Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Best of The Herd" (March 11, 2025)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosted by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume, delivers an engaging and insightful exploration of the top sports stories. In the "Best of The Herd" episode released on March 11, 2025, Colin Cowherd engages in deep discussions with guests Jason McIntyre and Urban Meyer, covering a range of pressing topics in the NFL and college football landscape. Below is a detailed summary capturing the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. Team Overpayments and Front Office Strategies

San Francisco 49ers' Rebuilding Approach

Colin Cowherd opens the discussion by analyzing the San Francisco 49ers' recent strategic decisions. After a six-year period of consistent performance, including multiple Super Bowl and NFC Championship appearances without securing a trophy, the 49ers have opted to release a number of high-caliber players.

Colin Cowherd [03:44]: "San Francisco yesterday and over the last couple of days has done what's very hard to do. They walked away from really, really good players..."

Cowherd attributes this move to overconfidence and inflated player salaries, suggesting that the 49ers are poised for a significant rebuild that could provide them with a substantial number of draft picks in the coming years.

Chicago Bears' Recent Acquisitions

Shifting focus to the Chicago Bears, Cowherd praises their recent upgrades on both the offensive and defensive lines, particularly highlighting the acquisition of center Drew Dahlman.

Colin Cowherd [12:28]: "I think Devonte Adams to the Rams and Drew Dahlman the center for the Bears. And again, you think Joe Tuney to the Bears. Again, you're overpaying in a lot of eyes. But he’s also a really good off..."

Despite these improvements, Cowherd expresses caution, noting that the Bears have had to overpay for these players, which could strain their financial flexibility moving forward. He emphasizes the importance of drafting and developing talent internally, contrasting it with the Bears' current strategy of purchasing established players.

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2. Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers

Potential Acquisition of Aaron Rodgers

A significant portion of the episode revolves around the speculation of Aaron Rodgers joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre delve into the implications of such a move for both Rodgers and the Steelers.

Colin Cowherd [24:38]: "So the story is Jordan Schultz around the corner that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers could have a deal in place by today. So if it happens, you know, my guess is today 70-30. It's going to happen."

Cowherd expresses skepticism about the fit, comparing the Steelers' potential reliance on Rodgers and star wide receiver DK Metcalf to a makeshift solution rather than a strategic overhaul. He draws parallels to past successful Steelers eras featuring legendary quarterbacks, suggesting that Rodgers might not replicate that success within the current organizational framework.

Colin Cowherd [24:38]: "I think Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh would win about nine games and so Mike Tomlin streak would be alive. But... When you keep finding stop gaps for the leaky roof, you end up with a bunch of buckets inside the house instead of just replacing the roof."

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3. Quarterback Market Trends

Overpaying and Its Consequences

Colin Cowherd discusses the broader trends in the quarterback market, highlighting a pattern of overpayment and the subsequent challenges teams face in translating that investment into wins.

Colin Cowherd [17:04]: "Lot of bad teams reaching at quarterback. And I've said this before, where you land as a quarterback. Unless you're like Andrew Luck, where you land as a quarterback is about 80% of your success rate."

Cowherd emphasizes that the success of a quarterback is heavily influenced by the organization they join, including the quality of the offensive line and overall team strategy. He contrasts successful quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Jaden Daniels with Justin Fields, who despite talent, struggles due to suboptimal team environments.

Colin Cowherd [17:04]: "The really good young quarterbacks, even with average rosters like the Washington Commanders or the Bengals with Joe Burrow, they make it look easy. ... Justin Fields is a career disaster. His passer rating in the fourth [quarter] 67, completes 56% of his throws."

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4. College Football Playoff and Draft Insights with Urban Meyer

Proposed Changes to the College Football Playoff

In an insightful segment with college football legend Urban Meyer, the discussion shifts to the future of the College Football Playoff (CFP). Both Cowherd and Meyer advocate for a 14-team playoff model, specifically a 4-4-2-2 structure representing the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12.

Urban Meyer [29:12]: "It's a 14 playoff. Now there's going to be a big caveat in there and that's going to be the Big 12 and ACC or are going to be pissed on this thing."

This model aims to ensure that top teams from each major conference have automatic qualification spots, thereby reducing the reliance on the selection committee and promoting more equitable access to the playoff stages.

NFL Draft Prospects and Player Evaluations

Urban Meyer provides expert analysis on upcoming NFL draft prospects, focusing on positions like tight end and running back. He commends players such as Tyler Warren for his versatility and readiness for the NFL, while also evaluating other candidates based on their collegiate performance and potential.

Urban Meyer [33:07]: "Tyler Warren, if I'm an NFL coach drafting, I'm getting them on my team somehow. I would trade for him. I mean he is, was a quarterback in high school. He can throw..."

Meyer also touches upon the challenges faced by players like Abdul Carter, discussing the balance between physical prowess and injury concerns.

Urban Meyer [40:52]: "You know, it would worry me. I do. I do. Everything worries you as you're starting to invest that kind of money and that kind of capital into a player."

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5. Closing Thoughts and Final Analysis

As the episode winds down, Colin Cowherd reflects on the interconnectedness of team strategies, player acquisitions, and overall league dynamics. He underscores the importance of organizational stability and strategic planning in achieving long-term success.

Colin Cowherd [44:27]: "You got a lot of talk about the college football CFP format and what they're going to do with it. Some proposals."

The discussions throughout the episode highlight the intricate balance teams must maintain between immediate performance and sustainable growth, emphasizing that success in sports extends beyond individual talent to encompass comprehensive team and organizational strategies.

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Notable Quotes

• Colin Cowherd [03:44]: "San Francisco yesterday and over the last couple of days has done what's very hard to do. They walked away from really, really good players..."

• Colin Cowherd [12:28]: "I think Devonte Adams to the Rams and Drew Dahlman the center for the Bears. And again, you think Joe Tuney to the Bears. Again, you're overpaying in a lot of eyes."

• Colin Cowherd [17:04]: "Lot of bad teams reaching at quarterback. And I've said this before, where you land as a quarterback. Unless you're like Andrew Luck, where you land as a quarterback is about 80% of your success rate."

• Urban Meyer [33:07]: "Tyler Warren, if I'm an NFL coach drafting, I'm getting them on my team somehow. I would trade for him. I mean he is, was a quarterback in high school. He can throw..."

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Conclusion

The "Best of The Herd" episode offers a comprehensive analysis of current trends and pivotal moments in the NFL and college football. From strategic team overpayments and quarterback market dynamics to proposed reforms in the College Football Playoff system, Colin Cowherd and his guests provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the sports landscape. This episode serves as an invaluable resource for fans seeking in-depth discussions and expert insights into the world of American football.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we got a Tuesday show. Can it be as good as the Monday show? Urban Meyer is going to stop by to talk about all those Big Ten players at the top of round one. Nick Wright. Jordan Schultz stops by as well. Live in Los Angeles, it's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. So yesterday was wild. It was nuts. A lot of guys getting overpaid, a lot of quarterbacks who aren't going to translate the wins, changing teams, musical quarterbacks. J. Mac that yesterday we predicted it before the show. We said, this is one of the days that we absolutely love. And it turned into a wild day. We're still waiting for Aaron Rodgers, that shoe to drop. Pittsburgh Steelers out there.

[Jason McIntyre]

Does it kind of feel like, you know, when you're at recess dividing up teams and that somebody's got to be the last pick and it feels like Aaron Rodgers is the last pick right here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, let, let's talk about team. So San Francisco's had a great six year run before this past year. So San Francisco yesterday and over the last couple of days has done what's very hard to do. They walked away from really, really good players and acknowledged, yeah, we worked really hard. We got to a bunch of Super Bowls and NFC championships. We didn't get a trophy and we're not going to get one with this group. So they let good players go. Kyle Juszczyk's been a Pro Bowler eight years. Greenlaw the linebacker. Ward the corner. Aaron Banks. Who? Funga the safety. Debo Samuel. It just said, listen, we had a stacked roster, we got close a bunch. We didn't win. I would have done this last season. I said going into this year, the Cowboys and the Niners regression was going to begin and they have both absolutely peaked. So I think they did it a year late and I think one year from now they have 12 draft picks. This year, San Francisco does and I think next year at this time, Trent Williams, Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, maybe Fred Warner are in the same space that these guys they all let go are in. They got bloated, they got loose in negotiations. And the Los Angeles Rams, their primary rival, running a tighter ship sailed by them. I think signing Deebo and Brandon Iuk to big deals is a mistake and they would acknowledge it now. Both guys are talented, but a lot of injuries and they're, you know, they're chatty. The moral to the San Francisco story. So what's the moral to this great quarterbacks win Super Bowls, you can have a very good head coach, Kyle Shanahan, you can have a great roster. Last five or six years, San Francisco, and you're going to come up empty. The Rams, it's different. Rams had a two time Pro bowl quarterback in Jared Goff. A quarterback that got to the Super Bowl, Jared Goff, and they did not settle. That's why the Brock Purdy negotiations are vital. Garoppolo, not great. One pass, win a Super bowl, missed Brock Purdy, smaller, injured a couple times. Not great in inclement weather, which you often get in December and January. So six year run, no trophy, lot of Super Bowls, conference championship games, stacked roster, great coach, but just good at quarterback. So and that to me that's the moral of the story. And I think San Francisco, there's another opportunity here that they're going to settle at quarterback for the last guy picked in the seventh round. Not big, not super mobile, not huge. Army more than capable. But I think they've fallen in love with Kyle Shanahan's coaching. McVeigh is every bit as good as Kyle Shanahan and he won't settle at quarterback. Andy Reid is better than Shanahan, the coach, and he upgraded from a Pro bowl quarterback, Alex Smith. So that's the moral to the story. You can have the great coach, you can have the stacked roster if you're good at quarterback. There's an opportunity here to just have to reboot and rebuild. That's what the Niners are doing. It's not a total rebuild, but I think in one year from now, McCaffrey, Trent Williams, George Kittle, I think those guys, a year from now, maybe even Fred Warner, who's the best linebacker arguably in football, they'll be moving on as well. So I found yesterday fascinating that, you know, it's, I said this yesterday and I'll say it again today, what this two to three day period is, it's about the front offices. It's not necessarily about the players. Everybody's getting overpaid. I mean Milton Williams signed a contract with New England that something Aaron Donald sort of signed. He's, you know, and it was very predictable as the best defensive tackle on the market. The Eagles letting him go. Eagles are like you, you guys overpay him. We're not doing it. You can do that when you're Philadelphia and when you nail your draft picks. And that gets me into the Chicago Bears. So the Chicago Bears are a good news, bad news story over the last two days. So let's look at the good news, they have really upgraded on the offensive line. Guard, center, guard. I love Joe Tuney. I love Drew Dahlman. Drew Dahlman's arguably the best signing potentially over the last two days. They up. Grady Jarrett was on the market. Okay, here's the bad news. So the good news is your O line and your D line, they're better. Here's the bad news. Yeah, none of those players were your draft picks. You had to overpay for all of them. And I liked some of them a lot. But it tells you. Yeah, your gm, the young guy, probably not it. We don't know if your quarterback's it yet. I think he is. We don't know if your head coach is it. I think he probably is. We know you have one of the poorest ownership groups. So right now, the Chicago Bears, even though I love the upgrades, it's a lot of finger crossing and hope and optimism. That's all it is. Go look at Philadelphia's stacked roster, especially their O lines and D lines. That's homegrown stuff. Overwhelmingly look at the Lions O line, great front office mostly. Their guys. Look at the Kansas City defense. Their guys. Look at the Rams, unbelievable defense. Cheap. Their draft picks, Green Bay, historically, over the last 20 years, New England during the Belichick era, his own line, his draft and development guys with Dante Scarnecchia. The packers overpaid for a guard yesterday, but historically they draft and develop offensive lines. So when you got to go buy somebody else's good players. Yes, you can absolutely upgrade. I am not denying that. But eventually you'll pay a price for overpaying for O line and D line guys. Remember guys hit the market. I like Grady, Jared a lot. But Atlanta's like, we probably got the most out of you little age here getting really expensive. So the Bears have to overpay. I mean Kansas City moved off Joe Tuney. They're telling you something and they liked him a lot. But they're telling you deep down we think probably the peak, the erosion starts now. So I can like what the Bears did, but make no mistake, the best two defenses in the NFL at the end of last year you could argued were like Kansas City, the Rams in Philadelphia. It is a lot of draft and develop guys. It's not buying somebody else's used car. And there are a lot of you. There are a lot of good used cars on the market, but you don't know the odometer. Did they toy with it? Did they tweak with it? You don't really know when you go to a used car lot. So San Francisco, hey, you can have a stacked roster. Got to get the quarterback a A plus or you're not holding up a trophy in Chicago. Good news, you really upgraded your own D lines. But that's what you do when you whiff on a bunch of picks. And they did. I mean, you start looking at last year's team for the Bears, who was their pick? That was great. Jalen Johnson, the corner, that's their guy. So that, that, that, that's a good, that's a good story. But, you know, Kenan Allen is somebody else's guy and DJ Moore is somebody else's guy. And even if you win a trade on the market, you're overpaying for people. Even the teams, I like what they did. New England, they massively overpaid for defensive tackle. That's not the way to sustain greatness. The way to do it is the way Detroit's front office, Rams front office, Kansas City's front office, Philadelphia's front office. And you could argue those four teams I just, I just named could be the four favorites next year for the Super Bowl. So there you go. And it's a carousel of quarterbacks bouncing all over the place. And we're kind of waiting for Aaron Rodgers. Yeah. Is he going to be the last guy chosen in the pickup game? He's like the last shoe to fall. I. All the stories are he's going to go to Pittsburgh, which is. It's a weird fit, isn't it?

[Jason McIntyre]

I think it's a better fit than Minnesota, by the way. Minnesota is stacking up some players. I don't know if you noticed what they've done in the trenches, Colin, but they are loading up. I like Minnesota's off season. I just don't like the prospects for Aaron Rodgers at all. Like any of the options. I wonder if he'll just decide, I'm going to retire. I don't need this. I don't need to be the last pick. Nobody want the Colts would rather have Daniel Jones than make a run at me.

[Colin Cowherd]

If I asked you what's the single best acquisition, I think Drew Dahlman, the center for the Bears. When you can, when you consider what it will do to the O line, the quarterback, I think that's about as good a pick, that's as good a pickup as I've seen. I think Devonte Adams to the Rams is really strong. He'll fit in seamlessly with McVeigh and Stafford. They get offense.

[Jason McIntyre]

Your guy Sean Payton is grabbed 249er defenders.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it's interesting. Two injury prone defenders. I have a theory on what Sean Payton is doing in Denver. Yeah, I would say of all the moves I've seen Devonte Adams to the Rams and Drew Dallman the center for the Bears. And again, I think Joe Tuney to the Bears. Again, you're overpaying in a lot of eyes. But he's also a really good off. I mean they went and got two elite offensive interior linemen. That is, that is something the Bears generally don't do. Offense and interior, all line.

[Jason McIntyre]

Are we counting trades or just free agency? Because I think Washington grabbing Laramie Tunsil and Debo Samuel.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nice moves.

[Jason McIntyre]

Those are huge moves. I like Washington a lot. I got a new NFC championship game for you in January of 26.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, it is, it's so much fun. And you know, listen, I know, you know, it was my favorite part yesterday is coming into free agency. We're all like, it's not a very good free agency class. And then it arrives and we're all like unbelievable. But the Bears did trades before free agency. So I mean, it's not just free agency. I, I'll be honest with you. Devonte Adams to the Rams and Dolman to the Bears. I was like, whoa, Anytime you're like, oh, whoa, those guys are going to fit instantly.

[Jason McIntyre]

Let me hit you with one last one. Who's who wins more games next year? Sam Darnold Seahawks or Justin Fields is Jets.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, oh, Darnold Seahawks. Easy like slam dunk. Jets are going to be a four.

[Jason McIntyre]

Or five win team and Seattle's going to be more than that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Seattle going to be 8, 9 win. Yeah, I see a lot of negativity with Sam Darnold. He's going to fall off a cliff.

[Jason McIntyre]

Who's his O.C. by the way, what do they got going on in Seattle?

[Colin Cowherd]

Kubiak, who by the way, flamed out.

[Jason McIntyre]

After a hot start last year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, well, all right. Well, we'll see.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Lot of bad teams reaching at quarterback. And I've said this before, where you land as a quarterback. Unless you're like Andrew Luck, where you land as a quarterback is about 80% of your success rate. Go look at Baker Mayfield. Finally got a good roster. Finally got a team that believed in him in Tampa. Go look at Sam darnold in Minnesota. 80% of this stuff for quarterbacks is where you land. Very rare that Joe Burrow can overcome a frugal front office and ownership bad old lines that those are historic outliers. So Justin fields signed a two year deal with the Jets. It's basically a one year deal and a $8 million cap hit. So Justin Fields, think about this. Starts his career with a broken franchise, a defensive head coach and a defensive culture in Chicago. And then he goes to a solid franchise with a defensive head Coach and a defensive coach in Pittsburgh. Culture and coach Pittsburgh. And now where does he go with another defensive coach, another broken franchise? I know how this will end. Not good. If he would have landed a Sean Payton or a Sean McVeigh out of college, I think you'd have seen the very best of Justin Fields. I don't know how good that is, but it's better than what you've seen. And so here's a fact. The really good young quarterbacks, even with average rosters like the Washington Commanders or the Bengals with Joe Burrow, they make it look easy. The accuracy is easy. The fluidity just, they move. I mean, Burrow and Jaden Daniels, bad rosters, lots of wins. Justin Fields, everything looks hard. And the other thing is that Jaden Daniels, shockingly, his best quarter is the fourth quarter. He is an unbelievable fourth quarter quarterback. Justin Fields, Jaden Daniels is great in the fourth. Justin Fields, a career disaster. His passer rating in the fourth 67, completes 56% of his throws. So Justin Fields is over 22 in his career when his team allows more than 20 points. So he gets his third defensive culture, he gets his third defensive coach. And we've talked about this a lot, is it just matters where you land and who you land with. You don't think Bo Nix was helped by Sean Payton? You don't think Cliff Kingsbury helped Jaden Daniels. All this stuff matters. I mean, Sam Darnold was dead and buried. Gets Kevin O'Connell. He was fighting for the MVP in week 14 15. So I don't know what Justin Fields would have been had he landed McVay. But it's better than what I've seen. He's a bad fourth quarter quarterback. He's not good on third down. He doesn't feel, you know, he looks the part, look like big athletic moves. But very few guys pop in year four, and if they do, it's because they landed in a really good organization or with a great offensive coordinator or a great offensive culture. Like, like, like Baker got a great OC or Darnold got a great offensive head coach and a great receiver. This for Justin Fields is just more the same. It's the Bears, it's the jets, it's the broken offensive culture in Pittsburgh. I just know how it's going to end. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio F and the iHeartRadio app.

[Steve Covino]

Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio. Maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich Live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live shows, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

So the story is Jordan Schultz around the corner that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers could have a deal in place by today. So if it happens, you know, My guess is today 70 30. It's going to happen. I said yesterday I thought DK Metcalf was a reeked of desperation. It's like buying a house to save the marriage. They can't get offense right. Let's massively overpay at a position the Steelers have actually draft and develop really well. Wide receiver. This. I mean I think Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh would win about nine games and so Mike Tomlin streak would be alive. But you know what? When you keep finding stop gaps for the leaky roof, you end up with a bunch of buckets inside the house instead of just replacing the roof The Steelers have been great twice in my life. Terry Bradshaw in his prime, Big Ben in his prime. Outside of that, they've had buckets around the facility. A Bobby Brister here, a Neil O'Donnell there, a Mitch Strabisky here. Aaron 5 years ago Would not be buckets around the house. He would be a new roof. That's not the Aaron you're getting. So. And you know what's interesting here? Kind of a cautionary tale. And I know I'm always Mr. Anti Aaron, but it's ending this way because, I mean, Minnesota was looking for a potential quarterback. Seattle was. Vegas was with Chip Kelly. The Colts were a return to the Jets. Male said, nah, nah. So it, you know, the jets and the Steelers swapping quarterbacks feels like 2C minus students cheating off each other on a test. Hey, we'll take your guy that didn't work. And we'll take your guy that didn't work. I think Aaron's talented, but I think both the jets and the Steelers have shown, as we've noted multiple times, they just don't have a feel for offense. And it's not because the Steelers don't have talent. So maybe DK Metcalf and Aaron, the tight end I like. I mean, there's players here. But I've been saying this for like 5 years. I've loved the Steelers roster for 5 years. I've been saying this for years. I love the players. They just don't get offense. So you know Aaron, there was a lot of people out there that could have had Aaron and all of them are like, nah. And the Steelers got him. So it feels a little desperate to me. That's how it feels. And in my life, the Steelers have been great twice when they had hall of Fame quarterbacks in their prime. I think Aaron 6 years ago to Pittsburgh. That's something to get excited about this. I mean, it's big Steelers brand. Aaron Brandt. We'll talk about it a lot. I see no value in talking about New York football team. So Aaron at least went to a place that's interesting. There. There's something there. Nick Wright, top of the hour. Urban Meyer, Jordan Schultz, around the corner. Denver Broncos. What are they doing? Getting a couple of guys on the defensive side that are a little injury plagued. The Commanders get Laramie Tunzel. That feels good to me. A great pass blocker. A lot of penalties, but a great pass blocker. More in a second. Live in la, it's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern. 9:00am Pacific. Yeah. There's a lot of talk about the college football CFP format and what they're going to do with it. Some proposals. I'll talk to Urban. I will say this about the college football media. You want automatic qualifiers. A every other sport in the world has them. It's easier for the fans to follow. You want automatic qualifiers. That's obvious. And another reason you want them is because if you're the college football is carried by 10 to 12 programs. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Bama. You know your big schools. You want them knowing that if they win their conference or a division they get an automatic qualifier. They're more willing to face big out of conference games. And college football has always had a problem since I was a kid. It's always had a big game problem out of conference. So I am for automatic qualifiers. Urban Meyer is Now joining us. 17 seasons free national championships. So there's a lot of stuff with CFP getting bannied about. Talking about what what are you hearing? What are you hearing on the proposals for the College Football Playoff?

[Urban Meyer]

Well, I've actually done a little research on this and I a friend of mine called me and said hey I want to talk to you about this. And so I said okay. And it's a 442211 yeah format.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Urban Meyer]

It's. I know it's out there a little bit but I did a little diving into it and of all the ones I've heard it makes sense. It's a 14 playoff. Now there's going to be a big caveat in there and that's going to be the Big 12 and ACC or are going to be pissed on this thing. So they might, they might not. I don't know. It's big 10 sec has four.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

Qualifiers. But but here's the best thing. It takes it out of selection and more into access. So the selection committee is going to be wrong. You know, it's an imperfect system. It's been that way since the BCS which we were part of that no. 6 to the college Football Playoff. Ohio State was part of that in 14 the 12 team playoff last year there were some, you know, what are the mistakes? Who knows. But I like the idea you play into it and then that way there's two things that I love about it. Number one is it does not penalize you. If I'm a coach in the current model, I am not playing a tough team in the, in the early part of this. I'm not doing that. That's going to Hurt my team. You get judged on the playoff and that's it. If you go on the conferences handle the access the Big Ten gets. Four, you're certainly, you're darn right I'm going to play Texas because I want to challenge my team. It's great for recruiting, it's great for our fans, it's great for the game of football and it will not penalize me if I still win the Big Ten. I'm the number one seed.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you and I agree. I'm a. The other thing is I don't have. So the 4, 4 would be SEC, Big 10. The 2, 2 would be the ACC and the Big 12. And my takeaway is on that. Well, that's obvious. Like you have to start pretending stuff doesn't exist. If you look at the money the SEC has and the money the Big Ten and the addition of Texas, Oklahoma, usc, Oregon. Let's, let's stop arguing about it. Those are easily the best conferences. I would argue last year there were times the fifth best team in the Big Ten, I was like, I don't know if that because I think Michigan, Michigan's going to be better. I think Washington and USC are going to be better. I think the fifth place team in the, I mean you could have a Nebraska be the fifth best team in the Big Ten this year and like be a team that can go in a major bowl game. So I'm with you on that. Now. Do you think that's going to happen? Because I think it's the right way too. Do you think that happens?

[Urban Meyer]

Let me throw in another little area that I thought I, when I heard this one I was like, I'm all in. It's a play in for the third, four spots in the Big Ten, a play in for the third, four spots in the SEC and a play in for the second or play in obviously for the ACC and the Big 12. And here's what I mean by playing three play six, four plays five. The winner of that game on that weekend. Well now you're going to have the Big Ten championship game and two playoff playing games that will determine your four teams for. So a six place Big Ten team has a good day, they're in a playoff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

So you look at Minnesota, you look at Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, Washington, usc, ucla, all those teams at the end of the year, whoever's fifth and sixth are still swinging at the end of the year. And I just think it's, it's great, it's great for the game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep. More big games that Matter and that's what separates the NFL from college is every weekend you've got six or eight games that are fantastic. I gotta ask, I want to ask you about some of these prospects because you saw them and you know them. So you know there's always been this feeling about tight ends. Yeah. You know they don't. It takes a while for a tight end in college to go to the pros because they ask you to block. So Colston Loveland and the kid Tyler Warren are the two best tight ends in the country. They're both Big Ten guys. Do they feel like first round tight ends to you?

[Urban Meyer]

For sure. Tyler Warren I think was other than Jeremiah Smith, you know the obvious. He's maybe the best player in the last decade in college football. Tyler Warren, if I'm an NFL coach drafting, I'm getting them on my team somehow. I would trade for him. I mean he is, was a quarterback in high school. He can throw, which he did during games. He can take a direct snap. I met the guy, we covered him a lot. I'm finding a way. So I think he's NFL ready. Colston Loveland I think is a little bit behind Tyler Warren.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

But he'll be a late first, early second, I predict.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Michigan has a history of having good tight ends. Loveland is, listen, Brock Bowers is the best tight end prospect I've ever seen. And I think people look at these guys and go, well he's not Brock Bowers. And it's like folks, that's a whole different ball game. That kid is that you don't compare anybody to Brock Bowers. So I agree with you.

[Urban Meyer]

That's true.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now you had Ashton Genty so I'm going to throw this at you. I think the North Carolina back is as good or better. I think he's that good. You saw Genti play. Here's my thing, the draft, the one position in this draft that is stacked, Ohio State's got a couple is running back. It is a stacked running back draft. So my take is when you watch Ashton Genty, is he good enough to take in the first round knowing I can get 80% of that in the second, third and fourth or do you think he is a transformational player?

[Urban Meyer]

I again just talking to some guys involved in the NFL draft. So Saquon Barkley, the running back is officially back in the NFL.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And you know, it disappeared for a while. I was shocked when Zeke Elliott, when they weren't paying Zeke what he was worth and Sutton J.K. dobbins, they were letting him go. Then all of a sudden, Barkley, they let the guy go and now all of a sudden he's carrying his, you know, has a big super bowl ring and he carried that team. So I think absolutely. Ashton Jetty, I don't think he's early pick. When I say early, I don't think he's a top 15 pick, but I certainly think he's back half of the first round. And once again, a year ago or two years ago, no, someone would have said, I'm going to wait for the second and third round. I think the run game will be coming back to the NFL with investment and running backs. And I think, you know, the NFL and college, they're both cyclical. And what happens is how did the, you know, how did the Eagles win the Super Bowl? How did they put it all over the Chiefs? Because they ran the ball, they stopped the run. They obviously played great defense. But when you can control the line of scrimmage and run the football, I mean, that's the way we won championships. That's how you win.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let me ask you about. So I'm going to tell you, I think this is the most underrated player in the draft. He's going to go in the second round. And I think we're talking about Cam and Shador Sanders. And I'm like, just keep your eye on Kyle McCord. He can spin it. Wow. I think I. Wow. I think he's now, again, I don't think he's a first round talent. He was at Ohio State. He was very good. He went to Syracuse. His numbers are insane. Am I reaching here? I, I tell you, I watch a lot of this stuff. YouTube clips. I'm like, there's a second, third round pick every year at quarterback every other year. What do you make of him?

[Urban Meyer]

Well, I know Kyle McCord well, obviously covering them. I know the guys that coached him very well. They love the guy. Very disappointed when he left. I think another year under his belt at Ohio State, it might not have been Syracuse type numbers because they had to share the wealth a little bit. But I certainly think he's in it. I don't. Man, you said first round, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

I said second, second round.

[Urban Meyer]

Okay. I could see second, maybe third.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

But I can see a guy playing in the NFL for eight, nine years.

[Colin Cowherd]

Absolutely. Okay. Yeah, yeah. It's a, it is a weak quarterback draft and the NFL is quarterback desperate. So somebody may reach mid second round, but I think there's talent there now. Now I like Shador Sanders. I love Cam's talent and traits. I like Shador and the reason. Reason I like him is he had no run game and a lousy O line. So he has had to initiate offense his whole life. And I think, as you know, in the NFL, when you go to a top seven or eight team, that's your reality battle line. You got to make plays. What would concern you about Shador Sanders?

[Urban Meyer]

Again? I did a little research because our big new pot or triple option podcast is going to the draft and I called a GM friend of mine and he is really. He slipped a little bit here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Urban Meyer]

And the reason he's slipping is they're looking at the competition that he played. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that, because what I saw, I saw a guy that's athletic enough to get out of trouble, a live arm, stays alive, competes his butt off, and he's always on the run because his offensive line struggled certainly last year and this year they're a little bit better. The offense line in Colorado, but not much so. But I understand there's a. Throughout the NFL, there's a concern about if he can make the throw in the tight windows, because in the Big 12 Conference, he didn't have to do that very much. And he was. You look at his big plays, a lot of them were on the run. And you know, that's, that's not necessarily what they're looking for in the NFL. They want a guy to drop back and make that tight window throw. There's some question marks if he can do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Travion Henderson, running back at Ohio State. The other kid is Quinn. Sean Judkin. Judkins. Ohio State's always got talent at skill positions. These are two very, very good running backs. If I was drafting the. The two Ohio State running backs, what do you like? What would worry you? What do you make of them?

[Urban Meyer]

I don't know enough about Quinn. Sean, you know, he was, you know, he was a backup this year. I know he came and he was supposed to split time, but Trayvon was the back. And Trayvon from his. The last two years of football was night and day because up until the end of last year and then this year, I would. I was worried about him. I was worried about if he's, you know, we used to call him one hit back, where he gets hit and he goes down. That's not the case anymore. He developed into a guy that can break tackles. He's always had elite speed. But if you really studied him two years ago, he got, he got, he Got whatever the offensive line gave him. Yeah, that's no longer the case. He rips through tackles now. He's a much improved. I don't know if it's strength training, I don't know if it's confidence, but he developed into a back that can make people miss and rip two tackles. He was not that two years ago.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that tells me he's a worker, so I like that. That. That tells me he put in the time in the gym. I'm all for that. Right.

[Urban Meyer]

I agree. I agree.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to throw this at you one more guy. I think there's an argument Abdul Carter is just the best prospect. I don't worry too much about the surgery. I saw him eat alive tackles. Now he's just. Nobody could block him. What do you make of him? I. I thought even against Ohio State, certain guys just pop and you're like, like Mason Grant, Will the. Will Johnson, the corner for Michigan when he was healthy. I'm like, okay, that's a first round player. What do you make of Abdul Carter? The injury, Would it worry.

[Urban Meyer]

You know, it would worry me. I do. I do. Everything worries you as you're starting to invest that kind of money and that kind of capital into a player. But whenever you look at a player, you all say, and it's a little bit like high school, and recruited Kit, a player that comes from a great high school, a Xavier in Cincinnati. And you figure he's maximized. How much better can he get? Abdul Carter is only relatively new at that defensive end position. He's. I think he's still growing into his body, so I think there's as good as he is, there's still plenty of upside, so. But I would argue that it'd be hard for me to not take Travis Hunter with that first pick. I just. I love that guy. I think he's a once in a generation, once in a lifetime player. He can do things that I've not seen people do. His stamina, the quality of kid that I've done some homework on him. We covered him a few times. He's big. I want to say he's close to six. Three. We had him on our set with us and I was shocked how big he is. So I think it's either Travis Hunter, it's going to be Abdul Carter.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Would you like him to play corner and receiver? Would you scale that back? Would you? You know, I. Coaches probably want him to play receiver because you can get the ball to him 12 times. What would you do?

[Urban Meyer]

I would never Say this. Other than that guy, I'd play him both ways. I would train him. I mean, he. I've never seen Colin on 160th play of the game, he's blocking guys 25, 30 yards downfield. And he. At the end of the game, he's as strong. I know it's college and I get that. I'm gonna. I'm sure some people say, oh, it's college, it's called. I get that. But I. In my lifetime, I've not seen a guy do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow. I still think you're shocked by my Kyle McCord take. I. I think you're. That just. It's unsettled you. You didn't even hear me.

[Urban Meyer]

I'm not. I did. When you said first round, I would have pumped the brakes a little bit, but certainly second and what kind of person he is, the fact he went. He got a little arrogance to him, got a little went and showed what he can do on his own. So, no, I. You did shock me at first, but I'd say second or third round.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I'm just a clickbait guy. You know, me. Okay. Finally we got. I had Ryan Day on, by the way. I had Ryan Dan last week. He was so emotional. He was so good. I mean, the guy was just so good for me. Hard to root against him and. But you've won national championships. I only remember you not liking one of your teams. It was a Florida team that went to a bowl game and too many of the guys won seven. Yeah. You didn't like that team. Wore you out most of the time. You love.

[Urban Meyer]

Couldn't stand them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Hey, you know, that happens. Okay, so you win a national champion, Chip Kelly leaves. You got nil guys moving around. So it's a different world. But what is the hardest part of coming back as a national champion? Something that I. Maybe I wouldn't figure out that you. You had to literally sit down with your staff and say, okay, we got to play some psychologists here. What's the hard part?

[Urban Meyer]

It's. And you put it on the players. I think it's the staff, you know, I think the staff. And then that leads to your players. Everybody changes. In 2016, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. Joe Madden is a dear friend of mine. I went up to visit him in spring of 2017. I'm sitting in his office. He is absolutely miserable. And I believe they were in first place still. And he said, this team, they're hard to coach, they're hard to be around. I'm Just, I'm really struggling with this team. And he says he did some homework in the NHL, NFL, Major league baseball, NBA, college football, college basketball. How hard it is, the percentage to repeat is very, extremely low. I don't know the number. I want to say it's single digits. My 09 team was better than the 08 national champion Florida Gators. My 15 team. When I say better, more talented. My 15 team at Ohio State was more talented than the 14 Ohio State team, but we didn't win it. Why? Because it's different. It's just different. There's always issues there. It just seems like when you're climbing the mountain, it takes energy and passion. When you're on top of the mountain, it's just. You're just taking arrows. So energy of passion versus taking arrows.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, what. What golf tournament? What cushy golf tournament are you in today, by the way? You got another one today?

[Urban Meyer]

I'm not. I'm doing Colin Coward on our podcast and golf tournament starts up again tomorrow, though.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a. It's quite a life you've carved out for yourself. I've got a little jealous, to be honest with you. You could invite me to one of those things occasionally.

[Urban Meyer]

I wouldn't, you know, Colin, if you work really hard someday, you know. I'm just kidding. Always great to be with you, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

Always great to see you, Urban Meyer. Thanks, coach.

[Urban Meyer]

Thanks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I agree with Urban. I'm. I. Big 12 can get upset in the ACC. You've earned your lot. 442211. I'm good with that. Sec. Big 10 have separated. I mean, they were better before they added Washington, Oregon, sc, ucla. They were better before they added Texas, Oklahoma. So, like, don't. Let's not make arguments. Well, the acc. What about it? I mean, as Clemson can't figure out the transfer portal and I. I watched that smu. I watched that game. How'd that look? Not great. So that Kyle McCord there, that threw him for a little loopy. You got. I got a lot of contacts in the pro league and I like to throw a little curveball at Urban. Live in Los Angeles.

[Nikki Glaser]

This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser Podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg hating on each other, because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this country and it's gotta stop. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, Call it out and you can learn more by following oithhate.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents, we'll have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

In Mississippi, Yazoo clay keeps secrets.

[Urban Meyer]

7,000 bodies out there, or more.

[Colin Cowherd]

A forgotten asylum, cemetery. It was my family's mystery. Shame, guilt, propriety. Something keeps it all buried deep until it's not. I'm Larison Campbell and this is under Yazoo Clay. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country, and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week, we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.