Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Best of The Herd"

Episode Information:

• Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Description: A thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.
• Episode: Best of The Herd
• Release Date: April 25, 2025

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Introduction to the NFL Draft

Timestamp: 02:50

The episode kicks off with Joy Taylor diving into the aftermath of Round 1 of the NFL Draft. The primary focus is on the various surprises and unexpected outcomes that unfolded during the first round. Joy highlights the significant absence of Shadour Sanders from the draft, sparking a heated discussion about his undrafted status and future prospects.

Notable Quote:

"Shadour Sanders didn't get drafted. It is, you know, it's so much to talk about." – Joy Taylor [02:50]

Cleveland's Strategic Moves

Timestamp: 03:32

Joy Taylor and Jason McIntyre delve into Cleveland's draft strategy, praising the team's organizational decisions despite the overall disappointing draft quality. They commend Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski for orchestrating a series of smart picks that set Cleveland up for future success.

Notable Quote:

"Cleveland's like, yeah, we'll take picks for next year. This is a bad draft." – Joy Taylor [05:00]

Despite admitting the draft wasn't stellar, they acknowledge Cleveland's foresight in securing future high-potential picks and acquiring players like Mason Graham, enhancing the team's depth and versatility.

Critique of Jacksonville's Draft Decisions

Timestamp: 07:04

The conversation shifts to Jacksonville's draft choices, with Joy expressing skepticism over the team's decision to trade up and select Travis Hunter. She criticizes the lack of experience within the Jacksonville management, citing the first-time head coach, GM, and coordinators as factors that may have led to misguided draft moves.

Notable Quote:

"You have one first-time head coach, a first-time GM, a first-time offensive coordinator, a first-time defensive coordinator... What are you doing?" – Joy Taylor [07:06]

Joy emphasizes the risks associated with inexperience and questions the necessity of acquiring a player like Travis Hunter at the expense of future draft opportunities.

Atlanta's Draft Strategy Under Scrutiny

Timestamp: 14:41

Jason McIntyre offers a counterpoint by defending Atlanta's decision to secure two pass rushers from the SEC. However, Joy remains unconvinced, pointing out the potential downsides of trading first-round picks in a weak draft for players with character concerns.

Notable Quote:

"Why do you do, you don't late in round one in a weak draft, give up a first-round pick for a much better draft for a position you drafted earlier on a player that was off many teams boards?" – Joy Taylor [16:14]

The discussion highlights the delicate balance teams must maintain between immediate needs and long-term strategic planning.

Cleveland vs. Atlanta: A Comparative Analysis

Timestamp: 23:07

Joy contrasts Cleveland's and Atlanta's approaches, lauding Cleveland for maximizing their draft assets despite the overall draft quality. She points out that Cleveland's ability to secure multiple first-round picks and valuable players positions them advantageously compared to Atlanta's more questionable investments.

Notable Quote:

"Cleveland set themselves up beautifully... Atlanta gave up a first-round pick for another edge rusher who was off at least eight to 10 teams boards because of character issues." – Joy Taylor [23:13]

This segment underscores the importance of evaluating both talent and character in draft selections.

Character vs. Talent in Draft Selections

Timestamp: 35:15

The hosts delve into the debate over the significance of a player's character versus their on-field talent. Joy argues that in an average draft, character becomes a more critical factor, especially when distinguishing between otherwise similar prospects.

Notable Quote:

"In an average draft, character matters more. Ohio State, he was a mid-second-round pick. When the season was over, he gets drafted 19th again, a plus character." – Joy Taylor [35:21]

Jason concurs, emphasizing that leadership qualities and work ethic are invaluable assets that can significantly influence a team's culture and success.

Dallas Cowboys' Draft Strategy

Timestamp: 39:48

The conversation shifts to the Dallas Cowboys, with Joy praising their focus on building a dominant offensive unit. By selecting key interior linemen and tight ends, the Cowboys aim to create a robust foundation that supports their quarterbacks and overall team strategy.

Notable Quote:

"Build one unit to be dominant. If we're not going, if we have all of these spots that we need to filled, we're not going to be able to fill them all." – Unknown Speaker [40:00]

Joy highlights the importance of prioritizing unit strength over multiple area needs, suggesting that a strong offense can lead to consistent high-scoring games.

Controversial QB Pick: Shadour Sanders

Timestamp: 30:47

A significant portion of the discussion centers around Shadour Sanders, the undrafted quarterback. Joy expresses frustration over his exclusion from the draft, advocating for his potential and readiness to contribute at the professional level.

Notable Quote:

"I like him more than Jackson Dart. I would have drafted him. I needed a quarterback." – Joy Taylor [30:49]

The hosts debate the factors that led to Sanders not being selected, including possible character concerns and discrepancies in talent evaluation.

Importance of Humility and Work Ethic

Timestamp: 12:48

Joy emphasizes the value of humility and a strong work ethic in young players entering the NFL. She criticizes the prevalent culture of self-promotion and stresses that teams should prioritize these traits during the drafting process.

Notable Quote:

"Humility works in the summer. It works in the fall. Humility works in the spring. Humility works in the winter." – Joy Taylor [12:48]

This segment underscores the belief that character traits like humility and dedication are essential for long-term success in the league.

Closing Thoughts and Team Building Strategies

Timestamp: 40:29

As the episode nears its conclusion, the focus returns to team-building strategies, particularly for the Dallas Cowboys. Joy discusses the importance of strengthening specific units to enhance overall team performance, advocating for a targeted approach in the draft.

Notable Quote:

"Let's build one unit and be dominant and win this way." – Unknown Speaker [40:29]

She further elaborates on the necessity of balancing offensive prowess with defensive stability to create a well-rounded and competitive team.

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Conclusion

The "Best of The Herd" episode offers an in-depth analysis of the recent NFL Draft, highlighting strategic decisions made by various teams. Joy Taylor and her co-hosts provide critical insights into team strategies, player evaluations, and the intricate balance between talent and character. Notably, the episode underscores Cleveland's effective draft maneuvers amidst a subpar draft year, Jacksonville's questionable trades, and the broader debate on the importance of humility and work ethic in drafting young talents.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic Drafting: Teams like Cleveland are commended for leveraging their picks effectively, setting a foundation for future success.
• Character Matters: In an average draft pool, a player's character and work ethic can be as crucial as their athletic prowess.
• Balanced Team Building: Emphasizing the development of specific units, such as the offensive line for the Cowboys, can lead to sustained team performance.
• Undrafted Players: The episode sheds light on the potential of undrafted players like Shadour Sanders, advocating for a broader evaluation beyond initial perceptions.

This comprehensive discussion provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in the NFL Draft and team-building processes.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Joy Taylor]

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[Joy Taylor]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Joy Taylor]

Thanks.

[Colin Cowherd]

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 at 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.

[Michael Irvin]

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

[Joy Taylor]

Oh, it's the Friday after Round 1 NFL Draft A main primary topic today, Round 1 of the NFL draft, all sorts of surprises. J. Mac here. Urban Meyer stopped by this hour. Michael Urban in studio. Shadour Sanders did not get drafted. It is, you know, it's so much to talk about, Ms. Draft. You know, I, I just watch because I, certain things happen and I'm texting with friends, you know, in the league all night and texting with people all night. Wished everybody well. They all got back and it's a fun time. Like all my buddies who are working in this league in the executive suite, they're all excited. They're all fired up.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hope and optimism, baby.

[Joy Taylor]

Yeah. And, and by the way, I, I tend to think my, the guys that I connect with are really smart and I, they all did really well.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, everybody did great. Everybody aced the first round.

[Joy Taylor]

But, but I want to start with this. You know, it's hard for me to have sympathy for some of these losing franchises. There's a reason the same teams draft every year and then always feel like the jets are up there, the Jaguars are up there. So think about Jacksonville and I never talk Jacksonville. So this will be brief. They trade up in the draft. They have a first time head coach, a first time gm, a first time offensive coordinator, a first time defensive coordinator. They've had one little brief three day camp. You don't even know your personnel good enough yet to make a massive trade. Not to mention Travis Hunter is unbelievably talented. But you got to deal with that offense defensive pivot thing like Jacksonville. You don't know your personnel well enough yet to make a massive trade. You got first time gm, coach coordinators. How about you go through a camp or two, huge swing over compensate. And Cleveland, Cleveland, which needs a future quarterback, I mean, can you just say Arch Manning. They now have two potential top 10 picks in next year's draft, which is a significantly better draft than this one. So Cleveland's like, yeah, we'll take picks for next year. This is a bad draft. I mean this was not a very good draft. So I mean to me, Cleveland, and Cleveland, by the way, also now has two of the four first picks in round two. So Cleveland ends up getting a first round pick and then they get potentially today Travian Henderson, running back Will Johnson and they already got Mason Graham and they'll have Jacksonville's first round pick. Cleveland set themselves up beautifully. And listen, I like Andrew Berry. I have, I've said this. The ownership drives me nuts. I love the coach and I love the gm. I'm a Stefanski Fan through and through. And I like Andrew Barry. I love those guys. They've had to overcome some nonsense upstairs, but I love those guys. Cleveland ace the test. They got a first round pick in a better draft. They got Mason Graham. They're going to end up getting potentially two more. There's some really nice players in the top seven picks in this draft. And oh, by the way, they're not the only ones. Atlanta, the hell are you doing? Atlanta gave the Rams again a first round pick as they look to draft Matt Stafford's replacement. The Rams had told me six months ago they weren't going to draft the quarterback in the first round. This was not the quarterback first round draft. So the Rams got a second round pick, a first round pick. Next year in the draft, they'll have to draft a quarterback, a much better quarterback draft. And Atlanta, who already drafted an edge rusher, gave up a first round pick for another edge rusher who by the way was off at least eight to 10 teams boards because of character issues. What are you doing? You don't, you don't late in round one in a weak draft, give up a first round pick for a much better draft for a position you drafted earlier on a player that was off many teams boards.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lord.

[Joy Taylor]

And conversely, again, save your empathy for the people who deserve it. You know, I mean like burn victims and orphans. I mean save your ramp. I don't feel sorry for some of these teams who did well. Shocking the Harbaughs. Jim Harbaugh gets Najee Harris and now he's got Hampton the running back. Jim Harbaugh's got his classic Stanford, Michigan. He's got his backfield. He's ready to go. Two power runners with Joe, Alton Slater. Now they're going to go get tight ends and wide receivers, by the way, who also did well. Baltimore, John Harbaugh on the Ravens once again, they go to the sec, they get the best safety in the draft. He's a Georgia guy. All those Georgia first round guys work. So it's like as much as stuff changes the much it stays the same. I'll give Cleveland a ton of credit, but I like their people anyway. Again, I think Barry and Stefanski are really smart guys. I know people that know him. I don't know him. I know people that know him. People really respect them. But I mean, this is not a good draft and everybody knows it. This is not a great draft. You're drafting late like Atlanta. You're giving up a first round pick and a better draft. Now the Rams will not Have a great first round pick next year because they're good. But Atlanta could be average. So they could get a top. They just got into the top 10 potentially of next year's draft in a much better draft. In a draft they need a quarterback. Cleveland, same thing. It's just crazy to me. And you know, yesterday Diana Rossini came on the show. It was funny. Remember when she came on the show, Diana Rossini said that she was told Jacksonville was going to do something exciting. How about just doing something smart? If you got first time coach GM coordinators, what are you doing taking massive swings on a player that it's going to be kind of hard to massage because he should be a receiver but he wants to be a corner and that. That's going to be a little tricky. Yeah. Okay, let's get to the Shador Sanders thing. So, you know, let me tell you something. It's never a bad message to tell your kids. Be humble. Humility works in the summer. It works in the fall. Humility works in the spring. Humility works in the winter. Don't gas your kids up too much. It didn't really bother me when they retired Shadour Sanders number but he is a 500 quarterback who couldn't get drafted in the first round. It's a little much. Everything is something. Nothing is everything. Shador Sanders didn't get drafted. There's multiple reports. Oh, cocky. Whatevs. But I'm watching his draft room and the word legendary is all over the draft room. I'm like, can we just, can we just pull the temperature down a little? It's not the end of the world. If he had Caleb Williams talent, nobody would, I guess, care. But the whole thing is like, bro, you wore New York Giant cleats. Remember when he wore the New York Giant cleats? Like, like, like, can we just. Humility's not. I know in society everybody loves the TikTok watch thing. You know who doesn't apparently love it? NFL executives. You're drafting employees. That's all these teams are doing. They're drafting employees. Did you notice the two players in the first round that moved up about 10 spots? What a shock to a plus plus plus character. Guys, the receiver from Ohio State, we talked about this all week. A plus plus plus character. Humble, hardworking. Everybody that I have as a source loved that kid. Not just a player, they loved that kid. Shocking. He went from middle of the second round to middle of the first over the last month and a half. What a shock. Great player, but checks all the boxes you know, the other kid that moved up about half around was Tyler Booker, the guard the Dallas Cowboys got. Team captain. Unbelievable passion. How do you not love that kid? I mean, how do you not want that kid on your team? I'm never going to criticize any player who cares that much about being drafted. I want to buy that guy's jersey. I wish he wasn't a guard. It would be. I mean, but who are the guys that moved up in the draft? Team captains. I mean, there was Joel Klatz talking about a story yesterday about Igbuka. He could have gone to the NFL last year. He would have been a fourth round pick, but he could have gone. But he wanted to stay. He wanted to be part of the great Ohio State receiver lineage. He wanted to help the new kid from Alabama, Jeremiah Smith, the great receiver they have like, like work his way into the Buckeyes. Like that stuff matters. You are drafting employees. Can we just go back in society where hard work matters and humility's not uncool? I know you're gonna race to TikTok and you got all your stuff on TikTok. It's not the end of the world. I don't really care if you have great talent. I'm drafting you. But like, something has happened in America where can we just have. Is humility the worst thing? You gotta put legendary everywhere. How about you play a game? 1. Just give me one game and then you can put legendary all over your house. I don't care. Listen, I'm not rooting against the kid. I like Sandur Sanders. I think he's good. I like him more than Jackson Dart. I may be in the minority. I'll get to the Giants pick. Maybe not.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like him.

[Joy Taylor]

I would have drafted him. I needed a quarterback. I think he's bigger than people think. I think he's got good mechanics. I think he's super accurate. You know, I mean, I think he's pretty good. I think accuracy really matters. But I, as I watch the thing. Look who got drafted higher than you thought. And look at some of the guys who fall. And I. And I do think there is something to be said. This Nil thing is going to be tricky because guys come in now and they can throw their own parties and buy their own stuff and that's fine. I don't resent any of that stuff. I'm not anti anybody. But listen, the Pittsburgh Steelers are desperate for a quarterback and they moved. They said, not interested. I mean, and Mike Tomlin's about as player friendly as Anybody in the league. So it's just. Let me just say this again. Everything with a quarterback is something. Nothing's everything. But don't listen to the young media. That's always pro player. Everything with quarterbacks on all the texts I get for my entire career, everything with quarterbacks you are judged differently. It's all something. May not be everything, it's something. And so I think shadow is going to go very early today. Jackson Dart. I'll get to that in a second. But it, it's wildly fun. My lead today though was these teams that draft at the top every year. I cannot believe Jacksonville took that swing with all first time people in the building. I don't, I mean I had a soup. I had a NFL executive that sent me a laugh emoji after that pick and, and texted me and said he is not on at least five boards I know of. And again, James Pierce could end up being a good player. He's a very good player. But, but you give it up. A first round pick in a better draft. What are we doing here?

[Jason McIntyre]

I actually like what Atlanta did. Getting two pass rushers shopping in the SEC where they have the best pass rushers. But Colin, let me make a quick point about this Travis Hunter trade. So you know how sometimes we as guys like to signal to women like hey, I've got a Porsche or I've got a big, big truck that I'm signaling to you what kind of guy I am. I think Jacksonville was signaling to everybody else. Hey, we're going to be cool. We're going to go get Travis Hunter. Everybody loves this generation.

[Joy Taylor]

What a great player.

[Jason McIntyre]

We're not the International Jags Jaguars, the team that's got to play in London every year. We're cool, we're relevant. I don't care that we're giving up a 2026 first, but we are, we're a cool team now that we've got Travis Hunter. And I think I don't love that strategy.

[Joy Taylor]

No, no, I, I'm, I'm not hating on the player. Travis Hunter is a good player. But you are a franchise that coach GM coordinators. You don't even know your personnel that well.

[Jason McIntyre]

Is he going to be Justin Jefferson or Jamar Chase? I don't think so, but.

[Joy Taylor]

Well, I think he's going to be an excellent NFL player and I am rooting for him and I can't wait to watch him. But I mean everybody want, hey, we're going to make the draft exciting. Just make it smart. The teams drafting at the top they need players. They don't need fun and exciting. They need more players. I mean, you look at Philadelphia's roster, Detroit's roster, Baltimore's roster, the Rams roster. I mean, the Rams, by the way, why do they move back? Well, they wanted Colston Loveland, they wanted the tight end for the Raiders bowers last year. McVay is looking to upgrade at tight end. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams first pick today is a tight end.

[Jason McIntyre]

Or a corner fannin from Bowling Green.

[Joy Taylor]

Yeah, I mean, they want a tight end. They want to do so they thought about it, but, but they move down. Why? Because they want. The teams at the bottom of the draft have very few needs. What does Philadelphia need? What does Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore need? Baltimore already has an all pro safety. They're like, oh, let's go get another one.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Joy Taylor]

So it's just, it's, I just, I'm gonna save in life empathy for those that deserve it and some of you teams that keep doing dumb stuff. I don't, I don't, I don't feel bad.

[Jason McIntyre]

I thought Pittsburgh was going to be inc. Consideration for a lead for you today. Drafting a, a defensive player.

[Joy Taylor]

You know what? I, I, I'll, I'll defend Pittsburgh later. I just, I will. I want to talk about what the Bears did.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay.

[Michael Irvin]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9:00am Pacific.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Daniel Jeremiah]

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[Greg Rosenthal]

The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Unknown]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Season and how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Unknown]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Joy Taylor]

You'Ve been a losing franchise doesn't mean you don't have smart people in the building. Cleveland's a losing franchise, but I think Andrew Barry and Kevin Stefanski pulled off a little bit of a heist with Jacksonville. Listen, Chicago may be a losing franchise. I loved their pick, so you don't have to coddle your kids or coddle a quarterback, but you can set them up for success. They went out, upgraded their O line if you're paying attention. In Chicago, Dolman, the center From Atlanta, top 8 Center Joe Tooney Top 2 or 3 Interior Lineman Jonah Jackson, starter. So they've upgraded their offensive line, they like their right tackle, and now they hire an offensive coach and they go get Colston Loveland from Michigan, who the Rams liked, the Chargers liked, Denver liked. Like the smart offensive guys in this league all sniffed at moving up to get this guy, but the price was too steep. All the people I trust, the offensive, they all love this Michigan kid. And so now Caleb Williams has DJ Moore, Roma, Dunze, Cole, Comet, Colton, Loveland, Swift, the running back, massive upgrades, interior, O line. And today they have picks number seven and number nine. So you're gonna get two more potential guys who can start. So this is Called putting a quarterback in a position to succeed. That's what this is called. Head coach. O line, weapons upgrade. Caleb Williams already got a hold of Colston Loveland, and they're already communicating. And in my lifetime, I've said before, they've always been a little bit like the Steelers. They lean defense, they smell defense, they feel defense. Chicago has as good a young group of offensive players top to bottom, as you're going to find in this league. With very few exceptions, maybe Phillies better. You know, there's. There's some really good rosters in this league. But again, and we need Caleb Williams here. We need Caleb to be good in September because if you're a franchise quarterback in the nfc, you're going to have to go through Jaden Daniels in Washington. And Jaden Daniels last year with a shaky O line and weapon, had a 107 passer rating in September. So I have said this multiple times with Ben Johnson, Cole Comet, now Loveland, DJ Moore, capable running backs. They'll add another in this draft. He needs to be good in September because that's when the good weather is. That's when you can throw the ball down the field. So Caleb's got to have a good camp. Caleb's got to have a good preseason. It is fair to say, Caleb, you got to be good in September. I'm not waiting till Thanksgiving. And again, it's just like kids like you don't. You don't have to coddle your kids, but you can set them up for success. You know, give them a healthy lunch, get them a computer if they need a tutor. You're not babying them. You're setting them up for success. This is perfect. I mean, this is that you got the coach, you got the interior online to protect your feet. You got a number one receiver, two very different and very good tight end. I mean, Cole Comet and Loveland are two different stylistic tight ends. So, you know, there's. There's a difference between hand holding and a head start. But I love what Chicago did. Here is. Here is Ben Johnson on the phone call to get a really unique tight end talent.

[Unknown]

Let's go tell something now.

[Joy Taylor]

Come on, now.

[Unknown]

We cooking with hot grease now, man.

[Joy Taylor]

I'm telling you. Hey, hey. Thank you so much, coach. I appreciate it.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Smart, explosive.

[Michael Irvin]

I mean, well, yeah, I know exactly.

[Unknown]

What we're getting, man.

[Joy Taylor]

Yeah, what an exciting time for them. I thought they'd go defense, but when Loveland's there, you know, it is, it is interesting. I. I've said this. What always drives me nuts is when players get more valuable when they stop playing Jackson dart. He got better when he stopped playing this guy at Michigan, a team that led, let's be honest, Michigan was about running the football defense o line. Go look at this kid's numbers, his production in college. So I have no problem with him moving up in the draft. McVeigh liked him. Harbaugh liked him. Sean Payton liked him. A lot of the smart offensive coaches that I know in this league, I was told they all liked him. Buy your Bear season tickets immediately.

[Michael Irvin]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

This is crazy.

[Michael Irvin]

Another draft night live. And you know we had it all. The insiders, the pros, the picks.

[Unknown]

Live my dream.

[Michael Irvin]

If you missed anything, podcast it on your favorite platform or just watch it on YouTube. Just search FSR.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Can't believe it.

[Michael Irvin]

We are Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Joy Taylor]

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[Daniel Jeremiah]

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[Greg Rosenthal]

The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Unknown]

We've told you at last year's playoff team teams need to return to the.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Postseason and how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Unknown]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Looking to transform your business through better HR and payroll? Meet paycor, a Paychex company. The powerhouse solution that empowers leaders to drive results. From recruiting and development to payroll and analytics, paycor connects you with the people, data and expertise you need to succeed. Their innovative platform helps you make smarter decisions about your most valuable asset, your people. Are you ready to become a better leader? Visit paycor.com leadership to learn more. That's paycore.com leaders all right, Michael Irvin.

[Joy Taylor]

Haven't had him on in a while. The playmaker.

[Unknown]

I miss you, too, my brother.

[Joy Taylor]

I miss you. I always miss you. Okay, let's get. Let's start on a positive note. So I am a believer that football practice is hard. Baseball, hitting the ball is fun. Batting cage, basketball practice, a good time. Right?

[Unknown]

Right.

[Joy Taylor]

Football practice stinks. You need guys who love the game. I watched Tyler Booker. I'm like, I want that guy on my team. I don't watch interior lineman much. To me, it's like starter day one. Now they got their guards, Dax coming off a second surgery. Keep those feet and knees clean. What did you think of it?

[Unknown]

And I spoke all week. Colin and I took my strategic approach to this. I knew the last three, those three years, we went 12 and five. We averaged 30, 28, 27 points. So about 28, 20, 28 points a game. Last year we dropped the 20. I wanted Genty or McMillan so I can try to put those seven, eight points back on the board, strengthen one unit because we had too many places that we need to fill with players. I didn't get my playmakers, but I'm with you, buddy. I got a great player because I always talk. This game is like you talked about. It's not just about skill. It's also about will. And I'll give up a little skill if I know this guy got the right will and the right excitement and one of those guys that no matter what, when I come to work, he's going to make me feel like working. He has the right attitude. You need Those guys on your team, you cannot go anywhere without them. And the way he handled that draft choice when he yelled and big £300 come running, you know how hard he is to get those fat jokers to run. And he was running for free.

[Joy Taylor]

I know he wasn't even getting paid for that run.

[Unknown]

Come on, man, let's play. Let's stop playing. I love that attitude.

[Joy Taylor]

Yeah, I love this from Bill Parcells. Years ago when he left Dallas, he went to Miami as the GM and he took a one win team to an 11. And he went and stole a few of the Cowboys, not their stars. He went and got weight room guys, right? Passionate guys. And there is just value in guys that love going to work.

[Unknown]

Right?

[Joy Taylor]

You can build your. Now you need stars, but you win a lot of games on passion, culture, weight room, locker room. Okay, now I am surprised because I like him more than Jackson Dart, Shador Sanders. The Steelers in his sights and they go defensive lineman in.

[Unknown]

The pain of that moment was. We knew that for years. For years. Not just this year. It's been since Ben Roethlisberger stepped off the football field. They've been looking and never have given Mike Tumblin his quarterback here I thought was the perfect situation and a perfect opportunity to get that taken care of. And you went and drafted another lineman. That was surprising because I can't in my own mind rationalize after the organizations had cheated Mike Tumlin of a quarterback. Even if Mike. I couldn't imagine if Mike Tumlin was on the table saying, I get him. I got my quarterback right here. He's right here for us. And they went by him. So that was the hard take right there at 21, which is Deion's number to be passed for them to pass your door.

[Joy Taylor]

Why do you think people pass?

[Unknown]

That blows my mind. I don't care what anybody says and I don't care. You can't find anybody that can sit in this chair that tells you that they've seen a kid have that kind of success on the football field. I've seen him throw every play on the football field. And we were going through this. There's no way this is an arm strength thing. There's no way this is where he doesn't run like he's. I don't know what this is.

[Joy Taylor]

What about the stories that came out this week? Well, there's a lot of EAs. What about that stuff?

[Unknown]

You need ego. You need egos, especially for where some of these teams are and for where they've been some of these teams have been in a hell hole for a long, long time. What do you think? You gonna get the greatest look, kindest, nicest guys to come pull you out of that hell hole. You need people with egos. That's what I'm talking about. It's always the organizations that haven't won anything in forever. Talking about guys with egos. You need different people to come change your culture. Stop talking about that. Guy has an ego. Maybe the ego's big enough to get you out of this hell hole. Go draft him. That's what you need. So I don't give substance to that kind of stuff.

[Joy Taylor]

Your Cowboys team had ego.

[Unknown]

You need it. You're walking on the field against some of the greatest athletes in the world. If you don't believe in you, how the hell can you think anyone else will believe in you? So you need that. That's nothing. And that's stuff that people that don't play on the football field, those are stuff that people that wear the suits say, people that wear the uniforms on the football field, they know how important ego is. That's the stuff that stupid.

[Joy Taylor]

So I think it'll be fine. I would rather play him at receiver than corner Travis Hunter. No, because I think it's more of an offensive league. I'd rather him have 12 targets than chasing guys over the field who are decoys. I want him in the game. I am. I do think Jacksonville's got a new coach, a new coordinator, new gm. You got that toggle between. Are you in the meetings? Tell me about the meeting thing with Travis Hunter. Is it going to be a problem?

[Unknown]

I laugh when people say this to me, you know, well, can Travis play both sides? I said, are you joking? I was there. I saw it. I saw Deion Sanders get off a helicopter. Wasn't in any practice or any meeting off a helicopter and shut jokers down. You see what I mean? Put him in the offensive meetings, make sure he gets his timing with the quarterback, and then tell him, we'll see you in defensive practice. He knows what cover one is. That's man coverage. He knows what cover two is. There's two safeties back and we are pressing. He knows what cover three is. That's zone coverage with one high safety. You know that stuff from birth.

[Joy Taylor]

You know, let's play a keep. Talib once told me this. I asked him about the Patriots. I said, oh, God, how long? Bill Belichick, very sophisticated. He says, yeah, by the end of the second practice, I knew what it was, right? I knew where I had to be right, right.

[Unknown]

Especially like them. Because I gotta stop that guy. All right? I gotta stop that guy. That's why he's coming in. This dude here is going to be. I have to stop that guy. You're going to put him on your best guy even after he ran 20 plays on offense?

[Joy Taylor]

So you.

[Unknown]

Johnsonville was brilliant last night. Oh, I don't care what anybody says.

[Joy Taylor]

A lot of swings. It's a lot. Gave up a lot.

[Unknown]

And you did not. I don't think they gave up a lot. They got two first rounders. So you're saying they gave up two first rounds.

[Joy Taylor]

Cleveland. Now, not only did Cleveland get a first round pick next year, Cleveland got the first pick this morning or tonight.

[Unknown]

Right, right. And now. Now. And that's why right there again, do.

[Joy Taylor]

You think they'll take Sedor?

[Unknown]

It ended with pain. And I don't want this one to start with pain. And I'm talking about his day yesterday after he realized he didn't get drafted. Now you come back, Cleveland passes again. Then, then I'm like, oh my God, that would throw, that would throw me for such a loop. If Cleveland, you can pick up a Shador in the second round. We saw. I, I, I know people are saying that's because I love Dion and I do, and he's my boy and he is. But we've never seen anybody have this kind of success in college. That kind of success. And, and, and, and watch this at the quarterback position. And we know how important it is.

[Joy Taylor]

So, yeah, he was the most accurate quarterback in college ever with a lousy.

[Unknown]

Beat the hell up on the offensive line.

[Joy Taylor]

I like, we both like him. I, I would pick him in the first. I would have taken him. I would have taken. If I was Pittsburgh, I would have, they didn't need more defensive talent. Okay.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Joy Taylor]

So you talked me into Cam Ward. I, again, I don't start the fires. I just, I'm a journalist. So I had, I had, I suggested, I didn't know if Cam Ward could lead my franchise. These were Internet rumors. I just laid them out there. But I do, I make. Everybody I talked to said, at the end of the day, he's a great leader. He's a, I mean, the kid. No star recruit.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Joy Taylor]

That is actually totally impressive to me.

[Unknown]

And, and it's the story you want going around in your locker room. Man, this dude works his way up. You know, most quarterbacks, you guys, they trying to get everything in the NFL locker room. They do you like, you like when you hear that A kid worked his way up, you know, and it means he's willing to put in the work, then I'm willing to follow him and this kid is willing to put in the work.

[Joy Taylor]

Man.

[Unknown]

I, I talked to Coach Cristobal yesterday about him. He said, michael, the one thing I love about him, all he cares about is winning and he knows how to rally guys at quarterback in, in this league and in Tennessee. That's going, that, that's going to be. That's going to work great. It reminds me a lot of Steve McNair.

[Joy Taylor]

He does.

[Unknown]

And he and Steve McNair and that city had a great union and I think this would be a great union also.

[Joy Taylor]

Yeah. And we have to be honest about this is that Tennessee quarterback play last year was bad. Had 21 touchdowns and 22 picks or maybe vice versa. So he, J. Mac and I both believe they will be a playoff team. That he, he was the only guy in the draft that can change outcomes. Other guys will be good. He could change four losses to four wins.

[Unknown]

Right. It put with the right situation. And this is the whole thing too. I liken it because we did the comps of Patrick Mahomes and I was like, okay, I love that the way this dude never gives up on a play. Gives you opportunities, gives a receiver opportunity after the first play, second play and third place, you know, giving him more times within the play. Never gives up on the play. And I think that that's going to be great. Sometimes I used to get mad at him. I thought he had a route on the shorter route. He would go back in and take a deeper play. I was like, throw the ball, throw the ball. But he would always come out on top. I'm telling you, Tennessee, you got one of the great ones.

[Joy Taylor]

So when you watch the draft and you know, it's, it's interesting about character. So Booker, Tyler Booker, team captain, great character. Many say, well he got drafted 10 to 12 spots ahead of where we thought. And my take is in an average draft, character matters more. Ohio State, he was a mid second round pick. When the season was over, he gets drafted 19th again, a plus character. Could I argue that when it's not a great draft, you were in this league forever, character becomes more important. And the Cowboys part of the kid they drafted was all American team captain. Unbelievable. Do you think that stuff matters more when the players aren't as great?

[Unknown]

Well, I think that. I think it matters that you have that kind of understanding about how important it is that you show up and be a certain way every day. Every time I talk to anything or anybody, I always talk about if you're a leader, you gotta first lead yourself to be able to lead anybody else. That's why that person, that kind of infectious personality matters. Showing up, being where you're supposed to be, putting in the work, letting people see you put in the work. That stuff matters big time, especially at this level. So you're right. You're right and it trusts me. Every year we hear people that are dropping because we talk on the same character. You know, I don't like them. I don't like this football. It's the meritocracy. It is. Well, I always love if you can beat somebody on the football field, you got a position. But the real rest, the rest of life, the rest of life, people are making decisions on who they like and who they don't like. And when we get in these draft rooms, we're dealing with a lot of people. Not football, we're dealing with the rest of life people. People that are making decisions on who they like and who they don't like. It's not just about football. So you write character really matters.

[Joy Taylor]

Where do you want to see Dallas go with their next pick? So they went and got interior, O line. They could use a back, they could use a tight end. Or do you want to see them go? Where would you like them to go?

[Unknown]

Right. My philosophy has been build one unit to be dominant. If we're not going, if we have all of these spots that we need to filled, we're not going to be able to fill them all. Let's build one unit and be dominant and win this way. And that's the offensive unit and the help we got with Tyler Booker, that's the right area. We needed help there. That's the right spot. Let's stay on the offensive side.

[Joy Taylor]

Okay?

[Unknown]

You see what I'm saying?

[Joy Taylor]

That's what the Bears. That's what the Bears are doing with Caleb.

[Unknown]

Right? Let's stay on the offensive side. Let's try to get this to a 28, 29, 30 point team every game. And we can fill in on defense and we can put it together on defense. Now here's the caveat to that. We have to get Michael Parsons signed. Since we are filling in on defense now that we got DeMarcus Lawrence out the locker room, we need Michael Parsons in the locker room in training camp. Not holding out to try to get whatever guys he got on defense together as one so they can try to play good defense when we give them 30 points. They just got to hold people under 30 in the office. Give you 30 and we could be right back in the thick of it.

[Joy Taylor]

The hall of Famer, the playmaker, Michael Irvin. It's always a pleasure to see you my man.

[Unknown]

Always great to sit in this chair and just kick it with you, my brother.

[Colin Cowherd]

Looking to transform your business through better HR and payroll? Meet paycor, a paychecks company. The powerhouse solution that empowers leaders to drive results. From recruiting and development to payroll and analytics, paycor connects you with the people, data and expertise you need to succeed. Their innovative platform helps you make smarter decisions about your most valuable asset, your people. Are you ready to become a Better Leader? Visit paycor.com leaders to learn more. That's paycor.com leaders Summer is almost here and you can now get almost every anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A nice tan? Sorry, a box fan? Happily, yes. A day of sunshine?

[Joy Taylor]

No.

[Colin Cowherd]

A box of fine wines? Yes. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details. Hi everybody. This message is brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward podcast, Green River Whiskey. As you know, we've been having some fun getting to know Green River Whiskey, and we just learned they've launched their first advertising campaign in more than 100 years. You see, it seems the team from Green river in reviving the whiskey have accidentally also revived its resident ghost. So if you want to see the ghost of Green river come to Life, check out greenriverwhiskey on their YouTube channel or head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's to green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. Product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com Please drink responsibly.

[Greg Rosenthal]

The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jarrah, Maya and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft.

[Unknown]

We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And how teams with new coaches should approach the draft.

[Unknown]

So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.