WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: I Choose You 0:00:03.680 --> 0:00:06.560 Hike and everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:15.200 the Bengals Booth podcast. I choose you. Addition, as my 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:18.160 broadcast partner, Dave Lapham joins me for an in depth 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:22.480 look at all ten Bengals draft picks, plus a few 0:00:22.480 --> 0:00:26.480 of the players they signed as undrafted free agents. Coming up, 0:00:26.640 --> 0:00:30.080 we will tell you if the Steelers robbed the Bengals 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:32.480 of the player they really wanted in the first round 0:00:32.520 --> 0:00:34.680 when they trade it up to the spot directly in 0:00:34.760 --> 0:00:39.520 front of Cincinnati in order to select the linebacker Devin Bush. 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:43.320 We will also have interesting intel on second round pick 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:47.360 Drew Sample. Many draft gurus thought the Bengals could have 0:00:47.400 --> 0:00:51.400 selected him later in the draft, So just how high 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:55.400 was he on the Bengals board. We'll have the answer. 0:00:56.000 --> 0:00:59.120 After some juicy inside info on all of the picks, 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:03.480 we'll hear from one of them. Number one picked, Jonah Williams, 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.760 who joins me for a fun facts conversation where we 0:01:06.800 --> 0:01:10.160 discuss everything from the length of his arms to the 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:13.800 bag of food he carried around in high school. All 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:16.080 of that is straight ahead, but first, here's a quick 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:18.440 reminder that you can have the latest edition of this 0:01:18.600 --> 0:01:22.760 podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:28.240 subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. 0:01:28.760 --> 0:01:34.440 It's the greatest invention since wait for a jed, a 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:40.720 little inside joke there Brixell sports stadium models. So Brixels 0:01:40.760 --> 0:01:44.680 are kind of like Legos and they sell very detailed 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.840 models of sports stadiums and arenas. My son recently put 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:52.920 together the Fenway Park model and it is incredible. It 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:56.640 has three thousand, two hundred six pieces, so it was 0:01:56.680 --> 0:01:59.680 a labor of love. But the level of detail is 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:04.200 it's standing right down to the single red seat deep 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:07.040 in the right field stands where Ted Williams hit the 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:10.760 longest home run in Fenway Park history. There doesn't appear 0:02:10.800 --> 0:02:13.800 to be a Paul Brown Stadium model yet, but when 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:18.560 it comes out, we are definitely buying. Now, let's get 0:02:18.560 --> 0:02:22.000 to my draft discussion. With a sixty first overall pick 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:26.320 in the nineteen seventy four NFL Draft, the most successful 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:29.359 of the twenty two selections the Bengals made that year, 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:34.519 an offensive lineman out of Syracuse University, Dave Lapham lap 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:37.040 Let's start with Jonah Williams, the Bengals first round draft 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:41.080 pick selected number eleven overall, the offensive tackle out of Alabama. 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:43.720 The website Pro Football Focus had him as the fourth 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:46.800 best player in this draft. It is our belief that 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.840 the Bengals had him roughly at the same spot on 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:53.160 their overall board. I agree with you, Dan, and people 0:02:53.160 --> 0:02:55.840 are wondering, you know, if Devin Bush had been there, 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:58.679 would they have gone with Jonah Williams. We believe yes, 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:01.519 you know, and I'm not saying that Devin Bush isn't 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:05.760 a fantastic football player, but the Steelers weren't sure that 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:07.440 that's the way the Bengals were going to go, so they, 0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:09.919 you know, expended a couple of draft picks and moved 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:12.280 up ahead of the Bengals to take Devin Bush. And 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.520 the Bengals went with Jonah Williams, and they were thrilled 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:16.960 that he was there. And I can't remember the last 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:21.520 draft where no offensive lineman, no running backs, no wide receivers, 0:03:21.520 --> 0:03:25.040 no corners, no safeties. Five position groups did not get 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:28.280 selected in the first ten picks of the draft. So 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:31.920 when you have a need at the offensive line position 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:36.200 and literally the best lineman is right there, no brainer. 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:38.760 I mean, I think the Bengals probably may have said 0:03:39.280 --> 0:03:41.960 they may have broken John Ross's forty yard dashtime running 0:03:41.960 --> 0:03:45.080 through the party to make the pick checks all the boxes. 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:48.320 Played in the SEC. Dominated at left tackle his last 0:03:48.360 --> 0:03:51.880 two years at Alabama. Really smart kid earned his degree 0:03:51.920 --> 0:03:55.400 at Alabama in three years. This to me is just 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:58.680 a first round draft pick that I don't know if 0:03:58.720 --> 0:04:01.200 he'll be in all pro. You'd him to be, but 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:05.240 I can't envision a scenario where he flops. I agree, 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:07.400 you know, and I think this is the beginning of 0:04:07.400 --> 0:04:13.320 a trend smart, not only book smart, but football. I 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:18.320 you position, versatility, leadership. You know, he's a captain, and 0:04:19.080 --> 0:04:22.479 it's very instinctive. That's going to be a common denominator 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:25.839 with the line. People say, okay, instinctive lineman. Yeah. I 0:04:25.880 --> 0:04:27.960 mean there's a lot of times you're gonna try to 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:32.560 buy your film study see keys with twists and stunts 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:34.680 and everything, and you'll be able to react that much 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:37.560 quicker on an instinctive basis because of preparation. And this 0:04:37.640 --> 0:04:40.839 kid leaves nothing to chance in that regard. He's the 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:42.760 first guy I ever heard of that came up with 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:46.839 a spreadsheet off of film study. He had some kind 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:49.719 of numbers numbering system where he has a spreadsheet to 0:04:49.839 --> 0:04:54.840 help find characteristics and traits and keys and all that 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:58.280 sort of thing in his opponent. That is remarkable. I 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:01.040 mean this this guy is legit. Yet he's the real deal. 0:05:01.360 --> 0:05:03.200 He can play any one of the five positions in 0:05:03.240 --> 0:05:07.000 the offensive line, and football is not just important to him. 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:08.880 I think it's the number one thing in his life. 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:10.880 His girlfriend may have a problem with that, but I 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:14.440 mean this guy, this guy is all football, all the time, 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:16.760 no question about it. Do you see him being a 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:20.520 day one starter. I do. I'm not sure. Aware it 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.200 won't be center, I don't think, but he could start 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:24.839 at either one of the guards or either one of 0:05:24.839 --> 0:05:27.279 the tackle positions based on what I've seen on tape. 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:30.440 The thing about him, Dan, his feet are unbelievable. And 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:34.200 we've said many times every athletic endeavor, including blocking, but 0:05:34.360 --> 0:05:37.080 throwing a baseball, catching a baseball, shooting a basketball, whatever 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:39.360 it may be, catching a football, it starts with your 0:05:39.360 --> 0:05:41.880 feet and ends with your hands. It's the same thing 0:05:41.920 --> 0:05:45.760 in football in line play linebackers starts with your feet 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:47.720 to get in place, hand placement, to be able to 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:51.760 separate and finish feet and hands. And this guy's got 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:56.680 excellent start with his feet and finish with his hands. 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.560 He is very, very good with his technique. He's been 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:02.560 coached well and he retains it, and he takes the 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:04.960 football field big time. You mentioned it, but I just 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:07.360 want to follow up in more detail. The Steelers moved 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:10.960 up from number twenty to number ten to jump directly 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:14.560 ahead of the Bengals in order to select Devin Bush. 0:06:14.600 --> 0:06:19.280 So clearly their thought was the Bengals are either going 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:22.839 to take him, or they might take him. We can't 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:26.720 afford to wait. And the Bengals, in our opinion, almost 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:30.080 certainly would have taken Jonah Williams. I think so because 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.919 you know, Devin White, the number one linebacker was gone. 0:06:32.960 --> 0:06:35.600 Although honestly I like Bush better than White, I really do. 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:37.479 I think the steel has got a hell of a player. 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:41.320 I would not have been upset if they took Devin Bush. 0:06:41.360 --> 0:06:43.560 But I am you know, old stool, get an old 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:45.720 school get off my lawn. It's a big man's game. 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:48.680 You have the best big man on the offensive side 0:06:48.680 --> 0:06:51.480 of the football upfront. You gotta go there. You gotta 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:53.880 go there. Even if you know the one A or 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:57.360 one B or whatever it is at linebackers. There I 0:06:57.440 --> 0:07:00.159 would agree with the with the Bengal stot process, and 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:04.000 you know, with the uncertainty involved, pits burned a couple 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:07.640 of draft picks moving up. The Bengals prioritize offensive tackle 0:07:07.760 --> 0:07:10.880 more than linebacker, and that's probably true of most teams 0:07:10.880 --> 0:07:14.360 in the NFL. The Bengals have not taken a lot well, 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:18.560 let me backtrack. The Bengals have taken one linebacker before 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:22.480 the third round in the last eleven drafts and that 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:25.240 was Ray Malaluga, who's now out of the NFL. So 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:29.160 they just historically have not invested high draft capital in 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:32.560 that position, right, And you know the other linebacker that 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:34.240 comes to mind, Keith Rivers. You know they took in 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:36.720 the first round out of USC as well, you know 0:07:37.240 --> 0:07:40.960 years before that. It's it's not a regular, regular occurrence. 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:44.720 And uh, there's no doubt in my mind that the 0:07:44.880 --> 0:07:48.800 Jim Turner um wanted to get more physical, wanted to 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:51.840 be bigger, wanted to be more athletic, wanted to be 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:55.040 more physical up front, and this was the first step 0:07:55.040 --> 0:07:58.160 in that direction for sure. Onto the second round and 0:07:58.240 --> 0:08:00.880 the pick that a lot of Bengals were scratching their 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:03.960 heads over Drew Sample the tight end out of Washington, 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:07.760 selected with a fifty second overall pick. The Bengals actually 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:09.800 moved back in the second round. They got an extra 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:12.960 fourth and an extra sixth in order to move back 0:08:13.120 --> 0:08:17.920 ten spots. Everybody's saying, you could have gotten this guy later. 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:22.440 The Bengals actually would have taken him earlier. They had 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.000 a high first round grade on the second round excuse me, 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:28.000 the second round grade. Two a high second round grade 0:08:28.000 --> 0:08:31.200 on him. So the thing about him is the draft 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:34.719 gurus and then as a result, the fan base. He 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:37.280 wasn't thought about because his numbers weren't there in terms 0:08:37.320 --> 0:08:41.000 of catches and yards. But the thing about it, the 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:42.920 balls that he did catch, he didn't drop any. The 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:46.679 scouts were saying, may have not had a drop or 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:49.600 maybe one, So that tells you a lot. When his 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:53.160 opportunity was there, he capitalized on every single one of them. 0:08:53.320 --> 0:08:57.439 Jonah Williams smartest offensive lineman in the draft, Drew Sample, 0:08:57.720 --> 0:09:00.480 smartest tight end in the draft. He's got a degree, 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:03.440 he's married, he's expecting a baby girl at the end 0:09:03.480 --> 0:09:05.680 of the towards the end of the football season. This 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:10.160 guy is a solid individual as well as extremely talented 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:13.320 football player. He is the best blocking tight end in 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:16.360 the draft, and I mean by a wide margin, six 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:18.800 four two undred fifty five pounds. Looks like he's about 0:09:18.840 --> 0:09:22.120 two thirty five two forty maybe. And again, just like 0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:26.599 Jonah Williams talking about feet and hands, Drew Sample is 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:30.000 that exact same thing at the tight end position. These 0:09:30.040 --> 0:09:33.360 guys have been coached well, they've taken to the technique 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:36.000 and they're applying it to the football field. And all 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:38.719 of a sudden, when you get an offensive tackle and 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:41.960 a tight end that can dominate at the line of scrimmage, 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:44.040 you can set the edge. You hear all the time 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.760 defensive coaches, look, gotta set the edge. We can't let 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:48.680 them get the edge on us. Well, when you have 0:09:48.720 --> 0:09:51.360 a tackle in a tight end like this, you have 0:09:51.440 --> 0:09:53.800 to set the edge offensively, and they'll be set in 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:56.480 the edge a lot more readily with big, physical guys 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:59.920 like this. And you know Drew Sample, the coaches said, 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:03.000 the interviews that they do with them off the charts. 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:06.040 Maybe you know, Andrew Whitworth may have been the only 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:08.439 interview that might have been better than Drew Sample's interview 0:10:08.760 --> 0:10:11.920 that they had as an organization. So that tells you 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:15.959 a lot I mean, again, all the intangibles, checking all 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.480 the boxes with these two guys. Both of these guys 0:10:18.559 --> 0:10:22.440 Dan may not only be starters, they may be ten 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:25.360 to twelve year starters. I mean they may have hit 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:27.480 two players that are gonna be a decade plus of 0:10:27.640 --> 0:10:32.120 giving them consistent, excellent performances. And they care about the 0:10:32.160 --> 0:10:34.520 game of football. There's no doubt about that. We did 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:37.360 a podcast a few weeks ago about the Bengals draft 0:10:37.640 --> 0:10:39.640 needs and one of the top ones in our opinion 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:42.800 was the tight end position. Then when this pick was made, 0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:45.240 I heard a lot of folks saying, Wow, the Bengals 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.360 need a wide receiver more than they need a tight end. 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:52.640 What really? CJ. Zama is a fine NFL player, but 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:54.920 probably is never going to go to a Pro Bowl. 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:57.520 Tyler Eifford is a Pro Bowl player, but he hasn't 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.440 been able to stay healthy. There are other it ends 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:02.960 were all beat up last year. They lost Tyler Croft 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:06.720 a free agency. This was a huge area of need, 0:11:07.040 --> 0:11:12.960 particularly from the blocking standpoint. Tyler Eifert unquestioned as a receiver. 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:17.800 I mean, he's he makes defenses flinch every snap he took. 0:11:17.880 --> 0:11:20.800 Last year, the defenses were in Nickel in sub packages, 0:11:21.320 --> 0:11:24.640 no base defense, they can't match up with him. But 0:11:24.880 --> 0:11:27.920 you know he does a good job blocking and running 0:11:27.960 --> 0:11:30.360 game and pass protection and all those sort of things. 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.240 CJ Zam another one that does a good job, but 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:36.440 you know he got hurt as well. In those roles. 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:39.920 Those guys aren't necessarily known. Oh my gosh, they're gonna 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:41.480 dominate you at the end of the line, at the 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:44.079 line of scrimmage, So why not get a guy that 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:50.160 can do that. His strengths compliment those other guys strengths perfectly. 0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:52.840 You don't want three guys that do the same thing 0:11:52.960 --> 0:11:56.040 well and can't do the other. And it's not to 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.400 say that Drew Sample can't run ross and catch the football. 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:00.920 We said he maybe had one draw might be one 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:04.199 through the season or his career without any So, I mean, 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:09.000 he's capable. But you need to have somebody that is 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:11.199 going to be the anchor again at the end of 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:14.160 the line of scrimmage, setting the edge, helping in pass protection. 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:16.240 You know, you hear all the time. Other they're gonna 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:18.600 have to keep a tight end in to help slow block, 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:21.079 you know, against these pass rushers. This guy's as good 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:24.720 as there is. I mean, he's he's the best blocking 0:12:24.760 --> 0:12:27.839 tight end, run blocking, pass protecting. You can put him 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:30.040 at fullback. Now you don't have to have Sam Hubbard 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:33.200 coming over from defense necessarily. Like Ryan Hewitt did, line 0:12:33.280 --> 0:12:35.360 up at fullback and lead it up in there. This 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:38.439 kid can do the same thing. Another thing that we're 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:40.800 going to find and we've seen the first two picks, 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:43.959 and it's going to be a universal theme. Position versatility. 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:47.680 Jonah Williams can play all five line spots. Drew Sample 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:49.600 can play tight end at the end of the line 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:51.679 of scrimmage, can play fullback and be a wingback, can 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:55.000 be a slot back. I mean, you know, it's endless. 0:12:55.000 --> 0:13:00.400 So position, versatility, leadership, all these things. They had plan 0:13:00.559 --> 0:13:03.040 going into this draft and hit it on almost all 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:05.520 of the draft picks, none more than these first two 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:08.360 picks of the draft. Before moving to third round pick 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:11.040 your main Pratt, we should mention the Bengals did try 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.840 to trade up in the second round because they were 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:16.319 really good offensive lineman on the board that they thought 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:19.200 had first round grades. Right on. Cody Ford was there, 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:23.960 Taylor was there out of Florida, and Greg Little actually 0:13:24.400 --> 0:13:26.720 was on the board as well, and all three of 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:29.720 those linemen teams traded up for to get an opportunity 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:33.440 to pick them. So when they redid their board after 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:36.400 day one first round, redo your board for day two. Oh, 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:40.719 these two offensive linemen slid there. They're more than capable. 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:43.840 Let's let's go target. These guys couldn't quite get it done. 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:46.439 People wanted more than they were offering. It was a 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:50.040 little too rich. And then you think, okay, well if 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:52.480 you stay there, what kind of players are there? Yeah, 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:55.760 saying Greedy Williams, Well you got B. W. Webbin free agency. 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:58.080 You got to our quest and Arden free agency. Don't 0:13:58.080 --> 0:14:00.760 have a real need Maybe reaching a little bit corners 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:06.160 whiteside wide receiver, you know, maybe that might be a 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:09.079 little rich. I would think Pratt was a guy that 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:11.200 might have been thinking about there at the end of 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:13.400 the second round. They ended up getting him in the third. 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:16.000 But when Sample was there, they traded down and still 0:14:16.000 --> 0:14:18.240 got their guy Sample. So all when they couldn't trade 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:20.960 up for those two linemen, the two corners maybe a 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:23.400 little too rich, they had guys in free agency, they 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.240 moved down. They got themselves an extra fourth round pick 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:28.320 that turned out to be big as the draft went on. 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.200 So Jermaine Pratt was their third round selection, number seventy 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:36.440 two overall. Linebacker out of NC State led the acc 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:38.960 and tackles per game last year at nine and a half. 0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:41.640 He was a safety his first two college seasons. He's 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:43.960 fifty pounds heavier now than he was when he started 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:46.320 out in college football. He's up to two hundred forty 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.720 pounds on a six two frame. Another guy who's going 0:14:49.760 --> 0:14:52.280 to potentially compete for a starting job in year one. 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:55.200 They think he may be the best linebacker from day 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:57.000 one when he comes into camp. I mean it could 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:58.880 be that way. Now. I think they're gonna be some 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:02.600 veteran players. Something to say about that. But there were 0:15:02.640 --> 0:15:07.040 some comparisons drawn by the Bengal scouting department to Darius Leonard, 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:11.120 the All Pro, not just Pro bowler, All Pro as 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.960 a rookie with the Colts. This guy is a very, 0:15:14.160 --> 0:15:16.800 very sure tackler. The thing I didn't like about Devin 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:21.000 White Dan is he wasn't instinctive. He had a little 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.480 bit of a hitch, a little delay in making his reads, 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:25.160 and he missed a lot of tackles. It might have 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:28.640 been as the result of not making quick decisions right 0:15:28.680 --> 0:15:33.040 off the bat. This guy Pratt instinctive, you know, sees 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:35.280 it before it happens, is moving in that direction, goes 0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:38.560 sideline to sideline and gets people on the ground. So, 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:40.960 I mean, you're right. You look at him. When you 0:15:41.000 --> 0:15:43.360 see Devin Bush walk around, you think, man, he looks like, 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:46.280 you know, good size safety. When you see Germaine Pratt 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:49.440 walking around, it's like this is a linebacker. Broad shoulders, 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:55.080 deck arms. I mean I think too with Devin White 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:59.280 and Devin Bush, they played linebacker their whole lives, high school, college, 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:02.360 in the NFL. Now, so their ceiling is you know, 0:16:02.440 --> 0:16:05.920 they know, teams have a lot better feel about where 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:08.120 they're going to be. They're closer to their ceiling than 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:10.280 they're on their floor. Let's put it that way. In 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:13.680 Jermaine Pratt's case, only two years as a linebacker, he's 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:16.000 got a lot more room to travel up to that ceiling. 0:16:16.320 --> 0:16:18.720 And coaches like to get guys in that situation so 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:21.200 they can develop them, get them on the rise, as 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:23.000 the coaches call it, get them on the come as 0:16:23.000 --> 0:16:25.360 they come out of college, you know, and get ready 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:28.440 for the National Football League and be instrumental in them 0:16:28.520 --> 0:16:31.440 in their development. This guy has all the physical tools, 0:16:31.720 --> 0:16:35.240 and his teammate in college and his future teammate here 0:16:35.240 --> 0:16:38.080 with the Bengals, Ryan Finley said, Hey, man, this guy 0:16:38.160 --> 0:16:41.040 studies more tape more than anybody I know, and he'd 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:43.560 call our plays out at practice by formation before we 0:16:43.640 --> 0:16:45.320 even ran them. You know, he's just kind of a 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:47.600 thorn in his side. So you know, he's glad that 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:49.160 he's still on his team instead of having to play 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:51.600 against them. Me and Ryan Finley has a high high 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:54.440 regard for Jermaine Pratt, and Jermaine Pratt has a high 0:16:54.480 --> 0:16:57.480 high regard for Ryan Finley. Pratt couldn't believe that Finley 0:16:57.520 --> 0:16:59.720 hadn't been drafted, and we were eating lunch with the 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:02.960 who was talking about it, and shortly they're aft to boom. 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:06.720 The next pickers made, so Pratt was the Bengals third 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:08.879 round pick. And then the draft ends at the end 0:17:08.920 --> 0:17:10.560 of the third round. You get a break, and then 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:13.320 the fourth round begins on Saturday, so teams again have 0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:16.440 the opportunity to reorganize their board going into rounds four 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.040 or five and six. The number one person on the 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:22.159 Bengals board of all the remaining players was Ryan Finley, 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:25.600 the quarterback out of NC State. They decided to move 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:27.280 up to make sure that they got him, so they 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:29.440 made a trade with the forty nine ers, moving up 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.120 six spots to have the second pick in the fourth round. 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.160 They gave up two of their six sixth round draft 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:37.280 picks at that point in order to do it, and 0:17:37.400 --> 0:17:39.720 they get Ryan Finley. Twenty four years old. He spent 0:17:39.800 --> 0:17:42.560 three years at Boise State, three years at NC State. 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:46.159 Started for those three years at NC State. Considered to 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:48.960 be the most accurate throwing quarterback in the draft. The 0:17:49.160 --> 0:17:52.040 arms strength is not exceptional, so that was the knock. 0:17:52.480 --> 0:17:55.280 I guess that's why Ryan Finley was still there. Jay 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:59.000 Morrison of The Athletic wrote a very interesting story where 0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:04.360 he cited Bill Parcels seven criteria used when drafting a quarterback. 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:07.360 I was not familiar with this list, but they are 0:18:07.520 --> 0:18:11.240 One starts thirty or more games. Two wins twenty three 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:14.040 or more games. Three has a two to one ratio 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:18.000 of touchdown to interceptions. Four completes at least sixty percent 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:21.720 of his passes. Five is a three year starter. Six 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:27.320 senior in college. Seven graduate from college. Guys in the 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:29.720 NFL right now that have checked all of those boxes 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:34.879 include Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Andrew Luck, Andy 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:38.600 Dalton for what it's worth, and Ryan Finley, who checked 0:18:38.640 --> 0:18:41.440 all those boxes. Twenty four years old going to turn 0:18:41.480 --> 0:18:45.240 twenty five, six year collegiate career, has his master's degree, 0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:48.959 so he took advantage of his collegiate opportunity academically as 0:18:48.960 --> 0:18:52.520 well as athletically. Probably could gain ten more pounds. Has 0:18:52.560 --> 0:18:54.960 been compared to Jared Goff, you know, kind of long, 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:59.119 linear arm strength. Probably not obviously as good as golf, 0:18:59.200 --> 0:19:01.720 but he was the bank, like you said, the best 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:03.600 on the board in the Bengals opinion in round four 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:07.119 trade up for him, There's no doubt about it. Highest 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:11.480 one to look score for quarterbacks. So Intelligent Football IQ 0:19:11.600 --> 0:19:15.160 as well. The Bengals, I thought dan rounds two, three, 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:17.520 and four with a sweet spot of the draft when 0:19:17.560 --> 0:19:19.840 they were when they couldn't trade up for the offensive 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:22.040 lineman a round two, they were traded back and they 0:19:22.040 --> 0:19:23.800 were trying to get a third round pick, another third 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:26.200 the next best thing is to get that fourth round. 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:28.320 Well they did, and then they ended up getting another 0:19:28.320 --> 0:19:31.040 fourth rounder as it turns out, but three fourth round picks. 0:19:31.080 --> 0:19:33.880 They got three of the top twenty three guys they 0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:36.800 had rated in the fourth round, three of the top 0:19:36.880 --> 0:19:41.040 twenty three, and by moving themselves around, Duke Tobin did 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:44.040 a great job of manipulating the board and utilizing those 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:46.480 six six rounders, you know, ended up getting rid of 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.600 three of them on these trades. So actually four of 0:19:49.720 --> 0:19:54.400 the twenty three four the top twenty three guys got 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:58.320 in in the well, I guess Pratt they only had 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:03.159 three fourth rounders, right, but so originally they had the 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.720 twenty third pick in the fourth round among their picks. 0:20:06.880 --> 0:20:09.600 So they had ordered twenty three people at the end 0:20:09.640 --> 0:20:11.879 of day two, and they wound up getting four of 0:20:11.960 --> 0:20:16.760 those twenty three. Those four that group and three three 0:20:16.760 --> 0:20:20.199 of the fourth round picks are consummated. Ryan Finley being 0:20:20.320 --> 0:20:24.320 number one. I mean that's you have to have a 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:28.320 backup quarterback period. I mean Andy Dalton, we've been spoiled 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:31.879 by his durability. Uh you know, when he hasn't played, 0:20:32.280 --> 0:20:35.280 it's been you know, AJ mccarrons did a very very 0:20:35.320 --> 0:20:39.600 good job. But if if Andy Dalton had finished that season, 0:20:39.920 --> 0:20:42.720 they start out eight. No, he's playing an MVP caliber 0:20:43.000 --> 0:20:45.280 There's no telling. That was the team that might have 0:20:45.280 --> 0:20:48.640 made a playoff run. There's no telling. And last year, 0:20:49.080 --> 0:20:51.000 look at how they start the season with Andy Dalton 0:20:51.119 --> 0:20:54.240 just you know, masterminding everything at the quarterback position. They're 0:20:54.240 --> 0:20:57.679 averaging thirty one points a game. You know, Tyler Reifer 0:20:57.720 --> 0:21:00.399 goes down, AJ goes down, Ultimately Andy goes down. But 0:21:00.600 --> 0:21:04.760 Andy Dalton can play when he's afforded opportunity, not being 0:21:04.880 --> 0:21:08.879 time to make his decisions. None players to distribute the 0:21:08.880 --> 0:21:11.880 football too, and this kid can do the same type 0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:14.119 of thing. He's got that kind of football IQ, that 0:21:14.200 --> 0:21:17.040 kind of football intelligence. So very very good pick in 0:21:17.040 --> 0:21:19.840 the fourth round, all right. Their next fourth round pick 0:21:20.040 --> 0:21:22.840