From Thirty for Thirty Podcasts. Brian Patter, senior defensive lineman from Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with Tabaki.
This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest. We had to kill our monsters.
Murderer. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck.
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Now, on with the show. Jack you switch it! The golden goal from the... the United States. This is the Rich Eisen Show.
Duke! Duke gets it done! From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Today's guests, ESPN NFL analyst Lewis Riddick, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Billis. ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak.
And now, it's Rich Eisen. Oh, yes, everybody. Welcome to this edition of The Rich Eisen Show live on ESPN. Hello, ESPN audience, Disney Plus and the ESPN app audience. That's our regular audience, 12 to 3 Eastern.
Every single day, we say hello to you. And ESPN Radio, we're on every day on SiriusXM Channel 80 as well. 844204, Rich, number to dial. It is NFL Scouting Combine Week. As soon as this is over, we are running.
to the airport. Actually, we're going to be running to the car to take it to the airport where we're hoping to run to our plane and get to Indianapolis in time for not one, not two, not three, but four shows for the rest of the week from the downtown convention center. Coaches, general managers, media members, and so much more every single day, 12 to 3 Eastern time. 844204 Rich is the number to dial. Louis Riddick, who will be in Indianapolis, is going to be hanging out with us.
Prior to that, in about 20 minutes' time, Jay Billis, who called Duke's win over my beloved Wolverines on Saturday, will be talking about a big college basketball weekend as Arizona and Houston also had at it. And we'll see, you know, it's about a month, I would imagine, until Selection Sunday goes down.
So Jay's going to join us on all of that. Ben Solak wrote an outstanding primer for all NFL fans looking through the combine and then the free agency season that's right after... after it, just two weeks after the combine's over is when the new league year begins.
So there's going to be a lot of change in the National Football League. He wrote a great primer for everybody out there who wonders which players are available at the Combine or through free agency on ESPN.com or the ESPN app. He's on an hour number three when we're on on ESPN too. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you?
What's up, man? You and I just finished Overreaction Monday, the podcast, and that's going to be sitting there on our YouTube channel, Lickety Split, as well as however you get your podcast. DJ Mikey. D is indeed nuts. Mike Deltu folks.
Good morning, bro. Good to see you. TJ Jefferson back from his WWE walkabout in Connecticut. Good to see you, sir. How are you?
I'm fantastic, man. How are you guys doing? We're doing great. As we mentioned, 844-204-Rich is the number to doll. The sporting event of the weekend, as we all knew it would be, leading into the weekend, once Team USA met.
The challenge to get to the gold medal game to wrap up the Winter Olympics against Canada. Here we go. And we knew it would be something that all of us out here in Southern California would have to set our alarms to get up to check out at five in the morning, eight in the morning Eastern time, Milan time drop in the puck between these two time two sides that To use the old Keith Jackson phrase, plane don't like each other. And the last time we saw these two teams essentially go at it for all of our viewing pleasure was the. Four nations.
When um There is dropping of gloves. Over and over and over again.
Now, I didn't think we'd see that in these Olympic games in the gold medal game. But what we did see Just a few minutes into this contest, let everyone know.
Okay. It's on. It's on and cracking. And it was when Tom Wilson... laid a big hit on Dylan Larkin.
And you know Bodies flying, skates in the air. You know, ice shards flying. Here we go. It's on. just as we suspected it would be.
Two sides going for the same medal. And who opens the scoring? Who cracks the scoreboard first? But Team USA, Matt Boldy, what a move. He puts on two defenders.
Can you believe Taking a look at this shot right here, guys, that it's Team USA that's about to score. No. Who? Absolutely not.
Okay, so Boldy splits two defenders by flipping the puck forward, basically passing it to himself. And then He pops it into the net. Six minutes into the first period, and Team USA is up 1-0. And that is when. They're goaltender.
Connor Hellebach. Your Hart Trophy winner from the Winnipeg Jets. Start standing on his head. and start saving everything known to man. This one from Connor McDavid on a breakaway just halfway through the second period looked like.
This was a tie game. Until it wasn't. And then Team USA, after watching Hellebucks, start to build a brick wall in between the pipes. Kills off a five on three penalty. A power play.
for Canada. Two Americans in the box at once. And Team USA Kills this one off. to keep a one-nothing lead intact until Cal McCarr fires one past Hellebuck with at the 1816 mark of the second period to make it One, one. The equalizer going into the third period.
Now, I'm just wondering, as you're watching this and you're watching Hellabuck Stop Everything, as I mentioned, No Man, didn't you think this thing would be Todd going into the third period? I mean, I know you were hoping that it wouldn't be, but it kind of felt that it would be. Yeah. And Fittingly. Here goes.
The gold medal game. With 20 minutes of action to decide it, or at least we thought at the time. And This is the moment. For me for the tournament. Here.
where Devon Taves has what appears to be an open net. And I don't know how the hell. Did Hellebuck get his stick around? Right? It's his stick.
Yeah, it's his stick. Yeah. This shot right here, it looks AI. Again, that stick wasn't there. He had to swing it around.
Now, it could have hit anybody, and it couldn't have been. You know, it was right there. For him to just flip out. And He saves it.
Now, Kenny Albert, who had an incredible tournament calling the action, his initial call, naked eye, is that he thought the puck just slid through the crease. And then we come back and see on the replay, he didn't slide through the crease.
Somehow Hellaba got the paddle on it. and saved it. And then With 1541 left in the third, here comes the 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini. Another save by Hellabuck. And then The break.
How many times do you think Nathan McKinnon would miss the open nut on his forehand. Once Well, the one time. Was look how big it is. You're like, God, is he not bad? Is he missed?
Honestly, you give him 99 more tries, he makes it every single time. Every single time. Oh, yeah. But at least he got a stuffy out of it. That was quite a moment.
I mean, what are we doing? Um. Bop. Over time we go. Over time we go.
And in overtime, you know that was an oh, what's more likely, right? Going on Friday? It was. What's more likely? Are we going to see overtime?
We're going to see a blowout, right?
Well, or you see overtime again. Yep. Why not the women winning overtime?
Now the men need to come up with a golden gold to match the women. who had already done it, And Jack Hughes. who had already lost a chiclet. Earlier on in the third period, Before That penalty got killed off by the Canadians only to be called for his own high stick. with mere seconds to go in regulation.
a penalty that His mates killed off to, by the way, go 18 for 18 in penalty kill. in the Olympic tournament. Jack Hughes starts the rush. By preventing McCarr or McDavid, could you imagine if McDavid had a one-on-one scoring opportunity in overtime? He saves that with a poke check.
To get it to Zach Werenski. Who fights off of all people, McKinnon, to find the guy who started the rush, Jack Hughes, by himself? And he did not miss. The golden goal. one forty one into overtime.
And Team USA on the fourth, get this. On the forty sixth anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, The last team to win gold. For Team USA and the Olympics. In 1980. When Jim Craig saved 36 of 39 shots against the Soviets.
On that anniversary. Team USA. Comes up with a golden goal. That in part or large part is possible because their net minder Saved 41 of 42 shots. To have Team USA come out with a gold medal.
And Jack Hughes. Whose brother Quinn? lit the lamp in overtime. Two games before. to get Team USA further along.
The Hughes Brothers from the great state of Michigan. celebrating afterwards On the podium with um With Hughes walking everybody through his crazy, crazy evening. My first thought was: draw the penalty. Actually, my first thought was: I looked down the ice and saw my teeth. I was like.
Like, here we go again. I know the last time that happened, it wasn't very fun, but um. Yeah, like I just thought, you know, we got an elite first power play. Four minutes, I thought they were going on the ice and gonna score, and that was gonna be the gold medal game. Then, uh, Obviously, I come on the ice and I take a penalty.
I pictured myself on bar stool being like the the like the guy that America hates 'cause Canada scores in the power play. And I was like, oh my god, here it is. And Larks and Nelson, you know, did an unbelievable job on that penalty kill.
So just Glad we we got out of that that pickle I put us in, and then obviously, um Over time, anything can happen. I mean, they have very skilled players, we have very skilled players, it's just up and down the rank, you know. kinda like a a little grudge match, like who's gonna make the first mistake, who's gonna give up the first odd man rush and um just a good play by Larks and Z getting up the ice and then obviously Z found me. The toothless Jack Hughes. Amazing.
Um Want to point this out because you know obviously Well, we're talking about the celebration about the anniversary and the miracle on ice and it happening because who can forget, you know, the Jim Craig. Moment. Who could forget those guys? We don't. Who could forget the moment in the locker room afterwards when they were celebrating with J.
Edgar Hoover? Yeah. That All of the conversation that's going on about this team. I do want to point out what happened right after the game on the ice. I don't know if there was a dry eye in the House.
No chance. out of the stands and put them His four-year-old daughter Noah and two-year-old Johnny Jr. with them. and his sweater. We all know Johnny Godreaux couple summers ago killed by a motorist while he was riding his bike on his wedding weekend.
Okay. And just to see those kids out there and celebrating like this on the ice, there was not a single dry in the house. And, you know, I thought. Again, Mike Tarico's comments afterwards? Did you see his soliloquy afterwards talking about how?
Um Kids everywhere. Watching These guys do their thing just in the same way everybody out there on the ice where those kids watching Team USA make it. only a certain length into their hockey experiences over the last forty-six years and how They should go out and live their dream. Did you see this video that made it around? of peewee hockey players in the state of North Carolina.
going through their games and learning in the middle of their games. Go ahead and roll it. You use it as B-roll here. Learning during their games that Jack Hughes had just scored a golden goal. You see this?
They just stopped playing and started celebrating with their own teammates. Watch this. See this? Like they had just won. Yeah.
The goal. Like, this is clearly what it's about, and that maybe these kids one day will be out at future Olympics as well, remembering these moments, pounding their sticks on the ice. I can't get enough of it, right? Like, it's the real feels. You know, and Torico did nail it.
He nailed it. While watching that, I'm like, he's so good at his job. And two, I need to solve World Peace to have a shot at the Emmy next year after I saw that. Yeah. You know?
Maybe I can Get in a locker room and celebrate with somebody. I think we can make something I didn't win. Listen. It is truly one of those moments Where you won't forget where you are. And the Olympics still are that.
And certainly this. Miracle. on ice 46 years ago, but having um as a way to Celebrate that anniversary this way is truly unbelievable. Can't make it up. The latest, you can't make this stuff up.
And I'll just say this too. Uh Awesome people. You see what he did with the New Jersey Devils wearing the Rainbow colors, even though some did not Like it. And him talking about its important inclusion. things of that nature, Jack, also for some of us.
My parents once upon a time gave me this book. We all have it. People of my faith have this sort of stuff. Great Jews in sports, ladies and gentlemen. Jack Hughes, I believe.
I looked it up in here. Although it's been alive. He wasn't alive then. I believe he's the only person in the history of. the world to be bar mitzvah and come up with a golden goal.
Maybe for the United States.
So maybe I should take this book now. Just write in Jack Hughes' name right in the middle of it. Mazeltov to the Hughes family. Quinn and Yeah. Mm-hmm.
The Golden Goal Score. On behalf of the United States of America. And for their performance, I just say thank you. That was pretty awesome to watch. That was amazing.
You'll have to update that book very shortly. I will have to do that. I'll have to do that. I don't know if we can find the author to update it, but there you go. It might be you, Richard.
You might be. Oh, really? Right. It's old. Second edition.
Evan Joel gave this to me to start the show. Like, you need this for your studio. I'm like, do I? Yeah, you've used it.
Well, actually, well, we need Hughes to come in here to sign it. Yeah, who's it? Just like Jeff Schwartz, Edelman, Jules. Yep. Uh Bragman?
And Mitchell Schwartz. The Schwartz brothers, Bregman. Julian Allen, this is one of our favorite sweet hey, Hughes. When you t when you're done with Milan and the rest of your run here. Come on in.
Got a book you need to sign. All right, let's take a break. Lewis Ritick is going to join us next as we turn the page, if you will, to the Scouting Combine. That's next. This is the Rich Eisen Show.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Lewis Riddick, NFL Draft Daily, and the rest of the NFL shows on ESPN also was in the booth for Super Bowl 60, the international feed with Dan Orlofsky and And our buddy Chris Fowler here on the program. How do you feel the Seahawks winning? is going to affect the draft. There always is a copycat league mentality.
There's always somebody sitting here and saying, all right, That just won it all. How can we do with what we've got, what they've just done? And it does all start at the scouting combine. I don't know if there's an Eamon Warrior strolling around like he did last year, standing out like a unicorn and still being drafted in the second round for John Schneider to snap up. But what do you think about the way the Seahawks won?
And uh the upcoming few weeks, Lewis. Yeah, well, I think again, you start on the defensive side, that's where it's going to start. You know, like Mike McDonald and John Schneider were able to get a great group of guys on the defensive side. who were very interchangeable up front in particular. And we're able to just wreak havoc on just every single team that they played this year, starting with shutting down the run and then being able to earn the right to rush the passer, deploying these guys in different spots.
They're all high-character football guys. I mean, look, obviously, Leonard Williams isn't a guy who came out in the draft this year, but that's the kind of guy that they're looking for. They're looking for guys who are 6'5 ⁇ , 6'6, who can play nose tackle, 3-technique, 9-technique, who can stand up, who are guys who, like Mike Tannenbaum likes to say, are force multipliers, make guys.
So, yeah, there's going to be teams going, damn, how can we get our hands on guys like that? Of course, yeah. I mean, you mentioned Nick. Emin worry Look, I mean, he's a unicorn, he's an avatar.
So, is everybody looking for somebody like that? Yeah, I think you might want to take your chances on maybe seeing if you can get a guy like Devin Witherspoon. You're probably more likely to get a hold of someone like that who can play the corner. Play the star position, the slot position, who can blitz. who was again is a high energy Just quite honestly, ass kicker, who you know is going to show up play after play after play.
You want to have a team that has a great complement of wide receivers who really play off of one another.
So you want the Cooper Cup who can work inside, the JSN, who can go inside and outside, Rasheed Shaheed, who can burn you deep. These are they have three tight ends there that can all burn you, who all play off of one another as well.
So look, it it's I think the blueprint is there, Rich. You know, Seattle did a nice job of getting all this stuff together over time. Mm-hmm. And then You know, the the the the the master stroke though for sure. is Trading out Geno For Sam, and I know people are going to say, Well, that's what I need to do.
I need to go mid-market as far as trying to find me a quarterback who maybe was a bridge guy, maybe this guy was underachieving. I'll just throw him into my system, surround him a great player. It's bigger than that. See? Coming back from the Senior Bowl years ago, Jordan Palmer told me I don't know if I've told you this story.
I seem like I told it to everybody. Jordan Paul got me in the airport. Coming back from the senior bowl and said, Lewis, Sam, and this was at the time when Sam was getting ready to sign with San Francisco. And he said, Sam just needs to be in that kind of system around that environment. And with those coaches, and you're going to see him wash all of the stench off of him that happened earlier on in his career, he's going to hit his stride.
It may not happen in San Fran, but that's the system he needs. Kyle is who he needs. Clint Kobiak, those kind of guys are who he needs. He goes there, doesn't start. Minnesota takes a chance.
He wins he's able to get in there, you know, obviously because JJ gets hurt. And next thing you know, him and KOC are ripping it up. Ripping it up. He has a couple bad games at the end of the year. People go, ah, maybe it's not true.
John Snyder goes, You know what, I believe what I saw. I believe that the system matches the quarterback. I'm going to take a chance on him. I'm going to bring him in. I'm going to bring in Clint Kubiak.
I'm going to have him with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. I'm going to build out this young offensive line. We're going to be run-heavy, play action, and it's going to work. And I'll be damned if it doesn't work. See it it's So those kind of things.
Like the marriage, the quarterback. play caller, a head coach like Mike McDonald, who's a master right now. who talk to guys like Sean McVay. McVeigh says, McDonald's like The best. The best in the league right now.
All the great coordinators, he might be the best. out there. The guy is a savant, and The dude is like a wonder kid. A lot of great things. Look, you can try and copy what Seattle did.
You got a lot of work to do. Because they've been putting this together for a little bit, and you've got to just tip your cap to what John has done. You just do, man. He made all the right moves. He's been doing it for about two, three years, and then it culminated in that Super Bowl.
No doubt. No doubt. Talk about zagging when everyone's zigging. You don't get the Raiders rightfully go ahead and get Clint Kubiak and want to hook him up to the first overall selected quarterback. I understand.
We just saw what Ben Johnson has. Has been able to affect in just year one with Caleb Williams in Chicago. And I understand that you want to have your head coach be the play caller because you're not going to lose him as Mike McDonald just did to a head coaching job. You know, when he's already your head coach.
So I understand that. But John Schneider Zagged and says, you know what? I got McVay. I got. With Shanahan, I'm going to get a defensive guy and I'm going to build it.
The way that we normally build it around here, and I'm going to try and win. A Super Bowl, and they add Sam Donald. You're right, Lewis. I mean, like, it is fascinating to. To talk about, and I love chopping ball up with you.
So let's keep going here. Who is the next Sam Darnold? If you could peg one. Look around the rest of the league and say this guy Is the one where you want to talk about copycat? Boy, is it tough to say, you know what, I'm going to get a guy on his fifth team who's finally coming into his own.
After being drafted high. Uh who do you think is the best person in the league right now? that somebody could go get. If not this year, maybe next, to say, let's build the team like Seattle and go get our guy and insert him. Who's that guy?
That's a good question. I mean, obviously, there's always going to be, well, there already is talk. you know about is This is Malik Willis, the guy. who is going to be the next superstar as long as you hook him up. We have An offensive coordinator that he gels with personally, a system that really.
you know, he is very comfortable with. You get him a strong running game. Look, obviously you know the um The Packers system The Shawn McBay system, the Kyle Shanahan system, is obviously something that he has taken to. And something that he has excelled in.
So that's obviously something you want to get him a play caller and/or head coach who's a disciple of that system so he can hit the ground running. He doesn't have a whole bunch of new learning to do. I think I don't know if he's necessarily look he's had his opportun he's had opportunities, but he hasn't been he's not the guy who who people look down upon the same way they look down upon, you know, like a Sam Darnold or a Baker Mayfield at one point in time in his career. Yeah, Malik hasn't really Had that one opportunity that was set up for him where he was giving the keys to the organization. They were saying, and they just told him, Hey, look, you just go and you just take it now, we're throwing all our resources behind you.
But if you do that for him. I think he could be that kind of guy. Who maybe next thing you know, and I don't know if people would be so shocked by it because we've all seen glimpses of what he can do. But I think he may be... You know, the guy who right now People are looking at in that regard.
Look, if it wasn't for And I know, you know, in the past, I've been a huge. I've been a huge Tua Tungovailo supporter.
Okay, and I saw Tua in his at his at his height. that in in his prime When Mike first took over down there in Miami, and those two really hit it all from a personal perspective. And then when Jaden and Tyreek were both healthy, What that offense could really look like. when it was really clicking and how Tua could really play. And the accuracy you could throw the football with, the decision-making you could throw the football with, the timing, the precision, the anticipation.
I don't I don't know if If those days are long gone, maybe they are. Maybe they're long gone because of a number of different reasons. One, he can't stay on the, you know, maybe it's durability issues, maybe people don't trust him anymore. I don't know. But he's a guy who also But I don't know if he has a second act in him.
I'm not sure. I'm not sure. We'll see how this offseason plays out for him. But he's a guy who I don't want to just throw in the talent on because I've seen him play some really high-level football. But I think Malik is probably the guy who around the league right now.
really gets people kind of sit up in their chair and go. That would be an interesting guy to get a hold of. Yeah, no doubt. Mac Jones could be another one. He's already on team three.
He is on the Shanahan system. That, as you pointed out, kind of refreshed things for Darnold. There's another others who. You know, uh another name I've heard thrown at Drew Locke. He's the one sitting behind Darnall right now.
He's in season. Team number four of his career. I I don't know. These are interesting conversations to have as we head into the combine. Lewis Riddick here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Who are the quarterbacks outside who are going to spin it? That you want to see, that you think have an opportunity to have a first-round grade on them at the end of the day. Yeah, I think obviously Ty and Garrett, Ty Simpson and Garrett Nussmeyer are the two right out of the gate. Look, I think look, Ty Ty has first round skills. Ty's going to go in the first round, whether people like it or not.
Whether people believe as though his lack of starting experience at Alabama warrants him being drafted in the first round, or should make you feel comfortable taking him in the first round based upon past experiences with guys who have his lack of playing experience or not. This kid is skilled. And he was offered a significant amount of money to stay in college football, and he turned it down because he believes. And I believe his camp believes He's gone in the first round. And you are going to have to wait.
And we are going to have to wait very long. to be analyzing him on night one in Pittsburgh. We're not going to have to wait very long. He is a smooth operator. He's got great feet.
He has got great field vision. He can layer that football all three levels. He can throw it with accuracy. He can throw it outside the pocket. He can script.
He can do all those things.
So he is the one who I'm glad he's going to throw. Because I think he's going to stand out. I hope Barrett Nussmeier is healthy. I hope he is to a point where now He can rotate and throw the football with consistent fundamentals and mechanics the way in which you saw him do. in 2024 when You know, maybe at the beginning, you know, before the season started this year, when we thought maybe Garrett Nussmeyer is going to be the first pick of the draft, maybe this guy's going to win the Heisman Trophy.
And then you found out just how much he was battling all season long. And that and maybe that you know obviously contributed to his season kind of falling off a cliff. I think he's another guy you have to be interested in seeing, especially comparing him with Titan. The last guy for me, look, I want to see how Carson Beck looks in this. I want to see how he looks throwing with the rest of the guys, assuming he's going to actually throw.
And I think, even more importantly, with Carson, it's going to be about the interviews. It's going to be about. You know how he presents himself when he walks into the room and he's sitting there and he sees a team president or a GM and a head coach and a coordinator and quarterback coach and scouts and everyone around. And people really start digging into and trying to peel back the layers to find out who authentically is Carson Beck.
So tell you what, the people down in Miami They thought the last month of the season Heading into the national championship game, he was playing the best he'd ever played. And They had full confidence. In the fact that this guy had the ability on and off the field to really lead your football team. They thought he really grew, he grew into that role. And he's someone who you know how polarizing he is.
Not everybody believes in Carson Beck. But I think this is one of those opportunities for him. Especially when you have Ty Simpson, Garrett Nussmeyer, right there. I mean, this is an opportunity for him to really go ahead. And see whether or not.
You know, he can go ahead and convince people that, hey, I won a lot of football games, man. When I was at Georgia, I won a lot of football games at Miami this past year. I had us one throw away, maybe one bad decision late in the football game away from maybe. Going, you know, taking my team from being one where people were thinking that we weren't even going to make it in. to win in the whole damn thing.
So I'm really interested to see how he looks too. Lewis Riddick here on The Rich Eisen Show, the biggest difference maker. in this draft on offense. Lay it on me. What do you got?
Oh well. You know what? I'm going to say Jeremiah love you. I hear ya. Because The league's not going to let him wind up in Kansas City.
You know what? I'm telling you, Brett Veach is sitting there going. Just please, New Orleans, don't take it. That's right. Just don't.
Right there in front of me. New Orleans is going, are you nuts? You think we're going to pass that dude up? You think we wouldn't let to have Tyler Shupp turn around handing the ball to him? Of course we but Jere Jeremiah's the dude.
You know, he's... You know how running backs go, right? I mean... You draft running backs in the top ten when they give you Jameer Gibbs type return on investment. And that's what Jeremiah Love is going to give you in a bigger package.
Not as fast. Not as not like just Outright raw, fast as Jameer, but these are the kind of guys that you draft at running back in the first. 10 picks and you don't look back. You know his story. This dude is a freaking animal.
and he will not be denied. He just will not be denied. And his team made you Darian Price. I'll tell you what. You watch his tape and you sit there and go.
I'd like to have either one of those dates. Either one of them. But love love is the guy. Love the guy. Carnell Tate is sweet too.
I mean, Jordan Tate, there's so many guys. I really like this draft. I don't know why people say sometimes, you know how it is with drafts, man. If it's not really top heavy with quarterbacks, everyone says, oh, this isn't a great draft. BS This is a great draft.
This draft has playmakers and difference makers all over it. Yeah, I would love. I'm just wondering who's the guy that's created a different mindset? More about drafting a quarterback, running back high. Did Jameer Gibbs, the fact that everyone's like, the Lions are crazy?
What are you doing? And then we saw. What he's been able to do is the Sonic to the Knuckles or is it Bijan? You know, him being drafted where he was, I know fantasy players always mention about Algier, Algier, Algier is a vulture. But I mean I I'm wondering which guy has proven more that Jeremiah Love could get drafted as high as he needs to be.
I think both of those guys I thought I think both Bijan You know, and and um Jameer Not just because, well, for a couple different reasons. Two reasons, really. One What you saw Saquon do two years ago, as far as the plus 20-yard explosives that he was able to produce on a regular basis. That's number one. That's the number one reason why you draft a running back like this that high.
Because that's what every offensive coordinator is hunting for, Rich. They're hunting for a way in which to flip the game on one play, whether that be in the past game and now in the run game. If you've got guys who can do that, You've got those guys are at a premium. I don't care what position they're at Wide receiver, tight end quarterback, it doesn't matter. You take those guys, you pay those guys, you retain those guys as long as you can reasonably project that their skills aren't going to just fall off a cliff once you do pay them.
So, I think that's number one. I think number two. When you're talking about the backs that you're talking about, Bijan and Jameer, and now with Jeremiah I love. These dudes are beasts as route runners. They're great pass catchers.
It's not. See, it used to be the question on third down all the time.
Well, it's still part of the question: is well, can he pass, protect? Can he can he does he know what to do? Will he stand in there against a linebacker? Will he face him up? Will he keep his quarterback from getting obliterated?
Well, Jameer Gibbs runs routes like a wide receiver.
So does Jeremiah Love.
So does Bijan Robinson. They can rip you in the pass game, rip you in the screen game, rip you inside zone, outside zone, gap scheme. It doesn't matter. And see that those guys are unicorns. The unicorns get drafted.
The top 10. I was just having this conversation with Mel Kuiper the other day. Look, he he knows. Jeremiah Love, that's a guy who he would take. He would take him inside of the top ten, but you you're dead on.
It is the Bijan Jameer Gibbs argument, the Christian McCaffrey argument. You got guys who are difference makers who can rip plus 20 yard explosives off at a regular clip. You take them. I don't care what the position, including running back. Yeah, I don't think anybody's saying that James Cook is overpaid after him getting, you know what I mean?
Like, just take a look at what he's able to affect. And Josh Jacobs, too. It's a refreshing thing to see the running back market get its respect, maybe even still needing more respect. Before I let you go, on your years of being at the Combine on the Pro personnel front. Who's the guy that you had in a meeting room grease board that you spotted on the field?
You were part of the conversation, falling in love at the combine, drafting the guy and saying, We were right. Who's that guy? Lewis. Oh man, are you kidding? It was it was easily um Look, I think in the entire draft process, as you're talking about from A to Z, The very first time I laid eyes on Sean Taylor, it was love at first sight.
No, it's all she wrote. It was all she wrote. I said, Look, man, if I know anything, I know that this guy will be the guy. Because he is everything as a player that I ever wished and ever dreamed I could have been. He is everything I wish I could have been.
And I used to tell Sean that. He used to come to my office all the time in Washington and Ashburn, and he would sit down and we would talk. And the first thing I would say is, It's wild sitting here looking at a kid who's Twenty years my younger no no thirty years my younger. And I MBU. I wish I was you.
I wish I had your skills. your temperament Your ability to just affect the game in a way that is unprecedented. And he was on his way to doing that. I remember our draft meeting the night before in Washington in 2004 when we took him. And we had At the time, Callan Winslow Jr.
was ranked ahead of him. That was the Callum Winslow Jr., Pac-Man Jones, Antrail, Roll, that draft, Sean. Joe Gibbs, you know, had coached Callan Wil Winslow Sr. And really thought that the tight end position in what Kellen brought at that time in his career and in his life was something that he really wanted. And we were basically, as an organization, split down the middle 50-50.
Wow. It's the night before the draft and we all got a chance to talk. and I was one of the last people to go. And I remember getting emotional about it. I said, look, I'm just telling you.
And I said, just like I told you, this kid is everything I wish I could have been. And the next morning we came in and in our draft room we had em flipped. And Sean was first, and we took him. And The rest was history, so to speak. I mean, he was just scratching the surface of being maybe one of the greatest defensive players, if not the greatest defensive player of all time.
Lewis Riddick, I appreciate the time. As always, love chatting with you. I'm sorry to say I've got to take a commercial break, and you might have to grab a shovel again. I don't know, it was five inches during this conversation fall outside. It's done, Mark.
It's done.
Okay, good. Love to hear that, Lewis. And then we'll see you in Indianapolis. Clear for takeoff. Clear for takeoff.
Thanks, appreciate you, man. You got it. Let's right back at you. It's Lewis Riddick right here. Everybody, check out.
NFL draft daily on ESPN and the family of networks. Let's take a break, 844-204-Rich number to do, right here on the program. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Rack here on the Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-Rich. Number to dial right here.
Let's take some phone calls. Armon in Charlotte, North Carolina. What's up, Armon? Hey, how's it going, Rich? What's going on?
Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever got myself in one of these sports talk shows, so it's an honor. Hey, welcome to the party, pal. Welcome to the party, pal. What's up? Armon.
How's it going? Nothing much.
So actually, my question is about the offseason. I've noticed myself that a lot of teams in the NFL, they finally figured out their quarterback position. And I'm noticing with those teams, they have great quarterbacks. They just don't have the help that they need. And so while I was looking at the free market, I noticed there are going to be a lot of prominent wide receivers entering the market.
So I'm guessing, at least on the offensive side of the ball, that they would be the next hot ticket item. At least for the offseason trade. But I want to know, since you've been in the game probably longer than I've been alive, with your expertise, what position do you think is going to be the hottest, whether it be on the offensive side or the defensive side of the ball?
Okay, defensive side of the ball. Of that, there is no doubt. Pass rushers, there's going to be a bunch of veteran pass rushers out there as well. Ben Solak wrote a great article about this. That's why I'm having him on in hour number three.
Pass rushers. Armand, that is 100%. The Eagles keep on churning in fresh pass rushes two years ago. The Seahawks keep churning in fresh pass rushers this year. They draft them or they would acquire them in a trade or Tank Lawrence from TJ's Cowboys, perfect example.
Pass rushers, non-stop, over and over and over again. That's what I would do. I am mandated to ask, how old you are, Armand? 25. Can confirm.
Can confirm. Thank you, Armand and Charlotte. There you go. You were his first.
So hopefully he won't. Forget us. And you never forget us. Never forget. Can you let me handle that stuff?
We don't know. I mean, it's fine. You set them up. I don't speak often, so I gotta get my jabs in. I'm wondering this: is the wide receiver market the new running back market?
In terms of A spot for Cooper Cup and bringing him in, I get it. Check that box. But If you are in the market of a wide receiver. Wouldn't you draft one first? Instead of spending 10 to 15 million dollars a year on having somebody as your number one coming in, but like supplementing might be one way to do it.
I am a fan of a team that does not draft wide receivers well, so it's a dicey situation. That's true. I don't know. It seems to be a difficulty. I point to Exhibit A: Harry, Nikhil.
Who could they have drafted instead of him, Chris? A guy they could trade for. A.J. Brown and also Debo. I mean, but there were guys to get.
There were guys to get. Yeah, they just chose the wrong one. But that's what I'm saying. It's not an exact science. Pittsburgh always seems to hit on wide receivers.
And then leave them for Dallas to go franchise tag. I mean, we did that once.
Well enough, though. I mean, we do a great job. Again, the running back market. The receivers get double what At the top of the line, what? What running backs do you have?
Even more. Yeah. Right. I mean, JSN wants 40 mil a year. I can't imagine he wouldn't get it.
Christian McCaffrey and Saquon get 20. I know. And who who who touches the ball more? I don't understand it. I get it.
But I understand that they're also in a line of fire a little bit more. You know? There aren't as many rules to protect them as there are for receivers in terms of getting hit. point but it just seems to me Every year we go off to the combine. And we hear Deep at receiver, deep at receiver, deep at receiver.
Yeah. And again, That's what we're hearing. Deep at receiver.
So I'm wondering if we're heading towards that. area now. And I'll talk about it with Daniel Jeremiah on Saturdays. coverage as well as Fridays. Friday's when running backs get out there.
tight ends and then receivers and quarterbacks finishing it up. You know, um you also got defensive backs out there too on Friday. But Are we in that mix? Like, you need a receiver, I might draft one. more than go ahead and give somebody Running back bunny.
Certainly, top receiver money. You got to really get that one right. Look at Brandon Ayuk. What's going on with him? Yeah.
Is he available right now? Sticking with Jaden Daniels and say, do it like you're back in Arizona State again? I think Washington would be interesting doing that, but he's a pricey guy. He ain't cheap. But you're also getting a known commodity.
Really? But what do you know? From two years ago, mate. Oh, absolutely. Or do you just draft one?
Hour two with Jay Billis coming up. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
