WEBVTT - Erik Ezukanma Joins Drive Time 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:05.840 To us touch style waddle stuck into the end zone 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:10.680 of Miami tight window. They had to get that touchdown 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:17.360 on that play. They get it. What is up, Dolphins? 0:00:17.520 --> 0:00:20.639 And welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:26.280 Miami Dolphins podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins. 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:29.600 How's it going everybody? I am your host, Travis Wingfield. 0:00:29.760 --> 0:00:32.640 And on today's show, another draft pick joins us here 0:00:32.680 --> 0:00:36.200 on Drivetime. We'll hear from Dolphins fourth round pick number 0:00:36.240 --> 0:00:41.159 one overall wide receiver out of Texas Tech, Eric Easookama. 0:00:41.200 --> 0:00:43.840 He'll talk to us about learning under a Texas Tech 0:00:44.000 --> 0:00:46.920 legend and Wes Welker the private workout the two had 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:49.440 prior to the draft with the Dolphins wide receiver coach, 0:00:49.640 --> 0:00:52.400 how he improved throughout his time at Texas Tech, and 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:55.520 much more. Plus will break down his tape and get 0:00:55.560 --> 0:00:59.200 some reaction from the national media landscape on new Dolphins 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:02.400 wide receiver Eric I zoo Kama from the Baptist Health 0:01:02.440 --> 0:01:07.280 Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:13.839 Drivetime Podcast. Let's go ahead and kick off this edition. 0:01:13.920 --> 0:01:17.560 This special draft pick interview edition of the Drivetime Podcast. 0:01:17.720 --> 0:01:20.800 My sit down with new Dolphins wide receiver Eric Zukama. 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:23.800 What's up, Dolphins? Travis Springfield here, the host of the 0:01:23.880 --> 0:01:27.160 Drivetime podcast on the Miami Dolphins podcast network, and I'm 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:29.560 happy to be joined today by new Dolphins wide receiver 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:34.440 Eric Izokama. I get that right, Azukama, apologize about that. Eric. 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:36.399 Welcome in, man, Thanks thanks for joining us. Thank you 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:39.120 for having me so first off, welcome to Miami. You 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:41.560 get the call come down here today. How you feeling 0:01:41.600 --> 0:01:44.160 this it? I'll hit you yet, man. I'm just taking in, 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:47.520 you know, step by step and just letting it all 0:01:47.640 --> 0:01:52.000 sink in and and it's it's very overwhelming. But you know, 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:55.720 I feel like once I get some time really just 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:58.560 let it all and take it all in. It it's 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:00.280 it'll happen eventually. I mean, I'm sure it's It's been 0:02:00.280 --> 0:02:02.400 a whirlwind weekend for you here. But I wanted to 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:04.200 go back to your draft day set up. I wanted 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:06.000 to know about how the layout was for you guys. 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.120 Were you watching TV? Did you have something to kind 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:09.519 of keep your distracticus. I know it can be a 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:11.680 little bit nerve wracking. Did you have your family friends 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:14.000 that wanted to look like for you guys? Family friends 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:18.679 just hanging out. Uh. Woke up day three and kind 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:20.440 of just sat on the couch for a little bit, 0:02:21.160 --> 0:02:23.600 and my friend was like, hey, you know, let's go 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:26.040 throw the football outside. And we and I go outside 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:28.760 and we're throwing the ball around and we have also 0:02:28.800 --> 0:02:31.359 have a TV outside. So I'm kind of looking looking 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:33.959 at the TV, but I'm not looking at the picks 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:36.400 at the time. And you know, I get a call 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:39.440 from for a lot of day and I looked down 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:41.440 on my phone and I didn't think it was real. 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:46.440 And I look I answered the phone and and coaches like, yeah, 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:49.359 you know, we want you in Miami. And I look 0:02:49.400 --> 0:02:52.080 at the picks on the TV and Miami head is 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:56.000 the next, you know, two picks away. So until I 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.880 saw my name, I didn't, you know, believe it really, 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:03.240 but it all it all settled in there and happy. 0:03:03.280 --> 0:03:04.840 You don't have to wait very long, I'm sure pretty 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:06.800 quickly on on that Saturday morning you got the call 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:09.240 or Saturday afternoon should say, you got that call. So, 0:03:09.440 --> 0:03:10.639 but you had your phone and I was smart to 0:03:10.680 --> 0:03:12.920 keep the phone on you outside. You gotta have that. 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:15.280 But so I want to hear kind of the moment 0:03:15.280 --> 0:03:17.000 you got the call like the emotions going through your head. 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:18.240 You can take us for the moment you got that 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:20.000 exact call. And I know you said that didn't feel 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:22.360 real yet, but like, how did you feel in that moment? 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:25.800 It was, you know, everything I've ever dreamed of as 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:28.560 a kid, you know, and you wait your whole life 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.120 to be in this opportunity and and to get the 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:33.720 call it was. It was just a surreal moment. And 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:35.880 I had you know, family and friends around me scramming 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:38.600 in the background, you know, excited for me. And I'm 0:03:38.680 --> 0:03:42.360 running around the pool like four times, and and I'm 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:44.640 trying to you know, keep my composer as I'm talking 0:03:44.680 --> 0:03:47.840 to like pr team and and and the GM and 0:03:48.320 --> 0:03:51.640 you know, and just thanking them for you know, taking it, 0:03:51.760 --> 0:03:54.600 taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity. 0:03:55.320 --> 0:03:57.000 It's really good to hear. So you talk about talking 0:03:57.000 --> 0:03:59.320 to coach McDaniel a little bit and that draft call. 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:01.480 What was your impression or having a chance to meet 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:04.680 Coach McDaniel. What's your early impression of him? Man, great guy? Uh, 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:08.040 you know, hoping you know, get to know him some 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:10.840 more as I'm here as a as a dolphin and 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:14.600 very excited for the opportunity, but offensive cornator Frank Smith. 0:04:14.600 --> 0:04:18.400 Having met him yet, I have not um but looking 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:20.800 forward to meeting the whole staff and and letting them 0:04:20.800 --> 0:04:23.600 pouring to me and and give me all the knowledge 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:25.520 I need to be great here. So I know one 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:27.599 guy you did meet and know about really well is 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:30.400 a wide receiver coach here, former Texas tech red Raider. 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:31.880 You got to be so far I have to learn 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:36.839 under West Welker, right man. Uh, yeah, he's a tech legend. 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:39.240 You know, I've I've looked at his his pictures all 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:41.880 around the facility since I've been there for the last 0:04:41.880 --> 0:04:44.240 four years. And and to be in the same place 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:46.320 as him and learn from him, it's gonna be great. 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:48.640 So you had a private workout with him prior to 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:51.359 the draft. What was that like? He came out, you know, 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:56.200 he had you know, fans taking pictures and tech legend 0:04:56.279 --> 0:04:58.440 and executive and then we got to the workout and 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:01.200 he's just giving me some gim you know, give me 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:05.200 good technique tips and and coaching me up. And and 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:08.640 I'm really excited to to work with him and get 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:10.840 this opportunity. Is he a pretty high energy coach? Was 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:12.359 he was a yelling screaming a little bit, or was 0:05:12.360 --> 0:05:15.320 he pretty pretty relaxed? Relaxed, you know, And that's that's 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:18.080 really you know, the respects factor you get, you know 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:21.120 when you know your coaches relaxed and but he knows 0:05:21.160 --> 0:05:23.520 exactly what he's talking about, and you know, you gotta 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:27.960 listen when he's talking, and you know, I'm just really excited. 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:30.800 It's I can tell on your face it's he's I mean, 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:32.320 he's a guy that kind of read defined the slot 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:34.080 position a little bit. So it's a great guy to 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:36.120 learn from. And he'll have a room where you joined 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:40.040 some talents like Tyreek Hill, Chitlin Waddle, Cedric Wilson, Trent Sherfield, 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:43.080 Preston Williams, Lynn Bowden, River Craycraft, and the list just 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:45.400 goes on and on. Man, how familiar are you with 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:47.840 the players in that room? And what excites you most 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:50.440 about playing with those receivers? Man, I just want to learn. 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:53.560 I feel like I'm I'm gonna come in and the 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:56.679 veterans on this squad and a lot of great elite 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:59.080 talent in the room, and I'm gonna sit there and 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:01.159 I'm gonna learn. I'm at a lot of questions and 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:04.200 you know, I'm gonna watch how West coaches them and 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.360 and ask the right questions and that as many questions 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:09.920 as possible, just so I can gain as much knowledge 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:13.880 as I can, uh, you know, during training camp and 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:16.200 O T A S and all that, and I'm just excited, 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:18.560 you know, to see all the guys and and get 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:20.760 to know everybody. A lot of those guys really excelled 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:22.359 with the ball in their hands after the catch. I 0:06:22.360 --> 0:06:24.720 saw you average right around eight yards after the catch 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:26.640 last season, one of the tops and all of college football. 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:27.840 I don't know if you knew that, but that's the 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:29.800 staff that I found on you. And you talked about 0:06:29.839 --> 0:06:32.080 your run after the catchability in your in your in 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.000 your media availability of the day. That's one of the 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:36.840 buzzwords around this building this offseason. What makes a receiver 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:38.440 good with the ball in his hands and chewing up 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:41.440 yards after the catch? Man, it helps out with everything 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:44.120 you know, down in distance, if you need you know 0:06:44.160 --> 0:06:46.560 that extra two yards, You know that guy is not 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:48.919 just gonna get hit and go down. He's gonna try to, 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.479 you know, gain the extra a couple of yards. And 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:53.240 it helps out with the quarterback as well. And you know, 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:55.920 making quarterback look good, you know, throwing throwing a little 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:58.240 slam and being able to break it for another thirty 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:02.479 forty yards. So uh, and it's it's gonna just you know, 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:05.200 revamp the whole offense and and help out this team 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:07.800 win those pot past jet sweeps you take for sixty yards. 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:09.320 I don't help the quarterback stat line a little bit 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:10.960 and didn't have to do a whole lot, just pop 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:13.160 the ball out there. You also talked about a tougher 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:15.280 catch right, making the contested catches down the field. You 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:17.440 talked about growing in that area. How did we able 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:19.480 to kind of come along in that that part of 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:22.120 your game at Texas Tech? Just buying into the to 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:25.040 the weight room, just learning. You know, my body is 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:28.200 bigger than most people. You know, so when the ball 0:07:28.280 --> 0:07:30.080 is in the air and I jump up for you know, 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:31.680 a lot of guys won't be able to just move 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:33.880 me out of the way while I'm attacking the balls. So, 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:36.160 you know, buying in some way room and eating right 0:07:36.280 --> 0:07:40.360 and getting in nutrition and you know, playing big to 0:07:40.440 --> 0:07:43.120 your size is definitely what helped me. Uh. You know, 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.000 develop with contested catches probably helps you a little bit 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.520 in the downfield runblocking game too, right, a big part 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:50.280 of that as well. So going back to kind of 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:52.400 your your background here a little bit back and fort Worth. 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:54.840 You grew up with six siblings, which which child in 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:57.400 the pecking order are you? I'm number three, number three, 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:59.520 so you've got the experience of older and younger. So 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:01.600 you took how was that kind of growing up in that? 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:04.280 And it with with six brothers and sisters? Man, Uh 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:06.760 so six brothers and sisters. My mom and my dad 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:10.280 were divorced, and uh, you know, just growing up a 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:13.040 lot faster than you know, a regular kid would. And 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:16.480 you know, with that, you know, it's it's a curse 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:18.040 and I'm blessing at the same time because you have 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:21.000 all these siblings and you know, uh, you know, you 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:22.520 have a lot of people to talk to you Hank, 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:26.080 spend time with, play video games and play sports with, 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:28.880 you know, on your downtime. But also like they can 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.880 you know, be you know, a little little brother can 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:36.120 be annoying or you know, tell on you or anything 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:39.080 like that. But you know, I love all of them, 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:41.880 and we're all like a lot older now, so you know, 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:45.199 we're just appreciating each other's company at this point and 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:47.280 you know, love each other, keeping each other and check. 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:49.880 I'm sure as kids. You mentioned playing some sports, some 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:52.280 three on three football games, full time quarterback. That's kind 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:54.040 of how you guys laid it out. Yeah, teaching my 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:56.800 little brother how to catch football, you know, make the 0:08:56.880 --> 0:09:01.240 cutback juke, you know, on the sideline and being able 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:04.320 to you know, have family football out there on Thanksgiving. Oh, 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:06.720 that's perfect. What a great turkey bowl that is. And 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:08.360 then of course you mentioned your mother, the clue that 0:09:08.440 --> 0:09:10.400 kind of held everything together for you guys there, and 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:12.120 you talked a little bit about how important she was 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:13.720 and how you taught how she taught you how to 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:16.040 grind the seven to seven, seven and seven pm shift. 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:19.160 You talked about at what age did you realize, man, 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:23.720 my mom is basically a superwoman. At a really young age. 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:26.840 She used to go to work and then I have 0:09:26.880 --> 0:09:29.080 a game in the morning, and she picked me up 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:30.439 and take me to the game, and then be at 0:09:30.440 --> 0:09:33.120 the game and while I'm running a touchdown, she's running 0:09:33.120 --> 0:09:36.520 down the sideline with me and screaming my name, and 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:39.080 then right back to work that day. And it's and 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.959 I watched her grind every day and it was just 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:46.480 like Man, I have no excuse not to, you know, 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.240 get up and grind, you know, just watching that growing 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:51.679 up and being as old as I am now and 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:53.680 still watching her do the same thing I was doing 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.760 when I was when I was a kid. So how 0:09:56.840 --> 0:09:58.440 was that moment with her in the draft yesterday when 0:09:58.440 --> 0:10:00.240 you when you guys kind of embraced for the first 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:04.440 time and realized, like, mama made the NFL. It was like, 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:07.559 man's we've we've talked about it since I was a kid. 0:10:07.600 --> 0:10:10.320 My mom was always you know, preached it preached it 0:10:10.440 --> 0:10:12.840 to me that you know, you have NFL talent and 0:10:12.880 --> 0:10:15.200 you're going to go to the NFL. And and I've 0:10:15.360 --> 0:10:17.840 you know, I've always wanted to make it, so I could, 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:22.240 you know, prove her right, you know, so basically to 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:25.520 be able to actually, you know, say I'm in the 0:10:25.600 --> 0:10:30.480 NFL and hug her. And we've hugged probably twenty times 0:10:30.520 --> 0:10:34.920 in the last twelve hours. So um, you know, it's 0:10:34.679 --> 0:10:37.080 it's it's been a great feeling. That's what it's all about. Man. 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:38.440 I got two more questions for you I get you 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:40.040 out of here. What are you most looking forward to 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:43.560 about your opportunity here in Miami I'm just I'm looking 0:10:43.600 --> 0:10:47.920 for the opportunity to win as a team, you know, 0:10:48.520 --> 0:10:52.679 to learn from great people and you know, leave a 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:56.080 legacy for the next guys that come. Uh you know, 0:10:56.559 --> 0:10:59.680 coming from Texas Tech, you know, I did everything I 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:03.719 could to leave something there for the younger guys behind me. 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:07.280 And now I'm in that role to you know, learn 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:10.480 and then grow and then leave a legacy behind me 0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:15.240 again here. So I'm just excited for the opportunity to 0:11:15.440 --> 0:11:18.040 be able to uh just help this team win. The 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:20.600 last question for you, what kind of person and player 0:11:20.640 --> 0:11:24.079 are the Dolphins getting in you? They're getting a dog. 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:27.120 I'm gonna say that every time anybody's ever asked me that, 0:11:27.200 --> 0:11:31.160 because that's just what I That's who I am, and 0:11:31.640 --> 0:11:33.679 I'm gonna go every play and I'm gonna play hard 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:38.239 every player. I love to block. Like I said, my rackability. 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:40.680 I love when the balls in my hand, I'm looking 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:42.839 to score. I don't look to round, a bounce, a 0:11:42.880 --> 0:11:46.920 get tackled or by one person or anybody. You're just 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:49.640 gonna get a hard working guy that has a high 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:52.240 motor and and that's gonna bring people with them. I 0:11:52.280 --> 0:11:54.079 love that. Go find that pilot right, get getting that 0:11:54.160 --> 0:12:01.120 end zone as a Comma appreciate time. And there he 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.960 goes a fun chat with new Dolphins wide receiver Eric Azukama. 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:07.000 We're gonna come back on the other side of this 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:09.440 break and talk a little bit about more of his background, 0:12:09.760 --> 0:12:12.040 his film, all the fun stuff we talked about here 0:12:12.040 --> 0:12:14.600 on the Drivetime podcast Coming your way next, brought to 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:20.880 you by Auto Nation. Back here on this draft special, 0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:25.120 the wide receiver Eric Azukama edition of the Drivetime Podcast. 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:27.240 Here we're taking a look at his background a little bit. 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:29.520 We'll get into the tape and segment number three, but 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:30.840 I want to go ahead and start off here by 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:35.360 just kind of looking around his profile, where he came from, 0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:38.200 how he got to college and eventually to the Miami Dolphins. 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:40.520 And you know, he came from Texas. One of I 0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:46.000 would say three states between Texas California, and we'll give 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:48.559 it to Ohio that can compete with Florida in terms 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:51.240 of high school football talent. Right Like, that's that's about 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:54.880 the four states that are in play towards the top, 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:57.840 although we all know the really reality is that Florida 0:12:57.920 --> 0:13:00.439 kind of reigned supreme in that regard. Now the numbers 0:13:00.559 --> 0:13:04.120 as far as NFL players goes is tilted towards Florida. 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:06.680 But those that play ball in Texas will tell you 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:09.520 it's just different out there, right, small town Texas high 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:12.160 school football as sure as a lifestyle. But kind of 0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:13.920 a cool story here about zu Kama is that he 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.800 played at Timber Creek High School, a school that opened 0:13:16.880 --> 0:13:19.600 up as recently as two thousand nine, and now he's 0:13:19.640 --> 0:13:22.160 the first player from that school from Timber Creek High 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:25.040 School to be drafted into the National Football League. He 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:28.960 was All State his junior season with nearly fiftred receiving 0:13:29.040 --> 0:13:32.839 yards and twenty touchdowns, twenty of them through the air. Boy, 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:34.720 times have changed since my high school days. We used 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:36.439 to run the football fourty times a game and throw 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:39.280 at five or six. That was only fifteen years ago. 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:42.000 But before those high school years, Azukama was a kid 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:44.560 growing up with six siblings. As you heard him discuss, 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:48.120 being raised by his mother, Laurette, a frontline nurse who 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:50.440 taught Eric how to work, and the mentality she instilled 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:52.880 in him was the primary reason why he's here today 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:55.200 a member of your Miami Dolphins. And his own words 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:57.880 and he penned and awesome in my own words piece 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:00.760 that you can find on Texas Tech, dot Exposure, dot co. 0:14:01.120 --> 0:14:03.679 In it, he writes about his mother working long hours 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:06.800 and still finding ways to get to his games, and 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:09.079 how he seemed to play some of his best games 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:11.800 when she was there in attendance. He talks about the 0:14:11.800 --> 0:14:14.480 support system of his family and also the environment at 0:14:14.480 --> 0:14:17.679 Texas Tech fostering their players and caring about them as people, 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:20.280 and his dream of being drafted, which was really his 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:22.840 goal since he was seven years old. In the story, 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:25.520 really cool piece, highly encourage you check it out. Next, 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:27.640 Let's go ahead and here from the NFL Draft media 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:31.240 on what Zukama scouting reports are and what the Dolphins 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:33.400 are getting in this new receiver from Texas Tech and 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:36.440 NFL dot COM's Lance Zerline, who we reference here on 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:38.760 the podcast Quieter Bit. He has a lot of skin 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:40.120 in the draft game. He's been doing it for a 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:43.320 long long time now, but he had this to say 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.680 of Azukama. He has enough speed to get down the 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:48.240 field and challenge coverage while displaying in a Nate sense 0:14:48.520 --> 0:14:52.160 for protecting and finishing contested catches underneath. We'll talk a 0:14:52.160 --> 0:14:54.040 lot more about that here in just a moment, and 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:56.680 the Draft Network lists their favorite traits of his game 0:14:56.760 --> 0:15:00.600 as his big playability, competitive toughness and balls els and 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:03.400 the expanded notes and their laud his willingness to block 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:07.480 and Azokama gives effort to block the defender he's responsible for. 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:10.520 They write, and we'll also hustle down the field for 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:12.480 a key block for a teammate, or to throw a 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:14.520 key block, I should say, for a teammate down the 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:16.840 football field. I just keep going back to what Mike 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:20.480 McDaniel talked about saying, this is a football player playing 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.640 the wide receiver position. I just love that descriptor to 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:26.480 this from the Draft Network. A big receiver who can 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:28.040 line up in the slot and work the middle of 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:30.680 the field and serve as a red zone target with 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:33.360 a big catch radius. They love his hands, the big 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.080 strong myths that can snatch it off frame. Again, all 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:38.280 this will cover in my own tape review here in 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:41.080 third segment of this podcast. Let's go ahead and roll 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.560 the tape here of the moment the draft pick was 0:15:43.600 --> 0:15:47.080 announced on NFL Network and what a cool moment it was. 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:49.800 From Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:52.120 our draft pick was announced overseas by one of our 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.920 new marketing territories with the National Football League. Let's go 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:58.120 ahead and go to the scouts on the breakdowns. Receiver 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:00.840 and as outstanding ends. He has some of the most 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:02.840 incredible catches of anybody in this draft class. You can 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:05.160 watch him against Florida International on the sideline, just a 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:08.920 ridiculous catch, fantastic hands, gonna get down the field and 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:11.600 went on jump balls CD. That's what he does best. Yeah, 0:16:11.600 --> 0:16:13.440 and it's not just all you know, everybody wonders about 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:15.680 Texas Tech and the old days of the gimmick offense, 0:16:15.680 --> 0:16:17.960 scheming guys, op, what have you. This is a tough 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:21.320 receiver who works inside the scenes, also can work out 0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:23.120 to the perimeter. And we had good look at this. 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:26.080 You know what people say, throw short, run long, he can. 0:16:26.240 --> 0:16:28.160 He can do that for you as well. I really 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:30.400 liked his tape going through. I've been able to sit 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:32.920 with bid Fedel for a long time. Three days worth. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:35.040 He liked this guy, turned him out and turned him 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:37.680 onto me. I was with him totally on that one. 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.560 This kid could play. So Charles Davis there of NFL Network, 0:16:40.640 --> 0:16:44.080 Daniel Jeremiah, their lead draft analysts. They're really good breakdowns 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:46.480 there of his game from two of the best in 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:48.560 the game. Let's go ahead and take our last break 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:51.840 on this edition of the Drivetime Podcast. Your host Travis Winkfield, 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:54.320 brought to you by Auto Nation, will come back on 0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:56.800 the other side and do my favorite thing we do 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:59.480 here on the Drivetime Podcast. Take a look at the 0:16:59.480 --> 0:17:05.880 tape next Drivetime. Alright back here on this Eric Azukama 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:11.440 edition of the Drivetime Podcast, the one of the NFL Draft, 0:17:11.560 --> 0:17:15.879 the second selection for your Miami Dolphins in this year's draft. 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:18.480 Let's go ahead and get right into the tape. Two 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.679 games I think really portray his skill set, and I watched, 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:24.000 you know, I got a little bit greeding. Went to 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:25.959 the highlight tapes, I mean receivers. It's a little bit 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:27.600 easier to watch highlight reels of them and kind of 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:30.720 get a feel for how they compete on the balls 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:32.760 that are targeted for them. You can also watch the 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:35.840 full game reels on YouTube, but as far as watching 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:37.680 the tape, went through two full games and then gotten 0:17:37.680 --> 0:17:40.159 to YouTube as well. So going back to you know, 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:42.879 I want to go back as well, because I just 0:17:42.920 --> 0:17:45.400 think that the full complement of what he did. Their 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:47.760 Texas Tech can give you a better snapshot of what 0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:49.960 his game is because we talked about this right like, 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:55.080 there was a lot of tumultuous circumstances around the quarterback 0:17:55.119 --> 0:17:57.879 situation during his career there, and he still managed to 0:17:57.920 --> 0:18:01.480 produce some of the most high yardage or the best 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:04.280 yardage totals in the Big twelve year and a year out. 0:18:04.320 --> 0:18:05.760 So let's go ahead and kick it off with an 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:07.640 Oklahoma game I watched, and he starts in the very 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:09.640 first play of the game, and this was a theme 0:18:09.640 --> 0:18:11.760 that I picked up throughout this watch that he really 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:15.760 has an innate ability to chew up off coverage by 0:18:15.800 --> 0:18:18.480 getting out of his stance and onto the defensive backs 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:21.000 toes right away, and that helps him snap the route 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:24.080 off after getting the defensive back to commit by flipping 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:26.560 their hips. And typically you watch them, they kind of 0:18:26.600 --> 0:18:29.440 fear when he gets to the outside upfield shoulder quickest 0:18:29.480 --> 0:18:31.800 because they know that that is a position where he 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:34.320 can high point the football and also come back and 0:18:34.320 --> 0:18:37.120 play the back shoulder ball. Now, on this particular play, 0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:40.960 he's got a six yard cushion with inside leverage, and 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:43.080 you guys know by now the inside leverage means we're 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.840 gonna lamp on the inside shoulder closer to the quarterback 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:47.920 of the wide receiver and try to cut off those 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:51.959 inside releases. So he pushes up attacking that inside shoulder 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:54.600