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Speaker 3: Hey, everyone. Jeff Risen here with your Daily DLP. Hey. You know what? We're gonna get right into it. I got a guest today that you're gonna wanna listen to. Brought in Nick Baumgartner. Let's get him up on the stage right now. Nick Hey. From The Athletic is where you know him. He covers the Lions. He's based in Michigan. He's a very happy man this week because Michigan basketball won the national championship. Nick, thanks for joining me, man. How are you doing?

Speaker 4: What's going on, Jeff? Good. Good. How are you?

Speaker 3: Very good to be with you. It this is a spring break edition. We tried to coordinate this a little bit earlier in the week. Yeah. We're both home now. So Yes. It work it works well.

Speaker 4: That's right. Oh, good. First

Speaker 3: off, like, I'm I'm just gonna let you take the stage for for Michigan basketball for a quick second. What's it like to win the first title since '89?

Speaker 4: Well, like, I mean, I think for the program there, it's probably a little surreal. Right? But because it's been so long, and I think that that team just sort of came out of nowhere for them. And also, like, I thought it was really kind of like the, a cap on the story for John Beeline is what I looked at it as. I when I was covering Michigan basketball, Beeline was the coach. And I covered pretty much his whole career, except for, like, maybe two seasons. And, you know, he left people forget, you know, he left and went to the went to the NBA. People were like, like, what the hell, man?

Speaker 3: What do

Speaker 4: you think you're killing? You're screwing us. And, like, he never really got a send off. He never really got anything, and he helped them hire Dusty May. Dusty May's fantastic. He's a terrific coach for the modern game. And I thought it was just so awesome that he was there courtside, got the whole ovation and everything else. And, you know, congrats to Dusty May and the whole team there. But, like, I thought that was Beeline had gotten that ball rolling and they're back you know, he'd always talked about that. Like, some of the first recruits he had at Michigan were we used to ask him, like, was Michigan ever good at basketball? Like, did they ever have a good team? And he was like, oh my god. Like, he's like, yes. Like, he's like, it because you gotta remember, it would've been ten years, I think, since they made the tournament when he got there, which is crazy if you think about it, but, like, that was the situation. So congrats to all those guys. It's great. I saw Tom Weirot, media guy. I kept seeing him on TV. He's got the national title ring now. Happy for him. So a lot of people that, well earned, I would say. Yeah.

Speaker 3: Yeah. It's cool. We'll get back into football now. For all of you who don't care about Michigan basketball, we'll we'll talk Lions.

Speaker 4: Sorry about that. Yeah. Right. No.

Speaker 3: It's all it's all good, because, like, there there's a lot of crossover, as you know, between

Speaker 4: Yep.

Speaker 3: Wolverine land and and Lions Land. And it Of course. It was it was cool. I I would just say, I'm on the other side of the beeliner. I'm a Cavs guy, And he

Speaker 4: went to

Speaker 3: Cleveland, and it and it did not work. Mess.

Speaker 4: No. He did.

Speaker 3: Yes. He did. And I've had Well,

Speaker 4: I did you knew it wouldn't work too. It was like, what a mess this is gonna be. But yeah.

Speaker 3: Anyway Yeah. So I I've had the the occasion to interview beeline a handful of times as part of the huge show, and, he's like, please don't talk about the Cavs. Yeah. Good. You don't want to. Yeah. Nope. Not a problem. Yeah. Let's get let's get to get your thoughts on the lions, like, where so we're we're recording this. We're two weeks out from the draft. Where where do you think feel like the Lions sit after free agency entering the draft right now, like, on the whole? Is it like a broader picture?

Speaker 4: Yeah. I think they're in good shape. I think they did what they needed to do. They were careful with what they were and weren't doing, you know, other than not giving Frank Ragnell his bonus money. I think everything else that I've seen and that's not a Brad Holmes decision, so we'll we'll still say that. So everything Brad has done, everything we've seen from Dan, I think is what you kinda were looking for. You know, they Cade Maze, I thought was a great signing. I thought Pacheco was a great signing. They still go into the draft. And Borum is a guy who I think at least gives you a swing tackle option, you know, for a short term, and maybe he could even start for you in a pinch if you're bringing a guy up, whatever it is. But I think they do go into the draft now, entering the first round with an ops with opportunity to get the best player on their board, and that's maybe gonna be an offensive lineman anyway. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a tackle. It could be a guard or a tackle. So I think they're in okay shape here. You know? Like, I think they're in good shape to do what they need to do even if, like, they surprise somebody. If they surprise people with a weird pick somewhere along the way, they still think they're gonna get out of this draft with, you know, with what they with with what they need, which is an off another offensive lineman, either a tackle or an interior presence.

Speaker 3: Yeah. I I'm largely with you on that. I also wanna bring up I I think the fan base in general has overlooked Roger McCreary and Tyler Conklin as signings. Both of those

Speaker 4: guys are gonna play,

Speaker 3: and they're good. Like, they're good at their jobs and are betters are the guys that they're replacing at their jobs. And that that's negotiate on Amiek Robertson. Roger Mercouri is a better cover guy than Amiek is on the inside.

Speaker 4: Oh, absolutely. And he could play he could do more too. I think he could probably even do more. Right? So, like, I thought that was great pickup. Christian Isiom was Isiom was a great pickup too. You know, that was kind of a little under the radar. Like, the line Brad Holmes has always done a great job with adding defensive backs, off the scrap heap, if you will. Right? He always seems to find guys that that, you know, can get it done. So I they're they're in good shape. I think they're in good shape. They're getting younger, which they acknowledge they needed to do, which I thought when last season ended that just everybody was you know, it screamed, you gotta get younger. You know, it's a hard decision not to pay Taylor, but it had to be done. And same thing with Montgomery, had to be done. And I think that they're where they need to be right now.

Speaker 3: With you on that. Let's get into the draft, as it is two weeks away. We still obviously have needs, offensive tackle, edge. I think maybe no team has enough quarterbacks. Although the lions are pushing that with the the group that they've got right now.

Speaker 4: But Yeah. Maybe safety.

Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. Safety is is a good question. But but so let's go to your latest mock at and this is it's it's not fresh. Like, you didn't do this today.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. I did it a couple days ago anyway. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 3: And you have Caleb Lomu, the offensive tackle from Utah, as the pick at number 17. You can you walk me through the machinations of getting to that? And, also, why like, there are a couple of people who are prominent prospects in Lion's Land that you left on the board. That'll be Katie Proctor. Yeah. Just walk me through the decision in getting to to Caleb Lomu as the pick at 17.

Speaker 4: Yeah. So to me, it it really becomes a Lomu versus Procter situation. And I because my number one would be, Vengai Uwane. My number one for the Lions would be Uwane. I would put him there at if they're gonna move Penei to left tackle, I put him there at left guard. I'd have Cade Mays there at center, Ratledge at right guard, and I would hide Larry Borum, and we would be rocking and rolling. You know, you'd be moving people just like you were with Frank. Maybe not exactly the same, but you'd be a threat again. You you like Dan said it couple months ago, I think somewhere, like, signing Mays was, like, we did not feel like he limited us in the run game, which Graham Glasgow limited you in the run game with your calls. That would be gone. So to me, fortifying the over the ball with golf's limited mobility and all that stuff, I think that's important. And then also getting back to being able to do what you do in the run game. So if he's not on the board, which I didn't have, I had him gone to Baltimore. So if he's not on the board, then it becomes, am I trying to get another tackle here, or do I wanna get do I wanna get creative? Because for me, I'm not I don't trust Caden Proctor to play tackle right now. I I think he's very inconsistent. I know he is from, you know, his tape. He was better last year. All those things. He's he's kind of immature. There's things you hear out there that I know everyone has heard. It's you know, he's in a lot of ways, he's a dumb kid like Jamieson was. Williams gonna come in. Right?

Speaker 3: So Yes. That's the that's the proper way

Speaker 4: to frame that.

Speaker 3: Like, he's not Jameson. Not Melissa. Not not a

Speaker 4: bad guy.

Speaker 3: He's sort of unworldly.

Speaker 4: Just a dumb kid like a kid, you know, that's gonna have to grow up. And as a player, you're gonna have to grow up. If if they wanna play Caden Procter as a guard, you know, left guard and just get crazy until he blooms into what have you, that I would be down with. But to me, I the tie breaker for me was Lomu. I thought, I still think Lomu could play a little do whatever you need him to do right or left. I like him a lot. I probably like him better than Proctor anyway. I think I had him higher on my board anyway, so I'd went with him. But I'm with you. Yeah. But I mean, the Proctor thing is definitely interesting. Like, I can I can see why like, I think, John Jeremiah reported that he's, like, he's not gonna get past 17? Like, that might be aggressive. That might be, like, doing a little bit of agent favors there, but you can see why they would like him. Right? You could see why they would like him.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 4: Because they have the they have the culture that would help him grow. They did it before with Jamieson.

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Speaker 4: And, you know, if it works, man, it would oh my god. Like, he would be next to Penay or and Cade Mays if you wanna put him at guard or if he figures it out a tackle, whatever. I mean, it would be ridiculous.

Speaker 3: Yeah. So I noticed a theme here. You're not a Christian Mahogany guy, based on everything that I'm hearing here.

Speaker 4: I think that I I love the idea that he's gotta have to compete harder for it, and I just not right now. No. I think they if they wanna be what they were, and we hear that a lot from Dan, then I think they gotta get they you know, when they were really at their best, they had Zeitler in there with, Zeitler and Frank, with Pene Sewell, a healthy Taylor Decker, and a healthy Graham Glasgow. That is what I would like to see them kinda get try to get back to. Like, get get three really good run blockers. Three and a half. If you wanna go four with Kade, I don't care. But, like, you know or I'm sorry with, Ratledge. I guess he's growing as well. But give me a really good interior with Binet and, like, those tight ends will block and everything else. And that's what I'd like to see them go for more than anything else.

Speaker 3: That's music to Jamir Gibbs' ears.

Speaker 4: Has to be. Because the and he has to be the focal point of everything they do. Right? So

Speaker 3: Yes. Yeah. And and we're we're we're gonna see an extension soon. We're approaching the time where Brad likes to give extensions. Mhmm. I'm I'm not predicting or saying that that's

Speaker 4: the problem, but Yeah.

Speaker 3: This is certainly the the like, this is when Penay got extended. This is when Amon Ra got extended the the the weeks leading into the draft. It wouldn't surprise any of us in lion's land that that that happens with Jameer. Right. The the whole concept of play action and golf being comfortable in the pocket and understanding, you know, where the rush is gonna be coming from and where his escape routes are Right. Which which was something that Glasgow didn't do particularly well either because he was getting beaten over either shoulder and, like Correct. Jared didn't know where to go.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Poor Graham.

Speaker 3: So so I know. I know. I I hate I hate talking to the guy because he's such a good human being and a good guy.

Speaker 4: So hard, man. Yeah. And he did he knew that he was struggling, and it was yeah. I I hated it.

Speaker 3: It's frustrating.

Speaker 4: It was. Yeah.

Speaker 3: So any thoughts on if you were to go edge at 17, whether it's Keldrick Fogg, TJ Parker, somebody else that

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: Pops in. Any thoughts there on doing that? Or if if the Lions would do that.

Speaker 9: I wouldn't rule it out

Speaker 4: for them because it's one of those things where, like, Faulk would be a guy where if he is like, if Holmes loves Faulk, you know, and he's the guy sticking out or whatever, he'll do it, you know, and and, you know, not be afraid to do that. Like, that's the guy I've thought about possibly for them. Like, I kicked around the idea earlier in the process of, like, a like, a messador even, like, as another because I like should like the fact that he's older, ready to go. Because for me, if you're gonna draft an edge right now, I don't necessarily even care if this edge that you're bringing in is gonna be a guy that you even have to extend after you know, he just needs to be a guy that can win one on ones opposite Aidan for a couple years, and then we'll see what happens. So to me, I don't know if I would wanna spend that much on it up there, but Faulk is the one that if he falls, I and Brett if Brad likes him. I don't know, right, if he's going to or not. But, like, if if he loves the guy, then he'll take him. But that's the one that

Speaker 3: falls easy to see why he would love him.

Speaker 4: Oh, yeah. He's got a lot of traits. Yeah. Yeah. But it's all that almost. It you know, it's he's like the almost guy in this class. He's got so many plays that were like, oh, man. You're right there. But he's also, like, barely 20, I think. So Yeah. Is what it is. Yeah.

Speaker 3: Let's get a little into Francis Mowinoa, the offensive tackle from Miami, is going to the combine medical recheck about his back. Uh-huh. A, does that concern you? And b, does that make him fall to the lions and I know. Should be an option there? Yeah. It feels like it, doesn't it?

Speaker 4: It does feel like it's gonna be yeah. You make the joke that, well, now Brad's gonna trade up for him because he's got the back injury, history or whatever. Yeah. That's not you know? But no. I mean, it's not that is not a good sign. I know that folks folks yesterday were trying to smooth it as best they could with, you know, he's he's symptom free and etcetera, etcetera. But, like, you can't have a back problem and be an offensive tackle or guard in the NFL. You just can't do it. It just can't be a thing. It can't be like, go back and look at all the years where Taylor Decker's back. Let him down. He was a terrible player, basic unplayable at times. Right? Cannot happen. Like, if this is something that, is going to be a thing for a while, then I would be very nervous about that one. But if he does fall to 17, then it becomes another conversation. And, again, that's where Brad before has been like, they said it was fine. He said he's fine. So, I mean, I wouldn't I wouldn't rule that out. I I could see him sliding. You know? I could see him sliding because that's not good. The recheck on that, that probably means a couple teams asked for it, I would think, at that point too. You know?

Speaker 3: Absolutely. That that doesn't come from out of nowhere. That comes from the medical evaluations.

Speaker 4: And Right.

Speaker 3: Nick Nick and I laugh here because we can't scream, and that's

Speaker 4: Right. Exactly. Yeah.

Speaker 3: We've had these conversations in in Lyons' media throngs and everything. It's just it's so let me let me explain. Let's go down that road a little bit.

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: The injury thing. There are a lot of prospects. Jermaine McCoy certainly comes to mind. He's a guy who absolutely fits with the Lions love, but

Speaker 4: Oh, yeah.

Speaker 3: Injuries on him. You know, do you think that Brad has learned, or do you think he still sees, like, oh, he's he's fallen because he's got injury issues. He's Let's go. Do you do you

Speaker 4: feel like

Speaker 3: he's still gonna do that?

Speaker 4: I don't know. I don't know. I I wouldn't rule it out, but I gotta think that he has learned some on that. Yeah. Because they have gotten bitten. You know? They've gotten bitten by it. And, like, the Levi thing is the great example. It has to be because he even came back. Like, he came back, and they were like, oh, look. See? We told you. And then he got hurt again. And then it was like, he's just gonna get he he's just gonna keep getting hurt. A a hurt player stays hurt. They just don't you know, injuries are magnets for other injuries. Whatever you wanna say. And even if it's not a chronic one thing, it's like, when it starts being all the time like, Frank, you know, when it started being something every other day with Frank, it was like, this is it's gonna be over fast because you can't get out of the way with it. And, like, that's the that's the concern. And, I have to think that they've learned at least some from that. Not to be that aggressive, maybe. Maybe later, you know, be like fifth round, fine. Fourth round even to a degree, fine. But not not on Thursday or Friday. No. I I think that maybe they have learned there, but we'll see. I wouldn't rule it out.

Speaker 3: God. I hope so.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Fingers crossed. Right.

Speaker 3: I hope so.

Speaker 4: Hard to tell. Brad's a good poker player. You know? It's hard to tell.

Speaker 3: He is. He is.

Speaker 4: Yeah. He really is.

Speaker 3: We'll we'll see. So let's get back to your mock draft. Second round, you went with the Michigan man. Talk about Derek for a little bit and how he fits in Detroit.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I like that fit. I think that you with if you're looking for another edge right now, you know, I think they like what they have with Wonnum as a first and second down player. But I think that even a guy like Derek, Moore there or, you know, Gabe Aukas from Illinois might be another one if you like him too. It could be a guy that, like, probably is ready to start somewhere as a, you know, opposite edge, a weak edge, whatever it is. And, you know, even if you have to have him in a package role, I think that's a guy who could come off the bench even and provide, like, seven sacks for you. Derek Moore is a very long, explosive pass rusher, really good power, really strong hands. He's always had that right over the ball. He's rushed inside, you know, often throughout his career too. I just think a guy like that or Akas even who's got all that juice coming off the edge would be great opposite Aidan because really all you want just be can you beat a one on one over there one time? You know? That's it. We just need to do it, like, once every couple weeks. You know what I mean? And, like, and that's what we need because Aiden is gonna be Aiden. And I think Derek Moore or or and there's a couple guys in that. Malachi Lawrence, if he fell, would be another one that would be like, wow. That would be that would be even better, right, if you could get a guy like Lawrence. But I don't know if he'll fall that

Speaker 3: far. Yeah. It's been fun watching the world discover Malachi Lawrence.

Speaker 4: Exactly. That's what I said the other day. I said that in a thing, I think we're gonna have that on the site because, oh, yeah. It was a question about because Daines, the beast came out, and he had Lawrence up there at, like, 36 or whatever it is. And people and, I got a question about, you know, what was the biggest surprise in it. And I was like, not a surprise, but I said it's a it wasn't a surprise, but the biggest whatever is watching the rest of the world discover what we all were talking about in, like, January about this guy. Like, that's you know, that he's just ridiculous.

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Speaker 3: He could play.

Speaker 4: And a very exciting player. Right? So if they if he could slide the that might be a guy too where I'm like, you know, I if Holmes loves him, who knows? I think people have flirted with him in the first round. You've heard that a few times. So, who knows with him at this point. But that would be fun as well if they could get him.

Speaker 3: We have. Don't have a third round pick.

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: Now.

Speaker 4: Right now. Right.

Speaker 3: What are the odds that Brad packages those two fourths or any combination of a fourth and a sixth and something from next year to move up into the third to get somebody who's injured and falling or

Speaker 4: Yeah. Right.

Speaker 3: No. Just just a target, because that that's where he gets aggressive. That's where they got to slot. That's where they got brother Martin, Giovanni Manu. Mhmm. That that that seems to be the range. You feel like that's gonna happen this year?

Speaker 4: I don't know. I have a hard time with that because this is an interesting draft class. It's a good defensive draft, and it's a pretty deep defensive draft. And there's also some depth at, like, tight end, which is a sneaky need for Detroit. And the lines have quite a few of those day three picks. And Holmes, over the years, has done a pretty good job on day three when he wants you know, when it's not a dart throw, they usually find guys who can play. Like Mahogany, I mean, you know, he's at least a competitive starting level guard in the NFL. I won't, you know, I won't say he's dominant, but, I mean, he's that's a great find in the sixth. Miles Frazier could still be a guy who gives you something. So I think that I wonder if they just say, hey. We'll just wait and, you know, be trust our scouting here on day three. But that brings up the question, like, if our you know, do they want one of these safeties? Because the safeties are so good this year. Do they want another, tight end? Because the tight ends are so good. And and if one of those is falling, because it's the same thing like the slot. They didn't need that, but they did it because it was like, I can't live if we don't have this guy on the team. And I don't think Brad has graduated from that. I think he's still the same guy who's like, I am not gonna be able to look myself in the mirror if he's on the Vikings or whatever. Like, I'm gonna lose my mind if this guy's like you know? So I still think that that's a thing. So I could see them try to go up for sure. I think everybody would probably would probably expect something like that or at least we had to get the itch anyway.

Speaker 3: A 100%. Let's talk about those day two and day three early day three safeties because there's a lot of them in this class. Yep. Genesis Smith, Jalen Kilgore, who I think is better at corner, but certainly can Mhmm. Play that Brian Branch role. Yep. My god.

Speaker 4: Keonte Scott.

Speaker 3: Bud Bud Clark. Keonte Scott.

Speaker 4: Bud Clark.

Speaker 3: Who's who's older, but, dude from Penn State, Wheatley.

Speaker 4: What Wheatley again?

Speaker 3: You got you got, my so so many options. That's feels like an area where the Lions could tap into something. Do you have any preference on any of those guys or anybody that you're like, maybe not?

Speaker 4: Yeah. I like a lot I like a lot of them like everybody else. In the mid in the mid rounds, they're at, like, 50. I've wondered if, like, if that's where, like, if they love Keontay Scott, the kid from Miami who's just, you know, he is older, but he is a linebacker. That's you know? He's lucky as hell, man. Yeah. He's always around the ball. And when you think about it, Brian Branch is gonna get healthy again at some point. It's possible Kirby Joseph is fine too. You know? I mean, I know everyone panics, but it's not out of the realm that Kirby's gonna be okay. If you could bring a guy like Keonte Scott in and then have that versatility with just to be able to start creating chaos with how you line up and do different things, that is super interesting to me. And he could be a guy in that middle row. Halsey from LSU would be another one who's, like, two hundred twenty pounds who could just run for days. That it's like, if you can get one more guy like that in the mix, when you get over all these the other dudes back, it could be really something. And I've I I wonder if yeah. You mentioned Smith from Arizona to another big just looks looks like an x men guy out there, just a mutant. You know? So, I've even thought about, McNeil Warren for them at 17. The kid from you know, if Brad says, I don't care what you guys say, we're doing this. And I don't think I would have to argue too much with him because I'm like, the guy's gonna be a really good player. You know?

Speaker 3: He's No question. Very good, and I I do think he's a top 20 player in this draft.

Speaker 4: I do too.

Speaker 3: Especially with the team that's picking at 20 right now. Just

Speaker 4: Yeah. There you go.

Speaker 3: That went away. Let's, you you did a fantastic feature. I wanna bring this guy up because I have spotlighted him a little bit, but you just got a chance to talk with him. Charles Demings, the the draft Chuck d, quarterback from from, from SFA. Stephen up Austin. Go, Jacks. I I know somebody who just got recruited for their volleyball team, so I'm excited for that.

Speaker 4: Oh, awesome.

Speaker 3: Talk to me about Charles Demings because you got a chance to talk with him. I love the guy as as, like, the first pick of the fourth round for the Lions if he

Speaker 4: has a great long.

Speaker 3: Yeah. Do you think he's gonna last so long? Just just just talk about Chuck Demick because I I he's he's fantastic.

Speaker 4: He is. He could last that long. I mean, that to me feels like where we're gonna see him go, you know, right in that area, because it's like he's not at a he's at a position that's pretty deep, but, like and he's kind of in the middle of it, and I still think there's some, like, questions on consistency based on the level he played at and all that stuff. But, like, athletically, there's no question. He's gonna be there. He's a terrific athlete. He's got all kinds of speed. He's got size. He's got length. He's got all the stuff. And mentally, he is as put together as any kid in the class, period. End of story. Like, you know, when I was talking to him, like, he this kid had at 13 years old, this kid had multiple jobs. He was washing dishes full time at a restaurant, owned a lawn care business, didn't play football until high school, quit football as a freshman, found it again as a junior, and kept going. Didn't even realize how fast he really was until he was, like, a sophomore in college. So, like, he is but over the last, like, four and a half years, he's, like, totally fallen in love with the game. Feels like he's found his passion and his purpose and all this, and it's just, like, a great story. And the biggest the coolest thing is I think he is the outlier in this class and that he stayed at SFA, turned money down from a lot of different places. And, you know, I wanna be in the SFA Hall of Fame. I want that to be next to my name when I go out there to show to these FCS guys that, you know, you don't have to go. You can stay at home if it's more comfortable for you to stay where you feel like you belong. And, I love stories like that because they're there's not they're dwindling, as you know, Jeff, and, fast. And, you know, the slob was one of those guys for a while until Arkansas, you know, grabs hold of him and it's just it's hard to keep him. But, like, when you get a guy like that, like Demings, that stays and and dukes it out, like, Quinion Mitchell was like that at Toledo. Right? And Quinion was like, I wanna be the known as the best player that has ever played at Toledo. And it was like, that's awesome. That's what it should be. And and Charles Demings is, I think, kinda what football and and college football should be as well.

Speaker 3: As a Mac guy, that warms my heart. Although I will Oh, yeah. Barking back so, my regular host, Chris, and I, interviewed Quinn Yon at the Senior Bowl that year, and I happen to be wearing Ohio Bobcats hat. Oh, good. And as he shakes my hand, he's like, sorry that I beat y'all's ass.

Speaker 11: This summer, serve up the cookout classics, craft mayo and dressing. Toss green salads with delicious ranch dressing or zesty Italian. Serve smooth, craveably creamy potato salads with mayo. We all know it's not a cookout without craft.

Speaker 4: No problem.

Speaker 3: Yeah. I'm like, I want that.

Speaker 4: Yeah, man. He was all about it. I did a story on him that year. Like, I went down there to I went down to Toledo to talk to him, and he was like, I he's like, people don't understand. He's like, if I was I'd live here. If I wasn't going to the end I would I'd stay here and just keep living here if I wasn't going to the NFL. This is where I wanna live and be. I love it here. And, you know, and, like, that and I think a lot of guys feel that way and then they leave and then they kinda regret it, but it's like, I got paid, but it's like, hey, man. You don't have to go. I mean And they missed it. Turn money down, but right. And they missed

Speaker 3: it. To to spin off topic just a little bit, although he is in this draft, c Bangura, the running back from Ohio, transferred to Minnesota, didn't like it and came back. Yeah. I wonder how much more that's gonna start happening.

Speaker 4: Procter did that. Well, he went to Iowa for a spring and came back to Alabama. Yeah. I think that that'll happen a lot, quite honestly. And that's another thing where it's like these teams of these NFL teams have talked about this. Like, how these guys handle their money, how they handle the portal is all stuff that they are going to look at. Like, Demings is a great example of if we're gonna just grade him as a player, he's probably, like, a fifth round grade. But, like, as a pick, I think he's gonna go higher than that because, like, as a person, he's, like, a second round grade, you know, or whatever because, you know, he's just way first round grade probably as a person. But, like, as a character fit in your locker room, he's exactly what you want.

Speaker 3: Yeah. You don't have to worry about him. You know that he's gonna work. You know that he's gonna bust his ass. And He's

Speaker 4: gonna help other guys. Yeah. Yeah. All of them.

Speaker 3: And he can play. Like, he

Speaker 4: can absolutely play. Yep.

Speaker 3: Alright. We have Tay Bridgewater back. Love you. Gloves.

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: I mean, too. But right now, he's the only other quarterback on the roster.

Speaker 4: Are they Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 3: Drafting someone, or are they signing someone, or this is gonna be a two man show and, you know, Bruce Grokowski is out there as your third arm

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: As a, de facto quarterbacks coach as well.

Speaker 4: Feels like it's time to draft one probably, quite honestly. I don't know if they will, but they do have enough picks there on day three to do it. And this is the there are actually a lot of j three draftable quarterbacks this year. It's not as thin you know, it's only got one surefire starter, but, like, there's, like, 17 backups in this class or whatever. Right.

Speaker 3: So I'll tell you, my guy for day three for the lions would be Alt Meyer from Illinois.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I like Do

Speaker 3: you have a guy that you would prefer them to take on on day three if they take

Speaker 4: I like him. I like, I actually like Gronowski from Iowa. I thought he was terrific at the, shrine. And when he was healthy, he was very good. You mentioned Altmaier, the kid from Yukon. I he's interesting. I'm trying to think of, the Rutgers kid isn't the most boring kid out there. Oh, yeah. He's there in seventh. Monos. Monos.

Speaker 3: He's got some weirdly good tape, doesn't he?

Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. Some of these guys can throw a like, Altmaier is a great example where it's like you turn the tape on and you're like, wait a minute. You're like, this guy can play a little bit. You're like, this isn't that bad. Like, this is this is okay. And it's Hanes King from Georgia Tech. I don't I don't know where he'll go, but Oh, my gosh. Is the one I think I get asked about a lot from Lions' perspective. Would they take a chance on him in, like, higher in, like, the fourth or fifth? And I don't know.

Speaker 3: Nick, I liked him so much, but he just never got better and never got better at the things he needed to get better at.

Speaker 4: I agree with you. I I don't I I can understand. Well, I was talking with Chris Burke about this other day. Like, he loves him still and thinks that people are sleeping on him. And I'm like, I can understand that, but I'm I'm exactly with you where it's like, he had a choice, but, you know, he could have made this a no doubt situation because he's athletically capable, and he never did. He you know, it's just never happened. So I who's to say it's gonna happen now? I don't know.

Speaker 3: Yeah. He's one of those guys he was in the first round of every mock draft

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: Preseason. For for years. Yeah. For a whole week. Years. Yeah. Carson Carson Beck's the same way. Carson. Yeah. I see a preseason mock for the 2024 season into the twenty twenty five draft where he was the number one pick on the board, and nobody really looked at that.

Speaker 4: Exactly. They're like, makes sense.

Speaker 3: And now we're like, is he gonna get drafted?

Speaker 4: Yeah. He's one of those guys where it's like we've seen too much, and we can't unsee the things that we have seen here, man. Like, that's that's the other thing too. I wonder if some of these guys with all this, I gotta stay. I gotta make all my NIL money. The more tape the NFL has on you, the worse off you usually are as a prospect. The more tape they have to pick holes in you, the worse it's gonna be. Like, the better off you are, the less you have, the better it usually is. So, I've wondered when that might factor in again and we see some of these young guys come out a little earlier, but we'll see.

Speaker 3: Yeah. I'm glad you brought that up because I feel that way a little bit for myself personally about Caden Proctor. Like, I've watched too much lately.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I know. You know, he started every game.

Speaker 3: Yeah. There is good tape there. There is. Well, there's

Speaker 4: great tape there. Yeah.

Speaker 3: I feel like because I've watched so much, I'm like, god. Why can't he do that all the time? What like, why

Speaker 4: is he so

Speaker 3: mad so often?

Speaker 4: Makes you so nervous and and and just, like, anxious. Like, is he gonna be three hundred and ninety pounds every summer, you know? And is he gonna have to spend his find his bonus away, you know? Like, because I'm I mean, guys that big, it's a hard thing to keep the weight down. It's and guys that big get injured too, you know? They just make me nervous in general at that point. But he's also extremely talented. So it you know, it's it's a it's a weighing game there.

Speaker 3: Yeah. I wanna I wanna talk and that there's another guy that I'm like that with Ness Davis and the big Nissan, the the quarterback from Ohio State who is absolutely like Terry on Arnold a lot.

Speaker 4: Oh, yeah. He will tackle a guy out there.

Speaker 3: For for better and for worse.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. Exact same player. Yeah.

Speaker 3: I have been, I have been advised that the Lions have spent a lot of time scouting him. I don't know if they like him or don't, but there's certainly been some interest in him. Where are you at on him and would like, can you unsee the I think he had 33

Speaker 4: It's so many, man. Yeah. It's it's so many. And I have a hard time with it because of the I have I'm probably lower on him. Like, I think Dane at one point, and may still have him in the top 50 on his board somewhere in there

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 4: Or it was close to it. I I would say at least probably lower in the top 100 for me, but I I think he's a day two pick because all the stuff he can do on top of you know, he is grabby. He's got all these problems and everything else, and they need to get better. But, like, the length and his, like, physicality is with that length and size. We always talk about, like, the small pit bull corners, but, like, this is a big pit bull corner, you know. So yeah. I mean, he's physical

Speaker 3: as hell. But There is nobody better against the screen pass in this draft than Davison to Big Nissan.

Speaker 4: The only one might be downs for Caleb, but that might be it. But, you know, he'll he'll hammer people out there. He's exactly what they're looking for, you know, in terms of a physical whatever out there. So I, yeah, I think they would love him.

Speaker 3: Shameless plug, he's the third round pick in my, a lion a quarterback for every round for the lions that's David said, Bigness. And I thought I'd get more perspective on that from you because I know you've watched him a lot.

Speaker 4: And Yep. I like that one.

Speaker 3: He is a frustrating watch, because

Speaker 4: but he's a good third round pick. He'd be a good third round pick. You know? Like, he's a frustrating watch. Kirby Joseph was a frustrating watch at times too. And look at what he became. Right? So

Speaker 3: Stop diving too early at feats that aren't there anymore, Kirby. And you know what? He did.

Speaker 4: He did. He grew up. Guys grow up. We gotta remember like, people gotta remember that sometimes, I think. But, I think he'd be a good third rounder. Yeah. For sure.

Speaker 3: We'll get you out of here on this. Give me your personal ideal first three picks for the Lions. First round, second round, and fourth rounder if they wanna train up in the third round. Two weeks out. Subject to change, obviously. But right now, if you were Brad Holmes, where would you go?

Speaker 4: My ideal would be my top tackle or alignment, number one Okay. At 17 or whatever it is. And then number two would be the most athletic burner edge I could find as my second one. I would try to get my third one as a tight end because I think there's a lot of really good tight ends in here. And then I would also maybe try to immediately pivot into safety. I'll give you four because I think that there's two the tight end class and the safety class are too good. I don't think that Holmes will ignore it because there's too many good players in the group, you know, that are gonna stand out.

Speaker 3: I I can't argue with that at all. Yeah. I like it. Nick, thanks for joining me, buddy. It's

Speaker 4: great to see you on

Speaker 3: your give people a give yourself a plug where where can they find your work and and where you're gonna be.

Speaker 4: On Twitter or social media, blue sky anywhere else, ethnic Baumgartner, at the athletic. The beast came out this week, so we have that running. We'll have more mocks and, etcetera coming up in the coming weeks, some more features and things like that too. So, I guess it's only about two weeks away now for the draft, and away we go. So looking forward to it.

Speaker 3: Awesome. Thanks so much for joining me, Nick.

Speaker 4: Thanks, sir, Jeff.

Speaker 3: Everyone for for watching in, and, we'll, we'll call it a show. That's today's Daily DLP. Be good to everybody. Thanks.