The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 2

Episode Title: Wonderlic Nonsense, Louis Riddick
Air Date: March 2, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick with "The Danettes" (Todd, Marvin, Seaton, Paulie)
Featured Guest: Louis Riddick (ESPN NFL & College Football Analyst)

Episode Overview

This hour of The Dan Patrick Show revolves around key topics in football, particularly debates about the NFL Draft Combine, the shifting relevance of the Wonderlic test, and the strategic calculus behind drafting top prospects. The segment features a lively discussion with analyst Louis Riddick, who brings a front office perspective to draft decision-making and the overemphasis on combine performances. The hosts lace in humor, ribbing, and audience calls in their usual manner, giving a broad look at how the media, teams, and fans interact with draft season drama.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The (Literal) Fire Drill and Benchmarks of Athleticism

• [02:06] The crew jokes about a real fire in the studio, using it as a segue into “stat of the day” and discussions about combine numbers and athletic feats.
  • Dan Patrick (joking to Todd): “I think the fire in my office had a better hour than you. Got more attention, more content.”

2. NFL Draft Combine Talk

• [02:58] Intro into Combine Highlights:
  • Jeremiah Love’s performance and potential as a top pick are discussed, along with the value proposition of drafting a running back early.
  • Dan Patrick: “If he’s that great, then I’m going to invest eight years of pay with Jeremiah Love…you get four years, then you’ll skip the fifth year, sign him up and then you’ll have a Saquon Barkley situation.”

Marketing Names & Draft Humor

• Todd (on Love to the Jets): “Take Love just for marketing reasons... Jet Mariah Love.”
  • Playful banter continues on how NFL culture latches onto names and narratives.

3. Poll Questions: Wonderlic & Combine Ego

• [05:19-07:22] The Danettes debate which combine drill they’d perform worst in: 40 yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, or Wonderlic.
  • Resounding confidence in passing the Wonderlic contrasted with admitted physical decline (“That spring…even what limited spring may have had, isn’t there anymore.” – Seaton Hall [07:51])

4. The Death of the Wonderlic Test

• [10:04] The group reflects on the Wonderlic’s fading relevance at the NFL Combine.
  • It's now optional and scores are rarely leaked or discussed.
  • “I think people have really come around to the idea that standardized tests are kind of nonsense.” – Seaton Hall [10:38]
  • “Yeah, after I did poorly on them.” – Dan Patrick (self-deprecating humor about standardized tests) [10:46]

5. Audience & Industry Calls

• [11:43] Listeners call in with best and worst of the weekend, including Michael Jordan’s NASCAR success and tragedy in college sports.
  • Michael Jordan’s NBC NBA appearance discussed:
    • “Estimates are between $20 and $37 million for a less than three hour interview.” – Paul [13:38]
    • “That’s not good. I mean, it’s good, but that’s not good.” – Dan Patrick

Featured Segment: Interview with Louis Riddick (NFL Draft & Combine)

[22:09–37:14]

Most Important Combine Drills

• [22:42] Louis Riddick breaks down which drills matter by position:

  • 40-yard dash more for cornerbacks (need to be sub-4.5 for true value).

  • 10-yard splits for O-linemen/DBs; 3-cone & shuttle for wide receivers.

  • Vertical jump as a raw explosiveness indicator across all positions.

  • Louis Riddick: “If we really judged wide receivers by 40s, Jerry Rice would have went undrafted.” [23:17]

  • Dan Patrick (re: vertical): “A couple guys had a better vertical than Vince Carter...I don’t know what it means, but that’s pretty damn impressive.” [24:22]

The Combine vs. Real Football

• [24:49] Dan and Louis agree most weight should still be put on game tape, with combine numbers serving as confirmation or a prompt for further investigation.
  • “There’s no games being played right now…let’s not make crazy wild changes on people’s evaluations.” – Louis Riddick [26:38]

Best Available vs. Need & Draft Value

• [27:26] Delving into front office philosophy:
  • Top of NFL draft is rarely “best player available,” always filtered through positional value.
  • Dan (on NBA draft vs NFL): “In basketball...if the Trailblazers had taken the best player, they would have taken Michael Jordan.”
  • Riddick (on positional hierarchy): “Prioritize positions in terms of importance…quarterback, pass rusher, corner, tackle, wide receiver…that’s why running back slides down the board.” [29:24-31:54]
  • On rookie contracts & salary cap: “You want as much cheap, affordable labor as you can possibly get…”

Modern Draft Calculus

• [32:44] The NFL's win-now mentality tempers worries about long-term contracts for RBs: “We gotta win now…If I don’t, I may be out of here.”

  • High praise for Jeremiah Love: “A running back coach told me…‘he moves with the ease and fluidity of Eric Dickerson.’ I haven’t heard anybody…compare anybody to Eric Dickerson. Nobody.” – Riddick [35:04]

Why Not Double Up on Talent?

• [33:48-37:14] Should the Jets draft Love even with Breece Hall? Riddick explains the logic of why they likely won’t, the impact of positional needs, and how teams are thinking about round one.

  • Riddick: “Wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants at five take him. He may not get past the Giants at five.” [35:46]
  • “These athletes are insanely talented and skilled…and the game has never been more specialized and more athletic than it will be in 2026, that’s for sure.” [37:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Patrick on sports Emmy submission and the studio fire [02:21]:
  “I don’t know what this means for a sports Emmy, but maybe we submit – oh no, it’s too late. We already submitted for this year.”

• Todd’s Wonderlic overthinking anecdote [09:25]:
  “There was a question about the bakery...I picked beans because I thought it baked beans. Got to be bakery–baked beans...I was the only one that got that wrong.”

• On combine overreaction [25:14]:
  “Every year somebody’s going to go, ‘Oh my God,’...and change what they probably saw for three months in the college football season.” – Dan Patrick

• On vertical jump freaks [23:54]:
  “43 and a half inches from standing...these dudes are jumping out the gym.” – Louis Riddick

• On modern team-building [31:53]:
  “You’re always trying to balance: best player available and best player at a position of need. You are actually trying to build a football team, not just collect talent.” – Riddick

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:06] – Discussion of studio fire, segue to combine stats
• [05:19–07:22] – Combine drills and Wonderlic poll question
• [10:04–10:55] – The Wonderlic test’s irrelevance and standardized testing criticism
• [22:42–26:38] – Louis Riddick explains which combine drills matter and why
• [27:26–37:14] – Deep dive into NFL draft philosophy, positional value, Jeremiah Love, and "best available" versus "team need"
• [37:14–39:27] – Recap of top draft odds and further discussion of combine performances

Recurring Themes & Atmosphere

• Humor and Self-Deprecation: Frequent ribbing among the Danettes, comedic takes on aging athleticism and combine "failures."
• Skepticism Toward Testing: Strong current of doubt about the Wonderlic and an emphasis on the limits of combine performances as predictors of NFL productivity.
• Draft Strategy Intrigue: Riddick’s front office insights reveal the science and art behind the NFL draft, flagging the constant tug-of-war between need and raw talent.

Summary Takeaway

This episode explores the NFL draft pipeline from multiple angles: the diminishing significance of the Wonderlic, the importance and occasional folly of combine numbers, and the ever-evolving team-building calculus. Louis Riddick’s experienced lens provides clarity on why teams do what they do in April, while the Danettes’ banter keeps the conversation relatable and grounded in sports fandom.