The 2 CFB Coaches with the Most Pressure (Hour 2)

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There's joy in every journey. Yo, yo, what's shakin'? Our number two of our radio program.

That's right. It is the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. Field Yates. He does a great job. ESPN NFL draft expert. He's going to join us coming up 40 minutes from now. I was watching Field Yates.

Hmm. When was this? I was on a plane trying to think what I was on a plane. I don't believe it was for the Final Four. Somewhere else where I was on a plane and it was draft coverage and he was doing a podcast with Mina Kimes. Oh, I know when it was. It was when I was going to Orlando for that bachelor party that I did go on the back-to-back bachelor party. Because I'm like, when was I on a plane after the Super Bowl? That wasn't the Final Four. It was like, hey dummy.

It was for Orlando and it was for Puerto Rico. And he was great. And I know now he's a part of like the main draft coverage for ESPN. So well-deserved for Field Yates. He'll stop by 40 minutes from now.

I got to start off this hour, though, with a little college football. I think there's two coaches this year where when we talk about pressure, there's many different meanings of pressure. Like pressure to win a championship, pressure where you could lose your job, you know, pressure from the fan base where people are starting to get a little tired with the same old, same old.

There's many different meanings of pressure. And just because you say there's pressure on a coach doesn't mean that that coach is in danger of getting fired. So I'm going to give you two coaches. One, I don't think this coach is in danger of getting fired, but the other absolutely is.

So let me start off with the coach that could be in danger of getting fired first. And that's Billy Napier at Florida. You know, I thought Billy Napier was deserving of a big job in year one. I actually thought I remember saying this at the time and people were like, oh, you're crazy. And maybe it was a little bit.

I could admit it may have been a loser mentality by your boy. But remember when Florida opened up the college football season two years ago playing Utah and yet Anthony Richardson at quarterback and Anthony Richardson in the Florida Gators won the game. I remember getting on the air that Monday. I think the game was it was over Labor Day weekend. So I don't remember it was a Friday, Saturday or Sunday because that first week the games are all crazy.

They're all spread out. And I remember saying, yes, a win is obviously great, but it's going to set unrealistic expectations because Florida from a football fan base like the Florida Gators. They were the program with Urban Meyer.

They were an absolute dominant force and they've never been able to recapture that winning and that magic ever since Urban Meyer did walk away and they've had a bunch of different coaches. So when you have right, a young up and coming coach coming into university and in his first game, boom, beats Utah, who that year had college football playoff expectations where it was Anthony Richardson going up against Cam rising. Yeah, you want to win, but then the winning of that creates expectations that you're going to be ready this year. And as the season did go on, we got to see Florida wasn't as good as the way that they displayed in week one up against Utah.

So it's one thing to say it that way. And then the following season, you got to find a way to improve. Like you go year one, six and seven, especially in a passionate fan base like Florida. You know, some people will be upset.

There will be an uproar, but no one's going to be calling for your job seriously after one year. But you follow up that one season and then you go five and seven. It's like, oh, boy, you go six and seven, you go five and seven. Is this just another one of those coaches that was successful at a smaller school? And then when you put the big boy pants on and you go inside the SEC and you get a big time job, you're just not fit to lead this team because Billy Napier at Louisiana.

Right. He had back to back to back double digit win seasons. You know, he first got there in twenty eighteen. They were seven and seven. Then they were eleven and three. Then they were ten and one.

And then he was twelve and one like he was a hot name. And obviously you see how hot his name was that he landed the Florida job, because even though right, Florida, I don't want to say it hasn't been a good job. They haven't been good on the field.

Florida is still a good job and it's still a big job, a top twenty five job in college football. But when you go six and seven and then you go five and seven, this is a year where there is pressure on Billy Napier, where if you give another underwhelming season. You know, even if you get to seven and six, I don't think that saves your job. Like if you go from six to seven, six and seven to five and seven and seven and six, I don't think you're back.

You know, even if you get eight wins, I don't even know if you're back. I don't know. Buyouts and contracts and I haven't looked into that part. That all plays a factor.

But here's the other thing. Not that this guy is a great quarterback, but it's not as if you're bringing a new quarterback. You know, Graham Mertz is back with Florida this year. So this has to be a Florida team. Now, I'm not going to say that they should go win their conference because that's ridiculous.

But they got to be a watchable product this year because recently they haven't really been a watchable product. And most importantly, they had to go win some games like bare minimum. They got to go win eight games. If you win anything short of eight games, you're not in all likelihood, unless the university just wants to continue to be incompetent. You're not going to be back as the head coach.

And then it's like, OK, you got to then drop back down where you weren't playing with the big boys and you go to a smaller level job. But that schedule and the scheduling this year is going to be funky all around. It's going to be a little adjustment with all the conference changes and things like that. But they open up Miami, they play Sanford, they play A&M, they play Mississippi State, UCF, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State. Man, to get Georgia and Texas their home against Georgia and then they're at Texas. That's got to be as tough of a two game stretch as there is in the country. You know, I've not been able to evaluate everyone's schedule, but Georgia has been the king of college football for the last few years.

Right. They won the back to back national championship. They lost one game last year and it was in the SEC championship game to Alabama.

If that happened this year where they lost one game, they'd be in the college football playoff because the college football playoff jumps up from four teams to 12. And Georgia has their quarterback coming back in Carson Beck. And then as long as you have the health of Quinn Ewers, you go from Georgia then into Longhorn country where Quinn Ewers, I know he's been banged up the last two years. But just recently you saw Quinn Ewers get Texas. We're back to a college football playoff berth. So I'm looking at this Florida team.

You know, eight wins, nine wins, like you got to get there or I have a feeling Billy Napier is going to be out of a job. Now, Ryan Day. There's a lot of pressure on Ryan Day and it doesn't help him that now Jim Harbaugh.

Well, it could help him, but it could also go the other way if you don't find a way to have a different outcome. Like, yeah, Jim Harbaugh no longer being at Michigan. No one's happier than Ryan Day, but you lose then to Michigan this year when you two play. Like I know Sharon Moore, young up and coming coach, right? He did a good job with a great team when Harbaugh was suspended multiple times throughout the years. But Ryan Day loses to Sharon Moore this year. You go from Urban Meyer and I know Urban Meyer came with a lot of bad. But this isn't a thing of right and wrong in the football world.

Nine times out of ten people just care. Do you win the game or do you lose the game? And Urban Meyer never lost to Michigan. So if you go from never losing to Michigan to then Ryan Day, this would be the fourth straight year he would lose to Michigan.

I don't see how you bring the guy back. Now I know people are going to say from a record standpoint, Ryan Day is one of the best coaches in college football. And we know Ryan Day got to a national championship game. And even though they lost to Michigan two years ago, yeah, they lost to Georgia.

But his team played as good of a game as you could. And he's sitting there with only eight losses in his career. And he's been the head honcho there since 2019. So I get it. You only have eight losses since 2019.

It's tough to sit here and say fire the guy. But you know the standard. You absolutely know the standard at Ohio State. It's to beat Michigan. That's all they care about.

But here's the other part of this too. I know beating Michigan will always matter. But for Ryan Day, let's say they lose to Michigan this year.

Ugly loss. You'll take the onslaught that comes with that. But you'll probably still be in the college football playoff. And that's a thing that could work in a good way for coaches in a bad way. And I don't know how we're going to view a 12 team college football playoff. Like if a school like Ohio State just gets into the college football playoff. Are we slapping Ohio State on the behind and saying, woohoo, Ohio State got into the college football playoff?

Probably not. But you lose to Michigan and then you go on a little run in the college football playoff. It doesn't totally wipe away the Michigan loss.

But it gives away for people to praise you at the end of the year. So that going to 12 is viewed as a safety blanket for a lot of programs. There is some good for these coaches. But there's also a lot of bad that's going to come with going to 12. Because like let's say Kalen DeBoer, who I love at Alabama. First year, teams should still be good.

I'm not going to sit here and say they're going to win a championship, but I'm not saying that they can't. Kalen DeBoer in year one, if this was still a 14 format. Let's say he loses two, three games and they miss out on the college football playoff in a 14 format. You know, sure, naturally you have some Alabama fans that are going to be saying, Sabin wouldn't do this.

You know, Sabin would have been in there. We would have been competing for a championship. But a first year head coach, I know that he's been a head coach before, but taking over a new program. You lose two, three games and you just miss out on a 14 playoff.

I don't think it's fair to crush that coach and say, okay, that coach needs to get fired. But let's say Kalen DeBoer misses a 12 team playoff this year. There's no way Nick Saban would have ever missed a 12 team playoff. Ryan Day, I can't see Alabama nor Ohio State missing a 12 team playoff. But could you imagine?

That's how you get fired. You lose to Michigan again and then you don't even make the college football playoff. So I think a lot of people, the Ohio State fan.

Let me just try to make myself be Ohio State fan for a second. It feels wrong. It feels nasty. It feels dirty.

I feel like Michael Fry, if I'm being honest with people. But let me just try to put myself in the shoes of Ohio State football. I think the Ohio State football fan goes into this season saying, Ryan Day, you beat Michigan or your ass is in the jackpot and you're going to get fired. That's what I think the Ohio State fan will say. I don't know if the new administration will operate that way. I don't. But I think that's the sentiment amongst the fan base.

And it's one thing to just say that as an easy, simplistic kind of statement. But you got to see, OK, you lose to Michigan. Then how does the season end? But it would be a brutal look for Ohio State where all you hear about is the talent. And remember, with the transfer portal and the offseason, like Michigan won a championship a few weeks after the offseason with the transfer portal. Ohio State was throwing a parade with everyone that they were bringing in. So where that buzz and that hype was in the offseason and now Harbaugh is gone. It's I don't defend Ryan Day when the rankings came out and they made them the number one team in the country. And the initial college football playoff rankings, I was like, yep, I can name five teams better than them.

And everyone's like, oh, you're a hater. No, I was right. Sorry. Was right.

And I know that I usually pile on a Ryan Day. But I don't think it's crazy to say you got to beat Michigan this year because you don't. I'm not going to be able, even though I never usually defend you, but I'm not going to be able to defend you to the Ohio State fan base. And sometimes, right, we've seen before in this rivalry, you got good coaches that just can't win the game. They can be good coaches other places. But you know what the standard is at that job between those two schools.

And here's the other part, too. It could be because the Big Ten now doesn't have standings, doesn't have divisions, I should say. You could have one of those scenarios where Ohio State loses to Michigan. They're both in the Big Ten championship game. And then you could avenge that and get your revenge the next week. So maybe you get double heavy or it could be just double pain for Ohio State fans.

So entering this college football season, and pressure is a very ambiguous term, but I think the two coaches under the most pressure are Ryan Day at The Ohio State University and then Billy Napier at Florida. Santer, you got a coach? You're looking at me like you have something to say.

I don't know why. I got that look from you, like, OK, I'm ready to go, coach. Put me in, coach. I'm ready to play.

Yeah, yeah. Put me in, coach. I'm ready to play. I can be center field.

It'd be great. Actually, I was center field, so it worked out perfectly. I thought you were more of a shortstop. No, I'm lefty. I couldn't play shortstop. Second base?

Same thing, lefty. You don't get lefty as a shorter set. Third base? First base? Left field? Right field? No, first base, the lefty makes sense, but I'm, you know, I'm tiny.

I don't know, I could have seen you as a center fielder. You'd have a tall person at first base. I thought you need a tall center fielder, though. No, you need a fast center fielder who can track the ball quickly and make plays.

High jump? Yeah, and so like, you know, right field is a strong arm. First base is tall, unusually left-handed.

Shortstops, second base and third are righties. Can I predict the name that you're going to give me here? Yeah.

Because I think I know how your brain operates. Do it. And let the English see you do it. Coach Prine. That's actually not a bad one. Yeah, I think he certainly does have as much pressure as almost anybody, but not him.

Where he's not in danger of losing his job. No, but there's a different type of pressure on him. But last year- He just lost his entire offensive line, which he- Which he said he said he wanted to lose and they brought in a bunch of different guys, but they start off 3-0 last year. They were the talk of college football and then they won one lousy game down the stretch. They had that terrible choke job against Stanford.

This is the last year of Shadore Sanders and Travis Hunter. You know, I don't have any great expectations, but now with the 12-team college football playoff, you go to a new conference, things like that. You know, I don't think it's crazy to make a case that they can be the 12th best team in the country, but if you still have an offensive line problem, then the recruiting style of Coach Prime is going to get called under question because Coach Prime made it clear he doesn't go into anyone's living room.

I really thought you were going to go with Coach Prime. He does have a lot of different types of pressure on him, but for me, I think the guy- Sark, I think, has a lot of pressure on him because he's got arch waiting in the wings and Quinn there. And so that's a tough thing. If Quinn starts to struggle, at what point do you start saying, Oh man, I've got this golden child here underneath- He made the college football playoff last year, and I think that's the big part. Having arch there is your safety blanket where even if this year goes backwards and not great, you could play arch or you wait until next year where it's like, Okay, the Manning family loves me, so obviously I'm not going anywhere. And he just got that huge extension, too. Right, and it's not about losing his job.

It's a different type of pressure. Now his pressure is national titles. That's the expectation for him. He's not ready to lose his job. Dion's not losing his job, but his expectation is they have to improve and be like a legitimate contender for a playoff, where Sark's pressure is.

Now you have to contend for titles. For me, the guy is Lincoln Riley. Because Lincoln Riley has pumped out a Heisman winner after Heisman winner after Heisman.

He's going to have his third number one overall pick coming out this year. He's got all the pedigree, and yet year after year after year USC or Lincoln Riley's teams fall flat in the biggest game. There's a lot of questions about what Lincoln Riley can do as a coach, not just as a quarterback coach or an offensive coach or as a recruiter.

Those things have been answered. What can you do as a coach on a winning team to actually lead them to titles? And I didn't like the move to USC. I did not like the move. Now obviously a bunch of college conference changes happened after that. But I've never been as high on Lincoln Riley as others. Because yes, he could win you Heisman trophies. He could get you the college football playoff.

But I've always said he's a very good coach, not a great coach. And there's a difference in that because he's never won a college football playoff game with all those Heisman Trophy winners in the last two years. Okay, you lose the Pac-12 championship two years ago because Caleb Williams got hurt. Alrighty, I'm not going to crush you for that. But this past year, you weren't even in contention for it. With Caleb Williams, you couldn't even get in contention for the Pac-12 championship or for a college football playoff spot.

And that Alex Grinch move and keeping it around as long as he did was detrimental. We'll do a News Brief next, Zach Guilb shows on the Infinity Sports Network. I almost lost my quarter. Call from Mom. Answer it.

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Price and coverage match limited by state law. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports.

Alrighty. News brief time. Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. Here is Nick Saban. If he worries about watching Alabama at the spring game. My biggest concern is being with my head coach, Miss Terry.

I've never, ever had to watch a game with her. I'm a little concerned. Why would he be concerned about watching the game with his wife? Because maybe Nick Saban, even though it's a spring game, you think he's got a little bit of a potty mouth. And maybe he could be a little, needs to get reeled in, I guess is the right word here, is that what it is?

Yeah, I think that, you know, he's a little bit worried about the monster that's going to come out and that his wife's going to see the side of him that she's never seen and be worried about the health of her husband. That's what we need every Saturday and Sunday. I need a camera on Nick Saban watching Alabama on Saturday on each and every Saturday, and then I need a camera on Belichick watching the Patriots each and every Sunday.

That would be my TV executive idea. Let's go to Puka Nakua at one of the greatest rookie seasons I've ever seen. And the only reason why I didn't win Rookie of the Year is because of CJ Stroud and his brilliant rookie year. But here is Puka Nakua saying he could still get better. The standard is still set very high and I don't think I'm close to reaching it, but it made it fun because I know that there's more to grab. I feel like last year was so much fun and I learned a lot, but there's still so much left on the table.

Well, here's the thing. You had 105 receptions, 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. How much better can you actually get? Now, I like the mentality and a lot of people are going to say what Puka Nakua said.

I just don't know individually how much better you could get. However, I did say this about Patrick Mahomes. When you have early success and you just get wiser and you get more mature and you've been around the game that much longer, the game does come a little bit easier to you.

And it's scary when the game already comes easier, easy to you that it could get even easier coming your way. Here is Booger McFarland. He was on get up on the ESPN and he was asked what if J.J. McCarthy goes before Drake May. I'll be shocked because there's no way you can convince me that J.J. McCarthy is the third best player in this draft. I don't think he's the fourth best player in this draft and we're talking about drafts and this quarterback as high as number four? Can we honestly say he's the fourth best player in this draft? Just from a pure talent trade standpoint, Drake May is a better quarterback than J.J. McCarthy.

I've seen him do it at a higher level at North Carolina than J.J. McCarthy. So I think Drake May should go in front of J.J. McCarthy, but it depends on where he's going and where the fit is. Because a lot of people believe Drake May needs a sit a year. So you're a team like Minnesota, clearly they know Drake May well because of the Josh McCown connection, but are you going to sit Drake May a year in Minnesota that has a really good offense that just needs a quarterback?

And that's a tough sell. And also, I was on with Dexter Henry today on SNY and New York Post and I said, I don't think J.J. McCarthy should be a top ten pick. I'm not picking McCarthy ten, but you know how quarterbacks end up going sooner than where they actually should go because of the importance of the position? And a team like Minnesota trading up from eleven into the top ten is going to be going for a quarterback and I do believe McCarthy would be a really good fit for the Minnesota Vikings. Here is Brian Windhorst windy on if this is the last game that Klay Thompson plays with the Golden State Warriors, also courtesy of ESPN.

No. I think they like the way this team finished the season. 27-12 down the stretch. Top ten offense, top ten defense.

They're a quality team. They're going to have to reduce their payroll, Greeny. They're spending almost $400 million. Klay Thompson is making $43 million this year.

He will not make that from anybody next year and it's certainly not the worst. He's got to take an eight-figure cut to come down and Chris Paul has an option, a team option for $31 million. They're not picking that up. So they're going to reduce their payroll by tens of millions of dollars, make some changes on the edges, but I think they bring Klay Thompson back. I think they like the way this team plays the end of the season. They like the way that this team plays at the end of the season. Even with how they played, they're still in the playing tournament. And if they lose tonight, their season's over.

So Windy's basically saying they'll make some minor adjustments. They'll reduce the salary of Klay. Chris Paul will be gone. Draymond Green will still be there and Steph Curry will still be there.

The idea that this course still has another championship in them is just inconceivable to me. You got to get rid of Draymond. You want to bring Klay back on a cheap deal and limit his role. I'm fine with that.

But if you just bring back Klay, Draymond and Steph as your main pieces, it's not a group that's going to win a championship. Let's go to Rory McIlroy. There was a rumor last night that he's been offered $850 million to join Live Golf. Here is a credit of the courtesy of the Golf Channel, Rory McIlroy on these rumors.

I honestly don't know how these things get started. I've never been offered a number from Live and I've never contemplated going to Live. Yeah, you know, it's again, I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think it's something for me. But yeah, I mean, I'm playing this PGA Tour event next week and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career. Rory, I know that you've been applauded in a big way for the stance that you took.

That was a few years ago. Now in the year of 2024, no one cares if you're on the PGA Tour or Live Golf. The entire thing has been insufferable. And this is my biggest problem with everyone that took the money from Live. They just weren't honest. They weren't trying to change the game.

They weren't trying to make the game better for the future. You took the money because it was just so ridiculous. And yes, if that is somewhat true and Rory McIlroy shot it down. But if that is true that they offered you $850 million, I don't care that you may have lost this war with them. They would be paying $850 million to join Live Golf.

You take that money and you run. Let's hear from Kaitlin Clark getting drafted number one overall in the WNBA draft last night by the Indiana Fever. The pick is in.

Time to get things back to the podium. Here is the commissioner, Kathy Engelberg. With the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, the Indiana Fever select Kaitlin Clark, University of Iowa. That's awesome. Now everyone knew that was going to happen.

So there's no surprise by that. But you saw how many fans the Indiana Fever had in their home stadium and then already the tickets. It's going to be crazy to go see Kaitlin Clark in the WNBA. When she comes to town, I don't know if I'm going to pay for a ticket, but I'll probably put in for a press credential. I'll probably go see Kaitlin Clark play in the WNBA because she makes you want to watch the sport. She's that entertaining. But you did see that in Chicago you had Camila Cardoza and Angel Reese both land on the same WNBA team in Chicago. And those are the two players that beat Kaitlin Clark in the championship game with South Carolina and then also LSU the last two years.

So that's a news brief. It is the Zach Guilbe show on the Infinity Sports Network. We'll come on back. We'll chat it up with ESPN NFL draft expert field Yates. Is it going to be J.J. McCarthy going before Drake May? Are the Giants going to be taking a quarterback? Who are some surprising names that are climbing up the draft board? We'll connect with Field Yates in about five minutes. But update time first. I don't know if this is going to be Marv Albert.

I don't know if it's going to be Rich Ackerman. Take it away. We'll find out. Listen as Selenia tells us why she chose to vaccinate her daughter. I definitely felt like the pros far outweighed the cons, the diseases that I am protecting my child against. They're still here. And at the end of the day, it's my job as a mother to keep my child safe.

Talk to your child's doctor and learn more at WhyVaccines.com. Brought to you by Merck. You could spend the weekend doing the same old whatever, or you could conquer the weekend in the all new Hyundai Santa Fe. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for more details. Hyundai.

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All right. It is the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. And this portion of the show is brought to you by Wesley Financial stuck at a timeshare and one out.

Contact Wesley Financial Group now and get a free timeshare exit information kit at Wesley Financial Group dot com. And now joining us on the show, he does a wonderful job and getting everyone set for the NFL draft will be a part of all their coverage. And that, of course, is field Yates kind enough to join us right now on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio Field.

Thanks so much for the time. How you been? I've been great, Zach. How are you doing?

Well, I'm doing fantastic. So let me start you off with the second overall pick. The Washington commanders have it. We all know that going at number one, it's going to be Caleb Williams. How do you think the second overall pick is going to play on out? I think it winds up being Jayden Daniels.

You know, my colleague Adam Schefter has been sort of suggesting this. I think he has stopped short of say that this is a done deal. Caleb Williams. I guess nothing is a done deal until we actually get to the finish line.

That is April 25th at around 810 p.m. Eastern Time. But Caleb Williams can probably safely check out Zillow real estate in the area surrounding Soldier Field there in Chicago. Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels, I do think, is in pole position to be the number two pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

And throughout the process, as I have been trying to forecast how that second overall pick would go, understanding that we didn't know for certain which way the commanders are leaning, I have deferred to Jayden Daniels because I haven't rated higher on my overall big board than Drake May, which is not a shot at Drake May, but rather a testament just how special a little player Jayden Daniels is. The guy was so good this past season, 40 passing touchdowns, just four interceptions. Didn't throw a single interception when facing zone coverage this past year. Also didn't throw a single interception when he was blitzed this past year. So he was a pick your poison passer. If you slough off and try to make him beat you through zone coverage, he's good enough to find his way.

And if you bring the heat, he can certainly beat you with his arms and of course can beat you with his legs as well. Yeah, sitting here as a Patriot fan, I want Jayden Daniels. I have already waved the white flag. I don't think that's going to happen. And then with the third overall pick, I've been so against Drake May, but I feel like that's who they're going to end up taking. And it's not anything really with Drake May. It's really more so the Patriots don't have much and I just fear they're going to ruin another quarterback. Yeah, I understand that argument.

I've heard it a lot. My colleague Matt Miller has kind of been on that side of the argument as well about how, you know, is this team ready to draft a quarterback? And I think there are healthy debates that can be had about it. I also think that ultimately the quarterback is the straw that serves the drink. And that gives you a chance to help elevate players that we don't think of in a certain light right now. I'm not trying to compare every young quarterback to C.J. Stroud. But if you go back to last year, well, some people might know, hey, yeah, you know, Larry Matunzel is a great left tackle.

It's not like anybody was sitting there saying, wow, C.J. Stroud is set up for success in Houston this year. Meanwhile, by the end of the season, we're all talking about how this band, this tank Dell is a game changer wide receiver.

And Nikko Collins is this awesome perimeter, big body wide receiver. They can stretch things down the field and, you know, everything changed because of the quarterback. So if you're the Patriots, I think that's part of the calculation is that we believe enough in a quarterback to take and pick three. And we also expect that once he becomes our starter, we start to see him elevate the players around him.

It's going to be tough. They have a lot of gaping holes right now on offense. They need to protect the quarterback better. They certainly need better wide receivers.

But I'm of the opinion that it's too premium of an asset to pass up. I mean, well, you know, we can probably reduce this number for teams like Kansas City and Baltimore and San Francisco. The reality is you've got less than the 10 percent chance every year of having a top three overall pick. And that is generally where a good quarterback class might have three total quarterbacks. So it would not be a surprise to me if the Patriots stamp out a pick three and take whichever quarterback is available.

That's what I think they end up doing. What I'm also concerned about is how large of a range it is from the floor to the ceiling. When people talk about with Drake May, if things go well for him at the next level, what could you see Drake May turning out to be if you want to compare him to maybe a quarterback, a two or the pass? Oh, the ceiling's huge for Drake May. He's six foot four, two hundred twenty nine pounds, led North Carolina rushing two years ago. He's a great athlete. He actually had more more scrambles over the past two years than any other quarterback in FBS.

Hundred and twenty of them. So Drake is not a statue in the pocket by any stretch whatsoever. The Patriots haven't had a quarterback for a prolonged period of time that has offered them the dual threat ability that Drake May does. You've heard all the Justin Herbert comparisons, I'm sure by right now. I see that in some ways. You've heard some of the Josh Allen comparisons.

I see that in some ways as well. You know, Zach, I'm not really much of a player comparison guy. I just think that each one's so unique that it's hard to say with great certainty that this guy is on track to become someone else of the past or at least the present. And the other thing about it is that I think it assigns expectations to a player that are perhaps unfair to him.

The upside for Drake May, though, is tantalizing. The guy has all the goods to become a legit 10 year starting quarterback in the NFL. I know it's easy for us to pick these players apart. It's a long pre draft process. We haven't played a football game of consequence for these players in the case of some of them like four or five, five and a half months for guys that opted out of bowl games. So there's a lot of time for us to overthink it on these players. Six foot four, two hundred and thirty pounds. Rocket arm, outstanding character and processing ability.

A whole lot to like about Drake May. We know Phil Gates, the Giants are looking for a quarterback at six. Can they stay at six and get one of the top four quarterbacks in the draft? Because it feels one, two and three, it's going to be quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. Then four and five is a team like Minnesota, the Raiders, whoever going to be able to jump the Giants.

I think that's going to be the intriguing part of this. Yeah, I think the reality is you always could. Right. We don't know for certain what's going to happen to pick four and five. But that's a really dangerous game you are playing. And just for the reasons you highlighted.

Eleven, twelve and thirteen. Right. Those are the teams that in Minnesota, Denver and Las Vegas all have a quarterback need to some degree or the other. And the assets to some degree or the other to make that move up. You know, Minnesota has been too logical of a team to trade up for us to not discuss it.

They have two first round picks, as we all know, via that trade from Houston. So if I'm the Giants, my stance on New York is this, is that I'm exploring the trade up from six to four. I ain't doing it though if it includes my twenty twenty five first round pick going to Arizona.

Which if I'm Arizona, that's where I'm starting. I'm saying, hey, you want to move from four to six to four? We'll take your twenty twenty five one. That might be a done deal.

Right. Four for six in your twenty twenty five one. If I'm the Giants, I'm not doing it. If I can do something different, you know, a second and a third or multiple threes, who knows exactly what the compensation would be.

I am thinking long and hard about it. But if I'm the Giants, the only way I'm moving up is if I can do so a bit more on my terms. Then on the opposing team's terms, which is very hard to do, because I do think Arizona will have a few different suitors for that number four pick if they entertain a trade down. Do you think ultimately they will end up trading down?

Because I look at Marvin Harrison Jr. and I'm like, OK, team up Marvin Harrison Jr. I have is the best player in this draft with your young quarterback that you paid in Kyler Murray. Yeah, I don't think it's a it's a fait accompli that they trade down. But I do think it's very tempting for GM Monty Austin for.

But it comes to the caveat. And I think you just sort of hinted at it, which is that they have such a desperate need a wide receiver. The fear I have for Arizona moving from pick for where they currently select to 11, which is the most obvious target because Minnesota has that capital to move up.

Plus, that need is that if you move down from four to 11, say goodbye to Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors and Roma Dunze. They ain't getting there. No chance, no way, no how. Unless one of those guys decides over the next nine days to say to put out some rumor they're going to retire or something. Right. It ain't happening.

So you've got to be very careful if you are so intent on having one of those as your preferred target. So a mini move down four to six to the Giants keeps you in that safe space. Right. Because the Giants are not moving up to grab a wide receiver. They're moving up to quarterback, which means you're guaranteed two of the three wide receivers will be on the board at pick six. I think a and again, just so much of this is just speculation to be truthful, Zach. And we don't know. I mean, there's 32 teams and it's not exactly like teams are handing out draft information, slash plans like like candy on Halloween.

Right. But if I'm Arizona, one thing that I would be mindful of is can I execute a similar move to what happened last year? I don't know the order of operations for how Monty Ossoff got last year's deals done. But for those that don't recall the 2023 NFL draft that well, they moved from three to 12.

That was where Houston was. And then they moved back up 12 to six after the Lions were via the Rams. If you I don't know if as Monty Ossoff was negotiating with Nick Asario, the Texans GM, he also had somebody on the other line talking to Lions GM, Brad Holmes, Brad Holmes and saying, all right, you know what, we've also got this guy lined up. You know, hey, we can move from six to three to 12 and we'll get as part of the package to go back up 12 to six. You're getting 12 plus I think it was a second round pick and a couple of the things.

Sam Laporta ended up being a part of that deal. So if you have that in your back pocket, three, I'm sorry, four to 11 and 11 to seven for Tennessee, as an example, knowing that the first four picks under the circumstances we are discussing are going to be quarterbacks. And I'd be happy about that if I were a Cardinals fan to add some capital and still get one of those three wide receivers.

Where are you at with J.J. McCarthy? Because where I'm at, if he goes to the Giants or if he goes to the Patriots, I don't feel good about it. But if Minnesota moves up to get him, I think that could be a very good relationship moving forward. I mean, certainly, Zach, and I think that's actually kind of the reality of the NFL draft, right, is there are very few players that you just drop them anywhere and all of a sudden that franchise just changes forever. Right. Once they're fully formed, we can say that. Right. You put Lamar Jackson, Patrick Holmes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, those those kind of guys make your team borderline walking playoff contenders, regardless of what it looks like around them. But it's hard for us until we've seen it from a guy to say, OK, you know what, regardless of where Caleb Williams goes, he's going to be a mega super duper star. I think the situation is very good in Chicago, but it's part of the reason why I think it's important for us to rank these players going into the draft.

Right. Because the truth of the matter is that if Drake May goes second and Jaden Daniels goes third, Jaden Daniels might have a more difficult first season than Drake May, even if I think that Jaden Daniels by a little bit is the superior prospect, because the Patriots right now have a relatively barren cabinet at wide receiver. So circumstances means so much in every pick, but 100 percent with these quarterbacks are just so few of them that can transcend the mold of a bad franchise. So, yes, J.J. going to Minnesota, any of them going to Minnesota would be a very cushy spot when you have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, eventually a healthy T.J. Hawkinson, two very good offensive tackles, Aaron Jones in the backfield. That to me is maybe not quite where Caleb Williams is with Chicago, but pretty darn close to being about as ideal as it gets for a rookie quarterback.

Wrapping up with Phil Yates, who joins us right now in the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. When can you see Michael Pennix Jr. going at the earliest, like the Raiders at 13? Do you think that's in play? Yeah, I think that 11, 12, 13 run is interesting for all for both he and Bo Nix. I think if I had to sort of bet my lot on one going ahead of the other now, this is Intel that is ever evolving.

But, you know, Tuesday, April 16th, nearly 5 p.m. on the East Coast, I would go with Michael Pennix Jr. ahead of Bo Nix and around that 11, 12, 13 range. Obviously, that's the Vikings right now, plus the Broncos, plus the Raiders. You know, the conundrum that each of those teams faces is that if we don't take one now, are we going to get one later?

And the answer is probably not. The strength of this quarterback class really drops off after about six signal callers. So Denver is the most interesting of those three teams to me because they have no second round pick, but they also are about to pay $85 million in dead money to Russell Wilson over the next two seasons. They may say that we can't afford to incur too much more risk at quarterback and taking a quarterback at 12 certainly would be risky. Take the position out of it. Who just who do you think are the five best players in this draft field?

So, I mean, my overall rankings do bake in positional value, so it's hard for me to totally divorce myself from that. But my top five are Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors and Drake May with Roma Dunes and Drake May kind of at 5 and 5A. If you wanted to do a non-quarterback conversation, it's those three wide receivers I just mentioned, plus Brock Bowers and also I think Joe Ault.

But there's a pretty healthy conversation about Dallas Turner right there. I've gone back and forth, flipped back and forth between Dallas Turner and Joe Ault. I've thought about Troy Fatutanu in there. I've thought about J.C. Latham in there. So, yeah, I think those guys are all kind of in the conversation for the best football players in the draft. And the last thing I'll ask you, just give me two names here, guys that you're buzzing on that maybe haven't gotten that much attention or not being talked about enough. It's funny, you know, when you live in this draft analyst role, you feel like you're talking about every player all the time.

So, I'll give you a second-round player and then maybe probably a little deeper on the board. I think, you know, Jalen Polk, great player from Washington. I love the toughness, love the body control, contested catches. He had six games with 100-plus receiving yards this past season, was great.

And this college football semifinals against Texas had over 100 yards in that game as well, including a big play on the opening drive, has vice grips for hands. And then Bo Great, safety from Maryland, a guy who probably ends up going somewhere on the fourth round that can cover, a guy can hit a little bit, a guy could experience. And, you know, any player that stood the task, which he did against Marvin Harrison Jr. in man coverage, even in the small sample size, to me, good enough to have my attention. He is Field Yates. He is a rock star as an ESPN NFL draft expert. You can watch him this time of the year.

He's everywhere, Field. We appreciate you carving out some time for us. Thanks, Zach.

Take care, man. You got it. There he is, Field Yates, with a comprehensive draft breakdown with us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports. Oh, the Infinity Sports Network, see? They give my quarter. That's now 50 cents. We're two days into this new name of the network, and I've already had to drop off 50 cents into the big jar.

Geez. Gonna have to call my agent. Got a new boss in town, Ryan Hurley. Spike out, Ryan Hurley in. We have to do new expedited contract negotiations. Good stuff with Field. We're coming on back when we return. We got to talk about these quarterbacks. You could suggest when they're going to go. What's the best fit for these quarterbacks?

The big five that we've been talking about Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. Here's why April chose to vaccinate her child. I think actually meeting someone who was not vaccinated and now has a lifelong struggle with a childhood disease really cemented for me that it's super important that we as parents continue to vaccinate our children.

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