Cover 3 College Football Podcast

Episode: NFL Combine Preview + Cover 3 Mailbag

Date: February 26, 2026
Hosts: Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell, Bud Elliott

Episode Overview

On this episode, Chip, Tom, Danny, and Bud preview the 2026 NFL Draft Combine, field listener questions from their Cover 3 Mailbag, and discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of college football, including NIL and transfer portal legal disputes, QB rankings, and NFL Draft prospects. The show balances inside-the-locker-room anecdotes with sharp analysis, making it a can't-miss for diehard CFB fans gearing up for the combine.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Danny Kanell's NFL Combine Memories

(01:10–08:54)

• Danny’s Combine Experience:
  • Found the process stressful and exhausting, likening interviews to "speed dating" with 15-minute rotations through rooms of staff from different teams.
  • Drug tests were done very early ("had to wake up at like 5:00am"), adding to the long days.
• Weird Interview Questions:
  • Shared a quirky moment with then-Eagles QB coach Jon Gruden:

    “He was like, all right, I'm gonna give you a play. Tell it right back to me... King right trip wing, Sadie, QB, 235, quarterback pass, wing, 8, Y6, Bam. Say it back to me.”
    (Danny Kanell, 04:07)

  • Giants' psychological evaluation was notorious for its 400-question length, e.g., "Do you like dogs or cats? Do you get faint at the sight of blood?”
• Simplified College Playbooks:
  • At FSU under Mark Richt, the playbook was “a little notepad…more memorization and code words than complexity.”
  • The biggest shock going pro: “The NFL wasn't the speed, it was the playbook and consuming so many more formations and newer plays.”
    (Danny Kanell, 07:14)
  • Noted nostalgia for how simple the FSU system was:

    "We just had that much better dudes that we were just going to beat them."
    (Danny Kanell, 14:48)

2. Signal-Stealing & Play Calling in the 1990s

(08:54–17:03)

• Only one coach signaled in plays at FSU, making it easy for opponents to steal signals if they wanted.
• Bud describes how modern teams use multiple signalers, sometimes researching their backgrounds to deduce the "live" signaler.
• FSU’s offensive success attributed to execution and talent, not playbook trickery.
• Nostalgia for when shotgun formations and no-huddle offenses felt innovative—now commonplace.

3. NIL Contract Disputes—Cincinnati Sues Brendan Sorsby

(18:23–26:09)

• Cincinnati sued Texas Tech QB (former Bearcat) Brendan Sorsby for breach of NIL contract, seeking a $1 million exit fee.
• Bud sees this as precedent-setting: “Are we really going to be in the business of suing our players?... It’s setting precedent at a time when rules are murky.”
  (Bud Elliott, 20:05)
• The transfer portal’s legal terrain remains unsettled, but schools are testing boundaries.
• Discussion of how public perception and “big money” narratives play into these legal battles.

4. QB Rankings & Transfer Market

(21:24–27:04)

• Panel reflects on QB top 10 rankings; consensus at the top, uncertainty after 5th or 6th spot.
• Notable: Many QBs slotted within a similar range, reflecting a deep and intriguing QB pool for 2026.

  “The amount, the level of talent that’s coming back should provide a really fun year.”
  (Danny Kanell, 24:00)

• Discussion of Cal’s retooled WR room via transfer portal, impact on QB performance.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Combine grind:

  "Speed dating. You get about 15 minutes in each room...I didn't get too many bizarre questions, just more—how much football do you know? What was your favorite game? What was your worst game?"
  —Danny Kanell (02:20)

• On old-school FSU offense:

  “Our playbook was a joke…not a lot of new stuff…our shallow cross concept was big at the time. That was it.”
  —Danny Kanell (07:14)

• Gruden’s recall test:

  “King right, trip wing, Sadie, QB, 235, quarterback pass, wing, 8, Y6, Bam. Say it back to me...I don’t think I aced it–probably why they took Bobby Hoying over me.”
  —Danny Kanell (04:03)

• NIL legal confusion:

  “Do we really want to be in the business of suing our players?...it’s almost like a message to future recruits.”
  —Bud Elliott (20:05)

• On the QB class:

  “There’s so many teams that I feel like you could really dream on the QB situation…there’s not a lot of programs where you say, ‘oh God, that’s not it.’”
  —Bud Elliott (26:32)

NFL Draft Combine Preview

What the Hosts Are Watching For

(31:46–44:47)

• Tom's Watchlist:
  • Jeremiah Love running the 40-yard dash.
  • Caden Proctor's stamina and performance in drills (“looked tired a lot last season”).
  • Harold Perkins’ athletic tests:

    “If he kills the combine stuff, somebody’s gonna look at Micah Parsons…but Parsons’ speed to power is just insane.”
    —Bud Elliott (34:11)

• Bud on Proctor:

  “When he knows what he's doing, he's a special athlete…but is the reaction stuff there?”
  (34:25)

• On Defensive Tackles:
  • Caleb Banks (Florida) and Reuben Bain (Miami) potential first rounders. Big ceiling, but questions on consistency and fit.
• Wide Receivers/Speedsters:
  • Zach Branch (receiver), Arian Brown, Dion Burks, Jeremiah Love, D’Angelo Pons highlighted as potential fastest 40 times ([40:14])
  • Discussion on in-game MPH analytics vs. traditional 40-yard dash.

Fun Segment: Cover 3 40-Yard Dash

• Hosts joke about who would win a Cover 3 staff 40 ([44:18]):

  “Not me.” —Tom
  “Probably DK—he played in the NFL.” —Bud
  “The old guy—still got it, baby.” —Danny

Tom Fornelli's Mock Draft Highlights

(51:46–61:00)

• Top Picks:
  • 1st: Fernando Mendoza to Raiders
  • 2nd: Arvel Reese to Jets
  • 3rd: Spencer Fano (OT, Utah) to Arizona
  • 4th: Reuben Bain (Edge, Miami) to Washington
• Wide Receiver Class:
  • Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate top WRs, but consensus is the class lacks a superstar—Tate as a “good NFL #2.”
• Deep Positions:
  • Offensive tackle and defensive line cited as deep, solid groups.

    “I would say the deepest position is offensive tackle. I don’t think there’s a Hall of Fame talent, but a lot of guys who will be good NFL tackles for you.” —Tom Fornelli (62:36)

• Question Marks:
  • Down year for quarterbacks:

    “A lot of the guys who will go first at their position this year might have been third or fourth at the position last year.” —Tom Fornelli (64:16)

Top Timestamps

• Danny’s Combine Memories: 01:10–08:54
• Old School Play Calling & Signal-Stealing: 08:54–17:03
• NIL Lawsuit Breakdown: 18:23–26:09
• QB Rankings Debate: 21:24–27:04
• NFL Combine—Players to Watch: 31:46–44:47
• Tom’s Mock Draft Deep Dive: 51:46–61:00

Tone & Style

• The hosts maintain a blend of locker room storytelling, sharp humor, and data-driven analysis:

  “I could draft Kenyan Sadiq first overall. That person was built to play football.” —Chip Patterson (64:29)

• Interactive and community-driven, referencing their loyal YouTube chat ("tailgate"); they riff on inside jokes, listener questions, and each other authentically.

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a deep dive into both the mechanics and mythology of March’s NFL Combine. From Danny’s “speed dating” interview tales to cutting-edge analysis of the 2026 draft class and NIL disputes, listeners get both context and personality. The crew highlights the larger shifts in college football’s structure while keeping an eye on the next generation of NFL talent—and keeps things lively with plenty of playful banter and self-deprecating humor.