NFL Cover Zero: Drafting NFL QB's of the Future

Summary

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NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin

Episode: Drafting NFL QB's of the Future

Release Date: July 15, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, and producer Billy R. dive into a fantasy "QB of the Future" draft, debating which signal-callers they’d pick to lead a brand new NFL franchise moving forward. The draft format considers not only current talent and production but also age, health, upside, and—inevitably—intangibles and personality quirks. Along with sharp football insights, the trio keep the tone light with plenty of banter, offbeat tangents (Las Vegas performers, anyone?), and playful trash talk.

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Main Discussion: Drafting NFL Quarterbacks for the Future

Setting Up the Draft (04:03–05:33)

• The hosts explain the draft premise:
  • “If you were starting an NFL franchise tomorrow, and tomorrow you got to pick your quarterback… what is the order that you would draft the quarterbacks… going forward.” – Drew Franklin (04:03)
• Criteria: Not just this year’s ability, but a blend of current value and potential for future seasons (factoring age, injury history, style of play, and potential longevity).

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The Picks: Quarterbacks 1–10

1. Patrick Mahomes (Chosen by Drew) (05:33–06:56)

• Drew goes with Mahomes for instant credibility, proven winning, rings, and reliability.
  • “He’s just won too many times. How many times in the big moment have we seen him make the play to win?” – Matt Jones (06:08)
• Minor pushback for picking an older guy, with Billy and Matt both stating Mahomes wasn’t their #1.

2. Josh Allen (Billy) (06:50–07:17)

• Billy likes Allen's blend of youth, athleticism, and "hunger" for a title.
  • “Josh has a hunger about him for not winning a championship yet.” – Billy R. (07:02)

3. Joe Burrow (Matt) (08:18–08:29)

• Matt takes Burrow for his durability as a pocket passer and potential for a lengthy career in a Brady-esque style.
  • “Of all these guys, he probably has the game that most allows you to get old.” – Drew Franklin (08:31)

4. Drake May (Drew) (09:33–11:16)

• Drew picks the breakout Patriot for high upside after impressive stats and Super Bowl experience by year three.
  • “He’s already taken those lumps… I would trust him if I’m picking quarterback for my franchise for the future.” – Matt Jones (10:01)

5. Caleb Williams (Billy) (15:04–15:25)

• Billy swings for the fences with Williams, “the Madden cover athlete,” citing video-game-level throws and massive franchise star potential.
  • “He made some throws this year that I don’t think I’ve ever seen a quarterback make.” – Billy R. (15:13)
• Drew calls this "feast or famine;” could be a top pick or major bust.

6. Justin Herbert (Drew) (16:15–17:05)

• Drew sees value in the 27-year-old’s arm and untapped star potential, even if he’s flying under the radar.
• “He’s my pick for long shot MVP this year.” – Drew Franklin (17:05)
• Odds check: Herbert has the 4th-best MVP odds at +1000 (17:41).

7. Jordan Love (Matt) (18:21–18:41)

• Based on youth and potential, Jordan Love gets the nod, with hopes the Packers’ injury woes are behind them.

8. Lamar Jackson (Billy) (18:57–19:45)

• A surprise slide for the reigning MVP, largely due to concerns about durability and style aging.
  • “Will he still be great and the quickness? I think the answer is going to be no. So the question is how many years of greatness do you get?” – Drew Franklin (19:34)

9. Jaden Daniels (Drew) (20:56–21:41)

• Needs a bounce-back and has injury risks, but Drew sees top-three upside if Daniels hits his stride again.

10. Sam Darnold (Matt) (22:10–23:13)

• Matt trusts Darnold’s remarkable career revival (“blacking out all the jokes”), Hall of Famer-level stats with Vikings, and Super Bowl ring.

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Mid-Round Notables & Fun Sidebars

Trevor Lawrence Debate (23:21–24:28)

• Billy argues Lawrence (pick 11) is turning the corner with better coaching and has division MVP upside.

Fernando Mendoza & Las Vegas Tangent (26:24–29:22)

• Drew makes a “reach” for Mendoza, touting his wholesome image as perfect for the Vegas market. Leads to a hilarious rankings of Vegas-only acts (Carrot Top, The Amazing Jonathan, Lance Burton).

The Sliding Veterans (Stafford, Dak, Goff) (31:02–39:57)

• Stafford (14), Mayfield, and Goff (21) come off the board surprisingly late due to age or perceived upside, but all three are recognized as still-capable franchise faces.
  • “Is it disrespectful to have 13 people go ahead of [Stafford]?” – Drew Franklin (31:58)

Running Down the Stretch (40:03–47:26)

• Positions 22–32 feature more controversy, backup pairings, and jokes about aging bodies and quarterbacks:
  • Bryce Young (22): “If I had $100,000… with who’s left, I think it’s easy to go Bryce Young.” – Matt Jones (40:24)
  • Daniel Jones (27): “If he’s healthy, he’s a top 20 quarterback. Question, of course, is if he’s healthy.” – Drew Franklin (60:17)
  • Tua, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers round out the last spots, with Watson picked for “drama” and Rodgers finishing dead last.

Notable & Humorous Quotes

• On Mahomes vs. Allen: “Mahomes just has that extra gear when you need him in crunch time. Whereas Allen has had a lot of bad turnovers where he’s trying to be too aggressive.” – Matt Jones (54:02)
• On Sam Darnold: “I’m blacking out all the jokes from when he was seeing ghosts… He’s turned it around completely.” – Matt Jones (22:17)
• On questionable Vegas nightclubs for Mendoza: “He’s going to look sin right in the eye and say, you know what? My heart is strong. I will not be tempted.” – Drew Franklin (26:32)
• Draft fatigue: “Now it gets rough. This is where, after Baker Mayfield, we’re dropping into no man’s land.” – Drew Franklin (41:15)
• On passing over Aaron Rodgers: “Geno’s got seven years on Aaron Rodgers. Aaron comes with drama. You’ve wanted the drama. I don’t want his drama near me.” – Matt Jones (47:12)

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Headlines & Other Topics

Seahawks Sold for NFL-Record $9.6 Billion (48:19–52:26)

• Billy reports the Seahawks’ sale to Vinod Khosla’s family. Comparison to Paul Allen’s $194 million price in 1997 and speculation about Cowboys/Patriots being worth $15-20 billion.
  • “Is there a better return on investment in the last 30 years?” – Matt Jones (49:20)

ESPN’s Top QB Survey Sparks Discussion (52:27–54:43)

• Billy shares ESPN ranking Josh Allen #1 ahead of Mahomes. The guys note the close resemblance to their own draft and discuss the value of “winning the big one.”

Tangents: Celebrity Golf, Las Vegas, Jay Peterman (54:43–59:32)

• Discussion veers off to Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament, John O’Hurley (Jay Peterman) finishing last, and more. Classic Cover Zero blend of sports talk and random pop culture.

Final Headlines: Daniel Jones Injuries & Contract (59:58–61:24)

• Colts QB Daniel Jones progressing from injury, with hosts noting he’s been undervalued (“27th in our draft… if healthy, he’s top 20.” – Drew Franklin (60:17)) and the wild upward spiral in NFL player contracts.

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:03] – Draft premise introduced
• [05:33] – First overall pick (Mahomes)
• [09:33] – Middle rounds: Dray May, young QBs discussion
• [15:04] – Caleb Williams picked, rookie QB debate
• [31:02] – Las Vegas acts tangent
• [47:09] – The last picks: Geno Smith & Aaron Rodgers
• [48:19] – Seahawks sold for record price headline
• [52:27] – ESPN QB rankings debate
• [59:58] – Daniel Jones injury update

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Final Remarks

This episode showcases the hosts’ football insights, willingness to challenge groupthink, and ample sense of humor—making their unconventional QB draft both a fun and informative listen. Snake-drafting the future of the NFL gives way to tangential riffing about pop culture and sports business, but always circles back to the big question: Who is your guy to bet a franchise on, and why?

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For Listeners:

• If you missed the episode, you’ll find not just a tiered ranking of the NFL’s most promising and proven QBs, but also plenty of why-did-they-pick-him moments and a reminder that football talk is best served with a side of jokes and hot takes.

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Transcript

[Narrator/Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Matt Jones]

Guaranteed Human.

[Billy R]

Get that AMEX gold cart ready.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm way too tired to cook tonight. You read my mind. With the gold cart, we can get

[Narrator/Announcer]

up to $120 a year in statement credits. Are you feeling the Cheesecake Factory?

[Matt Jones]

Five guys?

[Narrator/Announcer]

Either of those sound good?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Which one?

[Drew Franklin]

Both pay with the gold card to

[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Drew Franklin]

NFL cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. Welcome, everybody. It is NFL Cover Zero. I am Matt Jones here and we are, I guess our third week of restarting all things NFL and Drew Franklin, Matt Jones, Billy R Sports. Drew, are you. We're seven weeks away from the NFL season. Are you feeling it?

[Matt Jones]

Definitely feeling it. As Billy pointed out last week, the hall of Fame game sneaking up on us. I had a lot of fun drafting our fan bases last week. With apologies to Arizona. Sorry. Don't take it personally. Yes, but it's helped get in the. In the mood for football. Being around the corner.

[Drew Franklin]

I. I heard some feedback on that. I think a lot of people felt like I get I gave too much respect at number one for the Pittsburgh Steelers and I don't think that was fair. I think they should have been number one. But people said that's ridiculous. And the Bengals fans especially were very upset.

[Matt Jones]

Bengals, I guess the rivalry is.

[Drew Franklin]

And they were like, how can you make it be as if, you know, a national college basketball show made Louisville number one?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, we would have a problem with that. As Kentucky fans. However, Steelers on another level than the Bengals. So they can hush. Yeah, completely.

[Drew Franklin]

There you go.

[Matt Jones]

Where are your terrible towels? We didn't mention the towels. They have their own towels. It's another big part of their tradition.

[Drew Franklin]

But they're terrible.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know if it would have been my number one, but I had three in mind to start the show and they're one of the three, so I had no problem with it.

[Drew Franklin]

I also want to apologize to everybody. I bit my tongue.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Drew Franklin]

Like, literally today. Yes. And it's like swelling.

[Matt Jones]

Were you eating?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes, I was eating chips and queso and I bit and the chip moved.

[Matt Jones]

Damn those chips.

[Billy R]

Dangerous.

[Drew Franklin]

And I, like, bit the side of my tongue and so it hurts when I speak, which is hard for this show. But I'm going to get through it. But if I sound a little swollen, it's because I bit my tongue.

[Billy R]

I've done that before. Nothing worse. Especially if you're a talker in the world. Well, if you're a talker, like, this is your. Your day job. So.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes. Did you get any. You. You were shaking your head. Did you get feedback about our.

[Billy R]

Just about the Browns? People were saying we went way too high on the Browns. I think that's unfair. I mean, they got the dog pound again.

[Drew Franklin]

That was probably Bengals fans that were

[Matt Jones]

upset because for a team that doesn't win to have the passion that those fans still have, they're very deserving of that ranking.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes. And they're, you know, they're excited they might get LeBron again.

[Billy R]

Third time.

[Drew Franklin]

Did you hear. I heard a story on a podcast that LeBron, every time he's made a decision, he already knows where he's going. And he just decides weeks in advance the date it's going to be just so he can watch people squirm.

[Matt Jones]

He seems like a big guy that likes the attention, big fan of himself. I absolutely believe LeBron knows you want

[Drew Franklin]

that if you're him.

[Matt Jones]

What's everybody talking about him.

[Narrator/Announcer]

But.

[Drew Franklin]

I know. But they've been doing it since he was a little kid. At some point. Is that enough, LeBron, you're good enough.

[Matt Jones]

I think it's. There's a little bit of narcissism there and wants him to be talked about because the moment he picks his team, we'll all move on to the next thing. Yeah, but he's still a headline in the off season.

[Drew Franklin]

I guess so. Well, so. So we decided this week to do something a little different. Last week, we ranked fan bases. The next thing to rank is quarterbacks. If you were starting an NFL franchise, okay. And tomorrow you got to pick your quarterback. What is the order that you would draft the quarterbacks that. Now, this is key now going forward. So not just this year. Going forward. So obviously age will be a consideration in this. You want to be good this year. You also, you know, have to decide how long do you want this person? So it is kind of a. I am Drew Franklin. I'm Matt Jones. I'm Billy R. Sports. Who would I want for the future? You understand the prayer.

[Matt Jones]

You understand. I think age is going to be a big key here.

[Drew Franklin]

I think age is part of it. But I would say this. I think you make a mistake if you are too into age.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. You could be fired as GM if you don't win soon.

[Drew Franklin]

That's exactly. That's exactly right. And sometimes you might be setting up the next guy.

[Matt Jones]

Correct.

[Drew Franklin]

So you Balance all those factors. Now, when we did the fan base draft, I went first. So Drew, I'm gonna let you go first. If you could start a franchise tomorrow, who's your quarterback?

[Matt Jones]

I didn't want to go first because there's. I think there's two people here and it's a frequent debate that we hear every year, but because one of them is a proven winner and has rings on his finger, I'm going with Patrick Mahomes here. A little bit of a dip last year.

[Drew Franklin]

How many years do you think he has left?

[Billy R]

He's 29, still got a good three

[Matt Jones]

or four where I'm confident we're going

[Drew Franklin]

to do some winning, maybe more than that.

[Matt Jones]

But I'm saying I feel great about the next three or four. Could he go even farther? So I'm going with Pat Mahomes one

[Drew Franklin]

even over the young guys.

[Matt Jones]

He's just won too many times. How many times in the big moment have we seen him make the play to win? Proven winner.

[Drew Franklin]

I would actually argue that's a relatively controversial number one because of the age. But you also know that for how ever many years he plays there, he's not going to be bad.

[Matt Jones]

And if I can win right away, I've bought myself a lot of time for the future.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes. All right, so you're going Patrick Mahomes number one. Would you have gone there?

[Billy R]

I would not have. No.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't think I would have either. I'm not going to tell you who I would have and see if it's available for me. But I. I don't think I would have gone number one. And it's interesting though, but we'll take it. All right, Billy, I'm going to let you go second.

[Billy R]

I will go with another 29 year old quarterback. Give me Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, so you. But that's the same age as Mahomes.

[Billy R]

Correct.

[Drew Franklin]

So why would you pick Allen over Mahomes if they're the same age?

[Billy R]

Well, Patrick Mahomes coming off an injury last year, and I think that Josh has a hunger about him for not winning a championship yet. So I think it's only a matter of time before Josh Allen's hosting up the Lombardi. And if I'm starting a franchise that's a guy that embodies what I want,

[Matt Jones]

an NFL player, I think those two are on a tier by themselves. That's why I could have gone either way. And I went Mahomes. Because he's already done it.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I mean, they're the Only two young guys that I think you know are going to be good. Relatively young. So you wouldn't want any of the second, third year guys.

[Billy R]

Not at one or two, I don't think.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay. All right. Well, I would have probably taken Josh Allen first. The only worry about Josh Allen or

[Matt Jones]

the hits he takes that and that he hadn't gotten there. He's had some great teams and still hadn't gotten over that home.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I mean, Mahomes plays in a way where it feels like he avoids getting hit. Whereas. Whereas Allen embraces the contact. He's going to have to stop doing that at some point, don't you think?

[Matt Jones]

Oh, definitely. I mean, it's what makes him so good. I mean, he. When he's at his worry about.

[Drew Franklin]

Right when you.

[Matt Jones]

When he's not turning it over, there's no one better than him. But the turnovers and still not having completely finished the job. I gave the slight nod to my homes.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. For me, number three. I'm going to go Joe Burrow again, I think I know he's good. How old is he?

[Billy R]

He is 28.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. So I get one more year from him. You have health issues, injury concerns, but I feel like he's going to have. Of all these guys, he probably has the game that most allows you to get old. Right. Because he doesn't move a lot. So like Brady, he can sit in the pocket for the next decade. Now, he could get hurt, but I think his game translates to getting old better than anyone else.

[Matt Jones]

And just as a passer. When healthy, he's probably better than the other two. The other two can do a little more with their legs, But Burrow, at 100% is on the tier with Allen and Mahomes. As far as best quarterbacks in the league, I think those three are separate. The problem with Burrow is it's hard to play a full season so far.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, now you get to number four. I think this kind of. It becomes in the eye of what you want for the future. Do you want a young guy? Do you want a guy that's good now and then? Which young guy do you want? I think there's a lot of different ways you can go at number four. Where are you going?

[Matt Jones]

There's two quarterbacks that I think should be next if we're looking only at next season, but one's very old and another one's been injured. So I'm skipping those two and I'm taking your boy. Drake May for the future had the highest QB rating Last year and played in the super bowl in year three.

[Drew Franklin]

Now are you worried though? He was awful. He was bad in the AFC championship and then he was awful in the Super Bowl.

[Matt Jones]

But with that I remind myself it's year three. He's already been there and done it and can take another step forward. He's already taken those lumps. I think he was even number one in the league in completion percentage too. So they didn't feel like a great team because they had some low scoring games and they kept one of those games on the road. But I would trust him if I'm, if I'm picking quarterback for my franchise for the future.

[Drew Franklin]

Is he the young quarterback you have the most confidence in for the future?

[Matt Jones]

I think so. He's got some playmaking ability to beyond his passing numbers. So yeah, I like him. But as we've talked about many times, it's a great class. I like a lot of the other guys too. But the fact that in year three he's already been in the big game and led the. There were some great QB performances last year and he still managed to have the highest rating.

[Drew Franklin]

I want him to stink.

[Matt Jones]

Why? Because he's a patriot?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I mean look at him.

[Matt Jones]

It's boring. Well, he's got the same girlfriend since he was like four. He's not what you normally see.

[Drew Franklin]

I worry. I worry about that.

[Matt Jones]

It's not what we're used to seeing as a quarterback.

[Drew Franklin]

He's got a great clip haircut from high school on. I think it very rarely works. I think that's asking for a middle aged divorce. And if you start when you're four then I'm worried that's coming in your 30s and I don't want my guy to be distracted, but they seem genuine. Dating the same guy. Woman since he was four.

[Matt Jones]

Maybe not four, but middle school, high school.

[Drew Franklin]

Four is early.

[Matt Jones]

She bakes cookies. I mean they're a very wholesome couple to be an NFL star.

[Drew Franklin]

So you think they're going to last?

[Matt Jones]

I can't bet against them if they've made it this long.

[Drew Franklin]

Do you know anyone in your life that has dated since high school and still married?

[Matt Jones]

LeBron James, as Mario chimes in unique circumstance.

[Drew Franklin]

I think there are. I think there are probably. I'm just going to leave it at that. I think there's probably some unique things in play. What about just in your regular life?

[Billy R]

Not off the top of my head. I mean, are you not a believer in young love? The high school.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm asking you to think of one And I mean, now my grandparents did, but that doesn't count.

[Matt Jones]

No, I'm trying to think.

[Billy R]

I know I can think of a couple that got divorced already, so.

[Drew Franklin]

Exactly. Like you need to go see the world. You need to be like Odysseus going out into the world. Is that the person that was the star?

[Matt Jones]

Sounds great.

[Billy R]

Timely.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, it's a big pond out there.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm not sure Homer wrote it. He was not the main guy.

[Matt Jones]

Odysseus sounds good. It checks out. I have to see the movie to find out.

[Drew Franklin]

I want to see that. It's supposed to be good.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I'll probably.

[Billy R]

Odysseus.

[Matt Jones]

I say that having not watched a movie in forever.

[Billy R]

He's the king of Ithaca.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, yeah. He was a good guy.

[Billy R]

Husband of Penelope. Oh, they met in high school and

[Drew Franklin]

he liked to laugh. Look, he, like, left because he was tired of her. Went around, you know, women were singing to him. He went and fought wars and he came back, but he needed that time in between. And I'm not sure Drake Mace had that.

[Matt Jones]

See, he went off. He was a big star at unc. Love held strong. He's had plenty of opportunities to take his status elsewhere, but he stuck with her.

[Drew Franklin]

So we'll see.

[Matt Jones]

And vice versa.

[Drew Franklin]

Number four is high, but I get it.

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[Drew Franklin]

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[Matt Jones]

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[Billy R]

All right, Bill, I'm gonna be a little bit of a prisoner of the moment here. And pick Caleb Williams here at number five. He is the same age as Drake May, 23 years old. He is the Madden cover athlete. And Matt, he made some throws this year that I don't think I've ever seen a quarterback make. He's exciting. He can be the face of my franchise. Maybe a little high, but give me Caleb at 5.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I mean, look, he's my guy. I still, I mean, I think it's a risk to take him five. You just gave the biggest feast famine pick. Right? Because I mean there's an argument he could be number one and then there's an argument he's number 15.

[Billy R]

Ben Johnson seems to have gotten a lot out of him the first year.

[Drew Franklin]

So I think five is where you. Where one would take him. But it would be one of these. This guy's either going to make me a hall of Famer or get me fired. If you actually picked him right here in the draft because you would be overlooking people who've won MVPs to take a guy that who knows I need

[Billy R]

a good roster around him. I can't. He's not going to will me to a championship by himself.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, this is where the format's unique because you do have to go use. There's some guys we would absolutely take ahead of him if it were just the next season.

[Drew Franklin]

Number six. I'm going to go. Justin Herbert. How old is he? 30?

[Billy R]

Maybe he's much younger.

[Drew Franklin]

27.

[Billy R]

He is 27.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. So he's young. No one knows him because he plays for the Chargers. I mean literally. I mean how many quarterbacks could date a celebrity and play in LA and no one knows who they are?

[Matt Jones]

Well, we know who he dates.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know why she's famous. I mean, I know she's famous, but what is she famous for?

[Billy R]

I think she is a singer and

[Drew Franklin]

I think we've had this conversation. That's how much it's not stayed in my brain. But he's very talented. I think he's going to. He's my pick for long shot MVP this year.

[Matt Jones]

I feel like with Herbert, he's so talented but we keep saying that and eventually he's going to have to win something. He's been good, he's been fine. But the you're so talented only goes on for so long until you win Something of significance.

[Drew Franklin]

They're going to be 14 and 3 this year.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. That would be impressive.

[Drew Franklin]

And he will be the mvp and they will lose in the playoffs.

[Matt Jones]

He has the talent to do it. We just need to see all the way through.

[Drew Franklin]

Billy, look up the odds for me for Justin Herbert mvp, because I may go put my Jordan Walker Home Run Derby money on Justin Herbert.

[Billy R]

He has the fourth best odds at plus 1000.

[Matt Jones]

Look at that.

[Drew Franklin]

I want it better than that, but all right, I'll put half of it, but I like that.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, you got it. You got to take a little bit of your winnings back. That's responsible gambling.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I like. I have Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow. I think I'm going to do pretty good. All right, Drew, you.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, looking at my list here, I

[Drew Franklin]

mean, you want to go. You got Lamar's out there. You got Matthew Stafford and Jaden Daniels.

[Matt Jones]

The thing with Stafford is he'd be an easy pick, but he has one year left. There's like no debate that it's his last ride. And I don't want to be all in on one year with him and then have to go find another quarterback.

[Drew Franklin]

You wouldn't pick him unless you thought your team could win the Super Bowl.

[Matt Jones]

I'm going to trust Jordan Love.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay. Why?

[Matt Jones]

Again with youth? He's part of that big class. Packers got beat up with injuries a little bit last year. I think he's still got a lot more in him than what we saw a year ago. They had a little bit of a disappointing season, especially after adding Micah Parsons. I still think that's the guy that we're going to see contending for many years to come.

[Drew Franklin]

I like that pick. I probably wouldn't have taken him there, but I can see it, you know, you do think there will be durability a number of years. He's a guy who's playing style still will work in the future. So I don't hate it. I'll take it. What do you got, Billy? 8.

[Billy R]

Think I'm going best available here and taking Lamar Jackson.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. Finally Lamar goes.

[Matt Jones]

Needed to happen.

[Billy R]

Okay, so he's 28 years old, same age as Joe Burrow.

[Drew Franklin]

But he feels so much older.

[Billy R]

He does, doesn't he? I mean, he's not the same player.

[Drew Franklin]

He's younger than those guys. Well, but he's still really good. I mean, I don't feel like we saw a huge drop off last year, did we?

[Matt Jones]

Well, this is one. When we put it out, we'll get yelled at for him. Falling all the way to nine or whatever, eight, whatever we just did.

[Drew Franklin]

But I mean, what are the chances in five years he's still good? I don't feel like they're, they're.

[Matt Jones]

Well, it's all about the durability.

[Drew Franklin]

Will he still be great and the quickness. I think the answer is going to be no. So the question is how many years of greatness do you get?

[Billy R]

Yeah, probably like three more maybe.

[Drew Franklin]

Now he is developed into a guy who can have a longer career more than he did a couple years. A couple years ago you would have thought, okay, he's not gonna be able to play over 30. I don't agree with that. Now I think he's going to, but I worry that he's going to be like Russell Wilson, although he's not a great example, but he's going to be a quarterback whose effect effectiveness will slowly go down, but he'll still have a place in the league and still be good.

[Matt Jones]

And as time goes on I wonder because he's still got some speed now, but how long that lasts when he crosses the 30 mark and being elusive like he is.

[Drew Franklin]

Like I wondered at Steve Young, had he not seen set out all those years, could he have played into his mid-30s? I think he did, but he also had like four years. He didn't play in the. In his early career.

[Billy R]

Similar situation. Running quarterback Michael Vick had a career

[Drew Franklin]

with the Eagles, but his is a little tough because it was derailed by the dog stuff.

[Matt Jones]

So pretty unique circumstances.

[Drew Franklin]

Pretty unique. It's hard to know exactly how that would translate.

[Billy R]

Well, the other quarterbacks on the board are either way too old or very injury prone, at least to me, like Jaden Daniels and Dak.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, well, I'm going to go with Jaden Daniels.

[Matt Jones]

I like that one.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean if we did this draft a year ago, he maybe goes number three, right. I think after Mahomes and Allen he goes number three. So the fact that he has dropped so much, it's one year. He too had injuries that year. Team struggled. I think there's another level for him still to hit. This will be the year that decides it for him. But I still believe in him. So I think number nine is, is good. I. You could make an argument, you could start making an argument for him at number four. So I think nine is, is completely

[Matt Jones]

fair having to look up a few ages on the fly.

[Billy R]

I got them all right here if you need them. Daniels is 24, by the way.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, 10. I think I'm going To go give some suggestions. You could do Matthew Stafford.

[Matt Jones]

At some point you got to take him. He just had the insane season.

[Drew Franklin]

You have Dak, you have Brock Purdy. Don't forget Fernando Mendoza. Your guy, Cam Ward, Bo Nicks. There's a lot of different ways you can go here.

[Matt Jones]

I'm actually going to surprise you all. I'm going Sam Darnold, was he 28?

[Drew Franklin]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

Too many people are thinking about the beginning of his career. It wasn't just last season. He had a great year with the Vikings. He's had back to back elite seasons, two straight years. So I'm going to say I'm getting probably three or four more out of him. I'm trusting the recent version of Sam Darnold. I'm blacking out all the jokes from when he was seeing ghosts and everyone made fun of him as a bust. He's turned it around completely and his last two years have been awesome. So I'm going to put faith in Darnold. Even though he's a little older than a lot of these young guys.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, he's the same age though, as Mahomes.

[Matt Jones]

Man's got a ring on his finger right now.

[Drew Franklin]

A ring. He didn't take as many hits early in his career as those guys. It's a reasonable case. I mean, I think people still tend to not want to believe in him, but what more does he have to do?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I mean, the last two years he's been as good as anyone, obviously with the championship, but even the Viking season, what, they were like 14 and three. Yeah, I mean, he's been great. It's just that everyone picked on him so bad early. I think we kind of still hang on to that when he completely turned his career around.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm good with 10. I think. You again, he's another one. You could have made a case for him going higher. 11, Billy.

[Billy R]

Yeah. I'm torn between two guys here and I'm thinking I'm going to go to the younger one. Building for the future. Give me Trevor Lawrence here at 11. This is a guy that's already played six years in the league. I think he's unlocked. Liam Cohen may have unlocked something here in this last year.

[Matt Jones]

Do you worry about the haircut?

[Billy R]

That's true. He did cut his locks off, didn't he?

[Matt Jones]

He did. We don't know what he's going to look like with short hair.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I'm not picking him.

[Matt Jones]

Well, he's not.

[Drew Franklin]

Not because of the hair. I just. He's played his whole career and not been good. And then last year he was pretty good but not great. How much better is he going to get?

[Billy R]

I think you'd be surprised what good coaching can do to a quarterback. I think we'll see.

[Drew Franklin]

Would I be surprised?

[Billy R]

Ben Johnson with Caleb Williams, but he had it. I mean, he already did Trevor Lawrence with Liam Cohen.

[Drew Franklin]

So do you think he's going to be a lot better this year than he was?

[Billy R]

I do. I. I would make a prediction.

[Drew Franklin]

11th best quarterback would make a prediction.

[Billy R]

The the Jaguars win the AFC south and Trevor Lawrence is probably the best player in the division this year.

[Drew Franklin]

That's not a reach.

[Matt Jones]

It's not a very good division.

[Billy R]

Well, you're just asking me, asking me for my opinion here.

[Matt Jones]

He could also, depending what Cam Ward does and Stroud, he could also be third in a bad division.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I don't like that pick. You should be. You should be ashamed.

[Billy R]

Ashamed.

[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Drew Franklin]

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[Matt Jones]

Refreshers contain caffeine.

[Drew Franklin]

Number 12. I'm going with a reach. Fernando Mendoza.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, you're trusting him?

[Drew Franklin]

I'm trusting the number one pick and I'm picking for the future. Listen, if he's as good as we hope, he could arguably be as high as 3 or 4. He also should go 30th if he's bad, I think he's too wholesome and pure. I think Vegas. He's going to look sin right in the eye. But not past 8pm Exactly. He's going to look sin right in the eye and say, you know what? My heart is strong. I will. I shall not be tempted and I will focus on the field. Give me Mendoza at 12.

[Matt Jones]

I think he's going to take his big check and he's going to go straight to the George Wallace matinee. Maybe even a little Lance Burton double header. And he will never see the inside of a nightclub.

[Drew Franklin]

Let's. That's a good question. Should we rank the best Las Vegas. Only performers that do not translate out of Las Vegas. All right. Number one, without question is Carrot Top.

[Matt Jones]

I was going to add that we might get crazy and stay up late for Carrot Top one night.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, Carrot Top is hated all around the world, yet somehow sells out every night in Vegas.

[Matt Jones]

Kills it.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, then you mentioned Lance Burton. Never think about, is he even still alive?

[Matt Jones]

I don't know. But I assume even if he's not, he's still doing three shows a day

[Drew Franklin]

somehow been doing a long time.

[Matt Jones]

I love George Wallace about Penn and Teller. They've been there forever.

[Drew Franklin]

They did have a TV show, though.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, that's true. They went mainstream there for a while.

[Drew Franklin]

But I like that one. I'll give you the most quintessential not famous anywhere outside of the city limits.

[Matt Jones]

Do they involve a tiger?

[Drew Franklin]

The Amazing Jonathan.

[Matt Jones]

There you go.

[Drew Franklin]

Does any. The Amazing Jonathan has zero. If you've not been to Vegas, you think I'm making that name up. But he's on every billboard in Vegas. The Amazing Jonathan. I don't even know what makes him amazing. I'm not sure if he's a comedian, a magician. I don't even know what he does.

[Matt Jones]

Do you think these people turn down gigs like Madison Square Garden calls him? Nope, can't do it.

[Drew Franklin]

They're like, you can go to Topeka and like draw 150 people or amazing Jonathan, you can sell out every night here at the Luxor.

[Matt Jones]

And they're all. They're choosing the Luxor every time?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes. Okay. Who else we got there is in that world?

[Matt Jones]

Thunder from Down Under. I haven't seen them go on tour down there at Excalibur.

[Drew Franklin]

I think they go around. I mean, I wouldn't know that, but I think I've seen Billy there. I mean, they do have. I think they travel a little bit. The Thunder from down under.

[Matt Jones]

I've never seen that one either.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, I'm sure there are more.

[Matt Jones]

This is all Mendoza has to look forward to.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. What if he's just a regular season ticket? Amazing Jonathan. All right, number 13.

[Matt Jones]

All right, guys. Crazy Stafford just keeps following me saying I only got one year left. I can't. I'm not doing it. I'm skipping them again. You know, I'm going to go against. How. Wait, how old is Jalen?

[Billy R]

Hurts.

[Matt Jones]

He's getting up there, isn't he?

[Billy R]

27.

[Matt Jones]

I'll go. Jalen hurts here. I need him to be a little younger, but he's got more in him than Stafford.

[Drew Franklin]

And so another one that if you did this last year, he's top seven eight and he's dropped. I mean, there could be value there.

[Matt Jones]

Well, just specifically this upcoming season, if you did this a year ago, he's probably top five to top 10 quarterback. He's not really on any top 10 lists coming into this next season, but I'll still go there against some of the other names I'm looking at.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I agree with you. I think I would go. I think that's a good one there. I'm looking real quick. I went to the Vegas website for Vegas only acts. These are people that refuse to do anywhere but Vegas. Amazing Jonathan is on it. And Jen Kramer, the magician. Jim Cramer, Gin Kramer from cbc.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know that I've seen that one advertised. She needs to. She needs to be on more billboards. Are you familiar with Jim Kramer?

[Drew Franklin]

I'm not. We need to learn more about her.

[Matt Jones]

She must be in another part of town.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, well, that's that. She's listed as the second most popular act in Vegas. I do not believe that.

[Matt Jones]

I'm way behind on my Vegas.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, the Max Street Boys are in Vegas. Chelsea Handler. David Copperfield is still going.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, he's. He's high on Mendoza's place to spend money.

[Billy R]

I saw him as a kid. What an act.

[Drew Franklin]

Always be on disappear. He used to always be on tell.

[Matt Jones]

He made the Statue of Liberty disappear.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, that was a big deal.

[Billy R]

It's crazy.

[Matt Jones]

I remember I was young, I probably wasn't paying close attention. Did people believe that or were we like, why is this on tv? Because he didn't really make it disappear.

[Billy R]

What do you do with it?

[Matt Jones]

I mean, they probably just use a green screen or something. I don't know. But I remember being naturally televised.

[Drew Franklin]

People that did believe it. Yes. Also, by the way, David Spade has a residency. Let's Go, Bill, you're next.

[Billy R]

Okay. I can't leave the. The MVP of last year on the board anymore. Give me Matthew Stafford.

[Drew Franklin]

So Matthew Stafford goes at 14. Is it disrespectful to have 13 people go ahead of him?

[Matt Jones]

Not in this exercise. I don't think so. Does anyone think he's playing more than a year? I mean, they drafted a quarterback to back him up and learn under him to take over in two years. The Rams are obviously all in on this season with it being in LA. I mean, he's got a gray beard.

[Billy R]

Yeah, he's 37. We just saw Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers play into their 40s.

[Matt Jones]

So does Aaron Rodgers done much? I mean, Tom's not a human. He's a freak of nature. I would probably have picked him one if he wanted to come back for this game. I just think he's too old. I feel bad that he's at 14. That seems unfair after the year he had. But we're drafting to build a franchise

[Drew Franklin]

here and, you know, it's over. I mean, you're. You're really doing it one year.

[Matt Jones]

So we'd be going back to the draft next year.

[Drew Franklin]

I think that's about fair. All right, 15. Shockingly for some, Bo Nix is still on here.

[Matt Jones]

I was considering him with her, but

[Drew Franklin]

I'm not picking him. I'm going to go CJ Stroud. I do still believe in him. He's been on again, off again. He was better last year until he got hurt. So I'm going to take him. I think at 15, there's value. And there have been years where he's a top five quarterback. I'm going to bet on him getting back there. And I'll take C.J.

[Matt Jones]

straight. Yeah, this will just be like his fourth season. If you believe in him at all. You know, he's still got a lot of time.

[Drew Franklin]

You see, he did an interview where they asked him who's got more beautiful women, Houston or la, and he said it's not even close. Everyone knows it's la. Why would you even ask? No, but he lives in Houston and plays in Houston. How are you going to do that?

[Matt Jones]

It is la. They should use another city. At least give him a chance to make Houston.

[Drew Franklin]

What city are you going to? Houston's the fourth biggest city. So, I mean, he's not. If he thinks la, then he's not going to. He's going to assume New York does to have.

[Matt Jones]

I just feel like LA is probably

[Drew Franklin]

number one on a lot of list in Chicago. It's like, well, why would be those be the two choices you would pick so.

[Matt Jones]

Well, give him Nashville a division opponent.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, but I mean, he probably would have chosen Nashville and that would be even worse.

[Matt Jones]

Now you at least making a tighter

[Drew Franklin]

on him, but you don't want to make it to where he picks a division with opponent Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Wichita.

[Matt Jones]

This is what we're going to rank next week. All right, what's next, Drew, you said his name. I think it's time for Bo Nix. He's had them as the number one seed in Denver already. How old is he? He can't be that old. 25, 26.

[Billy R]

He was an older rookie, but he is 25.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. I feel comfortable putting Bo Nix there. He felt far enough.

[Drew Franklin]

You picking Bo Nix over your own quarterback, Cam?

[Matt Jones]

I believe in Cam, but it's only been one season. Sort of. Well, the team around him sucked. It was hard to grade him on year one, but he's got a lot of potential. But Bo Nix has at least gotten to the AFC championship.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay. All right. 17. We are now at the halfway point.

[Billy R]

Yeah. For that reason, I am picking Cam ward here at 17. We get a little talent around him, maybe like a Wandell Robinson as we expect them this next year and hopefully he can shine.

[Matt Jones]

Carnell Tate, they're bragging about him and Camp.

[Billy R]

Yeah. So, man, this is just the beginning, Cam.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I think that's a terrible pick.

[Matt Jones]

Didn't you just suggest him for me?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes, but it was because I wanted you to. I was trying to like do magic on your head.

[Billy R]

Allah.

[Drew Franklin]

Lance Burton or the Gin. Kim Jensen or whatever.

[Matt Jones]

Jim Cramer buy stock of Jim Kramer.

[Drew Franklin]

Now, I believe in Jim Cramer more than I believe in Cam Ward, so I'm not going to do that at 18. He's fallen too far.

[Matt Jones]

Dak, as you say, there's still a

[Drew Franklin]

big name out there. Dak. Going 18 is disrespectful.

[Billy R]

He's 32.

[Drew Franklin]

He is.

[Billy R]

He's had season ending injuries, but the

[Drew Franklin]

season is just beginning.

[Matt Jones]

Have you all seen the viral picture? That is supposed to be him in Vegas with Taylor. The one.

[Billy R]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

He looks like a bodybuilder.

[Billy R]

He looks buff.

[Matt Jones]

Was that really him?

[Billy R]

I don't know.

[Matt Jones]

That's. He's way too big to play quarterback.

[Drew Franklin]

Let me see this. That can't be him.

[Matt Jones]

It looks a lot like him, but I can't believe he got that big.

[Billy R]

It gets to a point. You don't want to be that buff.

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Billy R]

To be a quarterback.

[Matt Jones]

Unless he's moving to linebacker. I mean, it looks like him. And the. Their account says it's Dak.

[Drew Franklin]

Why is Taylor Lawan, famous Titans legend,

[Matt Jones]

busting with the boys

[Billy R]

on the show?

[Matt Jones]

Ufc.

[Drew Franklin]

That's right.

[Matt Jones]

He's been.

[Drew Franklin]

He was on the show. Never mind. No, I mean, I know he has the bus with the boys, but how. Why did he get that show? What did he do? What did he do?

[Matt Jones]

We get this show, he could probably. He has the better case against.

[Drew Franklin]

I'll shut up. That's a really good point.

[Matt Jones]

He's really involved with usc, and I think I've seen him in that. In the slap stuff you like so much.

[Drew Franklin]

Does he slap people?

[Matt Jones]

No, no, he doesn't play or. I don't know if you play that, but he, like, goes to the events. I don't know if he's getting paid to promote this stuff.

[Drew Franklin]

I hate it. It's just I know a lot of people in it, which is a weird thing if you ask me. What. What sport will you know the most professional athletes in? I wouldn't have said slap fighting, but,

[Matt Jones]

like, half the roster.

[Drew Franklin]

I do. They all were with OVW at some point.

[Matt Jones]

I like bustling with the boys. They do a good job, though.

[Drew Franklin]

Very nice when he came on here, so I just didn't know. Was he great for the Titans?

[Billy R]

Great.

[Matt Jones]

Might be a little bit of a stretch with. Very, very, very good.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay. He was offensive lineman.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Left tackle.

[Billy R]

Mario.

[Matt Jones]

I have his Jersey.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, 19, you're up.

[Matt Jones]

Jury, did you look at this picture of Dak yet?

[Drew Franklin]

I did it. I have to tell you, it doesn't look that. You talk about the one where they're on the practice field.

[Matt Jones]

No, no, no, no. It's Dak and Taylor. The one. Well, they're in Vegas. Here.

[Billy R]

Pass.

[Matt Jones]

Passing. My computer. Oh, yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

No, that can be him.

[Matt Jones]

I don't think it looks a lot like him. And they say it's him, but I'm still going, no, that's too big.

[Drew Franklin]

His chest is too big. Way too big. Yeah, I think that's just a Dak look alike.

[Matt Jones]

I agree. Because if he does look like that, I don't think he can lift his arms up.

[Billy R]

That's Taylor Lewan. And talking to a Dak look alike like that? Like.

[Drew Franklin]

No, but that's okay. Grok. Do you believe? Grok sometimes says it is, but it's been digitally edited to exaggerate Dax arm and physiques.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, good, because I don't think he could lift his arm to pass.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know if that's true either. Because Grok Grok said once I was prime minister of India.

[Billy R]

So there's a lot of Matt Joneses out there.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, what's next? 19?

[Matt Jones]

How old is Jared Goff, Billy?

[Billy R]

He's getting up there. He's 32 for me.

[Matt Jones]

I'm going to go with Brock Purdy.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

He's got to be young, right?

[Drew Franklin]

He's 30 is not that old.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Brock Purdy's what, 26?

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, how can you say that considering how we are?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I'm not trying to play quarterback. I can barely walk up my stairs anymore.

[Billy R]

He's 25.

[Matt Jones]

Brock Purdy, even, Even young. I feel even better about my pick. I'm not the biggest Brock Purdy fan, but he's won a lot with San Francisco. I'm at least going to give him a chance here over some of the other names that are fading out.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I like it. It's fine. I don't. I think I can make the case. All right, 20th.

[Billy R]

Billy, you haven't liked a lot of my picks. I don't think you're going to like this one either. Give me Jackson Dart of the New York Giants.

[Drew Franklin]

Actually, I don't hate that. I was going to. I was thinking about it. I mean, the question is just, do you. Can you stay healthy and do you believe in him? I mean, that's, you know, we don't really know if he's good or not. He hasn't played on a good team yet. All right, we're up to me 21st then. I mean, we've waited way too long for Jared golf. I mean, you say he's only 30. We're acting like he's 80. I mean, that's. That's not that old. He's good. I know I'm going to get five good years out of golf. I know I can win with him. I mean, is he good enough to win a Super Bowl? I don't know, but he's good enough to get you right there. I got him.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I was considering with the last place I just thought of a 30 year old. I mean, can't even walk onto the practice field at this point, being so old.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, 22. True.

[Matt Jones]

Another one that probably should have been picked earlier. A friend of the program, Bryce Young.

[Billy R]

It's a good pick.

[Matt Jones]

I wish you were a little bit taller, but had a great year with Carolina. A lot of surprise wins last year. I could keep singing Carolina mics If I had $100,000. With who's left? I think it's easy to Go. Bryce Young here.

[Drew Franklin]

You think so?

[Narrator/Announcer]

You're big.

[Matt Jones]

Bryce Young. Yeah, that's why I picked him. If I didn't think so, I would have said someone else.

[Billy R]

He's shown a lot of improvement.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, last year.

[Billy R]

He's pretty good. Seems to unlock something out of him.

[Drew Franklin]

You think this was Dave Canales that made it happen?

[Billy R]

Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

You've always been really praising every time I've known you. When I met, you were like that.

[Billy R]

Dave Canalis, FORMER BUCCANEERS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR look at that now. Carolina PANTHERS HEAD COACH what really unlocked

[Matt Jones]

him was that podcast ending, because that's when they hit their stride.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, he was good.

[Billy R]

All right, Billy, number 23. I'm going with Maker Playfield.

[Drew Franklin]

I was about to say, if you don't pick him.

[Billy R]

Yeah, he's got a grit about him. Definitely some injuries. It was just announced he had a sprained MCL and pcl, I believe, from week two on last year. So he's going to play hurt, but he is 30 years old, and I'm taking Baker Mayfield.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, now it gets rough. This is where B. After Baker Mayfield, we're dropping in a no man's land.

[Matt Jones]

There's been a few guys that have shown flashes, but then I've also had moments where they're just terrible.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, I know what everyone else on this list is, except there's one guy that maybe could be more than I think he is, which is Tyler Shaw. There's a chance he could be okay. And then I also get Spencer Rattler, because I'm telling you, by the way, we're get you get both of it's package deal.

[Billy R]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

I haven't been factoring in backups this whole time.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, starting now, because I think from here on, you don't even know for sure if the person's gonna end up being the starter.

[Matt Jones]

That's true.

[Drew Franklin]

So I think you have to consider backups. But at least with Tyler Shock, I think there's a chance he could be good. I know what these other people are that are left on the list. So give me 24. Now, these last eight, it's kind of a pick your poison. Which poison would you like?

[Matt Jones]

Oh, let me scratch off the ones we've just done. Man, do I believe that Kyler can find new life?

[Billy R]

I guess.

[Matt Jones]

I guess I'm going Kyler Murray with Minnesota. Maybe they don't have video games in Minnesota. Maybe he just needed a new atmosphere.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, he's. He's going to be hurt tomorrow.

[Matt Jones]

I know, but what else am I supposed to take Geno Smith.

[Billy R]

I mean, he's had a rough Sean

[Matt Jones]

Watson night of what's left. I think I got to go Collar. I don't love it, but we're all the way down to you.

[Drew Franklin]

Also 25th and you get J.J. mcCarthy.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, that's right. I get backups now I get nine. So, yeah, I'm going there.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. I think that's not bad. 26, Billy.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Billy R]

Hopefully I strike some gold here with Malik Willis. You know, we haven't seen him be the starter for a franchise.

[Drew Franklin]

We have, like Chris Farley. We haven't seen him be the starter, so we haven't seen him throw the ball.

[Billy R]

Those are important, but we'll see how they work out. Give me a Malik Willis chance to be a starter, not a backup in Green Bay anymore.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, I'm gonna go Daniel Jones, but I'm going to make you keep Anthony Richardson.

[Billy R]

Oh, that's mean.

[Drew Franklin]

I know, but Daniel Jones, he's had his moments, can't stay healthy, but I'm going to get six good games out of him. Remember, I mean, there was a moment last year where people were saying he was the MVP.

[Billy R]

Colts were 8 and 2, and he

[Drew Franklin]

was considered to be in the top two or three for MVP. We can't just skip over that.

[Matt Jones]

He had a long run of games without interception. His stats were impressive. It wasn't like he just got on a good team.

[Drew Franklin]

He was.

[Matt Jones]

He was shining.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, good luck.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, so let's just. Let's just say this out loud. If I'm not mistaken, we're down to Tua Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Jacoby Brissette, Deshaun Watson. Right.

[Billy R]

That's what I have.

[Drew Franklin]

But you get Shador Sanders, which, you

[Matt Jones]

know, that could carry a little weight

[Billy R]

here, but you get DeShawn.

[Matt Jones]

Guys, this is.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

How old is Gino? 40.

[Drew Franklin]

You also get. That guy went to Oregon, Gabriel.

[Billy R]

Gino's 34.

[Matt Jones]

See, I got to eliminate Gino and Aaron Rodgers right away.

[Drew Franklin]

It's just. It's.

[Matt Jones]

It's the end for them. Desean Watson. I can't do. So I'm down to. I can't do two of this.

[Drew Franklin]

So you want Jacoby Bursette.

[Billy R]

Take. Take him.

[Matt Jones]

I'm going to.

[Drew Franklin]

Two of us who I would have picked if I were you.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, like, you know, I'm worried about his health.

[Drew Franklin]

There's at least a. I mean, there's at least a chance.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

That he's good.

[Matt Jones]

There's some playmaking ability in there. Maybe.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. All right. 29.

[Billy R]

Yeah, I cannot.

[Matt Jones]

And we get backups, right? Would that be pinnocks?

[Drew Franklin]

Yes, it would.

[Matt Jones]

See, that's not a bad one of the two will work out.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Billy R]

Yeah. I have to go. Jacoby Brissette here.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Billy R]

Just because I can't pick some of the other guys.

[Drew Franklin]

So Jacoby Brissette is kind of like eating Wheaties with no sugar. You know, it's not going to taste good, but it has some nutrient.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he's got to be getting pretty old, too. 33 a stale cereal.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, man, he's 33.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he's played for about half the

[Drew Franklin]

guy who had a career out of just being, eh?

[Matt Jones]

But maybe he has intel on all the teams he's played for. You could use that.

[Drew Franklin]

Now I get Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers or DeSean Watson.

[Matt Jones]

I know you're not picking, so you have Gino or Deshaun.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, if I'm not going to be good, at least let there be drama. So I will take desean Watson because then I get Shador throwing up the. You know, the watch. Throwing up the watch as he runs for a three yard loss. I'm going to pick desean Watson to cut him.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, you're already. You're already planning moves here?

[Drew Franklin]

No, I'm baking. I'm picking him to cut him and then play Shador. And I'm also going to sign Eric Zaire as his backup.

[Matt Jones]

Well, you're set.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, Drew, who's last, Geno Smith or Aaron Rodgers, who I would have thought were on the same team just a few minutes ago.

[Matt Jones]

This one's easy for me. One of them was the comeback player of the year like four years ago. Yeah, he's getting a fresh start with the Jets, I think, just so I can say, have Aaron Rodgers last on our list. I'm going.

[Drew Franklin]

Gino, you're. Aaron Rodgers is last.

[Matt Jones]

Geno's got seven years on Aaron Rodgers. Aaron comes with drama. You've wanted the drama. I don't want his drama near me.

[Drew Franklin]

Drama.

[Matt Jones]

Exactly. I'd rather if my quarterbacks can be old, not good. I'd rather just no one talk about us. So I'm leaving Aaron for Billy.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, there you go. That is your top 32 quarterbacks by who you would want for the future. Leading off with Mahomes, ending with Aaron Rodgers. Those literally are going to be two of the four greatest quarterbacks of all time. And they come in first and last.

[Matt Jones]

We should make a graphic, but don't put any context or how the game was set up. Just rank the quarterbacks and watch everyone yell at us on the Internet.

[Drew Franklin]

That would be great.

[Matt Jones]

All right.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, that was a nice game.

[Matt Jones]

Now, that was fun at the beginning,

[Drew Franklin]

the end, we'll take a little break and then we'll do some new. All right. It's been a week since we've been on the air, so there's been a lot of news. Billy, let's check some headlines.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Billy R]

We'll start with the Seattle Seahawks, who sold this weekend for a record $9.6 billion to Vinod Khosla and his family. In 1997, Paul Allen bought the Seahawks for $194 million.

[Drew Franklin]

Whoa.

[Billy R]

9.6 billion. That is an NFL record 9.6 billion, by the way.

[Drew Franklin]

By the way, if the seahawks are worth 9.6 billion, I mean, what are the Cowboys worth? I mean, what do you. Could the Cowboys get? 20 billion?

[Matt Jones]

15 to 20. Patriots, probably 10 to 15.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, that is an unbelievable amount of money. And he was a 49ers owner, right?

[Billy R]

Yes. So they have to give up their ownership in the 49ers for them to be able to do this. The last NFL team to be sold was the Washington Commanders in 2023. A group led by Josh Harris that includes Magic Johnson bought the team from dan Snyder for $6.05 billion.

[Drew Franklin]

It's gone up quite a bit in just a few years.

[Billy R]

Vinod's wife, Neeru, will serve as the controlling owner for the Seattle Seahawks.

[Matt Jones]

Is there a better return on investment? Anything in the last 30 years, money

[Drew Franklin]

on any for a sports franchise, like.

[Matt Jones]

But they've gone up. Like, Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys, like 100 million.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I mean, one of the big reasons is, you know, what they. What my grandfather used to say about land. My grandfather was always like, if you get money by land, they making any more of it.

[Matt Jones]

That's true.

[Drew Franklin]

That's true. But he wanted me to, like, buy a plot in Nebraska or something, and I was like, I don't know, man. I don't think that's going to be. But they're. I mean, I guess they could make more NFL teams, but they're not going to make that many more. So, I mean, I guess that's why they just keep going up.

[Matt Jones]

And more than any other of the sports leagues, the NFL's popularity is just skyrocketing and continuing to skyrocket. So, I mean, if you think back to all this, you know, these rich guys in the 90s, if all the things they could have bought, it's hard to imagine a bigger Turnaround than what they've gotten in these guys.

[Drew Franklin]

He's like, into AI.

[Billy R]

Oh, the new.

[Matt Jones]

So he'll be bringing that to the stadium.

[Drew Franklin]

He's a sustainable AI guy. So his big thing is, hey, rich people, we need to start, like doing things for regular people or else they're going to rise up against us. I mean that. No, I've read about this guy and, you know, I'm not. He seemed like a. It actually made some sense. He was like, hey, everyone hates us and so maybe we should consider, like chilling out a little bit.

[Matt Jones]

He's a cautious AI guy. Yeah. Like, let's not all be villains.

[Drew Franklin]

He seems a little bit like, you know what? When you go on TV and say, we don't need humans anymore, maybe stop that.

[Matt Jones]

Let's dial that back a little bit. So let's think about humanity here.

[Drew Franklin]

It seems like he might be good for seeing. I know. I mean, if you buy the team right after he won the super bowl, you're kind of asking for the fans to hate you because it's only going to go down.

[Matt Jones]

Like, when you buy a team and you spend all that money for it, like, do you come in and obviously you're getting your own suite and stuff? But how much do you change? Like, what are you doing if you buy a team, what are your first

[Drew Franklin]

one that just won the Super Bowl?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Because you don't want to pay all that money. Then you just keep riding the same stuff you were doing.

[Drew Franklin]

How does it work? Does he write a check? Do they wire it?

[Matt Jones]

Venmo.

[Billy R]

Venmo.

[Drew Franklin]

Hey, man, I ain't got it right now.

[Billy R]

It's not going through.

[Drew Franklin]

I give you. I give you.

[Matt Jones]

I'll put something on it.

[Drew Franklin]

If I give you 100,000 right now. I mean, that's gotta be. Can you imagine the loan?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. What bank do you go to?

[Drew Franklin]

You know how many documents I had to sign to get my house? You walk in, can you imagine if you have nine point whatever billion walk

[Matt Jones]

into the local bank? My wife wants the Seahawks. What kind of loan can I get here? It's her birthday.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm going to talk to my manager.

[Billy R]

I wonder how different the price would be if they didn't just win the Super Bowl.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, it's true. He probably could have saved a billion dollars. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

That's interesting. All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

Some of the biggest news this past week was ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to rank the top 10 players at 11 different positions. Not a 5 year projection or a career achievement award. But who are the best right now? And the main headline is quarterbacks because Josh Allen was rated number one.

[Drew Franklin]

Can we just do this?

[Billy R]

Mahomes number two.

[Drew Franklin]

Why are you doing this as a story? We just did this.

[Billy R]

This is a little different than the premise of what we did starting a franchise. There is news that many evaluators think Josh Allen is now the best quarterback in the league over at Patrick.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay, so that's the headline. Josh Allen is that people think Josh Allen.

[Matt Jones]

He's been number two on the list forever. I guess.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I don't.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I mean they clearly copied off NFL Cover zero with this ranking.

[Drew Franklin]

Do you think that's true though? Do you think he is the best?

[Matt Jones]

I think on this list it took like a lot of people voting and Mahomes still had more first place votes, but in how it was weighted, it put Alan over the top.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I mean, I just went Mahomes better today. Until he wins, you can't pick Josh Allen. Right. I mean, it's like someone telling me Anthony Edwards is the best player in the NBA. I mean, you can't. He's not one yet.

[Matt Jones]

He's, well, probably the best with the combination of rushing and passing. What is he like the first quarterback to rush for 50 touch? Something like that. So he has that Mahomes done, but Mahomes just has that extra gear when you need him in crunch time. Whereas Allen has had a lot of bad turnovers where he's trying to be too aggressive and it's cost his team. Where Mahomes seems to make those plays.

[Drew Franklin]

It's a shame for both of them that they're kind of in a stage of their career where they're so awesome, but they just don't really have weapons around them anymore. I mean, Mahomes did for a long time, but they're kind of gone now. And you know, Kelsey is. Is not quite the same guy. So, you know, it is what it is. This is off topic, but that's okay. I'm thinking of Kelsey. He missed the celebrity golf tournament that

[Matt Jones]

he always does in Tahoe.

[Drew Franklin]

I watch that a lot and I don't know why. Kind of angers me. I mean, I hate Marty Fish. Just can't stand him because he's always. He wins it every year.

[Matt Jones]

He.

[Drew Franklin]

And there's always him and a hockey player. Used to be the guy from a soap opera and then he got old Wagner. Steph Curry was in contention. I don't know why Annika Sorenston plays See you.

[Matt Jones]

No, but I just get Frustrated when I turn on. And Steph Curry is just amazing at golf. I'm like, I don't want to watch him be good at golf. He's too good at everything.

[Drew Franklin]

As good as Marty Fish. What was Marty. Is he. Was he a tennis player? Okay.

[Matt Jones]

Big country club sport guy.

[Drew Franklin]

To me, they spend so much of the broadcast showing Marty Fish, the hockey player, and Steph Curry and August Ornstein. I want to see the people that stink. Because if you think about it, you don't get to watch people be terrible at golf.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

And Charles Barkley hit a guy on the beach.

[Matt Jones]

We need more of the Barkley types out there.

[Drew Franklin]

The Miz. Did you see the Miz? The Miz hit it in from, like, 150 yards, which was kind of exciting.

[Matt Jones]

I saw Baker Mayfield was getting. After dancing, having a few booze.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes. So what was interesting to me is who came in last? In Last place, at minus 55, 15 points worse than Rich Eisen, was John O', Hurley, J. Peterman from Seinfeld. Another.

[Matt Jones]

Why are they here?

[Drew Franklin]

Okay. Why is Jay Peterman from Seinfeld in it if he's going to be 15 points worse than next to last place?

[Matt Jones]

Name recognition is not carrying him.

[Drew Franklin]

I had to tell you he was J. Peterman.

[Matt Jones]

Did they put that on the leaderboard? Parenthesis?

[Drew Franklin]

Do you think anyone under 25 even knows who Jay Peterman is, much less John O'? Hurley?

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Drew Franklin]

By the way, Jay Peterman, which was based here in Lexington. Chris Tomlin used to write for the catalog.

[Billy R]

I didn't know that. Interesting.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't think he should be in either. So if I were in charge of that. Jay Peterman disinvited.

[Matt Jones]

Romo was in it. He's pretty good, right? He finished near the top ice.

[Drew Franklin]

There are guys that are.

[Matt Jones]

John Smoltz is always good.

[Drew Franklin]

John Smoltz and Romo are kind of one tier below the guys we just mentioned. Barkley, though, is not the worst anymore.

[Matt Jones]

He's improved.

[Drew Franklin]

He beats, like, 10 or 12 people now.

[Matt Jones]

See, I wouldn't. I would never play golf again if I lost to Barkley. Because it's like a known thing that Barkley is one of the worst golfers ever.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, he's better than Jay Peterman.

[Matt Jones]

I went to that course last year. I don't know if you've ever been to Tahoe, but I don't know if there's many places as pretty as Lake Tahoe.

[Drew Franklin]

That course was it.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. I didn't get to play it, but we had breakfast at the little club there. And looked out on it. It is insane, that view. It's everything it looks like on tv.

[Drew Franklin]

Hang on. I'm just going to. I want to give you the other people in. Can I give you the bottom 10? No one cares about the top 10. Bottom 10. Miles Teller was disqualified for.

[Matt Jones]

What do you do?

[Drew Franklin]

Don't know.

[Matt Jones]

Too drunk.

[Drew Franklin]

You think? It's an interesting question. Oh, sorry. He missed his tea time.

[Matt Jones]

See, stay down Tahoe too long, it'll get you well.

[Drew Franklin]

Still, you can't be missing your tee time.

[Matt Jones]

There's some one place that stays open 247 there.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, the other ones that were at the bottom. Ray. Ray Romano.

[Billy R]

Okay, Ray.

[Drew Franklin]

I would have thought he'd be good.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, what else are you doing these days? Right?

[Drew Franklin]

Romano. Doing when you thought he'd be good. Kathy Engelbert. Jay DeMarcus. Is that a 4? That's an NFL guy, right? Isn't Jay DeMarcus a former NFL? No.

[Matt Jones]

That's like the lead singer of something, right?

[Billy R]

That doesn't even come up. Jake DeMarcus. J. Oh, Jesus.

[Matt Jones]

Is the lead singer of a band?

[Drew Franklin]

What band?

[Matt Jones]

I don't know, but that name sounds familiar.

[Billy R]

A musician. What's the end Member of the country music band Rascal.

[Matt Jones]

There we go.

[Billy R]

Oh,

[Drew Franklin]

why is he there? Unless you're the spiky hair guy, you should not be allowed.

[Matt Jones]

He's not even. Him.

[Drew Franklin]

He's not even the spiky hair guy. Larry the cable guy. Okay.

[Matt Jones]

I thought he was good at golf. He's always in these celebrity tournaments.

[Drew Franklin]

Not good. Terrible.

[Matt Jones]

He stayed out with Miles Teller too long.

[Drew Franklin]

Then Kevin o'. Connell, you know that is the writer. No, that's the guy from Entourage.

[Billy R]

Oh, okay. Different Kevin o'.

[Drew Franklin]

Connell. Are there two Kevin o'? Connells?

[Billy R]

I think there is.

[Matt Jones]

Well, the coach of the Vikings is Kevin o'. Connell.

[Drew Franklin]

Are there a Kevin o'? Connell? There can't be three.

[Billy R]

Kevin o', Connell, Minnesota Vikings head coach. First one that comes up. Are you sure it wasn't him?

[Drew Franklin]

Well, look up who the guy from Entourage is.

[Billy R]

Kevin Connolly.

[Drew Franklin]

So this is the Vikings.

[Matt Jones]

Koc.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay, so if I was a Vikings fan, I'd be happy. My coach was bad. That means he's working hard.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he's been focused.

[Drew Franklin]

And then the next three. The Miz. I wouldn't have expected him to be good. No, Baker Mayfield.

[Matt Jones]

He was having too much fun. I saw the clips. I don't even think he had clubs with him.

[Drew Franklin]

Baker Mayfield. Inning. Grant Hill. I would have thought Grant Hill would be good. So there you Go.

[Matt Jones]

Fun tournament.

[Drew Franklin]

Somebody asked me what that. What I thought I would shoot. I've played golf with J. Billis once. He was a little bit better than me and he had zero points and he came in. He came in 40th, so I think that's about where we would be. Top 50 course is apparently very short too. They do that on purpose.

[Matt Jones]

Maybe we'll get invited next year. The podcast really takes off this year.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, who's next?

[Billy R]

We got two more. We talked about this guy a little bit earlier. Daniel Jones is working his way back from an achilles tear on December 7th. And it's been reported this past week that the Colts expect him to be ready for training camp despite being limited in the off season. Like I said earlier, Colts were 8 and 2. He was in the MVP discussion. Do you think the Colts and Daniel Jones can do that?

[Drew Franklin]

I think he's way too low. I mean, you know, he went 27th in our draft. If he's healthy, he's a top 20 quarterback. Question, of course, is if he's healthy.

[Matt Jones]

Don't he have some insane contract? I think they took good care of him.

[Billy R]

They gave him a contract extension recently. Like a lot.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know. I remember the Danny Dimes from the Giants. It was a fun story.

[Drew Franklin]

He had a playoff Dan. They went to the playoffs one year.

[Billy R]

Danny Doms signed a two year, 88 million dollar deal in March of 26.

[Matt Jones]

I knew he had some insane contracts.

[Drew Franklin]

Was that. Yeah, well, I guess they have though. Like they got to spit it on somebody.

[Matt Jones]

So Philip Rivers wasn't coming back.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. All right, thank you very much. Thanks to Kathy Engelbert, Kevin o' Connell and everyone else. Have a good week. We'll see you next week. It's NFL Cover Zero. NFL Cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast. For more podcasts from iHear Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Narrator/Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Matt Jones]

Guaranteed Human.