Hour 2 - Bold predictions

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: Hour 2 - Bold Predictions
Release Date: April 16, 2025

The Herd with Colin Cowherd dives deep into the world of sports with sharp analysis, spirited debates, and bold forecasts. In this episode, titled "Hour 2 - Bold Predictions," host Colin Cowherd, along with panelists Diana Rossini, Jeff Darlington, and Will, dissect the latest happenings in the sports arena, offering insights that resonate with both die-hard fans and casual listeners.

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1. Recap of Recent Sports Highlights

Diana Rossini kicks off the discussion reflecting on the exhilarating conclusions of March Madness and The Masters. She remarks, “I mean, we just had March Madness was amazing. The Masters has been my favorite Masters in forever” ([03:11]). Rossini praises CBS for delivering a consistent and entertaining Masters tournament, emphasizing its reliability and thrill.

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2. NFL Draft Debates and Player Evaluations

The conversation swiftly transitions to the NFL Draft, where differing opinions emerge about top prospects.

• Shador Sanders vs. Peers:

  Rossini expresses her preference for Shador Sanders, stating, “I like Shador Sanders much more... I think he's a really good kid, a really good player. Better arm than he gets credit for” ([05:30]). She challenges the perception that Sanders is merely a pocket quarterback, highlighting his mobility and resilience despite a struggling offensive line.

• Kyle McCord’s Aggressiveness:

  The panel appreciates Kyle McCord’s playing style, with Rossini likening him to a "little Philip Rivers" for his aggressive passing ([06:15]). She underscores his ability to make risky throws and his competitive nature, positioning him as an asset for teams seeking a dynamic quarterback.

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3. Colin Cowherd’s Bold Playoff Predictions

Colin Cowherd presents four audacious forecasts for the upcoming playoffs, each accompanied by strategic reasoning:

1. Denver vs. Clippers:

   “Denver’s going to lose to the Clippers although I think it’s a very good series. He’s going to average a 30-point triple double” ([07:45]). Cowherd anticipates Joker’s stellar performance but believes the Clippers' depth will ultimately prevail.

2. Rockets Upset Warriors:

   “The Rockets upset the Warriors. Amon Thompson is their best athlete...” ([08:15]). He praises Houston’s athletic roster and defense, predicting an upset over the Warriors hindered by their reliance on Steph and Jimmy Butler.

3. Detroit Pistons vs. Knicks:

   “Detroit Pistons will have more ejections than wins against the Knicks” ([09:00]). Cowherd forecasts a tumultuous series marked by player ejections, favoring the Knicks’ physical play and emotional resilience over the young Pistons.

4. Ant Edwards vs. Lakers:

   “Ant Edwards will have multiple 40-point games against the Lakers” ([10:30]). He anticipates Edwards’ breakout performances while asserting the Lakers’ superior defense will secure the series win.

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4. Derek Carr’s Injury Saga and Team Dynamics

Jeff Darlington delves into the unexpected news of Derek Carr potentially missing the season due to a shoulder injury ([08:53]). He provides a comprehensive analysis:

• Injury Implications:

  “Derek Carr has had shoulder situations and issues. The rotator cuff” ([09:16]). Darlington clarifies that Carr’s injury history makes the latest news consistent with past concerns.

• Team’s Strategic Moves:

  Darlington speculates on the Saints’ possible actions, suggesting, “they’re going to redo their front” and are likely to seek a new quarterback to avoid jeopardizing their commitment to Carr ([09:30]).

• Market Dynamics:

  He raises questions about the Saints’ strategy, pondering if they’re signaling a shift by drafting Shador Sanders, adding, “How are they going to sell that Carr doesn’t want to be there” ([11:04]).

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5. Ownership Influence in Draft Decisions

The impact of ownership on team strategies, especially during drafts, is a significant theme.

• Jeff Darlington’s Insights:

  Darlington asserts, “There’s versions of ownership’s presence in these draft rooms and their involvement” ([19:43]). He emphasizes that many owners have a hands-on approach, influencing draft picks based on their vision and team needs.

• Real-World Examples:

  Using the Denver Broncos as an example, Darlington explains how ownership delegated drafting to Sean Payton while remaining subtly influential, showcasing the complex dynamics between GMs, coaches, and owners ([20:15]).

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6. College Football’s First-Ever Holdout: Nico IO Amaliava

A groundbreaking moment in college football, Rossini discusses Nico IO Amaliava’s unprecedented holdout ([12:01]).

• Holdout Consequences:

  “Talented kid goes to Tennessee... story comes out, I want four” ([32:36]). Amaliava’s decision to withhold may signal a shift towards player autonomy and financial negotiations in college sports.

• Industry Reactions:

  Darlington notes, “The NFL is definitely decision-makers are watching the character of a lot of these players” ([14:06]), highlighting concerns about how such actions might influence NFL perceptions of player reliability and commitment.

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7. Aaron Rodgers’ Future and Team Commitments

The panel reflects on Aaron Rodgers’ potential departure from the Packers.

• Contractual and Health Issues:

  “Derek Carr doesn’t want to be there... Aaron Rodgers is sitting smartly waiting for the draft” ([16:56]). Darlington suggests that Rodgers’ leverage and desire for a winning environment like Minnesota could drive his next move.

• Team Dynamics:

  Rodgers’ relationship with the Vikings’ front office and his readiness to join a team poised for a championship reflect the evolving quarterback landscape ([17:30]).

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8. The Raiders’ Strategic Draft Moves

Rossini and Will explore the Las Vegas Raiders’ potential draft strategies, particularly regarding Ashton Genti.

• Genti’s Versatility:

  “Ashton Genti to the Raiders, I think I’d pull the trigger on that” ([40:03]). Rossini lauds Genti’s athleticism and his ability to excel both as a receiver and cornerback, positioning him as a valuable pick for teams needing flexible defensive options.

• Comparative Analysis:

  Drawing parallels with quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, Rossini emphasizes how a quarterback’s performance is heavily dependent on the supporting cast, advocating for strategic acquisitions like Genti to enhance team performance ([50:39]).

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9. Travis Hunter’s Two-Way Potential

The discussion shifts to Travis Hunter, a promising athlete known for his dual-role capabilities.

• Energy and Stamina:

  “This kid’s energy level, it’s incredible” ([38:32]). Rossini highlights Hunter’s remarkable endurance, comparing him to legends like Michael Jordan for his ability to sustain high performance throughout rigorous schedules.

• Positional Flexibility:

  Hunter’s proficiency in both offense and defense is seen as a potential game-changer, offering teams a versatile asset that can adapt to various game situations and strategies ([39:24]).

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10. Team Roster Management and Future Prospects

Rossini and Will discuss roster decisions affecting teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens.

• Philadelphia Eagles: Dallas Goddard’s Future:

  “Dallas Goddard is entering the final year of his contract... he is getting up there in age” ([32:36]). The panel debates the viability of retaining Goddard versus leveraging draft opportunities to secure new talent, considering cap space and team needs.

• Baltimore Ravens: Mark Andrews’ Role:

  “Mark Andrews is a warrior... in the business of keeping as many great players as we can” ([35:46]). Rossini defends Andrews’ contributions, suggesting that his competitive spirit and leadership make him indispensable despite some recent performance hiccups.

• Draft Strategy:

  Emphasizing the importance of thoughtful drafting, Rossini advises, “We have to make good decisions in the draft based on who the players are that are available” ([34:16]), advocating for a balanced approach that addresses immediate needs without compromising long-term team stability.

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11. Mock Draft Skepticism and Real-World Outcomes

Rossini expresses her skepticism towards the efficacy of mock drafts, arguing that they often lead to inaccurate predictions and unnecessary speculation.

• Critique of Predictive Models:

  “I don’t do a lot of mock drafts anymore because I think you’re just basically signing up to be wrong” ([37:52]). She believes that mock drafts can mislead team strategies and fan expectations, advocating for a more grounded analysis based on actual team needs and player performances.

• Alternative Focus:

  Instead, Rossini focuses on concrete team improvements and player acquisitions that align with organizational goals, steering away from the often speculative nature of mock drafting ([44:00]).

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12. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode winds down, Colin Cowherd reinforces the importance of strategic planning and informed decision-making in sports management. The panelists collectively emphasize the evolving dynamics of sports, from player autonomy in college football to the intricate balance of team composition and ownership influence in professional leagues.

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Notable Quotes

• Diana Rossini ([09:30]): “How are they going to sell that Carr doesn’t want to be there, but we paid him a boatload of money.”

• Jeff Darlington ([19:43]): “There are wide variations of opinions. That's what makes this job fun.”

• Colin Cowherd ([07:45]): “Denver’s going to lose to the Clippers although I think it’s a very good series.”

• Diana Rossini ([38:35]): “Every snap end of a game, still making plays. So I, I think he's gonna go to a bad team and bad teams need great electric players.”

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Final Takeaways

This episode of The Herd masterfully blends analytical rigor with passionate debate, offering listeners a comprehensive overview of the current sports landscape. From bold playoff predictions and draft strategies to in-depth analyses of player movements and team dynamics, Colin Cowherd and his panel provide valuable perspectives that enrich the sports discourse. Whether you're strategizing fantasy teams or simply passionate about sports, this episode delivers insightful content that keeps you informed and engaged.

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For those who haven't tuned in, this summary encapsulates the essence of Hour 2 - Bold Predictions, highlighting the critical discussions and expert opinions that shape the sports narrative. Stay connected with The Herd by tuning into their live broadcasts on Fox Sports Radio and streaming via the iHeartRadio app.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[Will]

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[Diana Rossini]

IQ Bar go to eatiqbar.com and enter code BAR20. To get 20% off all IQ Bar products plus free shipping. Again, go to eatiqbar.comand enter code BAR20. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon.

[Colin Cowherd]

To 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific.

[Diana Rossini]

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.

[Will]

Now let's get this party.

[Diana Rossini]

You're listening to FOX Sports Radio. Here we go. It is Wednesday. Playing games started last night. Fun stuff. Live in Los Angeles, it's the Hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Diana Rossini in five minutes. I, you know, it's really, it's I love this time of the year. I mean we just had March Madness was amazing. The Masters was my favorite Masters in forever. Masters has delivered so many times. There's just some things in my life that have always been there on Sunday, NFL Sopranos for about a decade and the Masters is very infrequently not delivered. And I thought CBS did a great job with it. And, and this time we got all this NFL draft stuff. I, I, I do not remember a draft where I had stronger disagreements with friends and people I know. I like Sadhur Sanders much more than people that I know in the league. You know, I don't think he's an A prospect. I think he's a B plus prospect. But I think he's a really good kid, a really good player. Better arm than he gets credit for this idea that he's a pocket quarterback. He's not immobile. He moves. He had to move. They had a terrible offensive line. He's fine. So I like him much more. I don't I'm not into the Louisville quarterback who's like 27. I'm not into Jackson Dart. I like Kyle McCord. A lot of people don't because he, you know, he's a little Philip Rivers. Kyle McCord pocket guy can, can make some risky throws, but he's competitor. He'll throw it into traffic, he'll take risks, he'll throw it downfield. He's not a dink and dunk guy. So I think Kyle McCord with the right hands, he is really aggressive pocket passer. Not a great athlete. But I like the fact that there's wide variations of opinions. That's what makes this job fun. So before I get to Diana Rossini, she's got great stuff on the draft and other things. I'm going to give you five, four bold predictions for the playoffs. Kind of bold. One of them is bold. Number one is I think the joker. I think Denver's going to lose to the Clippers although I think it's a very good series. He's going to average a 30 point triple double. First of all, if he's not on the floor, Denver's bad. He has to play. And after Zubots the Clippers have no center depth. Ben Simmons is their backup center so he's going to have to log 40 minutes and he's going to put up massive numbers. So I might. He's going to have an all time playoff series. I think the Clippers win. I think the Rockets upset the Warriors. Amon Thompson is their best athlete. Houston and he guarded step the last time they played. He's a terrific player, terrific athlete. The roster is young, athletic. They defend the three great rebounding team young. They will not lose energy over the course of this series and I think the warriors are unbelievably Steph and Jimmy Butler Reliant and the Kaminga issue hurts. They need Kaminga to play real minutes with his length against the warriors and now he's a DNP Coach's decision. Rockets upset the Warriors. Number three. The Detroit Pistons will have more ejections than wins against the Knicks. First of all they're going to struggle to stop Jalen Brunson. They have this year. Secondly, they're a very young emotional team is Detroit. They led the Eastern Conference with 10 player rejections and they got a chip on their shoulder and New York is a physical team and a chatty team at times and they're going to frustrate the you know what out of the Pistons. So I think, I think New York flies through them. Pistons players have multiple ejections. And for the record, the Knicks do not play the Cavs of the Celtics well they're 34 and 10 against the rest of the east so they're going to hammer the pistons. And number four, Ant Edwards will have multiple 40 point games against the Lakers. They're not a team that gets easy buckets. Gobert and Julius Randle don't have a history of scoring consistently in the playoffs. Ant played great down the stretch. He's actually the last two playoffs been a very efficient player. He shoots better. So Ant's playing the best basketball of his career and I, I think the Lakers defense may be let Ant have his. We're not going to lose because Julius Randall goes off. So I think ANT is going to be highly productive. I think it'll be a wildly entertaining series, but I I just don't think the T Wolves can consistently initiate enough offense. They'll they'll have too many, if not wasted possessions, too many difficult, clunky possessions. The Lakers between Austin Reeves playing the best basketball of his career, Luke is in better shape. LeBron's rested, ready to go. They're going to get more easy, looks easier, transition to offense, and I think the Lakers are going to win that series in six Diana Rossini, the athletic senior NFL Insider plus, you got a great podcast with Chase Daniels. So there's a weird story out there, and I don't know what to make of it. You talked about it with Chase that I said this. I think I said it Monday on the air. I didn't know Derek Carr was injured and all of a sudden he's going to miss the season. I'm on vacation. I'm like, what? Where did that come from? Give me the my take. Are they sending a message that, hey, we're going to draft Shador Sanders, pal? So, you know, I what is the story? Is that gamesmanship? What's happening with Derek Carr?

[Jeff Darlington]

This is so funny. My former colleague and very good friend Jeff Darlington was covering the Masters, and when he got back on Monday, he called me, said, derek Carr's hurt. What's happening? So he felt the same way you did of where did this come from? Well, it was a late Friday afternoon news drop. That's probably why you missed it. And look, Derek Carr has had shoulder situations and issues. The rotator cuff.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah.

[Jeff Darlington]

For a while this has been going on. He has a history of it. Right. But they restructured his deal. So if you restructure your quarterback's deal that is very Derek Carr friendly, then you have to believe that this organization didn't have any concerns that this would be an issue in this upcoming season. So Friday the news comes out that Derek Carr may miss this season. And I have to tell you, I immediately started getting text messages from people around the league with, hey, this is fishy. Or I had one head coach say, trade bait. Right? This is what this there's more to this story. So I did some digging on it and I do think Derek Carr has a shoulder situation going on. I don't think he's lying about it. I don't think he's putting this out there. This is not who Derek Carr is as a human being. He's got high character, but I just think it's peculiar and I think the team thinks it's peculiar. I reached out to some people with the Saints when this all was happening and they knew of it, meaning they knew something strange was boiling. Derek Carr was looking to possibly get out of New Orleans after Dennis Allen was fired. And I just. I don't think he wants to be there anymore. And I think the Saints are committed to getting a quarterback in this track. Yeah, that. I don't think they're going nine with it right now. I don't. I think they're going best player available here. I think. I think they're going pass rush. I think they're going to redo their front. That would make sense to me. But I think the New Orleans Saints going back to the end of the season did so much work on this quarterback class that I see them getting involved in some way in some round here at quarterback. So what does that mean for Derek Carr? I don't know how this gets solved because to me, this tells me he does. Derek Carr doesn't want to be there. And how are the Saints going to sell that?

[Will]

Right.

[Jeff Darlington]

How are they sell it to their fans that this is our guy? Oh, wait, he doesn't want to be here, but we paid him a boatload of money.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah.

[Jeff Darlington]

So they either got to get some marriage counseling or just part ways.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay. So I saw a story this week in my projection on this. I was playing part sociologist or something. I said, the Giants don't really care about Shador Sanders. They're going to see him again because they want to send a message to the Saints and the Steelers. Oh, no, no. We're going to take. Forget Russell Wilson and Jameis. We're going to take Shador. So they go to Boulder. I mean, they've already got 50 games on tape. They've got the Pro Day. They've interviewed him. There's no secrets or mystery with Shador Sanders. He's been like Caleb Williams. He's entirely public. They're doing this, and I think it's actually pretty clever because they want to move down in the draft and solve their roster for Russell Wilson. They want to solve it and get more players. Am I wrong or do they really, really. Are they considering getting another quarterback?

[Jeff Darlington]

The Giants gm, Joe Shane lives a town next to mine. I see him and his family around. I've seen Joe Shane at more Colorado events than I've seen him in Bergen County, New Jersey. You know, they've done plenty of work. They know who should do our Sanders is. They know, and look, I do think there was a point, Col, where there were people in that building that had him ranked number one of this quarterback class. I think that's who they wanted. But I think the tides have changed and I think there are still people there that probably want to go quarterback here. But Joe Shane spoke to the media this afternoon and I think he tried his best at keeping this quiet. But it, to me, my takeaway was they're going best player available at 3 for the future of this Giants quarter of this Giants organization. And they've got Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson on, on their squad now. Yeah. My question for them though is, is this who you really believe is going to save your jobs? Because that, that is what's at stake here. It's their jobs and for them, if that's how they feel. But, yeah, I'm with you. I think there's a lot of smoke. The owner's not even going to the private workout. So that, that, that tells you what you need to know. But we'll see what happens in the next few days.

[Diana Rossini]

So I know this isn't a classic NFL question, but I think it's a fascinating story. College football just had their first holdout in the history of the sport. Nico I. Amaliava. I got it right. There you go. I've been practicing that for two days. So talented kid goes to Tennessee, paid two and a half million, red shirting. And then all of a sudden, story comes out, I want four. And Tennessee's like, okay, we're done here. Which the kid's talented. I thought there would be a bidding war. Well, now you hear stories that Belichick's not interested. There's not a bidding war. It's like the rest of college football is holding the line saying, we're not going. And I said earlier, quarterback dad has become pageant mom. It's crazy town. Are NFL people monitoring this? Because I thought, Diana, that if he had a really good year at Tennessee, he was a first round quarterback, maybe the second or third best quarterback. What are you hearing?

[Jeff Darlington]

It is the Wild west right now in college football. And that's the problem. And there's, there's too much unknown. There's not a lot of people who know how to navigate it. And there's bad counsel happening. Counsel from, from parents, from agents, friends, family. So you look at this situation and you apply to how the NFL is viewing it. And they're watching this because that story was the hottest topic, without a doubt. Over the weekend. I had one general manager share with me that the notes that are being taken on this is not so much about players that are investing in their careers and trying to make the most money. They understand that, that that is the 2025 world that we live in right now.

[Diana Rossini]

Right.

[Jeff Darlington]

It's are players now choosing themselves and making themselves the priority over the team?

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah.

[Jeff Darlington]

He shared with me that he met with some of these draft prospects and some of these guys were telling him that they had other opportunities at other schools that were going to pay them more money, but they like the program that they were part of and that they felt that their teammates deserved that commitment from them despite the fact that they could make a lot more money somewhere else. So yeah, the NFL is definitely decision makers are watching the character of a lot of these players, but the overall view of what's happening, I don't think anyone is getting blame in any of this. The only one that's getting blamed right now are those that are running the ncaa.

[Diana Rossini]

Right.

[Jeff Darlington]

And I think that's how the NFL space is looking at it while also taking note character of how these guys are navigating this.

[Diana Rossini]

So I, I, I've been critical of Aaron through the years, but I've, I've always said regardless of how you feel about ayahuasca, a lot of artists do it. He's more artist and accountant. I get it, the vaccine stuff, whatever. A lot of Americans didn't want to take it. I got friends that didn't want to take it. Like I'm not going to judge him on that. And I did think he played well down the stretch, but I said I think he's too smart to make a dumb decision. And I don't get Pittsburgh defensive culture. Shaky O line lost Najee Harris, high maintenance receivers, great division with Burrow and Lamar. And I think Aaron's a bright guy and I, if I saw him personally, I'd tell him, sometimes you drive me nuts, but you're smart. I think he is sitting there and he knows, listen, I got about a year left, I don't move very well, I got a lot of money, I don't want to go in Pittsburgh. I think he's sitting smartly waiting for the draft with his eye on Minnesota or if the Brock Purdy negotiations go sideways. I think the Pittsburgh stuff is a ruse. He knows it's fool's gold. What I mean, I know he doesn't talk much and he mocks the media, but is there a feeling in the league he's just waiting to see how everything falls out on the draft weekend Absolutely.

[Jeff Darlington]

This has been going on for months. This has been going on since Aaron Rodgers had conversations with the Minnesota Vikings. While Minnesota will make it very clear and known and they want you to know that Aaron was the one that was pushing for that, that he called Kevin O'Connell, who he has a very good relationship with. And there was a time where they did serious homework on him and considered it. How could you not Four time mvp, he's a Super bowl champ. How do you not say, hey, maybe our young quarterback coming off an injury, just may not be ready? That's realistic. That's the reality of the Vikings situation. But they made a decision as an organization to say, nope, we're closing that door. But they haven't shut it. They haven't completely said it's off the table. What do they keep saying? Let's see how spring goes with J.J. mcCarthy. I don't know what they're going to learn at OTAs. There's not much that happens, but Minnesota needs to see something, right? So, yeah, I think I'm with you. I think Aaron Rodgers is definitely sitting back going, I want to go to a place where I can drop right in like Tom Brady did in Tampa Bay and win a Super bowl this year. I don't think, I don't think the Pittsburgh Steelers are built to win. The Minnesota Vikings are built to win. Yeah, we know the Rams were his number one choice. They're no longer on the table anymore. Those aren't in his cards. So I can tell you, I spoke to Pittsburgh this morning. No updates. Think about this. No updates right now. At this point, as we're a week out from the draft, they still have no idea whether or not Aaron Rodgers is going to sign with them. They still want him. But I just think Aaron knows he's got the leverage in the situation here and he may just sit this thing out and wait. And what if there's another team, Colin, forget Minnesota. Let's say Minnesota really, truly shuts the door after whatever they're going to see in OTAs and JJ McCarthy and they go, okay, this is our guy. Maybe there's another team that has a quarterback that goes down during training camp that Aaron Rodgers believes is a team built to win.

[Diana Rossini]

Finally, I, I said this to Frank Reich the other day. I said, I've got this theory. Steve Kerr talked about this after a game about two weeks ago. He said there's never been more money in the NBA and owners have never been richer, but they'll fire a staff in a heartbeat. I mean, we just Saw the Nuggets, the Suns. I mean, Nuggets are a playoff team. Memphis is a playoff team. Owners now just fire guys. Viable playoff teams. Do you believe. I believe owners have more say on draft day than GMs and coaches are comfortable with. I think Stan Kroenke is a little bit of an outlier. The Hunt family is a little bit of an outlier. Do you talk to GMs and they ever say, yeah, well, we'll. We'll see on draft day who we draft? I mean, do you sense this?

[Jeff Darlington]

Yes. There's versions of ownership's presence in these draft rooms and their involvement. You've got some owners who will say they're not involved, but their body language tells you everything you need to know. And if you're the general manager employed by this owner and you're watching and you're reading that, you're probably going to make a lot of your decisions based on what you're sensing, maybe even going against some of your own belief, knowing that you probably want to keep your job. Right. So you have that version, then you have the others. And I'm so glad you asked me this question because I just had this conversation yesterday with the head coach about his specific owner's involvement. And we, we talked it out kind of roughly that probably 13 or 14 owners in football are probably heavily involved on draft night. In terms of. This is what I think. This is how I think we should go in which direction. And Colin, we could probably do a whole segment and rip through every team and what we think in terms of that owner, but it's happened. It happens every year. I mean, it makes me look back on last year a little bit. You know, when, when. Let's use Denver as an example. Right. It. They kept that so quiet. And it. To me, from the outside, it looked like ownership in Denver went, hey, Sean Payton, you're the smart one here. We brought you here to go find the queue. Go get them hands off. Then you have others where, I wonder, in Atlanta, the situation there that night, that shocked me. We knew Michael Penix Jr. Stock was up. I. I just didn't expect him to land in Atlanta. I'm curious how much involvement ownership had in that one. I just think there's a lot more of that happening than you realize.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah.

[Jeff Darlington]

And. Or at least others. I mean, you realize it, but the, it's layers and levels of the involvement. It's how much they want to know. And by the way, I've spoken with head coaches and GMs who tell me their Owner will text them on draft night. Good luck tonight, buddy. So there's versions where they lay off, but I think there's a lot more that have their hands in it than not.

[Diana Rossini]

Good stuff. Diana Rossini, senior NFL Insider for the Athletic, which is great. Also has a podcast with Chase Daniels. Tell people what the name of that is again.

[Jeff Darlington]

I love that you put up covered since 2015. It makes me look like I'm 75. 2015 was a long time ago.

[Diana Rossini]

It was. Wow. Scoop city, by the way, is the name of that podcast. Very, very good. Very funny. Thanks.

[Jeff Darlington]

Go.

[Diana Rossini]

Good seeing you, Diana Rossini. Yeah, her and Chase do a great job on that. Very interesting. Yeah. The ownership situation is I did this yesterday. We still have the graphic. I said I have a circle of trust in the NFL where I think you have a certain hierarchy where you have owner, gm, coach and quarterback. I've always believed you have to be at an A minus minimum on those four to consistently win a Super Bowl. Now, Nick Ceriani I see as a C coach in Philadelphia 1. So maybe they're a plus plus plus plus at ownership. A plus plus plus plus plus at GM. Sirianni is obviously better. You know, it's. I'm not as high on Brock Purdy, so I see him more as a B quarterback. But I only have eight teams in the league that I would put in my tier one circle of trust and then about seven in a tier two where they check a lot of boxes but not all of them. So it's a draft. I've been lucky. So tier one in this league. Buffalo, Baltimore, Philly, Detroit. Yes. Detroit's really well run. Don't love the ownership, but they're very well run upstairs. Kansas City, Rams, Green Bay, San Francisco and then tier two are. There's a lot of things. I like John Snyder, the GM in Seattle a lot. And I like the roster we'll see on the coach and quarterback. Denver again. I love Sean Payton. New owners, lot of money. Roster's pretty good. Chargers I'm okay with. But boy, they. They are hard to predict in big games. Tampa, I love the gm. I like the quarterback. The coach is okay. Minnesota has been well run for as long as I can remember. I go back to the 70s. They were making Super Bowls quarterback right now we'll see. Houston love the coach and the quarterback. Front office is better. It deserves a lot of credit. They've drafted really well and I think Washington, we all thought they would be better. I think we were all shocked they were that good. So. Yeah. But they're there. I mean, that's right there. I'm giving you 15. The league's got 32 teams. That's less than half the league. There are, there's a lot of Cirque du Soleil on draft weekend. There's a lot of hoops and people jumping around and a lot of suspense and drama that is, that is not scripted. It's. I've been in one draft room in my life and it was not chaotic. It was the Chargers. The Spanos family was there. The sons work in the building. It was not meddling at all. But it was fascinating to watch it work. The Spanos family had a reputation for years. They were a little cheap. I don't think that's fair now. I think they're spending money on Herbert and Harbaugh. The staff they got. They're spending money. But it was a fascinating to watch because there are clearly. I mean, Dallas is a cartoon, but there are clear Indianapolis right now. I mean, Chris Ballard wakes up every morning and I mean, between Andrew Luck retiring and Carson Wentz being forced after a really good season, Chris Ballard's basically just like, yeah, you're waving the white flag. You're just bailing water at quarterback. So it, it's a lot more upstairs determines outcomes than people think in this league. One more herd the herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

[Colin Cowherd]

American Public University is the number one provider of education to our military and veterans in this country. They offer something truly unique, special rates and grants for the entire family, making education affordable not just for those who serve, but also for their loved ones. If you have a military or veteran family member and are looking for affordable, high quality education, APU is the place for you. Visit Apu APIs Edu Military to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edu Military 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 leaders to learn more. That's paycor.com leaders.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

T Mobile's stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now. Keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card is no cash access and expires in six months.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Diana Rossini]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Jeff Darlington]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Jeff Darlington]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle. Thanks for having me, Jeremy. Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[Diana Rossini]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.

[Diana Rossini]

Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Will]

We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Diana Rossini]

So this is really interesting. Urban Meyer. So Tennessee goes out the Tennessee Volunteers who made the playoff this year. And when this young quarterback, Nico IO Maliava, and he gets advice from somebody in his family, which I didn't love, which is, hey, two and a half million is not enough. I'm not showing up for spring practice. I'm not showing up. And they said, see, we're taking a stand. Urban Meyer said, tennessee is screwed. They got a problem. Everybody's saying, nice job. Tennessee taking a stand. Yeah. Tennessee plays Florida usually every year in October. Can you imagine? Said Ermin Meyer, the game's going the other way. And Coach Hypo grabs the mic stands at the 50 yard line in Neyland Stadium and says, hey, it's okay. I made a stand way back then. It's an interesting way to look at it, which is you can make a lot of stands in life. The kid's talented and you're not going to get somebody better than him. And it's the sec. And if Tennessee is a dramatic football program, they run through coaches, they run. I mean, when's the last time Tennessee back to back years didn't have major drama? I mean, they've had it since Phil Fulmer left and he's still around the program. So you can, you can take a stand in life, but at some point, sometimes you lose negotiations. You can't win all of them. So it's an interesting perspective from Urban Meyer, who's coached in the sec. Everybody can say, well, we took a stand. Well, can you beat Florida in October? Because that's all people care about. Everybody here for Tennessee that's like really happy about taking a stand is, well, you're going to be worse at quarterback. And now last year's team made the playoff and was mostly known for its defense. So they've got a good staff, they've got good players. It's a great program, but it's been a bit of a sleeping giant for the last 20 years, mostly because it's always got unhinged drama all over the program. So if you would have told me, oh, one of the major SEC schools has major drama, I would have guessed Tennessee. I mean, it, it, it just who they are. So you know, Pop, Greg Popovich took a stand on Kawhi. I like all this mystery. Yeah, six straight losing seasons. Remember Pop took a stand. Oh, our, our doctors say he can play. And we're, we're, we're going to ship him off to Toronto. We'll show him he won a trophy. You haven't made the playoffs in six years. So now congrats on getting Wemby. But I like the perspective by Urban. You're not going to be as good at quarterback. You're screwed. Jordan with the news. No, no, no.

[Will]

Turn on the news.

[Diana Rossini]

This is the Herd line news.

[Will]

Caleb Williams perhaps looking to make a stand. Colin, looking to build on his rookie season, hopes to take big steps on her new head coach, Ben Johnson. Caleb recently sat down with Esquire for an interview and said that while he thinks other quarterbacks in the league are, quote, great guys, he added, quote, I think the NFL game has become too friendly. And I don't necessarily want to be friends because I want to keep that competitive advantage a la Rory McIlroy.

[Diana Rossini]

I love it.

[Will]

I also think this is a little NBA 90s style, and I credit him because a lot of guys want to be friends with other stars. It's cool to be friends with other stars. Caleb saying, I don't need that. I need to win. I need to deliver on the promise of a quarterback in Chicago.

[Diana Rossini]

Listen, Michael Jordan was tough on his own teammates. Yeah, yeah. I'm not. I'm not into this friend stuff.

[Will]

Remember when last dance came out and Bill Winnington and Paxton, they said, you know, mj, he wasn't a good guy.

[Diana Rossini]

He was kind of a jerk.

[Will]

But they loved and respected him because they won. If Caleb's a jerk and he wins, it doesn't matter.

[Diana Rossini]

No, they're. They're like, Jay Cutler was very disagreeable. Yeah, but he didn't win enough.

[Will]

Correct.

[Diana Rossini]

So. So you. And by the way, Jeff George years ago, very disagreeable, doesn't win enough. Peyton Manning wasn't. I mean, Peyton's a really nice guy, but Peyton will bark and, you know, Tom Brady. So I. If you win, it doesn't matter. But I'm. I don't need all this kumbaya. We're all buddies. I'm not into that stuff.

[Will]

There has been a lot of speculation about the future of Eagles tight end Dallas Goddard as he enters the final year of his contract. Philly has been reshaping its roster as it prepares for their super bowl defense. And Howie Roseman, the gm, addressed how the Goddard situation will impact their draft strategy.

[Diana Rossini]

The way we look at the draft is it's a separate entity to anything else that's going on. We got to make good decisions in the draft based on who the players are that are available in the draft. We can't make up any positions and make them better than they're not. We have to really have a true process, so it really doesn't affect us. We try to do as much as we can at any position in free agency to try to make sure that we're not in a position where there is needs. You know, Howie Roseman, as good as he is, would be the first to acknowledge that you hit on about 55% of your draft picks now. They've. They've taken some real risks on, like Jaylen Carter had some character risk and he was a massive home run. But this is, this draft. Good drafts, you hit on 55% of your players. Bad ones, do you hit on 45? Yeah, 40. So Philadelphia is lucky that they nailed two corner. They'd been a little soft at corner for two to three years, and they nailed both corners last year. So their O line still young and viable enough. Philadelphia's got about a two to three year Runway here of arguably having the best roster in the league.

[Will]

Yeah, Let me be clear though. Dallas Goddard is available via trade. He's entering the final year of his contract. No guaranteed money. It's a really good tight end. Draft. He, it's not that he's not a good player. He's a good player but he's also been injury prone. He's getting up there in age and you can always find a replacement when the draft has that position.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, it's a really, really. Now I could see, honestly I could see Howie Roseman moving up to go get a Loveland from Michigan. They're not going to, they're not going to move up to get the Eagle. The, the, the kid from Penn State.

[Will]

No. He's going to go too high.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. But I could see them moving up to get Loveland. Who's, who's not your traditional tight end. He can split him out.

[Will]

Well, let me tell you about Loveland. He, I, I was told he can go anywhere in the 10 to 21, 22 range.

[Diana Rossini]

Yes.

[Will]

He broke the Michigan all, all time record. 56 catches this season. 66248. Yeah, he can run.

[Diana Rossini]

You can move him out. Yeah, he's a little, got a little Brock Bowers where you can move him out in the slot and he can go. He's a really interesting player.

[Will]

Yeah. So a lot of, a lot of hype around Tyler Warren, justifiably so. But Colson Loveland out of Michigan just down the road is going to be a star. Going to be available in that 10 to 22 range. Could be a Philly target. Speaking of tight ends, Mark Andrews, another very good player, could also be on the move this offseason. Andrews season will be remembered for his drop two point conversion against Buffalo in the AFC divisional round. And during his pre draft press conference, Ravens GM Eric DaCosta was non committal on his tight ends future.

[Diana Rossini]

I never know what's going to happen, Jeff, and I would never want to say this or that, you know, but I can tell you this. Mark Andrews is a warrior and he's played his butt off for us and his competitiveness, his talent, his attitude, his leadership is so valued here and he's a great player and I think we're in the business of keeping as many great players as we can. So there's always a lot of unpredictability with the draft. You just never know.

[Will]

So there's a lot to unpack here. But Mark Andrews entering the final year of his contract, no guaranteed money. 17 million dollar cap hit. If Baltimore were to part ways with Andrews Collins, they would now gain 11 million in cap space. He also comes off, comes off the lowest yards per game under 40 since his rookie year.

[Diana Rossini]

And a bad playoff game.

[Will]

Bad playoff game. And keep in mind, Baltimore, not only has Isaiah likely, who's primed to become tight end one, it's also.

[Diana Rossini]

Yes. And it's also a good tight end draft.

[Will]

So. Yeah, so I was going to say really good tight end in the making and likely excellent tight end draft. And oh, by the way, The Ravens have 11 picks tied for most in the entire draft. So it would be vintage Ravens to say, you know what, Mark Andrews, you've been a great player here all pro. We're going to move on from you. You're 29.

[Diana Rossini]

He would have a market.

[Will]

He would absolutely have a market. And that's why now's the time to do it before he gets to be 31, 32. He's 29, final year of his contract.

[Diana Rossini]

I could see Sean Payton in Denver going and getting him.

[Will]

Yeah, they need a tight end. Well, well, they, they actually just got the tight end from Evan Ingram from Jacksonville, although it wouldn't be bad to get two.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, they did get Evan. Yeah, tight end was a need, but.

[Will]

But Sean Payton loves tight ends. He loves tight ends. Obviously Jimmy Graham, if you got another one for Bo Nicks, that would make sense. And Mark Andrews is not washed up. He's getting to the point where he's not going to become valuable, but he.

[Diana Rossini]

Still is not a great wide receiver. Draft and they've got Cortland Sutton, but not really a trustable number two receiver.

[Will]

Right.

[Diana Rossini]

So do they want to go heavy with tight end packages?

[Will]

Yeah, yeah. So we've talked a lot about Travis Hunter and he's an excellent player, but as we get closer to the draft, specifically whether or not he'll be able to keep playing both ways in the pros now, despite Hunter's confidence. John Harbaugh Ravens HEAD coach not as optimistic, saying quote to say that you're going to be completely immersed in everything that there is to know on offense and defense. I don't know if there's enough hours in the day. Colin, how confident are you and Travis Hunter's two way abilities at the next level?

[Diana Rossini]

Oh, I think he's a great athlete. I think in any draft he'd be a top 10 pick and I, I would just play him at receiver more than corner. But I, I think he has the, he has something that people have talked about this. Joel Klatt talked about this. He can play 80 snaps in a game and by the 80th snap, he still has the same energy. That's like when Michael Jordan used to play 18 holes or playoffs. And by the way, in May or June, right. He would be playing outdoors 18 holes and then go spot 42 in a playoff game. Some people and I've, I've met, I've had a couple friends in my life like this, they just got energy, they're just genetically wired, they don't sleep much.

[Will]

Right.

[Diana Rossini]

They're five hour night sleepers. This kid's energy level, it's incredible. Every snap end of a game, still making plays. So I, I, I think he's gonna go to a bad team and bad teams need great electric players. They, they're like a cheat code. Yeah. And so I would, if I'm New England, I'd play him 75 snaps a game, more on offense than defense, but I'd be good with it.

[Will]

Transcendent talent. And you said yesterday there's more money to be made at receiver. That's true. But if he can play 25 or 30% or maybe just certain packages at corner, that is incredibly valuable. And I mentioned this yesterday, I want to elaborate on it. The fact that he knows both positions so well, isn't that going to be an unlocked cheat code at the next level? Understanding what the opposition wants to do. Well, that's a value.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I just, I mean I, I think receiver is a hard position as a rookie because so much is timing with a quarterback and if your quarterback doesn't have time, you have a bad offensive line like New England. But I think corner is one of those you can walk in as a rookie. Running back, running back, running back, very instinctive positions. He could start day one at corner. And if you told me at the end of the year he was a top four corner in the league, I would not be shocked. I would be shocked if you told me he's a top four wide receiver. Because so much, I mean Brady was taking his receivers on vacations. Right. So much of receiver is timing. So much of corner is just instinct.

[Will]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Jordan with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by. The Herd lie New Urban Meyer. I love that, I love that take. Everybody's saying, way to take a stand, Tennessee. Urban Meyer's like, yeah, they're screwed. They don't have a quarterback. It's the SEC live at la. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. FS1 and the iHeartRadio app hey, 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. 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 show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast and of course on social media. That's Covino and Rich American Public University.

[Colin Cowherd]

Where service members like you can access high quality, affordable education built for your lifestyle. With online programs that fit around deployments, training and unpredictable schedules, APU makes it possible to earn your degree no matter where duty takes you. Their preferred military rate keeps tuition at just$250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's tuition. And with 24. 7 mental health support plus career coaching and other services, APU is committed to your success during and after your service. Learn more at APU APUS Edumilitary that's APU APUS Edumilitary. 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 leaders to learn more. That's paycor.com leaders T Mobile's stats are.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

As impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now. Keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via Prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com KeepAndSwitch up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service report in 90 days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required card is no cash access and expires in six months.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Diana Rossini]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Jeff Darlington]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Jeff Darlington]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle. Thanks for having me, Jeremy. Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[Diana Rossini]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.

[Diana Rossini]

Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Will]

We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what am we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Will]

This Sunday, the UFL takes over spring's biggest weekend with the Fox football extravaganza. First Friday at 8 Eastern, Memphis takes on Michigan. Then Saturday at 7, Birmingham battles Houston. And Sunday at 5, it's San Antonio, Antonio versus D.C. all this weekend on Fox.

[Diana Rossini]

Tomorrow I'm gonna do, I don't do a lot of mock drafts anymore because I think you're just basically signing up to be wrong. And I don't mind being wrong. Every Monday, I do call and write calling wrong. I, I don't know why more people don't admit in politics, especially why can't just people admit on msnbc you were wrong a lot. Just say it. Just own it to be on Fox, msnbc, cnn, just own it. But mock drafts are ridiculous because what's going to happen is Cam Ward's going number one and then everybody just lies. Like nobody. I mean, I would take Shador Sanders if I was Cleveland, I would take Shador Sanders. I got a, I got a coach I like in Kevin Stefanski. He's very good with pocket quarterbacks. I think Shadow Sanders is getting so nitpicked. I think now he's undervalued. You know, if I was the Giants, I mean they went and got Russell Wilson, so. But I'll have a draft tomorrow, top 10 or 12 on what I would draft. I think though I think, I do think one of the more engaging questions is what do you do with Ashton Genty, the Boise State running back? So my take is the kid out of North Carolina, the second best running back reminds me of a poor man's Adrian Peterson. He's not Adrian Peterson, but he is big and physical and he's going to be really hard. He was in college for corners and safeties to bring down if he gets through the first line. He is a load and has great speed. So I tend to think you're going to get 85% of Ashton Genty with the second best running back in the class and it's an incredibly deep class. But many people and I don't think it's necessarily wrong or saying he may be the third or fourth best athlete in this class. Like if you're Dallas, I mean Dax been good. When he has a run game, what are you going to do? I mean the Raiders are a prime example. Geno Smith, Raiders are a fascinating team. So Geno Smith's last several years with the Seahawks, he's really good at one thing, play action passing when he has a run game. And Geno can throw with a substantial run game. He's actually has a passer rating over 100. So the Raiders have their offensive line set. Colton Miller. They got their center last year from Oregon. They got the right tackle from Maryland. They have Genoa quarterback, superstar tight end receiver, Jacoby Myers. They need a number one receiver. He may not be available in this draft and you don't have to have a number one receiver. New England was winning Super Bowls. The only time they didn't they had Randy Moss. I don't buy that you have to have a dominant number one receiver. I think as the weather gets cold, December, January, February, I mean Tyree Kill disappears late in the season. It just doesn't matter. So I mean Kansas City's been fine without Tyree Kill. Okay, so. But I do think Geno is ineffective playing in a division with Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nick, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, Andy Reid. Gino's not good. When it's third and eight, no run game and he's got a throw and everybody in the ballpark knows it, that's not good. Gino. That's interception. Gino so the. To me, the Raiders are fascinating. I could see them getting Ashton Genty. Okay, now we got a run game, an O line, a tight end. We'll get another number two or three receiver. Remember last year, the Raiders with a staff, a coaching staff that was not as good as Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly and a quarterback not nearly as good as Geno Smith. They should have beaten the Chiefs twice. They were a tough out. And I. Antonio Pierce, good leadership. Guys played hard. I think Antonio Pierce was not the primary issue. And I thought their gm, Tom Telesco's a friend. I didn't think he was the issue. But there's no denying Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly is an upgrade in coaching. Gino's a major upgrade at quarterback. And this team was a tough out last year. So if I, if I. We put the board up again on the draft, the really interesting team to me. And Pete Carroll's in his 70s, the slow build. That's why he likes Geno. He didn't want to have to, you know, groom some quarterback for six years. Gino's what he knows. Gino got him to a playoff. Gino had a Pro bowl season a couple years ago, The Raiders at 6, I think. And I think this, if I ran the Raiders, I don't love taking running backs in the first round. But in a weak draft, if Hunter's gone, they don't need a tight end because they got Meyer from Notre Dame two years ago and they have Brock Bauer. They do not need a tight end. Otherwise I'd take the Penn State kid. They don't need it. They need a running back for Geno Smith.

[Will]

There's a big contingent within the Raiders building that would love to draft Ash and Genti. Now, that doesn't mean they will, but he's in play there. And you talk about Chip Kelly. His relationship with Gino was equally as important as Pete Carroll's. That played so much into Vegas, making a trade and then extending him, giving him almost 67 million guaranteed. You give Gino a running game, Colin, as you know, he throws as good a ball as anyone, but he needs a running game.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. No, his play, action, pass, analytic numbers are fantastic. There are two genos. You know, it's like Sam Darnold. There's two Sams. When Sam has time to throw in a good offensive coach, Sam Darnold can be electric. When Sam has poor protection, like the playoff game against the Rams, lot of mistakes. There are two SAMs. There are two Genos. Like you got the same Brady, Peyton Manning, you know Aaron Rodgers, the great guys, you get the same Joe Burrow, good protection or not. But most quarterbacks in this league, there are different versions depending on the run game, field position, time to throw. I think Ashton Genti to the Raiders, I think I'd pull the trigger on that. That's the play. To me, that is the play. You know Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush and Marshawn Lynch. Pete Carroll won when he had a run game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Balancing work, family and education isn't easy, but American Public University makes it possible with online courses, monthly start dates and flexible schedules. APU is designed for busy professionals who need education that fits their lives. And Affordability matters, too. APU offers the Opportunity Grant, giving students 10% off undergraduate and master's level tuition, helping you reach your goals without breaking a bank. Plus, they provide career services and 247 mental health support at no extra cost. Visit Apu Apus Edu to learn more. That's Apu Apus Edu 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 we live in a.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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 all 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.

[Will]

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.

[Diana Rossini]

Going to be bringing you 40s and.

[Will]

Free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will 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 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.