1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: This is a draft that's fairly unpredictable, more so than 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: other years. It's it's not like some draft where I 3 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: would say to you right now, I know who we're 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: going to draft. I just I don't know that yet. 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: I kind of subscribe to the notion of if you're happy, 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: stay happy. And I like it here and uh, I 7 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: feel a part of this culture. My wife tells me 8 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: all the time, you know, you're too intents in my children, 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: even though like dad, you know you look like a 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: freak at times. Welcome into the Lounge for a very 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: special episode of the Lounge, and they're all a's. This 12 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: is an A plus. It is an A plus. Today 13 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: we convinced our assistant gentlemanager, Eric to Costa, to stop 14 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: by the Lounge and we want to pick his brain 15 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: a little bit about which direction the Ravens are leaning 16 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: in the draft, if he's going to share that with us. 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: We also want to ask him about his background, because 18 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: Eric's got it just an interesting story of somebody that 19 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: really rose up the ranks and from the time he 20 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: was five six years old, he knew that he wanted 21 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: to work in football, and he basically spent his life 22 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: working to get to this point and he's climbed all 23 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: the way to the top of the profession. Yeah, so 24 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: really interesting stuff. So we'll welcome in Eric de Costa. So, Eric, 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: I know, uh, recently, you guys just had all your 26 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 1: big draft meetings, all the scouts were here in the building, 27 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: and you guys kind of duked it out in the 28 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: draft room in terms of setting the board. So where 29 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: are we right now in the processes the board set? 30 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: What's the story right now? Well, we met last week. 31 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: It was the first time for the coaches to actually 32 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: get their opinions on these guys, and we came out 33 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: of it with about a hundred and sixty five ranked 34 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: players that we think a draftable players for the Ravens 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: at some point. Now, typically are you know, draft picks 36 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: will come from our top one twenty or so, so, 37 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: but we've got an additional forty five players that we 38 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: think are draftable just in case. We do have some 39 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: meetings on Monday and Tuesday of next week where we 40 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: have some you know, clumps of players that are very 41 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: close together that we've asked people to do more work on. Um. 42 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: We've also assigned some players that we think might be 43 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: a possibility for us in the first round. And we 44 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: do that, we give the scouts a chance to look 45 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: at all the guys that we would be considering so 46 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: that they have a frame of reference. So we assigned 47 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: all the players to all the scouts, and most of 48 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: the scouts have done some of those players, but not 49 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: all the scouts have done all the players. So they're 50 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: doing those guys right now, and I'll have a chance 51 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: to comment on those players next week. So when is 52 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: the boat kind of tied on the whole package? And 53 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: then and thus you're able to start pranking pet Mori 54 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: already again? No, I mean, uh, you know, well, it's 55 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: already started. But I think um, as of you know, 56 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: probably Tuesday night next week, the board will be fairly 57 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: set and I'll spend most of the day on Wednesday 58 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: and Thursday really tweaking and refining, spending a lot of 59 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: time with Aussie trying to make the board of Ravens board. 60 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: So we do it, We really make the board. We 61 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: try to do the board based on the ability of 62 00:02:58,200 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: the players, the talent level of the players, and we 63 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: look we take into account things like football character and durability. 64 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: But at the end of the process we then take 65 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: that and really refine it to make sure that it's 66 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: a Ravens board. I mean, we're not going to even 67 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: if we think, for instance, that like you know, one 68 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: of these quarterbacks is the best player in the draft 69 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: and he's there at sixteen, there's a really good chance 70 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: we're not going to draft the quarterback because we've got 71 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: Joe Flacco. So, um, we're not going to draft, you know, 72 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: a left tackle that we think is comfortable to Ronnie 73 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: Stanley because we've got Ronnie Stanley. If the guy can 74 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: play right tackle, maybe we will. But you've got to 75 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: look at your team. You've got to assess your strengths 76 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: and weaknesses, and you've got to make Ravens type decisions. 77 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: So the board does kind of maneuver based on need 78 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: a little bit. Well, you have to take it into account. 79 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: You can't just strictly draft. We always say, you know, 80 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: best available player, but it's always best available player based 81 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: on the other players that are around him and how 82 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: those players would fit in with what you're trying to do. Right, So, 83 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: before we really get into the draft talk that seen 84 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:56,839 Speaker 1: draft talk, I want to talk about you a little bit, 85 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: and uh, you know a lot of kids grow up 86 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: saying I want to be a GM someday, and you 87 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: did the same. Can you talk a little bit about 88 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: your background and how you got to this position. Yeah, well, um, 89 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: I love football obviously, you know. When I was four 90 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: or five years old, I just I love my favorite sport. 91 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: And I became a Cowboys fan primarily because they were 92 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: really good in the seventies. I was born in seventy one, 93 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: and when they played the Broncos and the Super Bowl. Um, 94 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: I was young and half the bus stop were Broncos 95 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: pulling for the Broncos, and I just decided to pull 96 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: for the Cowboys. And as a young child, I think 97 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl it's it's it's kind of like you 98 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: you just that's where you kind of form allegiances. I mean, 99 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: that's why I think Russell Wilson so popular around the 100 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: country because all these young kids saw Seattle in the 101 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: Super Bowl the last you know, a couple of times 102 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: they were there, and they just gravitate towards him, And 103 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: so that became me and what I was always in 104 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: treagued by the Cowboys as they always had this reputation 105 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: for being very cutting edge in terms of scouting and 106 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: building the roster. They had a gm um, you know, 107 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: Tex Schram, who was widely regarded as being very innovative, 108 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: and they had their Director of Player personnel, um Gil Brent, 109 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: and they were the first team to really use computers. 110 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: They were scouting nationally. They had a system that they created, 111 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: a grading system that they created, and they were drafting 112 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: players and they were getting really good value in rounds 113 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: where other teams weren't, and they found all the sleeper 114 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: players that ended up being borderline Hall of Fame players 115 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: in some respects, were just great players from small schools, 116 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: predominantly black colleges, all these areas of scouting where teams 117 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: really weren't using. So that was my team, and I 118 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 1: became really fascinated with the draft um, building teams, building rosters. 119 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: I was also a baseball guy. I just loved the 120 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: idea of building teams and looking at players and where 121 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: were they from, and memorizing statistics, and so for me, 122 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: you know, the draft was one of the highlights of 123 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: the year. And I would have all my books and 124 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: I would go through it on I would look at players, 125 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: and I would do all the rankings, and I would 126 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 1: have all these composite rankings and I would build my 127 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: own draft board, and my father and I would sit 128 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 1: down and we would watch the draft from you know, 129 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: this is back in the old days before the draft 130 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: was really a big deal. But but I would do 131 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: it every single year. It was like my favorite weekend. 132 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: And that continued. And so when you know, uh, Jerry 133 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: Jones bought the team. You know, I was, as a 134 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: Cowboys fan, conflicted, but he brought in Jimmy Johnson. And 135 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: Jimmy Johnson was an absolute master of the draft and 136 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: he approached it differently. And his wheeling and dealing and 137 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: his ability to find talent and his ability as a 138 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: college guy. He knew college talent. He understood the trade chart. 139 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: He created his own trade chart, Jimmy Johnson's chart. Um, 140 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: he made all these different trades. It's still used today, yeah, 141 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 1: different variations. Yeah. Yeah. So it was like, wow, Jimmy Johnson, 142 00:06:57,960 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: you know, in the way that he was able to 143 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: move up and down the board and find all these 144 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: players and all the different things he did. I studied 145 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: him and studied that, and um, you know, it was 146 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: just for me to see how he could accumulate all 147 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: these picks and do all that kind of stuff. And 148 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: I was in college, and I would still even in college, 149 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: drive home for the draft. And I went to school 150 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: up in Maine, but I would drive to uh, you know, 151 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: Southeastern Massachusetts to spend a weekend watching the draft with 152 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: my dad. And so my whole goal was really, you know, 153 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: ideally to work in football. I played football in college. Um, 154 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: I went to more of an academic school, but I 155 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: still football for me. It was probably you know, the 156 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: center of my universe. And so, UM, I knew I 157 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: had to gain some experience. So I started out as 158 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: a coach. Um to build my football background. I had 159 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: the playing experience. You know, I was a captain in 160 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: high school. I was a captain in college. And then 161 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: I decided going to coach. So I went to another 162 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: good academic school, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. I worked 163 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: there as a coach. I coached wide my first year, 164 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: linebackers my second year, my third year, finished up my masters, 165 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: I uh coached the defensive line. Um between my second 166 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: and third years, I was actually out and met a 167 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: guy who had done an internship in scouting with the Redskins. 168 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: So that was like a light bulb that went off 169 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: in my brain, and I sent letters to all the 170 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: president's gms and the head coaches around the league, and 171 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: I got a couple of teams that were interested to 172 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: hire me. I think San Diego, Detroit in Washington being 173 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: on the East coast, it made the most sense for 174 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: me to go down to Washington. So I spent seven 175 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: weeks in UH ninety four with the Redskins and scouting. 176 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: Charlie Castley was the GM. Uh Scott Cohen was there 177 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: at the time, and uh, you know on that staff 178 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: was Camp Cameron, Um North Turner was a head coach, 179 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: Um Russ Graham was there, Ray Horton was there, and 180 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: it was really Jim Haniffin was a legendary offensive line 181 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: coach was there. Was a really good staff, And so 182 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: I spent seven weeks there and scouting, and I kind 183 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: of got the sense when I was there that they 184 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: thought I was doing a good job. They gave me 185 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: the chance to do some additional projects that the other 186 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: intents really weren't doing, and uh, I felt good about it. 187 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: So when I was done, I met with Charlie, I 188 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: met with Scott, and they were like saying to me, well, 189 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: we're gonna help you. We want to help you. You know, 190 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: get a job in the league. So uh in Um, 191 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: I had the chance to interview here. They recommended me 192 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: before a job in Baltimore. The Ravens had just moved here, 193 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: and so I came in and uh in ninety six 194 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: and I think I interviewed maybe in like either April, 195 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: um early April. Before the draft. I interviewed, and then 196 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: they offered me. I didn't hear back from a while. 197 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: It took a while to hear back. Yeah. Yeah, I 198 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: interviewed with Ozzie and Phil Savage and Scott Pioli and um, 199 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: you know, I thought I did a good job. Yeah, 200 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: but it took like be like six or eight weeks 201 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,839 Speaker 1: before they really circle back with me. And I think 202 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: they had offered the job to somebody else. He turned 203 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: it down, which was lucky for me. Um. And then 204 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 1: and then I got the job, and and and then 205 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: the rest was history. And the Redskins, poor Redskins for 206 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 1: not keeping it around there. We got to call it 207 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: h plus his ball is a little bit. I think 208 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: it worked out well for us. Eric. I think it's 209 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: really cool because you know, you talk about that background, 210 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: and then when you get into scouting, everyone obviously wants 211 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: to be a GM and you've have had opportunities to 212 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: go and other teams. It seems like every single year 213 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: they call and they want to interview you, and you've 214 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 1: had opportunities, but you've turned them down because you want 215 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: to stay here. You know, I just think that's that's rare. 216 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: Everyone wants to climb the ladder and then a lot 217 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: of people the first opportunity they have to to jump, 218 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: they jump. But you have it, why not? Um? You know, 219 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: I think it's a complicated question, but I think in 220 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: the end, you know, I kind of subscribe to the 221 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 1: notion of if you're happy, stay happy. And I like 222 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: it here, and uh, I feel out of this culture. 223 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, I started here on the 224 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: ground floor back in in UH ninety six when we 225 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: were just starting out and our brand was really nothing, 226 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: and you know, we had a bad team and and 227 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: we were very small organization. And you know, I take 228 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: pride in that. I take pride in seeing the growth 229 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: of the organization, whether it's from you know, scouting standpoint, 230 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: you know, a success standpoint, but from a brand standpoint, 231 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 1: you know, a media standpoint, from a franchise value standpoint, 232 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,359 Speaker 1: you know, from a stadium standpoint, from a facility standpoint, 233 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: just the tremendous growth that we've had as an organization 234 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: means a lot to me. And then I think the 235 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: second part of that is, um, you know, my my 236 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: my faith, and Steve as an owner in my relationship 237 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: with Ozzie a paramount. You know. I think a lot 238 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: of people jump and then they end up in different 239 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: places and they don't have those types of relationships with 240 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: people that they work with. Um, I've got tremendous faith 241 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: in respect for Dick cass Um, I've got tremendous you know, 242 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: phae respect for you know, John Pat Moriarity, these guys 243 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: and my partners, and and just having an owner like 244 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: Steve uh is just it's incredible. And then the third 245 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: piece would be in the final piece would be my wife, 246 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: my family, her family. She's from Baltimore, she went to 247 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: school here, and my kids are here. My daughter has 248 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 1: been the same school since she was two years old. 249 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 1: And I love that. I love that I see her 250 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: friends and my son's friends and where do they go 251 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: to school and they have this continuity in their lives. 252 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: And I think that's a big part too. I just 253 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: want to kind of summarize people because we've worked together 254 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: for a long time, the three of us. But I 255 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: don't think that the fan on the outside really knows 256 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: your personality. So I wrote this down to kind of 257 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: describe your personality. I'm gonna read it to you. And 258 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: this is always a tough test to do to summarize 259 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: so many's personality paragraph. All right, here we go. You 260 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: let me know what you think. All right. You have 261 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: one of the most intense auras about you in the building, 262 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 1: Like there are times when I feel you were just 263 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: so focused on the thought that nothing could shake you 264 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: of it. Like when we walk by each other in 265 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: a building full of ultra competitive people, you are at 266 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: the top with anyone in this whole place. For example, 267 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: you turn to O. J. Burgances charity five K into 268 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: an unofficial race with the Scouts, if my stores are 269 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: correct on it. At the same time, you're the biggest 270 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: prankster in the entire building, and you've somehow figured out 271 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: a way to hack into Pet Morioty's email phone and 272 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: I'm sure his office. I think, yeah, that that you know, 273 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: I am extremely competitive, and so I think what happens 274 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: is um and I and I love that quality about myself. 275 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: But what happens is it it wears me down, you know, 276 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: like it's, uh, I want to win. I want to 277 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: do them the best. I've always been that way. But 278 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: so then for me, like I've got to have like 279 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: this outlet. And for me, the outlet is you know, 280 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: if I'm at home, it's it's my kids and having 281 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: fun and being fie and all that. But if it's here, 282 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: it's probably you know, playing tricks on people and and uh, 283 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: you know, creating these these intricate traps and different things 284 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 1: that I can do to people. And you know, it's 285 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: because it's like I'm not obviously just gonna start hugging 286 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: people and everything else. But it's like, how do I 287 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: sort of relate to people that because a lot of 288 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: times I am extremely focused and I do think that 289 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: I you know, my wife tells me all the time, 290 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: you know, you're too intense, and my children even though 291 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: like dad, you know, you look like a freaking time, 292 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: I think that I do have this other side of me. 293 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: I can't unwind. I like to just relax, but when 294 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: it's this time of year, during the season, I just 295 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: don't feel like can. So for me, like the pranks. 296 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: I love pranking people. I love the intricacy of creating 297 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: something really kind of cool. That's just like people are like, 298 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: how do you do that? You know, because it's it's 299 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: a challenge for me, um and I work really hard 300 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: at it. But it's really because it's because I need 301 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: an outlet. Like I don't like may after the draft. 302 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: I don't really torment anybody. I don't play tricks. Most 303 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: of my pranks come for the draft or come during 304 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: the season where I feel it's incredible, like tension inside myself, 305 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: and so for me to do a prank on somebody 306 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: is kind of fun and it makes me relaxed. Yeah, 307 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: that's funny. I never really thought about that. What's we 308 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: won't tell you to reveal what you're working on this year, 309 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: but what's one prank in past years, maybe leading up 310 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: to the draft that you're you're particularly proud of. You 311 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: have a long list? Yeah, there there's been. There's been 312 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: a lot of pranks that I've done, um Man, There's 313 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: been so many, I think. Um I think one of 314 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: the one of the funniest pranks that that I can 315 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: remember is when I was wearing a pair of jeans 316 00:15:55,160 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: one day and I noticed that Pat had the exact 317 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: same pair of jeans and his locker. So obviously he's 318 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: a bigger guy than me. And and you know, he's 319 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: taller than me. He's he's Waste. I shouldn't say it, 320 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: but Waste is a little bigger than me. So anyways, 321 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: I just finished working out, and I knew that he 322 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: was coming into the locker room in like fifteen minutes. 323 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: So I took my jeans and I put his belt 324 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: on him and I hung him in his locker and 325 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: then I took his jeans and just hit him in 326 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: the back and I got in the shower, I came out, 327 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: I changed, and then I waited for him to come 328 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: in with George Cokness. And so they're talking. They get 329 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: out of the shower, and all of a sudden, like 330 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: I hear Pat say to George, I can't see him 331 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: but him around the other side. You guys know how 332 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: the dynamics in there. So I hear Pat, go, have 333 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: I get that much weight? And he goes He goes, gosh, 334 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: I feel bloated. Something's something's not right. And of course 335 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: George doesn't know either, but he looks at Patty goes 336 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: Pat those jeans did not look good on you, and 337 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 1: he goes, God, they're so binding. Because I just worked out, 338 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 1: I shouldn't feel it. So I've got to eat less 339 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: because I feel really bloated. And then he goes, wait 340 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: a minute, I don't think these are my jeans. But 341 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: these are my jeans, but I don't think these are 342 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: my genes. There's no way these are my jeans. He goes, 343 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: they're so constricting and tighter. And so when I then 344 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: I just started bursting out. When I came back, the 345 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,239 Speaker 1: jeanes were like, first of all, they were like four 346 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: inches shorter than and he couldn't even he's trying to 347 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: send him up and he can't even get him buttoned up, 348 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: and they're all binding in his crotch and then his tighes, 349 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: and he's trying to force him up. And he looks 350 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: at me and he goes, you, son of a my jeans, 351 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: and I just started laughing. He started the skinning Jane trend. 352 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: He did, he did, he did? You know he talked 353 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: about you sticking around. I'm just amazed that Pat his 354 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: lesson here as long as that on a daily basis, 355 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: you know, I will say this and people that know 356 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: me kind of know this to be true, Like if 357 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: I if I make you a target, it's got to 358 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 1: be somebody that I really care about all that. Yeah, 359 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: it's it's gonna be somebody that I'm really comfortable with, 360 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: you know. Um, so I just you know, yeah, it's 361 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: gonna be if I have no use for you, or 362 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: I don't know you're real well or whatever it is, 363 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: I'm probably not going to do it. So the fact 364 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: that I think Pat's one of my main you know, 365 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,719 Speaker 1: recipients of my pranks, I mean I think that actually 366 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: speaks wealth for him that I think highly of them. 367 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: You know. Valerie is also another one who's put up 368 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: with a lot of them over the years. Dick Cass 369 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: has been a recipient time. So, um, you know, there's 370 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: been some fun things. We all love the emails. They'll 371 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: be like a email to everybody in the whole department, 372 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: like three weeks Mary, Merry Christmas from Pat Mariarty coming 373 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: on New Year's Day or something. Everybody in the organization 374 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: looks like it, they say, it looks like Eric got 375 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: into pets email. Again. We've we've done this year. We 376 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: did the turkeys where we had sent somebody were two 377 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: giant thinking that they were supposed to be picking up 378 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: fifteen turkeys on Thanksgiving the day were for Thanksgiving, and 379 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: they have no idea, a giant what this kids talking about. 380 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: And this guy is adamant that he's there to get 381 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: John Harball's turkey, and they have no idea what he 382 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: was talking about. We've done out the last couple of years, 383 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: and then we have an intern every year that works 384 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: for us. We're bringing a new intern every year, and 385 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: we give him a list of beauty products, obscure beauty 386 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: products that he thinks Dick cast wants, and so he 387 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: goes all over the place trying to find Bird's Bees 388 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: hand lotion and foot scrubbing motion and EP, some salts 389 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: and various things and delivers them to Dick every year. 390 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: It's a different kids every year. We just do it 391 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: every year. And Dick gets this package on his desk 392 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: of obscure health products and he's just like, man, what 393 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: am I gonna do? I'd love to talk pranks all 394 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: day long. We you know, we could do a full 395 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: prank podcast, but the draft is coming up, so we 396 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: want to talk a little bit about that. As some 397 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: questions about that. So in terms of you know, we 398 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: talked about, you know, the process of setting the board. 399 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: How much attention are you paying to mock drafts that 400 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: are out there right now? Ryan, I are get ready 401 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: to release our seven round mock next it is gonna 402 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: be terrible. Well I were lucky if we maybe hit one. No, no, no, 403 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: you're lucky if you hit one. I hit Willie, Henry 404 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 1: and Jude on last year. It's pretty good, right, So, uh, 405 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, how much attention are you paying to those 406 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: and keeping an eye on those kinds of things. I 407 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: look at that stuff. Um, I'm always trying to figure 408 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: out what league value would be and how other people 409 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: perceive players. So for me, knowing that those guys that 410 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: are doing the mock draft talk to people in the 411 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: league and sometimes have good sources, I look at them 412 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: and it helps me. It helps me figure out, you know, 413 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: the range where people think these guys are gonna get picked. 414 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,400 Speaker 1: So I think there's value there. I mean, I think 415 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: you're not going is certainly draft based on mock drafts, 416 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: but it's definitely as you're piecing together the draft and 417 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: you're piecing together your strategy and you're trying to figure 418 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: out where you have to take a guy. Um, I 419 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: think it's important. It's interesting, you said earlier a month ago, 420 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: so that you feel like there are less surprises in 421 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: the draft. Just everybody seems to be drafting off the 422 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: same book. Is it kind of like taking some of 423 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: the fun out of it for you? Well, it's challenging 424 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: in a different way, you know. Um. You know, we're 425 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: always trying to figure out things that we can exploit 426 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: that other teams maybe aren't doing, or trying to find 427 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: opportunity to create value. The draft is really all about 428 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: finding value. So I look at the draft almost like 429 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: a value investor. Um. We have to ascertain what the 430 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: value of any given players, and then when the value 431 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: of that player becomes such that you should take him 432 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: based on where he is, based on what you think 433 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: is value, is your pounce. So what we do is UM, 434 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: the last a few years ago, we just we felt 435 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: like all the big school players were getting scrutinized so much, 436 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: so much as geting written about Alabama players and USC 437 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: players and players at you know, Texas and Oklahoma and Clemson, 438 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: that we felt like there was an opportunity for us 439 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: to draft more small school players. And so, you know, 440 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: we've had some success doing that. We've taken some small 441 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: school guys and a lot of these guys, not all 442 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: of them, but but but I think we've done a 443 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 1: really good job you know, drafting and flaccos and the 444 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: use checks and Brandon Williams and the Darious Webs and 445 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: all those kind of guys, the Judeans and things like that, um, 446 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: because we just feel like teams in some instances penalize 447 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: small school players. They they they actually discount small school 448 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: players because they played a low level of competition, and 449 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 1: how do you measure that lower level versus big school players. Well, 450 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: I think we've done a good job of doing that 451 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: to counteract the fact that these other players, these big 452 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: school players, get so much written about them online, in print, 453 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: whatever it is. There's so much media attention on TV 454 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: about these guys that everybody is kind of using the 455 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: same script. So you're kind of, you know, everyone always 456 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:08,920 Speaker 1: asks us who the Raveins is gonna draft, Who the 457 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: Ravens is gonna draft, And I guess the truth is, 458 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: you truly don't know who you're going to draft, because 459 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: it depends who obviously goes before you. But you're also 460 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: talking every year about how you can kind of nail 461 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: it down to a couple of different guys. How many 462 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: would you say you're down to right now in terms 463 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,879 Speaker 1: of guys do you think we truly could draft in 464 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: the first round. Well, there's probably five guys. I think 465 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: there's a lot of volatility Right now. I'll have a 466 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: better sense like Tuesday night, and next week our list 467 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: may change a little bit. We've still got some tough 468 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: decisions to make, UM. But I think this is a 469 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: draft that's fairly unpredictable, um more so than other years. 470 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: So it's it's not like some drafts where I would 471 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: say to you right now, I know who we're going 472 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: to draft. I just I don't know that yet. I 473 00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: don't even know. In some cases, Uh, I don't know 474 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: who the first quarterback to be drafted will be. I 475 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:05,640 Speaker 1: don't know who the first running back to be drafted. 476 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: I don't know when the first while I was going 477 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: to be drafted. I don't know when the first offensive 478 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: lineman is going to be drafted. So it's not like 479 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: last year, for instance, where I could say to you 480 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: that the first seven picks would be in some order, 481 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 1: you know, in some order would be you know, golf wins, 482 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: stan Lee, Ton, sol Bosa, Buckner and Elliott and Ramsey. 483 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: I mean, everybody knew those were the players. It just 484 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: depended on the order of those players this year. If 485 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: you try to do that, it's much much more difficult 486 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: to do that. So, Um, this draft is taken on 487 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: a very unpredictable quality, and so I think it just depends. 488 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: I'll have a better sense for the players that we 489 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: might be looking at next week at least down to 490 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: probably three or four. But it's gonna be tough for 491 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 1: for me to make a prediction as to who we're 492 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: gonna get in the first round this year just before 493 00:24:57,840 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: the draft, because I it's it's not the typical type 494 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: of draft, but you still will make that prediction. Everybody 495 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: puts in their pick who before before it gets in 496 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: before the first time. I used to do that. We 497 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 1: haven't done it for the last couple of years. I mean, 498 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: I can kind of figure it out who I think 499 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: it will be, and I know who it's going to be, um, 500 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,239 Speaker 1: and I'll tell people this is what we're looking at, 501 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: and usually I'm correct, But I think that this year 502 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: is just it's gonna be a little more challenging for us. 503 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 1: Can we talk a little bit about the wide receivers, 504 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: just because fans are talking a lot about this and 505 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: one guy that's come up a lot of Corey Davis 506 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: from Western Michigan, and you know, a lot of the 507 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: recent buzz is that people don't know where he's gonna 508 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: go with He's very unpredictable because he didn't run the 509 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: forty because the ankle injury. Is that something that you 510 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: feel like we're a team that really relies on the 511 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: tape or how much does that affect his draft stock? 512 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: Get in your mind? Well, you look at everything. You know, Um, 513 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: there have been some instances over the years where we've 514 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: drafted guys haven't haven't run forties. We've drafted guys that 515 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: have been injured coming off injuries. We've you know, we've 516 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: drafted guys that have had a lot of different issues. 517 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:15,479 Speaker 1: And so you look at everything and you discuss everything, um, 518 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: and you weigh that player versus everybody else, and you 519 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: look at his ability, what you think his ability is. 520 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: You talk to coaches, you talked to different people about 521 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: that guy. Um, you visit with them, you watch this tape, 522 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 1: and you just you just make a decision. It's it's 523 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: a challenge at times when you don't have all the 524 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: information or when a guy has the current injury. There 525 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: are a lot of guys in this draft that I've 526 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: had surgery since the season ended, and that makes it 527 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 1: really tough, you know, So it's a challenge. Um, I 528 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: think he's a really good player. Uh, it just depends 529 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: on who's that when we pick one thing. You know, 530 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: he talked with you about it at the Senior Bowl. 531 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: I talked to you about it at the Combine. You know, 532 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 1: go back a couple of months, we were all asking 533 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: about corners, you know, likelihood of drafting a cornerback in 534 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: the first or second or maybe both rounds. It seems 535 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: like that maybe has changed a little bit by the 536 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,120 Speaker 1: addition of Brandon car bringing back Wab getting Tony Jefferson, 537 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 1: So like the secondary doesn't seem to be quite as 538 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: big of a need as it was like three months ago. 539 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: Do you feel like the hope would still be to 540 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: find one of those corners early or has that kind 541 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,120 Speaker 1: of changed based on what the Moose have been over 542 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: the past couple of months. Well, I've always looked at corners. 543 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: It's kind of like pitchers in baseball, they're very sort 544 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: of fragile. They get hurt a lot. They're like ferraris 545 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: and race cars and different things, and they break down 546 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: and it's really important. I mean, there's nothing more important 547 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:44,359 Speaker 1: in baseball than probably pitching. And there's nothing, probably other 548 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: than quarterback, more important in football than having really good corners. 549 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: We can cover guys. So I think our mindset is 550 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: that if there's a really good corner that we can't 551 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: pass up, we're gonna take them, because it's just so hard. 552 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: When you lose games in the NFL, it's usually because 553 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: one your quarterback didn't play well, or two you couldn't 554 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: stop the other team. So if you can't cover, consistently, cover, 555 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 1: get the ball out, and make plays in the football, 556 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: it's gonna be really hard to win games. So I 557 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: think we have added some guys we like where our 558 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: secondary is right now. But if we think that there's 559 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: an elite corner available when we pick, it'll be very 560 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: hard for us not to take the offensive lineman. Obviously. 561 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 1: That's another area of need now at center and right tackle. 562 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 1: It took Ronnie Stanley at pick number six last year. 563 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: I think people are looking at it and saying would 564 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: they really take a tackle or offensive liman in the 565 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: first round and back to back years? In your mind? 566 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: Does Ronnie not have anything to do with it? I 567 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:51,479 Speaker 1: think it's best player. So who's there and how does 568 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 1: it work? And has there been a history of teams 569 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: taken offensive linement back to back in the draft two years? 570 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: You have Dallas data so with with pretty good success, 571 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: So it's not unprecedented. I mean if you look at 572 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: Dallas back with Jimmy Johnson, again, they drafted and built 573 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: a really strong offensive line with like guys like you know, 574 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: Searcy and and Uh and Alan and I mean guys 575 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 1: that whole you know, that whole offensive line was great. 576 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: You know, they had Nate and they had all these 577 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: other guys and it was really really good offensive line 578 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: and they built that and it worked out for him, 579 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: And so I think that's having a strong offensive line 580 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: is something that we want. We want to be a 581 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: physical team. When we won the Super Bowl and twelve, uh, 582 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: I think the biggest thing that happened was we tweaked 583 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: the offensive line and they became really good in a 584 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: very quick span of time. And Joe didn't get hit 585 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 1: and Joe was able to stand in the pocket and 586 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: throw the ball like he can. And I think a 587 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: big part of that was the offensive line. So, you know, 588 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: I think we want to be strong, we want to 589 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: be physically, we want to protect, we want to control 590 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: the game on offense, we want to control the line. 591 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: We want to be a physical team that can win 592 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: the game in the fourth quarter, that can move the 593 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: ball on the ground and all that. And the offensive 594 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: line is a big part of that. So if we 595 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: can do that, we will. So Ryan and I just 596 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: on this. He thinks that if there's a trade in 597 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: the first round, it's more like to move back. I say, 598 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: if there's a trade in the first round, it's more 599 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 1: likely to move up. So which one for the Ravens 600 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:10,479 Speaker 1: for us? Yeah? Wow? All right, yeah, So which one 601 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: of us is correct? I think both? You know, we 602 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: we always look again, we look at trades as a 603 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: value proposition. So what can we get to move back, 604 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: and who's going to be there if we have to 605 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: move up, we want to move up. Who are we 606 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: going to get? What's his grade? And what do we 607 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: have to give up to get him? And what does 608 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: that mean? What does that pick that you give up mean? 609 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: To you, what do you value that pick at? What 610 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: kind of players can you take with that pick? And 611 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: so that factors in. It's not just you know, moving 612 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: up to get the player, it's what does that player 613 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: value versus who you're going to get by moving back 614 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: or moving up, but also what pick that you're giving 615 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: up or getting how do you you know, every pick 616 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: has a range, you know, subscribe to it. So like, 617 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: for instance, if you've got the say in the draft 618 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: that fort pick really translates probably to the player on 619 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: your board because there's an element of slippage, so teams 620 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: will take players that you don't like, which point just 621 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: pushes good players down to you that you like. So 622 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: it's not really pick, it's the the player that you'll 623 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:19,480 Speaker 1: get with that pick. So hypothetically, say you've got the 624 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: pick in the first round, History tells us you're probably 625 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: gonna get the twelve player on your board, So how 626 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 1: does that twelve player factor in? So if you're trading 627 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 1: from say sixteen to twelve, and you've got to give 628 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: up pick seventy eight, it's not really pick seventy eight. 629 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: It's the player that you will get with pick seventy 630 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: eight in your sequence yeah, and how does that player 631 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: matter versus you know, is it better to have that 632 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: player and say sixteen the player you're gonna get sixteen, 633 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:51,479 Speaker 1: or the player you're gonna get twelve and only that player? Cool? Plaieric, 634 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: thank you so much, really appreciate it. And uh, did 635 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 1: you want we'll be looking out for price? Yeah, well, 636 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,239 Speaker 1: well we keep an eye out. And there's saying, well, 637 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: I think what's really cool. Well now is like, since 638 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: this building has undergone some changes, much different. It's much 639 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: different because of the structure, and so it puts people 640 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: that would normally be hidden down in their little caves. 641 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,400 Speaker 1: It puts them closer to me. I don't like that. 642 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: Unfortunately that includes us. Yeah, so it opens up some 643 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: new dimensions for me to uh to take advantage of 644 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: the situation and and creates a new opportunity. I know. 645 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: They keep my head on the swivels. So is Eric 646 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: leaves just really good stuff. I mean a lot to 647 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,719 Speaker 1: digest there. What do you think wide receiver, offensive lineman, 648 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 1: well pass fresher corner that first round. Eric was really 649 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: open and shared a lot about his life and his path, 650 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: and uh, I just thought they gave them great insight 651 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: in terms of like thinking through trades like that. I 652 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,719 Speaker 1: felt like I was like learning from a professor there 653 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: to some degree. But he's also a master at not 654 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: divulging anything when it comes to who we're gonna pick, 655 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: you know, like it. I don't think he shared. Really, 656 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 1: he didn't give me any sort of indication. After he 657 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: talks about the cornerbacks in the Ferraris, I'm like, all right, yeah, 658 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: you're right, we got to take a quarterback in the 659 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: first round. Then he talks about the offensive linement and 660 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: build a great line like a cowbost. I'm like, you're right, man, 661 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 1: a strong line everything. Good thing we didn't we didn't 662 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: have them talking about the pass rushers earlier. But I 663 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 1: would have been like, all right, let's get after the courter. 664 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: I know, I know. So, I mean this really is. 665 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 1: I mean it's a good and a bad thing. But 666 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: there's a number of different positions where the Ravens could 667 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 1: use a premier player, you know those positions you're just naming, 668 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: And so if one of those guys is there, like 669 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,239 Speaker 1: it kind of you're not pigeonholed where you say, all right, 670 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,760 Speaker 1: you need a corner in the first round. You need 671 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: that guy. If it's a corner great, if it's a 672 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 1: receiver great, Because if it's an offensive linement, I know 673 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: fans aren't necessarily gonna like that from a sexiness standpoint, 674 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 1: but I'm starting to come around. I think it would 675 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: like it. Joe Flack would probably like it, um, and 676 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: so I think that they have some good options this year, Yeah, 677 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: for sure. So thank you for listening. And we also 678 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: will be bringing director of college Scouting Joe Hortie Ease, 679 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:04,240 Speaker 1: so we have back to back awesome inter slam dunks, 680 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: so make sure you tune in for that, And as always, 681 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 1: you can reach us at the Lounge at Ravens dot 682 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:11,720 Speaker 1: NFL dot. Thanks for listening.