Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast explores the Silver and Black offseason, NFL Draft, free agents, drinking games
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00:00 Hi everybody, this is your old pal Uncle Hondo, your Las Vegas Raiders beat writer, and it's
00:07 time for the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
00:11 So glad to be joined by one of my best friends, the great Matt Holadek from the spawn.com.
00:16 Now Matt, I need to ask you quickly, do you have a beverage?
00:21 I have one.
00:23 Do you have one?
00:24 I do, yes.
00:25 Okay.
00:26 Here is why, this podcast is growing exponentially.
00:30 In fact, we're about to break 20,000 subscribers on YouTube and our audio only, everything
00:37 is just booming.
00:40 And nobody was being hateful, but one guy put out a tweet and said, "Hey, we're starting
00:49 a drinking game.
00:51 Every time Hondo uses these terms, we take a shot."
00:55 Now I'm not a drinker, my wife's blood type is mimosa, and so I am going to try hard.
01:03 So I'm going to use these terms one time and try to stay away.
01:08 Instead of germane, take a drink because I said the word, I'm going to say relevant.
01:18 Instead of frugal, not cheap, I'm going to say smart and disciplined.
01:25 Sounds good.
01:31 Maybe I'll mix it up.
01:33 I love the listeners.
01:36 They're so much fun and none of them were being mean.
01:38 No, no.
01:39 Well, that's what makes it fun when you're building an audience like that.
01:43 So I'm going to try hard.
01:45 One guy sent me an email saying about it and I go, I know I'm going to try very hard to
01:52 be careful.
01:53 He goes, no, no, no, no, don't, don't, don't, don't.
01:55 He goes, at least on Fridays, don't.
01:57 So maybe on Fridays I'll throw some of them in there.
02:00 But when I do it, Matt, if you catch it, you got to stop me and we got to take a drink.
02:04 Okay.
02:05 We're both sporting water bottles today.
02:06 All right, let's get right in it.
02:08 The Raiders have been smart and disciplined and free agency.
02:14 They have not wasted money.
02:17 There's still offers on the table for some players.
02:20 Let's start with yesterday.
02:22 We broke Alexander Madison being signed.
02:25 This is a guy that if you just look at stats and we've warned people, don't do that.
02:31 If you just look at stats, you say, well, 180 carries, 700 yards, no touchdown.
02:36 But we all know when Kirk Cousins went down, the box was stacked.
02:42 The only thing they really had was the ability to run the football and he still was able
02:48 to run for a decent average and pick up a bunch of yards.
02:52 Again, they go out and get a guy.
02:54 He's not Josh Jacobs, but nobody said he was.
02:57 He's a quality number two.
02:59 Now is he as good of a runner as Amir?
03:02 No.
03:03 Is he as good of a pass catcher as Amir Abdullah?
03:06 No.
03:07 But what he is, is he's a Swiss Army guy, maybe not a master of something, but a jack
03:12 of all.
03:13 He's a great number two back for what they want.
03:16 It fits right.
03:17 Again, they were smart and disciplined, no drinking, and they get another guy.
03:25 Talk about that and how they've approached this, please.
03:28 Well, I think that when you are looking to build up your running back position, you want
03:34 diversity in terms of skill sets and guys that can do different things, especially when
03:38 you don't have that Del Cal back.
03:43 We've talked about it on here before.
03:44 They wanted Josh Jacobs back at their price.
03:47 When he got the offer he got from the Packers, that kind of ended things there.
03:52 Now I think they're building that room wisely.
03:56 They're not focusing on replacing Josh Jacobs singularly, but they're going to try to utilize
04:02 multiple guys who can do some different things and make up for the loss that way.
04:07 And they believe Amir can be that Del Cal.
04:11 Well, I was going to say, Amir White showed out really well in the last year.
04:16 He showed a lot of potential.
04:17 I think there's a lot there.
04:18 I understand why they're as high on him as they are.
04:22 And now you have a guy in Alexander Madison who's been around and understands what it's
04:25 like to be part of a timeshare and to be part of a rotation there.
04:30 I think you said he could do some different things, so they'll be able to utilize him.
04:36 I think if you're not going to have one of the top-tier running backs, whether it's because
04:45 you let them walk in free agency or you're not going to sign one or you didn't draft
04:52 one, I think this is the way to build up a running back.
04:55 Yeah, I agree with you.
04:57 And now what I think Tom Telesco is doing, and I think he's doing a great job of it,
05:03 he's positioning to the Raiders where they can take best player available and it's not,
05:08 "Oh my God, I've got to have a running back."
05:10 I mean, that is the best place that you want to be.
05:14 They're not a deep enough roster where any position's off the table for selection in
05:20 the NFL draft.
05:22 And so they're putting themselves in a position of, "Hey, every position has players, capable
05:28 players.
05:29 Now we get to go pick the best player available or trade back because we have been smart and
05:35 disciplined and I think it's positioned them well."
05:40 I know fans want to look over and see 15 signings.
05:46 And there are some teams that have a lot of signings, but also those teams have a lot
05:50 of guys, in my opinion, they overpaid for.
05:53 They've got some guys that at the end of their career, you're kind of thinking, "What are
05:57 they doing?
05:58 They could have gotten..."
05:59 For example, the Raiders get Harrison Bryant, the tight end.
06:06 Does he have overwhelming stats?
06:07 No, but he has flashes of showing you what you can be.
06:12 Same way as Alexander Madison.
06:15 They've shown you what they can do.
06:17 Now they need opportunity, but you've gone and got them at a smart and disciplined cost
06:25 that you can move on if they don't prosper, but you've given them that opportunity.
06:30 To me, I just think the way Telesco's done this, I think he's had a great...
06:33 And you know, I don't work for the team and I've not been afraid to be critical of the
06:37 team.
06:38 But that's my job, is not to be a cheerleader nor negative Nancy.
06:42 My job is just to present facts and the facts are Telesco's done a very good job being smart
06:46 and disciplined and setting the Raiders up for the draft.
06:50 And I still think they're not done in free agency.
06:53 I think if you keep saying smart and disciplined, people will be drinking whenever you say that
06:56 next.
06:57 Well, but I've got to change it until they add that to the list.
07:01 Pretty soon there's going to...
07:02 Remember that movie, Billy Madison?
07:05 Oh yeah.
07:06 He calls the one guy and says, "Listen, I'm sorry I picked on you in high school.
07:09 Forgive me."
07:10 And the guy reaches over and it says, "People, I have to kill this."
07:13 And he takes Billy's name off.
07:16 Pretty soon our listeners are going to be watching with this whole list of terms.
07:22 Getting back to the topic at hand, I think that what you saw from the Raiders was they
07:31 had one guy that they prioritized, that they were going to be willing to push the envelope
07:36 and break the bank for it as Christian Wilkins.
07:39 And they viewed him as the type of stud and force multiplier along that defensive line
07:46 with Max Crosby and Malcolm Coons and Tyree Wilson and some of these other guys.
07:52 And I think then what you see after that is another couple of other signings that I thought
07:59 made a lot of sense.
08:01 Bringing back Adam Butler, bringing back John Jenkins, guys like that who played well last
08:07 year and have experience and know your culture, know your system, what you're looking for.
08:14 I think that their approach was, "Let's go all out for one guy that we think is a star
08:21 and we think is going to have the biggest kind of impact on our roster.
08:26 And then let's supplement that with some different signings that can increase the depth."
08:33 Obviously Gardner Minshew increases the competition in quarterback.
08:37 We talked about Alexander Madison, Harrison Bryant, those guys.
08:40 And I think you want to be, no matter what level of the NFL you're at, whether you're
08:45 rebuilding or, let me phrase this differently, if you're rebuilding you have so many holes
08:53 that you might get almost, you know, you're pigeonholed into taking one or two positions
09:01 or you have to take a quarterback or something like that.
09:04 If you're loaded and you're at the top of the league, you have the luxury of kind of
09:08 going best player available and just supplementing your roster that way.
09:14 When you're in the middle and you're building, which is where I think the Raiders are, they're
09:18 not rebuilding, they're not fully loaded, you want to get to the point where you feel
09:24 you can go best player available, where you feel your depth is covered as much as possible
09:29 so you're not pigeonholed into, "We got to go get a tackle.
09:34 We got to go get a wide receiver," something like that.
09:36 And I think that that was kind of the strategy that the Raiders were going for this offseason.
09:42 I want to talk to you about the draft.
09:46 As you know, when I did my first mock, and I get NFL executives' input on my mock, but
09:52 when I did my first mock, I had the Raiders taking J.J. McCarthy as their first pick in
09:58 the second round and said, I had a quote from one executive.
10:03 If the draft were today, this is where you would get him, but we have him as the best
10:07 quarterback in the draft and we think he's going to go much higher by the time the draft
10:12 comes.
10:13 Now, I put out a mock draft last week in which I had the Patriots taking him because that's
10:20 what I was hearing from NFL executives.
10:23 And then bam, yesterday, I think it was the Boston Globe, NBC Sports comes out, they have
10:28 him taking him at three.
10:31 You and I are not surprised because we talk, this is what the talk was in the NFL, but
10:36 J.J. McCarthy, the teams that I know who consistently draft well, told me all along, they thought
10:45 J.J. was, not all along, but they told me after the season ended, after the Alabama
10:51 game specifically, they thought he was the best quarterback in the draft.
10:55 I don't think you're surprised, but let's talk about J.J. McCarthy.
11:00 He's been rising the way that we kind of said we thought he would.
11:05 I wouldn't be stunned if the first four picks are all quarterbacks.
11:10 If you get Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and if McCarthy goes three to the Patriots,
11:16 I wouldn't be surprised after the trade they made last week if the Vikings maneuver a way
11:21 to trade up to four to get Drake May, who may have slipped a little bit outside the
11:27 top three.
11:28 So you can see all four of the big four quarterbacks, so to speak, going right off the bat in the
11:33 first round.
11:34 I think that, and listen, I'll be honest with you, when I started, I'm not evaluating guys
11:42 the way NFL draft people are.
11:45 I don't have the access to the tapes that they have or the access to the interviews
11:49 and things like that.
11:51 But when I started, the draft process began, I remember thinking to myself, and there are
11:57 still times I think to myself, "J.J. McCarthy didn't really need to or didn't show that
12:07 'it' factor for much of his career at Michigan because he really didn't have to, for the
12:13 most part."
12:14 They were better than pretty much every team they played.
12:16 They were able to control games, especially running the ball.
12:21 But there are a lot of NFL people that believe that he will translate better to the next
12:29 level than he did in college.
12:34 They think that his growth, his best football is ahead of him.
12:36 They think that with the athleticism he has, they think he has good enough arm strength.
12:43 They think that obviously he has the intangibles, he's played a lot of big games, he's won a
12:46 lot of big games.
12:49 So I'm not really that surprised that he's rising up draft boards.
12:53 I really do think that he's going to be one of the top four picks, and I wouldn't be stunned
12:58 if the first four picks are all quarterbacks and the draft really begins at five with Jim
13:05 Harbaugh on it, ironically, and the Chargers.
13:09 So let's talk about all that for a minute because my wife and I recently had dinner
13:15 with an NFL executive and his wife that we're very good friends with.
13:18 They were kind of in the area, we were in the area, so we met somewhere and a distance
13:23 for both but close enough that we could do it.
13:26 And he was talking to me, he's like, "Listen, all I had to do was watch him against Alabama.
13:34 I watched him against four high draft pick defensive backs pick him apart.
13:41 He already goes from under center, he's the most pro-ready."
13:47 And I mean, this guy could not quit raving about him.
13:51 And to me, when you look at everything JJ offers, I just think he offers a lot.
13:56 Now let's talk about what you just said.
13:59 Let's assume, I think there's going to be five quarterbacks selected.
14:03 There could be as many as seven.
14:06 I think five.
14:08 I've already told you I predicted 10 offensive linemen, but I think five.
14:14 Now let me share with you.
14:15 So when I did my last mock draft, I had several executives pick as if I don't ask any executive
14:23 to pick for their team.
14:25 Just what do you think?
14:28 And it's funny because they're all like, "Listen, this is who I would pick.
14:31 This is who I need.
14:32 This is a good player, but this team's a perennial bad drafter.
14:35 They're not picking this guy."
14:37 I always find that to be fun and hilarious to me.
14:41 But when you look at this draft, there's going to be some people making bad picks.
14:47 It's why you see certain teams always at the top of the draft.
14:53 And like everyone's told me, it pushes good players down.
14:58 And when you push good players down, it just makes the Raiders more appealing at 13.
15:03 I think they're going to use the pick.
15:05 Okay.
15:06 I think the Raiders will stay at 13 and use the pick.
15:09 But I'm telling you, I am more and more convinced they're going to have a lot of offers to trade
15:15 out of that pick and move down into just a little bit farther, the 17 to 25 range.
15:24 I think they're going to have that chance, maybe even pick up an additional second round
15:29 pick.
15:30 This is going to be a fun draft.
15:32 What are your thoughts?
15:34 Let's say if those first four picks are all quarterbacks the way that we were thinking
15:38 they might be.
15:40 Now your draft starts at five.
15:42 Now you push down all the offensive tackles.
15:46 Pashanu, Joe Alt, Fulaga from Oregon State.
15:52 You push down all the receivers.
15:53 Who forget Fanu?
15:54 Fanu at Penn State.
15:55 I said Pashanu.
15:56 Oh, I didn't hear you.
15:57 Okay.
15:58 Okay.
15:59 I didn't hear you.
16:00 All the receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr., Romain Adunze, Malik Nabors.
16:05 You pushed all those guys down.
16:06 That's six guys that are viewed as potential top 10 picks.
16:11 Studs right there.
16:12 Brock Bowers, who's a weapon, a tight end.
16:15 He's pushed down.
16:16 Well, not necessarily pushed down because he wasn't going to go top four, but that's
16:20 another guy that could be available in that range.
16:23 You haven't even gotten to people on the defensive side of the ball that are potential top 15
16:31 picks.
16:32 The more teams take quarterbacks, the more quarterbacks go early.
16:36 The more it pushes really good players in other positions down.
16:42 I think that that will be fascinating to see because if you're the Chargers, do you stay
16:52 at five and take the best receiver available?
16:55 If you're the Giants, do you stay at six and take the best receiver available?
16:59 They both need receivers.
17:02 Or do you say, "Well, we're not getting the Chargers.
17:04 I don't need a quarterback."
17:05 The Giants wouldn't get one.
17:07 Do we trade down?
17:08 We try to get more assets.
17:10 The same thing goes with another New York team, the Jets at 10.
17:15 The Jets came into the offseason with a big, massive need on offensive line.
17:20 Well, they still could take an offensive lineman at 10, but they don't have the need for it
17:25 as much after a free agency and training from Morgan Moses.
17:30 So it'll be fascinating.
17:32 I think if those four quarterbacks go, that you're going to see teams in the bottom half
17:38 of the top 10 or just outside of it, like the Raiders, start to feel like they're in
17:42 the sweet spot there.
17:43 And that's when more things open up, more options open up.
17:46 And that's when you'll see good teams who are good drafting teams, sitting there in
17:52 the low 20s.
17:53 When I say low 20s, I'm talking 26 to 32, saying, "Okay, we don't normally get to pick
17:59 high, but now there's a guy that we have in our top three or four that's dropped down
18:06 near 13.
18:07 Let's try to make a trade with the Raiders and we'll throw them our bottom of the first
18:12 round and our second round to get up there because we normally don't pick."
18:16 And still, that's pretty cost-effective.
18:17 I think it's going to be a fascinating draft.
18:19 All right, I want to get to another point.
18:22 So talking about the Bulls, when Jim Harbaugh got into coaching, he tells this story about
18:28 Bo Schembeck saying, "Jimmy, are you going to use a tight end?"
18:32 Jim loves tight ends.
18:34 Now, I've had it said so many times, "Hondo hates Jim Harbaugh," when I said I didn't
18:40 think he should be the Raider coach.
18:42 No, I just thought Antonio Pierce had earned it.
18:46 And I don't hate Jimmy at all.
18:47 Like him a lot, covered him a lot, great coach.
18:52 I have been told by multiple people he probably should go offensive line, wide receiver, but
19:03 tight end in his offense is so important.
19:07 And Bowers is a blocker and a catcher.
19:11 I've been told by multiple people, I just can't see Jim Harbaugh going by an elite tight
19:18 end.
19:19 I've been told another tight end is good at him for a few years.
19:22 They can't see him going by Bowers.
19:24 Your thoughts?
19:25 That would be something, because now you have the top five picks.
19:29 You're talking about a scenario maybe where the top five picks are quarterbacks and a
19:32 tight end.
19:34 And now at sitting there from six on, you have all the receivers, all the offensive
19:39 tackles.
19:40 That would be one of the most interesting starts to an NFL draft that I can remember.
19:54 Let's talk about Marvin Harrison and Neighbors.
19:57 It has been universally accepted.
19:59 If Harrison would have come out last year, he was the number one wide receiver in the
20:04 draft.
20:05 Neighbors really had a great year.
20:08 He matured.
20:09 He worked on stuff bigger, faster, stronger this year.
20:14 I have heard multiple teams tell me Harrison's one, but Neighbors is 1B.
20:21 I mean, they said it is a rice paper difference between those two.
20:27 And I know a couple of teams that I think would take Neighbors over Harrison.
20:33 A couple of teams, Tennessee, maybe some others that I'm hearing who would take Neighbors.
20:43 Are you intrigued at watching this grow?
20:45 Because I mean, we all know how good Harrison is.
20:47 It isn't like Harrison's slipping.
20:49 It's just Neighbors is exploding.
20:52 No, it's funny.
20:54 It's one of those things where everybody, people knew when Lee Neighbors was really
21:00 good after the 2022 season, but Marvin Harrison Jr.'s stock was sky high after 2022.
21:07 Because like you said, people were saying, "Too bad he can't come out now.
21:10 He'd be the first wide receiver taken."
21:13 And I feel like the longer you are regarded as the top guy, the more people might become
21:23 a little bit intrigued or fascinated by the up-and-coming people behind you.
21:29 And I can see why.
21:30 I mean, there was somebody, I can't remember who it was, a draft analyst that I read on
21:37 Twitter or X, whatever they're calling it, say, "Listen, I think that Harrison is still
21:43 wide receiver one, probably still the first wide receiver taken, but I could definitely
21:48 see teams having Malik Neighbors ahead of him."
21:51 And it's not a crazy thing if a team takes Malik Neighbors first before Marvin Harrison
22:00 Jr.
22:01 It's not like it's a shocking, massive mistake on paper.
22:05 So it'll be interesting.
22:08 And I know Roma Dunzey is working his way in there too.
22:13 You know what's funny is, as you know, because you and I have done this for so many years,
22:18 I always hear from my NFL guy, "Who are the dudes?"
22:22 And there are a few of them this year.
22:24 But I thought that was humorous that listening to their dude list and just kind of how this
22:32 draft is falling out.
22:33 All right, let's talk about the Raiders.
22:37 They did a lot.
22:38 They were smart and disciplined.
22:41 And I forgot the other, I know what the other word was.
22:44 I don't remember.
22:45 - The names.
22:46 - Huh?
22:47 - Jermaine.
22:48 - No, no, no.
22:49 I know the word.
22:50 I'm trying to remember what I said I was going to.
22:53 You just said it.
22:54 We got to take a shot.
22:55 - Relevant.
22:56 - I'm trying to remember.
22:57 - Relevant.
22:58 - Oh, relevant.
22:59 Relevant, relevant.
23:00 All right.
23:04 So it's very fascinating to me.
23:08 So they kicked the tires on a lot of trades.
23:12 They looked at a lot of guys.
23:13 Is this guy available?
23:14 That guy available?
23:15 That particular superstar that I know that they've looked at.
23:20 And actually it's one particular position, a couple of superstars there.
23:25 I still don't think that those deals are dead.
23:30 I don't, I'm not predicting anything is imminent or they're going to happen.
23:33 I just know that they're looking and a big move there would be a huge deal for the Raiders
23:42 and just how the draft's coming.
23:43 But when you look at how this draft is setting up, to me, this is going to be one of the
23:50 most exciting drafts in my opinion, in my lifetime.
23:57 I was told, and let me get the notes because I want to be specific.
24:01 I was told by an NFL executive last night, I texted him because I knew what we were going
24:06 to be talking about.
24:07 This was my question.
24:09 How deep is this draft?
24:11 This is what he told me.
24:14 There's going to be first round talent that's going to slip well into the mid second round.
24:21 I thought that was big.
24:24 I asked him, is there one position that you think is deep, but deep more in the middle
24:30 and not at the top?
24:31 This is what he said.
24:32 We have no running backs with a first round grade.
24:36 There are a lot of them with low second round and third who will be good backs who could
24:41 develop into something special, but we don't have any running backs with a first round
24:47 grade.
24:48 I thought that was interesting.
24:49 Your thoughts on that?
24:51 We talked last week a little bit, I believe, if I remember correctly, about some positions
24:57 that weren't necessarily as deep as others.
25:01 Linebacker.
25:02 Linebacker, tight end.
25:03 Bowers is the stud.
25:04 After him, there's a dropping off point.
25:08 You're seeing running backs in general get taken less and less early in the draft.
25:15 In spite of that, or in addition to that, I should say, this year's class is not viewed
25:20 as an overwhelmingly great running back class.
25:22 It doesn't have those guys that we've had.
25:25 It doesn't have a Josh Jacobs or a Saquon Barkley or someone like that in it.
25:32 I think you'll see safety is another position, too, where you could see some guys get pushed
25:38 down.
25:40 I think that, you said linebacker, I think it's really deep on the defensive and offensive
25:47 lines, so there's a lot of talent out there with that.
25:52 I think that it's going to be, like you said, it's going to be a very fun draft to watch,
25:58 because I think, especially if we see a mad rush of quarterbacks early on, people will
26:05 get pushed down and you might see some maneuvering for some players that are not necessarily
26:12 slipping, but not necessarily because of anything they did, just because of the way the draft
26:15 board fell.
26:16 All right, let's talk about Sincere McCormick.
26:20 This is a guy who the Raiders sign, he showed some flashes, but not able to get on the field.
26:27 This is a guy that I know that they want to see do something, but this is where the NFL
26:33 is so different.
26:35 You got to earn your lunch.
26:39 You got to make yourself relevant.
26:45 You got to do those things.
26:47 This is a guy that I think could be a sleeping giant, but it's up to him to become that.
26:54 That's the thing I love about the NFL, no participation trophies.
26:59 What you kill, you eat.
27:02 There's an old saying in Michigan where I'm from, "What do you call a skinny man?
27:06 Bad hunter or bad fisherman."
27:09 I just think those are some guys.
27:11 Cole Fotheringham is a guy that showed a lot.
27:13 A lot of people thought he should have been on the roster last year to start the season.
27:17 They put him on the 65 man.
27:20 They didn't put him on the 53 man.
27:22 These are some guys I want to see come eat, but there's talent on this Raider team.
27:28 Some of these guys now are going to have to step up quick and say, "Hey, I'm here and
27:32 I got to eat."
27:33 Definitely, especially if you're an undrafted free agent or somebody that's brought in without
27:40 much of a pedigree in terms of how you were selected or where you came from.
27:49 You're almost a little bit behind the eight ball and you really have to show out.
27:54 There's always room.
27:55 You mentioned with Sincere McCormick.
27:59 Right now, the Raiders seem to have their top two running backs, but is the number three
28:04 job, there's going to be competition for that during the summer.
28:06 Is he going to be a factor in that?
28:09 Cole Fotheringham, same thing with the number three tight end because you think they got
28:13 Michael Mayer, they got Harrison Bryant.
28:15 Is he going to be able to challenge for that third tight end role?
28:19 Every team keeps three at least active on game day for the most part and they use a
28:24 third in certain situations as a blocker or in certain formations.
28:29 I think it's like you said, making yourself indispensable is the key there, whether it's
28:35 on special teams or in certain roles on offensive defense depending on what side of the ball
28:42 you play on.
28:43 That's the key to making an impact, but you won't really know about those guys until
28:50 I think really until you get into training camp.
28:53 You'll see flashes of them during OTAs and you'll hear some things, but training camp
28:58 is when you start to see where those guys come from and then when they get into preseason
29:03 games because that's who the preseason games really matter for.
29:08 I was asked on a national radio show last night about some guys and who you expect seeing
29:14 really to emerge in OTA and mini camp.
29:17 I explained to them there is no contact.
29:19 Everybody looks good.
29:20 If you look bad in OTA and mini camp, you're going to look like crap in training camp,
29:27 but if you look good in OTAs and mini camp, it means nothing.
29:30 Once the pad comes on is when you start playing real football.
29:34 I want to stay on that vein a little bit because I was talking to a young man who's going to
29:39 be drafted by somebody.
29:43 Today's Tuesday, right?
29:45 Today's Tuesday, right?
29:46 It is, yes.
29:48 So Sunday, I was talking to a young man I've known for a while who's going to be drafted
29:53 and he said, "Any words of advice?"
29:56 I said, "Yes.
29:58 Jump in and take all the extra reps.
30:00 Don't worry about hurting the vets' feelings.
30:04 Jump in there.
30:05 The guys who are the vets that have already made it, you're going to tell who the superstar
30:09 is because they're going to be like, 'No, rookie.
30:10 You're not taking my rep,' but the guys that are comfortable will let you and the guys
30:16 that are fighting like you, most of them are too timid to jump in and just take reps."
30:21 That's one thing about Jacory Bennett, the cornerback out of Maryland last year that
30:25 I really respected with the Raiders.
30:27 He kept jumping in and taking reps.
30:30 Trey Tucker, the wide receiver, kept jumping in and taking reps.
30:34 That is one thing people don't talk about the most.
30:38 When we talk about, "You got to eat.
30:41 You got to be aggressive.
30:42 You got to jump in there and take extra reps.
30:44 You got to jump in there."
30:46 I remember watching Jacory Bennett last year.
30:49 He would jump in and take reps against Devontae Adams where he knew, "I'm going against Devontae
30:56 Adams, the best wide receiver in the NFL.
30:58 I'm going to look stupid and I don't care.
31:01 He's going to make me better."
31:03 I love that.
31:04 Coaches love that.
31:05 That's an important part coming up, isn't it?
31:08 It is.
31:09 I think that's how you – it's a fine line because obviously you don't want to be seen
31:13 as a try-hard or somebody who is at risk of hurting your teammates or taking things too
31:21 seriously, but you want to make sure you put yourself out there and you're not afraid of
31:25 the competition and you want the team to see what you can do.
31:29 Here's the thing.
31:32 If you're somebody who's drafted, whether it's in the first round, sometimes the sixth
31:40 or seventh rounders are a little bit more vulnerable, but if you're somebody who's
31:44 drafted in the first five rounds, you're probably going to make the team as a rookie.
31:51 Even if you're a fourth, fifth round pick, you're going to make the roster as a rookie.
31:56 You're safe in terms of, "All right, I'm not getting cut, but how do I show that I'm
32:01 capable of helping this team on game days with the reps I have?"
32:05 Go all out and like you said, don't be afraid to take extra reps and don't be afraid to
32:10 challenge yourself because at the very least, your coaches will see this kid isn't afraid.
32:16 He knows what we expect of him and he's ready to at least show that he's willing to go out
32:22 there.
32:23 It's a little different obviously with undrafted guys because you're a little lower in the
32:29 totem poles.
32:30 You really have to show out with the limited reps you get, but even with that, you can't
32:34 be afraid to challenge yourself.
32:36 You can't be afraid to fail because you're behind the eight ball already and you're not
32:41 expecting to make the roster, so you might as well, you're playing with house money.
32:46 Thayer Mumford, first of all, the Raiders got him in the seventh round.
32:50 What a steal.
32:52 He's been able to hang around.
32:54 He's played really well filling in for Colton Miller last year at left tackle.
32:59 They wanted him to beat out Jermaine Illumina at right tackle, but he didn't, but he brings
33:03 versatility.
33:04 He can play both guards, both tackles.
33:07 That's a great example of a guy.
33:08 A seventh round pick and in fairness, you're hoping your sixth and seventh round guys can
33:15 make the practice squad.
33:17 That's your hope to be developed.
33:19 Anything above that is gravy and the fact that they were able to get there, he stuck
33:24 around, he fights and scraps.
33:26 That's a guy I'm rooting for too.
33:28 That's a guy I'd love to see do some things and when he's gotten chances, he's made the
33:33 most of it.
33:34 All right, I want to ask you right now, if the draft was today and you're the Raiders
33:42 at 13, four quarterbacks have gone, Bowers is out, you can't trade up or down.
33:51 You got to make the pick at 13.
33:53 Matt Holadik, you are the general manager.
33:55 The selection is in.
33:56 Who do the Raiders take?
34:04 I think they go, put me on the spot because I don't know if I'm ready to name one guy
34:08 yet.
34:09 I think they go the best available, you know what, I'm going to say they go cornerback.
34:20 I think they go cornerback.
34:23 I think that there's a good shot that they're going to trade.
34:26 I mean, they're going to get a corner in free agency, but I don't think it would preclude
34:33 them from picking a corner or you never know if they were to pick up a corner another way.
34:40 Matt, in honor of, I only used each word once and it was only to describe it.
34:48 Cheers.
34:50 For all of you that did the drinking game, your boss and your spouse thanks me for keeping
34:57 you sober.
34:58 Hey Matt, tell everybody where to find you on X.
35:01 Sure, you can find me at Matt Holadik, 919.
35:05 M-A-T-T-H-L-A-D-I-K 919.
35:06 And like I said, I've already had a bunch of Raider fans join me there and start following
35:16 along.
35:17 I appreciate any following interaction I get.
35:18 So come find me.
35:20 Don't forget, follow me on IG @HondoSR on X, formerly known as Twitter @HondoCarpenter.
35:27 Have a great day.
35:28 A lot of things happening, good things happening around the NFL and around Raider Nation.
35:33 Matt, stay on the line, I want to talk to you.
35:35 We'll see you all tomorrow.
35:36 Oh, it would be nice if I knew how to turn this thing off.
35:39 Let's try it again.