WEBVTT - Drive Time: Lance Zierlein Details Dolphins Draft 0:00:01.680 --> 0:00:04.720 You're listening to the Miami Dolphins podcast Network. 0:00:05.120 --> 0:00:07.600 This is Drive Time with Travis Wingfield. 0:00:07.680 --> 0:00:10.800 Back to throw to a looking clips about a wide 0:00:10.880 --> 0:00:18.240 Dolphin touchdown Timeriquel uncrelievable, just blue bye for a second time. 0:00:18.520 --> 0:00:20.840 Don knew where he was going right away. I want 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:23.040 to hit that man. I want to help you. 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:24.279 Someone will stup on his man. 0:00:24.200 --> 0:00:28.320 Away Wattle Wadle to a shotgun, back to throw, looking 0:00:28.360 --> 0:00:32.960 at them, it's up Myers touchdown. It's Waddle his sixth 0:00:33.040 --> 0:00:39.000 touchdown paradown. This king Drive Time with Travis Wingfield begins. 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:41.519 Now let me check your pulse if you're not for. 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:47.720 What is up? Dolphins? And welcome to the Draft Time podcast, 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:51.080 part of the Miami Dolphins podcast Network, covering your team, 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:55.560 your Miami Dolphins. How's it going everybody? I am your host, 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:59.240 Travis Wingfield. And on today's episode, we have another big 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:03.080 time guest, NFL dot COM's own Lance Zerline is going 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:06.360 to join us a talk NFL draft, including Miami's four 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:09.720 draft picks, and just really give us some Dolphins topics 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:12.440 in general. He was so great about expanding upon some 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:14.840 of the answers and my follow up questions talking about 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:17.520 Tua and Mike McDaniel and the defense and the running game, 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:21.440 and multi sport athletes and so many different team building 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:24.400 philosophy ideas. This is a guy whose work I used 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:27.600 to really credit and use, as you know, my own 0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:29.920 proof of concept back in the day with a lot 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:31.759 of these draft prospects. So really kind of a cool 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:33.520 moment to get a chance to talk to Lance Zerlin. 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:36.720 We'll do that and talk about my favorite offseason move 0:01:37.000 --> 0:01:39.240 of each team in the NFL this year, all of 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.760 that in a heck of a lot more from the 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:44.000 Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:46.400 is the Drivetime podcast. 0:01:46.440 --> 0:01:47.520 Jie gaff. 0:01:48.760 --> 0:01:51.200 Long introduction there, let's go ahead and kick this off 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:54.240 with my interview with Lance Zerline and joining us today 0:01:54.360 --> 0:01:56.920 is one of the best analysts in the entire NFL 0:01:57.040 --> 0:01:59.840 Draft game for NFL dot Com and all over the internet. 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:02.560 These lances are lined Lance, welcome in, my friend. 0:02:02.880 --> 0:02:04.600 Well, it's great to be here. I appreciate you. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:06.440 Having Yeah, it's no problem. 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:08.640 So I know you're a Houston guy. Originally we're going 0:02:08.680 --> 0:02:10.880 to talk draft here in just one second. I'm a 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:14.600 Pacific Northwest guy, so I'm wondering what year, do you 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:18.960 project the Seattle Mariners to finally supplant the Houston Nastros 0:02:18.960 --> 0:02:20.320 and the al west end. I've been waiting for a 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:21.920 long time. It's been a long time since they've been 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:22.560 better than Houston. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:24.000 Yeah, when might that happen? 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:26.000 Well, it could happen this year. 0:02:26.040 --> 0:02:28.000 I mean Houston's face and a lot of injuries. I 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:31.040 guess Seattle have to get better played from their stars. 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:34.280 But you know that's it's a little upside down right 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.359 now in the division. But you build, you know, that's 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:43.359 what I love about the NFL Draft. You build sustainable teams. 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:46.440 You know, you build sustainable success. And the way to 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:49.400 do that is by understanding what the buildout looks like, 0:02:49.480 --> 0:02:53.760 what the velocity philosophy should look like. And you know, 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:56.079 when you look at the Astros and I always take 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:59.800 what personally, I like to look at other sports because 0:02:59.800 --> 0:03:02.440 I think you can take a lot of if you're 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:04.440 well versed in a lot of sports, you can take different 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:06.840 things going on in different sports and relate it to 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:10.960 the NFL, for example. And the way the Texans for me, 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:13.520 need to build is the way the Astros have built, 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:15.760 which is young core. You don't go too far into 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:19.320 free agency. You draft and grow your own and Seattle's 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:22.000 done that in baseball. And you look at Miami and 0:03:22.000 --> 0:03:26.200 what the Dolphins have done. You know, they have been 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:29.800 smart and putting around a playmaker around Tua. They drafted 0:03:29.840 --> 0:03:34.120 another playmaker, and they've basically done what I think is 0:03:34.160 --> 0:03:36.320 a very good job of trying to find the right 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:40.440 piece is between Tua and the new offensive coordinator, play caller, 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:44.840 head coach, and Mike McDaniel. So it's building a sustainable 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:47.520 product really starts with evaluations in the draft. 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:50.200 Frankly, I mean, that's how you build it. If you 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:53.240 try to spin your way into relevancy, it's very very 0:03:53.240 --> 0:03:56.920 difficult in any sport to sustain it. But if you 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.360 draft it well, you can have long term success. 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:02.080 You know, That's what the Ashros have done in baseball, 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:04.600 and I know that's what Seattle has the opportunity to do. 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:06.960 Yeah, I love that you brought it back to football 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:08.920 there because Chris Career, you know, his brother is a 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:11.360 GM for the San Jose Sharks. He loves going to 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.400 Miami Heat games and getting out for all the sports 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:16.080 here in South Florida. So I think that GM community 0:04:16.080 --> 0:04:18.080 does kind of operate well in those circles in terms 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:20.400 of you know, not just focusing on their one sport. 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:22.680 And you mentioned the draft. I mean, the Dolphins loaded 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:25.240 up in twenty twenty and twenty twenty one and they 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:27.440 got a whole bunch of good young players on their 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:29.919 rookie deal. Still here is kind of the nucleus they 0:04:29.960 --> 0:04:33.000 went aggressively into pursuing you know, Tyreek Hill and to 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:35.120 Ron Armstead and Bradley Chubb and on and on and 0:04:35.160 --> 0:04:37.680 on in Jealen Ramsey this year. So it's cool to 0:04:37.680 --> 0:04:39.440 see that team cycle kind of grow and build and 0:04:39.440 --> 0:04:41.000 get to the point where they are right now. But 0:04:41.080 --> 0:04:42.800 I do want to go back and revert back to 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:45.599 this year's draft class, which again was depleted from a 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:49.160 pick standpoint because of those veteran acquisitions, to go get 0:04:49.160 --> 0:04:51.080 Bradley Chubb, to go get you in Ramsey, And I 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:52.560 want to start here in the second round of the 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:56.000 draft with South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith. You had mentioned 0:04:56.000 --> 0:04:58.680 in your right up on him the anticipatory skill set 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:00.440 that he plays with and how kind of you know, 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:03.320 he gets he gets moving before the play actually happens. 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:05.679 I'm curious how you think that jives with thick Fangio 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:06.640 system on defense. 0:05:06.960 --> 0:05:09.120 Well, I think it. I think it always works with 0:05:09.200 --> 0:05:12.160 any system. Honestly, I don't think it really matters about system. 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.760 I think being able to anticipate certainly it works better 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:17.480 when you're able to play off coverages because you get 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:19.920 to play with ice forward and and depending on how 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:21.080 Vic wants him to play. 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:24.000 You know, Javon Holland was a lot like that coming 0:05:24.000 --> 0:05:24.599 out of college. 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:29.920 He was great anticipatory talent from a defensive standpoint, played 0:05:29.920 --> 0:05:32.520 with really good instincts and is a playmaker. 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:34.520 Was a playmaker in college. It's kind of carried over 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:35.080 to the pros. 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:37.520 I think once you had that, it's a it's a skill, 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:40.240 it's something that it's a skill. But I also think 0:05:40.240 --> 0:05:41.640 a lot of times it's an eight for a lot 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:45.880 of players. And so with CAM when you're able to anticipate, 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:50.040 that's that's also a sign of instincts and route recognition. 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:52.640 Many times, and sometimes it can work against you, you know, 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:55.440 you're a little bit too aggressive. But in terms of 0:05:55.480 --> 0:05:58.920 allowing him to play maybe an off you know, off 0:05:58.920 --> 0:06:01.720 from the slot or play in some more varied coverages, 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:04.200 that gives you a chance not just to play full press. 0:06:04.480 --> 0:06:07.760 But to say, hey, let's take our guy who reads 0:06:07.880 --> 0:06:08.400 routes and. 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:09.760 Plays with good anticipation. 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:12.640 Let's keep his eyes forward as opposed to being crowded 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:15.200 right up against the target at the line of scrimmage 0:06:15.240 --> 0:06:17.640 every single time. That gives you a chance to really, 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:21.560 I think, be more difficult to project when offenses are 0:06:21.600 --> 0:06:24.599 trying to create game plans against you. If you do 0:06:24.640 --> 0:06:27.120 the same thing all the time, hey, if you're the 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:28.920 best at it, if you've got better talent, then you're 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:31.680 gonna win. But it's always best to mix things up. 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:34.159 So the quarterbacks are constantly having their head swim, and 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.960 I think Smith, along with the other two corners, really 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:38.080 gives you that an opportunity. 0:06:38.720 --> 0:06:40.680 Yeah, not to mention, I mean the safety position as well. 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:42.720 You talked about Javon Hollat. He can certainly some of that. 0:06:42.960 --> 0:06:45.400 Brandon Jones also played some slot in college as well, 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.440 So there's a lot of versatility here on this defensive backfield, 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:51.279 and there really is in the offensive backfield as well. 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.599 Looking at the running back position as we move forward 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:56.120 here to Devon a Chain, who we know about. The 0:06:56.160 --> 0:06:58.880 speed obviously has Olympic level track style speed. 0:06:59.120 --> 0:07:01.280 I love the that you made in your ride up that. 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:04.080 He's simply too talented and explosive as a runner to 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:07.960 be confined to gadget duty because traditionally the body type 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:09.960 hasn't really you know, panned out that way. 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:12.000 But you mentioned the rare traits he has. 0:07:12.280 --> 0:07:14.640 How do you think that Mike McDaniel can devise a 0:07:14.720 --> 0:07:17.960 role for him that takes advantage of that speed, explosiveness 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:20.480 in general talent you mentioned, Well, I. 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:22.200 Think it's gonna be fun to watch because I think 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:24.720 Mike McDaniel thinks out way outside the box, and so 0:07:24.800 --> 0:07:25.680 does Kyle Shanahan. 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:28.960 But I think one of the things you do is, 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:30.560 you know, you get him. 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:34.360 It allows you to to maybe introduce some outside zone, 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:36.520 but with some more pitch plays, he can run plenty 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:39.040 of outside zone in stretch plays where you can really 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:39.560 take it wide. 0:07:39.560 --> 0:07:42.400 He's got speed to create wide flow. 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:45.000 And get around the corner, which which gets linebackers moving in, 0:07:45.040 --> 0:07:48.320 which opens up the cutback lanes. I think because he's 0:07:48.320 --> 0:07:50.760 a good pass catcher catcher, it also gives you a 0:07:50.840 --> 0:07:52.960 chance to look like you're in a standard set and 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:55.240 then go empty and now you've got to make a 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:58.520 decision defensively if you're in man demand and you know 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:01.600 what kind of coverage you're going to have, because one 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:03.200 on one against a Chang is gonna be a real 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:05.000 problem for any linebacker that's out there. 0:08:05.000 --> 0:08:06.760 It's not a favorable look. 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:10.200 So when you you know are going to eleven personnel, 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:12.320 you got to tight end three wide receivers on the 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:13.920 running back. All of a sudden, a Chang goes out 0:08:13.920 --> 0:08:16.520 of the backfield. You're now four wides and a tight end. 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:18.800 You can use that tight end to kind of give 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:21.720 you additional protection. And now you've got to have four 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:24.760 guys who can match up with what the Dolphins are 0:08:24.800 --> 0:08:25.760 gonna offer you. 0:08:25.800 --> 0:08:26.920 And that's the fastest. 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:29.160 It's probably gonna be the fastest foursome that we've ever 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:32.160 seen in football history. I mean, you're talking Jalen to 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:34.440 Shaun a change, Tyreek Kill. These are all track guys. 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:37.520 They're all legitimate track guys who are also legitimate football players. 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:38.520 So a change. 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:40.359 What he gives you is I think he's an explosive 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:44.040 option as a runner and as a pass catcher. He's 0:08:44.080 --> 0:08:46.520 not afraid to run inside. It's just that his body 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:49.719 type is he's not going to break many tackles. And 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:51.560 he is going to have to hold up and prove 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:55.520 that he's durable. But he is another guy who in 0:08:55.640 --> 0:08:59.440 space can create explosive plays and you can deploy him 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:01.640 a differentferent areas of the field. So what what he 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:04.360 allows you to do is create matchups. 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:05.240 Depending on the personnel you're playing. 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:07.440 So if you're playing a team that has some issues, 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:11.040 you know from a speed standpoint, and either linebacker or safety, 0:09:11.360 --> 0:09:13.679 you know that you can get a Chain involved in 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.200 that game. Get him, you know, get him out of 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:18.960 the backfield as a single setback and before you know it, 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:21.520 he's out as a wide receiver. Somebody's going to have 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:23.560 to step out there on him, and if they don't, 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:25.439 you know, he's in. You know, you know, the defense 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.200 is playing zone. That's just easy pitch and catch stuff 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:31.080 for tuas. So uh, I like the fact that he 0:09:31.200 --> 0:09:36.360 allows you to exploit slower teams, but he also gives 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:39.880 Mike McDaniel a chance to really find creative ways to 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:41.640 get the ball in his hands or use him as 0:09:41.640 --> 0:09:44.800 a decoy to create other opportunities. I mean, with with 0:09:44.880 --> 0:09:48.880 Tyreek Hill and with Devon a Chain, you have two 0:09:49.040 --> 0:09:52.280 very unique types of decoys that can be used as 0:09:52.320 --> 0:09:57.520 well to really take the to create opportunities for other players. 0:09:57.559 --> 0:10:03.400 And Jalen Watable can be a declads, it's almost unfair 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:06.240 the amount of speed that Miami has, and so you 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:10.120 basically just want to use a chain to maximize that 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:13.080 speed threat to make other teams put players on the 0:10:13.080 --> 0:10:15.600 field that they don't want on the field simply because 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:16.640 they're faster players. 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:19.040 Just because you're faster doesn't mean you're a better player. 0:10:19.360 --> 0:10:21.360 And if you can run at those teams that have 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.280 to go smaller and faster, you force them into personnel 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:26.880 grouping changes and then you go hammer them and go 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:28.000 run the ball effectively. 0:10:28.240 --> 0:10:29.360 That's a big advantage too. 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:31.560 I keep getting stuck on the fact that you said 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:33.960 faster we've ever seen before. I'm certainly looking forward to that. 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:36.440 And you mentioned, you know, Waddle and Hill. It's it's 0:10:36.480 --> 0:10:38.600 not just about speed. Those guys, right, They have really 0:10:38.600 --> 0:10:41.200 good route technicians and in their bag and they can 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:44.240 certainly create separation through multiple facets. 0:10:43.880 --> 0:10:47.120 And wells all too. I mean they're ball winners too, absolutely, yea. 0:10:47.360 --> 0:10:49.280 Their competitive as hell. They're so fun to watch out 0:10:49.320 --> 0:10:51.360 here at practice. And you know, you mentioned the idea 0:10:51.480 --> 0:10:53.800 of you know, putting. You know, I guess lighter players 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:55.760 and faster players in the field. We kind of saw 0:10:55.800 --> 0:10:58.280 that in the second game against Buffalo last year when 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:00.400 they stay in that primary nickel package where it's like 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:01.920 ninety five percent of the time they're light in the 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:04.120 box and the Dolphins ran the ball over and over 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:06.320 again behind alec Ingles. You get that two back set, 0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:08.760 you have the best of both worlds there. Perhaps we 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.360 can see more variety there with Mike McDaniel's system this season. 0:11:15.280 --> 0:11:17.880 And it brings me to the seventh round draft pick jumping, 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:21.120 you know, four rounds down the rung. Here to Elijah Higgins, 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:23.439 a guy that was a receiver at Stanford, but now 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:25.679 we'll convert to a potential F tight end. I'm pretty 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:28.040 excited about him. He's he looks big, he looks strong, 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:30.840 He's a pretty smooth mover. I'm curious what you think 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:33.120 makes him a good candidate to move into that F 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:36.360 role and potentially play tight end here for the mim Dolphins. Yeah. 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.160 Yeah, Elijah actually was sixth round pick, twentieth pick, so 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:42.439 he's actually went around earlier than a packer. 0:11:42.480 --> 0:11:44.800 We'll get to a second. But the reason I want 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:45.880 to mention that is because. 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:49.360 I think it's I think it's substantial because to me, 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:51.559 this pick is one of my favorite picks of that round. 0:11:51.960 --> 0:11:54.720 I think a sixth round pick, he's maybe my favorite 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:55.679 pick of the sixth round. 0:11:55.960 --> 0:11:58.120 And the reason simple For everything I just talked to 0:11:58.160 --> 0:12:02.080 you about about devon Ah Chain, Higgins is another matchup guy. 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:03.720 He's a wide receiver at Stanford. 0:12:04.040 --> 0:12:06.880 I talked to David Shaw at the draft or at 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:09.440 NFL Network the day of the draft. I was asking 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:12.720 about Higgins and Higgins had a hard time staying under 0:12:12.760 --> 0:12:15.400 two thirty. I mean, he just his body type is 0:12:15.400 --> 0:12:18.520 a two thirty plus type body type, and I know 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:20.959 he plans on playing around two forty five with the Dolphins. 0:12:21.000 --> 0:12:22.679 I don't think he's gonna have any problem with that. 0:12:23.920 --> 0:12:26.680 He's a big wide receiver who can play big slot 0:12:26.880 --> 0:12:29.440 as If you know anything about Stanford wide receivers, they're 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:31.400 asked to block, so he can block a little bit 0:12:31.440 --> 0:12:32.120 for you as well. 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:35.000 So what you have now is another matchup guy. 0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.240 And this goes in line with what Shanahan likes to 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.800 do in San Francisco, and I think what Mike McDaniel 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:43.960 wants to really be able to do in Miami is 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:47.560 be able to put personnel groupings out there to create 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:50.559 challenging matchups depending on who you have on the other side. 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:53.640 So I just told you about the speed matchup right 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.400 with devon a chain and having a chain out there. 0:12:56.600 --> 0:12:58.640 Well, now what if we go Higgins and what if 0:12:58.640 --> 0:12:59.160 the slot? 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:02.480 Now what if you're dealing with smaller corners and and 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:05.360 you you know you, we've got a two hundred and 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:07.679 forty five pound Mike mcgamis says, we got a two 0:13:07.720 --> 0:13:10.160 hundred and forty five pounds big slot that we can 0:13:10.280 --> 0:13:13.320 run at. You a legitimate wide receiver. Now he's he's 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:15.280 going to be faster than most tight ends are going 0:13:15.360 --> 0:13:16.560 to be. He's going to be able to get out 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:18.800 there in space. So you can't just throw a regular 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:20.880 old linebacker on him. That's not going to work. But 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:22.560 if you try to go smaller on him, he's got 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:25.440 a chance to work against safeties and get some blocks. 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:28.000 And so now you're running out of eleven personnel and 0:13:28.040 --> 0:13:30.720 you're able to run towards Elijah Higgins's side. 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:32.920 So I think if he does what I think he's 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:33.360 going to be. 0:13:33.320 --> 0:13:37.880 Capable of doing, which is creating mismatches, from a side standpoint, 0:13:37.880 --> 0:13:40.240 allowing you to run out of eleven personnel if he's 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:44.440 the big slot receiver, and then mismatching teams that want 0:13:44.440 --> 0:13:48.600 to try to stay in. You know, more base looks 0:13:48.600 --> 0:13:50.400 against you. If you're really running the ball well and 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:54.000 keep their safeties back on your two speed burners. Then 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:55.800 if your safety is going to play back, then Mike 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:57.920 mcgainer is going to want to run. And what better 0:13:57.960 --> 0:13:59.920 match up than to getting than getting a two hundred 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:03.520 forty five two hundred and forty pounds big receiver really 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.280 in the slot, giving you some blocking that you can 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:08.040 run at that guy a little bit and have some 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.040 success because he can lock up and neutralize in the slot. 0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:14.400 So it's really just another chess. It's more chess match 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.200 for Mike McDaniel. Let's get a speedy guy who can 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:19.480 catch the battle of the backfield. Let's get a hybrid. 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:22.200 It's hybrid. Everything you see over here is you know, 0:14:22.240 --> 0:14:23.400 he's adding hybrid pieces. 0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:26.400 Now Deebo is a hybrid, Brandon Ayuk is kind of 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:28.880 a hybrid piece. Now you see a couple hybrid. 0:14:28.960 --> 0:14:31.360 And I keep going to San Francisco because I think 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:34.480 Mike McDaniel recognizes that's what works. So now he's got 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.680 a hybrid running back slash pass catcher, and he takes 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:40.960 a hybrid wide receiver who can play you know, big 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:42.040 slot is what I call it. 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:43.280 We can call it tight en if you want, but 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:44.840 it's really more big plot. 0:14:45.800 --> 0:14:47.680 And so when you talk about that, it makes me 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:50.160 think about the idea of those matchups that has to 0:14:50.200 --> 0:14:52.720 make it easier for a pre snap to identify what 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:54.320 he's looking at, right, because now all of a sudden 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:57.000 you're dictating terms on the offense because of the personnel 0:14:57.040 --> 0:14:58.920 you have. Does it make life easier on the quarterback 0:14:58.920 --> 0:14:59.440 when he has that? 0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:03.680 And I learned that lesson watching Gary Kubiak work here 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:04.840 with the Houston Texans. 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:05.720 I'll never forget. 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:08.840 He had a three tight end set and it looked 0:15:08.880 --> 0:15:12.200 like a big heavy, a big heavy set, and then 0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:16.120 what he ended up doing was was moving or actually 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:17.880 it was a two running back, two tight end set. 0:15:17.920 --> 0:15:20.120 It looked like a big heavy set. But then before 0:15:20.120 --> 0:15:22.440 you know it, and this is just a preseason game 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:26.160 at San Francisco for the Texans in interestingly enough, and 0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:29.000 then he had his tight ends. He took one of them, 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:30.880 James Casey, his third tight end, was using him as 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:33.280 a pullback, put him in a slot. Arion Foster went 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:36.320 out wide. They had Andre Johnson out there wide. And 0:15:36.320 --> 0:15:38.560 this is a preseason game where starters used to actually 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.000 you know, play a little bit. And he just showed 0:15:41.000 --> 0:15:43.520 a look where he was in a two tight twenty 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:45.800 two set, which you don't see very often, two running backs, 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.800 two tight ends, and he turned it into an empty set, 0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:52.280 which caused like a lot of problems for San Francisco 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:54.040 to you know, to match up with. 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:55.880 Now why he showed that in a preseason I have no. 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:59.000 Idea, and I remember that my the light going on, 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:00.960 just saying, wow, look at he went from one of 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:04.240 the heaviest packages you can get into that seems limiting 0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:06.840 and really made it an unlimited package. And so it 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:09.320 really opened my eyes to the fact that it really 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.440 does allow your quarterback to take a look. 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:12.760 Okay, how are they matching up? 0:16:13.000 --> 0:16:16.120 You can create matchups by showing them a type of personnel, 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:19.080 but then it looks like a you know, a two 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:20.920 running back set or a two tight end set. But 0:16:20.960 --> 0:16:23.760 before you know it, especially if you can get and 0:16:23.800 --> 0:16:26.240 I think they will do this, get Higgins playing. You know, 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:28.640 as long as he makes the team and progresses get 0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:30.800 him playing on a kind of a wing back spot 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:32.000 where he can play around the. 0:16:31.920 --> 0:16:32.560 Line of scrimmage. 0:16:32.560 --> 0:16:34.880 Because once you get that and establish that that's a 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:38.720 viable option, then you have hybrid opportunities to either use 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:41.280 him around the line of scrimmage or flex him out 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.480 and sometimes you may flex him all the way out 0:16:43.520 --> 0:16:45.880 wide and say, Okay, if you're gonna put a linebacker 0:16:45.880 --> 0:16:47.320 on him, we're going to take you way out wide 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:48.920 and let twa take a one on one shot at 0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:51.800 him down the field. So I love the fact that 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:56.040 this really it does. It makes to his job easier again, 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:57.840 and I think that Miami's done a good job of 0:16:57.880 --> 0:17:00.600 trying to maximize to him by making it his life 0:17:00.800 --> 0:17:02.520 and his job as easy as possible. And one of 0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:04.919 the ways to do that is being able to dictate 0:17:05.000 --> 0:17:07.919 terms with personnel groupings and then have a personnel grouping 0:17:07.920 --> 0:17:09.520 that you can do multiple things with. 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:10.400 And that's I. 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:12.520 Think that's what Miami tried to build with the way 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:16.280 that they drafted here. Even right, Yeah, I think even 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.280 a stick rounder has value, especially because of who he 0:17:19.440 --> 0:17:22.520 is and what he is and Elijah Higgins, Yeah. 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:24.240 It's an all the concept building on your quarterback like that. 0:17:24.359 --> 0:17:26.640 I see that I sometimes gets refuted on Twitter as 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:28.320 a knock on the quarterback, but it's like, I think 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:30.800