Second-Round Prospects to Know Before the Combine. Plus, Chambliss Fallout and 2027 QB Class Intel.

Summary

The McShay Show – Second-Round Prospects to Know Before the Combine. Plus, Chambliss Fallout and 2027 QB Class Intel.

Podcast: The McShay Show
Host: Todd McShay, with Steve Muench
Episode Date: February 16, 2026
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into overlooked NFL Draft prospects, dramatic quarterback news including Trinidad Chambliss's return to college, insider league chatter about 2027 and veteran QB movement, and a breakdown of the second-round talent to watch ahead of next week’s NFL Combine.

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Episode Overview

This episode, Todd McShay and Steve Muench deliver NFL front office insights on under-the-radar draft prospects, fallout from Trinidad Chambliss’s NCAA drama, and an early look at the future of the quarterback classes. With the NFL Combine just days away, the focus is on high-upside players likely to be drafted in rounds two and three, including OL, WR, RB, and DB talent. They also discuss league-wide strategy shifts, the evolving value of position groups, and reveal why this receiver draft class could make modern history.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trinidad Chambliss: Eligibility Saga and Impact ([03:25]–[04:56])

• News: Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (via D2 Ferris State), appears set to return to college after his fourth NCAA appeal for another year of eligibility was successful.
• Analysis:
  • Chambliss was not expected to start last season but excelled after stepping up due to injury.
  • McShay argues, “He needs another year in the SEC, another opportunity to showcase what he can do.”
  • This impacts the depth and quality of next year’s draft QB class as experienced QBs return to school.
• League Fallout: NFL teams are already projecting 2027 needs, with an eye on Chambliss and others.

2. The 2027 Quarterback Class – Stacked and Deep ([04:56]–[10:15])

• Star Names: League conversations highlight Arch Manning (Texas), Dante Moore (Oregon), Brandon Sorsby (Texas Tech), Lenora Sellers (South Carolina), Darian Mensah (Miami), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), CJ Carr (Notre Dame), Sam Leavitt (LSU), Nic Em Alava, Jordan Mayava (USC), John Matier (Oklahoma).
• Depth: McShay: “It’s remarkable … there’s a greater depth of talent,” even if fewer QBs go super early.
• Team Planning: GMs are “looking at this holistically”—if they don’t get their QB this year, next year and beyond offer rich alternatives.

3. Free Agency and Blockbuster QB Trade Rumors ([10:15]–[15:05])

• Names to Watch: Free-agent QBs include Daniel Jones, Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson.
• Trade Chatter: McShay drops inside intel:
  • “Don’t be surprised, in the next couple weeks…teams are going to be aggressive. C.J. Stroud is one of them. Joe Burrow’s a long shot, but…someone allegedly threw a lot of money and a lot of picks…to try to get Joe Burrow out of Cincinnati.”
  • “Teams are looking at this holistically. 2027 is great, but in the meantime, can we solve [QB] with someone that's a proven commodity?”
• QB Market Outlook: Secondary targets like Spencer Rattler may get interest; late-market movement expected.

4. 2026 Offensive Tackle Class – Depth and Distinct Traits ([15:37]–[23:53])

• Overview: Depth but no “absolute no-brainer” left tackle at the top; strong starting talent through pick 40–50.
• Key Names Discussed:
  • Francis Maua
  • Spencer Fano
  • Blake Miller (Clemson): Viewed as a “favorite player of 80% of the people I talk to in the league.”
  • Monroe Freeling (Georgia)
  • Kadyn Proctor (Alabama): “Alarming pass protection stuff…but the tools are impressive.”
  • I’hen Ator (Oklahoma): Giant upside, “soccer and basketball background,” more developed as a pass blocker than run.
  • Lomu (Utah)
• Debate:
  • Steve: “If your best trait in an O-lineman is toughness, that’s not the league, man. You better be able to move. You better be athletic.”
  • McShay values the different evaluation camps—some “love glass eaters.”

5. Second-Round Prospects to Watch – Position-by-Position Breakdown ([26:24]–[65:12])

A. Defensive Line

• Kaden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
  • Elite run defender with surprising quickness.
  • “If you’re getting him in the second round, I am running that name up.” – [Steve, 28:59]

B. Safety

• Emmanuel McNeil Warren (S, Toledo)
  • Size: 6’2”, 202 lbs; “an absolute dude… might come in and just ruin your day, maybe your week.” – [McShay, 31:42]
  • Not just a big hitter—ball hawk, creates turnovers; compared to top “big nickel” athletes like Jalen Pitre, Harrison Smith.
  • “He’s a hawk…approaches the point of attack differently every time…not just getting them down—I’m going to make him not want to touch the ball again today.” ([34:44]–[36:29])
  • Projected to go top 40.

C. Cornerback/Nickelback

• Chandler Rivers (CB, Duke)
  • Undersized (5'9") but “tough, durable, productive—223 tackles in four seasons.”
  • Impact in the slot; “his closing ability… almost took it for a pick.” [Steve, 40:09]

D. Running Back

• Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
  • Not great size (5'11", 200) or speed, but “led the FBS in yards from scrimmage per game last year.” [Steve, 41:42]
  • Excellent receiver, contact balance, very tough.
  • “As a number two complimentary back…can play a big role for a team right away.” ([43:29]–[43:44])

E. Wide Receiver – Historical Perspective and Top Names

• This class could be historic: Only two drafts in the past 31 years had 12+ WRs in first two rounds; 2026 could be the third ([46:33]–[47:20]).
• 12 Likely Top-2 Round WRs: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Makai Lemon (USC), Jordan Tyson (Arizona State), Denzel Boston (Washington), Chris Brazell II (Tennessee), Zachariah Branch (Georgia), Casey Concepcion (Texas A&M), Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), Malachi Fields (Notre Dame), Elijah Surratt (Indiana), Jeremy Bernard (Alabama), Chris Bell.
• Additional Names: Jacobe Lane (USC), Ted Hurst (Georgia State), Dion Burks (Oklahoma), Antonio Williams (Clemson).

WR Player Spotlights

• Chris Brazell II (Tennessee) ([49:12]–[54:10])

  • 6'5", 200+. “There’s nobody else in this class 6’4” or above who can get in and out of breaks faster, as fluid, as sudden.”
  • Compared to Christian Watson (“…when healthy, averages 17 yards per catch, 15% go for TDs—that’s this guy.”)
  • “If you get him in the second round... that’s pretty good day at the office.”

• Zachariah Branch (Georgia via USC) ([54:29]–[61:41])

  • Undersized (5'9"), electric, “He’s pint-sized but he’s different…special at creating YAC by processing and shifting pre-catch.”
  • “No fear over the middle…tough as nails. If you’re going to be undersized, you better be tough, and you got to be strong.”
  • Zay Flowers comp — “Tiny but a lunatic. He is the thorn in my side because I will say…small guys can’t do it. Zay is the one who’s like, watch me, dude.”

• Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) ([61:49]–[65:12])

  • “Most consistent, reliable, toughest son of a blocker in this WR class.”
  • Comp to Jarvis Landry (LSU): “He’s a faster Jarvis Landry. Landry was the alpha—that’s this guy. Wide receiver heaven.”

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

On the next wave of QB prospects:

• "Every conversation in the league is about, 'who’s the guy in 2027 if we don’t get our guy this April?'" – Todd McShay ([10:17])

On Emmanuel McNeil Warren:

• “He’s a hawk… I’m not here for just getting [ballcarriers] down, I’m going to make them not want to touch the ball again today, I’m going to take the ball away from them.” – Todd McShay ([34:44])

On I’hen Ator:

• “For a guy who’s like 325 pounds, he moves differently than a lot of these guys…blown away with his awareness in pass protection.” – Steve Muench ([19:19])

On the historic receiver class:

• “After 31 years digging back…only two classes with more than 12 in rounds one and two. This could be the third.” – Todd McShay ([47:18])

On Chris Brazell II:

• “No one else in this class, 6’4 or above, can get in and out of breaks faster.” – Todd McShay ([52:34])

On Zachariah Branch:

• “He’s pint-size…but he’s different. This guy will separate and he’s run an NFL route tree.” – Todd McShay ([55:13])

On Omar Cooper Jr.:

• “Wide receiver heaven…he’s a faster Jarvis Landry.” – Todd McShay ([63:51])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:25] – Trinidad Chambliss eligibility/fallout
• [04:56] – 2027 QB class breakdown
• [10:15] – QB trade/free agency rumors and market analysis
• [15:37] – O-line class, in-depth tackle evaluations
• [26:24] – Start of Second-Round Prospects breakdown
• [28:59] – Kaden McDonald DT evaluation
• [31:42] – Emmanuel McNeil Warren, safety scouting deep dive
• [38:15] – Chandler Rivers (Duke) slot/nickelback evaluation
• [41:11] – Emmett Johnson (Nebraska) RB discussion
• [45:25] – WR class overview and historic context
• [49:12] – Chris Brazell II in-depth analysis
• [54:29] – Zachariah Branch scouting report
• [61:49] – Omar Cooper Jr., WR deep dive & comp

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Behind the Scenes: McShay’s Insider Intel and Philosophy ([68:09]–[71:00])

• McShay and Muench discuss the value of sharing real front office conversations and rumors.
• McShay:
  "I'm not breaking news…I'm sharing conversations and information that's going on. [Our audience] gets to know what's really going on in these personnel departments."
• This is what differentiates the show and draws an engaged, growing listener base.

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Final Thoughts / What’s Next

• Combine Coverage: “Monday through Saturday—GM interviews, decision-maker series, daily intel.”
• Big Announcements: “Bombshell news to break in the next couple of weeks regarding The McShay Show and The Ringer/Spotify—stay tuned.”
• Draft Strategies Shifting: Teams prioritizing versatile defenders, offensive lineman depth, and receiver value due to recent championship team builds.
• Reminder: Subscribe to The McShay Report for more exclusive analysis and draft content.

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This episode was packed with actionable insights for draft junkies and front office nerds alike, blending scout-level detail with real-time league intelligence and debate—no fluff, just football.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

We've got a jam packed show for you today. Trinidad Chambliss heading back to Oxford, Mississippi. What's the fallout in the NFL circles? We've got more intel on the NFL draft. Plus, combine is just a week away. We need to start digging deeper on some of these prospects. Just 66 days until the NFL draft. Mitch, you good?

[A]

I'm a little anxious.

[B]

You always are. Roll that beat. It's kind of time, right? 66 days to the draft.

[A]

It's time to Will Campbell. We're a Will Campbell away from the draft.

[B]

Always causing problems. Yeah, always. Man. We're excited about this new partnership. This episode is presented by Scout Motors. Every new year, we do a lot of forward thinking and planning for what's to come. Just like the all new Scout Terra and Scout Traveler, they're being revamped for what comes next. Taking that classic 70s design and improving it with modern engineering, including plans for advanced four wheel drive. So look ahead. Join the waitlist@scout motors.com Just like I just did. Concept vehicles not available for sale. Features and performance specifications are preliminary and subject to change. Joining the wait list does not guarantee purchase. Visit scoutmotors.com for details. So we're going to dig in on some. Some second round guys, guys that didn't make my mock first round last Monday. We're going to talk about some players that are starting to stand out on tape that we're excited about heading into the combine next week. Got a little bit more draft intel to share. A lot of conversations happening this time of year. But first, I want to start with this. I should mention the McShay report. Google it. The McShay report quickly gets you there. Subscribe. It's draft season. You're going to want to be involved in all the intel we're getting tomorrow morning in your inbox. It's so easy. It's sweet. You just wake up in the morning, you roll over in bed, you grab your phone, you go to your inbox. It says, an email from me. And. And we're gonna. I'm gonna have it. Yeah, exactly. Perfect way to start your day.

[A]

But seriously, you're already behind. You're already behind. If you haven't subscribed and I'm. And I'm just being honest. Get in there. You don't like. If you want to be talking to your friends and you want to want to have the be in the know you got, you gotta sign up now.

[B]

It's my baby and I put a lot of effort into it. We're gonna have 10 guys that are on Tuesday morning, 10 guys that, that are creating a lot of buzz, a lot of intrigue, getting ready for the draft that aren't in round one. So that's what you got coming to your inbox tomorrow if you subscribe.

[C]

5Am I'm up with a crisp Celsius energy drink running 12 miles today. Grab a green juice, quick change and head to work. Meetings, workshops, one more Celsius. No slowing down, working late, but obviously still meeting the girls for a little dancing. Celsius live fit. Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[B]

Let'S start with this. Trinidad Shamlas, quarterback from Ole Miss, Ferris State, Transfer Division 2. Wasn't supposed to be the starter. It's an injury. He steps in, doesn't give the job back up, has a phenomenal year. We've talked a lot about his skill set. I, I urged him not to get into this war. Apparently I was wrong. It looks like he's going to wind up after, I think it was four NCAA rejections of his eligibility request for one more year that he's going to wind up being able to go back to Ole Miss barring, you know, the NCAA gets one more opportunity, is my understanding to, to come in and, and reject it and counter it. And so there's an appeal that will be, will be put in is my, is my understanding and, but it's also my understanding that it was, it's not likely that that will hold up and he'll wind up back at Ole Miss next year. Thrilled for Trinidad. I think it really, truly is the best case for Trinidad Chambliss and at the end of the day that's what we're here for. I think he needs another year in the sec, another opportunity to showcase what he can do. The growth. We always talk about the, the rinse, refine, repeat element to playing the quarterback position. The importance. Yes, he's had a lot of starts, but not starts at that level. So that's great. Right. When I'm talking to people in the league, there's a few conversations like branches off of this tree. Okay.

[A]

Right. The waterfall effect here.

[B]

Yes, exactly. The first branch we can discuss briefly and I sent Tucker a, you know, some notes for a graphic here. The first branch when you're talking to people in the NFL is holy smokes, man. Like that quarterback class next year we saw in 2024. Right. With six guys in the top 12 record breaking group have never seen that many quarterbacks come off the board that. That fast. We had Caleb Williams and. And Jaden Daniels and Drake maybe as the top three picks. We also had Michael Penix, a little bit of a surprise early on, going to the Atlanta Falcons, and J.J. mcCarthy, I think it was at 10 overall to the Vikings and then at 12, Bonix to Denver. Next year's class is shaping up to be even better. And the difference is I can't forecast that there will be six in the top 12. But what I can tell you is there's. There's a greater depth of talent. Okay. And so we talk about that class without context a lot. But as having conversations with people in the league, you start just throwing out names. And I'm not putting them in any order here, but if you look at this graphic, it's. It's remarkable. It's Arch Manning from Texas, Dante Moore returning to Oregon, which was one of the first dominoes to fall. Right. You got Brandon Sorsby, the. From going to Texas Tech from Cincinnati. Who is. Everyone I talk to in the league is like, that's the guy that I think people are overlooking. If he. If he goes to Texas Tech and kind of builds off of what he was doing, he could be a really high draft pick. Okay. Lenora Sellers benches guy. I love his talent, too. One more year at South Carolina. We were urging him to go back. He's not ready, but my gosh, is he physically gifted. Trinidad Chambliss now added to the mix. Okay. Darian Mensah transferring from Duke to Miami and all the, you know, legal ramifications and aspects that involve that. But we've seen with Cam Ward and Carson Beck and now Mensah, you know, if he follows a similar trajectory, we could be talking about first round with him. Beyond that, Julian saying, is he going to be ready after one more year at Ohio State? Undersized but loaded with talent. I was out playing for the majority of the year. We kind of chronicled it as everyone gave up on Arch. And then we did about mid season, I said, Arch is starting to play better. Saying, though, is out playing Arch towards the end of the year. Arch was the best of the group. Okay. And we were ahead of. Ahead of that by a few weeks. Then you've got C.J. carr from Notre Dame, Tom Brady's guy, first rounder. Right. Sam Levit is kind of the underappreciated guy. Intriguing. Going to Kentucky, right?

[A]

No, he's going to lsu, isn't he?

[B]

Oh, L. Sorry. L. Yes. Yes. He. He had an offer from Kentucky just Kid, just.

[A]

I know you're on a roll.

[B]

Just briefly.

[A]

The fact that we're talking about the guy who is going. I. I don't even know what number and you're not listing them in any order. I get that. But I also do feel like he's flying under the radar a little bit. Sam Levitt going to play for Lane Kiffin at lsu.

[B]

Just.

[A]

Just the fact that that's one of the storylines. I think a lot of years that would be these.

[B]

And look at Jackson. Look at Jackson Dart two years ago. The development there in his final year. Look at. Look at Trinidad Chambliss in one year.

[A]

Levitt's got some tools, man. It's gonna be interesting to see how that.

[B]

I promise you guys, scouts I talked to in the league are like, that guy's. It's like all of them. He's my guy that I'm intrigued by him. I can't believe I said Kentucky. He had a major offer from Kentucky with Will Stein, who left as the office coordinator head coach. That's why I had in my head too caught up in this draft right now. Nic Em Alava. Remember I talked to a scout who said, go watch his tape. There's some things, man, he's starting to. He's starting to come along after a slow start there. It was a bumpy road. But Em Alava, super talented. Mayava from. From Jordan Mayava from USC. John Matier, Oklahoma.

[A]

Talked about mater yet?

[B]

Yeah, that's 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 guys right there. And it's not even everyone. Those are the conversations that are happening in the league. So I wanted. I want to transition to the next branch. Okay. And These are legitimately NFL people I'm talking to. Their mind goes immediately to 2027. And why is that important? It's like, well, Todd, that's 66 days until this draft. So we're talking, you know, over 400 days until the 2027 draft. Why that. Why is that important? Because personnel people, general managers, directors of pro scouting, college scouting, they're trying. They're looking at this holistically. What's in this class. I have a quarterback need. Like, we talk about teams that have need. Las Vegas Raiders picking it 1. Jets picking it 2. Arizona Cardinals picking it 3. Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers. Right. All these teams with quarterback needs. And that's not all of them, but that's. That's just a handful.

[A]

We're just. Yeah. Just the tip of the iceberg.

[B]

So as a. So as a general manager or personnel director, you're looking at this and saying, okay, here's what's in this class. And we'll get to that in a moment. But we know it starts with Fernando Mendoza. Here's what's in next year's class. Here's the interesting intel I'm about to share with you. And this isn't necessarily what we do, but when I'm having these conversations, people are talking to me about, like, what's our process here? It's a combination of, all right, if we can't get our guy this year, we know that there's a quarterback out there next year that's going to satisfy a need. There's only, let's say 10 max, and I don't even think it's 10, but probably six or seven teams that are going to really be looking aggressively, aggressively to address quarterback in next year's draft. But we got to play a 20, 26 season. And so in the free agency list of quarterbacks is, as I pull it up here, Daniel Jones, right? Yep. Malik Willis is a name I keep hearing when I'm talking to teams in the league. Daniel Jones, coming off that Achilles, is he going to wind up back in Indianapolis for another year or multiple years? How's that going to play out?

[A]

What does that look like? Yeah.

[B]

Malik Willis is the intriguing one. He was a bust. I mean, I shouldn't call him a bus. What was the third round pick, fourth round pick at Tennessee and gets to LaFleur in Green Bay and shows a lot of progress when he had to step in when, when Jordan Love was injured. Aaron Rodgers, is he going to wind up back in Pittsburgh this year? Russell Wilson, like, after that, there's just not a lot.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But I'm pointing to that because if Daniel Jones goes back, Malik Willis picks a spot, Aaron Rodgers retires or goes back to Pittsburgh. Like, there's not a lot in the free agency market. But the intriguing stuff, I'm told, don't be surprised. In the next couple weeks as we, as we get closer and closer to free agency, there's going to be some big name quarterbacks that are currently in destinations that have contracts that are going to be targeted. Teams are going to be aggressive. CJ Carr is one of them.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I mean, it's not C.J. car. C.J. stroud. Sorry. Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So I was just giving. I was trying to figure it out. Yeah. C.J. c.J. C.j. stroud's a name. Does he need a, A new, new scenery? Joe Burrow's a long shot. No one thinks it's going to happen. But like I'm just getting out ahead of. You're going to hear some information whether it's at the forefront like on the ticker or some whispers and rumors that, wow, someone allegedly threw a lot of money and a lot of picks and a lot of, you know, a lot of compensation offer offers in a package to try to get Joe Burrow out of Cincinnati. So be prepared for that. Is is our kind of intel update.

[A]

Today that's interesting because I was thinking of. That sounds like bigger names than I was thinking of. I was wondering if people were going to kick the tires on like a Spencer Rattler in New Orleans. I'm saying everything's in Geno Smith with the Raiders. Is they. Are they going to keep him there with Mendoza? I think that's the smart move. Move. I think that's the right move. I don't know if they're going to do it. It's going to be what that, I guess what you would call the secondary market. How does that develop?

[B]

Yeah, it's just interesting when you're talking to people in the league, like stuff's about to start, like trickling down fast and not like actually like avalanching down.

[A]

That's fast and it does.

[B]

It doesn't mean that Stroud or Burrow or some or a big name like that is going to wind up moving, but teams are looking at this as, again, holistically, all right, 2027 is great and like, if we can get some additional compensation in this draft for next year to try to, you know, move up to go target one of those guys I talked about, whether it's Arch or Dante Moore or sbe because we, we like a lot of other guys, but we are in love with one or two of them or three of them, you know. But in the meantime, can we just solve it with someone that's a proven commodity or that we think that we could do better with like a Stroud here than maybe he's doing in Houston because clearly something's going on. I don't, I don't know if it's Houston related or interpersonal related or whatever it is. Stroud's. Stroud hasn't been the guy the last two years in Houston that he was his rookie year. And so some people are looking at that saying can a lot of egos justifiably. So can we, can we get that rookie year out of Stroud here? You know, so just if you're making.

[A]

You'Re making the argument for Stroud, you're Saying the offensive line room's been a mess. They've had injuries at wide receivers. Stefan Diggs there and gone. And, and you know, Dan Dell has been out. Nico Collins is as, I mean he's an absolute stud, but he's been, he's been banged up, he's missed time like. So if you, I could make the argument that you would want to give him a shot. And then you're looking at the Seahawks winning the super bowl with Sam Darnold. Like you're just, there's, there's a path.

[B]

Couple other quick things and I know we touched on a lot of this stuff and this is kind of your wheelhouse and I know you've been spending a lot of time on offensive linemen and I know we touched on a little bit of this. But I find it interesting this year's offensive tackle class is people aren't like, you know, there's, we always say like Joe Alt or you know, people aren't looking at this and saying, oh we like that's an absolute no brainer left tackle, next decade, all that. But they are looking at it in a, in a way that there's starting Cal, some good starting caliber tackles and there's more depth than normal. There's a drop off at a certain point and it's probably after like in the, like the top, like at 50, let's call it the Mendoza Line, which is weird to use as a phrase now with Fernando in this draft class. Right. That's kind of like. I think everyone, everyone I talk to is kind of like mid for mid second is if you don't get the guy. And it was not dissimilar last year we saw a few guys go early in the second round. Right. And then when there's a drop off it's a big like the shelf falls off. Here are the guys that I'm hearing are going to go in that like top 50 range. Let's call it maybe it's top 40, but it's, it's Francis Maua. Right. And Spencer Fanu. Fano. Sorry. It's okay. Blake Miller, Freeling, Proctor, all in that same range with I think, I think Lomu as well from, from Utah. So Blake Miller, Clemson Freeling, Georgia, Kaden Proctor, Alabama, Lomo, Utah.

[A]

Right. Okay.

[B]

I think, I think all of those guys could be late for, you know like 20 to 32. But maybe one, one of them or maybe one of them falls to like very early second round. Then Max Eheniture.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Right. I kind of overheard something in our, in Our. I'll. I'll save it. I'll save it. Sorry I was going to say in our pre draft as I as I jumped on always late but I'm going to save it and we'll have more fun with later. Ihen Ator interesting note like as talented as he is and everyone's looking at him with the upside, right? Because didn't play high school ball, came to America at age 13 soccer, basketball, background, all that stuff, it's just scratching the surface is kind of the. Is the messaging out there right now. I talked to one personnel person who's like maybe this is just who he is though. Don't count on that.

[A]

This.

[B]

I know, I know. I, I'm just. I'm throwing it out there. So like as talented as he is and as good as he looked in the one on ones like kind of gets pushed around a little bit in the run game. Is he like that road grader, glass eater type of guy? Is he ever going to be that? And so may maybe you're safe to evaluate him and say this is who he is. And yeah, we can tweak a couple of things but like who he is is who he is. I thought that was interesting, but those are strong.

[A]

I have a strong opinion of that after watching him recently and I don't know if you want to wait this for the position series or do you want to get into it now?

[B]

No, get do. Do a little bit. What do you got?

[A]

I. I think there's a sound point there of you. You do evaluate for who he is Now. I'll say that this guy's been playing football. He's a three. He's a three year starter essentially at this point he's a Big 12 all conference tackle. He's not as raw as I expected when I watched him on tape. He is a more developed pass blocker than he is a run blocker. I'm not surprised that he said that. I do think he has some prick to him. I don't think there's any question that this kid's got some toughness. I have him in that first group of offensive tackles ahead of some of the names that you've already mentioned. And I will tell you he is if you want to talk about a guy that's develop and what I'm excited about him isn't the fact that I think he's a project. What I'm excited is about his guy doesn't have this great background. It's already this far along. I was blown away with his Awareness in pass protection as and as a run blocker. I was blown away with how his ability to recognize and adjust and pick up to things. It was not what I expected. He's a smart football player. I thought he showed some toughness on tape. I thought he showed some toughness down at the Senior Bowl. I'm not worried about that. He does have to work on now, again, like everyone else. There are issues. He's got to work on some technique as a run blocker. But this is the one thing I will say to you about him. Hand placement has to get better. He's got to time his. His punch better. But why he's able to get away with that is because, one, he moves differently. For a guy who's like 325 pounds, he moves differently than a lot of these guys. And that's because of the basketball and soccer background. In my opinion, that helped him. He gets set so smoothly and so quickly and takes such good angles and hits his landmarks getting out of his set that he doesn't have to win with his hands all the time. He can square up to a guy. He's got his cleats in the ground, and even with edge guys winning with their hands getting into him a little bit, he's still tough to move. I was. Again, there's a couple of things that really surprised me about his tape and how developed he is as a pass blocker and how good he is as a pass blocker. Really surprised me because there's some guys in there and you know how I feel about Blake Miller, Kaden Proctor. These guys are better run blockers than Ianacho at this point, but they are not better pass blockers. And it's not even close. Kane, Proctor. You're betting on the tools, and I get it because the tools are impressive. There are some alarming pass protection stuff. Blake Miller. There is some alarming pass protection stuff that they could clean up and they could get better. And I understand all that. But Ian Archer is a more developed pass blocker than either one of those guys.

[B]

Blake Miller might be the favorite player of 80% of the people I talked to in the league. I can't wait to see how that plays out.

[A]

It's interesting. That's interesting. Listen, I get you like an experience.

[B]

I only tease you because I respect you. I only mess with people who I love. I trust implicitly your evaluation of offensive linemen. There were some guys I hit on last year. There are some guys that I was too low on last year that you were like, you're wrong. And you were right on. Right. So Kelvin Banks being one of them now. I hit on the Minnesota offensive tackle that nailed that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. So. But my point being, I only do it because it's fun conversation and it's what's going on in draft rooms because, because not. You don't walk in there. It's not like Stepford Wives or some cookie cutter situation. Like, the fights that go on inside those rooms are legendary, so. But it's interesting talking to you and what you see on tape from Blake Miller. And then I see the traits, I see the inconsistency. I see the areas he needs to improve. But I talked to guys in the league, and they're like, love them. Love them.

[A]

It's interesting. Yeah. So I, I, I think there is an element, there is a faction of what we do, both in the league and, as, you know, people who do this in the media who just love glass eaters, and you kind of mentioned it with Ian out or they love these guys. That there are absolutely Maulers. And I get it. And that's Blake Miller. He is a tough dude with a lot of experience and a big frame, and I get all that. I. My antenna goes up immediately if the first thing I ask you about an offensive lineman, like, what's his best trait? And you say it's his toughness. I think it's a great trait to have. But if that's your best trait, that's not the league, man. You better be able to move. You better be athletic. And I don't think he's, I don't think he's like that. I think you want to hear about how great his feet are, how great his hands are, how smart he is, and Miller's. I. This tape is concerning. I wonder, like, what's going on with the protection scheme and all that, but you want to, you want all of those things, but toughness shouldn't be the number one thing. I don't. Maulers are great only if they have a, B, and C to go along with it.

[B]

All right, let's transition. I think that's enough intel for the day. I, I do want to mention we're fired up, man. We're heading to the combine early this year. Shows start on Monday. We're gonna have a show every, I think, six straight days. Right. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be the intel that we're hearing. We'll. We'll get you previewed for the workouts. There's always news notes. Everyone converges from the NFL world On Indianapolis. And we're going to be there all week long. We got our new hotel that we found last year. We're all set up. Yeah, Tucker, Tucker and the, and the guys are all set up. We got our own, like, conference room. It's, it's the best setup I've ever had in 25 years. Last year was kind of tripped on it. Marissa pulled it off last minute. And we're back there.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

We're going to be, we're going to be doing GM interviews for our Decision Maker series. But every single day, we will keep you up to speed. I'm talk mention I are talking to people in the league every day there, whether it's having coffee in the morning, going out to lunch, going out to dinner, phone texting, people are just kind of talking that week. And so we're going to share a lot of the stuff that we have. Gonna get you previewed, gonna talk to GMs, and then starting on Thursday, we're going to do every single day, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then we'll come back on Monday with a whole review of all the workouts and, and what they mean, you know, so we got that look we're looking forward to. Last week. I dropped Mach 2.0. I'm only bringing that up now. Go check it out. The McShay report. Google it. Subscribe all this stuff. The purpose of this segment is, all right, we're a week away from the combine. We got to start talking more names in the first rounders. So this is our jumping off point to digging a little bit deeper. And it's only round two, but we'll be digging a lot deeper now, really, for the next 10 days and throughout the draft. So if you want to see the players in the mock draft, you can go check out the McShay report and you'll understand, okay, they didn't make round one in Mach 2.0. But now I want to, Steve, go through six guys, three each, who we're really intrigued believe are going to be high impact players both as rookies and throughout their careers, guys to get to know. And we're going to kind of break them down that we believe will be second round prospects. Maybe they're, maybe they slip into the third, whatever it is. But these are guys that really have stood out to us as we're watching tape and getting ready for the combine next week. Why don't you kick it off, Steve?

[A]

I'm gonna go right out of the gate with Ohio State nose tackle Kaden McDonald. Listen, Lee Hunter from Texas Tech has had an absolute run. I mean, this. He had a great season. He had a great Senior Bowl. He is just one of those guys.

[B]

Finished the season beautifully. Talk about momentum.

[A]

I love Lee Hunter, so I want to be clear about what I'm saying here. If you're telling me I'm gonna get Lee Hunter in the first round or Kade McDonald in the second round, it's Kaden McDonald all day. This is. I mean, this is a massive man. I think he's listed at 300. Got it right here. 326 pounds, nine tackles for loss. I remember talking to him in the.

[B]

Middle of the season.

[A]

I was like, yeah, great run stuffer. And he is. He really is. He's one of those guys that can, you know, clog up the middle, occupy blockers. And it's what's sneaky good about him. And this is what you told me is it's got a little more quickness than you think. Match you told me then he's not just this guy who's gonna take up double teams and he makes plays.

[B]

He.

[A]

I think it's 65.

[B]

Fifth leading tackler for Ohio State. That was point in October was, yeah, this guy. He may not be an elite pass rusher, although there's. There's more in the bone for him as a pass rusher from his vision. His vision, his ability to locate and then go, and then the quickness to go get there. That makes him different to me.

[A]

I always. I overvalue defensive tackles, I think, compared to the league. I always think more are going to go early because I love them and I think how, like, they make a huge impact. You look at interior pass rushers, guys who can push the pocket can be disruptive in the middle. I think it's a big part of the game. The league doesn't seem to value them as much. Like when Braden Fisk didn't go in the first round, I was like, what. What are we doing here? The out of Florida State.

[B]

So I.

[A]

He.

[B]

I wonder if that's going to start to change as we watch like the super bowl and the play.

[A]

Would you watch Milton Williams of the last two years? When you watch Milton Williams in the sea in the super bowl for Philadelphia two years ago in New England this year, and you're seeing him just, you know, create chaos. I do wonder if it's changed. I thought Aaron Donald would be the player that would maybe get that to change, and it didn't happen then. But I can understand why Kane McDonald might not get in the first based on positional value and what teams have done in the past. But I think he's got absolutely first round talent. I think he's got first round production and I think he's got first round tape. So Kaden McDonald to me is, if the first thing I looked at when I saw your mock wasn't like, why isn't he in there? Because I get it. But man, if you're getting him in the second round, I am running that name up. I am sprinting to get that name in because I just think he's that big of. He's already that good of a run defender. And I agree with you wholeheartedly that he's got a lot more in the tank in terms of a pass rusher.

[B]

I'm going to transition to the, to the secondary. Okay. Stay on the defensive side. There's a player that I think is being vastly overlooked at this point because when you talk about safeties, you talk about Caleb Downs. Right. And maybe you throw in Dylan Thieman. Right. From Oregon. Yep. I think after watching his tape this weekend, I think Emmanuel McNeil Warren is an absolute dude. And I think because he played at Toledo and not at Ohio State or Oregon or one of those big time power four programs, I don't think the league is overlooking him. I think nationally people are just like, yeah, it's a Toledo guy, right? Yeah. But we've done that before and we're like Nash, I was going to say that we should maybe catch on to.

[A]

Toledo's got some guys coming out of there all of a sudden. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah. Like, and, and defensive backs. Right. Six two, 202 pounds is what he's listed. We'll find out his exact measurables, but he looks every bit the part. I see the length on tape. I think he's going to have like 32 plus inch arm length. Okay. Here's the thing with him and I'll get to who he is as a player in a second. I always look for what's the unique trait? What jumps out about this guy that's different from just about everyone else I watch? What does he do that's special that guys in the league that are special do? He. And this one's tricky to explain a little bit. He's got this thing, man, I'm telling you. Emmanuel McNeil Warren, right before he goes to tackle you, you got no clue what's coming. He mixes it up. He. It's like, it's like watching a, like, like a predator animal out in the wild. In the jungle, whether it's like a jaguar or a, or a tiger or like, you know, when you watch those, like planet.

[A]

Yeah. They're just so stalking animals. He's out there stalking.

[B]

Right, right. And then, and, and then you see the speed and the eyes and like the, like National Geographic or, or the Netflix shows. Like you, you see them coming, right? But then they do this thing right before they attack that like, it's like, oh, gosh.

[A]

Like you see them, there's a certain violence to it.

[B]

They have like music going to it. And you can see their eyes and they're hiding in the brush. And then you see them start to go and it's like, oh, they get closing speed to that. You know, it's the predator and that.

[A]

Our.

[B]

Yeah. Our Planet on next Netflix. Netflix is our planet. And I've watched now I'm started with my daughter Alaire, who's obsessed with Our planet. And now we're watching our ocean. Right?

[A]

It's awesome. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, Netflix is Our Planet is phenomenal. And you watch Our Planet and you watch them, you see the stalking. You see the start to go, and then you see the. But then right before they attack, it's like sometimes they'll go high. It's almost. Sharks are the same way. Like when they get the seals, it's like, you know, but, yeah, but in our planet, like these, these animals, right, they could go high. They, they'll come in from an angle. They, they shock them with that last second, like burst in quickness and then element of surprise. I'm telling you, it's what McNeil Warren does, because I see him coming up on a guy and I think he's going to wrap him up or he's going to give him a shoulder and pop him. And sometimes he will, sometimes he'll lead with the shoulder and just obliterate guys. I watched against Miami of Ohio. He damn near killed a dude. Just ran right through him. He lit up so many players on tape. So that's the first part. He might come in and just ruin your day, maybe your week. Then there's the peanut punch stuff. Jacob Rodriguez is the king of peanut. Then number two in that list is McNeil Warren. Kentucky. Go watch the Kentucky and Western Michigan Force fumbles. I'm telling you, it's, it's, it's like watching a lion or more. More like a tiger. They just, you think they're going to just envelop and they do this thing that's just a devastating blow and he'll come. I, I Had to rewind the tape and slow it down to watch where the arm came in from. Because when you watch it real time, it's. It's so explosive, so fast, you don't know what the hell happened. This guy does that. Then there's the ball skills, too, where like, you think sometimes he's lining. Lining you up just to get a big hit and get no yards after catch. And all of a sudden, like the high point stuff, he. High point. What was it? Overhead High point, Western Kentucky, Bowling Green. Go watch those two high point interceptions. Tell me about his ball skills. Then. He's playing in a snow game against Western Michigan. No, Central Michigan goes dives right before the sideline interception. It's not like we watch interceptions sometimes. It's like, you guys got six picks this year. He's awesome. And like, two of them are deflections into his arm. One's like thrown right to them. And then two are like, yeah, they're solid, right? Two or three, yeah.

[A]

I always say he's the guy a ball hawk or a ball magnet. Some of those guys are bald magnets where it's somehow. And that's okay. That's. There's something to be said for it. We're just the kind of. The ball finds them where other guys are, like, that's mine. I'm going to get it.

[B]

This guy is a. Is a hawk. Okay. And it takes a certain level of confidence to come in and approach the point of attack differently and uniquely every time because you just have so much confidence. And I'm going to get him down, but I don't. I'm not here for just getting them down. I'm going to either make him not want to touch the ball again today. I'm going to take the ball away from him, I'm going to punch it out, or I'm going to, like. He does this thing sometimes, man, right before he. It looks like as a ball carrier, I know where the content. He's going to hit me right here in the chest plate, and I'm ready for it. I'm going to lower my shoulder, try to get small. And then all of a sudden he'll. He'll go down and he'll. He'll like. Not only will he cut your knees off, he'll lasso you. It's fascinating. He's a fascinating study. And I've just fell in love. Like, I had seen him and watched him. He's not. I'm not saying he's going to be a guy that's turning and running and all that in man to man, but in zone, he's got excellent range. I'm not saying he's Jalen Petrie around the line of scrimmage, but when they utilize him like that, like I saw a couple of sacks where he comes through gap, the B gap. I've seen him off the edge in a league now with Emmanuel Ian Warri and the Petri.

[A]

Every.

[B]

If you really study it, every great defense in the league has a guy who's this like Swiss army knife. Call him a safety, call him a nickel, call him a big nickel, whatever you want to call him that stays on the field, that can do multiple things. I could play him near the line, I could play him in the box. I could play him in deep, deep, deep halves. He's going to be one of those guys. Sorry I went on a rant, but I just like this share.

[A]

Yeah, I love it. I wonder if we can get some clips from our planet like, and use those while you're going on. I should probably ask after, but I will say this.

[B]

Go ahead.

[A]

Do you. Go ahead. What were you gonna say?

[B]

I was just gonna say now, Now. Where does he get drafted?

[A]

That's what I was gonna ask you.

[B]

Yes. Can we.

[A]

Is there a chance we have three safeties in the first round?

[B]

There's a chance.

[A]

I think there's a chance too.

[B]

When you watch Eamon worry and you watch Petrie and you watch all these big nickels and multi. Multiple guys. I call them just multiple guys, chess pieces, whatever you want to call them. And you watch all these great defenses. Harrison Smith with Minnesota, like, name me a defense. I'll tell you who the. Who that guy is. And, and, and he's clearly a part of the team's success because they don't have to get guys on and off the field. They don't have to declare themselves in a nickel or a dimensional. They're just in their base. And their base can be a 4, 3 or 3, 4. Their base can be a nickel. You know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think there's a chance. I'm not saying definitively, but with the Naman and his ability to cover in the slot and with, with McNeil, Warren and his ability to do all those things I just said, it won't shock me if all three are gone the first. It will shock me if they're not all gone the top 50. And I, I think it's very, very probable they're all gone in the top 40. I think they're that good.

[A]

Yeah, I'M with you. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna transition because you're, we're, we're rolling here and I gotta figure out. I cannot come up with. I have. Michelle, I'm telling you, my brain's working overtime to figure out what the term is going to be for the segment. Right now it's slot search, where we're going to find your slot receiver or in your nickelbacks. I don't like it. It's not good enough. If people are out there listening and they have a better idea of what we can call this, let, let us know. But I'm going with Chandler Rivers out of Duke.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Small right. He's 5, 9, he's 185. He's got sub 30 inch arms. All he is is durable, productive. This dude had 223 tackles in his four seasons at Duke. He is tough when you line up. He played a lot on the outside, but he also got over the course of his career, he also got a ton of snaps in the slot. And that's where I think he's going to be in the NFL. I think that's where he's at his best. I don't know why I'm getting a thumbs up on the bubble there.

[B]

I love that. I, I hope on Netflix. I hope, and I know what that is. I hope you get a thumbs up bubble. That's amazing.

[A]

I'm sure that, I'm sure that's my fault and it definitely didn't throw me off. But anyways, this kid will come screaming off the corner at that size and make plays in the backfield. Wrap guys up. He is tough. He's willing to play the run again. 223 tackles for a corner over four years of that size. I mean, I think that's impressive. And then what I, I really love, what I love is how instinctive he is in coverage. He's another, he's another one of these players that we talk about when we watch him. We're like, it is clear, clear how he prepares. He understands exactly what's happening at all times. And I want to, I want you to go back and, and make a note of this place. I got the time stamp this time, McShay. I'm really elevating my game. 251 left, third quarter, Georgia Tech. He is lined up at edge. Okay? He's lined up at edge. It is a, I would call an RPO maybe play action, but it's a, they, they fake to the back and they flip it back out to the receiver on the opposite side. He steps down for. And then he. He gets outside to the. To the receiver, to the screen so fast that he almost takes it the other way. I was blown away with how he was disciplined and didn't just take off. He respected the run, but was his.

[B]

Footwork, the quickness with which he processed.

[A]

And then his closing ability to get there and really almost take it for picks like this kid had seven intercept.

[B]

Which, I mean, again, production.

[A]

Seven career interceptions, 36 career passes, defended.

[B]

Small.

[A]

I understand, but he's about the same size as Mike Santa was like, he. This is a guy. When you look at his toughness, his intention.

[B]

Stout. Upton Stout.

[A]

I just want to say, for your consideration, Chandler, Rivers, Duke, and I don't know, by the way, I don't play by your rules. I don't know if he's gonna go in the second round. I will be honest about that. He's gonna. I think he's a day two guy, but I don't play by your rules. He might be. No, no.

[B]

Later on, we're trying. Later on day two, we're trying to dig deep, and I love that my final two guys are at the same position. Okay.

[C]

And.

[B]

I. I don't want to put it on you. Do you want to do your. Your last guy here and I. Because the same position, I've got a whole rant. But you. I can break it up. Who. No. What position is your final guy?

[A]

Running back.

[B]

Good. All right. Good.

[A]

Emma Johnson. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska.

[B]

I'm intrigued by this. Let me just start.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, because all I read is about Emmett Johnson. I've watched some of him. I have not done his full tape yet. Okay. I'm. I just finished up the wide receivers. I've done some quarterbacks. I've been bouncing around different players as we get ready for the combine, but I hear Emmett Johnson's name constantly. I feel like on social media and shows and different. I. I'm dying to know what you think about him before I do his tape. Probably in the next week or so.

[A]

Let's. Let's start with why he's probably not gonna be. I think he'll probably be more back end of day two as well, and that's because he doesn't have great size. He's 5 11, 200. That's good size. He just doesn't have great size. Again, I think he has good speed but not great speed. I think there's a noticeable acceleration when he gets into space, but not a burner. That's going to consistently pull away and then on top of that there's we got some things to clean up and pass protection. So I would say that that's probably why he's not a little bit higher on some boards. But we are talking about the player that led the FBS and yards from scrimmage per game last year. I mean he is. He had a monster game against a pretty good Iowa defense thanks to some long runs, but he had a monster game against a pretty good Iowa defense to finish his career. What I love about him is that once he gets into space, there's no more messing around. He's gonna, he's gonna get north south. He's got great contact balance and he's going to try to run through people and that doesn' make guys miss. I've said several times on film where he would make a guy miss in the hole or at the second level, but once it's time to go, it's not. I'm going to try and make this safety miss. I'm not going to try and make this guy miss. I am going to get north south. I am going to get everything I can get and I'm going to make it very difficult for you to tackle me. He is a tough, kind of a low to the ground runner who doesn't, you know, just breaks a lot of tackles. Then you add on to it he had 85 catches over the last two years. A reliable receiver out of the backfield of flashes after the catch. We're talking about a guy that is going to come in. We're talking about impact players. Right. I don't think he's ever going to be a number one back and I have a hard time making a comp until I see him run. So I don't want to make some kind of comp where because I don't think he's going to have like an elite speed of a Travion Henderson like he. Like he does. But I don't. So I don't.

[B]

I'm.

[A]

I'm hesitant to make a comp but as a number two complimentary back that you can use as a receiver out of the backfield and is is really productive runner. I just think he could come in, compliment someone and play a big role for a team right away.

[B]

I love that his running back class is not what it was a year ago. There's a lot of names and a lot of guys that I think are. I think there's a lot of guys like a Lavion Moss, like Mike Washington, like they could wind up being a lot better than their. Or Adam Randall from Clemson could wind up being a lot better than A, their draft slot and B, maybe like, what their national exposure or, you know, like the attention they got during college. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska just wasn't a big. It's not like last year, right, when we had, like, Quinton, Sean Judkins and Travion Henderson with the national championship run. And so a lot of those backs were just household names. So I do think there's more value in this class than people may think. But, like, you know, at its. At its worth or on paper, it's not what it was a year ago. So it feels like a letdown. What's not a letdown is this wide receiver group and I spent the vast majority of the last week diving in. Are they all. And I know it's just I've learned to ignore you. I know I'm the king of ruining surprises and dropping hints, but we have. I, the McShay show and the ringer Spotify have some. A bombshell of news to break to you in the next couple of weeks, and we are preparing for that diligently. Let me just leave it at that. So keep an eye on what's. What's going on here in the next couple of weeks. I have been grinding away on these receivers. Here's where I am with it. You ready?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

There are 12 guys, and I'm going to tell Tucker right now, you're going to have to build this. This graphic and throw it up. 12 guys that I see going in the first two rounds. And not like, not like, oh, I think there's a chance there could be 12. Like these 12 guys are going in the first two rounds, barring running horribly at the combine or something. Coming out. Okay. Carnell Tate, Ohio State. Makai Lemon, usc. Jordan Tyson, Arizona State. Denzel Boston from Washington, Chris Brazil, the second from Tennessee, Zachariah Branch from Georgia, Casey Concepcion from Texas A M. Omar Cooper Jr. Indiana. Malachi Fields, Notre Dame. Elijah Surat, Indiana. Jeremy Bernard, Alabama. Chris bell. On those 12 are going.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

There may. There may be another name or two probably from this group that could also go in the first two rounds. Jacobe Lane, usc. Ted Hurst, Georgia State. Dion Burks, Oklahoma. Antonio Williams, Clemson.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. I want to give you a little history lesson here, Menchie.

[A]

Can't wait.

[B]

I dug back 31 years and then I gave up because I was tired last night. All four kids here, plus Owen, who is a wonderful house guest, Tate's friend. It's been a wild house for the last four days. Right. Long weekend, Patriots Patriots day on Monday today. So after 31 years of digging back, that's, that's when I gave up. And we're basically talking, you know, three decades. There have been two draft classes. Two draft classes where there have been 12 or more. And both actually had 13 receivers go in the first two rounds only two times. Three decades.

[A]

You thought that would be a higher number. That's interesting.

[B]

I was shocked. I kept looking. 2022 and 2020, both recently. Right. Shows the, the increased value of the wide receiver position in a pastor pass happy league, but also shows the talent and whether it starts at 7 on 7, the elite elevens, the like Texas high school football, like it's, it's a, it's a nationwide positive epidemic of the passing game. Right. And so when you look at those classes, 13 in both of them. And I'll just read you in 2022, some of the names that came out of that. Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams, Christian Watson, Wandale Robinson, George Pickens, alec Pierce. Right. 2020, Henry Ruggs. Obviously the career, what happened was devastating and tragedy. But Henry Ruggs was the first of that group in 2020 before Jerry Judy, CD Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Brandon Ayuk, T. Higgins, Michael Pittman, etc. Those classes were loaded. Now not all of them hit. You know, there were, there were Traylon Burks and mixed in there and there were Sky Moore's mixed in there. Right. But there were far more guys that hit big time. And even the majority of the guys that didn't hit were still. They've been productive players. So you think about that name, that list I just gave you from Tate Lemon, Tyson, Boston Brazil, Branch Concepcion, Cooper Field, Surat, Bernard Bell. Like there's probably going to be about eight of those guys that are really productive impact players in the league if history repeats itself. Okay. Two guys I wanted to feature today. I might sneak in a little bit on it.

[A]

I was wondering if you're gonna get back to it. I was. It wasn't sure gonna circle back.

[B]

Oh, shut up. What are we. Are you in a rush?

[A]

I just, I was just fascinated to see if I was gonna remind you. I wasn't gonna try to get. Thank you. I was going to remind you.

[B]

I just, I like giving perspective. Like no one's talked about how this could be one of three classes with 13 or 12 plus in the first two rounds in 30 years, three decades plus. Chris Brazil. And I know we've talked a little bit about him, but I just finished his tape. He is a big bodied receiver obviously at 6, 5, just north of 200 pounds. The knock on him is going to be a. He's a Tennessee wide receiver. T. Higgins was like is are we just going to say and I get it from Jalen Hyatt, like there's been guys from Tennessee that have not panned out but none of them have been 6, 5, 200 and move like this guy. I'm fascinated to see what he runs in Indianapolis next week. I think it's going to be in the four fours. But what I do know definitively is there's nobody else in this class, six, four or above that can get in and out of breaks faster that are as fluid and sudden and have the like that urgent movement about them the way that that CB2 does. And then people after Tennessee, the next knock is going to be he only ran nine routes. He only did. There's a, there's one, I think it's against Georgia. There's an out route that he runs against Georgia and everyone like there's the two head top catches that it takes for touchdowns and everyone's going to focus on that when they're highlight packages for the NFL draft. The, the route that he ran and outright out route on the right side when he kind of turned the defender around and absolutely obliterated. Obliterated him and ankles Tim, as the kids would say with his ability to just stop dime corner on rail, no wasted motion, no gearing down like you just don't see many guys do that. And then the third thing people are going to say, well the ball skills, they're not, they're not there. Look at the improvement he made in 2025. He had just two drops. The first was against Syracuse in the opener and it was just a focus drop. I don't worry about focus drops unless they're showing up all the time. This is a focus dropping catch. Trying to get up field first game of the year, trying to do something big. You know, didn't see that again during the year. The second one was, was kind of over the shoulder. He was, it was a handsy situation with the defensive back against Arkansas. He was looking for a penalty. He got a little like thrown off. Should have caught the ball but there wasn't. Like when we watch like Ryan Williams from Alabama, we're like what's up? There's, there's a problem here. When we watched Alec IO Manor from Stanford last year and he had a really good rookie season from where he was drafted. You know, we talk like, is it Lasix? Is it just. Yeah, he's biting the ball okay. I didn't see that from Brazil. And I look at him, he's not an, you know, you think 6, 5, 200 plus, you ex receiver, all that. He's not going to be your number one, your consistent target, all that stuff. He's going to be your Z flanker, but a 6 foot 5 one that gets vertical and opens things up for the rest of the offense. And also if he gets three catches at 17 to 20 yards per catch, that's pretty good day at the office. And one of them might be a chunk or one of them safeties back. Yeah, all of it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think this guy's getting overlooked because we've got a lot of other. Get Carnell Tate and we've got, you know, the two kind of smaller guys compared to Tate, who's 63 and Jordan Tyson. And you've got Makai Lemon, who I absolutely love. You've got all these other guys. I think Brazil's getting overlooked. And you got Denzel Boston, who's a big physical X. You got Malachi Fields, who's I don't think is going to be an X, but he's a big physical receiver. He just looks the part. This guy's different. And I think you bring him in if you get him in the second round and someone who's like competent as a route runner, catches the ball high points. It does all those things. He reminds me of a Christian Watkins. Think about Watkins when he.

[A]

Watson.

[B]

Yeah, Watson. Sorry, I'm. Yeah, I'm gonna roll today, actually.

[A]

Watch it. I love that comp though.

[B]

I love that Watson, when He's healthy, averages 17 yards per catch and 15 of his catches go for touchdowns. That's this guy.

[A]

I also look at this. I don't know, I, I wish I had this number. I didn't know we're going to go this route. There is an analytic, there's some kind of stat about when Watson's on the field and how the rest of Green Bay receivers do like their production and their, their, their separation rates. All that stuff jumps out when Watson's on the field and healthy.

[B]

All right, My next receiver that I think is going to be a high impact player. High. Okay.

[A]

Hold on.

[B]

I'm writing down some notes as we go. Very important stuff. Mitch, stick with it. Zachariah. Zachariah Branch, more of a household name. Everyone knows him. Georgia wide receiver, transferred from usc. This guy's the antithesis of those Big receivers from Denzel Boston to Malachi Fields to. To Chris Brazil ii. He's pint size, right? And it'll be interesting to see what he measured. I think it's going to be like five, nine, right? My gosh, is he different this class. This class has some smaller guys who are explosive. Makai Lemon's awesome, but he's thicker. Thicker build, contested catches.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Jordan Tyson's around 6 foot. He's not small. Casey Concepcion, explosive after the catch. Really good with the ball in his hands. Saw the same thing, by the way, on. Yeah, he did litany like that Florida game, the back to back ones who dropping in traffic looking to look at where the hit's coming from.

[A]

Well, not. Not good.

[B]

I.

[A]

It's reassuring to hear you say no.

[B]

And then you don't want to say.

[A]

That about a receiver if you don't really know. You know what I mean?

[B]

Omar Cooper's another guy. He's around six foot, but I'm saying guys who aren't six one, six twos and taller. Dreamer Jeremy Bernard. There's a, there's a lot of different guys who are really good after the catch slot guys, all that. The thing with Branch is, yes, he had a gimmicky role in Georgia's offense and they did some, some gimmicky stuff with him at usc, but I think people overlook the fact that this guy will separate and he's run an NFL route tree at times and when he does, he does it super effectively. Okay. And you go back to like, don't be confused. He was, it was a pro style system at USC. He had 25 more catches than Makai Lemon. His, his first year when they were both freshmen at usc. Five fewer catches than Lemon when they were both sophomores. So like Lemons, a potential top 15 pick. Branch is smaller and I, I can love Lemon this much and still really love Zachariah Branch, especially where I can get him.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Because it, because it's, it's not going to be in the top 25 picks. I don't think so. It's late first, early second. That means I can maybe potentially go get a defensive lineman or like an edge or an offensive tackle or something like that. And then maybe with the second pick, get a Zachariah Branch or I'm a playoff team from 2025 and I can bring this guy in as another tool, another weapon in the offensive side. I look at, I look at Zachariah Branch, I'm excited to see what he runs. I think it's going to Be in the four threes. But it's more than that. Like his upfield transition is special. And yeah, I've just told you with McNeil Warren, the. That special trade he has like, you know, the, the Our Planet Netflix right before attacking is a predator with him. I love watching guys right before the catch. Run after catch, yak guys, yards after catch, guys, when the ball's coming in, are they already formulating a plan while still focusing and catching the ball? This guy's special at it, man. Watch how many times on tape he catches a quick out route. But he's. But he's kind of stopped because he's so low to the ground. His body control is so good. He's so quick and sudden with his feet and he's. When outruns. You normally catch like this, right? Yeah, he's already like this. Pluck it there and then.

[A]

For those, for those who are listening, Todd's talking about extending. Normally you extend away from your frame branch is catching it closer to with your momentum. Go.

[B]

If you're running an out loud route. Thank you. Out route to the sideline. I always yell at you about this. We do have an audio audience too. An out route to the sideline to let's say the left sideline. Your momentum is going to the left sideline. You catch it, you try to stay in about he, he will have momentum going to the left. Then right before the ball comes in, he starts to shift it back to the right. Well, the defensive back is shooting in with all of his momentum going towards the sideline. And now he doesn't even have to use that speed or quickness to beat this guy. He's beat him by the by pre catch. Okay, so there's that element to it. Then, then is the contact balance. He's pint sized. He's just a tiny guy. He's a gimmick. Watch how many times he bounces off of guys try to tackle on the side.

[A]

Oh, he's a tough dude.

[B]

He's a tough mother man. Yeah. Now nearly everything's a body catch. He's got a tiny catch radius. I get it. When forced to reach and pluck over his head, he's not very reliable. Like there's some things, there's a reason why he's not top 15, right. But I love his toughness. Like pound for pound, if you're going to be undersized, you better be tough and you got to be strong. Okay. And I was just like he's no fear over the middle. I see the report that just came out.

[A]

Sorry.

[B]

Like, I see shades of like, waddle, Jordan, Addison, Rasheed Shahid with like, that bursts, explosiveness, quickness, all that stuff. Oh, I like the Shahid. You know who I really love? You know who I really love as a who? Zay Flowers.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

I like shahid.

[A]

I think I like flower. You're on, man. You're. You're. Yeah. Because the toughest flowers, Tiny, but a lunatic. He is the thorn in my side because I will say to you over and over again, the small guys can't do it. Zay is the one dude who's like, watch me, dude.

[B]

You know he finished seventh in the league in receiving yards with 12.

[A]

I know. Trust me. I keep an eye on it because I know you're. I'm surprised his name hasn't come up before with this conversation. 100%. 100%.

[B]

But like Zay Flowers, that toughness, like with all these guys you worry about.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

He was productive in 2022, but he missed 2023 or missed seven games. What's keeping him on the field? It's this, like, he's strong and he's tough. Like that Alabama catch was 634. Absolutely ping. 634. Fourth quarter, needed it. Tight game, ping pong between two defenders comes up with it. We always talk about Mai Lemon that, that Iowa catch. The contest, so tough. Why can't we say the same things about Branch, who's even smaller? 41 seconds left. Watch this one. 41 seconds in the second quarter, right before halftime. He catches a ball against Florida and gets absolutely annihilated. Bang, bang. And I'm looking my. Please catch. Hold on, holds on the ball, stands up, hands it to the ref.

[A]

I remember this play because I remember him bouncing up and having the wherewithal after getting absolutely smoked. Doesn't, you know, drop the ball. Doesn't, you know, there's no. There's no side effect. He hands it right to the ref and let's go again.

[B]

I think Zachariah Branch is going to be an absolute impact player and I think you can probably maybe get him first 10 picks of the second round if he doesn't go late in the first. Last one, I'm going to get to real quickly. I know I'm doing an additional one. I'm just. I'm just gonna sprinkle this real quickly. And it seems like like on X and social media, this guy. Isn't it funny on social media sometimes maybe one guy says something and then 50 other rats come out of crawling out of their hole with like. He's my favorite. I had him back in September. No, I had him in July. I knew him. I'm so glad that you're. I'm so glad you're coming around. He's one of my guys. Well, I just actually watched the tape and. And I'm not saying he's my favorite player. I'm not. But in a draft class where there's just a bunch of really good wide receivers, he's absolutely one of them. Right. And I think Cooper Jr. Is one of those guys who's 6 shorter than 6:1 when he comes in the combine that is vying for spots in that. Whether it's late for in the top 40. Right. And maybe top 50. And you include in that group Zachariah Branch, who I just mentioned, Casey Concepcion, Jeremy Bernard. Right. Cooper belongs in the top 50 as well. After watching him, and I'm going to just say this because I could go into this whole breakdown. I'm really. I really want to. His contact balance, his toughness. He's the. I'm going to tell you this right Now, Omar Cooper Jr. I'm not saying he's the biggest and maybe he gets the most push and most effective. He's the most consistent, reliable, toughest son of a blocker in this class at wide receiver. And he's. He's strong. He's 6 foot or maybe just shy. But his effort, his angles, his ability to sustain the way he fights is unparalleled. You know who he reminds me of? It took. I'm like, who does this cat remind me of?

[A]

You've been on such a role. Don't mess it up. Now who.

[B]

I'm digging in my brain because he's not in the NFL right now.

[A]

And it's.

[B]

I'm like, oh, my gosh. It dawned on me. Epiphany. Like that light bulb, right? Maybe we can get a light bulb thing like your thumbs up. He's a faster Jarvis Landry. Oh, okay. Do you remember watching the LSU team?

[A]

Landry was a frick man. Yeah, he was.

[B]

You know, Beckham Jr were two of my favorite receivers to ever watch on tape because it was like, oh, you just did something. I'm gonna do something.

[A]

You did this.

[B]

Yeah, you. You caught a tough pass over the middle. I'm gonna do it. You got lit up. I'm gonna go get lit up and hold on. You. You broke off this rope. You blocked that guy on a 70 yard run and you sprung it. I'm gonna do they just fed off each other.

[A]

And it felt like Beckham Jr. Was the more talented guy. But it always felt to me that Landry was the alpha.

[B]

Was. It felt like the alpha and the better one.

[A]

Yeah, it did feel like that. No offense to Beckham Jr. Who was.

[B]

A dude, but yeah, obviously. And Jarvis Landry, like, it was everything except speed. And he ran like, what, a four, six, something? And everyone's like, oh, and he goes on to have a great career at a terrible place in Cleveland where the quarterback situated, but he was like, the guy. So Omar Cooper Jr. Is a faster version. It's like. It's like wide receiver heaven when you start, like, because he's one of my favorite receivers to ever evaluate. And now I got a guy who's so similar in so many ways and is faster.

[A]

So that's why you got to follow McShane X kids. He's got those clips up there. I got. I got a little Cooper Jr. Tutorial this weekend because of at McShade. Thirteen, right?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes. You good? Bench at. You good? Mensch. M U E N C H All right.

[A]

Throw that.

[B]

Breaking news that just came up. I assume that's the case. Tyreek Hill was released by the Dolphins and Bradley Chub today. It's a new regime in Miami. Yeah, they. They're not. They want to get rid of older, injury prone, get money cap money freed up. I don't know the implications is literally coming, but. But I do know Tyreek can be a distraction. His talent is undeniable. One of the most talented receivers, quite honestly, to ever play the game in the National Football League. One of the most explosive weapons of all time. This is not shocking. I think we're seeing a lot of teams right now looking at it and saying, man, those teams and those teams in the championship games, from the Rams to the Broncos to the Patriots to the Seahawks, that want it all, they're freaking there. They were all okay at quarterback, you know, Drake May was just okay at quarterback, barely. Sam Darnold was great in a championship game, but was just okay in the super. You know what I mean? Like, Bo Nix is just okay. And he was in. So they're looking. Stafford's different, but they're looking at this. And every conversation I have in the league and you talked touched on defensive tack, you know, interior defensive lineman. Can we find an impact guy, a pass rusher there? Edge guys, who's my Eamon Worry? Who's my Jalen Petrie? Who's my biggest versatile weapon? Offensive line? You either. You either lived off of it or you died on that sword. Look at what the Rams did with that defensive line, how quickly they turned it around. Young, bring him in in bunches. Load up on that side of the ball, right? Let's get our offensive line squared away and let's be late in the year. Weather's not great. Maybe all that stuff. We've got to be the bigger, badder dude in the alley, and we got to be multiple on the back end. And I think teams are now like, all right, it was awesome with McDaniel offensively and all the things we did, but we just. We can't be that cute, fast, fun team down in South Florida. We gotta. So I think that's where they're going. And I think there's a lot of. I know there's a lot of teams that I talk to in the league that really want to focus their energies, especially in a draft with all those offensive tackles. I'm talking about wide receivers, and they're going to go. But offensive lineman. Chess pieces on defense and defensive pass rushers and guys were just. Disruptors are going to be the theme in this year's draft. Anything else, Mitch?

[A]

Yeah. Listen, we're going a little bit long here. I gotta. I gotta get you to do something. My guy. You're. You keep doing this thing where, like, we don't do this. When you. When you share a conversation, you've had someone in the league or you. I wouldn't. I don't like using the word break. I know you don't like using the word break, but where you. You share information that you've collected and you're like, oh, we don't usually do this. That is 100% what you do. And it's a strength of our. Well, this is. But it's also a strength of our show. Like, it's a strength of the show that you're sharing that information and you're sharing those conversations when appropriate. I think that's great. So I want you to lean into it. We're not tmz. We're not, you know, like one of these gossip. Gossipy, you know, breaking news type place. But we are someone who's going to share information, and we're going to share information that you're not going to get other places. And I don't think we should shy away from that. I think you should lean in. I agree.

[B]

And I think it's what people have come to appreciate and the reason why our numbers keep growing and whether it's James Franklin being Weeks ahead of that, Brian Kelly, Weeks ahead of that, Tyler. I mean, Lane Kiffin, like, actually getting, like, legitimately knowing before as I'm watching on espn. Tyler Shuck, last year at the Combine, breaking all that news on what's really going on with. With. With Sanders, with Shador. Yeah, it's nothing. It's something I didn't do at ESPN because it just wasn't what was asked of me. But I always sat on all this intel and it's what. It's not my most comfortable role in this, but I can tell you this. People I get from, whether it's people in the league, media, audience, I get constantly in the last 15 months, positive feedback on how is it that you get. You're getting this information or you're. You're able to share it and other people who clearly are tied in or not, you know, so I'm also not going to stop doing it.

[A]

I think people are grateful that you do share it because I think there's. There's sometimes in a public opinion that's being developed or shaped by other outlets, for lack of a better way of saying it, and I'm sure there are people in the league that are sometimes frustrated of this. I wish people knew more about what was going on here.

[B]

That's my whole thing with this. Right. My whole thing is if I tried to break new. I'm never breaking news. I'm sharing conversations and information that's going on. That doesn't mean there's going to be breaking news to follow with it. It means this is what's going on behind the scenes. Had I done that at times. And there were times occasionally here and there, but anytime I would say something or drop a hint or be like, hey, might want to pay attention to this, I then would be met by executive producer, an email someone.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In the hallway outside the studio. Like, have we sourced this? And we're the newsroom and I need you to contact this person. And so, like, it creates this crippling, like, mental and emotional effect on you, where it's like, I just don't want to, because now I gotta go, you know, and it's also not been. There's people who are really qualified doing that, and I'm gonna stay in my lane. But here I think people. I think. I don't think. I know people appreciate we're sharing information because it's what's being talked about by the people who are actually making these decisions. And while not everything. I get news for you. I talk to people constantly who Are like, I tried to do this. We really wanted to do this. I gave an offer for this man. We had our eye on this. It didn't work out, but it occupied a lot of our time because we really were trying to do that. And not only do you get that information so there's a backdrop to all of it, you also then start to understand what's really going on in these personnel departments, because I think it's clouded in this whole thing. Like, it's breaking news. This just happened. Well, I promise you, there was a lot of conversations going on, and there's a change of culture and change of things in Miami. And I knew months ahead on Brian Kelly. We knew months ahead and the whole backstory. You see a report on Penn State and $500 million in debt. Could be. Or a billion or whatever. Like what. What. You know what I mean? So I like, I just want our audience to be the most informed because, like, if I'm gonna. If I'm going to spend an hour of my day twice a week or three times a week, and we're going to three times a week after the combine, by the way, then I. I wanted to feel like, all right, it was fun. It was entertaining. I got more draft information, and I kind of know some things that maybe other people don't know or other people aren't sharing. So that's it. I appreciate you bringing that up. We're. We're back on Thursday this week at the combine next week, six straight days, Monday through Saturday. We'll get you all that information. Pumped to be there. It's gonna be the best week we've ever had outside of the draft. It's gonna be the best week we ever had because there's gonna be so many from GM interviews to breaking intel or just a lot the same thing, conversations going on in the league to telling you what these numbers mean and the viral moments and all the fun stuff that happens at the combine. We'll eat out probably five steak dinners that week. Ended up being disgusting mess by the end of it, but we'll work it all off in March. All right, that's it, man. Five stars to you as always, Mitch.

[A]

Thanks, man.

[B]

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[C]

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