← The McShay Show
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- [00:00]
Steve
Foreign.
- [00:06]
Mensch
I'm starting to hear legitimate information that there's a player that could crash the top 10 party. That could have a lot of ripple effects in this first round. We'll discuss that. Plus Fernando Mendoza, number one overall pick. What's he been up to these days? I've got some information and finally it went so well the first time around. We're bringing back buy or sell and we got a whole lot more. Just 24 days until the NFL draft. You good men?
- [00:32]
Steve
I'm great, man.
- [00:33]
Mensch
It's Monday morning. Play me some hype music. Tucker. Menge what's up, man? What if I told you that Kaden Proctor, offensive tackle, Alabama, could be the number six overall pick to the Cleveland Browns?
- [01:04]
Steve
I would call you a troll who knows that I have high blood pressure and that's dangerous. I don't know why you would do that to me.
- [01:11]
Mensch
I heard this a couple weeks ago and honestly, I got a text from somebody who's talked to somebody who like, actually has information and it was basically in the form of a question. What are you hearing about Proctor and the Cleveland Browns? I was like, wouldn't surprise me. They pick a 24. I could see them taking, you know, Carnell Tate, wide receiver at 6 and and then like a guy like Lomo or Proctor if he's still available at 24. But I also responded with kind of hearing the Proctor could go a little bit earlier than 24, so I'm not sure that he would still be there. And I walked away and it was kind of like silence. Right then in the last 72 hours or so, I had another person that I trust say, hey, there's some real stuff with with the Browns and and Proctor. This episode is brought to you by TaxAct. From rookies to experts, TaxAct helps you navigate every tax play with accuracy guaranteed. Get tips along the way. Add expert Assist to talk to tax experts or let our experts do your taxes for you. With expert TaxAct helps you find the deductions and credits you deserve so you can get them over with. Visit taxact.com to learn more. Conditions apply. See taxact.com for details.
- [02:33]
TaxAct Announcer
This episode is brought to you by TaxAct. Like an expert coach, TaxAct offers step by step guidance and guaranteed accuracy when filing taxes. Get tips along the way. Add expert Assist to talk to tax experts and let our experts do your taxes for you. With Expert Full Service TaxAct helps you find the deductions and credits you deserve so you can get them over with. Visit taxact.com to learn more. Conditions apply see taxact.com for details.
- [03:01]
Mensch
And so I circle back to the first person who texted me a few weeks ago. And I said, yo, when you were talking about Proctor and the Browns, were you talking about 24 or 6? He's like, my understanding was 6. Like. But you kind of squashed it. So I didn't, I didn't really, you know, he's like. And then he explained where the information came came from and it was legitimate. And so it got me thinking. This class, right? This class, there's about six guys. Let's look through the top. We know. I mean six guys who we believe who are. Let's call them elite prospects. I would argue seven that we feel really strongly that will go in the top 10. Jeremiah Loves, number one on our board, the running back from Notre Dame, Sonny Styles linebacker Ohio State. Arvell Reese could very easily go number two to the to the New York Jets. Fernando Mendoza is going number one overall. I'm just going off of my last top 100 that you can find@theringer.com McShane we'll reference that a few times today because we get a lot to get through. Caleb down safety, Ohio State. Worst case, I think he goes 12 to Dallas, but there's to me a really good shot that he goes in the top 10. David Bailey Edge Texas Tech. And then that's where I think Mensour Delaine is going to go in the top 10. We've got Venga Yoane, the offensive guard from Penn State don't think he's going to go in the top 10, but we think he's one of the 10 best players. Francis, Maui Noah feel strongly that he'll go in the top 10 as the top offensive tackle. So right there you've got nine guys that I mentioned. Right?
- [04:36]
Steve
Right.
- [04:37]
Mensch
And I and I didn't get to Carnell Tate, the wide receiver who I believe strongly. If it's Not Cleveland to 6, if it's not the jets at 5, it could be. It could be Commanders at 7. I think it's pretty likely if he's sitting there at 8, depending on who else is on the board, he could be a saint. Right. And so that's. That's 10 guys. But what if it's Proctor? All right, let's look because not. We can't assume that everyone. And here you see the scouting report again you can get catch this the full scouting report. The thing that I love about this, by the way, is I was perusing through it again I made a comment to these like 12 brilliant people from Sweden who helped design, who designed this whole thing based off of our information and what our wants and needs were. And I said, you know, I'm old school, like you made fun of me the other day. And I said, this will be the first draft I do in 26 years where I don't actually have papers in front of me for the, for the prospects. I don't print out a book. But I did have a conversation with those 12, 10, 12 brilliant people in Sweden saying, what if we, what if we created a PDF off this? Can we do it? Can we share? Because I'm addicted to having a book.
- [05:51]
Steve
You have to have it. You have to.
- [05:53]
Mensch
But I got a text from another person who's in the industry who said, you know what I love? If I'm reading through a scouting report and there's something interesting, I can literally share it with my friends on tech. So anyway, check it all out. Yeah, but Proctor, I think that he's more bottom half first round. You're even lower than him on him than I am. Talk people through what you see as our offensive line guru, former offensive lineman, what you see in Proctor's tape, that when I say he could go six overall, you have like a visceral effect. Like it, it like affects your body and your mind and probably your, your blood pressure a little bit.
- [06:34]
Steve
I think that the tape's just not good enough. I mean, I, I, I don't know if I want to go through all of the plays that I wrote down when I was watching his tape of how many times he gets beat to the inside, where he just oversets and gets beat to the inside and pass protection. I think he's, he's vulnerable as a pass blocker and I know he started all these games in the SEC and he won all these awards and people think he's this super talented K get all that. But when I'm watching pass protection, I mean, that's really the crux of this for me. He gets beat to the inside a lot. And he's also what I call a lot of other people call a heel clicker.
- [07:08]
Mensch
What?
- [07:08]
Steve
A heel clicker is someone who gets their feet too close together and now you've lost your base. Now you have this 350 pound offensive tackle that you actually see at times on tape get pushed around. It's not because he's not strong, it's not because he's not big. It's because he's just lost his base and he's too close together with his feet. The technique in pass protection is way too inconsistent. I think the next thing that comes down that really scares me is, is the weight. I mean, reportedly got up close to £400 last year. And, and then of course the, the story was that he lost all the weight. So Kaylin DeBoer, the head coach from Alabama is going to get him involved in offense and that's cool. No one's a bigger fan of offensive lineman getting touches than I am. But like, and I know it speaks to his athletic ability a little bit. Oh, the thumbs up are coming back. I don't know what I'm doing. I thought we turned this off, Tucker. That's my bad. But anyways, I love that stuff. I'm not sure how well it translates and tells you that this guy's going to be great. And all I hear about is the tools. And I know that he's a big dude who jumped high at 32 inches, but the arm length's not insane. I mean the arm length was, was sub 34 inches at the combine. The, you know, the jumps were great. The 40 was good, really good for his size.
- [08:18]
Mensch
I don't see. Well, the jump was 32 and a half inches which is the, the, the best since 2003 by two inches for a player four. Yeah. Weighing at least 350 pounds.
- [08:30]
Steve
And I don't listen, that's great. And I don't mean to like poke holes and all that. That's cool.
- [08:34]
Mensch
That really is.
- [08:34]
Steve
It speaks to lower body explosiveness. I don't want to dismiss it. How many 350 pounders have jumped at the combine? Like, I don't like, like what are we talking about? Like his tools are out. They're not outrageous. He's a talented kid. I'm not saying that he doesn't have tools. I actually say in the report that this guy's got some traits that are, that are intriguing and that you could work with.
- [08:53]
Mensch
Yeah, I mean you comped him as like a high end comp, like a Trent Brown, right?
- [08:57]
Steve
Yeah, Trent Brown. Because the Trent Brown has 36 inch arms by the way. And, and, and Proctor tested better than he did. It's not these, these comps are tough sometimes, but they're both taller. 350 pound offensive tackles. You don't find a lot of guys that move that well at that size to play offensive tackle in the NFL. And I think he is, I like, I just, you know, I think that he can, he can succeed in the NFL. I just don't see him as a guy, you Would take that early. You know, I see him as a back end first round. I just want to do one thing here because this is another player that I think you like. Let's just talk about tools for a second. And so we talked about basically Proctor's numbers there. Right. Let me give you another offensive tackle in this class who's 6 9, 325 pounds, had 34 and a quarter inch arms at the combine, ran a 51 7, which is faster than what the boy run. I mean, Deborah.
- [09:52]
Mensch
Sorry.
- [09:52]
Steve
What Proctor ran. And his jumps aren't quite as good, 27 inches, but his broad jump was very close, 8 foot 11 inches. And you know who that is? Who? Travis Burke out of Memphis, who's one of your sleepers as a guy you look at and say to yourself, here's a guy who's got a lot of tools. Here's a guy that could grow into something. And no, I'm not advocating for taking Travis Burke over Proctor, but what I'm saying is when we're talking about like someone having elite potential and elite tools, there's other guys in this draft who have. Are like intriguing in that sense. So to me, the tape's just not good enough to take him that early. That's really what it comes down to, especially as a pass blocker.
- [10:30]
Mensch
Okay. You feel better now?
- [10:32]
Steve
No, I don't because I don't actually don't like going negative. I wish we were framing this conversation of why I would like Kaden Proctor at the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round because then I could talk positively about what he could do. But when you put him in this range, I have no, I have like, I've boxed in here. You know, I'm boxed in because I have to say why. Why this was.
- [10:53]
Mensch
This wasn't the purpose of this exercise, but I'm glad. I know like. But now we've. We've covered him top to bottom. I will say this like, no position is more traits driven than offensive tackle and a proven correlation. And you mentioned the traits. They're really good. They may not be elite of elite. The Browns are absolutely building for 2027. This year is an experiment with Shador Sanders. I don't know what the deal is with desean Watson, but this is an organization that is. Has put a lot of revenue, a lot of. A lot of. Basically a lot of their. What they wanted to do in the off season was to build their offensive line.
- [11:38]
Steve
Okay.
- [11:39]
Mensch
And so by this, to me feels like they would be trying to complete that project in an effort to be ready to pluck, pluck in play a 2027 quarterback not dissimilar from what the New York jets are doing. And like we said before, if Shador Sanders has this magical season and takes his game to a whole nother level, then it's a great problem to have when they a year from now. Right? But I would view this in two parts if Proctor were the pick. One, you're betting on the traits from the, from the organization that puts more stock into analytics than any other organization in the league. That's a fact. Number two, I would view it as okay, while he's not there yet on tape, we're going to get him there for 2027. We may experience some lumps and some bumps in the road as a rookie, but we so will Shador. And we're not planning on winning. You know, we'd love to, but not planning on winning 10, 12 games during the regular season. So we're getting ready organizationally as we've been toiling in misery and some mediocrity for a long, long time since the, really since the Browns came back into the National Football League. It's like three decades. Okay. We're going to try to reset this whole thing the right way, which I give Andrew Barry and that and ownership credit for. Like, at least it appears that they're trying. They have a plan. Let's put it that way. The trickle down effect is, is twofold.
- [13:13]
Steve
Hold on though. Hold on. I understand everything you just said. I understand everything you said. And when I hear you break it down that way, you know who the player I think for them is, is Georgia offensive tackleman room Freeling, if you're talking about.
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Mensch
By the way, I'm hearing in Freeling, we said if you put together a low lights reel, may have the worst low lights reel and it's hard to recover after watching it. Of all these first round offensive tackles
- [13:38]
Steve
right up there, man, I'm telling, I'm
- [13:40]
Mensch
hearing that that freeing may be, I don't want to say falling, but Maine, I think that there was a, an overcorrection to his stock after the combine. His phenomenal workout at the combine, which we expected to happen and I think now it's the market's correcting itself. I'm not saying definite. Let's view it from this avenue. Okay. There's two avenues that I want to explore. The first avenue is okay, what if, what if that's accurate? Because I'm telling you this information. I'm not Starting a show.
- [14:17]
Steve
This is.
- [14:17]
Mensch
We get 24 days left to the draft. Every minute we spend on this show is valuable right now. They always are. But, like, this is the most valuable time. I'm not starting a show with Kaden Proctor unless I'm getting information, information from somewhere that I like. There's something there. Okay.
- [14:36]
Steve
Right.
- [14:38]
Mensch
So if this is true, or even if it's a different offensive tackle and Maui Noah goes three. The Miami offensive tackle, Francis, Maui Noah goes three to the Cardinals.
- [14:50]
Steve
Right.
- [14:51]
Mensch
That would mean we now have an additional name in the top 10 we didn't expect. And it's at six, right?
- [15:01]
Steve
Yeah.
- [15:01]
Mensch
And so. And so what I want to explore this first and the second Avenue is based off of a lot of intel I'm getting talking to NFL teams now that meetings are kind of in that. In that area of like the tops of boards are set. Right. I want to explore this first. The second one is going to be on. On the positional value stuff. But first one is just top 10 wise. Because in our last mock drive, my last mock draft, I'm making mention to him his first ever mock draft this year. It's coming. But I need him to finish up his evaluations first as I need to finish up mine. Fernando Mendoza goes 1. Let's call it Arvell Reese 2. Let's call it Maui Noah 3. With the concept, it could be an edge rusher. There we went. Edge rusher at 4 to the Titans. It could be Bailey. I went with Reuben Bain and explained. Explained why. But if it's not Jeremiah Love there, I think it would be for. For an edge rusher. Okay. Without totally ruling out Carnell Tate, but I think if they're going to go offensive weapon, it would be Love. Giants. I gave Jeremiah Love to the Giants there. I actually think it could be Sunny Styles or Caleb Downs.
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Zepbound Announcer
Right.
- [16:14]
Mensch
Right. Which leaves you. Then if we're going off of that, we'd have. We'd have. Let's say Styles goes five. We'd have Styles gone, Arvell Reese gone. Mendoza gone. You want to give him Bailey or Bain to Tennessee? Let's go.
- [16:31]
Steve
Okay. All right.
- [16:32]
Mensch
We'll just. We'll do Bailey for now.
- [16:34]
Steve
Okay.
- [16:35]
Mensch
So now we get to pick six and we've got Styles, Reese, Mendoza, Bailey off the board. Who am I missing? Oh, Maui Noah and Maui Noah. Okay. That means we get to pick six and they're not drafting Jeremiah Love. I don't think they're drafting Caleb Downs. Those are the two players that we believe are in that. That top Six. You. Mansour Delaine. We don't think they're drafting this. To me, is Carnell Tate or off or offensive tackle. Right. We've said that all along. If they're going offensive tackle here and it's. Let's call it Proctor for now. Then all of a sudden you get to seven and the commanders are looking at. We got Jeremiah Love on the board. We get Caleb Downs on the board, we get Carnell Tate on the board. I think it's Jeremiah Love to the commanders at seven or a team trading into that. That spot at seven because the commanders don't pick again until 77 overall third round.
- [17:37]
Steve
Right.
- [17:38]
Mensch
So now Jeremiah loves off the board and we're a pick eight. Now it's interesting because you've got Bane, Reuben Bain, the edge rusher from Miami and Carnell Tate on the board and they need both. The Saints do I think it would be Tate in this circumstance, but I do think that they will. They're looking at edge. And then that drops. That drops Bain down to number nine with the Chiefs. Who would have an opportunity to go Mansour Delaine or, or, or Reuben Bain at that spot. It's just interesting to see what that trickle down effect would do that. I mean that to me, the big winners become the Saints and the Chiefs because now either you have options or there's a guy that, that's available. Because right now if Carnell Tate goes six, the Saints are going edge rusher, you know.
- [18:32]
Steve
Right. Yeah, that's. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think. And I think the lane going to the Chiefs is such a good fit and I love that pick so much that I don't think, you know, if, if Reuben Banes there, I'm not sure they necessarily just take him. And now Bane's dropping and someone's going to get a great value in that pick. I mean, this is what happens, right? And this is. It happens in every single draft. And, and I know that I. Listen, I'm willing to admit that I might be wrong about Kaden Proctor, but if I'm looking at my board and I'm being honest, this is a team overvaluing a player. And when that happens, teams down the board can take advantage. And that's what you're supposed to do. That's what, you know, understanding market versus value and the market for Kaden Proctor is probably higher than the value is for him in my mind. So let someone else buy high on that kind of a player and then you get a chance with something like some of these higher end value Players in my mind falling. So it's going to be interesting to see who takes advantage and who's going to make the mistakes. As it is always in every draft.
- [19:38]
Mensch
Here's the other avenue I want to explore and this is based off of intel now that I'm starting to talk to more people and that will ramp up probably not this week as much as next weekend and moving forward. And we'll have a lot to discuss. The sense I'm getting from teams that I'm talking to is those seven offensive tackles ain't gonna last long. No, we've. And we've covered this. We've talked a lot about the shelf dropping off. Right. Iheanacho or Max Ianatch are the offensive tackle. We've told you the unbelievable story. You know, comes over at 13 years old, basketball and soccer star gets an opportunity playing AAU basketball coach kind of says let's make. I think you would be brilliant at playing offensive line in football. And goes to East LA Community College and it starts there. And the Fresno State offensive line coach gets hired to go to Arizona State and was recruiting him at Fresno State, brings him to Arizona State. He gets plucked in, starts six games in a year. He's like nowhere near ready but kind of endures and keeps getting better and better. And then you fast forward to Vrabel working him out at the pro day and it's like he could be a Patriot. You know. All of that said after Iannotur and let me list you the names. We talked about Maui Noah, talked about Proctor. Proctor would go higher than, than we expect and certainly than we rank him. Spencer Fano from Utah, we believe is the second best offensive tackle then Blake Miller. I think right now talking to teams. I get it, I get it. I'm just saying there's a little bit more of more love I'm getting about Blake Miller than even Monroe Freeling, which was interesting.
- [21:20]
Steve
Okay, that's interesting.
- [21:21]
Mensch
Yes, but that, but I think it's Miller and Freeling kind of in that same range. Mid. Mid first maybe, you know, 15 to 20 ish range. Right. Then it's Caleb Lomu and then it's iNature. That's seven offensive tackles not dissimilar from last year. Even a throw in a guard here and you know, so a couple guards was two or three guards last year. Those offensive linemen flew off the board because we knew in the show and the shelf was lasted a little longer into the second round. Right?
- [21:52]
Steve
Yep.
- [21:54]
Mensch
I think this year because it's such a drop off before you get to some of the other guys. Like, what is it? Tiernan from Northwestern, Austin Barber from Florida
- [22:04]
Steve
is interesting because he is a, I think an excellent run blocker. But as you told me, and I agree after watching the tape, it's going to be hard to get the A and M tape out of your mind. It's going to be hard to get the Miami tape out of your mind. In terms of the pass protection, I think he would probably be the next guy. But there is a significant drop there. I'm much more comfortable with him on day two than I am in the first round.
- [22:26]
Mensch
Yeah, it's, it's, it's guys like Barber. It's guys like Caleb Tiernan from Northwestern. It's, it's guys like, like Drew Shelton, Penn State. A lot of tools, but the tape isn't beautiful. Was it Bowery? Judy from Boston College?
- [22:45]
Steve
Jude Bowery. Yep.
- [22:46]
Mensch
Jude Bowery. Sorry. From, from Boston College. I'm just, I'm jerseys right now and grinding.
- [22:52]
Steve
There's a lot of names there. There's not a guys you want to. I mean and tell me if I'm wrong. There's none of those guys you really want to stamp.
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Zepbound Announcer
Right.
- [22:58]
Mensch
I think that they're all truly late second, third range, maybe they get bumped up to, you know, late second. But really their tape says third round. But my point is you're talking about almost a round. Right. So with that in mind, this is the other avenue I wanted to explore. Off of this information. I'm talking to teams and big picture. I think we've. I don't want to say we haven't underrated the offensive tackle class. I think we've undervalued. And even though we've been kind of first to market on this, I think even our push on these offensive tackles are going to go is not quite as is severe as what how the league views it. I think all seven go in the first round. Okay.
- [23:45]
Steve
Okay.
- [23:46]
Mensch
Also the edge position. Those guys are going to go. They're going to go. You talk about positional value, edge is number two behind quarterback and offensive tackle. Even though you look at the average of the top five salaries in the league and wide receivers right up there, at the end of the day it's, it's a hell of a lot harder to find an offensive tackle go through like our lads depth chart and look at all the really good tackles and look at what, what's, what's funding the offensive tackle position in the NFL. There's a hell of a lot of first round Guys. Right.
- [24:18]
Steve
And then there's not a lot of guys hit free agency either. You don't, if you got a guy, you're not letting him.
- [24:23]
Mensch
Yes.
- [24:24]
Steve
Build. And so like there's that aspect of it too.
- [24:27]
Mensch
And that conversation is happening when I'm talking to people in the league.
- [24:31]
Zepbound Announcer
Right.
- [24:32]
Steve
Okay.
- [24:34]
Mensch
But while wide receivers getting paid, the guys who get to a second, third contract and the, the top guys are getting paid, it's still very much viewed as we can get those guys in the second, third, fourth and develop them into something.
- [24:46]
Steve
Right, Right.
- [24:48]
Mensch
So I'm saying this, saying seven offensive tackles go, then we've got, we've got the edge guys. Arvl Reese. Yeah. David Bailey, Reuben Bain from Miami, Reese obviously Ohio State and, and, and Bailey from Texas tech. Those, those three guys are going to go fast. Top 10. We project all three of those guys, then you get that kind of next tier of Keldrick Falk from, from Auburn who doesn't fit for everyone. But, but at his size, 20 years old, unbelievable tools, he's going to go somewhere in that top 20 range is my understanding. Also Akeem Messador, aging prospect gonna be 25, had some, some injuries, all that stuff. But he's an absolute dog and he's a vicious pass pass rusher. TJ Parker with his length didn't have a great 20, 25 season. But we watched both, watched the tape and came away and like wasn't that bad. This guy can play in the Senior Bowl. Okay, so now we're up to six guys with Arvella, Bailey, Bane, Falk, Mesadore Parker. Then you've got some guys who I think are viewed as late first, early second that I, I, I kind of feel like two, two, if not three of these guys could go and that's Cashes Howell, the undersized guy, short arms. Could we have two guys under 31 inch arms at the combine going the first round? It's gonna be like 20 years since.
- [26:11]
Steve
Yeah.
- [26:14]
Mensch
Including obviously Ruben Bane in that, in that discussion. Zion Young production's not outstanding in terms of getting home as a pass rusher, but the pressure is, the pass rush win rate is the way he plays the game. He's just a complete player. And then, and then my guy Gabe, Gabe Akis, who you've come around on a lot too. I don't know that he's viewed by, as a first rounder in the league. In fact people are like yeah, I think he might be a little too high on him, but wouldn't shock me. Late first, but even Without Akis in there, that's eight. That's eight edge. We know Mendoza's going one. We've got eight edges that make it nine. And we get seven offensive tag. That's half the first round on those.
- [26:59]
Steve
Let me ask you this.
- [27:00]
Mensch
Yeah.
- [27:01]
Steve
You also got Iowane. Who's going to go. So there's another offensive lineman.
- [27:04]
Mensch
We agree there 17 players.
- [27:06]
Steve
17. And is a manual on the offensive guard from Oregon sneak into the first
- [27:11]
Mensch
round and now I don't think so, but I think he's solidly in the second. But I hear you, but. But we're not even including in. Jeremiah Love would make it 18. Sonny Styles makes it 19. Caleb Downs make makes it 20. Mansour Delane makes it 21. Jermad McCoy makes it 22. Carnell Tate makes it 23. The two other wide receivers, Makai Lemon and Jordan tyson, make it 25. Now we're running out of spots, is my point.
- [27:39]
Steve
Yeah.
- [27:39]
Mensch
Okay. And. And so I say all of that because the conversations I'm having with people in the league is, hey, man, you ain't wrong about the wide receivers. Really good class. Didn't expect these wide. So many good wide receivers. But I got to get my edge. I got to get my offensive tackle. There's one team that's going to take the quarterback at the top. There's four other guys that we consider four or five other guys we consider elite prospects. Even if you throw in Delane and then McCoy is going to go. So there's going to be a position that gets sacrificed in round one. And this is all this buildup is for, I'm told, like, yeah, there's going to be a couple more receivers, couple few more receivers in the first round, but I don't know that that number is going to be as high as everyone seems to think. Kenyan Sadiq's in there. That gets us to 26. Right?
- [28:32]
Steve
Yeah.
- [28:35]
Mensch
I think the interior defensive linemen are viewed as maybe late. You know, if you like Kaden McDonald from. From. From Ohio State. I don't think Caleb Banks with the injury is going to get in there. So there's like three, four spots left in the first round and we're talking about all these receivers, like their locks to go in round one. And I'm not saying they all won't, but it's hard. We haven't even discussed, like, some other options at some of these positions. Like there could be a Colton Hood at corner there could, you know, safety group.
- [29:08]
Steve
How about.
- [29:09]
Mensch
Oh, I didn't even mention. Yeah, Cinnamon and. And EMW Emmanuel, Warren McNeil.
- [29:17]
Steve
We could have three safeties go in the first round. What's that mean? That that squeezes somebody out.
- [29:21]
Mensch
Warren, sorry from Toledo. So now we're down to like one or two spots for these wide receivers. Okay.
- [29:28]
Steve
Yeah. This is actually fun. I'm enjoying this.
- [29:29]
Mensch
It's a fun.
- [29:29]
Steve
This is just a number, just a numbers game, man. It's just game.
- [29:33]
Mensch
And so when we talk about absolute locks going first round with Denzel Boston from Washington, who I'm. There's more love in the league for him from some, not all. Omar Cooper Jr. Indiana. Casey Concepcion.
- [29:48]
Steve
If.
- [29:49]
Mensch
If all those guys we just mentioned, they got us to like 28, 29 wind up going and we feel very strongly they will only two of those receivers. So there could be a Casey Concepcion sitting in the first round, right?
- [30:03]
Steve
It's in the second round.
- [30:04]
Mensch
Yeah, there's in the second round. And that's assuming like the. The Ty Simpson doesn't sneak in. Right.
- [30:14]
Steve
Or. Or one of those defensive tackle surprise. I'm with you. That I don't think that's going to happen. But there could be a. There's a surprise there. Someone's going to surprise us. Like we're gonna. There's gonna be one of those picks is going to be an eyebrow raiser where we're like, well, we didn't expect him to get in. Right. Whether it's a defensive tackle, whether it's, you know, whoever.
- [30:36]
Mensch
So that. So I guess the biggest takeaway from some of these conversations I was having is count on minimum six, but probably seven offensive tackles. Count on minimum seven, but probably eight edge rushers, you know.
- [30:51]
Chevy Announcer
Yeah.
- [30:51]
Mensch
Because we can get a receiver in the second round or the third round and I and I look at the depth and quite honestly, as we got car not carried away as we. You're watching the tape and you see all these traits and you see all these playmakers in a great year, which it's turned out to be a really good year. But would we have some of these receivers as high. You know, like there's an issue with like Casey Conception. Some of the analytics love him, some of the analytics don't. Doesn't catch the ball well in traffic. You know, you can kind of pick holes with all these guys.
- [31:25]
Steve
Yeah.
- [31:26]
Mensch
You talk about Antonio Williams. I love him on tape but production dipped this past year. Is that all on him? He's not the biggest guy. All that Chris Brazil. Love him. I think he's a lock top 50 pick, 6 4, 200 pounds. Can get in and out of breaks, needs refinement. But very few guys can run that speed. Four threes at that size and actually go down and make plays. But he's a second rounder. Zachariah Branch, I think he's better than the gimmick that everyone's selling him as. But he's the second rounder. He's pint size.
- [31:58]
Steve
Okay.
- [32:00]
Mensch
Dion Burks is an explosive slot. We're projecting him, but really was an outside receiver. And there's some inconsistency with his routes. Malachi Fields, big physical receiver, awesome. At the Senior bowl, we all got caught up in it. Me more so than any. And I'm here to admit, but. And I think he's got a little more twitch than some of these, than even Denzel in some regards. But he's not a proven commodity in terms of route running separate and getting open. Elijah Surat, some people in the league still view him as a third. Okay. I'm just going down this Ted Hurst. Yeah, people absolutely love Ted Hurst. Legit as a third. Okay. Chris Bell, the injury sounds like the medicals are really moving forward, that he's ahead of schedule, you know, and. But he's unpolished his. Like there's some frustration there. But could he be an A.J. brown type with after the catch, the physicality. He's got talent. Love him as a mid late second. So there's a bunch of really good receivers and it kind of works against Jeremy Bernard. I didn't even mention the goat. So. So it almost. Because there's so many really good ones. They're like, yeah, I can, I can get Hurst in the third if I don't get Denzel Boston in the first. Or I can get. You know what I mean? There's always a but. Yeah, but I can get. Let's look at the value here. Give me my offensive tackle, my edge rusher, give me my cornerback if I have a need at that spot in round one, and then I'll come back and get a receiver. So it's just a trend that now as I'm talking to more teams that I'm really getting a sense on.
- [33:41]
Steve
Makes sense. I mean, it's the same game we play with these scenarios of like, you could do it with a specific team of first round, second round. But you're just looking at it as this way of what kind of a player am I getting offensive tackle in the first. Let's say, you know, let's say the first round versus what kind of a player I can get in the second round and all those receivers. It's tough man, because I love all of them too. But I get why they're not first round guys. I mean it's easy to go down the list and you just started doing it, you know of here's the reason why you can't take a shot on a Zachariah branch in the first round. The frame is just too small. But I'm willing to bet on him on day two. So it's, it's, you know, it's just Val how these guys value are valued.
- [34:21]
Mensch
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- [36:35]
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- [37:04]
Mensch
All right, let's transition. I feel like we had the same conversation last April about Cam Ward when it was like, oh, yeah, Shador is not going to the Giants. But it was a little bit later in April. We kept saying, man, we're talking a lot about Shador. Is he going to the Giants, is he not? I don't think he's going to go, what about Jackson Darth? We had a love affair with, with Tyler Schuck. It was like I just, I loved his potential and I loved meeting with him and getting to know his story and what drove him. So we talked a lot about other quarterbacks last year and I'm already feeling that in late March that it's like Ty Simpson, Ty Simpson, Ty Simpson. Right. And then the whole espn, whatever you want to call it with Orlovsky and, and now we were back to overcorrecting. And I'm getups on in the background this morning and it's like, could Ty Simpson fall the second round? Well, just a week ago we're talking about him in the top 10, you know. Yeah, but it makes good television. I'll say.
- [38:04]
Steve
Nothing does.
- [38:05]
Mensch
Okay. What's Mendoza up to?
- [38:10]
Steve
Just chilling.
- [38:12]
Mensch
You know what I mean?
- [38:13]
Steve
Yeah. He's working on his LinkedIn profile, making sure that's all good.
- [38:18]
Mensch
I've kind of known what he's been doing then. It was stated publicly. Daniel Jeremiah mentioned it. I'm just like, I don't do the dancing around thing. Somebody else mentioned, like DJ mentioned it on, on, on Pat McAfee last week. And so I was Kind of leaving my guy, Brian. I. I worked at ESPN with Brian Greasy. Brian Greasy's like extended family. Like, we traveled together, like. And I think he's one of the most undervalued people in football. And it's shocking to me that Michigan didn't reach out to get him in a position he was with the 49ers as a quarterback coach. I think he's kind of. He's. He's doing a lot of great things. His mother passed away when he was young. He's got a foundation, so I think he's. And he's got two children, I think, in. Both in high school now. So he's kind of. He's doing what a good, you know, a good dad does and kind of balancing all that stuff and. And a man who's. Who, like, is doing wonderful things, too, in the community. But. But I had heard that Brian was working with Mendoza, and I left it alone. Right. And then DJ Brought it up, and so I, you know, reached out to Greasy, and I just. I think this is fascinating. And so I. I wouldn't be the one as a good friend of his to bring this up, but now it's. It's public. And so I'm going back and forth with Brian. He has been working with Mendoza, and that's not. Again, that's not breaking news. He was reached out to. Right. And unofficial capacity. He is not working for the Raiders. Brian is not. He was reached out to. There's connections there. Brian grew up in Miami. This hall of Fame father, you know, lost his mom when he was young, went to Christopher Columbus High School in. In. In Miami. And that's when. Where Mendoza went and Brian's brother played. Played with his dad there. Okay. And so when. When Fernando reaches out, there's a connection there and kind of helping him. Help him transition to the NFL.
- [40:30]
Steve
Okay.
- [40:34]
Mensch
I think it's fascinating because I don't think you have to read between the lines here. I think everyone knows with Brian and his connection with Shanahan family and the Kubiak family and what could be going on. Right. So I'll just leave it at that. But the Raiders are smart. I'll give them that. We know we're taking Fernando. Let's start figuring out what's going on here. When I tell you that Brian Greasy, who's Broncos organization Shanahan ties, was working with Shanahan, obviously in San Francisco as a quarterback coach and now is with Kubiak in the head job with the Raiders, is all of a sudden working with Fernando Mendoza and getting him up to speed. I think we all know what's going on here, right?
- [41:22]
Steve
Right.
- [41:23]
Mensch
It doesn't take a private investigator to figure out exactly what's going on here. And I think it's great. I think it's an opportunity for a young man to get a jump on playbook, what it takes to be a quarterback in the NFL. And I can't think of many people that I if I was running the Raiders organization. Oh, and Tom Brady, the partial owner was Brian, he was the back. Brady was. Was Greasy's backup when Greasy led him to the first national championship in Michigan for 50 years. Couple ties here, right?
- [41:52]
Steve
Yeah. I mean if this was Tate, you would want Greasy working with Tate, right? I mean that's the kind of my son Tate.
- [42:00]
Mensch
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. So anyway, with all of that said, I have thoughts, but what are your thoughts on. On Mendoza with Greasy and those connections and getting a two month jump on. On what will eventually become his official role as a quarter 1 one of the quarterbacks for the Raiders?
- [42:20]
Steve
I mean is this illegal? I don't even understand is this. Is there like a problem with this?
- [42:24]
Mensch
No, no, no.
- [42:25]
Steve
Then it's great.
- [42:26]
Mensch
Absolutely.
- [42:26]
Steve
Why is there then. There's nothing but. I think there's nothing but positivity. It puts Mendoza in a better position to succeed. It puts the Raiders in a better position to succeed. I have zero issue with someone who has been in the league, been around the league, who knows that offense, mentoring a young man who's trying to make that transition in a really positive things.
- [42:46]
Mensch
It's all.
- [42:46]
Steve
I don't see it. Yeah, I don't see anything negative. I think Dan Comer, our producer also brought this up that Jacksonville did this with Trevor Lawrence.
- [42:54]
Mensch
I guess like.
- [42:55]
Steve
Yes. Keep. Yes. What's wrong with putting people in a better position to succeed? Getting a jump on all this. And also it seems like with the, the way that the schedule is in the league now, it's harder for rookies to come in because they don't have as many practices. They're not allowed to do as much. So allowing these guys to get an earlier jump just with the information I think is. Is great.
- [43:18]
Mensch
While it's not the quarterback position, would it incentivize you to. If you're the jets, knowing that this is going on and that it's definitive, not that anyone was guessing if Mendoza would be the pick, but that like this kind of. If there was any. If there's 1% doubt left, that's it's gone.
- [43:36]
Steve
Right. Yep.
- [43:38]
Mensch
For the jets to say, hey Arvell, you're our guy at 2. Let's get started. Here's Aaron, Here's Aaron Glenn's playbook. Here's what we would ask of you. And to start poking a pro. Not that they're not doing this with all these prospects. I mean you, that's what I mean. Yeah. Private workouts. And you, you give them the playbook, you do installs, you test their, their mind, their capacity, their ability to adjust on the fly, learn what you're teaching. How do they apply it to the field? But I'm saying more advanced than that. Like really all but virtually get them in the building. You know, in today's virtual age, I
- [44:15]
Steve
would do it with, as I would do with any player that I was considering taking it to if I, if they were in serious consideration at two. Because listen, the, the gig's up.
- [44:24]
Mensch
I mean, yeah, you have to make a commitment to the agent who you have to work with time and time again that he is the number two pick.
- [44:33]
Steve
Why
- [44:36]
Mensch
I don't understand any, any good agent wouldn't allow his client while he's bouncing around and doing all these private workouts and everything else to all of a sudden be, be working without a contract on playbook and having these call, you know what I mean? So getting a former defensive lineman or defensive front seven guy who's, who's worked in Aaron Glenn's system to work with him privately to get him ready. I'm not. Well, well, give me. My job as an agent is to say, well, give me, give me a verbal commitment here. Give me something that shows that he will be the pick and I'll free him up to do that. You know, I don't know. It's just a thought.
- [45:14]
Steve
And my, and as a gm, I would say we're not going to do that. You can either do this if you want or not. I mean that's up to you. We're gonna put the ball in your court and you can decide to do what we're asking to do or not. And I would imagine that, and I'm not this smart or this talented to have ever had a, an interview for a multi million dollar position. But I'm guessing if you go in an interview at name a Fortune 500 company and they ask you to learn information before you don't say to them, well you're not, you're not paying me yet. So I'm not going to go in there and be ready to give a presentation on the information that you're Asking me to present on. Like, what are we talking about? Like, we're.
- [45:48]
Mensch
Yeah, but you don't have an agent as a, as a, as someone interviewing from an Ivy League school coming out of college. You know what I mean?
- [45:55]
Steve
I don't know. Yeah, I hear you too. Like, I do. I get what, like what the agent's job in this is, is in this situation is to protect the player. And I would, if I was the agent, I would certainly do what you're saying. And then if I was the gm, I'd say, all right, go pound sand to either do it or don't. Like I'm, you know, if the Cardinals
- [46:10]
Mensch
are going offensive tackle and taking Maui Noah, they know that the jets aren't taking Maui Noah too. Why couldn't they start? I'm just, there's. I don't know. It just, it got my.
- [46:17]
Steve
Go down the line, man. Go down the line. And, and I don't see a problem with any of it, to be honest.
- [46:22]
Mensch
No, I don't either. The fascinating part would be if the jets started working out, working Reese and put. Doing this and then. Well, you know what, he was flunking some of the mental tests. Not that he would. We even talked to Scott Goldman about Arvell Reese and he's one of the guys with like Eli Stowers and some others. And last year it was Tedro and McMillan who just Absolutely. Their results on the intelligence test and some of the reaction skills and spatial awareness off the charts. And he said Arvella is like specifically his ability to grasp a role as an off ball linebacker and an edge and to play to be that, that kind of joker, that multiple, that buck, that whatever you want to call. Yeah, he has the mental capacity to do it unlike most other people in this draft. So I'm not insinuating anything with Arvl Reese in case, in fact it's the opposite of that with Arvell according to the information we have from NFL teams and from Scott Goldman.
- [47:16]
Steve
Right, right.
- [47:17]
Mensch
But anyway, I, I just, I think all of it's kind of fascinating. All right, let's transition.
- [47:23]
Steve
Let's do it.
- [47:24]
Mensch
I mentioned off the top, it went so well. Buy or sell. We debuted last, last week and while it was there was, it was chock full of information and it was really good exercise as we look through our, our top 100 boards, which is up and will be updated in the next week or so as we're drilling through all these player evaluations. But the current top 100 is up and we had a discussion on buy or sell and I threw out a bunch of names to mention the top 100. Would you buy or sell? He didn't quite get the exercise and as Alex McLaughlin, I crushed it. M2QB texted me after the fact and Alex, he works with my son Tate and he works with Albert Breer's son who's a wide receiver and Brian Hoyer's son and many others and the M2QB group up here in Massachusetts.
- [48:16]
Steve
He's biased. He's biased. He's your guy,
- [48:21]
Mensch
he wrote. He texted me after our buy and sell last week to give, to give you a sense of how well it went. He said buy or sell with Mensch was one of the most frustrating segments I've ever listened to, yet I loved every second of it. So armed with that information, let's try to revisit the structure of this buy or sell going off of our top 100, which you can find@theringer.com McShay it's our, it's our prize possession brand new, just debuted over a week ago. The website that the ringer and I told you the group in Sweden, like we, we've put a lot into it and we're going to continue to develop from here, but please go check it out. Theringer.com McShay we went off that top 100 with the concept of I'll throw out some names Mensch and you will buy or sell based off of where they are in in the top 100. So if Francis Maui Noah is 10 on the board and you think he's one of if, let's view it as a stock. If I were to tell you the price on a stock and you thought it was accurately priced but ascending or you know, or had the ability that it's not going to get any worse but probably going to get better or if you viewed it as man, I got to buy that stock now because I think Maui Noah is the sixth best player. He could go third, he could be a Hall of Famer, then you would buy that stock. Now if I said Francis Maui Noah as an example is sitting at 10 and you said I think he's really an 11 or 12, I think his stock's going to go down. I think even if he gets drafted that high, when we look back in three years, he's not that stock. That's a sell. So armed with that information, Steve, why don't you throw a, why don't you, why don't you, why don't you start it? You throw one I'll throw one. We'll go back and forth and get to three or four each.
- [50:11]
Steve
Buy or sell Clemson Edge. TJ Parker, 18.
- [50:18]
Mensch
Oh,
- [50:21]
Steve
I think I'm pretty good at set the market, by the way. I just was on the wrong side of this.
- [50:26]
Mensch
I. I would say sell.
- [50:30]
Steve
Okay, you're wrong. Why?
- [50:34]
Mensch
I like him. I like him something. And when I say something, I mean talking about a top 15 type prospect and considering all the other edge prospects, the finishing skills are not quite there yet. I think he's a really good player. I think he's going to step in the league and he's going to be really strong versus the run. I think he's going to get some pressures. I think if he gets in the right situation with the right coaching, the right defensive line room, he's got a chance to continue to get better. I really do like him. But if you're telling me at 18 and we just talked about something like those six, seven, eight, nine guys that we view as top tier in this class and we talked about the offensive tackles, I just, I think it's slightly high. I wouldn't buy that stock. I would probably lean towards just avoiding it or selling it. If I got. Got it at 8. If I got it up to 18, it was at 40 at one point, right? So if I rode that stock from 40 to 18, I would sell it right now, right? I would sell it and take my profit, knowing it's not going to get any higher than 18, I don't think. And maybe if it gets a couple points higher, I can live with, with, you know, not getting that value.
- [51:43]
Steve
Right? Oh, okay. I'd buy.
- [51:46]
Mensch
I'll. I'll give you another player at 18.
- [51:49]
Steve
Okay. You had a player at 18.
- [51:52]
Mensch
We'll call it at 17.
- [51:54]
Steve
Okay.
- [51:57]
Mensch
Oregon tight end, Kenyan Sadiq.
- [52:00]
Steve
Oh, this is tough. This is tough. I will. I'm gonna buy because I love the players so much now. I am not a savvy Merrill lynch finance, bro. I don't wear a vest around. I don't like. I don't have any of the finance bro, Mojo, any of that stuff. I don't listen to yacht rock. So this is probably where I'm making a mistake.
- [52:27]
Mensch
I almost spit up my. I just took a sip of lemon burger. I almost.
- [52:31]
Steve
This is probably where I'm making a mistake because.
- [52:33]
Mensch
Oh, yacht rock.
- [52:35]
Steve
I think the player is worth that. I'm on, I'm on, you know, record saying that. I think he's pretty close to the two tight ends. Ty Warren from Penn State And Colson Loveland from Michigan, they were drafted earlier, you know, than. Than 17 last year. And I do think I like his tape that much. I've heard people say he's not that special on tape or. I, I don't. I'm not with them. I think he is a tenacious blocker, and that's the weakest part of his game. I think he's going to be an absolute weapon in the passing game. He can run all. I. I really like Kenyan Sadiq. The, the argument for selling there is that I, I don't think. I think people are going to wait on him. I think they're going to go on other players that they don't see tight end as that positional value. So I think you could probably wait and get him later on. I think he's going to go later than 17 if I'm. If I'm looking at the board right now, is what I'm trying to say. But I would take him at 17 or earlier. So I'm buying.
- [53:29]
Mensch
All right, who do you got for me?
- [53:31]
Steve
I recently watched this guy, and I'm in love. Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. 50,
- [53:41]
Mensch
You can't start it with. I recently watched and I'm in love.
- [53:44]
Steve
I know, I know.
- [53:45]
Mensch
I'm selling. I'm selling that stock. I think Jadarian Price is a really good back. I think Mike Washington has elite traits. I've got a few years prior to 2025 where the production is just not. Just not there. I think there's some vision, instincts as a runner, stuff that I'm not thrilled by. I think. I mean, yes, he catches the ball well. He's explosive. We saw how light. Light and agile and, like, twitchy he is at his size. We saw it in person. Just watching him go through some of the drills at the Senior bowl. The combine workout was sensational. The production last year was outstanding behind a pretty good offensive line at Arkansas. I just, I'm looking at this class and all those other positions, and I'm. And I'm like, I'd like to get my back later in the second if I. To me, like, if you told me 60, I'd say, all right, I'll. It's a slight buy, but quite honestly, I'd love to get him, you know, 55, honestly, 60 to 70, that range, and I feel good about it. I don't see there's. Do you think he's going to be a star back in the league? Do you think he's going to be. Oh, you do?
- [55:02]
Steve
Yeah. I think he's, I think his patience and instincts are, are better than I realize when I watched him on tape. He's a much more patient runner. I love guys, I love running backs that hug their blocks and then make lay cuts and put linebackers in terrible spots. I think he does a really good job of that. My biggest, my two biggest concerns are he's put the ball on the ground a little too much. Seven fumbles, he's only lost two of them, but seven fumbles over the last two seasons. And more importantly, he is, I'm not allowing him to pass block for my quarterback at this point. I think he can get there. He's got really long arms which could be an asset in pass protection. He's got the frame to get there. I don't think he's, I don't think he's soft, but I'm not sure he knows exactly what it takes to be a great pass blocker and the technique is a mess. So that's, that is a glaring issue. You're gonna have to figure that out and how you can help him get better in that area. But as a runner, I mean the dude is talented. It's speed, it's power. Again, I think the vision, impatience are underrated. I think he's the second best black in this class. And just to kind of go, go at you a little bit. Don't talk to me about production. When Jadarian Price is your guy. Like, I mean what has he done?
- [56:14]
Mensch
I didn't say he's my guy. I'm not nearly as high on prices as the, as the market. I'm just supposed to be just putting
- [56:20]
Steve
your words, put words in your mouth.
- [56:23]
Mensch
It feels like you're playing this game in a very self serving manner.
- [56:27]
Steve
How else did you pay? Play it.
- [56:30]
Mensch
D' Angelo Pons, cornerback from Indiana Undersized. Matched up brilliantly against everyone. But it's a position of traits not dissimilar from, from that of offensive tackle. If I told you Dan D' Angelo Ponds buy or sell at 47 overall, he's a fascinating one to me.
- [56:49]
Steve
I would sell and I don't even have to think about it. Here's the thing. I love his tape. I love how tough he is, I love how smart he is. I am really concerned about how it translates to the league. He is a physical corner and he's going to a league that doesn't really allow you to do that. And I think that's how he overcomes his lack of size, is his toughness and his Physicality. And if you limit him and you handcuff him in that area, if this was 1994 and this kid was coming out, I'd be betting on him. Betting on him. But it's not anymore. It's a league where they want guys to make plays on offense. It's a fantasy football league now, so they're going to hinder what a corner can do in terms of physicality. And that is a massive part of his game. The reason he could overcome it is be again, because of how smart he is. He plays the ball well. I think he schemed versatile, all of these things, but he's also played almost exclusively on the outside. And now we're going to kick him into the inside. I think because of that frame, there are enough red flags there, enough concerns for me that I can't take him that early. I think he's, he's round three. That's saying something. Because productivity, college tape. If you're looking at who he is as a college player, he should go way earlier than that. It's the projection that concerns me.
- [58:13]
Mensch
I can't wait for Ponds to shove it up your ass. All right, one more.
- [58:15]
Steve
I hope he does because he's an awesome player. Oh, hey, two more. I'm gonna go. Oh, I had two really good ones, so I'm gonna, I'm gonna throw one
- [58:23]
Mensch
at you, then let's go too. But let's not do five minute answers for everyone. Steve.
- [58:28]
Steve
I like to, I like, you know, this is my time of year.
- [58:30]
Mensch
I drank that Big Gulp, Dunkin Donuts.
- [58:33]
Steve
I was a little fired, out of control. Yeah, it was actually triple helm, but that's okay. That's fine. I told you what my favorite coffee shop was already. Chase Basantis, the offensive guard from Texas a M.64.
- [58:45]
Mensch
I watched a little bit more of him yesterday, actually, and it was. I go on these like rants and now I'm downloading it. I didn't watch, I didn't do a full. Like, who did I watch him against? He shut down a pretty good. Was it Peter Wood? No, he.
- [59:03]
Steve
Oh, it wasn't Miami. It wasn't Miami.
- [59:06]
Mensch
I know. I was Missouri. He shut down. Chris McClellan.
- [59:16]
Steve
Yeah.
- [59:17]
Mensch
Yeah, McClellan. As I've been going through the interior defensive lineman guys in that, like, late, you know, late third, early fourth range. What number did you say? 64. I'm gonna buy. I'm gonna buy. There's enough talent there. He's, he's been sound enough in past protection. Even though I, I, I've seen the weaknesses. I'm not saying he's elite. If you had said 50, I'd say no. I saw in one mock draft he went late first. I would say, nah, I'd rather. And you and I agree on this. We don't always agree, but Emmanuel pregnant from. From Oregon. I favor him.
- [59:57]
Steve
Right.
- [59:57]
Mensch
I also think there's a lot of good interior offensive linemen, center and guard that you can get late second, early, you know, into the third. That I would. I would steer at different positions. I would buy it. 64, but much higher. I wouldn't, you know.
- [60:15]
Steve
Yeah, I think that's a good number. I think he's going to be right there. I think he's going to be late second, early third or. That's where I think the value is in him.
- [60:22]
Mensch
The value? Yeah. He's go. He's going second. He's going.
- [60:25]
Steve
He's got really short arms. I think it shows up at time he had a. Like. He ended his career, unfortunately on a bad note against Miami.
- [60:33]
Mensch
I'd take Keelan Rutledge over him, I think, man.
- [60:35]
Steve
Yes. I think he's the fourth best guard in this class. And. And so when I see late first talk, I'm like, I don't know what we're talking about here, but I don't want to go on and on. I don't want to talk too long.
- [60:46]
Mensch
Bryce Lane, North Dakota State wide receiver. Finished up his tape about a week ago. 74.
- [60:59]
Steve
74. All right, so we are middle 64.
- [61:05]
Mensch
So. So top 10 picks in the third round.
- [61:09]
Steve
Bryce Lane, 10th pick in the third round.
- [61:13]
Mensch
Yeah, I think I'm 11th.
- [61:15]
Steve
I guess I'm comfortable with. I'm buying. I'm buying because I think the traits. The traits are that good. You know what I mean? And if you're taking a guy there, yeah, I'm buying.
- [61:26]
Mensch
He's got some subtlety. I mean, his combine workout was sensational. His production in North Dakota State was sensational. His run after catches is awesome for his size. Yeah, they use him on some gadgets, some reverses, some screens and different stuff like that. The thing that stood out to me is while he's not complete yet, by any stretch, he's got this, like, nuance to him getting off the line of scrimmage, leveraging stem. I don't know. There's enough to work with. I think you can wind up being an absolute value from this class if you can get him early third round. I. I think there's a chance that he winds up outperforming some of those other guys. We talked about his second round prospects.
- [62:03]
Steve
Did you comp him to Christian Watson, is that right?
- [62:06]
Mensch
I did. It's not. Christian Watson's a little bit more physical and has grown into his body more obviously and was a little bit more physical and a little bit bigger coming out. But like forget even the North Dakota State part of it, like right tall, the, the explosiveness, the traits, the ability after the catch, vertical routes, all that stuff, there's. There's no perfect comp. But I, I honestly looking around the league, that's the one that just, that had the most sh. Of, if you will.
- [62:35]
Steve
Yeah, give me that at 74 all day. Give me that at 74 all day.
- [62:39]
Mensch
All right, last one. Throw it at me.
- [62:40]
Steve
The last pick in the third round this year is pick 100. So we're going to go 100. Yeah, it is with. With supplemental.
- [62:47]
Mensch
Is it really? Okay? I thought it was usually like 103, 104.
- [62:50]
Steve
Okay, it's 100 unless I'm wrong. But I don't think I am. No. It could be Harold Perkins Jr. LSU 100.
- [62:59]
Mensch
Ah, I'm selling because here's why to me I the round rounds aren't equivalent to grades. Grades are off of the projection. Okay. And I think that's where people get it twisted. Grades are. What does he project as a rookie and what does he project is his career arc. Right. What can he provide for my team? When I'm talking about the first round, he better be an impact starter day one and beyond and keep getting better. And when I'm talking round two, I want an impact starter or worst case a sub package guy who I know we're going to develop into a starter. Quarterbacks obviously, different position, all the other positions. I want a guy that's going to affect our football team as a rookie and worst case it's going to be a nickel corner, a number three receiver, whatever it is. But that, that, that to me is a grade that equates to and not always depends on the strength of a draft kind of that second round range, third round range. I still like if you study the history of the NFL draft and I've dealt with a lot of really smart, analytical, analytical people. You've got to hit on minimum three guys as starters, like good starters, good to elite starters in every draft. And so I need a starter in the third round and yes, it could be a sub package, it could be all that and it could be in year two. But I've got to get a starter. I got to get at least three. The teams that are great at it get approximately four a year and teams are drafting, you know, somewhere between like 6 and 12 picks every single year. So you're talking about less than 50% hit rate and you can still feel the successful team that turns over properly. I view that as fourth round because I know I'm getting a great special teams player. I know I'm getting someone that I can figure out a way whether it's occasionally as rushing off the edge coverage. There's a dynamic athlete in that body. But multiple coordinators, multiple years in college, they've yet to figure out. How do we, how do we deploy this young man who's supremely talented without putting ourselves at risk of kind of instincts versus the run, misdirection stuff. Take on blocks, all that.
- [65:21]
Steve
So some tackling issues.
- [65:22]
Mensch
Yeah, I would say sell on that, but I, but if you told me he went first 15 picks of round four, I'd be like, yeah, that's worth a gamble there because that now I'm talking special teams guys, developmental guys, all that. When you get to the third day
- [65:34]
Steve
of the draft, 100 agree. It only took you 20 minutes to get there though.
- [65:40]
Mensch
Trying to even things up.
- [65:44]
Steve
That's it.
- [65:45]
Mensch
We're back on Wednesday. We're back on Friday. Check out the website again. We're, we're thrilled about it. We're gonna have another drop of 50 more evaluations and we're gonna give you a top 150 coming up really soon. Mach 4.0 is just a little over a week away and the newsletter's coming out this week. Keep an eye on that and we'll have information for you Wednesday when we're back. Men, five stars, as always, my man.
- [66:05]
Steve
Thanks, man.
- [66:07]
Mensch
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- [67:11]
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