there's Davis Mills from Stanford, and 255 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: there's Kyle trask In. Those last three are kind of 256 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: separated a little bit. I don't know that any of 257 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: them really I would, you know, like run the card 258 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 1: up there at sixty seven, gotta go get them. I 259 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 1: don't know if I'd feel that way about any of 260 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: those other guys. So I think you're right. I think 261 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: it's defense. In my Harris two fifty at pick number 262 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: sixty seven, if I'm going by that, at pick number 263 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 1: sixty seven, the Texans would take a ballhawking safety from Indiana. 264 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,599 Speaker 1: Jamar Johnson, the greatest tackler in the world, but from Florida. 265 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: Ended up in Indiana. Did a great job at fore 266 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: inceptions past year, intercept to Justin Fields twice in that game. Mark. 267 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: If there is anything that I want to see with 268 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: this these draft picks, I don't care what position it is, safety, corner, nickel, linebacker, 269 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: off off the ball, linebacker, edge, well, I don't care 270 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: whoever they bring in. Those players had better go get 271 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: the football. And so When I did that exercise to 272 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: see who would end up at sixty seven, it was 273 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: Jamar Johnson. I was like, you know, safety is probably 274 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: not the one I would say first, But if you 275 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: get a guy that goes and takes the ball the way, 276 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: it's worth it. What would you think about a ballhawk 277 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: safety at sixty seven and that's your first pick? I'm 278 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: in all the way. Johnny. You mentioned though not the 279 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: greatest tackler in the world on your selection. I wanted 280 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: to ask you a question about that. Is that's something 281 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: that can be taught? Is that something that one can 282 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: improve at. I would imagine you can improve, But is 283 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: a good tackler I'm putting that in air quotes? Is 284 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: that sort of a born with sort of skill that 285 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,359 Speaker 1: some guys just have it more than others. Some guys 286 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: just go and I know that some guys going to 287 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: get the football more than others. And that seems to 288 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: be a knack that can be innate. But what about tackling, 289 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: What about the physical part of it? Hey, I coach 290 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: little kids in flag football. Some kids are just more 291 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: apt to go get the flag than other kids. Some 292 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: kids like I'm gonna get that flag and it's not 293 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: it's not getting by me, you know what I mean. 294 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: So what about tackling. I think much of that is 295 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: innate versus versus. You can be taught. I think a 296 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: lot of it is an eight. I think to be 297 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: a good tackler's got to be a level of physicality, 298 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: which a guy like Jamar Johnson he has that. Um, 299 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: he has a physicality. He mean he's a physical guy. 300 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: I mean he's six I think sixty one, like one 301 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: nine Evan. You know, he's got a physical nature to 302 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 1: his game, which makes me think tackling is about discipline 303 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: at this point because I've seen him make tackles in space. 304 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: There are just times where I see him do some 305 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: some technique things that can be cleaned up. I don't 306 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: look at him and think no, no, no no, no, he's 307 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: just a ball hawk. There's there's no way he's got 308 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: an opportunity. He's not. He's just not the best tackler 309 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: like I see others at safety, like Richie Grant from UCF. 310 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: I think Richie's a great tackler, um, but he's not 311 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: quite the ball hawk that that john says. And my 312 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: point with that is mark every single year that I've 313 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: been alive. If you said you want you want a 314 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: great tackler or you want a ball hawk, I would 315 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: tell you I want the tackler. I want a guy 316 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: that I can rely on back there at safety. I 317 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: can if I've got ball hawks. There are the positions. 318 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: I can live with it. But with this defense and 319 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: the inability last year to take the ball away, I 320 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: want guys that can go sniff it out and go 321 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: find the football, and I would I would lean more 322 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 1: towards that going forward. And you know me, I mean, 323 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: we go through games all the time and you hear 324 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: me kind of grunting and grinding down on the sidelines 325 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 1: when our guys miss tackles. I hate it. I hate it. 326 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: But if the tradeoff is okay, maybe I'll miss the 327 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: tackle here there, but that dude's gonna go find the football, 328 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: I'll make that trade. I will make that trade on 329 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: this particular team because it is so necessary and we 330 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: don't have anybody really of that ilk to go get 331 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: the football. So I'll trade it probably this year and 332 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: maybe going forward, but not too much after that. I mean, 333 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: tackling is still such a valued commodity, but when we 334 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: just have such a dearth of ballhawks. I want one. 335 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:47,120 Speaker 1: I want a guy who wants to go get the football. 336 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: I am so curious this year how they handle these 337 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: undrafted free agents and the extra players are going to 338 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: pick up draft weekend, because look, we still don't know 339 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: about this offseason program. It's so fluid. You know, you 340 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: have some guys coming into the building. Everybody's released their 341 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: statement as to how much or how little they're gonna 342 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: come in, and it's very vague and up in the air, 343 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: and I get it. And we still don't know how 344 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 1: much we're gonna get as far as on field practice. 345 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: And I think back to last year, Johnny, and how 346 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: these rookies did you know they didn't have the class 347 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: they were looking for? Because well, maybe because they're not 348 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: gonna ultimately pan out. But I think a lot of 349 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: it just has to do with no offseason. How many 350 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: reps did a guy like John Reid miss because they 351 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: had no OTAs and no rookie camp and training camp 352 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: reps were probably reduced anyway, obviously no preseason games. How 353 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: many reps did Grenard not get or ross Blacklock and 354 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: how much would that have helped them once they hit 355 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: the starting line. And I know everyone's saying, well, look, 356 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: they are having a horrible season. They should have played 357 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: those guys more. Look, I think they felt like they 358 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: could win. They could start winning at any time. And 359 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 1: when you have ten one score games and win only 360 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: two of them, when you have four division losses, basically 361 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,919 Speaker 1: at a buzzer, you can understand it. They felt like 362 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: they could win more games, and they should have won 363 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: more games. So I just look, they did what they did. 364 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,239 Speaker 1: They approached it the way they approached it. My point is, 365 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 1: it's so up in the air as to how any 366 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: rookie can do in this environment without the full compliment 367 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: of offseason reps, and it's a little bit of a 368 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: concern for me, particularly for a team like this that's 369 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: looking for a quick rebound. Maybe the veterans are going 370 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: to be such entrenched players, you know that it's gonna 371 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: be tough for the rookies to get reps. We'll see, 372 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: you know, obviously, this is stuff they talk about all 373 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: the time, how to get the guys at the speed. 374 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 1: It'll just be interesting to see how they attempt to 375 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: do it. Yeah, no doubt, it's it's gonna be a 376 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: It's give me a tough weekend. But I would think 377 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: also an exhilarating one for Nick Canserio GM for your 378 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: Houston Texans, and that man joins Mark and I next 379 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:58,400 Speaker 1: right here on Texans All Access Texans All Access, Texans 380 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: All Access. The draft is in ten days. Get excited, everybody. Now. 381 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: I know for the Texans it's more like eleven days 382 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: because it won't be making a pick on Thursday, at 383 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 1: least as it sits now. But the world is ever 384 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 1: changing and you never know how things are going to 385 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: turn out. May not even make a pick on Friday. 386 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: Oh you're gonna make a pick on Friday. Well maybe not, 387 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:27,360 Speaker 1: maybe not, but either way, the man making those picks, 388 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: along with a tremendous personnel staff James Lipford, director called 389 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 1: Scouting is General manager Nick Kissio. It's his first draft. 390 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: This one will go down in history. I cannot wait 391 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: to see how Nick goes about this particular draft. Hey 392 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: not drafting until number sixty seven and b it just 393 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: to see how he maneuvers up and down the board, 394 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: whether it is something in this draft that he will do. 395 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: Maybe other drafts it was more conducive for that. Maybe 396 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: this one is not so much. One of the main 397 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: things about this draft that makes it really unique are 398 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: the lower numbers of players actually eligible for the draft 399 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: because the NCABLA said, hey, we're gonna give everybody essentially 400 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: that was a senior a super senior year. Everybody basically 401 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: last year didn't even count on players eligibility records unless 402 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: players were freshmen, which is totally unfair. But there were 403 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: a lot of kids essentially recruited back to campus. Here's 404 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: a great example. Texas A and M would have had 405 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: Jane Peee, Michael Clements, Miles Jones, and there's a couple 406 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: others that I'm blanking on right now, but those three 407 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: that's at one school. Just those three alone would have 408 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: been in the twenty twenty one draft, but they decided 409 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: to go back because they had the opportunity to. They did. 410 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 1: The last couple of years, there have been eighteen hundred 411 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: plus draft eligible players this year six hundred and fifty five. 412 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: That's a dark man's I mean, almost a third less 413 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: that are available for this draft and for the undrafted process. 414 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: So it's a little different. There's still quality to be found, 415 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: no matter how small or are large. But that's the 416 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: impact on this draft is that there are on upwards 417 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,399 Speaker 1: of eleven twelve hundred players that you don't have. You know, 418 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,199 Speaker 1: a lot of FCS players, lower level players because they 419 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: went back, or they're gonna use that super senior year, 420 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 1: or they're gonna stay a junior for another year. It 421 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: may flood the draft the next couple of years, but 422 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: it just makes this one really intriguing and interesting watch, 423 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: especially from an undrafted standpoint. Think about this way, six 424 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty five players eligible, two hundred and fifty 425 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: nine of them will be drafted, so roughly four hundred 426 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: are available for thirty two teams in the undrafted free 427 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 1: agent process. That's not a huge pool of players, to 428 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: be honest. So it's gonna make it interesting, no doubt. 429 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: And the man making those picks is Nick Cassario, and 430 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: he joins us. Now, Nick, take us through a little 431 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: bit of the process here. What's it been like getting 432 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: ready for this draft with your staff, with the coaching staff. 433 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 1: You guys have been entrenched for a little while now, Oh, 434 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: it's been awesome. Mark, We've we've spent a lot of 435 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 1: time collectively folk staff, kind of independently with the coaching staff, 436 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: kind of getting some of their feedback and some evaluations 437 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: on some players and interfacing that with some of the 438 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: things that we've accumulated this point from the scouting side, 439 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: and just trying to you know, bring those two together 440 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 1: so that we're just trying to identify kind of the 441 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: right players that we think we like or would be 442 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,479 Speaker 1: able to have we think hopefully some role in some 443 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,640 Speaker 1: capacity for our team, whatever that looks like. So there's 444 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 1: a combination of factors that can winto it. But I 445 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: think the work that Lip and Baz and their respective 446 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: staffs have done to get us to this point has 447 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: been exemplary. So you know, we're excited about the opportunity 448 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 1: in front of us, and we're just gonna try to 449 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: maximize our picks whenever those are and just be prepared 450 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: to pick whenever that is. So maybe it could be, 451 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: you know, probably not until much later on Friday, but 452 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: like we're you know, looking forward to it and just 453 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 1: trying to take advantage of the opportunities that we have 454 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: in front of us. Nick, Obviously, last year we had 455 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: a combine and no pro days. This year we've had 456 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: pro days but no combine. Do you find one better 457 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: than the other or just different? It's a good question. John, 458 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: I would say probably more different, but I don't think 459 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: like the information or the evaluation specifically from the workout standpoint, 460 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: is any different, right. I think the beauty of the 461 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 1: combine is that you had a centralized hub right in 462 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: location where there was three hundreds so players ish roughly right, 463 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: so you're able to accomplish a number of different things, right, interviews, 464 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 1: meeting with players on a face to face basis, medicals, 465 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: and an on field right, so you're able to do 466 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 1: that all in one spot. This year is a little 467 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: bit more fragmented, right, because essentially you have the pro day, 468 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: which you get the on field right, but they're nothing 469 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: else that could take place at the schools. In the 470 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: medical there's one hundred and fifty that went to indies, 471 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: so you're getting that information right, and you're doing the 472 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: interviews over zoom right. So it's a little bit more 473 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: disjointed and in terms of how you have to do it, 474 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: but you're still trying to arrive at the same end point. 475 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: So the beauty of the combine, it's just kind of centralized. 476 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: It puts everything in one spot. This has just been 477 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: a little bit different, but I wouldn't say that it's 478 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:24,919 Speaker 1: been less effective. Nick. When you make trades, obviously you 479 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: have to do it so fast with so little time 480 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: between picks. Do you lay the groundwork ahead of time 481 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: for potential deals? How do you handle that it advanced 482 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: or do you just wait till you're doing it on 483 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: the fly. It's a really good question. Mark. We've done 484 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: it kind of both ways in the past, right, and 485 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: depending on where you're picking, right, trades are so player driven, right, 486 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: so a lot of that is contingent upon what happens 487 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: in front of you and as the players come off 488 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,959 Speaker 1: the board. So we're at sixty seven right now, right, 489 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: So to try to make any calls about trades or 490 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: moving it is probably not realistic at this point. But again, 491 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: if you get to a certain point, you're looking x 492 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 1: number of spots and then you're looking at some of 493 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: the resources that you have. Okay, how much is it 494 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 1: gonna take for us to get here? All right, there's 495 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: a specific player that we want, all right, is it 496 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: actually feasible for us to do it? Right? So we've 497 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: handled it both ways. We've done it both ways. But 498 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 1: those are very organic. I wouldn't say there's necessarily a 499 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: set formula to them. Nick, maybe you can help me 500 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: with this too, because as I've gone through kind of 501 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: my own analysis for the draft, one of the things 502 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 1: that I get to this kind of stopping point at 503 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 1: certain points about players and I'm not sure what to do. 504 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,719 Speaker 1: And that's the opt out situation. When players opted out, 505 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: and there were all kinds of them. Ones that opted 506 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 1: out back in June, there were some that opted out 507 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 1: before the season started. There are some that opted out 508 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 1: right in the middle of the season or with two 509 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: or three games left to go. I haven't found kind 510 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: of my own methodology for how I want to factor 511 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 1: that into their ranking or their slotting. How have you 512 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: looked at the opt out situation? Is it case by 513 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: case or do you have kind of a universal thought 514 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: on how you look at it? John, It's a good question. 515 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,239 Speaker 1: You just have to go off whatever information that you have, 516 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: right and just make the best assessment. Right. So the 517 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: players that opted out just have less I would say 518 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,440 Speaker 1: playing experience recently, right, So do you penalize them for 519 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: that or if they made an individual decision, do you 520 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: penalize them and use it as a negative mark against 521 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: while like he wasn't there for his teammates, or just 522 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: something like that, right with Sometimes there are some of 523 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: those statements again case by case, look at the player, 524 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: look at the information you have hopefully two nineteen that 525 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 1: you can evaluate, and then you benchmarket versus two and 526 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: twenty and maybe you don't. And even the players that 527 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: played in two thousand and twenty, right, Like some teams 528 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: played four games, some teams played five, other teams played ten. 529 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: So it's not apples to apples, right, So you just 530 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: look at those situations, and again you're just trying to 531 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: make as good of an assessment as possible with the 532 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 1: inflat like, we can't make up the information, right, so 533 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: just you can only go off of what you have, 534 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: so you just take what you have or right, maybe 535 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 1: it's a little bit less than you might have for 536 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: somebody else, but that's okay. It shouldn't necessarily factor too 537 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: much into your ultimate decision. But again, it's just makes 538 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: it a little bit more challenging, and you know, you 539 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: just try to they just have less, You just have 540 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: less to go off in those particular situations. That's all. 541 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: I know you were asked about this, but I always 542 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: find it fascinating need versus best player available, and if 543 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 1: there's a really good player available, but you really don't 544 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: need that player. Do you think about dropping down because 545 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: you might need another position group a few picks down 546 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 1: and you think, well, I could drop down here, and 547 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: those decisions have to take place so quickly. So how 548 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: do you handle all of that? Nick? Yeah, Mark, it's 549 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: a great question. So what you have to do is 550 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: you're working through the draft and the players are coming off, right, 551 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: and you're kind of looking at the players created at 552 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: different levels, right, So you're kind of looking at supplying demand, right, 553 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: And I don't want to like simplify this to basic economics, right. Okay, 554 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: Well you're looking at one position, all right, we have 555 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: three or four guys here. Okay, if you lose this one, like, 556 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: we still might have a chance if we did this right, Okay, 557 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: is it worth moving back to get an extra pick 558 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: or you know what, don't want to risk it? Right, 559 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: he's too good of a player, like we have a consensus, 560 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: coaches like him, scouts like him. Like, he's a good person, 561 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: he's got good traits. Okay, how smarter are we to 562 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: kind of get too cute? Right? So again, you just 563 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: have to assess the information real time and then just 564 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: look at whatever the alternatives are and then decide, like, okay, 565 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: what makes the most sense at that time. Nick, you 566 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 1: mentioned it a little bit in your press conference, and 567 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: I know people are on here to love talking about 568 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: Julian Edelman, but I think there's something to be learned 569 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: from his draft in two thousand and nine where he 570 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: was a quarterback. But you guys knew he wasn't a quarterback. 571 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: You weren't totally sure what you're gonna do with him. 572 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: What sort of did you learn from Julian Edelman the 573 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: player and how did you factor that factor that into 574 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: future drafts? Yeah, I mean, look, credit goes to Bill 575 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: on that one, because he kind of had the vision. 576 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: But I would say it's just you're just looking for 577 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: good football players, right. I think sometimes you get caught 578 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 1: up in certain measurements height, weight, speed. Okay, this guy 579 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: lacks length, you know. I would say just my experience, 580 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: and I would say even like in the case of 581 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: the Texans, right, like some of our better players, like 582 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: Brandon Cooks, he's one of our better players. Right, I 583 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: think we all can agree on that. Okay, He's five nine, 584 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: one hundred ninety pounds with elite speed, right, Okay, So 585 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: like he's a good football player, right, so because he's 586 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: not you know, six two two twenty pounds, Like, again, 587 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: he can't get caught up in that, right. So in 588 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: Edelman's case, like he had good athletic traits, and again, 589 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: you took a guy in the seventh round, it's not 590 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 1: like you didn't know. And he made himself into the 591 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: player he ultimately became because of his work ethic, because 592 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 1: of the coaching that he received from its position coaches, 593 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: and just his overall willingness to improve and get better. Right. So, 594 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: what you want to see on a play at any player, 595 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: and especially players like that he might be transitioning, is 596 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: this their willingness to embrace that change, their willingness to improve. 597 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: And the only way that you're actually going to get 598 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: better is you have to work at it, right, And 599 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: it's not going to happen overnight. And his particular, it 600 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: took him four or five years ultimately to get to 601 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 1: a point where he was able to have sustain success. 602 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 1: But you mentioned it talking to the media, Nick about 603 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 1: is the guy got to go to work or not? 604 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 1: And how difficult is that to identify as a college kid. 605 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 1: Is he going to put the work in because they 606 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: all need to get better as they get to this level. 607 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 1: So how do you see that at somebody mark? That's 608 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: probably one of the hardest things to ascertain, right, because 609 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: you don't now how they're going to respond to some 610 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: of the other elements that come along with being a 611 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: professional football player. Right, there's a few more distractions. There's 612 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: some other things that can kind of lead you stray. Right, 613 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: there's more competition, Like nobody's on scholarship. Like you go 614 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: from being on a roster of eighty to five to ninety. Okay, 615 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: you get to keep fifty three players on your team, 616 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: and they're twelve on your practice squad. So basically, let's 617 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: call it, you can work with sixty five seventy players. Right, 618 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: So are you doing enough on a day to day 619 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: basis to account for one of those spots? Right? Do 620 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: you deserve one of those spots? Right? So, nobody's handed 621 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: anything regardless of where you were drafted, where you were picked. Again, 622 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: that's not going to be our mindset, right, It doesn't 623 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: really matter what round he's drafted and where he comes 624 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: from or how he gets here. It's about what you 625 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: do when you're here, and the sooner those players realize 626 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 1: that and understand that the better off they're gonna have, 627 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: the chances they're going to have for success. Right, But 628 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: you kind of articulated it. That's the most difficult thing, 629 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 1: and you can't measure it and you don't really know 630 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: it until you actually see it and they actually get here, right, 631 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: And that's probably one of the more challenging things that 632 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: you face because you can only rely on so much information. 633 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: He's a great kid. Ohie, he was great. Okay, Well 634 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: that was in college. Right, this is a totally different situation. 635 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:38,719 Speaker 1: How are they going to adapt? How are they going 636 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: to adjust and do they actually embrace this as a profession, 637 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: which is what it is? Nick, Where do you see 638 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:51,560 Speaker 1: the strength via position in this draft? It feels like 639 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: it's a great receiver draft. Obviously four quarterbacks could potentially 640 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: go top four. Where do you see the strength in 641 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 1: this particular draft class? Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, 642 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 1: it's like a popular question every year. I'd say, there's 643 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: different pockets of different players, you know, throughout you know, 644 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: throughout the certain positions I would say have a little 645 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: bit more depth than others. I'd rather not get into, 646 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: like what certain positions John but throughout certain positions there's 647 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 1: a little bit more volume, a little bit more depth. 648 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: But again you can really hopefully find football players throughout. 649 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: And again once you kind of get into that, you know, 650 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 1: fifty six, seventh round, I mean you could probably lump 651 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: fifth to free agents, you know, and draft of free 652 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 1: agents in the same bucket. You know, there's a little 653 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: bit more hit or miss with that group, but hopefully 654 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: there's enough players to get you to the endpoint. There's 655 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 1: probably gonna be some good players that weren't drafted. I mean, 656 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: it happens all the time, and everybody's looking going, how 657 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 1: this guy I can draft it? You know what happens 658 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: every year, right, So there's like there's no rhyme or reason. Again, 659 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: that's why the draft. It's just there's no exact science 660 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 1: to it. It's okay, you can you don't have to 661 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: tell us about the depth of the kickers in this draft. 662 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: It's okay, we know it's great. Don't worry about it 663 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,600 Speaker 1: all right, thinkers are gonna be great, got it? Nick, 664 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 1: How are you guys gonna spend Thursday night? Are you 665 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: in the war room? Like it's picks as usual. I'm 666 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 1: barring a trade you don't have any picks in the 667 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: first round, So how do you spend Thursday night night 668 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 1: one of the draft. We're gonna have a staring contest. 669 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna have being bag toss. No. I mean again, 670 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: I think one the good thing for us is just 671 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: kind of go through our process, right, you know, set 672 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: up the team boards. If there's trades that happen, Okay, 673 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: how do we move So going through our process, like 674 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 1: we can still simulate that and go through it and 675 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: just understand there's gonna be probably you know, fifty five 676 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: sixty ish players that are gonna come off over Thursday 677 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 1: to Friday evening. And again, you know, you want to 678 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 1: be respectful the process, and there's certain things that we 679 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: can do. We can have some discussions about maybe some 680 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,320 Speaker 1: particular players or again, just trades happen, okay, what was 681 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,919 Speaker 1: a trade? Okay, and just go through the mechanics this way. 682 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,359 Speaker 1: When we actually get to that point whenever we pick, 683 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,959 Speaker 1: you know, it's kind of seamless and we just haven't 684 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:56,239 Speaker 1: sat there, set around and done nothing, which hopefully we 685 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: won't do well. We appreciate the time very much. Neck 686 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: backs a lot for joining us. Best of luck in 687 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: the draft. Thanks Mark, Thanks John, appreciate it. Well, it's 688 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: been a while since Mark and I have been able 689 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,240 Speaker 1: to catch up with the general manager for your Houston 690 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 1: Texans on a little pre draft talk. There's a lot 691 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 1: to catch up with Nick. We've him on a couple 692 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,359 Speaker 1: of times now and I'm at a blast talking to him. 693 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: He's been fun and it's gonna be a really fun 694 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: weekend a couple weekends from now. I'll be on the 695 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: air for about sixteen and a half seventeen hours straight 696 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: talking about all the draft picks, all the teams, everything 697 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:29,960 Speaker 1: going down. Who to San Francisco pick at number three? Well, 698 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: that's gonna be a huge talking point, and it was 699 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: a pretty big talking point today because one of the 700 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 1: quarterbacks in consideration had his second pro day in Fargo, 701 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,839 Speaker 1: North Dakota. What does it mean? Well, we'll go around 702 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: the NFL talk about that next right here on Texans 703 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:53,720 Speaker 1: All Access. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to this final 704 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: segments of this Monday edition of Texans All Access from 705 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 1: the Hundad Texans Radio studio. I'm your host, John Harris, 706 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: football and a sideline reporter and the author of the 707 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: Harris one hundred which should be coming out version two updated, 708 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: should be updated with a bunch of weights and measurements 709 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: and times. Now. I submitted that before all the times 710 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:21,439 Speaker 1: were completed and done. They are now, but you won't 711 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,560 Speaker 1: see everything but about ninety five percent of them if 712 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 1: you need to find them. I'm sure you can find them, 713 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: some of those protein measurements. But to me, the most 714 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:34,240 Speaker 1: important thing is the analysis. So go find Houston Texas 715 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: dot com the Harris one hundred Version two. I will 716 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 1: tweet out when that is going live. You can see 717 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:45,320 Speaker 1: my old one, the previous one, version one. If you choose. 718 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,399 Speaker 1: You can go to Houston Texas dot com or check 719 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 1: me out of my Twitter feed at Jay Harris Football 720 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 1: and follow if you want. I don't have to tweet 721 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:56,440 Speaker 1: a whole lot more now then I used to tweet 722 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: a lot. Now I don't tweet so much, but you know, 723 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: you could follow unless it's always kind of fun to 724 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,600 Speaker 1: see a nugget come from me every now and again. 725 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 1: Now the NFL never stops ever, even on a Monday 726 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:15,720 Speaker 1: in April, ten days out from the draft, news from 727 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: a particular quarterback. And this one does hit home a 728 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: little bit because I was standing probably about I don't know. 729 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,480 Speaker 1: Fifty sixty yards away down on the sideline when Alex 730 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:33,240 Speaker 1: Smith was sacked by JJ Watt and Kareem Jackson and 731 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,359 Speaker 1: broke his leg in a twenty eighteen matchup with the 732 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 1: Washington football team, and he didn't know at the time. 733 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 1: He saws go off the field, but he didn't know 734 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:47,279 Speaker 1: at the time what he would go through to get 735 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: back on the field, and he did in twenty twenty, 736 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 1: helped lead the Washington football team to an NFC East 737 00:37:54,800 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 1: championship and to the playoffs. He today, though calls it quits, 738 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: he retires. I shouldn't say call us a quits. That 739 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,239 Speaker 1: sounds bad because if there's anybody in this world that 740 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:11,800 Speaker 1: didn't quit ever, it was Alex Smith. I was a 741 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:13,799 Speaker 1: big Aaron Rodgers guy. So in two thousand and five, 742 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: I was pushing Aaron Rodgers should be the number one guy. 743 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:20,760 Speaker 1: But I will say I was. I thought Alex Smith 744 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:22,839 Speaker 1: could be a fine quarterback. I just felt like Aaron 745 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:27,360 Speaker 1: Rodgers had a higher ceiling. And that's true. Alex Smith 746 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 1: did not. Things didn't go well for him early in 747 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: his career in San Francisco because there are a lot 748 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:36,120 Speaker 1: of coaching changes a lot of coordinator changes. They would 749 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:37,839 Speaker 1: have looked like he might get a rhythm. He got hurt. 750 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 1: He missed a whole year. Terryn acl I wasn't until 751 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 1: Jim Harbaugh took over. Twenty eleven, Alex Smith became that 752 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:48,440 Speaker 1: guy in San Francisco, got some confidence and helped lead 753 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 1: San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game. The next year, 754 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:55,160 Speaker 1: well you know the story, but halfway through, Colin Kaepernick 755 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:59,440 Speaker 1: takes over. Kaepernick is the whiz kid Smith is that 756 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:02,880 Speaker 1: moved to and City in the offseason in twenty thirteen. 757 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: He then helps Kansas City get the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes 758 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:09,920 Speaker 1: drafted in twenty seventeen. Smith knows, okay, this is the 759 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,200 Speaker 1: final year. He put on a show against US on 760 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 1: a Sunday night. My god, he was good in twenty seventeen, 761 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:19,839 Speaker 1: just incredible. Then gets traded to the Washington football team 762 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:26,840 Speaker 1: and was doing well before that leg injury when he 763 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:30,359 Speaker 1: was sacked by Kareem Jackson and JJ Watt. Coming back 764 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty, it might be it's gonna be a 765 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:37,280 Speaker 1: Disney film. It should be. I mean, the e sixty 766 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 1: they did as I'll be honest, I hadn't seen it. 767 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:44,520 Speaker 1: I can't. I can't watch it. I should because I 768 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:47,279 Speaker 1: want to appreciate what that man did, and I do. 769 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,120 Speaker 1: I'm definitely one of those that will proprot his career 770 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:51,840 Speaker 1: at all oh, number one overall pick. He should have 771 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 1: done this showt or that man. There were times that 772 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,280 Speaker 1: dude who was handed a bleep hand and he dealt 773 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: being found something there. But Alex Smith retired today he 774 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:05,920 Speaker 1: could do at this point, man, he could go into 775 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,439 Speaker 1: rocket science. I wouldn't be surprised this dude is. He's 776 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:11,560 Speaker 1: one of a kind. He is one of a kind. 777 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,520 Speaker 1: But he was a former Niner and now the Niners 778 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,359 Speaker 1: potentially looking for a quarterback at number three. I would 779 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 1: think you don't trade two future first round picks and 780 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 1: move up nine spots to not go get a quarterback? 781 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 1: Is it Trey Lance? Well, Trey Lance had a second 782 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,400 Speaker 1: pro day, and I find it interesting to watch the 783 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: sports books out in Vegas move the odds around. One 784 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 1: day got the number three pick and made that trade immediately, 785 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,479 Speaker 1: Daniel Jeremia said this could be for mac Jones. Mac 786 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:46,479 Speaker 1: Jones took off. Then mac Jones had a Pro Day 787 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: and Kyle Shanahan was there at that Pro Day along 788 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,279 Speaker 1: with John Lynch. Justin the Fields had a second Pro Day, 789 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:57,920 Speaker 1: Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch both there. Today in Fargo, 790 00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 1: Trey Lance had his Pro Day, Kyle Shanahan there, and 791 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,760 Speaker 1: each time that there was a Pro Day, Mac Jones 792 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: then Justin Fields and Trey Lance became the favorite to 793 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:12,640 Speaker 1: be that number three pick. Now I have had Trey 794 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:15,440 Speaker 1: Lance ahead of Justin the Fields the whole time. When 795 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:17,799 Speaker 1: I did my last mock, I had Trey Lance going 796 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 1: at number three to San Francisco, and I think it's 797 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:22,640 Speaker 1: gonna be Trey Lancer Justin Fields, and I went into 798 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:26,240 Speaker 1: why last week. The ceiling is just that much higher. 799 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 1: I think Mac Jones has elite football IQ. He is 800 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 1: not a He's not a mud slide in the pocket 801 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 1: where he just can't get out of pressure if he 802 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:39,000 Speaker 1: needs to ran at the fourth seven range. But he 803 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 1: is so incredibly smart, throws a really nice ball. They 804 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: have a tremendous arm strength, but those are really nice ball. 805 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:51,960 Speaker 1: So could Mac Jones be that guy? Sure? Well, you're 806 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:55,440 Speaker 1: looking for a guy with ceiling that's Trey Lancer Justin Fields, 807 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,759 Speaker 1: and you talked about a howitzer. Trey Lance has got 808 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:01,040 Speaker 1: Josh Allen like arm and I, I mean, he's got 809 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 1: a laser. Not all about that, but I've said it 810 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:07,839 Speaker 1: all along. Trey Lance would be that pick at number three. 811 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:10,239 Speaker 1: I'm gonna stick with it until I'm wrong, and I 812 00:42:10,239 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 1: could be wrong a draft night, it could very well 813 00:42:12,239 --> 00:42:14,719 Speaker 1: be Mac Jones. I wouldn't be surprised. I've said this before. 814 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: I won't be surprised by anything that happens over the 815 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:20,640 Speaker 1: next ten days and then the three days that follow 816 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 1: for the NFL Draft. Nothing at all will surprise me. 817 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:28,320 Speaker 1: Trey Lance going three, Trey Lance going twelve, none of 818 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:32,760 Speaker 1: it's gonna surprise me what so ever. Yeah, the Texans 819 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:34,320 Speaker 1: getting the number one pick would be a surprise. I 820 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:36,879 Speaker 1: don't know how they can pull that off. But other 821 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,480 Speaker 1: than that, yeah, I won't be surprised by anything that happens. 822 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:42,640 Speaker 1: So there you go. Trey Lance pro day Alex Smith 823 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: about quarterback stuff in our around the NFL. Oh Man, 824 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:48,919 Speaker 1: how can I forget? The Bengals got new uniforms. They're 825 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:52,000 Speaker 1: actually kind of nice. Go check him out Bengals dot com. 826 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:53,840 Speaker 1: They got some new unions. They look kind of nice. 827 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:56,279 Speaker 1: I gotta admitted helmet didn't change helmets the same, but 828 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: the unions are tight. They're nice, very very nice. Also 829 00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 1: nice is Mark van Amir, Very nice is Nick Caisserio. 830 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:05,759 Speaker 1: I want to thank them for joining me tonight. Thank 831 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:09,000 Speaker 1: you guys for listening. You guys are all the best, 832 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:10,640 Speaker 1: and I hopefully you guys will listen for the next 833 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:12,440 Speaker 1: ten days. And an honor to the draft because it is, 834 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:14,719 Speaker 1: it's that time of year. It's a fun time of year, 835 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,160 Speaker 1: no doubt. We'll see you tomorrow everybody, and as always, 836 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:17,720 Speaker 1: go Texans.