1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: And now move the sticks with Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks. 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: What's up everybody, DJ, Bucky here, welcome to move the sticks. 3 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Buck here in Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL Scouting Combine. 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: How you doing man, man, I'm I'm great. Like obviously, 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: it's a it's a long week, but it's a great 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: week for us because it's an opportunity to see a 7 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: lot of these guys that we watched on film all 8 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: fall finally get a chance to see them up close 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: and personal, and not only to see them work out, 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: but to talk to them. Uh. So you and I 11 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 1: we've talked about fall in love with the football character. Uh. 12 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: Some of the mistakes that we've made is when we 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: haven't had enough uh information on what makes the guy tick. 14 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: With this year, I want to missim to make sure 15 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: that we find out those guys, especially those top guys, 16 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: figure out what they've built about. And you come to 17 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: the combine, you get the test thing. You obviously get 18 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: the medical which is very important. UM. Also great for 19 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: us to get a chance to visit with some of 20 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: our buddies in the coaching fraternity as well as the 21 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: general managers around the league. And uh, we're gonna get 22 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: a chance to have two conversations today with two of 23 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: the best general managers in National Football League. Chris Greer 24 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: with the Miami Dolphins, and people don't know his background, 25 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: how respected he is. He's armed with draft picks. He's 26 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: got three first round picks, He's got a couple next year. 27 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: He's gonna be the man that kind of controls the 28 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: draft for the next couple of seasons. Get a chance 29 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: to visit with him, as well as Chris Ballard, who's 30 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: built a very talented roster here in Indianapolis. Yea, Chris Ballard. 31 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: You talked about the way that Chris Greer's revered. Chris 32 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: Ballard also has a very good reputation for building a 33 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: team and putting it together and having one of the 34 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: best eyes when it comes to the evaluation process. So 35 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: it'd be great to pick his brain on all things scouting, 36 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: how to put together a team rather than collecting individual talents. Um. 37 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: I can't wait to kind of keep this off. Also 38 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: gonna get a chance to to preview the tight end 39 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: position as well as the offensive line position a little 40 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: bit later on in the show, but before we get 41 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: to those interviews, in those positions. Buck some of the news. 42 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: I guess the big story here is is the lack 43 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: of big hands for Joe Burrow checking out just nine 44 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: inches for context, Jered Goff nine inch hands, Pat Mahomes 45 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: nine and a quarter inch hands. But it's sent some 46 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: people on a frenzy. Yeah, it some some people in 47 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: a frazzy. Part of it stems from the old school 48 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: belief that your quarterback needs to have big hands. When 49 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: you begin to, uh just kind of think about how 50 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: they're going to perform in inclement conditions. Do they have 51 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: big enough hands to hold onto the ball if it's 52 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: a wet or slick ball. Uh, those things kind of 53 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: factor into that old school mentality. I think we've seen 54 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: enough guys with smaller hands have success. Jared Goff has 55 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: had a pretty respectable career, led a team to a 56 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. Pat Mahomes is an m v P and 57 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl champion. So Joe Burrow didn't have anything 58 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: that we've seen on film to indicate that his hand 59 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: size will be an issue. But it's something that we 60 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: have to talk about because it didn't come up short 61 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: when you compare him to some of the other quarterbacks 62 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: that are in the league. Yeah, I think you know, 63 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: I haven't talked to anybody that's been really all that concerned, because, 64 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: as you mentioned, when you watch the tape, you don't 65 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: see it as an issue. If it confirmed an issue 66 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: you saw on tape and then you have the small hands, uh, 67 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: then maybe cause for concerned. I don't think it's much 68 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: of a big deal. Another thing that caught my eye 69 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: today and listen to some of these press conferences, Jason 70 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: Light with the Bucks was asked about would they consider 71 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: drafting a quarterback and he said, no, I would love 72 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: I would love to draft a quarterback and kind of 73 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: couched it at some point in time, Um, Bruce Arians 74 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: I believe, went out and said, you know, I can 75 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: win with with Jamis Winston, but it's still stopped a 76 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: little bit short of full commitment there to him. And 77 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: that comes on the heels of just kind of a 78 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: lot of buzz and rumors you hear around the league 79 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: of people attaching a guy like Jacob Easton to Tampa. 80 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: And I don't know what you're reading to that at 81 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: this point in time, but to me, I thought there's 82 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: a little smoke there, absolutely, And I think we've had 83 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: this conversation about Jacob Easton and where he kind of 84 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: fits in the evaluation, and I think we both kind 85 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: of talked about like it's it's easy to see him 86 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: being a first round pick and people will take him 87 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: to task for maybe the lack of production and lack 88 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: of consistency that he displayed at you Dub. But I 89 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: think we're at a new time now when it comes 90 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: to evaluating quarterback. I mean, if you go back to 91 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: Josh Allen, there are some you'se about his consistency and 92 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: his accuracy. But yet he is a guy that has 93 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: taken in the top ten and he's had a pretty 94 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: solid start to his career in Buffalo, albeit in a 95 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: different manner. I think with Eastern the thing that is 96 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: so appealing to him, scouts just loved the natural talent. 97 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: He's big, he has a classic delivery, he has a 98 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: big arm, he can spend it, and you see the 99 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: flashes on tap of him making big time throws. And 100 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: then when people talk to him, if the i Q 101 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: checks out, there want to be a handful of office 102 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,119 Speaker 1: coordinators and quarterback coaches that say, I have the magic touch, 103 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: I can bring it out of him. And because of 104 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: that I think people need to get comfortable with the 105 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: thought of Jacob East and being the first round pick. Yeah. 106 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: I haven't gotten comfortable yet, just to my own personal evaluation, 107 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: just because of some of the inconsistency that you mentioned there. 108 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: But man, there is a lot of talent to work 109 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: with and I think he'll have a big week here 110 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: in Indianapolis. All right, but let's let's get to our 111 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 1: our first conversation here, because we had a chance, as 112 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: I mentioned, to talk to the man who really holds 113 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: the keys of this draft, the Miami Dolphins. Three first 114 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: round picks, the loaded with picks throughout other rounds as 115 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: well as in the next year. And look, it came 116 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: at a cost. You try to make a Fitzpatrick, you 117 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: try to Laramie Tunsil. These are impact, premier players. You've 118 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: got all these picks. Now you've got to make the 119 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: right choices. Uh, that's the challenge for Chris career. But 120 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 1: I think you will enjoy listening to our conversation with 121 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: the Dolphins general manager. I appreciate you joining us today 122 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: this uh first of all new format here for the 123 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: combine early impressions of the change. Uh, it's a lot 124 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: of sitting around right now, I said, which is not 125 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: good for me because I'm eating, which is good so um, 126 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: but yeah, but it's a it's a lot of downtime, 127 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: which is you know, it gives you time to catch 128 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: up watching films, still on some stuff and do uh 129 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: other things. But for me, you're just stretching it out, 130 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: and it's just a lot of downtime. So when we 131 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: think about the combine, where does this kind of stack 132 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: in the evaluation process, Like you spend the fall doing 133 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 1: the tape and now you go and watch people work 134 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: out and you do two interviews. How do you wait 135 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: both aspects of cordingly? Well, I think you know, the 136 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: big part, like you guys been is is the tape 137 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: is the majority of it. I mean that really kind 138 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: of tells you who it is, because, um, you know, 139 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: with the combine, the players can kind of fake it, 140 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: you know. I mean guys will go, they'll train, they'll 141 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 1: get get in shape or you know, change their bodies. 142 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: You have a guy that like today that we know 143 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: was you know, overweight, heavy, comes here, he slimmed down 144 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: and looks good. So and then the thing has changed 145 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: I think over the years, which is interesting for me 146 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: is all the agents hiring former gms and players to 147 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: for the interview process to you know, coach them up, 148 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: you know, and so come here for you know, fifteen 149 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: eighteen minutes to try and you decide is just the 150 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: right person you know for your organization. For the most part, 151 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: you can, but you're still not enough time. You're gonna 152 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: have to go spend time and get me out of this, 153 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: you know setting, because everything's so rehearsed and coached for 154 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: these guys. Now, that's the hard part of trying to 155 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 1: really get to know who they are. One of the 156 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: things that I think is fascinating. I was talking with 157 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: the head coach yesterday and he actually showed me some 158 00:06:57,880 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: of the stuff that he's done to kind of provide 159 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 1: the menu for the personnel department. Right, so it just 160 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: kind of in terms of the ideal player for us 161 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: in this in our defense, it looks like this, and 162 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,559 Speaker 1: and had a list of five players in the league 163 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: that we're kind of the premier players, five players you 164 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: thought could be like real functional starters in their system. 165 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: How do you guys go about doing that? Connecting with 166 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: the coaching staff to make sure you guys are shopping 167 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: for the right groceries. Yeah, that's imperative, you know, it's uh, 168 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: the communication has to be you know, everyone has to 169 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: be on the same page. You've got no chance. So 170 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: it's a lot of time with Brian and the coaching 171 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: staff and the scouts making sure that you know, whether 172 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: it's prototypes you know, or um talking about you know, 173 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: scheme specific stuff. But at the end of the day, 174 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: it's it's all about the communication and really spending time, 175 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: um talking through things so that you know whether it's 176 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: you again talk about some of the top players, but 177 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: again it's it's part of that still has to be 178 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: the makeup of the player, you know. I mean it's 179 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: you always see talented players, but sometimes they may not 180 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: fit for what you want, you know, whether it's mentally, 181 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: character wise, etcetera. Um, So again talking do all that stuff, 182 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: that's the only way teams win and finding good players. 183 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: Are spending a lot of time doing it, so we've 184 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: we've spent a lot of times the staff doing that. 185 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: So Djen have talked a lot about this on the 186 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: podcast Positionless Players. There's so many teams that are having 187 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: players that kind of bounced around and they're kind of 188 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: these hybrids We've seen wide receivers that have running back 189 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: skills like wing backs. We've seen corners and safeties kind 190 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: of bounce around and some play linebacker. Um. How has 191 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: the versatility part of the game impacted the way that 192 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 1: you evaluate prospects? Yeah, definitely. Uh it's a huge part. 193 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: And I think the big thing is also for your roster, 194 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, when you're you know, it allows you to 195 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: keep players or other positions, uh, you know, or or 196 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 1: do things because you have guy that can play you know, 197 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: whether it's an offensive linement that can play guards center, 198 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: like you said, it's a corner that can play safety, 199 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: you know, like you know, like Eric Rohoe did that 200 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: for us. You know. So it's uh finding guys like 201 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: that because the game has changed so much where it's 202 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: spread out, it's not you know when we all first started, 203 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: it wasn't you know, full lack or an eye formation 204 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: into it. Then third down, here comes the third receiver. 205 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: I think teams are finding the ways to spread teams 206 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 1: out and do things, so you just have to adjust 207 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: and be able to find ways to I guess counter 208 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: it is the is the word I'm looking for, um, 209 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: because I think those players that have that position flexibility 210 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: to give you a tremendous amount of value on your roster. 211 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: Are you come into this draft armed with unbelievable amount 212 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: of capital here in draft picks? When you look at 213 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: it philosophically, I know everybody says, well, we'll do whatever 214 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: the board board dictates, But do you envision a possibility 215 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: with some of these picks that might even be your 216 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: early ones, but just the opportunity to kind of manipulate 217 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: the draft board a little bit based on just a 218 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: sheer number of picks that you have. Yeah, I think 219 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 1: you know, you're always looking forward and you always have 220 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: to look a year in advance as well, So you know, 221 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: for us, moving up, moving down, standing pat, you know 222 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: all those options, and we've had a lot of those discussions. 223 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: But I think, uh, you know, whatever we'll do, we'll 224 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: always do what's best for us. But I do I 225 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: like having the flexibility of doing that because it just 226 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 1: allows you do so many things, you know, and uh, 227 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, um, it'll be a fun but busy draft 228 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: day draft weekend for us. That bigs a question when 229 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: you talk about No. One next year's group, have you 230 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: guys spent time as a group studying what the quarterback 231 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: class looks like not only for this year's class, but 232 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: next year. Yeah, you have to, you know, and because 233 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: I think even you know all positions though, I think 234 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: because um, you know, nowadays college football has become like 235 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: three and ounce on a lot of these players and 236 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: the way it is, you kind of know who they 237 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: are just because the name and all the publicity that 238 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: comes with college football. So you know, for us, it's 239 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: it's just being aware. But you're always looking, Okay, this 240 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: guy's a sophomore, is gonna be a junior next year, 241 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: so he may be in the draft, may not, but 242 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:51,559 Speaker 1: but you you spend a little bit of time, and 243 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: I think the one thing that's good is, you know, 244 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: college football has been more receptive to working with the 245 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: NFL in terms of trying to get the right evaluations 246 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: for the their classmen and trying, you know, keep some 247 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: of these kids that shouldn't be coming out so they 248 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: stay and keep developing for another year. So I think 249 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: as long as we, you know, both sides are very 250 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: honest about doing it and and then working to help 251 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: each other because we really don't want the juniors to 252 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 1: come out. You guys know that we would love for 253 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: them to stay mature and grow, you know, get another 254 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: year playing and seeing things. And so I think as 255 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:22,679 Speaker 1: long as we have that communication with all of us, 256 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: it'll be good. So I kind of want to lean 257 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: on this because it's kind of one of those aspects 258 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: of people don't talk about first time head coach with 259 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: a general manager. How do you support a guy who 260 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: was still trying to make his way in the league 261 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: as a head coach because the responsibilities are so enormous. 262 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: How do you help support him while he's also transitioning 263 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: to being the leader of the franchise. Well, it's, uh, 264 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: it's funny you asked, because we were talking about that 265 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: the other day. And Brian is a tremendously intelligent person, 266 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: as you guys have been around him, and uh, his 267 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: ability to handle multiple things and do it where you know, 268 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: like for me, I need to go like here, let's 269 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: do this, focus on this and you know we'll get 270 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: to this a little. But Brian has that ability. Is 271 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: one of those people that you know, he can be 272 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: doing this and it will be thinking about this and 273 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: have it done. And and so for me, the big 274 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: thing is, um, it's just really being a resource for him, 275 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: you know, in terms of uh being exposed to some 276 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: of the stuff on our side, you know, not the business. 277 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: I have a personnel side of doing things, and but 278 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: I would just say Brian's intelligence is the thing. And 279 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: as you get to know him and be around him, 280 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: it's really impressive how he is and handles in the 281 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: amount of knowledge he takes in and and absorbs when 282 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: you talk to him. How much does it a coach 283 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: with a scouting background help. Does it help the conversations 284 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: that you have when it comes to roster building. Yes, 285 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: because I think he understands he's been you know, he's 286 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,199 Speaker 1: been on the road. He's been you know, kind of 287 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: grinding like how we do. And so I don't think 288 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: he's um, We're some coaches coming to this they haven't 289 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: seen a player before, so this is the first time 290 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: they see him. The guy runs great and shorts. He's like, oh, 291 00:12:57,880 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: this is my guy, and like, well, if you watched 292 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,559 Speaker 1: the on me before you fall in love or Brian 293 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: kind of understands the process and so h he really 294 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: appreciates the scouting part of it, you know, he says, 295 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: you know, he told our college scouts, you guys are 296 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: the bloodline of this organization. You know, he firmly believes 297 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,839 Speaker 1: that scouting is how you end so yeah, so it's 298 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: exciting to have him with that background and the importance 299 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: he puts on the player personnel. I'm just curious about 300 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: this when you guys are where you're picking, and you know, 301 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: in in the quarterback market as well, everybody's kept their 302 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: clerks cards very close to the vest I mean, Dorsey 303 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: had us guessing up until the last minute. He ended 304 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: the thing first pick in the draft, right. What is 305 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: the message to the group, however big or small that 306 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 1: group is that's in the know, to make sure that 307 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: you're guarding information at this time of year. Yeah, you know, 308 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: it's another discussion we had. It's it's just, uh, nothing 309 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: benefits us by getting out anybody, you know. So at 310 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you know, we'll have a 311 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: small circle and we get to the end and um, 312 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: you know, Brian myself and you know the owner obviously, 313 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: and you know Brandon Thompson, we'll get to that and 314 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: we'll get car decision on what it is. And and 315 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: but right now it's so early even you know, for 316 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: all these you guys that know, like, we haven't even 317 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: met any of these guys. So I always laugh when 318 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: guys like, oh, you guys love this guy, You're gonna 319 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 1: take this guy was like, I've never talked you know. 320 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, I was like, I was like, yeah, So 321 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, this guy may be the biggest jerk I've 322 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: ever met in my life, you know. And but um, yeah, 323 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: I think we're so far but once we get it 324 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: will be a small circle. And uh, you know, and really, 325 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: you guys know me. I'm not a big media guy 326 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: and and neither Brian. So I think if anything comes out, 327 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: it's gonna be someone making up something the last one 328 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: for me and we'll let you run on this one. 329 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: We we had fun talking with to LESCo about some 330 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: of the menial tasks you had to do as a 331 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: young guy in the personnel department. We've had a bunch 332 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: of talking about saving seats. He talked about a goose 333 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: chase that he had to go on. Um. But for everybody, 334 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people at home that a 335 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: lot of people listen to us. They aspire to be scouts. 336 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: They want to go into this world, and they think 337 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: it's just ranked players and pick players. They don't know 338 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: about some of the other stuff. Give us an example 339 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: of some of the menial tash you might have to 340 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: do back in the day. Oh wow, let's see. That 341 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: was with parcels and my dad, so I probably couldn't 342 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: say some of them, but uh, you know back yeah, 343 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: back in the mid nineties. So um, you know they 344 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: were very good to me. You know Bill, you know, 345 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: Bill treated me great and my dad. Um, I really 346 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: didn't have really anything that box. Did you guys use 347 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: the box? No, we didn't use the box, which was yeah, 348 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: thank goodness. We never did that. Yeah, all little and 349 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: at the end of the workout you'd be sitting there 350 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: like watching them. And but no, I never understood that 351 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: thing anyway too, So no, I got snacks? Do you 352 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: have to go get snacks there? No. I will remember 353 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: one time in mobile and Edwin Bailey remember Edwin Long 354 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: He was scouted for playing in the league yea, the 355 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: Seahawks offensive lineman. So he was scouting with us in 356 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: New England and uh, we're driving to practice one day 357 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: and Krispy Kreems had just become big and then the 358 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: hotlight came on and he cut over like three lanes 359 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: of traffic and we're like in the back seat, going, 360 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: oh my god, we're gonna die. And I'm like, what 361 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 1: do you you know, I'm from the Northeast. I'm like, 362 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: what are you doing? He's like the highlights on him, 363 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: he is he gonna fresh, and I'm like, what are 364 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: you talking about? Hotlight, I'm not gonna We almost died 365 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: for donuts. And I was like but I was like, 366 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, but yeah, no, I said, uh, we're 367 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: pretty good. Chris. Thank you so much for your time. 368 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: I know it's gonna be a busy draft. We appreciate 369 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: you taking some time. Thanks, guys, appreciate it. A Bucket's 370 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: always great to catch up with Chris, and even though 371 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: he hasn't been in the chair along, you can see 372 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: he's just got a maturity and wisdom to him. Growing 373 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: up in the game with his father. Talked about being 374 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: around coach parcels um this job is not too big 375 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: for him. No, it's not too big for him. And 376 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: I actually like the connection that he has with Brian Flores. 377 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: It seems like these guys are in lockstep in terms 378 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: of how they want to build the team. And I 379 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: thought his answer on having a coach with scouting experience 380 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: was very, very telling in terms of look, he understands uh, 381 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: what scales are thinking. He understands where this is in 382 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 1: the process. And I think that does give you an 383 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: opportunity to kind of see the game and see player 384 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: evaluation and player uh pure curement in the right uh 385 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 1: frame of mind. So it's great to get that insight 386 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: from Chris. Grew well, from one Chris to another. Chris Ballard, 387 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: as you mentioned at the top, Buck, you won't find 388 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: anybody more respected than him around the league for the 389 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: job that he's done evaluating players, first as a scout 390 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,880 Speaker 1: and then as a general manager here with the Indianapolis Colts. 391 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: And I thought it was a fascinating conversation listening to him, 392 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: uh talk about this entire process. So here's our chat 393 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: with Chris Ballard. Excited to be joined by Chris Ballard 394 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: here with the Colts. Chris, how you doing man? Good? 395 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me. I appreciate you doing this for us. 396 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: This is uh, this is different this year with the 397 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: combine so far. Your early impressions of the changes, well, 398 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: I mean, look what Jeff does foster in his group, UM, 399 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: pretty incredible. You know, they had to jump through a 400 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: bunch of hoops um with the with the move to 401 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: prime time, with the workouts, and then having to you 402 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: know it just medical, just site testing and just interviews. 403 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: I mean it's a big process. I mean, this is 404 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 1: a big event and what he's able to do pretty incredible, 405 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: you know, and thinking about the size of the event, 406 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: a lot of people on the outside really wonder what 407 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 1: do we what the scouts get out of the combine 408 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: when it comes to all the stuff that we're doing 409 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: fall So what do you, as gentlemanded, what do you 410 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: get out of the COMBA? Look? Number one Medical, I 411 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: mean why it was originally created. I mean we always 412 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: talk about whoever has the best information usually makes the 413 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: best decision. Most accurate and best information, you're gonna make 414 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: good decisions. So starting with the medical, you know, what 415 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: they're able to do here is is critical for us 416 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: UM and then being able to get at the first 417 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 1: initial impression in the interview process. Um, it might be 418 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: good or bad, and I've seen it go both ways. 419 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: Where a guy is a bad interview, we go revisit 420 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,719 Speaker 1: it again. It just allows us to you know, are 421 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: there any flags that we need to go and continue 422 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: to look look for here going forward? So that first 423 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: initial impression is critical, and then being able to watch 424 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: him work out on a big stage in front of 425 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: every head coach, in front of every assistant coach, in 426 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: front of TV. Now you know, how do they handle that? 427 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 1: How do they handle the big stage. I'll never forget UM. 428 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 1: When I was in Chicago, Johnny Knox, Johnny Knox, and 429 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 1: all he did was in every game and goes to 430 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: the Texas versa nation, performed, came to the Combine. Nobody's 431 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,640 Speaker 1: even talking to the kid performed, gets the NFL. He performed. UM, 432 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 1: So usually it translates that's fantastic when you're when you're 433 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: talking with these kids, I love to know kind of 434 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: what the go to question is where you feel like 435 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 1: you can actually get a meaningful answer and cut through 436 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: some of the preparation. Uh, that's out there. And the 437 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: reason I want to ask you about that it is 438 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 1: because I talked to a team when when Darius Leonard 439 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: was coming out, they asked him what would be a 440 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: successful rookie season, and they said he didn't stutter. He said, 441 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: first of all, I'm gonna take somebody's job, that I'm 442 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: gonna keep somebody's job. And then I'm gonna go to 443 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl. He had a three step plan that 444 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: presented the teams. But I'm always curious kind of what 445 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: your go to is there. You know, we've gotten to 446 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: where we've really turned it over to our coaches. Um, 447 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: when we're gonna dig into the you know, the personal 448 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 1: and the football character side of things, we're gonna go 449 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: spend time with them. I just think the more time 450 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: you spend with a player and and with anybody you're, 451 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: the better you're gonna know them. So we're gonna go 452 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: spend more time with them. But now what we are 453 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: able to get out of them is when when they 454 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: get into our interview setting, are we let our coaches 455 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: have all eighteen minutes of it now and they're gonna 456 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 1: present a play. They're gonna teach a play, They're gonna 457 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: watch the play. Then they're gonna watch some of the 458 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: prospects film and then they're gonna see if they can 459 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: repeat back what information they can repeat back. So just 460 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: their capacity to think on their feet, Um, you know, 461 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: how do they handle the information? Is there anything else that? 462 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: And some guys, guys will screw it up, they'll get nervous, 463 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: it'll be we'll be interview number ten and you know 464 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: a lot of information has been going through them and 465 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: they'll repeat something they hurt in another room. Um. But 466 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: it's a great it's really great insight from a coaching 467 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: and scouting perspective of just how they learn, what can 468 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: they retain? You know. So and it's always a estate 469 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: to me. And I always wanted to ask a Genlem 470 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: manager this. Um. So much of scouting where we risinly 471 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: come from, is evaluating talent and individually putting talent together 472 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: as a team builder. How do you take a collection 473 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: of individual talent to build it in the right way 474 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: for the team to be successful. It's the hardest. I 475 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: think it's the hardest. That's the hardest thing we do. 476 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: You know. How do they fit, you know, into your 477 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: locker room? Um, we talk about it all the time 478 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 1: in Indian we're pretty selective. I mean, you know, we're 479 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: there always tell our guy we're in the elimination business. Um, 480 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: We're gonna eliminate the guys that we know don't fit. 481 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: And there's a very strict criteria that they have to 482 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: meet to get, you know, onto our draft board. And 483 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna take them. Um. And there's a certain uh 484 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: from a football and personal football character and a personal 485 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,479 Speaker 1: character standpoint that they have to have. Um, are they 486 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: all gonna be perfect? No, but they've got to be 487 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: in They've got to be able to fit into the 488 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: team concept. I mean, look, you know, in this league, 489 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: you know we want I mean look, I mean careers 490 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 1: are short, so players you know, I'm all for them 491 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: getting you know, and doing the best they can can. 492 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: But I always try to explain to our players that 493 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: when your team does well and you do it within 494 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 1: the team concept, you're gonna do better. Also, two the 495 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,360 Speaker 1: things I think pretty universal when you're watching teams around 496 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: the league and how you're building your teams. It's hard 497 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: to be a bad team with a great offensive line. 498 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: It's hard to be a bad team with a really 499 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: really fast defense. When you're looking at each side of 500 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 1: the ball, what are the things you guys are focusing 501 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: on trying to continue to build well? I mean look, 502 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: I mean we're always gonna be front driven. How I 503 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 1: was raised in this league. I just think over time 504 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: it shows. I mean, when you're good up on the 505 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: old line in D line, Um, it gives you a 506 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: chance to win every Sunday. Might not be pretty. It 507 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: might not be with the world always wants UM, but 508 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: it gives when you can block people and you know 509 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: you control the line of scripts, gives you a chance. UM. 510 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: And then from a from a standpoint, what was the 511 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: next question looking at the speed on the defensive side 512 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 1: of the ball. I mean, look, we're in a we're 513 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: in a sub defense world now, um, where you're playing 514 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: nickel and dime seventies seventy pent of the time. So 515 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: to me, speed allows you to make mistakes. So you 516 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: can make mistakes but still recover from it. And with 517 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: our like it was one of the things where you know, 518 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: we're playing in ideal conditions here in Indie. We've got 519 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: a great building, great surface to play on, so we're 520 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: gonna play to that, and we're gonna evaluate and try 521 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: to acquire as many fast players as we can. You know, 522 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: and thinking about that, you've been the league a long 523 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: time and the quarterback position has seemingly changed, where the 524 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: last year we saw athletic playmakers, guys that can make 525 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: plays with their feet and also being able to throw 526 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: from the pocket. When you look at the quarterback position, 527 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: has it changed the way you evaluate it because you've 528 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 1: seen so many mobile playmakers have success. That's a that's 529 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: really good and just I think if you go back 530 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: in time, let's go back, let's go back to Cordell Stewart, 531 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: what Pittsburgh did with Cordell. I think I think what 532 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: the good coaches in this league do is they adjust 533 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 1: to what So if you've got a special player, uh 534 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: um at the quarterback position, and maybe maybe he's not 535 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: in a traditional sense what we've we're all used to, 536 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: but he can make special plays on game day that 537 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: help you win. UM. When the offensive coaches can help, 538 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: when they can adjust to that, it's I mean, it's 539 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: critical for your success. And I think nowadays with way 540 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: college football is, you're seeing a lot more of it 541 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: um and we've got to adjust and our and our 542 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,640 Speaker 1: coaches adjusted. The good ones do. One of the things 543 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: we've also talked about kind of the the Deebo Samuel impact. 544 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: You talked teams around the league right now trying to 545 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: find that guy. You've got one in Paris Campbell providing 546 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: can stay healthy. But just the the impact of having 547 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: somebody that Bucky almost used the term like a wingback 548 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: is almost what you have somebody playing the slide you 549 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 1: can put him in the backfield, you can do all 550 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: these different things with him, and the impact that can 551 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: have on an offense and the challenge for a defense, well, 552 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: I mean, look, you gotta prepare for him. And when 553 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 1: I was in Kansas City, we we had success with 554 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: it because I mean we took the Anthony Thomas who 555 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: was kind of playing that role, and then when we 556 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: first drafted Tyreek Hill, that was his role until he 557 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: developed into a full time receiver. Um, but it does. 558 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: It puts a lot of stress on the defense when 559 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: you have a player that's got a unique skill set 560 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: and explosive skill set that the defense knows that I'm 561 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: gonna have to defend him from the backfield, from the 562 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: slot and then possibly outside, and he can also carry 563 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: the football. I mean, there's a lot of different elephants 564 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: that they have to you know, elements that they got 565 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: to prepare for, you know. On on on the flip side, 566 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: on defense, we're seeing more guys that can do more things. 567 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: Corners that can play inside, play Nickel's safeties that are 568 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: dropping into box and being quasi linebackers. DJ and I 569 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,120 Speaker 1: have talked about position list football. When you look at 570 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: prospects are you really evaluating to seeing if guys have 571 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: versatile skill sets to do more than just that one position. 572 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: The the forty six man limits you to where on 573 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 1: game day they've got to be able to play multiple spots. 574 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: When when I got can only do one thing, it 575 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: really limits especially if somebody gets hurt. Um, So the 576 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,679 Speaker 1: more they can do, the better it's gonna be. And 577 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,639 Speaker 1: now and I think with the with the changing elements 578 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: you're seeing on offense, you talked about um, you know 579 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 1: Samuel and and being able to defend him. You know, 580 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: got being able to take a corner and move him 581 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: inside to defend him. Uh. For linebackers that are athletic 582 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: and fast enough to be able to handle him, you know, 583 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: when they try to get those matchups. I mean, at 584 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 1: the end of the day, that's what it is, matchup league, 585 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:23,719 Speaker 1: and you gotta be able to match up at every spot. 586 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: And the more a guy can do, the better better 587 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: for you, especially on game day. Last one I'll let 588 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: you run with asked everybody that's come through here because 589 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: you go back to your road dog days as a scout. Um, 590 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: just a favorite scouting story that you have there on 591 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: the road. We've heard We've heard stories about keys locked 592 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: in your car at games. Uh, people getting lost in 593 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: all types of ways. We had the trees at Berkeley 594 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: when we had the folks living up on the trees 595 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: during those years. Uh, just a fun scouting story back 596 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: from the old days. Oh god, I guess so many. 597 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: I mean, we were just talking about the one at 598 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: Tu Lane, about the map, because you know, we didn't 599 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 1: have phones and and we didn't have maps on our phones, 600 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: and we'd use a map for everything. And I left 601 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: the hotel at seven thirty and didn't get into two 602 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: Lane till eleven thirty in the morning. And how long 603 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 1: shouldn't have taken It should have taken me five freaking minutes. 604 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it was unbelievable, my ignorance reading a map, 605 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: and then I'm calling the secretary, going, I can't find it. 606 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: Look for the baseball statium. I can't find the baseball stadium. 607 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 1: Oh no, it's crazy. So good, Chris, we know what 608 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: you're business. Thank you guys being such great host. Appreciate 609 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,800 Speaker 1: all right, appreciate it. But great to catch up with 610 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,719 Speaker 1: with Chris Ballard. And I love what he said when 611 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 1: you talked about speed allowing you to be wrong on 612 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: occasion and got time to be right because you've got 613 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: the speed to get there. And I think that's a 614 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: great way to put it when you're trying to evaluate 615 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 1: these defensive players. We've talked about it. You and I've 616 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: talked about it on the podcast on multiple occasions. We've 617 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: talked to other general managers about I distinctly remember Thomas 618 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: dimetro Off talking about the pursuit of urgent athletes trying 619 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: to put more speed on the field. Uh, it makes sense. 620 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: It speaks to what you and I have talked about 621 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: position list football on the defense of the ball. And 622 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: when Chris talks about being able to erase mistakes, what 623 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: he's saying is a player can make the wrong read. Uh, 624 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 1: maybe a little late with his instincts, but because he's 625 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: such an explosive athlete, he can still make the play. 626 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: And because they play inside, because they play on a dome. 627 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: You want to build your team to match your stadium 628 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,679 Speaker 1: building for the surface, Yeah, you build it. You put 629 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: a fast team together like it changes, particularly on the 630 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: defense side of the walls. Yeah. I think that goes 631 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: back to really build Pollian. When you look at the 632 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: team you were around there with the Buffalo Bills, how 633 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: he built that team for that weather and what they 634 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: did to then come in here with the Colts. Look 635 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: at the edge rushers that they built here with Matthews 636 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: and Freening. Just just get some speed and use that 637 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: surface to your advantage. Yeah, you absolutely. I mean they're 638 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: guaranteed to have at least eight games of nice weather 639 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: n conditions if you consider the Houston Texas. So so, 640 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: now when you're building your team, and we've always talked 641 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: about you have to build your team to win the division. 642 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: Will you're taking the account the home field and those 643 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: things that you may be challenged with on the road. 644 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,239 Speaker 1: A fast team in that division certainly plays well. All 645 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: It's great to catch up with those general managers. Now, uh, 646 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: let's get to these tight ends. When you look at 647 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: this group, Buck, we've got your top five list here. 648 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: Why don't you roll through those five names and then see, um, 649 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: if you can't highlight one or two of these guys 650 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: and what you're looking for this week? So here here 651 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: he goes. We talked about the position being a matchup position. 652 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: All these guys have the potential to create these mismatches 653 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,239 Speaker 1: that we look for. Co commit from Notre Dame as 654 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: a guy that big, big dude, He's number one on 655 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: my list. Hunter Brian from you Dub Harrison Brian from Florida, Atlantic, 656 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: Adam Troutman from Daton who showed up really really well 657 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: at the Senior Bowl, and then Jered Pinckney from Vanderbilt. 658 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: To me, the guy that stands out is obviously the 659 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 1: Notre Dame standout. When you watch him on tape, so big, 660 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: so massive, such a red zone weapon, does a great 661 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: job catching the ball with his hands, moves well for 662 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: you guys, you're talking about six five six six, He's 663 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: very athletic. I think he can be a guy that 664 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 1: also can help you in the blocking game. I think 665 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: those tight ends are really valued, commanded, harder to find, 666 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: hard to find. And I'm not calling him Rob Gronkowski, 667 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: but think about the impact that Rob Gronkowski had on 668 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: the pages, his ability to create mismatches in space while 669 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: also being a dominant player in the run game. It 670 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: just changes the way defense have to defend you, no doubt. 671 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: And when I look through that list, I have commit 672 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: h Harrison, Bryan, Adam Troutman kind of is my top three. 673 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: I have committ at the top those other two. I 674 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: mean I'm really sorting those three guys out and getting 675 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: a chance to see uh commit here in person, see 676 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: him move around will be big for me. Somebody's a 677 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 1: closer on the baseball team. He hasn't even been fully 678 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: devoted to football. He's got a frame. He's gonna be 679 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: able to carry two hundred and seventy pounds when it's 680 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: all said and done, to earn seventy five pounds even 681 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: he is huge, So tremendous upside with him. But I 682 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: think what we saw at the Senior Boat between Harris 683 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: and Bryant and Adam Troubling their mismatched players did. Both 684 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: of those guys are terrific. And I'll talk about Brian first. 685 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: Brian is someone that we we saw in the regular season. 686 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: I had to do the preview on for a couple 687 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 1: of Conference USA games and you can see him stand out. 688 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: He's a guy that is really a big slot receiver. 689 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: I mean he's big, he's athletic. We saw at the 690 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: Senior Bowl he consistantly created separation, was really a nice playmaker. 691 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: And then when you go to Troutman, I think Troutman 692 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: is your classic y. I was pleasantly surprised with his 693 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: route runnability, the way that he calls passes down into 694 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: Senior Bowl. It shows up on tape, but I felt 695 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: like he is a sticky blocker and that is really 696 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: his selling point. He's a blocker plus hard to find 697 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: those guys in the draft. Let's get to your your tackles. 698 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: Here are your top five tackles. Man. I love this 699 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: tackle class. I'm really excited about what they will do. 700 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: Starting with Jedrick Wills Alabama, Tristan Worse from Iowa, Andrew 701 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: Thomas at Georgia, McKay Beckton from Louisville, and then Josh 702 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: Jones from Houston. I think there's something unique about each 703 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 1: of these players. When I look at Wills, Wills is 704 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: really a natural right tackle. I know, we get caught 705 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: up in these labels right tackle, left tackle. I think 706 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: what I like about him, he's consistent. I think he's 707 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: a high level consistent. There. I don't it doesn't matter 708 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: to me which side he plays on. I think he's 709 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: going to have success. And then the guy who's really 710 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 1: the buzzca backed in from one that you're beginning to 711 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: hear his name six seven plus in the scouting community, 712 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: and anybody who goes on YouTube sees the videos that 713 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 1: are out there on YouTube on the Twitter verse when 714 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: you see him just kind of moving around their basketball 715 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: videos of him. Great athlete and so that past protector, 716 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: particularly on the blind side, you wanted to be a 717 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: dancing bear. He has all of that. And then something, Yeah, 718 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 1: he's a definition of a freak. And Jedrick Wills consistent 719 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: as anybody you know, I have him as my as 720 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: my second guy, you have him as the first guy. 721 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: I think that's a He's a great football player who 722 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 1: protected to his blindside there on the right side, just 723 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: doesn't get beat. He's twitched up, he can roll his hips, 724 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: he can climb up to the second level in the 725 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,560 Speaker 1: run game, does a lot of things that you really 726 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: love there. And then the one you know I struggled 727 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: with early on, Josh Jones there from Houston was a 728 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: little bit of an acquired taste for me. It wasn't 729 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: as high on him early on uh first day at 730 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: the Senior Bowl, he struggled, and then he really put 731 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: together a strong rest of the thought he was the 732 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: best guy down there leading into the game. And when 733 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: I went back and Washington buck Well, He's not what 734 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:08,400 Speaker 1: we would say real urgent or explosive. At the end 735 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: of the day, you're paid to do one thing to 736 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: keep your man from the quarterback, and that's what he 737 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: did very well. He did do that. That will and 738 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: I think it would be interested in, particularly down at 739 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 1: the bottom of the first round, uh, which teams would 740 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: view him as an acceptable fit. We saw last year 741 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: with Dillard going to the Philadelphia Eagles, a guy who 742 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 1: we talked about, Hey, you know, he's really more of 743 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,800 Speaker 1: a pass protective How does that work? Well? The Eagles 744 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: solve value in that because of the way that they 745 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: run their offense, and so I think the same thing 746 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: with Jones talking about being an acquired taste. I think 747 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: he is a bit of an acquired taste. Um, but 748 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: he's tasty for those teams like Yeah, Tristan Worths is 749 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: another one. I think it's gonna he's gonna have a really, 750 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: really impressive time showing his athleticism out on the field. 751 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: I wrote him up as a tackle, not as a guard, 752 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: not because I don't think he can play tackle. I 753 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: think he can be functional out there and can be 754 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: a good player. I just saw somebody with the strength 755 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 1: in his hands and having some issues overset adding I 756 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: thought you were limited all those issues. If you give 757 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: him a neighbor on each side, put him at guard, 758 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: and he could be an all pro. But teams are 759 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 1: different on that in terms of what position he'll play. Yeah, 760 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,359 Speaker 1: it's funny. I really liked him when I watched him 761 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: on tape. I felt like at the right side, like 762 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: he does a great job of selling and controlling the edge. 763 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: And once again, I think with all of these guys, 764 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 1: is not necessarily just ranking him for the talent, but 765 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,120 Speaker 1: how do they fit? And certain teams I could see 766 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 1: having a reshuffling of the deck based on how these 767 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: guys fit. I think worse in the run game. I 768 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:30,480 Speaker 1: think his value is really in the ringing. I think 769 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: he's really really solid and we know IOWA alignment our technicians. 770 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: They do a really good job of playing well and 771 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: playing for a long time in the Nation Football League. 772 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: Al right's get to your interior guys here. Switch over 773 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: to the interior guys. I got it Lloyd Cushionberry from 774 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 1: L s u uh Tyler. I'm gonna miss his name 775 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: up by by Dads. I gotta look it up to 776 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: by dads from Wisconsin, the Timmy Moody from Fresno. Bill, 777 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: you're supposed to bear a Wisconsin guy, you know, Matt 778 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 1: Hennessey from from Simple and then Robert Hunt from Louisiana. Um, 779 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:00,799 Speaker 1: I think the guy that stands out to me. I'm 780 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: not gonna talk about the top guys, but Muti from 781 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: Fresno State. Now not just medical man, it is here. 782 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, and here's the debate that you and 783 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:10,799 Speaker 1: I can have when I great players, I try to 784 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 1: discount the medical. I try not to put that in 785 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 1: because if we were on the road, that's what we 786 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,840 Speaker 1: would do. The medical wouldn't affect our initial grades at 787 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: the number. You put letters on it the end of 788 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:23,400 Speaker 1: the end, and then we'll let the doctors and the 789 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: medical people, uh determine that. But when I look at 790 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: him on tape, Man, you talk about it mean big 791 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: joker that likes to throw people at the club. He 792 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: is physical at the point of attack, does a great 793 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: job of really controlled controlling that interior. Um, I don't know. 794 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: I think it depends on how they claim on the medical, 795 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,240 Speaker 1: but in terms of on the tape, he's a dominant 796 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,000 Speaker 1: play at the point of attack. Yeah. Again, it's just 797 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: a it's a laundry list of medical sort through. But man, 798 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: he is very physical and very talented and I'm glad 799 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:53,760 Speaker 1: you put Robert Hunt on here from Louisiana, Uh, Louisiana, 800 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: Lafayette out there. He plays tackle. I wrote him up 801 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:58,440 Speaker 1: as as a guard. I think you played guard. I 802 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: think you play center as well. He another one with strong, 803 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: heavy hands. Man. When he lands his hands is over. 804 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 1: It is absolutely over. And he does a good job 805 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:09,359 Speaker 1: of shocking people. I think the notable omission on this list, 806 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: and I've heard about it. Uh, what are you standing on? 807 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: This is our ruise. He's my top guy. Of all 808 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:17,719 Speaker 1: the guys you have here, he'd be number one on 809 00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 1: my list. He I had a tough time with him 810 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:21,800 Speaker 1: because I saw a guy that was on the ground 811 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: a lot, and I just had a tough time, like 812 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,320 Speaker 1: I felt like he was overextended. I felt like he 813 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 1: had the ground a lot. And it may have been 814 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:29,719 Speaker 1: the games that I watched. I just didn't get a 815 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: great sense of him being like an elite player. And 816 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:34,160 Speaker 1: I heard it from his agent. His agent sent me 817 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:36,239 Speaker 1: a little text like, Hey, where's my guy? And I 818 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: was like, hey, I didn't see a special player at 819 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: that position. Yeah, I mean Buck, I saw him on 820 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 1: the ground too, but usually his man was underneath him 821 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: and he picked him back up and after you put 822 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 1: him down. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 823 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: That's scouting. That's what scouting is. Man, he trust me, 824 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: I've had I've got one general manager buddy that loves him, 825 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: and I've got one general manager buddy that hates him. 826 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: How it works, I had a tough time. Like you 827 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 1: watched the three games, then you put it down, you 828 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: go work out a look at Yeah, you know, I 829 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: just couldn't get fired up about him. Maybe he'll show 830 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 1: me something at this that it kind of brings. But 831 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:11,399 Speaker 1: are you with me? And that I do not have 832 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: any interior lineman. If it works would be the exception, 833 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: depending on what you think of him. If he's a 834 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: guard tackle, he's a top twenty pick. I don't have 835 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: a first round uh player on the interior. No, it 836 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 1: was hard. It was hard to get excited. And what 837 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,400 Speaker 1: made it even more difficult when you called around you 838 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: couldn't get a consensus from anybody. You're like, hey, who 839 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 1: do you like on the inside? Any of these guys 840 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: that's you value as a first round pick, and I 841 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,399 Speaker 1: couldn't get that consensus. So you're right, Worse has more 842 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,400 Speaker 1: value as a guy that would be a transition a 843 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 1: conversion player, more so than some of these guys that 844 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: have played a position for a long time. All right, Buck, 845 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: We're about done here. Just a final impression here from 846 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:47,720 Speaker 1: our real first full day of work here in Indianapolis. 847 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,000 Speaker 1: You know, I think the big thing here is just 848 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: getting ready for the event. Um. The one thing that 849 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: always stands up to me or stands out to me. 850 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,240 Speaker 1: How do guys handle the interview part of it, especially 851 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 1: when we're talking about the quarterbacks? How did they handle 852 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 1: that part? Are they presidential? Can you see them being 853 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,520 Speaker 1: kind of the face or the public voice of the 854 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,200 Speaker 1: franchise because that's the expectation that used to be the 855 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: expectation for the quarterback position. How did those guys handle 856 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:14,799 Speaker 1: themselves behind the mic? And I just think look free 857 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,919 Speaker 1: agencies coming up even before the draft, and every team 858 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: is trying to do the same thing. You're trying to 859 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: add more talent to your team. And I feel like 860 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,839 Speaker 1: this week, you know, with getting Tamposey on the show 861 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 1: and helping us out a little bite. She's look, I 862 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,719 Speaker 1: like to go shopping from my players at places that 863 00:38:31,719 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: I respect and have been successful. Now she hasn't had 864 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,919 Speaker 1: that luxury. She's been with you around the NFL group, 865 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: but I don't hold that against her, and to bring 866 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 1: her into the fold here and see somebody just flourish, 867 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:43,160 Speaker 1: you know, and they know what I like about her. 868 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: I think she's embraced the championship standard that we've established here. 869 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 1: Like sometimes when you come from a program where you 870 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: haven't had a lot of success and you're trying to floundering, 871 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: you're you're a fringe playoff team. But she is kind 872 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:55,439 Speaker 1: of embraced. I think that might be the new England 873 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 1: Patriots in her. She has joined the Patriots, and so 874 00:38:57,840 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: I think she's she's fully on board. The only thing 875 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 1: I just thinking of was having her working with us 876 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:04,320 Speaker 1: here in Indianapolis. I'm here going like, I don't listen 877 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: to that show, but I've heard she doesn't have a 878 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:09,440 Speaker 1: prominent role, and I'm like, seriously with that group, like 879 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:11,839 Speaker 1: she's not the star. Like you've got to be able 880 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:13,640 Speaker 1: to evaluate your own roster before you can go out 881 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,360 Speaker 1: and evaluate another one. Absolutely, like player deployment like you 882 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,399 Speaker 1: have to understand your player, understand your person oel. That's 883 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 1: the that's the first lesson when it comes to team 884 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:23,000 Speaker 1: building in and actually coaching, like you know what your 885 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 1: players can do, give them opportunity to do that. Yeah. 886 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: Well that's our final thoughts here from the combine. Uh 887 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: here Lucas oil Buck getting excited for these interviews or 888 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 1: for these uh for these workouts down here on the field. 889 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:35,239 Speaker 1: We cannot wait. I hope you will join us on 890 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 1: the coverage here. You can find us on NFL Network, 891 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 1: NFL dot com. If you want to check out the 892 00:39:39,160 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 1: podcasts and share it with your buddies, we appreciate it 893 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: leaving us a review and a little uh. If you've 894 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:46,239 Speaker 1: got your question for us dropping an Apple podcast, we'll 895 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:48,319 Speaker 1: get to it. So thank you guys for checking us out. 896 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,240 Speaker 1: We'll catch you next time right here on move the sticks. 897 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:06,640 Speaker 1: We have got to move U