THE HERD - Hour 1 - Big Ten completes the takeover, Knicks fans need to cool it

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: THE HERD - Hour 1 - Big Ten Completes the Takeover, Knicks Fans Need to Cool It

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Date: April 10, 2026
Host: Colin Cowherd (with NFL/NBA Analyst John Middlekauff)

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on seismic shifts in college sports, the Big Ten’s dominance and sustainability, and evolving landscapes in both college and professional basketball and football. Colin critiques common scapegoats like NIL (Name-Image-Likeness) and the transfer portal, arguing that the real drivers of change are larger cultural and financial trends. The conversation ranges from the Big Ten’s financial windfall, the evolving narrative around the Knicks and NBA tanking, to NFL draft intrigue, especially involving the Jets and Bears’ prospects.

---

1. The Big Ten: A College Sports Juggernaut

Timestamps: 03:01 – 12:48

• Financial Windfall & Expansion: Colin discusses the Big Ten earning $69.5 million from the basketball tournament alone, highlighting their nine-team participation and 29 games played (03:20).
• Sustainability & Evolution of Conferences:
  • The Big Ten's position is strong and only growing, while the SEC is holding but regressed slightly, the Big 12 clings to basketball relevancy, and the ACC thrives via Notre Dame and Miami.
  • The deaths of the Southwest and Pac-12 conferences weren’t due to NIL/transfer rules—Colin blames bad TV deals, empty stadiums, and lackluster leadership.
  • Key Point: “Change is coming. Everybody wants to blame the NIL. I got news for you. ... Those are big markets. They're strong, getting stronger.” (07:48)
• Indicators of Health in College Sports:
  • Revenue, ratings, passion, and quality are all up—“Key indicators. Up, up, up, up, up” (08:05).
  • The Big Ten is stable due to big markets, strong booster bases, and increasing ability to generate revenue for both schools and players.
  • “The Big Ten’s not going anywhere. I think the Big Ten is positioned to do this type of thing every year.” (09:29)
• Cultural Context: Colin notes the difference in commitment and market between conferences—“We couldn’t keep up. Too many pro sports. Weather’s good. A lot more hikers, walkers, skiers out west.” (11:44)

---

2. Knicks Fans, Tom Thibodeau, and NBA Realities

Timestamps: 12:50 – 16:00

• Media Overreaction & Coaching Critique:
  • Colin reacts to headlines suggesting the Knicks were right to move on from Tom Thibodeau after a regular-season win over a shorthanded Celtics team.
  • “Didn’t Tibbs get the Knicks into the Eastern Conference finals last year?” (12:56)
  • Colin pushes back on blaming the coach for deeper roster flaws: lack of bench scoring, poor three-point defense, and not generating free throws.
• Memorable Analogy: “Blaming Tibbs, to me, is like firing your financial planner when you waste money … You have a spending issue.” (15:37)
• Knicks vs. Celtics Game Recap:
  • The win is overblown; Celtics sat Jalen Brown, and Boston likely didn’t care much about the April game.
  • “Knicks are fun. Knicks are good. … They’re not a championship team.” (15:08)

---

3. NFL Draft Rumors, Jets’ Leaks, and the David Bailey Theory

Timestamps: 16:38 – 21:19

• Insider Shifts & Theories:
  • Odds have shifted to favor David Bailey as the #2 draft pick (Jets), overtaking Arvell Reese.
  • “People talk. People gossip. … When the coaching staff gets run out of the building, they want to retain their jobs.” (18:30)
  • Colin compares the leaking of draft information to strategic leaks in politics or business—“Things get out when people want them out.” (19:13)
• Draft Philosophy: Colin would take Bailey over Reese, citing Jets’ need for impact players immediately—“Bailey can absolutely [put pressure on the quarterback].” (21:07)
• Draft Class Commentary: Arvell Reese is still seen by some as the highest-upside player, but Bailey’s proven edge production gives him the edge for the Jets’ needs.

---

4. NBA: LeBron, the Lakers, and Age vs. Performance

Timestamps: 21:22 – 23:36

• LeBron’s Greatness Amid Aging:
  • LeBron put up 26 points, 11 assists; still dominant in the half-court at age 41.
  • “LeBron can still beat everybody off the dribble and finish at the rim.” (21:47)
  • Colin distinguishes between regular season stats vs. playoff durability; notes that only a handful of players would be more reliable than LeBron in a crunch.
  • “If LeBron scored 32 in a playoff game because his jump shot got hot, wouldn’t shock me at all.” (22:27)

---

5. NFL: The NFC’s Resurgence, Bears’ Outlook, and Offensive Coaching Trends

Timestamps: 23:36 – 25:45

• NFC is Now Roster-Heavy:
  • The NFC now boasts the best overall rosters—Chicago, Rams, Seattle, Detroit, with innovators at head coach.
  • “The better rosters today are now in the NFC. You can argue the better quarterbacks are in the AFC.” (24:29)
  • Offensive coaches in the NFC are younger and more creative; AFC’s coaching hierarchy is older, more established.
• Chicago Bears Front and Center:
  • Bears’ young core has high upside, but Colin stresses improvement in quarterback completion percentage for long-term success.

---

6. Buffalo Bills, Coaching Changes, and Offensive vs. Defensive Leadership

Timestamps: 26:59 – 30:12

• New Leadership & High Expectations:
  • Joe Brady takes over a high bar in Buffalo after Sean McDermott; offensive leadership brings new energy.
  • “Offensive coaches age better … You have to be an innovator and a creator where a defensive coach is, ‘blow stuff up.’” (28:19)
• Team Culture & Transition:
  • Brady, despite not diminishing McDermott’s prior work, brings a college-style, innovative mentality.
  • John (analyst): “As we sit here today, they’re my pick to be in the Super Bowl for the AFC.” (30:11)

---

7. NBA Tanking, Owner Penalties, and Financial Realities

Timestamps: 30:23 – 35:53

• Why Tanking Persists:
  • With transformative drafts, teams are incentivized to lose for upper echelon picks.
  • “You can’t fine us enough money to not make it worthwhile to get a guy like Cooper Flag. That’s generational.” — quoting PJ Carlesimo (31:53)
  • Fines are negligible for billionaire owners. Steve Ballmer earns $2.7 million a day in dividends—so $500k fines are meaningless (33:44).
  • Context: A #1 NBA pick can be worth $100 million in value to a franchise.
  • “When you have a $77 billion, 11-year deal, you just made rich guys richer.” (34:31)

---

8. Deep Dive: Chicago Bears’ 2026 Schedule and Outlook

Timestamps: 39:29 – 44:36

• Challenging Schedule Analysis:
  • Colin maps out the Bears' toughest road games and division matchups. “I'm giving them six out of conference wins and I'm giving them at least a split in division. I'm only at 9 [wins].” (41:55)
  • NFC North games, plus road contests at Seattle and Buffalo, create a daunting path.
  • Injuries (retired center), late draft picks after good season, and stronger schedule makes improvement a challenge.
• Draft Strategy:
  • The Bears might go “all defense” in the draft, reflecting their remaining needs.

---

9. Ty Simpson, Quarterback Draft Strategy, and Bama's NFL Transition

Timestamps: 45:11 – 50:12

• Ty Simpson as a First Round Target:
  • Simpson, Alabama QB, is among 16 players attending the draft in Pittsburgh, signaling high expectations.
  • QB-needy teams (Browns, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders, Steelers, Panthers, Rams, Vikings) warrant watch; next year’s “Arch Manning draft” ups the ante for QB arms race.
• Greg Cosell on Ty Simpson:
  • “Do we no longer celebrate quarterbacks who play the game the right way as opposed to just looking at physical traits?” (46:33)
  • Simpson is praised for operating an NFL-style offense, solid mobility, and performing without a good run game.
  • Colin: “I think he's going to get drafted. He moves pretty well … and you can watch… He can make NFL throws.” (48:20)
• Coaching Advantage Effect:
  • Like Lane Kiffin or Steve Sarkisian at other schools, Simpson’s years under NFL-minded Kaylin DeBoer help transition.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Change is coming. Everybody wants to blame the NIL. … The Big Ten just makes more.” — Colin Cowherd (07:48)
• “Blaming Tibbs, to me, is like firing your financial planner. When you waste money, you have a spending issue.” — Colin Cowherd (15:37)
• “LeBron can still beat everybody off the dribble and finish at the rim.” — Colin Cowherd (21:47)
• “Offensive coaches age better … The language in the room is just different.” — Colin Cowherd (28:19)
• “You can’t fine us enough money to not make it worthwhile to get a guy like Cooper Flag. That’s generational.” — PJ Carlesimo, quoted by Colin (31:53)
• “A #1 pick in the NBA is worth $100 million. If you could buy it, teams would pay it.” — Colin, citing Brian Windhorst (35:14)
• “The Big Ten is not going anywhere.” — Colin Cowherd (09:10)

---

Segment/Timestamp Guide for Quick Reference

• Big Ten Takeover Analysis – 03:01–12:48
• Knicks Fans and Coaching Narrative – 12:50–16:00
• NFL Draft, Jets & David Bailey – 16:38–21:19
• LeBron & Lakers’ Playoff Prospects – 21:22–23:36
• NFC vs. AFC: Rosters & Coaching – 23:36–25:45
• Buffalo Bills: Coaching Shifts – 26:59–30:12
• NBA Tanking & Owner Incentives – 30:23–35:53
• Bears’ 2026 Schedule & Roster – 39:29–44:36
• QB Market & Ty Simpson – 45:11–50:12

---

Tone & Style:
Colin is opinionated, measured, and seasoned, blending stats and big-picture trends with cultural observations and analogies. His co-host John Middlekauff adds nuanced insider perspectives, particularly on football trends and the Bears.

---

For Listeners and Non-Listeners Alike

This episode is a must for fans interested in college sports management, shifting power in the conferences, and anyone following the NFL and NBA’s ongoing evolution. It offers sharp, insider commentary on why sports institutions change, how fan and media narratives can mislead, and why money and culture—not just rules like NIL—shape today’s sports landscape.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Guaranteed Human the March tournament brings volatility

[Colin Cowherd]

upsets and momentum shifts.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

With webull predictions, you can trade strategic

[Colin Cowherd]

positions on college basketball outcomes, react to matchups and assess probabilities as the tournament unfolds. Whether your bracket is busted or you're on the way to the top of your leaderboard, bring your strategy to your trades in real time. Get started by downloading the Webull app today or visiting webull.com event Contract trading is speculative and may not be suitable for all investors. Customers should carefully consider the associated risk before investing.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Visit webull.com disclosures everyone deserves to be

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

connected T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Our networks are coming together bringing more T Mobile coverage all over the country. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is available in the US cellular store in Pasco. Bigger network the combination of T Mobiles and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage savings versus comparable Verizon plans plus the costs of options, benefits, plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third free line free via monthly bill credits credit stop if you cancel any lines qualifying credit required.

[Geico Advertiser]

Gygo presents a 30 second podcast between your podcast. Today's story is shared by one of our listeners. It's called Betrayed by Bill. It was in that moment I caught who was staring back at me in betrayal or more like what my insurance bill. With trembling hands I grabbed my phone and switched to geico, saving about $900 in the process and never to be betrayed again. Now that was bloody riveting.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

It feels good when the story ends with savings. It feels good to Geico. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you you backtested against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures thanks for

[Colin Cowherd]

listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is Friday. My guy John Middelkopf's last day here this week. He's been great. It is live in Chicago, the Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Marcus Freeman's joining us in one hour. The Notre Dame coach the two best running backs in this draft are both Notre Dame guys, and one of them is spectacular and the other one's going to be a playmaker as well in this league and had a fun week. Of course, the draft now less than two weeks away, so I was thinking about something this morning about how it is remarkable in my life. You know, I got gray hair a few years ago, really gray, and one of the things I think about a lot, I've been in the business 35 years is how everything changes. And you're either going to be there for it, you can complain about it. It's like Rick Patino talked about the nil. Adapt or die. And I saw this morning the Big Ten earned $69.5 million just from the basketball tournament because they got nine teams in from the Big Ten and they appeared in 29 games. And the NCAA pays conferences and pays you based on number of teams that get in and number of games you advance. So I put it on the board. Big Ten right now is on fire and getting bigger and stronger. The SEC is holding steady but regressed a little. Big 12's holding on. They got great college basketball and the ACC, Notre Dame, Miami are crushing. And I do think it's sustainable. And I was thinking about this. There used to be a conference called the Southwest Conference. It was big. Arkansas was in it. Texas, I think, was in it. It died. Greed and cheating. It didn't die because of the nil. I grew up in the West coast the PAC 8 became the PAC 10 became the PAC 12. It died. It wasn't because of the nil. Back to back lousy commissioners who thought tennis mattered as much as football and really bad TV deals. Army Navy dominated in the 50s culture and the world changed. Big east basketball. When I was in high school and college, it felt like it was almost the NBA. It's not the same. Has nothing to do with the nil. Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, all bailed on the Big 12. Are we going to blame the transfer portal for that? It is easy to blame the NIL and the transfer portal, but college sports. And the reason is because in college sports, everybody is protecting their own. You know what? It's very self serving. It's why you don't have a commissioner. Nobody could agree on one, right? Everybody's out for themselves. I grew up in the West coast, the PAC 10. Outside of Oregon and Washington, the stadiums were often empty. Teams were making $35 million a year in their TV deal. They were making 75 in the Big Ten and 80 or close to it in the SEC. USC. I had a discussion with a USC athletic director seven years ago complaining about the conference. How do we not make more than Oregon State? I work in TV and radio. Radio? Oh, it's not the same as it used to be. Well, iheart has pivoted smartly to on demand, to podcasting a television. Cable's not as big. Well, Fox created Tubi. The Fox one app is on fire. I mean, the company's just buying, buying, spending, buying. Look at our stock price. Incredibly healthy change is coming. Everybody wants to blame the nil. I got news for you. I saw that number this morning with the Big Ten. Those are big markets. They're strong, getting stronger. And for 20 years, the SEC, which is still very viable, used to have a slogan. It just means more. Well, the slogan today in college football is it just costs more and the Big Ten just makes more. You can, you can point fingers. It's not going anywhere because there are key indicators. You ever heard that saying before on the stock market? Key indicators? Let me give you four in college sports that are on fire. Revenues, ratings, passion and quality. Those are key indicators. Up, up, up, up, up. When I'm watching the Big Ten make $70 million just on men's and women's basketball tournaments, you think the Big Ten people want new referendums and massive change? They are doubling down on this. And by the way, Notre Dame still crushing Miami's better now than they've been in years. USC thinks they have their Best football team since Pete Carroll. Lane Kiffin now at lsu. Ohio State's always going to be Ohio State. Yeah, you keep telling me it's not sustainable. Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines, the national champions, says, you know, we're in big cities, we got a lot of money, our boosters are passionate. We're not going. The Big Ten's not going anywhere. I think the Big Ten is positioned to do this type of thing every year. You look at how much sports and athletics mean on Big Ten campuses and the resources available. Everyone in the Big Ten is, you know, the west coast schools, everyone has the ability to generate revenue for their players, significant revenue for their players. And so there's no reason why the Big Ten doesn't do what we've been able to do in football. Southwest Conference, Army, Navy dominance. Pac 12 died. Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma bailed on the Big 12. I'm watching all these things over the course of my life, and my takeaway is some of these were. Most of these were. Almost all of these were pre Y2K. I mean, come on. I mean, I'm a PAC12 guy. We couldn't keep up. Too many pro sports. Weather's good. A lot more hikers, walkers, skiers out west. Just didn't want to watch Stanford football live. Okay, so I, I don't know what Tom Thibodeau Tibbs did to people in New York, but every time they go on a three game winning streak or they win a game, they bring out the knives for Tibbs. I saw this headline. The Knicks, in a close game beat the Celtics last night. The headline is, Mike Brown proves the Knicks made the right choice. Moving on from Tom Thibodeau. Okay, so an April home win over the Celtics, who didn't have Jaylen Brown. That really is the defining moment of the season. Am I wrong here? Didn't Tibbs get the Knicks into the Eastern Conference finals last year? But beating the Jalen Brown? Lesson Celtics. The Knicks trail with two minutes left, came back to win the game. That's the deciding factor. Listen, Tibbs isn't perfect. Little more offense. Creativity, offensive ingenuity. I would have preferred it, but didn't he win a playoff series in three straight years? You have to go back to, like Jeff Van Gundy. I mean, you got to go, you got to go back to Jeff Van Gundy for that to happen. The Knicks are viable now. They're fun to watch. Stop making Tibbs, who is not perfect. Let's not bring out the knives for Tibs because you beat the Celtics Without Jalen Brown in April, in a game Boston probably doesn't care much about, here's some facts about the Knicks that Mike Brown and Tibbs can't solve. Bench scoring. Awful, can't defend the three, don't generate free throws. And your two best players, Brunson and Cat, you can pick and roll to death late in games. Tibbs couldn't solve it. Mike Brown can't solve it. By the way, this year, the Knicks are.05 against OKC in Detroit, and Detroit's hammered them. So last night feels big for them. They beat, like, a good team that is missing their MVP candidate. Okay, I think the Knicks are fun. I think the Knicks are good. I think in the playoffs they're going to need better bench scoring. Mikhail Bridges, for the record, way better, though, with Tibbs than he is with Mike Brown. Not blaming Mike Brown, but if you're going to blame Tibbs, who got to the Eastern Conference finals every time they go on a winning streak or beat a team without an MVP candidate, I think that's fair. So OG's better. Mikhail Bridges worse. I'm just spitting facts here. That's all we do. So blaming Tibbs, to me, is like firing your financial planner. When you waste money, you have a spending issue. I'm firing my broker. I'm firing my financial. You got no bench. It's a lopsided roster. You can't defend the three. You don't generate free throws. So the Knicks roster has holes. Neither coach can solve them. It's why they're not a championship team. Jalen Brunson, after the win over Boston last night, this had a playoff feel to it. The building obviously sounded loud. This is another game, just like in Atlanta. Is this what you're looking for to prepare for the playoffs? Yeah. Playing good teams, continuing to get better and still trying to find ways to win. And I think we're doing a good job of sticking together. And no matter what happens throughout the game, we keep finding a way. Okay, so stuff gets out when people want it out. Whenever you see a leak in a White House, you see a leak at a company, it's because somebody wants it out. And the betting odds on the NFL draft on who's going to go number two have shifted. Now, this is. This is good news for the jets, in my opinion. With a number two pick, David Bailey is now the favorite to go to the Jets. But why did the odds change? I've got thoughts on that on a Friday from Chicago coming up.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd Weekdays and new Eastern 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin Cowherd]

Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

and you can be a part of it. Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio. Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos from your favorite shows. Two pros and a cup of Joe Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Stu Gotz and

[Colin Cowherd]

company Live, Covino and Rich, the Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington,

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

the Jason Smith show with Mike Harmon and the Ben Maller show. Fox Sports Radio YouTube subscribe.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. We're lost and kickoff's coming up. I don't want to miss the lineup. I'm going to ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're trying to get to the stadium.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree at this here road.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

Nah, I'm just kidding.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

Let me get my phone out.

[Geico Advertiser]

How is their signal out here?

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

T Mobile and US Cellular are coming together so the network out here is huge. We get the same great signal as the city, saving a boatload with benefits. And there's a five year price guarantee too. Okay, here's the turn.

[Colin Cowherd]

Actually, can you pull up the way to a T Mobile store?

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available at US Cellular stores in Hermiston. Best Mobile Network based on analysis by Ooklov Speed test intelligence data second half of 2025 bigger network the combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details.

[Geico Advertiser]

Geico presents a 30 second podcast between your podcast Today's story is shared by one of our listeners. It's called Betrayed by Bill. It was in that moment I caught who was staring back at me in betrayal or more like what, my insurance bill. With trembling hands I grabbed my phone and switched to geico, saving about $900 in the process and never to be betrayed again. Now that was bloody riveting.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

It feels good when the story ends with savings. It feels good to Geico. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an Investable Index with AI it all starts with your prom. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures Innovation is

[Colin Cowherd]

what gets your business to the big leagues and Wasabi is designed to give every business a shot at competition. Break free from skyrocketing storage costs, unpredictable egress fees from old and top heavy legacy providers. You know the big guys. Wasabi is the world's hottest cloud storage company and the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues around the world. And here's why. Innovation from Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals, data deletion and ransomware. Wasabi has taken the lead in big league data storage. Remember, Wasabi is up to 80% less than the other guys and doesn't charge a cent for businesses to access their own data. Wasabi is another championship story. Check them out. [e-mail], wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network Marcus Freeman top of the hour 45 minutes. So David Bailey, who would be my number two pick. He's a best pure just edge rusher defined. He's gotten significantly better this year from last year. The odds have suddenly changed. He is now moved ahead of Arvell Reese who has a higher ceiling. But Reese does not necessarily have a defined position yet. So what happened? Well people Talk, people gossip. 2 days ago 3 well known insiders, McShay, Albert Breer, Peter Schrager all mentioned a couple days ago I'm hearing David Bailey to the Japs. Hmm, why? Why would that be? I have a theory. I don't think the jets head coach is Going to survive the season. And my theory, I've said this for years. I always look for disgruntled employees or desperate employees. They talk people in that jets building. When the coaching staff gets run out of the building, they want to retain their jobs. Whenever I see a leak or all of a sudden I see a line move or multiple insiders have the same opinion. Folks, people are loyal to their families. And the NFL pays a lot. Good pensions, you know, along with the English Premier League. It's the best sports league in the world. And what are people looking for if somebody's going to get blown out? Alliances and support, that's what they are. So, I mean, that's why when the Patriots for 20 years, it was completely covert. There were no leaks. The coach was great, the owner was great, the quarterback was great. They were winning. Kansas City Chiefs don't have a lot of leaks. They're winning. I mean, the Seattle Seahawks, John Snyder, you don't hear any leaks. Things get out when people want them out. And so to me, it's not just that insiders all collectively said, I'm hearing David Bailey, it's now the odds are moving. And you've seen this before. I can remember years ago, Reggie Bush was considered a consensus number one. And then a couple of days before the draft, you were hearing Mario Williams. Whoa, whoa, whoa. What? Who got drafted number one? It was the rumor. Mario Williams. Right. So when you hear stuff, I believe it because I think this stuff all comes. I mean, everybody talks about the gambling markets and the poly markets. We got people in the White House talking. You know, what are the odds? We go into war. Suddenly they just shifted. Boom, war. I mean, that's the way it works. People gossip. People are protecting themselves. So when I hear the David Bailey rumors, my take is it's probably true. Somebody in the building. You know, people are always looking to curry favor. The NFL jobs, they're not a lot of them. The pension's great. I mean, you get a little bit of an off season. It's, it's. Now, I would take Bailey over Arvell Reese because I think the jets need six good players, not one potential superstar play. Arvell Reese has this great ceiling. Dane Brugler of the Athletic released his comprehensive draft report and talked about the comp between Bailey, who I like, and Reese. I think it's fair to say it's close. I mean, yeah, you can't ignore what Bailey did this year. I wouldn't say that he's, you know, necessarily the most complete defensive end where

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

I'm going to put that quote unquote

[Colin Cowherd]

safe label on him.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

But if you want a guy that

[Colin Cowherd]

can just scream off the edge and

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

going to put pressure on the quarterback,

[Colin Cowherd]

Bailey can absolutely do that.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

But in my opinion, Arvell Reese is

[Colin Cowherd]

the best player in this draft and he may be right. And he's not the only person that thinks that. John Middelkoff with the news. No, no, turn on the news.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

This is the Herd line news.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

Okay, colin, your guy. LeBron James, he led the shorthanded Lakers against the Warriors. He put up 26 points, 11 assists. After the game, LeBron talked about how he was going to go back to his old ways. Obviously, the Lakers would need that if they are missing Luka and Austin Reaves heading into the playoffs. LeBron talked about how him and Steph haven't even matched up this season.

[Colin Cowherd]

We don't know what, like I said, what the future holds. And we don't know when, if we get the opportunity to play against each other, you know, or how many more times we get to play against each other. So it's always a pleasure and it's always an honor just to be, you know, in his presence, to be on the floor with him when we have in the past. Yeah, no, LeBron can still beat everybody off the dribble and finish at the rim. He hasn't had a great jump shooting year. But it's not just that they lost Luka and Austin Reaves. It's just the old LeBron was so dominant on the defensive end as well. He's now one of the slower players in terms. He's not beating people down the court. But the idea in the half court game, LeBron can still beat everybody off the dribble. And when his jump shot, if LeBron scored 32 in a playoff game because his jump shot got hot, wouldn't shock me at all.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

We don't know exactly who they're going to play. Obviously things could change depending on what happens with Denver. You know, the Lakers play tonight, the Suns. But regardless of the matchup, does LeBron have enough at 41 years old to carry them to one with this roster, with this roster to one series victory?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't. But look at the numbers. The guy's averaging 28 and 13. I mean, it's just insane. I mean, Kareem played for 20 years, but I watched Michael Jordan, I live twice with the Washington wizards. I saw two games and Michael was not nearly as vertical. LeBron's going 28 and 13. Now. The difference is it Is hard to take these late regular season numbers. You got to take them with a grain of salt because we got nine teams to 11 teams tanking so. And the warriors right now are not a good basketball team. But I still think what he can. I think LeBron in the half court can still get a bucket and probably only about 6, 7 guys in the league. I take over him in the half court.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

You know, when the NBA signed that big television deal over the last couple of years, LeBron Curry were all the prime times the second half post football. They never suited up in the game together. That's pretty crazy. Kind of speaks to, you know, the current situation to the NFL where Collins Bears are coming off their first playoff win since 2010. Beat the Packers a couple times. Yeah, but Caleb Williams is getting a head start on Joan with his teammates. He hosted pre OTA workouts at USC with Loveland, Roma, Dunze, Luther Burton, obviously you know the rapport you lose DJ Moore, him and Loveland had it. But Burden, there's going to be a lot of pressure on him to step up. What are your expectations for this offensive unit Colin in 2026?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I, I right now today because I think it's impossible. It's so hard to repeat. I would take Rams Bears, I would take Rams Bears in the NFC championship. And I think Seattle is really close. I think Detroit's going to be better. I think Detroit's going to have a bounce back year. I think Green Bay is going to be good. Michael Parsons is back. You know John, there was a stretch, I think we both admitted this when the AFC hit on a lot of great quarterbacks. They hit on Burrow and Allen and Lamar and Mahomes. And the AFC was a notch better than the nfc. The quality of rosters right now in the nfc, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Rams, Seattle. The better rosters today are now in the nfc. You can argue the better quarterbacks are in the afc. But I feel like I felt the two best teams in the league last year kind of by a stretch were both Seattle and the Rams. And if the kid from Arizona that went to the Lions, I think if he hits and I think he's going to, I think Detroit's going to be, it's going to go back and look like the team that won like 13 games a couple years ago. So the gap has not only closed. The best four or five rosters to me, especially if Lamar gets that big money and they've got to move off players in Baltimore, the best rosters feel like they're all Top five or six are all in the nfc.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

I also think it speaks. There's the, you know, the AFC kind of has the older, veteran, grizzled coaches. The Andy Reid, the Sean Paytons, the Harbaugh, you know, I guess John's gone now. Jim. The NFC, the Ben Johnson, Sean McVay, Mike McDonald, Kyle Shanahan's the old guy, like 45. So they have this innovative young coaching group that are all mainly offensive guys. So I'm with you on the Bears. I would hesitate to feel comfortable with AFC Championship unless you. Or NFC Championship unless you told me Caleb makes a big jump from a completion percentage standpoint because they won a lot of games on miracle plays from which.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, yeah.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

Which he can do. But can he go from 58 to more like 63, 64. Hitting some of those layups? Then they would be. They could be a wagon.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, guys, grab me the Bear schedule. I'll talk about it next segment. I'm interested. They did. They want a lot. So did Denver, by the way. Denver and Chicago won a lot of games late. I haven't looked at the Bears schedule yet. I don't have the order of it. That's till. That's in April, I think. But yeah, I think. I think Seattle Rams, Bears and potentially, because I don't think the Philadelphia situation, they're good, but I got questions everywhere. I think Detroit's the team that I'm keeping my eye on.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

The Bills gone. They're kicking off a post Sean McDermott era and OTA started up on Tuesday. Signs of the change are visible throughout the facility. Joe Brady has changed up, got a new mantra, put the ball down. We know coaches love those statements and post them all over the walls. According to Dion Dawkins, their left tackle, there's a new vibe and energy that is definitely different. I. This is. It's not apples to apples because Mike Brown was not on the Knicks staff, but when you fire Tibbs from the Knicks, you. You been good and you were just in the conference.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

The bar is really high for Joe Brady now. He's already been there and he's already proven his unit. The offense has kind of carried the team. The question with this team, ironically, if firing Sean McDermott was the defense and he's a defensive guy, Joe Brady can't really fix that, though. He brought in, you know, Rex Ryan's longtime safety, Jim Leonard.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

Really, really smart and Big Ten guy in Wisconsin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

It's going to be on him because we know, I mean, If Josh is healthy, I mean, heck, he had a bad playoff game and they were still putting up points, you know, in Denver.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, listen. And what. Yeah, Tibbs and Sean McDermott's a good comp because Tibbs was getting them and winning playoff series. The difference between a defensive coach and they're wound pretty tight and an offensive coach that are very creative. We've seen this. Mike Tomlin, great coach, felt a little outdated at the end. Pete Carroll, defensive coat outdated. Sean McDermott, very good coach. You didn't trust them in big spots offensively late. I've said this before. Offensive coaches age better. And I think a lot of it is because to be a great offensive coach like Sean Payton and Andy Reid, you have to be an innovator and a creator where a defensive coach is. Blow stuff up, you know, fast. And. And I saw my takeaway of the many advantages that an offensive coach in Buffalo over a defensive coach. It's. There's just a different sensibility in the room there. You just have. There's a certain language. I mean, Brady would. He wouldn't do it publicly, but he would do it privately about Belichick. Belichick is a really smart guy, but there's a reason Brady was calling three times a day in the off season. Josh McDaniels. There is a different language to offensive coaches, and I think so. I really believe Buffalo's offense will be better. Do they lose a little on the defensive side? It just depends on if their draft picks, the last this year and last

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

year hit, you know, from Joe Brady's. I watched his opening press conference. I talked to him briefly when I was at the combine. He's kind of sold me. I think he's really impressive guy. You know, he's kind of. Honestly, he feels much more like a guy that would be a star currently in college football. Kind of young and hip, like a Dan Lanning type. But he's been an NFL guy, which, you know, Sean Payton, he gave reverence. You know, this can be difficult when you fire a coach who is clearly well liked in the locker room. I think it's an easy transition because he kind of said, Sean McDermott's the reason I'm here. It's not like he comes in acting like everything this guy did was a failure. So I'm buying a lot of. As we sit here today, they're my pick to be in the super bowl for the afc.

[Colin Cowherd]

Way to go. I don't disagree. I gotta watch September, but I don't disagree. John Middelkoff, with The news.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd line news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, it is something that people are trying to figure out how to change it. I told you this week there's a couple of reasons I think the NBA's tanking issue has become an epidemic. One of them is this is a great draft. You've got three guys who could be transformative players, another 10 who could come into your team and average 18 points a game. College basketball, even the young guys are playing against older guys. They are more refined and cleaner prospects. But PJ Carlissimo said finding owners, you think you can just find your way to get out of this. Draymond Green said the other day, remember, like just find the owners and listen. Money does talk. I'm no question. But P.J. carlissimo talked about the tanking problem. Why do teams tank? I talked to owners, like I was saying, like, you know, what is it worth it? They're saying, you can't find us enough money to not make it worthwhile to get a guy like Cooper flag. That's generational. Now it's one thing if you're a pretty good team, you know, and you can't get yourself to that and you have a good roster that's going to be there when you're nowhere near competitive and you got a chance to get somebody like him. Find me all you want. It's worth it. So NBA owners are billionaires to begin with. When the NBA signed a new TV deal of 77 billion over 11 years, well, all those billionaires got a guaranteed 11 year windfall. So when you find Ryan Smith, $500,000, it is a parking ticket for you or I. And I'll give you an example of a very, very wealthy owner, Steve Ballmer. So Steve Ballmer's net worth is $150 billion, a lot of it in the stock market. He is the single biggest shareholder of Microsoft, which has like the fourth biggest market cap of any company in the world. So just think about this. In 2024, Steve Ballmer made a billion dollars. A billion just on dividends, basically just being alive and remaining in the market. He made therefore $2.7 million a day in dividends. That's not Clipper revenue, basketball arena revenue. He probably owns 60 other companies, who knows? He made almost 3 million a day on dividends, basically just breathing, being alive and staying in the market. So I'm dead serious when I say this. Steve Ballmer could be fined $500,000 probably for a couple of weeks straight until he May get a call from one of his accountants. I mean, I remember the Ohtani scandal and everybody was like, well, I mean, how did he not notice the money? He has 23 revenue streams. He's in a country, he doesn't speak the primary language regularly. He's got handlers everywhere. When you get to be Balmer Ohtani, you got managers, tax accountants, attorneys. You got 13 people in the pipeline. So again, I think there's two reasons for the tanking issue. Number one is this draft is sensational. You go look at when we get all worked up on tanking, it's because the draft is great and because college basketball now, players are staying longer, they're older, they're. They're stealing the top European players. You got to nip this in the bud because the drafts last year and this year going forward are just going to get better and better. But when people talk about, well, you can find your way to it. Remember who Adam Silver's boss is, the owners. So even though I do believe if you, if you had 20 and 30 million dollars fines to the owners, they'd be like, I can't do this. The problem is, if I'm your boss, how big of a fine can you levy before I create alliances with other owners and say, yeah, let's get this guy out of here. So, you know, I think going forward, the drafts are going to be better and better and better and older. And so I don't know what the fix is, but when you have a $77 billion, 11 year deal, you just made rich guys richer. I mean, you know, I'm making two and a half million a day on dividends and I can get Wemby. In fact, Brian Windhorse said this. Brian Windhorse said, I had an executive tell me the number one pick is worth $100 million, that if you gave the opportunity to buy that pick, teams would pay $100 million for it. So keep that in mind when the Jazz owner got fined 500 grand, you know, a BYU kid going to the Jazz, I mean, that is. That just screams merch, windfall and wins.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're lost and kickoff's coming up. I don't want to miss the lineup. I'm gonna ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're trying to get to the stadium.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree at this here road.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

N. I'M just kidding.

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

Let me get my phone out.

[Geico Advertiser]

How is there signal out here?

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

T Mobile and US Cellular are coming together so the network out here is huge. We get the same great stuff. Signal is the city saving a boatload with benefits. And there's a five year price guarantee too. Okay, here's the turn actually, can you

[Colin Cowherd]

pull up the way to a T Mobile store?

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available at US Cellular stores in Hermiston Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ookla of Speed test intelligence data second half of 2025 bigger network the combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosure is [e-mail] Disclosures Innovation is

[Colin Cowherd]

what gets your business to the big leagues and Wasabi is designed to give every business a shot at competition break free from skyrocketing storage costs, unpredictable egress fees from old and top heavy legacy providers. You know the business guys. Wasabi is the world's hottest cloud storage company and the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues around the world. And here's why. Innovation from Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service. With triple protection against cybercriminals, data deletion and ransomware, Wasabi has taken the lead in big league data storage. Remember, Wasabi is up to 80% less than the other guys and doesn't charge a cent for businesses to access their own data. Wasabi is another championship story. Check them out [e-mail], wasabi Hot Cloud Storage, proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network. Your social media feed delivers plenty of advice, but it doesn't know you. It doesn't ask questions. It doesn't give physical exams or order tests doctors do. At the American Medical association, we believe the best care starts with a real conversation, with someone who understands the science and your unique health. So stay curious, ask questions. But when it's time to make decisions, make them with a doctor. Learn more at amahealth versus hype.org that's

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

amahealthvshipe.org Fox UFL Friday features two of the league's newcomers as the Orlando Storm and Louisville Kings look to light it up in primetime. Pro football in the spring is ramping up tonight at 8 Eastern on Fox.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, my staff got me the Bears schedule. It's really interesting. You and I were saying, John, that the Bears won a lot of games. Denver and the Bears won a lot of games where they were outplayed for a half or three quarters. Bo, we talked about it during the year. Bo Nix and Caleb Williams, young quarterbacks were shockingly good in the last couple of drives of games. Bo Nix was awful for some games in the first three quarters and then had an unbelievable last two drives. So just I think people are forgetting how good the Bears were last year. They won their division. They won 11 games. Okay. And they got to the playoffs. And that Rams game, Rams played virtually perfect football. I don't think they had a penalty or a turnover. Rams played really, really well.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

It was the Bears best defensive performance, it feels like in the season.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, okay. When you look at their scan, that just shows you how hard in this league it is, how hard to predict overall seasons. It's not hard to predict what teams can make the playoff. I can get more than half on that just go to quarterbacks and coaches. But if you look at the Bears schedule, I'm going to give them six wins out of division. Tampa, the jets and the Saints at home. I'll give them those three wins. I'm going to give them, although they may be close, three road wins. Falcons, Carolina, though they could be Tough and Miami. And then I'm going to say they're just going to split in their division. Win one, lose one. Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota. That's only nine wins. So, you know, you look at the Bears and you think they'll be better. It's very possible they could go to Carolina. I mean, the Rams almost lost to Carolina twice last year. This league is. So it's why there's this sense that, well, Caleb Williams will be better and they'll get back. And this is to your point, I think the Bears are going to keep growing. But if you go look at that, I mean, think about these games they have. These are home games, Philadelphia, Patriots, Jaguars, those are tough games. And then they go on the road, Seattle and Buffalo. So you just keep, you know, the better you are, the tougher schedule you face. It's the opposite of college football where the better you are, the better transfer portal and better recruiting class you have. So the NFL does an amazing job. You really have to improve, to improve your record. Because I'm giving them six out of conference wins and I'm giving them at least a split in division. I'm only at 9.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

They did go 2 and 4 last year in the division. You know, it's not like those 11 wins, they dominated the vision. And that's the thing that they had teams that were quote, unquote down. The Lions. I mean, the Lions beat him twice. Now, the last game of the season, it was kind of a weird spot, but, and remember early on in the season when it kind of got started, Rocky the Lion Lions killed them.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I, I mean, look at this. I could argue the toughest places to play in the league are Buffalo, Seattle, Minnesota is hard to play. Green Bay. Their road games next year are Lions, Green Bay, Minnesota, Buffalo, Seattle. Those are rough. And depending on the, for the record, depending on the time. What if you're playing Buffalo first week of December? That's way different than September.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

Yeah, I mean clearly, I mean last year, look at the impact the draft had for them. Now granted, they picked high, right. They had the 10th overall pick. Luther Burden was, you know, a relatively early second round pick. You start winning a little bit, those picks move back.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

So now your second round pick is much later. It's hard to get the equivalent on defense to Luther Burden.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

But, but they, Kobe Bryant, really, really good player for Seattle. They signed. Yes, they're going to need him to be a high level player. But, but you know, defense and I, I, I've always thought this I think most people would tend to agree. Offense, I can take Kyle Shanahan or Ben Johnson or McVeigh and we can take an average player and win games at different positions.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

On defense, it's a little bit of a combination of both spags for those couple years when the defense is really good. With Kansas City, Chris Jones, a hall of famer. McDuffie just got a hundred million dollars. I mean, they got some high end. Carloff just got a huge contract extension. You kind of need the Jimmy's and the Joes and the X's and the O's. Dennis Allen's a good coach, but I think if we just look at their defensive roster right now, is that that's the one thing the Rams have. Their defensive roster is good.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Seattle too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I think the Bears are one of those teams and this happens occasionally where you could literally take every one of your draft picks. They probably have to draft another tackle because of an injury. But outside of that, the Bears could say how many draft picks. We're going all defense and you see that from time to time. When. I mean, when Ben got there, he went and basically went offense with his draft, this is going to go. Ryan Poles will go heavy defense. But it does illustrate just how competitive this league is. You look at their schedule. Carolina on the road, Seattle, Buffalo, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, those are. I mean, even Atlanta with Kevin Stefanski now you don't know how good Atlanta is going to be.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

We played the Sean Payton sound earlier this week and he says, I hate that there's no such thing as carryover year to year because every team, the end. Like, unlike basketball, you know, if you have a team that's relatively under contract, your top eight, your top eight, the Knicks top eight didn't change in football. Minimum, you're getting 20% turnover, sometimes a little bit higher. Look at the Bears off season start. No. 1 fault. Their center retires.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[NFL/NBA Analyst]

You know, so it's like. I mean, that's Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson did. Now they pivoted. Like they make a trade immediately, but that's going to be a downgrade. Yeah, that's pretty important. Colin. I. And that's. That's football for you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep. Oh, so it's interesting. Greg Cosell came on yesterday. I'll get to that in a second. Like Ty Simpson a lot more than I thought. So there is a. I just saw this story this morning. Ty Simpson is among 16, the Alabama quarterback among 16 players who will attend the draft in Pittsburgh. In that interesting. Pittsburgh needs a quarterback and Generally, if they're inviting you to the draft, that means the NFL thinks Ty Simpson is going to go in the first round. So. And I do too. Here's a list of teams that need a quarterback. Now should either draft a quarterback or consider it in the next two years and then this, this list will expand. So obviously the Raiders are going to draft Fernando Menoza at number one. But teams that need a quarterback in the draft, you can argue now or next year. Browns, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders, Steelers have some real urgency. Panthers, Rams, Vikings may not have the urgency, but they should certainly consider it. So if you take the Raiders out of these eight, you got seven teams, all of them with a first round pick. Now I'm not going to count the Colts because they gave up their first round pick for Sauce Garden. So I'm not going to count them. They signed Daniel Jones to a very team friendly two year deal. Not exactly a huge vote of confidence. Otherwise I would have the Colts in here. So let history be your guide. Last year I thought Jackson Dart was a high second round guy and the Giants moved up to get him. They loved him and he was actually really good. When he was out of the Blue 10, he was good. So here was Greg Cosell yesterday, very positive on Ty Simpson. Do we no longer celebrate quarterbacks who play the game the right way as opposed to just looking at physical traits? They throw the ball to the right receiver at the right time with the right kind of throw. Has that been lost a little bit Now I will say I think one thing that plays into Ty Simpson's favor is that next year and you don't know how it's going to end up, it's the Arch Manning draft. I mean there's, I mean the Big Ten alone's got like seven NFL quarterbacks now. They may be first round, second, fourth, whatever. Next year it looks like we're going to have minimum a half a dozen guys in the first 40 picks. Okay, that's, that's first round, top of the second. So you're going to have some bidding wars next year. I could see the Steelers going, well, we're not really sure with Aaron. Let's get this kid in the building. He can compete with Will Howard and Will probably wins the starting job, but it's not a tank, it's a, hey, did we find our quarterback? I could see Pittsburgh absolutely just taking him. So instead of a bidding war in next year's draft, Ty Simpson could fall to you. If you're the jets at 16, he could just be available. I could See that? And Greg Cosell also brought this up. Playing under Kaylin DeBoer with those NFL 11 NFL level receivers at Bama also helps Ty Simpson. I'm certainly not comparing Simpson to, you know, Ty to Tom Brady or Drew B's and I don't want people to think I am but you know, at some point being able to play the right way, play the position, the right from the pocket, that's a high level trait. And what you saw on tape with Simpson at Alabama is because their offense had a lot of NFL route concepts in it. Yeah. So three things are working in Ty Simpson's favor. Alabama's coach Kaylin DeBoer and their offensive coordinator run some NFL stuff. So you can, you can see the transition. Number two is he moves pretty well. Maybe not quite like a Daniel Jones or a Bo Nixon, but he moves pretty well. That matters. He's not a staff. The other thing is he had no run game. So there's an argument that it was the first time in a long time that Alabama could not run the football. So he, this is not a kid. Unlike Fernando Mendoza who could throw on third and two. He was throwing third and eight in the SEC a lot. They just did not have a run game. So I think he's going to get drafted. I think he moves pretty well. He's not a great athlete, but he's a good athlete and you can watch, I mean folks trust your eyes when you watch him snap off some throws. He can make NFL throws. He's an NFL quarterback, no doubt about that. I don't think he moves as well as Jackson Dart, but I will say Jackson Dart surprised me. I thought he was, I thought he, yeah, I thought he was a high second round pick. But before Jackson Dart got picked, what did I keep saying? What an advantage to play for Lane Kiffin for years. Well, another really smart offensive coach in college football is Kalyn DeBoer. You know you get, you get, you get a Sark, you get Elaine Kiffin, you get a Kalyn DeBoer in college for a couple years, head coach or coordinator, that is a big step up, big advantage. Just keep your eye on the Steelers. Hour two.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Next.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hi, it's Colin Coward. If you're looking for the best blend of durability and affordability in decades, trust Summit decking from Deckorators. Summit features Deckorators patented Surestone technology so the boards won't splinter, sag, chalk or crack over time. And the colors, three great options that really capture the rich textures of natural wood. Honestly, it's the best decking you didn't know you could afford. Order a sample before peak build season. Order a sample today. Visit decorators.com herd to get your free sample. That's decorators with A K again. Decorators.com Herd Geigo presents a 30 second

[Geico Advertiser]

podcast between your podcast Today's story is shared by one of our listeners. It's called Betrayed by Bill. It was in that moment I caught who was staring back at me in betrayal or more like what, my insurance bill. With trembling hands I grabbed my phone and switched to geico, saving about $900 in the process and never to be betrayed again. Now that was bloody riveting.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

It feels good when the story ends with savings. It feels good to Geico if you

[Colin Cowherd]

work in university maintenance, Grainger considers you

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

an MVP because your playbook ensures your arena is always ready for tip off.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Grainger is your trusted partner offering

[T-Mobile/US Cellular Advertiser]

the products you need all in one place from H Vac and plumbing supplies to lighting and more. And all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock so your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-GRAINGER visit grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wasabi is purpose built to free your business from skyrocketing storage costs and fees from the big guys. Wasabi is the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world. Check out Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage. Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cyber growth criminals. Wasabi driving innovation in data storage for up to 80% less than the other guys. Try for [e-mail] Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.