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Speaker 5: Hey, everyone. Jeff Risen here with your daily DLP. We're gonna get right to it. I got a special guest by popular request. My man, Emery Hunt, is with us. Emery, thanks for joining us for a post draft wrap on the line. You you gave us a pre draft one. People were like, we need Emory back to break down what we got. So here you are.

Speaker 6: Well, I appreciate that. I'm glad I have good grease. I'm in good grease with the lines fan so far. We'll we'll see

Speaker 5: if that sticks up. Right?

Speaker 7: Right. Exactly. Alright. First off, so we

Speaker 5: were talking a little bit off the air, before we started recording about your draft experience. I just want you to, like, share what you were talking you did TV for the draft. And can you share, like, a little bit of what you were you were you were telling me? Because I think people will appreciate it.

Speaker 6: Yeah. There there's a lot of work that goes behind the scenes in terms of what you see out there on on TV. And and it's a car wash. And so for full disclosure, when you see me on CBS Sports HQ during the daytime, I'm usually coming out of the Fort Lauderdale studios. When you see me on at nighttime, that's out of Connecticut. So when you're dayside for the draft, I was down at Fort Lauderdale. So you think about going from 8AM to 6PM before we pass it off to Connecticut. Right? So you gotta create content for that a period of time, that amount of time. Right? So I'm on the 08:00 show. I'm on a 09:00 show. I'm on a 10:30 segment at noon show to and I'm so I'm working through the different studios, and we're talking different things about the draft. Now the good part is because you prep so hard for it and so long for it, you're ready to go. But just the the the taxing of being on air, once that red light comes on, there's no break. You gotta go. You know what I'm saying? You gotta be ready. You gotta be prepared. I feel like folks don't understand the level of preparedness that it takes to be on air. Yeah. We may say things in clippable sound bites, but just imagine all of this knowledge that that we talk about pre draft, getting getting narrowed down to thirty to forty five seconds. Right? And Yeah. To make it sound so seamless and con and cohesive and being able to pass off a conversation. So it it's I love the grind. I love the the the the the atmosphere, the excitement of it. But I I I wanted to pull the curtain behind it pull pull this the curtain, get people to pee behind the curtain so they could Yeah. Understand and give people on TV a little bit more grace, man.

Speaker 5: Yeah. And and and the the thing that always gets me, and I this happens to me when I'm on the radio, when I do a three hour show and it's just me. Like, if you say one thing wrong, that's what everybody's gonna remember. They won't remember the two and a half hours other of brilliance. But if you get, like, one name right or miss one mispronunciation, that that's that's what that's all you get on social media.

Speaker 6: And and I think people don't understand that what they perceive is definitely not happening. Like, oh, how could you say this person went to the wrong school? The producers like, bro, the producers are dealing with their own chaos. And so Yeah. They don't they don't talk to us like that, and they're not ready to be to be, hey. Oh, so and so with the Notre Dame as as as opposed to Colorado. Right? I really like it because they're dealing with, you know, everything else that goes into the production side of it. The talent side of it, we're just trying to you're trying to rattle off, like, you know, a thousand names and and, you know, references that you gotta you scrambling for because you got a finite time. So it's a lot going on. Yeah.

Speaker 5: And and you don't have a cheat sheet in front of you either.

Speaker 6: Right. You don't. You don't. You do not. You know what I'm saying? And nobody's telling you what to say. That's another misconception. Oh, the producer probably tells them that no. No. No. Nobody's telling you what to say.

Speaker 5: Yeah. That's why you're the talent, man. That's why you're here. Let's get into the Lions draft. First round, Blake Miller, right tackle, Clemson. I think right tackle being emphasized there is important for the Lions because that's where he's gonna play. That's what they needed. Your your pre draft thoughts on Blake Miller and the

Speaker 6: fit in Detroit? Well, I I thought he had first of all, right tackle was right because he played a lot of right tackle at Clemson. So it's natural for him to step in and play where he played, you know, exclusively or extensively in his career. I think he has excellent first step quickness, and that right off the bat gets you into the fight. And he has the movement skills and the ability to mirror and, you know, dance with the defensive end, so to speak. So I like that about him. I think he works well on both ends of offense. So as good as he is and we always note how Clemson is able to run the football. They can run it to both sides. And he's good in pass pro. He's good in the run game. So that also plays well in the try. I thought this was a really good pick. He had he he I had a I had a a a high second round grade if you wanna go by my grading scale. 78.5. So he's just outside of round one, but high enough to where if you took him in round one, I'd have no no issue with it. But I I thought he had, really good take.

Speaker 5: Yeah. So one thing when I Watson teaches you how to play in the NFL too. Like, they're running a pro style offense. You don't get that from a lot of other ones. We're gonna talk about one of the Lions picks later who's for nothing like, nothing from his college tape is useful. I'm from the Kentucky offense, but, like, I I think that helps him because he's gotta start right away. Do you agree that that that makes him more able to step right in and and be a a starting right tackle right away?

Speaker 6: Right. Because he has the athleticism that you that you need to start right away, you know, and the treats. And he's logged a lot of games. And you're playing a lot of high leverage football at Clemson, being one of these programs, these premier programs, in college football. You're right. You you know, you get prepared a lot, to play in a pro game, especially in the trenches. Because every year we're talking about a Clemson offensive lineman or a Clemson defensive lineman going in the first two rounds. And that speaks volumes of what they do at practice, how they prepare against each other, what they face every week every day at practice, and how they're more apt to step in and play well as a as a pro.

Speaker 5: Yeah. He's going against TJ Parker in practice like Right.

Speaker 6: A a

Speaker 5: nice good football player. Right. Move on to Derek Moore, somebody that most of the the Lions fans were already familiar with being a Michigan guy. The our fan base is is a weird split, between Michigan and Michigan State. There's some Notre Dame folks here too, especially on my side of the state. But, like, the for the Michigan State fans who are predisposed to hate this guy because he played at Michigan, give me give me a little light on why they should love Derek Moore for the Lions.

Speaker 6: Well, converting speed to power is a big thing in the scouting world in terms of one of the phrases we all tend to use. Amen. And so he does that extremely well. So he's able to get good you know, ball get off and and convert that into moving a guy back into the pocket. I also like the fact that he has a direct nature of his game. He is like, I am taking straight to the quarterback. I am not dancing around. I'm not wasting time. I'm going through you to him. You know what I'm saying? And that right there, I love that type of aggressiveness. That that's an aggressive nature. That's an aggressive mindset. That's a mindset for Detroit. You you know what I'm saying? For Dan Campbell. That's exactly

Speaker 5: what he want.

Speaker 6: And he also shows he's able to stack his shit in the run game. So, you know, he could set a physical edge. He could do what he needs to do. He was my number 11 edge rusher. But, you know, you think about where he went in terms of my grade, 75.5. That's right there in the second round. So that's I think that's a good pick for Detroit right there where they where they selected them. And especially when you're getting someone that, that fits the the mentality of the football team, the culture, plays physical, gives you that that piece of a edge that you need to kinda you know, he's doing he's gonna be the physical presence opposite of a guy in 800% that can do all things. So now you can feel confident. Hey. We're gonna close the back door on on more side and allow Hutchinson to do what he needs to do to get to the quarterback.

Speaker 5: I like that that rep against Markelle Bell down in Mobile my goodness.

Speaker 6: Alright. And that's a big that's a big mammoth dude too. So you know you talk about legit six nine six eight three forty five.

Speaker 5: That that that one of the one of the big buzzwords for the lions in in our podcast, again, in every everywhere around lions is getting quicker pressure. Like, lines, they they look pretty good statistically in terms of pressure percentage and pressure rate, but getting it quickly was a problem. And Derek Moore can do that, at least I think he can.

Speaker 6: He could do it with power, and that and that's because I think, where power really

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Speaker 6: Shows up is how it surprises folks. A lot of people don't expect you to be that strong. You know, they they kinda they read you in the scouting portal. Yeah. He's he's got good strength. But when it when it's on you, and it happens pretty quickly in an explosive manner, it really shocks people. And it it puts you in a bind right away.

Speaker 5: Love that. He had a college teammate that's now a pro teammate in Jimmy Rolder. This is a guy who rose up quite a bit in throughout the draft really through his senior season. He didn't play a lot until 2025. And Michigan asked him to step up, and he kinda did. And I wonder if you can see that continuing on into the NFL as a fourth round pick.

Speaker 6: He's a inside linebacker for me. And so Yeah. Greg goes along the lines of where he went. I think his ability in zone coverage and, you know, his footwork in zone and the passing game is a little clunky. But in terms of the run game Right. That's where he excels. That's where he is, you know, shows up. His tackling is excellent. He is a running chase guy. He's gonna sift and and get through the trash and find the ball carrier and get in a good football position and make a stop. He's not a drag down tackler. He's a he's a form tackler. I feel like he shows, you know, the even though he's what? Two thirty eight. I think he fits to run rather well. I know two thirty is a is pretty solid. It's pretty big. But I just like that he gets consistent run fits. He tackles well. He gets through the trash well. He's gonna be a good sub package guy that can fit in and fill in. And, obviously, bet by nature of where he was selected, he's gonna be a very good core special teamer as well.

Speaker 5: Yeah. 100%. So, one of the big bugaboos and and we didn't talk about this again. If you don't know the answer, that's fine. A lot of Lions fans really, really wanted Kyle Lewis with that pick. And to me, Roeder and Lewis are extraordinarily different styles of player for a linebacker. Can you just walk through maybe a little bit about what Lewis offered and what he didn't offer next to Roeder?

Speaker 6: Well, it's it's it's fascinating because as we're in studio watching the draft, and so we got both feeds up, NFL Network and ESPN. And when they announced the Kyle Lewis pick, one says safety, one say a linebacker. There there lies the difference. Right? And so when you think about Holder, you're getting an inside linebacker. For Lewis, Lewis kinda you know, Lewis is a fit for where he went with Miami because, you know, you're dealing with mobile quarterbacks in that division. And so you need somebody that can go in and and run and chase. Obviously, every team wants that. But Kyle Lewis, I feel like, is more of a a utility piece, and Holder is gonna give them what they want as an inside backer depth guy. You know, and that's the difference. And so, yes, you could always use a Kyle Lewis, but does Kyle Lewis fit here in Detroit? That's like saying, does, you know, the guy we're gonna talk about next in the fifth round that I really love. And also, you know, like Brian Branch and all those guys do those fit. I think talent wise, they fit anywhere. But certain teams would say, now we want our guys to be six one, you know, and and but in Detroit, it plays well. The it this fits us. This is I know that was a whole consensus board conversation that went on for about a week and a half. But it really is down to individual fit. I felt like Carlos is a very good player, but may not have been a good fit in Detroit.

Speaker 5: I'm with you on that. 100%. That Emery, that's why you're my friend. Let's talk about you you brought him up. Keith Abney. Getting this guy where they did, I'm still in shock that he was there. I I see him as a direct replacement for Amiek Robertson. It seems sort of, you know, you know, fight to size of dog ratio in an undersized outside corner that you can maybe try to move inside. I don't know if you see him that way or not, but, you know, I'd I'm I'm excited about Keith Abney.

Speaker 6: Oh, he was my number one slot corner. So him as a guy.

Speaker 5: Right. We're cooking. Number one.

Speaker 6: And so I'm with you. I was shocked that he went this late. But per Detroit, they got a good football player. And what I love about him and and, man, that was a great comp to have Meek Robertson. Because same type of fight and nastiness that also shows up for Abney and how he's hitting these receivers over the middle of the field. At times, he'll peel off his responsibility because he sees the the route coming and the quarterback is still a throw, and he'll just run through the receiver and knock the ball loose. Like, he is a legit dog. I think you're right. I think he he is in line to to start. If you if if it's all about a fair competition, and we talk about that outside spot where you you sign Roger McCreery, He he better keep Avni off the side. Like, Avni is is gunning for that role. I think Avni was, and I was just on HQ, I think two days ago, where would they ask me the question about who is under under the radar draft prospect that that can surprise some in in mini camp or whatever in in pre season. And I mentioned Keith Abney. I was like, that's the guy I feel like that can come in and and really make an impact. And and people be like, wow. How does this guy fall to the fifth round? How is he a starter, for Detroit? That obviously, you could tell how I'm talking about it. It that that was my favorite pick of the Lions draft.

Speaker 5: Yeah. If he was five eleven and a half, he'd have been a no no worse than the second round. Then he might not have been there for the Lions pick at 50.

Speaker 6: It it just it doesn't make sense when we talk about, like, man, when we we're watching the football and then fly in February happens, and then everybody focuses on arm and measurables. It's like, man, let's get back to the football. Football tells you this dude can play.

Speaker 5: 100%. The next one is someone that I have questions about, and there's I've already done a film breakdown on him. And I just watching the Kentucky offense and what Kendrick Law was asked to do in that offense and projecting how that translates to the NFL was difficult for me. I don't know what you see in in Kendrick Law, but, what what were your thoughts on on the Kentucky wide receiver slash former Alabama running back?

Speaker 6: Yeah. That that's where, you know and it's fine. I'm looking at my areas of improvement. Still working to develop a more well rounded game. Wasn't until this season he was used exclusively in the passing game. So your assessment is dead on it. There's still rawness in this game. So I guess in the fifth round, you can take a chance, right? Because you like the fact that he gives you a little bit of that ability to be utilized in a wide receiver run game. You know, he's five eleven two zero three. So he has good good size for the position, but he's might he he just probably is gonna end up being relegated to a gadget player like wide receiver run game, jet sweeps, option routes. Can he break a tackle? I think that's, you know, where you could see his role until it it fully blossoms and develops. And but if that's gonna be the case, I could see why some Lions fans were probably thinking, well, why can't we get someone that whose floor is a little bit higher in the fifth round? That can help us right away. Because now you're gonna have him try to fight through, you know, the, Greg Dorches or the Malik Cunninghams or everybody else. Right? To get on the field. So we'll we'll see. But that's where I had Kendrick Law. It's like but it but, you know, when you're talking about fifth round and a a guy that can kinda he's obviously gonna be a core special teamer, but to help you in the run game, he's going to be a safety valve, almost like an extension of your, your, your run game, because you can get the ball in his hands quickly. He could do those things. That's where I would cause I was, I was like you, when I'm watching this film, I'm just like, okay. What what is the it? And so just, you know, you're seeing a guy that isn't as fully developed yet as a wide receiver.

Speaker 5: Yeah. He he's a coaching project. I'd one of the first things that I noted, and I I did this one. Can he run a route? Because I haven't seen that yet.

Speaker 6: No. But

Speaker 5: that that can get taught, and he does have a lot of physical ability with it. So move on to one who is, gaining a lot of buzz amongst Lions fans just because I think, you know, the splashiness of Skylar Gil Howard at Texas Tech while he was still healthy there was was and he's got a great story, you know, walking out of Northern Illinois, improving himself up. Scott so I'm in the middle of a film study on him, and I'm I I I'm like, I see a lot of really good, but I also see some like, oh, man. I I I get why he went in the sixth round. So your your thoughts on Scather Gill Howard and, what he offers to Detroit?

Speaker 6: Oh, he's got good twitch, good lateral agility.

Speaker 5: Yes. Smooth he can Lateral agility jumps off the screen when you're watching him.

Speaker 6: And that's the first line in my scout report right there. His pursuit skills are excellent. So he can chase the ball, chase the runner going away, all that stuff. Has an attitude to to your point, that, you know, he wants to be better. But at times, his stature can get him overwhelmed at the line of scrimmage because he'll struggle to disengage. So he could be nonexistent on certain plays. And also when you think about, his play strength. Like, there's difference between weight room strength and play strength. Like, he could be strong in the weight room, but does it translate to him being able to disengage or, you know, be able to sustain a double team or take on a pulling blockers as opposed to expanding the hole to try to run around. Now you just created a gap for the running back. So those things which will end up pushing him down to the sixth round, but also make him more of a situational player as opposed to a down and down out guy.

Speaker 5: Yeah. One of the things that I noted and he's only six two, which means that he's quote, unquote short. Mhmm. And I say that, you know, I am that is short to me, but it's tall to you. Right. Oh, very much. He play he plays tall for a short guy, and I have difficulty reconciling that.

Speaker 6: Yeah. Because here's the thing. Because I it's funny you mentioned that because that's again, his pad level is a problem too. But I also see this in his it's a head scratcher when you see it with

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Speaker 6: Shorter running backs that run tall. You're like, bro, what

Speaker 5: Like upright. Yeah.

Speaker 6: Yeah. You you just negated your natural center of gravity because you're running just upright and you give yourself no room for error. And that's where he gets into trouble because he also doesn't have the the functional strength that I call the play strength, to overcome that. And so for him at six two, you gotta be able to play with proper leverage, proper pad level to maximize everything that you have.

Speaker 5: I'm gonna ask you to go in the way back machine here. We have Makai Wingo on the roster already from LSU. Six round pick from a year ago was inactive most of the time, and it feels like to me, those two are competing for the same spot. And if you can recall what you had up on Wingo, and and, you know, if you like that idea or, you know, can they play separate positions of Wingo's even smaller. He's, you know, six maybe six one, maybe two eighty, where Gil Howard's up towards two ninety. But, like, the Lions seem to have a type there. Josh Paschal was sort of that when he came out of Kentucky, and they they packed weight on him to get him up to to two eighty at one point to to try to play that, you know, five check four I, but also be able to play outside more. And, I I see you're referencing Wingo. I appreciate that.

Speaker 6: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I and I

Speaker 7: about This

Speaker 6: is TV because I because I see you, extending expanding the point. So, therefore, I have time to to search at Wingo. That's good teamwork like that.

Speaker 5: Hey. That I'm I'm here for you, my friend. But, you know, they and and, honestly, you know, they they usually Anserique is a very heavy edge from time to time. And he seems to fit in that mold and role of a guy who doesn't really have a position on the defensive line other than defensive lineman.

Speaker 6: Listen. Alright. So I have a one point grade higher than, on Wingo than I did on, on On Joe. Howard. Yeah. So Okay. And so here's the thing. And that was a weird class too because he was my fourteenth defensive tackle, or fifteenth defensive tackle. And here, Gil Howard was my thirtieth. Right? So I graded more Wow. The tackles here, I guess, or or have, you know, better grades on more tackles or cluster.

Speaker 5: Right. Right.

Speaker 6: But bingo is like his areas of improvement will have to continue to get stronger. Savvier offensive linemen are able to slap box with him until they get their hands on him and stonewall them. And he'll have to have a better plan of action versus double teams. A lot of his issues tend to face, he tends to face up front is due to lack of limp, which almost instantly put him at a disadvantage. Now the the the comparables in terms of the strength for Wingo, natural low center of gravity, which aids to him being very good with with his quickness and change of direction skills, that's something that he does better than Skylar Garrett Howard. And he's able to take advantage of whichever side of the offensive lineman over sets to using the leverage against him. So he's a little bit more savvier of a pass rusher. And it was a very good pressure player who was able to move the quarterback off the spot and call us the running back to cut back. So his disruption is production more so than we've seen from Gil Howard who's probably a little bit, you know, has a little bit more twitch and and burst and agility, but Wingo applies it better to more practical football sense.

Speaker 5: I get that. Appreciate that. Thank you for that.

Speaker 6: Oh, that that I appreciate I like that cross comparison of prospects.

Speaker 5: That that so the way you described it, and I think I see it. There's a world where they could possibly play together. But, again, they're both they're both reserves. Like, you're looking at your second team line here.

Speaker 6: And Right.

Speaker 5: With all the injuries we've had in Detroit, we know that those guys are important, but we also know that we don't really wanna see them that much.

Speaker 6: Right. Because if you're if you because now you're talking about two exceptions to the rule. Right. They're both undersized. You know what I'm saying? And and that puts you at a disadvantage. All teams are gonna do is just line up and throw another Titan in there and just run downhill.

Speaker 5: Yeah. That's what Utah did against Skeletor Gill Howard, unfortunately. Let's get to the last guy on the list, Tyree West, an edge. Another calling him an edge is probably disingenuous. I think he's more of a defensive end. I don't think you want him in space. But, Tyre West from Tennessee was the seventh round pick, the final pick. Your thoughts on on mister West?

Speaker 6: He is 31 defensive tackle. He's right behind Gil Howell. Right? And so but here's my first line to your point. You say edge, and I said defensive tackle. But the first line I said display some versatility because of having played essentially a five tech in the ball defense. So he does bring value to your point. I would call him more of a three four defensive end or you can call him an edge, but he has a defense of the ball. He has a pressure. He has a reading reaction skills you like in the the weaknesses or areas of improvement. Has the shorter arms that can give him an issue, trying to disengage from skilled offensive linemen, which sounds a lot like Wingo. You would like to see me better at disengaging from blocks more efficiently because at times, it takes him too long to detach and he loses contain as a result. So he really, doesn't do it. Even though he's, you know, bigger than Gil Howard, but I can see why I have Gil Howard rated a little bit higher. It's because he he takes longer despite having a physical size to do so to get off a block. And that's that's how you win, you know, upfront. Like, you gotta be able to get off blocks quickly. And if you're not, you just just in a in a different color uniform as a, you know, as a as a blocking sled, they just move you up out the way. But he does have the ability to make it happen. It just has to come quicker. And that's where guys like him, Gil Howard, Wingo. Mhmm. That's why you see a lot of these guys working with, these specialists after in or in all season, because you gotta get savvier with your hands. That's the difference between, you know, these guys and a Ruben Bayne.

Speaker 5: Mhmm.

Speaker 7: You

Speaker 6: know? Yes. Bayne, despite having short arms, is super savvy with his hands. And so these guys have a little bit more work to do in order to get to that point.

Speaker 5: Getting some boxing training there. That's There you

Speaker 6: go. Yeah.

Speaker 5: It is. Wanted to ask you about one undrafted free agent simply because he's quarterback three on the roster right now, and it doesn't look like they're gonna challenge him for that. And Luke Altmaier from Illinois, who I liked, I he was my quarterback who had the final draftable grade of all the quarterbacks. I like the idea of him like, look. Teddy Bridgewater is a backup quarterback. Like, I'm I'm I'm good with that. I love his him as a veteran presence who, you know, gets the locker room, reads the room incredibly well, keeps Goff prepared. But Altmire is the guy that may do you think he can develop it all into being a potential number two for Jared Goff down the road once Teddy Bridgewater goes back to coaching high school?

Speaker 6: I I I can see that, but he's gonna always be in day.

Speaker 5: You're not a fan. That's all good.

Speaker 6: I'm not a I'm not a big fan. Because I feel like you can you can roll out of bed and find 50 Luke Altmeyers. And so while he's an extension of the coach out there, he he does operate the offense at an efficient level that you want your offense to operate. He's gonna always be in danger of losing his spot to a guy that has more physical talent. And so there therein lies this issue because he has everything that you'd like, but he doesn't have that that physical talent to really, you know, where you feel confident if golf goes down, Altmaier can step in. I think that's where that so QB three is where he's probably his his ceiling, because a guy that could have the same profile as him, but maybe have a stronger arm or runs a little bit faster or, you know, is able to play great situationally will always win out over him.

Speaker 5: Alright. I'm gonna give you one pop quiz. I know you cover the UFO. Give me one UFL player who's gonna make a dent in the NFL in 2026.

Speaker 6: Oof. That's a great question. I will have to say it's crazy that this guy hadn't while I get it. But, one UFL player, I'm I'm thumbing through. I will have to say,

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Speaker 6: It would it would be, I'm going to the DC Defenders.

Speaker 5: Alright.

Speaker 6: And I feel like, he's due for another opportunity. Deandre Baker. Oh. Been really good, man. Like, the last two seasons with the defenders, he's been excellent. And here's the issue. I I and I was workshopping this as I'm watching the NFL games. Because again, I like the quarterbacks that like, I like a Chandler Rogers. He would be a good fit in Detroit. I thought Jason being I don't know why Louisville traded Jason being he was playing really well for for them and they went to Rogers. Rogers playing well too. But I think being would be someone that could find himself back in. But it's crazy because you you almost hate it for the guys who stand out because it's a 10 game season. They're not gonna play 27 calendar football games. You know what I mean? So it's like Yeah. They almost have to either just be content with doing that or take a gap year once they come from the UFL because you're not gonna put more games. You probably relegate them to a six game NFL schedule as opposed to a full season. So the scheduling doesn't work out. But the UFL is a let's see the project for real. I'm glad you brought that up

Speaker 5: because that that I don't think that gets talked about the the wear and tear. I'd I'd I'd talked to Nick Whiteside, who

Speaker 6: Yeah. Well, very good. Too. Yep.

Speaker 5: Very good chance to stick in Detroit once again this year. He he was sort of the headliner of the Allegiant of Whom the secondary that we had here. But, like, he you could see it, like, in his like, just the way he carried himself. Like, he was exhausted, man, after playing a full UFL season, going through training camp with the Lions. Pre he played a ton in the preseason, and then he's out there, you know, in in January. He's still playing. But that I'm glad glad you brought that up because I don't think we talk about that enough.

Speaker 6: And we don't think about that part of it. It's like, you know, you think, oh, yeah. This guy's gonna get a shot shot in the NFL. Like, man, if he play if he makes the team and plays, bro, that's 27 games this dude didn't play in the calendar year. Like, you didn't do that in high school. You know what I'm saying? We got all the energy. So, I will say this though. What what I love about the last I'll mention some undrafted guys too that I really liked. Obviously, I've covered a lot of Eric Hunter. I called a lot of his games at Morgan State. Tremendous he was the best HBCU prospect in this this year's draft class. Four four speed, six three, two thirty. Great dude and also great football player. Ameris Brown finds the football coming out of UNLV. UNLV quarterback.

Speaker 5: He gets he goes after the ball Yeah. All the time. Even if the even if it's even if it's a run play, he's going after the ball.

Speaker 7: He will

Speaker 6: what it it was the first four games of the year, he had, like, a pick in each game. Like, it's crazy how his own ball production is. And I was actually impressed with Miles Kitzelman of Tennessee. I saw him at the American Bowl, then he got a call up to, like, try and bowl, you know, making a transition, you know, trying to play. He was trying to play a little fullback, but he's more of an HVAC. I think he does a a really good job too. So I'm excited to see how those guys track and and, see what I had on this other guy that I I recognize his name, but I know I wanna make sure I have something on him.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Just go back to to to mister Morgan State for a second. They asked him to be Ray Lewis in that defense, and he did a pretty darn good job of of of being everything everywhere on every play. And I just hope that it can I I and I'll I'll trust your that you know him because I haven't met him yet? But Mhmm. That he's got the mindset to be able to scale down into one specific role. I think that's gonna be the key for him to make it.

Speaker 6: Yeah. And and and what I was impressed with with him, Anthony Lucas is the other player that I like that, six five

Speaker 5: From USC.

Speaker 6: Yep. What I like about what I saw at the American Bowl and then at the, HBCU Legacy Bowl for him that I didn't see a lot of during his tenure at Morgan State was his ability and pass coverage. So we get down to the American bowl and you're watching him in one on ones and he has, you know, three picks and, you know, the seven zero seven and also in one on ones. And so his athleticism and coverage, even though he got beat a couple of times, but then you saw him just get acclimated to the the type of speed and consistency consistency he's he's facing because of playing up in competition. And then he goes to the HBC legacy bowl, which he didn't have to go to because he already balled out an American bowl and had that opportunity. You know, he could have sat out, but he went down there and participated. And then first practice, two picks. And it's like, alright. So he's he's he's carrying it and he's able to, you know, show that he could play in coverage, which will keep him on the field, for three downs. Now I think he can be a sub package guy because he has a range to cover. And he showed that. And then he also showed it at the HBCU showcase, you know, about a month ago at the, at the Washington Commanders Facility where he ran the four four and jumped 40 inches on the bird. So great athlete, great dude. Oh, man. And and he was the second best player on that Morgan State defense last year because the top player is now with the Vikings and Elijah Williams, a defensive line. That's right.

Speaker 5: That's right. I won't I won't bug you about the Vikings, but, we're we're happy with the Lions draft. I hope you were happy with Lions draft.

Speaker 6: Yeah. Listen. Because, again, that's why I wanted to bring in the undrafted guys because it kinda colors the whole picture. And this the part that I think a lot of folks get frustrated with that I get frustrated with when we're talking about draft. Right? Because it was the it's tied to the whole consensus point. The Lions starters starting 22 are pretty solid, man. There's not many Yeah. Not much room for starters. So they got two starters and everybody else is depth. You need depth. You know what I'm saying? Like, lion showed you that last year. Oh, we know.

Speaker 5: Oh, we know, Emery. We know. So I love

Speaker 6: the fact that they were able to add some guys a free agency, which now allows them to take some of these guys like Kendrick Law in the fifth round. Obviously, I think Abney was a steal, but I like the fact that you you're able to draft for depth too and not just draft for frontline. Sorry. This is why I hate mock drafts because everybody just gets focused on the first round in the same 32 names that they forget the draft is a talent acquisition, you know, event. And then as long as I thought combining what they did in, you know, free agency, undrafted rookie free agents along with what they did in the draft, like they got some solid players that can, you know, help them sustain a 17 game physical season.

Speaker 5: That's what that's exactly what we need. Emery, that's why we have you on. That's why you're the best. Mister Football game plan. Tell people where they can find your stuff. If they haven't bought your draft, they need it. They need it because you gotta, expand some stuff on every single person you talked about here, including the UDFA. So, pimp it out one last time.

Speaker 6: Yeah. You gotta get it, man. It's it's not only great. Pre draft is great during the draft and great post draft because we know these rosters get transient, and it's a great preseason guide too. So as you're watching the opposing team, you could kinda see who these guys are. They may end up on your roster, you know. So I would again, I always go back and buy the old guys too because that's how you know about a Kai Robicheaux running back out of Boston College, who I like a lot. You know what I'm saying? That's on the roster. It's how you would have known about a Jacob Sailors who balled the UFL. Think about how tired he was. Like, he was like a a starting tailback from the Blackhawks, and now he has got, like, man. So I'm I'm gonna be sidetracked, but but that the UFL season in that field, that's a long calendar.

Speaker 5: That's a long that's a long time. And he he played in Detroit. Like, he he was out there, you know, core special team are all all four slots, man. That's So it's tough.

Speaker 6: That's a long year. So o gameplan.com/2026draftguy. And I always appreciate the support from Lions fans because they always show actively the support, for the draft guy. The Lions fans show up a lot in in purchasing the draft guy. So I appreciate the platform to to to, you know, offer it up to you guys and and sell it. And, and also the Lions fans really hold it down for me because they remind everybody of who I stood on Jameer Gibbs and also Jack Campbell and give it. And so I give and and Brian Branch. So I give the Lions, and Lions fans a whole lot of credit, and I appreciate every time they, you know, show up for me when and because folks are trying to rewrite history. They're like, no. No. No. No. Every every said that first. And so I was like, alright. I I appreciate that.

Speaker 5: Oh, man. That's what we have here. Every thanks so much. Thanks so much for joining us. I appreciate you. I know you got you got more TV to do. You you are a man of of you're you're always doing something, and I love that about you. You you do not rest.

Speaker 6: No. Stay back. You gotta stay active, man.

Speaker 5: So thank you so much for joining us on the Detroit Lions podcast, man. Thank you. Appreciate you. Alright. And with that, we're gonna call it a daily. Every hunt, he's the best man. Jeff Risen signing out. Be good to one another, everybody.