In today's episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast with Nick Cattles, Greg and Nick give their full mock drafts and discuss what the Patriots may do with their premium draft position. That, and much more!
Check Greg's Coverage out over at www.bostonsportsjournal.com, for $50 on BSJ's annual plan. Not only do you get top-notch analysis of all the Boston pro sports, but if you're a Patriots junkie — and if you're listening to this podcast, you are — then a membership at BSJ gives you access to a ton of video analysis Bedard does on the coaches film, and direct access to him in weekly chats.
This episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast w/ Nick Cattles is brought to you by:
PrizePicks! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy!
Check Greg's Coverage out over at www.bostonsportsjournal.com, for $50 on BSJ's annual plan. Not only do you get top-notch analysis of all the Boston pro sports, but if you're a Patriots junkie — and if you're listening to this podcast, you are — then a membership at BSJ gives you access to a ton of video analysis Bedard does on the coaches film, and direct access to him in weekly chats.
This episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast w/ Nick Cattles is brought to you by:
PrizePicks! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy!
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 This is the Greg Bidard Patriots podcast with Nick Cavins.
00:07 This episode is brought to you by PrizePix, the largest daily fantasy sports platform
00:12 in North America.
00:13 Download the app today.
00:14 Use the code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100.
00:20 And if you like the pod, love the pod, want to support the pod, go over to PrizePix.
00:25 Sign up using that code CLNS.
00:28 And it will help us tremendously.
00:30 We're going to do a little bit of a mock draft today, Greg, in a little bit.
00:34 We'll go back and forth dueling mock drafts.
00:37 But first, just a couple of headlines.
00:39 Let's start with Tom Brady lighting the social media world on fire on a podcast saying that
00:45 he would be open to returning.
00:47 Your thoughts on that?
00:53 So this isn't the first Hall of Fame level quarterback who just like couldn't stay away
00:59 that I've covered, you know, linking Brett Favre into this.
01:05 Here's what I don't get about it.
01:07 Isn't he trying to buy a piece of the Raiders?
01:09 Like isn't that like getting closer from what we heard?
01:13 So like once that happens, like he's done, like it's, it's, it's not happening.
01:18 And you know, he's older now, he's been out of it.
01:21 He look, maybe if this ownership thing drags on, maybe if he gets, if there's a big injury
01:27 to a team, like say the San Francisco 49ers or something like that, you know, could it
01:32 happen?
01:33 There's a whole timing element also, like you know, there's as at a certain point, you
01:39 can't sign those type of players.
01:42 So I mean, I don't know.
01:44 I think I think Brady's just bored, really?
01:46 Yeah, I think he's bored.
01:48 Couple of things I took from this.
01:49 Number one, are we ever going to get to a point understanding that Brady is aging like
01:55 all of us and he would now be 47 as a starting quarterback.
01:59 And I know the last time we saw him, he was playing pretty well, but the dude has not
02:02 played in more than a year and he would be 47 years old in August.
02:07 Like at a certain point it runs dry a little bit.
02:11 Okay.
02:12 The milk goes bad.
02:13 Charlie Murphy, like at a certain point you just don't have what you used to have.
02:16 And yeah, but Nick, Bill's gone.
02:20 So just check us.
02:21 He's going to come back now that Bill's gone and he's going to lead us back and we can
02:25 just draft Drake May and he can sit behind Tommy until he's 55 years old.
02:30 And that's my second takeaway.
02:32 I said this on my podcast today.
02:35 We all just need to move on.
02:37 Yes.
02:38 Media need to move on.
02:41 Fans need to move on.
02:43 Just like that old girlfriend or boyfriend you have back in the day and you have these
02:48 lovely thoughts of how the relationship was passionate and it was great and you were both
02:53 young living your best lives and you just completely forget about the current reality
02:58 coming off of a four wind season, completely new coaching staff on the offensive side,
03:03 offensive line questions, especially at left tackle, wide receiver questions.
03:07 Don't have a true number one guy.
03:09 It would be 47 year old Tom Brady coming back to the 2019 Patriots.
03:14 Does anybody want to see that?
03:15 Why?
03:16 Why do we why do we make glory out of this thing?
03:19 Like, like, move on.
03:21 Move forward with your lives.
03:23 It's a sad state of affairs when you're sitting there hoping that a 47 year old quarterback
03:27 is going to come in and save you.
03:29 Look towards the future.
03:30 Look towards the youth.
03:32 Bill Belichick's not here.
03:34 Brady's not here.
03:35 It's all just move on.
03:37 Speaking of moving on, J.J. McCarthy, the buzz continues, Greg.
03:42 What is happening here?
03:44 Is he legit going to be a top five guy or are people just putting in overtime to build
03:48 this dude's case?
03:49 Well, a couple of things I'll say about this.
03:54 Number one, like we talked about last pod, if Mack Jones was drafted 15th overall, which
04:02 I think was accurate at the time, I still think it holds no matter what happened the
04:06 past two years.
04:08 Then do I think J.J. McCarthy could be, say, a top 10 pick or 10 ish pick?
04:15 Absolutely.
04:16 I think that he is a better overall prospect than Mack Jones was when he came out of Alabama.
04:24 So that's point number one.
04:27 Point number two is, as we know, there's a lot of desperate teams for quarterbacks, you
04:33 know, off the top of my head, the Giants, the Vikings, the Raiders, let alone the teams
04:40 in the top three.
04:42 So those just immediately come to mind as like, you know, also the Broncos, the Saints
04:48 possibly.
04:49 So and do I think that J.J. McCarthy is, if not solidly number four, he's at least in
05:00 that area as far as number of quarterbacks, you know, slotting them in this draft.
05:06 So I think there's some legitimacy to it.
05:11 Now where I just disconnect from the conversation altogether is the talk of him going two or
05:19 three.
05:20 I just, I'm sorry, I don't see it.
05:23 Like if I'm drafting a quarterback in the top three, I need a guy who is going to elevate
05:30 the team, like not Brock Purdy, not Brock Purdy souped up or Mack Jones souped up, like
05:37 which is what I think.
05:38 I think McCarthy is a good prospect.
05:40 And like I said, I think he's a better prospect than Mack Jones was.
05:44 However, I still think at the end of the day, he's a guy you win with because what's around
05:51 him like, you know, plop him into the San Francisco 49ers.
05:54 Like I think he does really well, you know, put them on the Bengals.
05:58 Does he do well?
05:59 Yeah, probably.
06:00 But for these teams, the commanders, the bears, the Patriots who are building these things
06:08 from the ground up pretty much, I don't think he makes much sense.
06:13 And, you know, compared to the enormous upside of Drake May, who you can say, if we do things
06:19 the right way with him, this is a guy who can carry a team.
06:23 He can get us out of third and 15.
06:25 He can bring us back from, you know, 21 points down in the second half.
06:30 I just don't think JJ McCarthy is that.
06:32 So for me, that's where the threshold sort of breaks.
06:36 And Nick, one thing I wanted to bring up, and it's sort of a developing opinion for
06:40 me, and this is in terms of breaking news.
06:46 In terms of, you know, there's a lot of, let's just call it, there's a lot of buzz around
06:53 JJ McCarthy and the Patriots.
06:57 Tom Curran has changed his tune on JJ McCarthy.
07:01 Michael Holley has changed his tune on McCarthy.
07:04 Our own Mike Giardi has changed his tune on JJ McCarthy.
07:09 There's also some national voices out there like Charles Robinson and others.
07:15 My developing opinion is this.
07:19 I think that the linking of JJ McCarthy to the Patriots is coming from Gerard Mayo.
07:27 I don't think it's too difficult to draw the lines on why that might be.
07:36 Now I have no problem with that.
07:38 And you know, if these guys are talking to Gerard Mayo, God bless them.
07:42 You know, they're really good at their jobs.
07:44 The question I have, and I think this is the essential thing, and we talked about it in
07:49 the last podcast where I talked about when I covered the Dolphins, somebody very high
07:54 up in the Dolphins straight up lied to my face.
07:56 Somebody who I had a really good relationship, I was pretty close with, had never steered
08:01 me wrong, straight up lied to my face about their interest with Brady Quinn early in that
08:07 draft.
08:08 So my question is this.
08:11 Is what's being put out there, is it legit?
08:15 Or is somebody like Elliot Wolfe saying, you know, Gerard, why don't you go out there?
08:23 Why don't you put out there that we're really interested in JJ McCarthy just in case, just
08:27 in case it might get us, you know, maybe teams get antsy.
08:31 You know, the Vikings might kick in an extra first round pick.
08:35 You know, we're not really interested in doing that, but who knows?
08:38 Well, Gerard, you have really good relationships with the media.
08:41 You were in the media.
08:44 Why don't you go out there and put it out there like that?
08:47 We love JJ McCarthy.
08:48 And you know, now that being said, I don't think that Gerard Mayo, when he talked about
08:54 Drake Mays floor at the owners meetings was playing chess, not checkers.
09:00 Like I think he, I think he was repeating what he had heard in the building from the
09:05 scouts from Elliot Wolfe, perhaps on, on JJ, on, on Drake May.
09:12 Yeah.
09:13 And so I don't know.
09:15 I I'm just curious.
09:16 It's a developing opinion and I'm curious, like what you think about it.
09:21 Here's my developing opinion.
09:22 And it kind of goes hand in hand with, with what you just said.
09:25 I said it on my podcast earlier today.
09:29 I get the feeling because so much has been said about the Patriots, this idea of moving
09:35 out and maybe trading.
09:38 Every time I hear about the Patriots might trade, it's always followed by, but it's going
09:43 to be really difficult.
09:44 They love all the guys there.
09:45 It's going to take a lot.
09:47 I think Elliot Wolfe loves one guy in this draft as far as the third pick.
09:52 I don't know who it is.
09:54 I don't know if it's Daniels.
09:55 I don't know if it's may.
09:56 I don't know if it's McCarthy.
09:58 My gut tells me it's may, but he loves one guy and everything we keep hearing about JJ
10:06 McCarthy, this JJ McCarthy, that JJ McCarthy, this JJ.
10:11 I think it is a case of if our guy is not there at three, we're moving out and we are
10:17 going to try to get as much as we can.
10:19 So let's keep pumping the tires of all of these quarterbacks to make people believe
10:25 they're going to really have to overpay to get our pick.
10:29 I think Wolf has one guy in mind and I think everything else is a bunch of crap and I don't
10:34 even know if a lot of people in that building know which guy Wolf wants right now on a plane.
10:39 They do.
10:40 Yeah.
10:41 Nope.
10:42 So I think he loves one dude and I think all of all of this is a smoke screen and it's
10:46 trying to get teams desperate to battle themselves amongst each other to move up to three and
10:52 get that quarterback that they want if Wolf's guy is not there.
10:56 So if Drake may goes to, I could see Wolf say, all right, best offers doesn't mean that
11:01 he's going to move out.
11:03 If he doesn't get a great offer, then maybe he doesn't move out.
11:05 But that's my developing opinion that all of this stuff we're hearing is a bunch of
11:10 noise.
11:11 Wolf has one dude amongst the group of quarterbacks.
11:14 If he's there, he's picking him.
11:15 If not, he's hoping for a godfather offer.
11:20 I do not disagree with any of that.
11:23 All right, let's move on to our mock draft.
11:26 The dueling mock draft.
11:29 Going to go one through thirty four.
11:32 So we're going to have some fun here.
11:33 It's not going to take forever to go through each pick, especially the picks that we both
11:37 feel really good about.
11:39 So let's start with that.
11:40 Let's start with the Chicago Bears.
11:42 The number one pick in the twenty twenty four NFL draft.
11:45 Greg Bedard is Caleb Williams.
11:48 No doubt.
11:49 I'm with you.
11:50 Caleb goes one.
11:51 Now we have some fun.
11:53 Washington commanders on the clock.
11:55 Adam Peters is there.
11:57 Dan Quinn is there.
11:59 The new owner is there causing all sorts of issues.
12:03 Who did the commanders go with at number two?
12:07 I think it's Jaden Daniels.
12:08 I just think that he is he takes care of the ball.
12:12 You have the running element.
12:14 I think you pair him with Cliff Kingsbury and what he likes to do offensively, along
12:19 with, you know, Dan Quinn maybe not wanting to swing big because he's a defensive minded
12:25 head coach that he doesn't want to get too far off, you know, sort of the conservative,
12:34 you know, tight reins for the quarterback.
12:36 I think I think Daniels with his his accuracy and his running ability to me, it pairs perfectly
12:42 with what they're doing and with Washington, along with the GM Adam Peters, you know, who
12:46 remember was instrumental in the Trey Lance pick.
12:50 And so I think he's going to look at Jaden Daniels and be like, this is what I thought
12:54 Trey Lance was going to be.
12:55 But this guy has the goods.
12:57 I'm going with Jaden Daniels as well.
13:00 Cliff Kingsbury, I would imagine, wants to be a head coach again.
13:06 So how many years does he have in Washington as the OC?
13:09 Do you draft a guy who might take a year or two to fully develop and Drake May?
13:13 Or do you draft the guy right now with the legs, a la Kyler Murray, a little bit that
13:18 starts week one that is experienced and ready to roll?
13:23 And then you get the full Cliff Kingsbury experience for the first couple of years.
13:29 You've got Dan Quinn who wants to win.
13:31 This is his second shot as a head coach.
13:33 I don't think Washington will be as patient as New England will be with this process.
13:38 I think they draft the more experienced guy, the more ready guy and the better fit.
13:43 I think within Kingsbury's offense and that's Daniels.
13:46 Okay, that's leads us to the Patriots at number three.
13:50 The third pick in the 2024 NFL draft selected by the New England Patriots, maybe unless
13:56 they make a trade.
13:57 What happens, Greg?
13:58 Who is it?
13:59 The New England Patriots are sticking at number three and they are turning the card in, or
14:05 at least I am on behalf of the Patriots for Drake May, quarterback, North Carolina.
14:10 I just think, I just think there's just too much upside there.
14:19 I see a lot of similarities between Drake May and Brett Favre, who Elliot Wolfe's dad
14:27 basically made his career, put himself into the hall of fame with the trading for Brett
14:33 Favre, size, speed, ability to make plays on the run, great arm strength.
14:43 I just think that in terms of swinging big and what I know of Ron Wolfe and it's been
14:51 built into Elliot Wolfe, they believe in swinging big at the quarterback position.
14:57 I think that here's the other thing, and this is related to JJ McCarthy and why I would
15:05 do it if I was the Patriots, especially if I'm Gerard Mayo from Elliot Wolfe.
15:10 Like, look, I think everybody realizes that Drake May is going to be a work in progress.
15:16 Could he start week one?
15:17 Sure.
15:18 Yeah, he could.
15:19 Is it more likely he starts at some point during the rookie season?
15:23 Yes.
15:24 I think that time that there aren't going to be huge expectations for Drake May year
15:30 one and you're building this thing and the way they've done it, it looks like the Patriots
15:37 are building this thing systematically and methodically.
15:43 Drake May makes perfect sense to grow with this team that's going to be better in 2025
15:48 and 2026.
15:52 Pushing May and saying at the outset that we're going to develop this kid and he's
15:56 not going to play until he's ready, that buys this regime more time.
16:01 It buys them time with the fan base.
16:05 If they go JJ McCarthy and it's because of his high floor compared to Drake May, then
16:13 that dude needs to play right away and people better see results or else they're going to
16:19 be really grumpy, especially if Drake May goes to Minnesota in this scenario.
16:25 If the Patriots pass on Drake May and he gets Kevin O'Connell and he gets Justin Jefferson
16:31 and he's lighting the world on fire and meanwhile the Patriots are muddling along in a 5-1 season
16:36 with Mac Jones 2.0.
16:40 To me, I just think Drake May, he's so young, he's so inexperienced, he didn't play a
16:48 ton in high school because of COVID, only played two years in college.
16:54 Dude is just a, he's a baby and he's just a, he's a piece of talented Play-Doh that
16:59 if you're Alex Van Pelt and, and TC McCartney and Ben McAdoo, yeah.
17:08 And Ben McAdoo who stood on the table with the Giants for them to trade up and get, um,
17:16 what the hell's wrong with me today?
17:17 Um, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes.
17:20 Yeah.
17:21 Only the greatest player in the game today.
17:24 Um, I slipped my mind.
17:27 Uh, uh, yeah.
17:28 So I just think that if those guys are worth a salt in terms of developing a quarterback
17:34 and I know that they are, then I don't see how they can pass on all the tools and all
17:40 the potential that Drake may has and says, give us two years in this kid can be really
17:47 something and, and, you know, pushing those elite guys in the NFL.
17:51 So to me, they got to go direct may at three.
17:55 Agree with you.
17:56 Swing big swing hard, take the risk, take the gamble, look at the potential, look at
18:01 the high, high ceiling, the natural traits, the, just the arm, the frame, all the things
18:06 we've talked about.
18:08 And that's why I said a little while ago, I think, you know, my gut tells me that may
18:12 is the guy who will flops because of all the things you just mentioned, Greg, going back
18:17 to the old school days in green Bay.
18:19 And if may gets picked by the commanders, I think Wolf is wide open to do whatever he
18:23 thinks is best.
18:24 It could be moving down.
18:26 So I say Drake may is the guy at three price pitches.
18:30 America's number one fantasy sports app with more than 3 million members.
18:33 It is the easiest and most exciting way to get on the action while you watch your favorite
18:38 sports and players.
18:39 You just pick more or less on two or more player stats and watch the winnings roll in
18:43 price picks is so easy to play.
18:45 I can make my Celtic picks and make my entry in less than 60 seconds.
18:50 Quick withdrawals and easy gameplay and an enormous selection of players and stat types
18:54 of what makes price picks the number one fantasy sports app Celtics and NBA fans.
19:00 You can get in on price picks in 30 states across the country, including California,
19:04 Texas and Georgia on price picks this week.
19:06 I'm selecting Jason Tatum to dish out more than five assists and his teammate Jaylen
19:11 Brown to have more than 22 and a half points.
19:14 Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit matchup to $100.
19:20 Pick more, pick less.
19:22 It's that easy.
19:23 Price picks.
19:24 Fourth pick in the draft, the Arizona Cardinals.
19:30 Do they stay?
19:31 Do they stay at four?
19:32 Greg, what happens at four?
19:34 They stick and they pick Marvin Harrison.
19:36 I just don't see why the Vikings would feel the need to jump the chargers and go to four.
19:45 So I have the Cardinals sticking and taking Marvin Harrison Jr.
19:50 Even though it's very close with Malik neighbors, who probably has a little has more upside
19:55 than Marvin Harrison.
19:57 But with Marvin Harrison, you know, it's almost no doubt a pro bowl, all pro borderline at
20:03 the very least Hall of Famer at the end of his career.
20:06 It's a very boring draft so far, because I agree with you, Marvin Harrison Jr.
20:10 Going forward to Arizona.
20:13 I got a trade for number five.
20:16 I got a trade.
20:17 I guess so does Greg.
20:20 And I want to tell people Greg and I did not talk about that.
20:22 He literally sent me a text like 45 minutes before we recorded this and said, we'll do
20:27 a mock draft today.
20:28 I've got the Vikings moving up to five, making that deal with the chargers.
20:33 Chargers move down.
20:34 I've got the Vikings selecting J.J. McCarthy quarterback out of Michigan.
20:38 Ding, ding, ding.
20:40 Same thing here.
20:41 Yeah, I just think it's they have to get a quarterback.
20:43 I think he's more plug and play.
20:45 I think it'll be better in that scheme.
20:47 And with those players like we talked about and that offense and that coach, then Drake
20:53 may will initially with the Patriots.
20:57 And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
20:59 And people shouldn't be.
21:00 And I know we're going to hear it.
21:02 There's going to be the whole comparisons.
21:03 Here's a picture of Drake May sitting on the Patriots bench.
21:06 And here's J.J. McCarthy leading the Vikings over the Packers and Jordan Love.
21:12 We're going to hear all about that.
21:14 But I don't care.
21:15 It's not about next year.
21:16 It's about land.
21:17 I said it last podcast.
21:19 It's about three years out, five years out, 10 years out.
21:23 And I'm I'm OK with that.
21:26 I'm OK with May.
21:29 Yep.
21:30 We totally, totally agree.
21:32 And let's not forget, like McCarthy, he goes to the Vikings.
21:35 He has Justin Jefferson.
21:37 He has Jordan Addison.
21:38 He has a better offensive line.
21:39 Like he has more to work with.
21:41 So it's a perfect situation for him.
21:43 I don't think New England is a perfect situation for him.
21:46 I think May is the perfect guy for the Pats because they're both kind of on the same timeline.
21:51 You don't have to rush.
21:52 You don't have to have that crazy urgency like Minnesota does, because Kirk went down to
21:57 Atlanta.
21:58 All right.
21:59 Number six, the Giants.
22:00 Who goes there?
22:02 Number six is Malik neighbors.
22:04 I think the Giants are horny for a quarterback.
22:07 I think they'll try to trade up possibly into the into the bottom of the first round to
22:13 get one.
22:14 I think they would.
22:16 And I heard Michael Lombardi say this on his podcast, and he knows those guys, or at least
22:20 he knows Dayball pretty well.
22:22 And he said like Dayball and and Sean and Shane, the GM absolutely love Drake May.
22:29 They see a lot of Josh Allen in him.
22:32 Both of them did the thing with Josh Allen.
22:35 They would love to get their hands on Drake May.
22:38 So, you know, maybe maybe the Giants get really creative with the Patriots.
22:44 But I have them sticking where they are and taking neighbors who might be at the end of
22:50 the day better than Marvin Harrison going outside the box here.
22:53 I'm staying with wide receiver and look, I would probably lean Malik neighbors, but I
22:58 got a little bit of a wrinkle here.
23:00 I got Roma Dunes a go into the Giants out of Washington.
23:03 I don't think there's a huge amount of separation between these three wide receivers.
23:07 A lot of people talk about Marvin Harrison Jr. and he is the best receiver in this class.
23:12 But neighbors a little bit, you know, less refined than that guy.
23:16 A dunes a I think he's ready to go.
23:19 He's ready to go.
23:21 He's terrific.
23:22 Catch point.
23:23 Good hands.
23:24 He can he can kill you in the red zone.
23:27 Just a number of tremendous catches downfield.
23:30 I think a dunes a is if you were to compare him to somebody, DeAndre Hopkins ask in his
23:36 game and I like him.
23:37 So I'll go Roma Dunes a there.
23:39 All right.
23:40 The Tennessee Titans no longer Mike Vrabel leading this charge.
23:44 What do you got?
23:46 Rand Carthon continues his dream offseason, especially in the opinion of many Patriots
23:53 fans by grabbing Joe Alt the tackle.
23:57 So if if Will Loves is worth anything, they got Calvin Ridley in free agency, along with
24:05 they also beefed up other pieces on the offensive line.
24:09 They got did they get luxurious need?
24:12 Was that them?
24:13 Yes.
24:14 Yeah, they got luxurious need.
24:15 They get the cornerback.
24:17 They get the wide receiver.
24:18 Now they get the best tackle on the board.
24:20 And so good job on Rand Carthon.
24:23 Hopefully we'll love us is worth a crap.
24:25 Yeah, we agree.
24:27 Joe Alt going seventh to Tennessee.
24:30 Perfect fit.
24:31 They need a tackle.
24:32 All the best tackle in this draft.
24:33 I watch a ton of them at Notre Dame.
24:35 I don't miss a Notre Dame game.
24:37 Dude is young, still has tons of potential is just a giant.
24:40 He's like six, eight, six, nine, just a huge, massive human being.
24:44 So I've got all right.
24:45 Number eight.
24:46 I've got a trade.
24:47 Greg got a trade at number eight.
24:49 I've got the Chargers who moved down to 11 with the Vikings.
24:53 I've got them jumping back up to eight.
24:57 Got the Chargers moving up to eight with a trade via the Falcons.
25:00 Who do they want?
25:01 And I have them selecting to lease for Wagga offensive tackle from Oregon State.
25:06 Tim Harbaugh, big believer in the trenches.
25:09 He doesn't get alt because they moved down, but he gets for Wagga and gets his offensive
25:15 tackle of the future.
25:17 So he's happy and they still have pick 23 coming up.
25:19 So I've got the Chargers moving up for the young offensive tackle.
25:23 What do you got?
25:24 Good player.
25:25 So I have the Falcons sticking and taking Dallas Turner, the edge player from Alabama.
25:31 Their pass for inches stunk for years, and so I'm getting them some help there.
25:36 All right.
25:37 Chicago.
25:38 Number nine.
25:39 Well, you got Caleb Williams at number one.
25:41 What do you do at number nine?
25:42 Greg Roma, Dunes, a pair him up with Caleb Williams.
25:46 They get to grow together.
25:48 Great start for Chicago there.
25:50 I don't think this happens, but I've got Malik neighbors going nine again.
25:53 Flip flop the dunes and neighbors.
25:55 So I've got neighbors.
25:56 All right.
25:57 Jets at number 10.
25:58 I look at the Jets.
25:59 I know they brought in Morgan Moses.
26:01 I know that they brought in Tyron Smith.
26:04 Both guys long in the tooth.
26:06 I think they're looking tackle.
26:07 I got Olu Fashinu from Penn State at number 10.
26:11 I don't hate it.
26:13 I can definitely see that logic.
26:16 I just think the Jets are only focused on this year and this year alone, and they'll
26:22 worry about everything later.
26:23 And for that reason, I am taking Brock Bowers, tight end Georgia to pay to pair with Aaron
26:30 Rogers and everything else they have on that team.
26:32 All right.
26:33 So the 11th spot, Greg, you will have arrows.
26:36 You will have the Chargers, right?
26:38 But that trade.
26:39 Yep.
26:40 I made the double trade there.
26:41 So I've got the Falcons sitting at 11 and I go with what Greg said with the Falcons.
26:45 I've got Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama getting drafted at number 11 by Atlanta.
26:50 Who do you have?
26:51 The Chargers drafting at 11.
26:54 So we're thinking similar.
26:56 You traded up for the tackle.
26:58 I'm staying put at tackle and taking J.C.
27:02 Latham, right tackle, Alabama, Alabama tackles, not the greatest history under Nick Saban.
27:09 Yeah.
27:10 Going to the NFL.
27:11 But I like the idea.
27:12 All right.
27:13 Denver, Denver at 12.
27:14 Greg, we all know they need a quarterback.
27:17 Is this where they get their quarterback?
27:19 I don't think so.
27:20 I think it's it's too rich for the other guys.
27:23 I think that Sean Payton will hold off and he will take Quinion Mitchell, cornerback
27:28 Toledo to pair with Patrick Sertan to sort of boost that defense a little bit.
27:33 All right.
27:34 So a number 11, I had Turner from Alabama going number 12.
27:37 I've got Terry on Arnold, Alabama cornerback, same position, Arnold above Mitchell here.
27:43 But I've got them going corner at number 12.
27:45 All right.
27:46 The Raiders, another team looking at quarterbacks.
27:48 Greg, what do they do?
27:49 Yeah, I think they're going to bypass on the quarterback here as well.
27:54 I don't think whether it's Bo Nix or Michael Bennett, actually.
28:00 Yeah.
28:01 Or Michael Penix.
28:03 I think they think it's they don't think they're a huge upgrade over Aiden O'Connell at this
28:10 point.
28:11 So I have them sticking and beefing up a tackle.
28:15 They don't have really anything coming back at right tackle.
28:19 So I have full of God for what's his name for Wagga for Wagga going here to the Raiders.
28:29 Greg's got full Google for Google.
28:31 I'm all messed up today.
28:33 It's the weather.
28:34 I'm so long.
28:35 We freaking weather shit weather.
28:37 All right.
28:38 I've got I've got another cornerback.
28:39 I go back to back, belly to belly with cornerbacks here.
28:41 I got Quinion Mitchell, the guy that Greg had going 12 to the Broncos.
28:44 I've got going to the Raiders out of Toledo.
28:46 All right.
28:47 I've got 14 New Orleans Saints.
28:51 Olufuseyono.
28:52 Oh, yeah.
28:53 Tackle Penn State going here to the Saints.
28:56 Trevor Penning hasn't lived up to the building a building.
29:00 They are going to throw him into the mix and see what happens.
29:05 I've got them going offensive line as well.
29:06 I've got Troy Fautanu from Washington.
29:09 A lot of people thought he might be a guard.
29:11 His measurables were a little bit better than that.
29:13 He could play tackle.
29:14 I've got Fautanu going to the Saints at 14.
29:18 The Colts, Chris Ballard sitting there.
29:20 He's looking at the clock.
29:21 He's looking at number 15.
29:23 What's he thinking, Greg?
29:25 I have Arnold, the cornerback from Alabama, going here.
29:28 They are desperate for cornerbacks with the Colts.
29:31 And you had him going earlier, but I have him going here to the Colts.
29:34 All right.
29:35 They are desperate for a cornerback, but because Arnold and Mitchell are both off the board,
29:39 I think they look at the other guys and believe their reaches.
29:42 Cooper Dejean might be a name, but I think that's a little too high for Dejean.
29:46 So I'm going to go with the Colts selecting Brian Thomas Jr.
29:49 Another need for them.
29:50 Wide receiver, LSU.
29:53 Can really stretch the field vertically.
29:55 Not the best route runner right now, but if you work with him, you develop him, he could
29:59 be dynamite.
30:00 I think a lot of people would agree that Brian Thomas Jr., or as the kids are calling him,
30:05 BTJ, is behind the top three receivers in this draft.
30:09 All right.
30:10 16, Seattle Seahawks.
30:11 Fountain, the guard/tackle.
30:18 I think the Seahawks just did...
30:21 Their tackle is sort of underachieved last year.
30:23 I'm not looking to replace them, but I'm throwing this guy in the mix.
30:27 He's just, to me, he's the best offensive lineman on the board.
30:31 I'll figure out the positions later.
30:33 The Seahawks could definitely...
30:34 I mean, they need a lot of help at guard.
30:36 If he ends up at guard, ain't nothing wrong with that.
30:39 Well, Fountain is off the board for me, and they do need help at guard, but they're not
30:43 going to reach for a guard here.
30:45 Instead, they're going to look at another need.
30:47 They're going to go and say to themselves, "Man, oh man, can't believe this guy's dropped
30:51 all the way down to 16.
30:53 He really is a top 10 talent."
30:54 Hit me with it.
30:55 We're going to go at Brock Bowers, tight end Georgia, going to the Seattle Seahawks.
31:00 So Bowers slides down to 16.
31:02 They say, "We are not going to let him slide anymore.
31:04 We're drafting him."
31:05 So Bowers to Seattle.
31:06 All right.
31:07 17, Jacksonville Jaguars.
31:08 Let's go.
31:09 Let's go.
31:10 Jaguars pick up Cooper DeJong.
31:12 Cornerback safety, Iowa can play just about anywhere.
31:16 They need to beef up their defense.
31:19 I just think he's the right player on the board.
31:23 They brought in other wide receivers, so they don't need a ready replacement for Calvin
31:27 Ridley.
31:28 That's definitely tempting in that spot, but I'm going defense for them.
31:32 All right.
31:33 Reach alert.
31:34 Reach alert.
31:35 This is the first time we go, "Uh-oh.
31:36 We got a reach alert, everybody."
31:38 Jaguars are pissed that they lost Calvin Ridley.
31:41 They say, "We're going to go out and get a wide receiver, and we're going to overdraft."
31:45 Not by much, but I think people will see this as a reach.
31:49 Greg's favorite receiver in this draft, A.D.
31:51 Mitchell.
31:52 Adonai Mitchell out of Texas, goes to Jacksonville to replace Calvin Ridley.
31:57 That's 17.
31:58 All right.
31:59 18, Cincinnati Bengals.
32:00 I thought you were going to say Xavier Worthy.
32:03 18, the Bengals select Byron Murphy II.
32:08 Defensive interior, three technique out of Texas.
32:14 I just think they need a little bit better from the pass rush from the inside to offset
32:19 the guys on the outside.
32:21 I think he'd be a good fit for the Bengals, who have always, over the years, they've always
32:26 had really good interior defensive linemen, and they need to restock there.
32:30 Yeah.
32:31 D.J.
32:32 Reeder went to Detroit, so Cincinnati loses him.
32:34 Makes a lot of sense, Greg, which is why I also had Byron Murphy II going to Cincinnati
32:38 at number 18 out of Texas.
32:41 All right.
32:42 19, Sean McVay, the Rams.
32:45 What are they thinking?
32:47 This might be a little bit of a curveball.
32:49 This might be one of the shocking picks of the first round.
32:52 Oh, I like it.
32:53 But the Los Angeles Rams select Michael Penix Jr., quarterback, Washington.
32:59 Oh, baby.
33:01 I think he would be awesome in that scheme.
33:03 I just think I think he would be tremendous in that scheme.
33:07 Look at you, but Dard Panic's going to the Rams.
33:10 All right.
33:11 I'm going to go boring.
33:12 I got Jared verse.
33:13 They need an edge edge out of Florida State.
33:15 His story is terrific.
33:16 Not a highly recruited guy.
33:17 Comes from a small college, moves up to Florida State, does all the things right.
33:22 Produces on the field.
33:23 I've got Jared verse going 19.
33:24 All right.
33:25 Number 20, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
33:27 Brian Thomas, wide receiver LSU.
33:30 He'll probably go before this, but this is just the way this this shook out.
33:33 I love Brian Thomas.
33:35 I think he's I think he's awesome.
33:38 And I think he's sort of the next really good Steelers receiver.
33:42 All right.
33:43 So I've got somebody here that I think makes a lot of sense for the Steelers.
33:49 They need interior offensive line help.
33:52 I've got Jackson Powers Johnson from Oregon.
33:55 Yeah, I like it.
33:56 I think he's a good fit for Pittsburgh.
33:58 So I've got him going there at 20.
33:59 All right.
34:00 Twenty one.
34:01 That would be, by the way, the Dolphins, Nick, the Dolphins at twenty one.
34:08 The Dolphins at twenty one.
34:10 So I am going this probably won't work out this way, but, you know, out goes Christian
34:17 Wilkins incomes.
34:19 Zerhan Newton, defensive interior Illinois.
34:25 Big big beefy interior lineman.
34:27 I'm going to go with back to back interior offensive lineman.
34:30 I'm going to go with Graham Barton out of Duke going to Miami.
34:35 They just lost Hunt.
34:36 So you can play him at center.
34:38 You can play him at guard.
34:39 They need help there on that offensive line.
34:41 So I think he gets picked by Miami at twenty one.
34:44 Philadelphia Eagles.
34:45 Interesting team.
34:46 Howie Roseman always cooking something up at twenty two.
34:50 What's Roseman do this year?
34:52 He's getting some help for that secondary, which was a flaming disgrace at the end of
34:58 last season by grabbing Nate Wiggins, cornerback Clemson, Nate Wiggins.
35:05 I think he's being overlooked a little bit.
35:08 I liked him early in his career.
35:09 I just feel like the feeling about him is he tailed off a little bit towards the end.
35:15 But if you asked me a year or two ago, I'd have been like, that guy is going to be a
35:17 stud top 10 pick top 12 pick.
35:20 So all right.
35:21 What else you got going on?
35:22 I think Howie Roseman, I always think offensive line and defensive line.
35:27 And I got him going with the Marius Mims, somebody who is, you know, raw, projected
35:31 to be possibly a special tackle talent at twenty two.
35:36 I think Roseman says, oh, if this guy was drafted next year, he's a top five pick top
35:40 eight pick.
35:41 And he goes with the Marius Mims to help out that offensive line.
35:44 All right.
35:45 The Chargers at twenty three for the both of us here.
35:47 Of course, the Chargers in both of our mock drafts dealt with Minnesota.
35:52 Minnesota moved up to draft J.J. McCarthy.
35:56 So the Chargers sit at twenty three.
35:59 I have them taking because I don't want them on the board when the Patriots are picking
36:05 a D. Mitchell wide receiver, Texas.
36:08 All right.
36:10 So I've got you know, you go into this draft if you're L.A. and you've got two big needs,
36:16 you've got tackle and you've got wide receiver.
36:18 I took care of the tackle with Fawaga at eight, moving up with the Falcons.
36:23 I'm going to go with another guy who is probably going to be seen as a reach, but.
36:29 With the speed with the four point two one forty.
36:33 His ability to make big plays.
36:35 I've got Xavier Worthy wide receiver, Texas, one of the Chargers, so they walk out with
36:39 their offensive tackle and their young wide receiver.
36:42 All right.
36:43 Twenty four Dallas Cowboys.
36:44 How about them cowboys?
36:47 I got to tell you, Nick, we just lost Tyron.
36:50 I didn't like that very much.
36:53 So I'm getting his replacement.
36:55 Amarious Mims tackle Georgia.
36:58 Oh, I like that.
37:00 Amarius Mims again.
37:01 I had Mims going a few spots up, a few spots up, just a couple away from what you just
37:06 did.
37:07 You know, I think we're on the same wavelength here, right?
37:10 You lose Smith.
37:11 We all know Jerry Jones.
37:13 He is absolutely, absolutely in love with offensive line play and tackles.
37:21 And so I think they do go tackle.
37:23 And I'm going to go with Tyler Guyton tackle out of Oklahoma as the Cowboys pick there
37:30 at twenty four.
37:31 A team that Greg used to.
37:34 Work with.
37:35 Beat writer used to cover them out in Green Bay.
37:39 We got the Packers at twenty five, Greg.
37:43 So I'm not going to project it here, but.
37:48 I would I'm just going to point out, I would be on alert for a possible Patriots trade
37:52 up to the spot, you know, Gutekind and Wolf used to work together.
37:57 Yes.
37:58 You know, but they could also be looking for the exact same position here.
38:01 And I think they will be.
38:03 And that's why I think Gutekind gives Elliott Wolf the stiff arm and says, nope, I am taking
38:10 Tyler Guyton tackle Oklahoma.
38:13 Mm.
38:14 I like it.
38:17 I like it.
38:18 I've got the Packers look that they need a little bit of help in that in that secondary
38:22 a little bit.
38:24 They did get they got McKinney, right.
38:26 But I'm going to go with Cooper Jean.
38:28 I think Cooper Jean, he could go higher than this.
38:31 He slides down a little bit.
38:33 He's got a lot of versatility.
38:34 He can play outside.
38:35 He can play on the back end at safety.
38:38 Very, very good athlete.
38:39 I'll go Cooper Jean at twenty five.
38:40 All right.
38:41 Twenty six.
38:42 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
38:44 I have a lot to the edge from UCLA going here.
38:48 The buzz is that he's going to go a lot earlier.
38:51 I don't know.
38:52 I don't I don't see it.
38:53 Do I think he's a good player?
38:54 Yeah, I think he's a good player.
38:55 But top 20, top 15 ish.
38:58 I don't think he's that impactful.
38:59 He's a little light for me, but I think he fits perfectly with what the Bucs do.
39:03 So he's the pick for the Bucs.
39:05 All right.
39:06 I've got the Bucs going with Jordan Morgan, offensive tackle slash offensive guard out
39:10 of Arizona.
39:11 They need some help on that O-line.
39:13 So that's who I've got them going with.
39:15 Twenty seven Cardinals.
39:17 This is where I have Jared Verse going.
39:20 You had him going earlier, which he probably will.
39:23 But he was on the board there and I think he fits with what the Cardinals do.
39:28 Same wavelength looking at edge.
39:29 The guy you just drafted for the Bucs.
39:31 I've got going to the Cardinals loud to lot to edge out of UCLA.
39:34 All right.
39:35 At 28, the Buffalo Bills, they do not move up.
39:38 Some people think they'll be looking to move up, but neither Greg nor I have them moving
39:42 up in this draft at 28.
39:45 Are they looking receiver, Greg, or are they looking somewhere else?
39:48 They are.
39:49 They're getting their Steph Diggs replacement with Troy Franklin, wide receiver, Oregon.
39:54 I just it's not fair to Troy Franklin, man, but I got a Taekwon Thornton PTSD.
39:59 I just not fair to him.
40:02 But all right.
40:03 I've got I've got the bills going receiver too, but I do not go with Troy Franklin.
40:08 I go at Ladd McConkie wide receiver out of Georgia.
40:11 A lot of versatility can play inside, can play outside.
40:14 Very good route runner.
40:15 Underrated athlete, as we saw at the combine.
40:17 So I got McConkie going to the bills.
40:20 All right.
40:22 Number twenty nine, Greg.
40:24 Detroit another spot.
40:26 Yeah.
40:27 I've got a spot, Nick, where the Patriots, if if there's somebody on the board that's
40:32 lingering there, that's at the top of their board, that's still there.
40:35 I do think that the Lions would be open for business at twenty nine.
40:40 I am not trading up here as the Patriots, but I have the Lions sticking and picking
40:47 Xavier worthy wide receiver Texas.
40:51 I've got Detroit sticking and picking as well here at twenty nine, and they just lost Cam
40:57 Sutton because of that situation legally going with him.
41:00 They released him.
41:01 So they're looking at cornerback.
41:03 I know they brought in Carl Davis via trade.
41:06 I understand that.
41:07 But I'm going to go with more defense.
41:09 I'm going to go with Nate Wiggins, somebody who probably should go higher than this.
41:13 Lions see the value and they draft Nate Wiggins cornerback out of Clemson.
41:17 All right.
41:18 Number 30, the Ravens.
41:19 I have a trade ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
41:21 Now, this is this is going to be controversial because the Ravens need an offensive tackle.
41:26 And I understand that.
41:28 However, Eric, the cost is very good at his job.
41:31 There are tackles in this draft.
41:33 I think the cost says I don't mind sliding down four spots with the New England Patriots.
41:40 I think the Patriots see a young tackle that they like a lot.
41:45 Somebody who is big athletic has a great family tree.
41:50 Grandfather drafted by the Patriots in 1972.
41:53 Look it up, kids.
41:54 Google it.
41:56 Somebody who played in a wide and mid zone offensive scheme at BYU.
42:01 He is somebody who has that potential might take a year or two to fully get him going
42:05 with Scott Peters and Rob Kugler.
42:07 But I've got the Patriots trading up to the 30th pick so they can leapfrog the 49ers who
42:12 are also looking for offensive tackle help and drafting Kingsley Suamitia from BYU.
42:19 I like the thinking, as you'll see in a few picks.
42:26 Like I said, I did consider trading up with Detroit.
42:29 I do think that the Ravens and Eric DaCosta, because I think he's very comfortable in his
42:36 evaluations, is fine moving down a few spots and picking somebody else.
42:42 But I have them sticking and helping their cornerbacks, which seem to get injured all
42:50 the time.
42:51 And they're always dealing with injuries at cornerback.
42:53 I just don't think that they can afford to pass on Kool-Aid McKinstry, cornerback Alabama.
42:58 I mean, not a better name in the draft, right?
43:01 Yeah.
43:02 Kool-Aid McKinstry's got to be the best name.
43:06 And speaking of Kool-Aid, I got Kool-Aid going 31 to the 49ers.
43:09 Again, the 49ers need offensive tackle help.
43:12 I think they look at this and they say, "Ah, there's really nobody here that's worth swinging
43:16 for 31.
43:17 The Patriots jumped us, damn it.
43:19 They got Suamitia and Morgan's off the board and Guyton's off the board and Mims is off
43:22 the board.
43:23 So let's just go with some Kool-Aid out of Alabama.
43:26 Kool-Aid McKinstry at 31 for the Niners."
43:28 All right, 32.
43:29 I've got to trade, Greg.
43:30 Well, let me give you my 31 pick.
43:33 Oh, that's right.
43:34 I'm sorry.
43:35 I get so excited over my trade.
43:36 Sorry.
43:37 Yeah, so this is where I have Graham Barton going to the Niners.
43:42 While he's not exactly a tackle, I think he's more of a guard, but I do think he has that
43:47 versatility and when I see Graham Barton, I just think of him in a 49ers uniform and
43:53 it just fits.
43:54 All right.
43:55 Now, I'll get to my trade where I just was so excited to share this that I wanted to
44:02 railroad Greg's 31st pick.
44:05 The New York Giants trade up.
44:07 They trade up with the Kansas City Chiefs.
44:12 Giants want a quarterback.
44:13 They're looking quarterback.
44:14 Now remember, earlier in this draft, the Giants landed Roma Doonzay.
44:19 Greg had them drafting Malik Navers.
44:22 So they got their stud, young, wide receiver, one in town, ready to roll and they draft
44:29 Bonic's quarterback out of Oregon to grab that fifth year option on the rookie deal
44:36 at the most pivotal position in the draft.
44:39 So I've got the New York Giants trading up to 32 and drafting Bonics.
44:45 I thought you were going to go Penix there with a Doonzay and Penix reuniting in the
44:50 big Apple.
44:51 I just sort of thing.
44:52 I like Nick's better than Penix.
44:54 I do.
44:56 The health thing scares the crap out of me and some other stuff, too, but I just, you
45:01 know, for storyline, I should have gone Penix.
45:03 I like that, though.
45:04 Penix with a Doonzay.
45:05 But I go Bonick.
45:06 Yeah.
45:07 Yeah.
45:08 I don't know if he's a fit for what Dayball does.
45:09 I would have to think about that longer.
45:10 But I have the Chiefs sticking and taking somebody who you already drafted.
45:16 I think he would be perfect for the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes.
45:20 Now that I remember his name again, and I just think Ladd McConkie from Georgia would
45:26 just be plug and play for the Chiefs and be an upgrade on what they had last year.
45:32 And so, yeah, but I could see the trade down because guys like Ladd McConkie, there's so
45:37 many of them in this draft that that they could definitely trade down and get somebody
45:42 good deep receiver.
45:43 All right.
45:44 So that does it for my mock draft.
45:45 But Greg's going to go to 34 since the Patriots pick at 34.
45:48 I had the Patriots moving up.
45:49 So let's go to Carolina.
45:52 Carolina with the first pick in the second round.
45:54 Greg at number 33.
45:56 I have them taking Xavier Leggett.
45:58 Yes.
45:59 Leggett.
46:00 Leggett.
46:01 Leggett.
46:02 Wide receiver, South Carolina.
46:05 I think that the owner will push on them to get Bryce Young, you know, one of those big
46:12 sort of alpha outside receiver types.
46:17 And he basically stays in the area from right down the road at South Carolina.
46:22 And so, yeah, so that leaves me to the Patriots.
46:26 I just I decided not to trade up.
46:29 I sort of took a risk that my guy, our guy, your guy would be there, that other people
46:37 would pass on him and he would be there.
46:39 But I am going also with Kingsley Summa Matia.
46:42 Is that I say that right?
46:45 I go, Sue, Matia, but, you know, Sue, Matia, potato, potato.
46:50 Yeah.
46:51 So they get their quarterback at three.
46:54 They get their future left tackle at thirty four and they're cooking with gas.
47:00 And as soon as they trade for a wide receiver one after the draft with a future pick, now
47:06 we're talking.
47:07 The Patriots are back, baby.
47:08 There you have it.
47:09 Our mock draft, by the way, this episode brought to you by prize picks largest daily fantasy
47:13 sports platform in North America.
47:15 Download the app today.
47:16 Use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to 100 bucks.
47:19 Make sure you let Greg and I know how much you hate our mock draft.
47:22 We're looking forward to that.
47:24 You can check out Greg at B.S.J.
47:26 Fifty bucks for the year.
47:28 Mike Giardi as well.
47:29 Tag team and Patriots coverage.
47:31 Everybody have a great weekend.
47:32 Be well, be safe.
47:34 Don't get yourself in trouble.
47:36 We'll be back early next week.
47:37 Who knows what's going to happen?
47:40 It's really, truly the silly time.
47:41 I mean, we've been saying it, but just wait.
47:44 When you get 10 days to two weeks left before the draft, shit gets out of control.
47:50 So just get ready for the silliness to get ramped up.
47:52 He's Greg.
47:53 I'm Nick.
47:54 Goodbye.
47:54 [music]