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Speaker 3: Hey, everyone. Jeff Riston here with your daily DLP. It is Sunday, May 17, and we have a guest. That's why my screen looks a little funny for those of you watching along on YouTube. Thank you for liking and subscribing. Let's bring in this guy, Justin Mello. Justin m from Twitter, Justin m NFL. Works for SI, covers the Titans, but also covers the NFL draft. And you wrote some nice things about Blake Miller, so I wanted to have you on to talk about him, sir.

Speaker 4: Yeah. No. Appreciate you for having me on, Jeff. I, love that pick for the lines in the first round for for many, many reasons. So excited to get into Blake Miller who, I had a really good conversation with pre draft. We we did a a pretty great interview with him. So definitely, I think I've got some good insight into Blake Miller, the football player, and and maybe the human being a little bit too.

Speaker 3: Well, that's awesome. You do a you do a ton of draft prospect interviews. That's you do that as well

Speaker 1: as anybody, if not better than anybody.

Speaker 3: And I and and I try to share those as much as possible, but let's get into the one with Blake Miller. Just your thoughts on the guy, like, as a 22, 23 year old college student, college football player.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I appreciate the kind words, Jeff. Well, there were a lot of, you know, scouts, executives, you know, folks around the league who felt that he might have had the best football character in this class of any prospect. Prospect. When I had a chance to sit down with them, and and I'm gonna give it to you, you know, real, it it was funny to me. Like, probably a coach's dream in the sense that he was a little, monotone. You know, offensive lineman, the the the truth is they tend to be kinda boring when you talk to them. Right? They're all kind of similar.

Speaker 3: Can be. Yeah.

Speaker 4: Yeah. They can be. And at first, you know, he was used you know, he was very monotone and just kinda typical offensive line and but this is the part that sticks out to me why I bring that up. When I asked him about, we're probably about halfway through the interview. I asked him to break down. I love doing this with offensive linemen. So break down your favorite play in the playbook for me. What's something you ran this past year at Clemson that you just loved running? You were pumped to hear in the huddle. And the transformation that this guy went through in the interview when when we got to talk a little bit of x's and o's, and he gave me the longest answer. He probably gave me the entire interview on his favorite play. And he's so, you know, football first kinda guy that, oh, he brings up we ran it twice in this game, and I had a better block the first time we ran it. But I liked it better of the second time because even though I kinda whiffed, we scored a touchdown. We got into the end zone on that one even though I didn't quite hit my assignment. So and he broke he gave me the play name and what the assignment was. You guys can find if you Google Blake Miller NFL draft SI, you you'd probably find the interview rather quickly. But, I I just think the fit, like, what, 57 career starts at Clemson, I think it was at right tackle. Just goes without his business. Cool hand, Luke. Like, I had said on interview the week before the draft. This is a guy, and we didn't, you know, know for sure. I thought he'd be a first round pick. We didn't know for sure. So this is a guy who's not getting enough attention pre draft. Five years from now, four years from now, whatever, he'll sign a, you know, four year $100,000,000 extension because he's just gonna be so good, so steady, tough to find guys like that who are wired the way he's wired, consistent performer. He's gonna be an above average to potentially really good elite starter at tackle. And, obviously, the Lions went into this draft, you know, meeting one of those after the Taylor Decker situation.

Speaker 3: Yeah. And, you know, he's he will play right tackle in Detroit. We've look. The the management regime already stated that they wanted to move to the left side. And, yes, Tony, he brought up how monotone often is the same way. He's he's not gonna give you much until you ask him about something that just, like, triggers his football bell. And then he will go and he'll his face lights up. I can see Miller being that same kinda guy.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Absolutely. That that was, again, the part that stuck out to me the most about him. And, I'm glad, you know, they're they're moving like Penny so freaking good in all honesty that left side, right side, it's not gonna matter. Right? Like, they're gonna move him over that left, and he's gonna be a solution there for the next decade or whatever. And you with Blake, you're gonna that adds some comfort level. Right? Like, you're not asking him to switch positions coming out of college. Again, 57 career starts on that right side. Get him to hit the ground running. And I really do think, like, when I spoke to him and and and you find out he ends up in Detroit, just such a good culture fit. Like, he's, you know, it sounds cliche, but he's about what they're about. You know? And I I imagine Dan Campbell will tell you the same thing. He's just gonna be such a seamless fit for for Dan Campbell and that offense and the the locker room and the culture. That that's why I wrote the article, you know, kind of I tried to pick out just a couple of guy. I think I picked out five or six who kinda walked in the perfect scenarios, first round picks. And I don't think Blake Miller and the lions are are are getting enough love. You know, a lot of times, you're gonna look at the the the flashy picks. Right? The receivers and this and that. I think the fit between Blake Miller and the Lions couldn't be better.

Speaker 3: I'm with you on that. And I I think most fans are starting to come around to it. I think just because and and you you know this because we do scouting year round. He Blake Miller was not a guy who was seen as a first round pick last August. And I think that that bias holds on them even though he improves so much in in his you know, the stars in his fifties. Like, he got better at what he needed to get better at. And, it it feels like because, you know, fans weren't expecting to see him on the first round, that it's a a bit of a letdown. And, I I hope that that culture mindset is changing as as we go forward in the twenty twenty seven draft in the 2026 college season, which is scarily enough only three months away.

Speaker 4: Yeah. That blows me away like any Lions fan disappointed by that pick. You will change your opinion. I I think I mean, the guy is just gonna come in and play steady, good football. You know how hard it is? Like, I think we overlook this, and you'll know this, Jeff. It's so hard. It's, yeah, it's getting harder every year, it feels like, to just get good quality offensive line place that, like, it's it's a I call it a pandemic around the entire league. No one is good enough. No one has enough depth. Like, it's just such and when you like, it's you take it for granted. It's not a sexy position. When you don't have it is when you realize how bad you need it and how bad you want it. And he's just gonna he's just gonna be a solution for them. It's that simple. I I don't get it. Like, if there any you want 57, he checks every box. Experience, maturity, leadership. He's a first round player on tape. In my opinion, he was this past season. It's one of those picks where for me, I I would wager and I would ask Brad Holmes this, and I would I would hope I'd I'd make him chuckle. I bet Brad Holmes made that pick. Okay? And then he went to bed and got eight hours of sleep after making that pick because he just no concern in the world. You know this guy is gonna come in and, and be a solution for you.

Speaker 3: I'm with you on that. So let's just go a little bit deeper into the lion's draft. Your overall thoughts on the entire class, you know, adding in Derek Moore, Jimmy Rolder, Keith Abney, who seems to be everybody's favorite pick, perhaps mine included. How do you think that the Lions did overall in the draft?

Speaker 4: I thought they had a really good strong class. I mean, I I wrote a piece. I I believe it was a a week and a half ago now where I ranked the draft classes. Don't remember where I had them, but I wanna say I had them in the 12 to, you know, 10 to 15 range. But I don't

Speaker 3: know if it's 13. 13.

Speaker 4: There you go. Yeah. You've got it. I thought they had a very, very good draft class. I mean, Derek Moore, obviously, that's a back picks out of Michigan, right, with Derek Moore and Jimmy Rolder. Leading up to this pre draft process, before Derek Moore had the injury, right, that kinda hampered him pre draft Yeah. I thought he was a pass rusher that might have snuck into the first round. And I I truly thought that. I mean

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Speaker 4: He gets his opportunity at Michigan this past year. You know how it is at that program. You're kinda stuck behind the vets your first couple years. There's certainly an order that goes to it. And he gets his opportunity, and he maximizes it. I mean, he breaks out 10 sacks. I thought he had first round tape as a pass rusher this year. Super athletic, speedy. He was really good at the senior bowl. I'm sure you know that too. Like, he was just put they really couldn't block him in those one on one drills. I thought he didn't have that roughy

Speaker 3: head against Markelle Bell. Like, that that's how it how it

Speaker 4: The one that went viral. Yeah. I

Speaker 3: mean Exactly.

Speaker 7: I I thought if

Speaker 4: he didn't get hurt that he might have snuck in there, you know, in that 28 to 32 range. Some challenges. I'm not gonna paint him out to be perfect. I thought was a better pass rusher than run defender. He'll have to kind of, you know, play his way into those early down situations. A lot of these guys wanna rush the passer. Well, you gotta stop the run too. I know they've got, you know, a a DJ won't want him over there.

Speaker 3: Yeah.

Speaker 4: He's probably gonna do a lot of that dirty work, I imagine, on early downs opposite Aidan Hutchinson. So I don't think they'll put too much on his plate too fast when it comes to the early down stuff. But I think he's I think it's a a really good one two punch for them on that side of the ball. I think, you let DJ kinda do the dirty work. I think Moore is a better pass rusher than him, certainly has the potential to be a better pass rusher. So I love that. You know, when you when you not overload a guy's play too early, especially at that position. So, they've been looking for that guy opposite Hutchinson for a couple of offseasons now to kinda come in and rush the passer opposite him. And I think they've got a good one, and Derek Moore. Jimmy Roller. I did a fantastic interview with Jimmy Roller as well there on NFL draft on SI. What a guy. You know? Like, one year starter. Right? Like, team high, 74 tackles. He didn't look like a guy that was a one year starter this past year. I hate to bring up every cliche, you know, white linebacker buzzword. Right? But you know where I'm going with it. Right? Like, the hard hat, bring your lunch, fail to work kinda guy. And that's just what he you watch him on tape. I mean, the effort, the motor, but he's, you know, he's smart, high football IQ. I think he of course, he's not gonna do it for Detroit this year, but I think he's smart enough to eventually make the calls, make the checks around the line of scrimmage. Like, just a good, good football player. And, again, they don't end up at Michigan by mistake. You know, that was a good football player. You didn't know it because he wasn't playing. Right? Like, when he played this year, he showed that he's a good football player. I was excited about, again, the culture fit with Dan Campbell and, you know, the new defensive coordinator who I believe was the linebackers coach prior who's, is well liked, well loved in that organization. I think it's a great fit with him as well. Great fit with Dan Campbell. Again, the local connection, they go back to back. Starting to build a pipeline there, right, with Aidan Hutchinson. And now that these picks that they've made this year as well. So I like Jimmy. I'm rooted for him, and I'm excited. I thought, you know, I'm sure some people probably thought it was a little earlier than they anticipated. But, yeah, I

Speaker 7: could hear that. I I mean,

Speaker 4: I don't know if that's the case, but I thought he had a good year this year. So, again, team high, 74 tackles. He was good on tape.

Speaker 3: And he doesn't miss tackles, and I think that's very important. Yeah. And, you know, he so I think one of the things with lions, the there he he is ostensibly replacing Alex Anzalone on the roster, and he is not Alex Anzalone like. He's not a guy who's gonna turn and run with the tight end down the field in coverage. Anzalone was much more of a, I don't wanna say freelance, but, like, more of a, out in space type player who, you know, you know, he hedged screen screens and things like that and and, you know, got around blocks where Roller is a guy who's gonna try to run through the block, not always get off of it, but he's also gonna make the tackle and and, you know, do some things. So I I think there's a little bit of a disconnect between a lot of people wanted a guy like Kyle Lewis or somebody like that. Anthony Hill, who we'll we'll talk about in a second here. There are there are different styles of linebacker.

Speaker 4: I'll I'll say this if you don't mind. Sure. I liked Kyle Lewis a lot pre draft too, and I know he was a bit of a draft, you know, Twitter darling. He went later than anticipated. Right?

Speaker 3: We did.

Speaker 4: A lot of teams told them he might be an overhang safety. Some of them said he might be a nickel corner. I'm trying to learn my lesson here, Jeff. But I never do learn it, though. Okay? Those small linebackers get me in trouble every year. Okay? Like, they get, like they're easy to fall in love with because they, you know, they're athletic. They fly around sideline to sideline. They make sexy plays and, like but it it's all fun and games until a three hundred and fifteen pound pulling guard gets up on what is he? Two hundred and twenty pounds? A two hundred and twenty pound linebacker and just engulfs him. Right? And just swallows him whole like a snake eating a meal. Right? Like, just swallow one bite like he's gone. So you gotta be careful with those types. I think there's been a lot of them in recent years that we forget about, and we maybe not hold ourselves accountable for loving, and then they go on and do nothing. Jimmy Rolder is probably a bit more of the mature decision. Right? He might not be the 10 out of 10, but maybe he's the one that you marry if if, you know, he's just just a good old I I love you. Right? Like, Jimmy Rolder might be the more mature experienced decision there. And you're right. You know, tune it probably a two down guy, but he's smart, high football IQ. He's gonna come downhill. He's gonna fight through those blocks, motor, aggressive, physical. It's but it's not just the motor. It's the instincts as well. Right? And it's the football IQ. So there's a lot to like about Jimmy Roller. And, you know, I I don't think Lions fans are gonna regret that one.

Speaker 3: Yeah. The the blocking tight end on those guys that comes in the NFL, you never see that in college. Almost never see it in college. That that's that's that's a can of worms that that they unfortunately have to open up. Let's get into your Titans draft because the Lions play the Titans this year. And it came out this week, the scheduled release. The Titans for the second year in a row have no national or prime time games. So Lions fans probably don't know a whole lot about your team. So let just give me a a brief overview of where you're at going into the to 2026 with the new head coach and a former number one overall pick.

Speaker 4: Well, I think they they feel that they're starting to stabilize this thing a little bit. It was a disaster for a couple of years there where they cycled through GMs and head coaches and presidents, and it's kinda hard to make any progress when you don't have stability in the organization.

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Speaker 4: They feel they've gotten to a point where they're they're really on the right track. First of all, they think the world of their general manager, Mike Gorgonzi, who was in, you know, Kansas City for literally close to twenty years, I think, of He's

Speaker 3: a sharp guy.

Speaker 4: Yeah. I I I had

Speaker 3: a chance to talk with with Mike, and he's he he knows what he's doing.

Speaker 4: He's a sharp guy. They think the world of him, they think they hit a home run, bringing in his general manager. They thought he had a really good first year. Don't hold the three and fourteen record against him from last year because he inherited a dumpster fire. Right? Like, if there's a bad. Personnel, draft picks. Like, everything was just it was really, really bad. They think he did some really good work last year. Obviously, it starts with the number one overall pick in Cam Ward. They really believe they've got their franchise quarterback in him. Even if you didn't watch him last year, you probably saw some highlights where he made some truly breathtaking plays from the quarterback position despite not having a whole lot around him, right, in terms of weaponry and stability and co coaching staff. They he had three three different head coaches or offensive coordinators in his rookie year, which is unheard of because That's a

Speaker 3: tough way to start.

Speaker 4: They stripped the head coach of play calling, but they didn't give it to the coordinator. They gave it to the quarterback's coach. And then they kept the head coach for a few more weeks and then fired the head coach, and then named the, assistant, like, whatever, as adviser, one of those, you know, nonsensible roles. Yeah. They named him the interim head coach, but kept play calling with the quarterback coach. Right? It was just a bit of a disaster. And yet after that happens, after the bye week, he had 10 touchdown passes and one interception. He played pretty close to lights out down the stretch. They're infatuated with the person and the character that he exuberant. Like, he's just first guy in, last one out. Leader holds guys accountable. They think the world of him, and they're excited about the coaching staff they've surrounded him with. Right? Brian Dabel is offensive coordinator. They think was an absolute home run. Seen the work that he did, obviously, with Josh Allen in Buffalo. They go get a first round pick at receiver. You kinda saw what he did with Malik Neighbors there for a little bit when he had him as a first round pick. So, they're excited about the coaching staff, the general manager, and, certainly, they think they've got the quarterback to bring it all together.

Speaker 3: Yeah. First round pick, Carnell Tate. Very easy to project him to catch a lot of passes in that offense. But just real just brief summary of what their offense should look like under day ball with Cam Ward there, and and with the shiny new toy in in Carnell Tate.

Speaker 4: They do gonna pass the football a lot in all honesty. I think people are gonna be surprised by how much they throw the football around. With Titan's fans are probably overrating it, but they're looking at this wide receiver depth chart and going I don't know that it's ever looked this good, or it's been a long time. Like, they've got five guys right now who are guaranteed to make the 53 man roster at wide receiver that, understandably so. They're legitimately excited about in terms of Cornell Tate. You know, they yes. They paid a lot for one Del Robinson in free agency, but the fit with Brian Dabel there, he knows the system. He's a underneath weapon.

Speaker 3: He's Justin, he's a great player, and nobody knows about him.

Speaker 4: Like, he's a good football. He had a thousand yards last year and caught a 100 balls. Like, the guy can catch football. He's a high volume kinda guy, and you it's easy to project him because he's playing for the coordinator who he played for four years, his whole rookie contract. He was with Brian Fable. So that's why they were willing to kind of overpay him a little bit because they know what they're getting. They brought Calvin Ridley back on a restructured deal. I I think that's a good fit considering they're not gonna ask too much of him anymore as the number three. You know, next to Tate and Robinson, they like that. And then they had two rookies last year who produced for them in Shimmeray DK who made the Pro Bowl for being a lead on special teams as a returner, but he also showed some stuff at receiver. And then Alec Isle Manor, you know, who they got some good production out of as well. So they love what this wide receiver depth chart is looking like for Cam Ward. The big questions on the interior of the offensive line, they're gonna go into camp with, positional battles at center and right guard. And, they've got some they've got some rookie draft picks that are gonna get to me. They've got a sophomore, you might remember, who who I think is gonna start this year because he was a draft darling, a Twitter draft darling, Jackson Slater, Sac State. They think he's gonna be a starter for them this year. They kinda spent his rookie year preparing him for that, kinda redshirting him, you know, strength and conditioning when you're coming out of a small school. But he started week 18 for them was only one start and played really well in all honesty. So they're they're projecting him into a starting role, and then they're gonna have a battle at center with, Pat Coogan, the national championship winner out of Indiana, and Austin Slotman, a veteran center who Ryan Daybell brings with him from the New York Giants who started a bunch of games for him last year, and, those two are gonna battle it out at center. They also brought in Cordell Volfsen, at guard if you know, but they're expecting that Jackson Slater is gonna win that right guard job.

Speaker 3: I would hope so for Jackson Slater's case. You brought up Pat Googin, and he was one of a few guys that the Titans drafted that the Lions and Lions fans really glommed on to throughout the draft process. And one of them, your your second pick of the draft, Keldrick Falk, was a guy that I thought that and that well, I've I've learned after the stance. The lions definitely liked Keldrick Falk. They they wound up taking Blake Nolan. I think we're all good with that. But how does how does Kendrick Faulk fit into Tennessee? And what did you see from him as a prospect? Because, there were a lot of lions fans who were excited that he might be the pick, and also a lot that were scared to death that he was gonna be the pick.

Speaker 4: Here's why the tie ins traded up back into the first round. They are not an aggressive team typically, especially under Mike Borgonzi. The situation was so bad. They wanted more draft picks, not less. They're not they were not getting aggressive. Mind you, they somehow managed to get back into the first round without losing any picks. They moved back. It was a two for two trade, which was interesting. They didn't give up any picks. They move up for him. You know why they did it? Because head coach Robert Saleh essentially said, I've already coached this guy and his name is Eric Armstead. And I did a pretty good job with Eric Armstead in San Francisco for a long time. And it is eerie how similar they are. Inside and outside versatility. Right? Big, long, early down run stoppers who probably have a lot more pass rushing potential than the average fan realizes. He only had two sacks this year. Right? Which was, I think, the big cause for concern. But, Jeff, when you turn on the tape, you start to realize they didn't put this guy in a position to rack up sacks by any stretch of the imagination. Like, he's playing that, you know, shaded on the inside shoulder of the tackle, stop the run, do the dirty work. When they played him in a different role the year before, I think he had seven or eight sacks the year before at the same program. So I think the context is important to why he didn't have the sack production that you expect a first round pick to have. But he's big. He's long. He's physical. They've Robert Sala said, he's Eric Armstead and he's John Franklin Myers. And they just signed John Franklin Myers in free agency because Robert Sala wanted to coach him again. So they're really liking they let Robert Sala completely revamp this defensive line in his vision. They acquired five defensive linemen that he coached before, and then they go get Keldrick Folk, who he feels like he's coached before because he's Eric Armstead. So there the reason they felt comfortable making that move for him is because of the confidence that Robert Saleh has in his ability to coach him.

Speaker 3: I like it. And, you know, Eric Thompson was a very easy player to envision when you watch Kendrick Faulk. And and, again, how Auburn you slash misused him. And I wanna say they misused him because it felt like they needed to have him inside because their best players were other pass rushers who are lighter. So it it it makes sense. But I I think most Lions fans are are pretty

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Speaker 3: Okay that they didn't take a kilter at fault. Sure. But, you know, he was certainly high on the list, and then I did hear from from Lions Scouts that they'd certainly had some interest in him.

Speaker 4: Okay. One of the

Speaker 3: guys I want to bring up, Anthony Hill. We talked about Rolder in Detroit. Where's Anthony Hill gonna fit into the the mix on the defense in and and and there's a Robert Solla asked a lot of his linebackers in that defense. How does he fit in as a was it third round pick? Second round pick.

Speaker 4: Second round pick. They actually traded back up into the again. So they got rid of their second round pick to move up for for Fulk. And then they got rid of their third round pick to move up for Hill. So they somehow got they made three picks in the top 60 by maneuvering the board, and I have it on good account. Like, they traded up in front of Denver. Denver was gonna take Anthony Hill at 61 or whatever it was. Like, they move up one overall. That's why they got aggressive. They knew the Broncos were gonna take them. They're pumped about this kid. Everything I just said about Keltrick Falk, he kinda feels like a Robert Saleh linebacker. Right? Like

Speaker 3: He does. Absolutely.

Speaker 4: Right? Like, big physical, aggressive, can turn and run-in coverage. He's long. And and run Robert Sala before he cut his teeth as a d coordinator, he was a linebacker's position coach. Here's a crazy fact for you. And I I say fact, I hope I'm not getting it wrong. As of a few months ago, four of the top 10 paid linebackers in the NFL were coached by Robert Saleh at some point. It was Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Azizel Shire, and, Quincy Williams, I believe, was the list. Like, he coached all of them in pivotal points in their career. He feels like he's a linebacker whisperer. He's getting a really interesting third year linebacker in Cedric Gray, who, again, because times had no national games last year, he set the time single season record for tackles last year. Cedric Gray, he was unbelievable for them at linebacker. They're gonna pair him with Anthony Hill, and they think they've got one heck of an ascending duo in a third year linebacker and a rookie linebacker and a good veteran who can kinda do some responsible things for them in, in Cody Bard as well. So they're pumped about Anthony Hill and how he fits this defense fast. I mean, when they you watch the draft call, you can always tell something with those draft calls. Right? The the buzz in that room when they took Anthony Hill, their defensive coordinator is Gus Bradley. Even though, you know, they they were able to go get a veteran who's not calling plays, by the way. It's gonna be Robert Saleh. And Gus Bradley gets on the phone and says, what did I tell you? When we had you in for a thirty visit, you might as well not leave. We were gonna find a way to come get you no matter what. I love it. No way we were getting out of this draft. That's why they moved up nine spots and gave up picks to go get them. They are so excited about how he's gonna play in this Robert's Hall of defense.

Speaker 3: I like it, man. I'll get you out of here on this. And thanks again for joining me, Don, on a on a wonderful Sunday, as as we get ready to watch PGA and do all sorts of things. Just, how optimistic can Titans fans be about this coming season in a interesting division? Obviously, Jacksonville ripped off a ton of wins last year. Houston with that defense is not gonna be easy. The Colts appear to have stability after a roller coaster season. We'll see. Can the Titans get out of last place this year? Can they rise up and maybe challenge for a wild card, or is that being a little bit too rosy?

Speaker 4: I think the roster looks a lot better than it's been in a long time. I think if you wanna be realistic and you wanna be mature about this, you kinda look at the New Orleans Saints last year. Like, can you be a team that wins, you know, six, seven games? I I certainly think they're getting out of the basement. I don't think this is a three win football team for a third straight season. I think they're probably, you know, realistically, a six, seven win football team. I think k. You just wanna see that you're on the right path. Right? That your quarterback is taking the steps. Your general manager is building a roster. You know, the Lions, it wasn't success overnight for them either, obviously.

Speaker 3: Just thinking, like, this sounds a lot like the conversations we were having here in 2021.

Speaker 4: Exactly. Right? Like, I I think and I think it's realistic to expect that. I think when you look at the roster, it doesn't look like a bad roster. You like what you have at wide receiver. You like the d line I just mentioned. They went out and signed some corners who should be able to they were big spenders at cornerback and free agency. Just to kinda play right away, you've got, you know, Jeffrey Simmons as a superstar d tackle. You're gonna put John Franklin Myers and Kendrick Faulk on that d line too. Like, I think they've got some good football players that should make them a middle

Speaker 1: of the road.

Speaker 4: Right? Like, it's like there there there's some talent there. You know? I I like Elante Taylor a lot in free agency. Like, there's some good football players on that side of the ball. You just wanna be on the right track. I I think they've I love this coaching staff. I think Robert Salah, Brian Dabel, Gus Sprout, they had zero years experience when they hired the last staff, by the way. Their head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator had zero and special teams coordinator had zero years combined experience, and that's why it was the dumpster fire that it was. Now you've got Robert Saleh, John Bones Fossil. Right? Special teams coordinator, Gus Bradley, Brian Babel. They're excited about this coaching staff. They're excited about the GM. They think they've taken steps forward improving the roster. Win six, seven games. What Titans fans are dreaming on, of course, Cam Ward is the elephant in the room. It could go I don't think it goes a lot worse than that. Can it go better? Sure. You know, if Cam Ward is can he take that Drake May, Caleb Williams sophomore step? They think he can based on what he did as a rookie, and sort of the work attitude and the way, and work ethic, sorry, and the way he commits himself. But I think realistically, you just wanna know you're on the right path. And I think this coming season will prove that, they might be, you know, a year or two away from being, you know, fairly legitimate in the AFC.

Speaker 3: I like it. That's that that there there's so many parallels there. Well, different ways, but, like, the story of the Titans coming where they're at now

Speaker 4: Yeah.

Speaker 3: Is is the is the Lions five years ago.

Speaker 4: It really is. Right? You need to know. They think they've got their Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell in in Mike Borgonzi and and Robert Sala, who they were so excited to get.

Speaker 3: I love it. Justin, thank you so much for joining, Manas. Tell them peep tell people where they can find your work.

Speaker 4: Yeah. Pleasure. No. I had a lot of fun talking lines, draft class, pumped for the lines. I'm up here in Toronto, so I'm not I'm not, you know, Canadian, but I'm not that far from Detroit. And I I got a lot of love for the Lions and a lot of love for University of Michigan. And I'm I'm rooting for the Lions to have a great year this year. Love to see them get back to Super Bowl contention. Got a lot of respect and admiration for that franchise and that city in general. Justin m underscore NFL on Twitter. NFL draft on SI, that is Sports Illustrated's dedicated space for all things NFL draft related. You could find it on the Twitter, easy URL, or Google NFL draft on SI, and you will find our dedicated section of Sports Illustrated, if you will. Appreciate you for having me, Jeff. You know where to find me.

Speaker 3: Absolutely. I thanks so much for the conversation. We'll we'll revisit this before, before the Lions and the Titans play this year.

Speaker 4: You know where to absolutely. We'd love to do it.

Speaker 3: Alright. Justin Mello, everybody. And with that, we're gonna call it a show. Jeff Risen signing out. Be good to one another, everybody.