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Making Monsters Draft Series: Offensive linemen the Bears could draft · 2nd City Gridiron

0:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Hi, welcome back everybody to another episode of Making Monsters.
0:12
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm Taylor Gaul.
0:12
[SPEAKER_01]: That's Bill Ryleen, Radio Voice of Utah Athletics.
0:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Covering the Utah Yuts for a long time, too.
0:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Bill, I appreciate you hopping on a couple prospects here that have been linked to the Bears in several mock drafts or just people wanting them sometimes.
0:24
[SPEAKER_01]: So thanks for hopping on and chatting with me a little bit.
0:27
[SPEAKER_03]: Great to be with you Taylor.
0:28
[SPEAKER_03]: Love talking about the NFL draft, which I'm a fan of, and of course, my Utah guys.
0:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.
0:33
[SPEAKER_01]: I love draft time.
0:34
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been very busy.
0:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I've done 17 podcasts in 23 days.
0:38
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's been really busy for me over 60 prospects.
0:42
[SPEAKER_01]: I've covered in the last 20 days.
0:44
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a little busy.
0:45
[SPEAKER_01]: But we want to start off, Bill, by just talking about the Utah offensive.
0:48
[SPEAKER_01]: We're all when you talk about what they were able to do this last year and having the most touchdowns in the big 12.
0:54
[SPEAKER_01]: a lot of rushing touchdowns in that and we'll get into that as we kind of get going.
0:58
[SPEAKER_01]: But Devon Damper, you're taking over, he's 2,500 yards, 24 passing touchdowns in the additional 830 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns.
1:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So a mobile quarterback guy that can use his legs, but tell a little bit about that and that the Utah offense and how that all kind of mesh together.
1:13
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, the run Jason Beckin last year Kyle Wittingham wanted to kind of change some things up.
1:18
[SPEAKER_03]: They had made a change in offense of coordinator and he wanted to bring somebody in that would stress defenses and Jason had great success the year before at New Mexico with Bronco Mendon.
1:28
[SPEAKER_03]: I'll just one year there.
1:30
[SPEAKER_03]: But he had Devon Damper as you mentioned there as a sophomore and didn't have great talent around him, especially on the offensive line.
1:37
[SPEAKER_03]: But they put up really prolific numbers at New Mexico.
1:39
[SPEAKER_03]: Kyle Whittingham, who's now in Michigan, and so is Jason Beck, and Morgan Scallon, we're doing this search, and they really liked what Beck did with that offense.
1:48
[SPEAKER_03]: He was very good, very malleable with what the personnel he had, and they figured hey, if he can do this at New Mexico, what can he do, what the kind of talent we have at the University of Utah.
1:58
[SPEAKER_03]: So he and Devon came in together, they installed the offense, but the really the secret sauce last year of the Utah offense was the offensive line.
2:05
[SPEAKER_03]: They had arguably the best offensive line in football.
2:08
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the draft's gonna bear that out this year because they're likely to have two guys which we'll talk about in the first round, but I think all five of the guys that started last, you're gonna end up on NFL roasters.
2:18
[SPEAKER_03]: So that made it very clear Kyle Wittingham was always a blue collar grinded out, run the football kind of a guy.
2:25
[SPEAKER_03]: So with dampening quarterback, they had some good running backs and that elite offensive line, that made it a really easy choice for back.
2:32
[SPEAKER_03]: They just mold people.
2:34
[SPEAKER_03]: They had the second best rushing offense in the country last year.
2:37
[SPEAKER_03]: They dominated time of possession.
2:40
[SPEAKER_03]: They won in the trenches and it had a great year.
2:43
[SPEAKER_03]: They should have beaten BYU.
2:45
[SPEAKER_03]: They made their own mistakes.
2:46
[SPEAKER_03]: And that could tech was good.
2:47
[SPEAKER_03]: Tech won that game in the fourth quarter.
2:50
[SPEAKER_03]: But Utah went 11 and 2 last year.
2:52
[SPEAKER_03]: The offense took a huge jump.
2:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Damper cut down on his interception numbers that he had at New Mexico was really good, especially when he was healthy, dealt with some injuries during the year.
3:02
[SPEAKER_03]: But Utah's offense was really outstanding with Jason Beck who's now at Michigan with Kyle Wittingham, where they will love the grinded out, run it, pound it, kind of football too.
3:13
[SPEAKER_03]: But it was a good offense last year, led by Damper, but really and truly led
3:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, which is obviously what we're here today to talk about a couple of those offensive linemen.
3:23
[SPEAKER_01]: The bears have an interesting trajectory when it comes to the line.
3:27
[SPEAKER_01]: The line has struggled for a long time, Caleb Williams has rookie season, got sacked almost 60 times in that offense.
3:34
[SPEAKER_01]: So it wasn't very good last year that dropped down to 24.
3:37
[SPEAKER_01]: And so there was a big difference.
3:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Some of that being Caleb Williams being able to
3:41
[SPEAKER_01]: a little pressure to do some things that he can do on the ground.
3:44
[SPEAKER_01]: But a lot of it was what they put into that offense.
3:46
[SPEAKER_01]: The problem is bill.
3:48
[SPEAKER_01]: The center suddenly retired in the off season.
3:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And then the left tackle that they drafted last year has an injury that torn patella attended.
3:55
[SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't look like he'll be back this next year.
3:58
[SPEAKER_01]: So it went from having your starting five that you feel confident in, so losing two of those within a month's time and now having to see.
4:04
[SPEAKER_01]: you know kind of pivot a little and figure some things out.
4:06
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's why we're talking about a couple of these guys.
4:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I did want to start with because I think I have to start with Fano.
4:12
[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to be probably gone by the time the bears pick at 25.
4:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he'll go pretty high.
4:16
[SPEAKER_01]: But when you talk about what he was able to do on that offensive line and just kind of being the anchor of a lot of things.
4:22
[SPEAKER_01]: I think both these guys can and Lomo, you could probably say that about, but chat about him versatility can play, play both sides when it comes to right tackle left tackle, but how
4:32
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, he's a starter from day one as a freshman, Taylor.
4:35
[SPEAKER_03]: So that tells you how talented he was to start the pack 12 as a freshman at left tackle and then they moved him to write tackle is sophomore year because of the guy you mentioned Caleb low moon and he Spencer's fantastic.
4:49
[SPEAKER_03]: He is an elite athlete.
4:51
[SPEAKER_03]: His footwork is excellent.
4:53
[SPEAKER_03]: I know he's been dinged.
4:55
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, we just find things to just nitpick this time of year with short arms.
5:00
[SPEAKER_03]: But the guy played at power four level football for three years.
5:04
[SPEAKER_03]: Start.
5:04
[SPEAKER_03]: He was an all-American.
5:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Really all the way through freshman all-American and then two-time all-American, the next two years at Wright Tackle, because he's an elite athlete with great footwork.
5:14
[SPEAKER_03]: He's six foot five, he's right around three.
5:17
[SPEAKER_03]: He's not a big tackle, he's not that 325, 330 guys, more like 305, 310.
5:23
[SPEAKER_03]: But he's smart, he's intelligent, he moves well.
5:25
[SPEAKER_03]: You mentioned the versatility.
5:27
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, he might be a right tackle.
5:29
[SPEAKER_03]: I know he's worked out it right guard and also center for some teams.
5:33
[SPEAKER_03]: That shows his versatility.
5:36
[SPEAKER_03]: If he goes high, it's probably because they're gonna make him a tackle.
5:39
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think you're drafted a guard or a center in the top 10.
5:42
[SPEAKER_03]: I've seen him anywhere from free, which seems high, maybe down to 14 or 15.
5:47
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think he gets away from the middle of the first round.
5:50
[SPEAKER_03]: But he's going to be a starter for 10 years in the league, whether he's at right tack or the right guard, somebody's going to get a really good offensive line.
5:59
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think it could probably be a Pro Bowl guy at some point in time too.
6:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, when you talk about that, one of the zero sex, he was so, I last year, obviously, the offensive lineman of the year for the big 12, zero sex allowed just five pressures on the year on 357 past blocking snaps, which is crazy when you when you start to look at some of
6:20
[SPEAKER_01]: say it could be starters in the NFL and that's a big thing that cohesiveness and getting those guys that work well together.
6:25
[SPEAKER_01]: So I do think how much do you think it is some of these individual guys, some of this as a whole when you're looking at the Utah line and how much do teams in the NFL at the next level look at that.
6:35
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, I think Utah's always had a good history of putting guys in the league.
6:38
[SPEAKER_03]: They've had eight offensive Lyme and drafted.
6:40
[SPEAKER_03]: I think in the last seven drafts, maybe eight drafts.
6:43
[SPEAKER_03]: So there's a history of it.
6:45
[SPEAKER_03]: Their Garrett Bulls has been starting tackle for the Broncos for about seven or eight years.
6:49
[SPEAKER_03]: Now he was a Utah guy.
6:51
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the unit is a whole obviously when you have five guys that have played together for two years, there's a cohesion there and you know how to move.
6:57
[SPEAKER_03]: But when you're playing out on the edge, like final and low move, do you run an island?
7:01
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, those guys inside aren't helping you out as much.
7:04
[SPEAKER_03]: And they're playing against elite tackles.
7:06
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, two guys, one guy that's going to go in the top five David Bailey, both Lomu and in Fano did a good job on in the Texas Tech game, Romelo Heights also going to be a guy drafted this time around.
7:16
[SPEAKER_03]: They did a pretty good job against those Texas Tech tackles.
7:19
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think the body of work, I don't think with Fano or even Lomu, you're looking at a one-year deal.
7:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Lomu, it's two years Fano, it's three years and they've been really good.
7:29
[SPEAKER_03]: at not only giving, not giving up sacks, but the pressures as well, so I think Spencer is going to be a really good offensive line, and the unit helped, I think all those three gather guys will probably end up on rosters.
7:40
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if they'll start necessarily straight away, but if you're landing your entire offensive line on NFL rosters, it means you're pretty good.
7:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, both of those guys you mentioned, David Bailey and Romero Heights have done podcasts on them this month about the potential of the bears taking them, they do need an address or also, and the trenches you see you see the games winning being won and the trenches you could talk about Seattle winning the Super Bowl this last year and their defense was a massive part of that and being able to protect the quarterback.
8:09
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's switch over to Caleb Blomu.
8:10
[SPEAKER_01]: I think this one's more realistic in the in the range where
8:13
[SPEAKER_01]: He is going to be drafted also left tackle, which is where the bears just lost out on Aussie Chipillo that they took from Boston College this last year.
8:21
[SPEAKER_01]: His path a little bit different.
8:22
[SPEAKER_01]: He did red shirt in 2023.
8:24
[SPEAKER_01]: He was just on three games, special teams during that time.
8:28
[SPEAKER_01]: But then in 2024 started quickly, you saw what Lomo could do pretty early and then that got even better in 25.
8:34
[SPEAKER_01]: So just talk about that.
8:35
[SPEAKER_01]: Just those two seasons and what you saw progress the most in develop out of him.
8:38
[SPEAKER_03]: Well he's really good athlete too.
8:40
[SPEAKER_03]: He's a little bit taller and longer than Fano is.
8:43
[SPEAKER_03]: The arm reached the length a little bit taller as well.
8:47
[SPEAKER_03]: Probably not as polished right now as Spencer is.
8:50
[SPEAKER_03]: He's got one last year of experience, but what's interesting Taylor is he's definitively a tackle.
8:56
[SPEAKER_03]: He's not probably going to slide inside.
8:59
[SPEAKER_03]: He's definitively a tackle.
9:00
[SPEAKER_03]: Now whether he plays on the left side of the right side, I think if you played left tackle you could
9:08
[SPEAKER_03]: I think he might have a little bit higher ceiling as a tackle than even Fano does, while Fano is a much more polished product right now.
9:18
[SPEAKER_03]: They're just tapping into what Lowmoo could be.
9:21
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think he's a guy that depending on the team, he could be a plug and play guy from day one.
9:26
[SPEAKER_03]: Is he going to be an elite tackle from day one?
9:28
[SPEAKER_03]: Maybe not.
9:30
[SPEAKER_03]: But I think he's going to be good enough as a rookie first round draft pick to start for somebody.
9:35
[SPEAKER_03]: But I think by year two or year three, you might be looking at a Pro Bowl caliber player.
9:39
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think his range too is probably around where the bears are picking.
9:43
[SPEAKER_03]: Unless if the bear stay put, end to the first round, I think that's where most people see low mu.
9:48
[SPEAKER_03]: I've seen him really anywhere from about 20 to 32.
9:52
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think that fits in right there and based on what you were telling me about the bears needs and the injuries, bugs that popped up in the retirement, he might be a good target, also a super high character guy.
10:04
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, Utah hasn't had very many bad guys in their program in the Kyle Whittingham era and this group's no different.
10:11
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think whoever gets low move is going to be getting a good player now with the chance for him to be a really good player in the years to come.
10:19
[SPEAKER_01]: And but what I think may be beneficial there.
10:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Number one, Ryan Polls is a very high character type of guy.
10:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Everybody he's drafted.
10:26
[SPEAKER_01]: You've seen those links.
10:27
[SPEAKER_01]: He's avoided other players like a Jalen Carter when there were some off the field issues.
10:32
[SPEAKER_01]: He traded back and let the Eagles take him because maybe some fans don't totally love that he leans into that, but he's very, very vocal about having the good people that fit the culture and Chicago that he's had to spend.
10:43
[SPEAKER_01]: the last four years rebuilding and trying to figure out.
10:45
[SPEAKER_01]: But a part of that too, I think that if you draft somebody like Hullo Mo next to him is Joe Toney, who's one of the best lift guards in the NFL and has been for a while.
10:53
[SPEAKER_01]: So you come in, you're by somebody who has a lot of experience in the NFL and the line could probably help you out a little bit.
10:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Ben Johnson also will throw the Titans out there and use extra blockers if he needs to to help.
11:04
[SPEAKER_01]: So I do think there's time, you don't feel like we have to have Hullo Mo come out and play at the super high level right away.
11:12
[SPEAKER_03]: What you see the thing too and the bears were really good run to the football last year with that two-headed monster.
11:17
[SPEAKER_03]: Both Loma, I mean, we talk about tackles and obviously it's past protection number one.
11:22
[SPEAKER_03]: Both these guys were elite run blockers to who are excellent at getting to the second level.
11:28
[SPEAKER_03]: and getting that secondary block getting off that first guy and then getting to that second level.
11:33
[SPEAKER_03]: So you're not getting guys that are just, hey, we're gonna protect the quarterback.
11:37
[SPEAKER_03]: And of course, you want to protect Caleb Williams and that quarterback.
11:39
[SPEAKER_03]: But you know, the way the bear is ran the ball last year, especially with Eric P. Enemy is now gone, but I don't think they're gonna change running the football.
11:47
[SPEAKER_03]: Both Lomu and Fano are especially good run blockers.
11:51
[SPEAKER_03]: And with that athleticism that they have are really good at getting to that next level.
11:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think too, how much do you think it's beneficial being in front of a quarter back this last year, like Dampier, who does use his legs and moves around and coming to the NFL, but the other quarter back, that's definitely going to leave the pocket and use his legs too.
12:09
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, we know we saw Caleb Williams for a few years at USC, and you bear his fans have seen it too.
12:15
[SPEAKER_03]: It, he loves to extend place.
12:18
[SPEAKER_03]: I think that's a nice way of seeing it.
12:19
[SPEAKER_03]: He loves to extend place.
12:21
[SPEAKER_03]: Mostly good.
12:22
[SPEAKER_03]: Sometimes you're kind of screaming.
12:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Get rid of that.
12:25
[SPEAKER_03]: But yeah, but that's what that dampere did to dampere was one of those guys that would run around the pocket looking to make that play down the field.
12:33
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think both Fano and in Lowmoo are used to having a quarterback like that.
12:37
[SPEAKER_03]: They're not going to bail on him.
12:38
[SPEAKER_03]: They know that guy back there's going to try to extend place.
12:40
[SPEAKER_03]: And again, that's where the athleticism of both those guys comes in.
12:44
[SPEAKER_03]: Their ability to be able to both make the initial block and stay with those guys.
12:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Alright, but before I let you go, I want to ask you, there's a few other names when it comes to the Utah youths that are on a lot of the big boards, a dial and Bentley being one of those.
12:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Fauna, I'm guessing Logan is his brother is older brother, older brother.
13:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so chat about some of those other guys, is there anybody that you feel like maybe people aren't talking about enough or that you have some high expectations for at the next level?
13:11
[SPEAKER_03]: Logan Fano is going to be a nice player.
13:13
[SPEAKER_03]: He didn't have big numbers and production.
13:16
[SPEAKER_03]: He came off an injury a couple of years ago.
13:18
[SPEAKER_03]: He was finally getting back to himself.
13:20
[SPEAKER_03]: I think he's probably a mid-round guy defensive end.
13:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Here's a name to keep an eye on.
13:24
[SPEAKER_03]: And I know the bears are really good at tight end.
13:28
[SPEAKER_03]: But there's a Utah tight end by the name of Dalland Bentley.
13:31
[SPEAKER_03]: who didn't have a great deal of production early in his career because guys like Dalton can kages with the bills now were in front of him.
13:39
[SPEAKER_03]: He had a break out year last year.
13:40
[SPEAKER_03]: He had a huge year and he is one of those guys that's not a hybrid Titan.
13:45
[SPEAKER_03]: He's true Titan.
13:47
[SPEAKER_03]: He can block the in line, but he's got great hands down field.
13:50
[SPEAKER_03]: I think Dalin Bentley may not be for the bears because they're good at Titan, but
13:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Somebody's going to pick him up and have a good one.
13:56
[SPEAKER_03]: And there's one other guy to keep an eye on.
13:58
[SPEAKER_03]: And again, probably a day three guy, but he comes from a great athletic family in lineage.
14:03
[SPEAKER_03]: And two of his brothers are playing in the NFL right now.
14:06
[SPEAKER_03]: That's Lander Barton.
14:07
[SPEAKER_03]: He was an outstanding line backer for Utah.
14:10
[SPEAKER_03]: He's kind of a to for bare fans.
14:11
[SPEAKER_03]: He's kind of a poor man's earlacker if you
14:15
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm not comparing him to Brian Urlacker but that style of play and he's a poor man's Urlacker.
14:19
[SPEAKER_03]: His brother Cody's a starting linebacker was with the Broncos last year now starting linebacker for the Tennessee Titans and his brother Jackson's an offensive lineman.
14:29
[SPEAKER_03]: His mom was a dual sport hall of fame athlete at Utah.
14:32
[SPEAKER_03]: His dad was a dual sport athlete and his sister might be the best athlete of all.
14:37
[SPEAKER_03]: She's an all the four-time all-American volleyball player.
14:40
[SPEAKER_03]: So the Bartons have good athletic genes.
14:43
[SPEAKER_03]: And if you need a day three lineback or somewhere probably fourth fifth round, I think lander's going to be a nice get for somebody.
14:50
[SPEAKER_01]: What type of where does he fit and not is he a middle?
14:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Was he what did he do at your time?
14:56
[SPEAKER_03]: He was a guy that both played middle and but he moves well enough that he's great in the flats was excellent with his instincts.
15:03
[SPEAKER_03]: He can cover backs and tight ends.
15:05
[SPEAKER_03]: So he can do a little bit of everything.
15:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, yeah, it's interesting because everybody that listens to this and we have the discussion because you let you work here in Jacksonville for a little while, but also coming with Jaguars, a couple of those names, because I think the jags could be looking at a tight end and that range, they have brain strain too.
15:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I like a lot, but that's it outside of that you don't really have another tight end, so I wouldn't be surprised.
15:24
[SPEAKER_01]: They also are looking for a linebacker to replace Devon Lloyd, as he got traded this off.
15:29
[SPEAKER_03]: who was just on my podcast last week.
15:32
[SPEAKER_03]: So that was a great guy and a good friend.
15:34
[SPEAKER_03]: And I was so happy for him last year and the breakout year that he had and cash in and free agency.
15:41
[SPEAKER_03]: So yeah, I think there's probably a big gap in that Jacksonville lineback in court.
15:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Good definitely is.
15:46
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, Bill, I really appreciate your time.
15:47
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if the line gets bulked up by Lomo.
15:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm guessing that would be the one we'd be talking about at this happens.
15:54
[SPEAKER_01]: But thanks for hopping on.
15:55
[SPEAKER_01]: If we do get one of these guys maybe I'll have you back on it, which I a little bit more.
15:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
15:59
[SPEAKER_01]: They're all continuing on some draft talk now talking some offensive linemen.
16:04
[SPEAKER_01]: We love the offensive linemen.
16:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Talk temp Fitzgerald joining me covers Kansas State Wildcats for 24 seven sports.
16:10
[SPEAKER_01]: So Tim thanks for hopping on and chatting some Center Sam Hect with me.
16:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, a great guy.
16:17
[SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, his progression from where he started to where he is is a very Kansas state story.
16:24
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it's a walk on type of program and has been the rules of change.
16:29
[SPEAKER_00]: So much, I don't know if that's true anymore.
16:31
[SPEAKER_00]: But he progressed through.
16:32
[SPEAKER_00]: And there were some questions, when he took over the center spot if he was ready for it.
16:38
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah, he was ready for it.
16:39
[SPEAKER_00]: He just kept getting better and better and tell he was pretty darn dominant last year.
16:44
[SPEAKER_00]: anyone to the combine and really showed out well.
16:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, senior bull combine that's obviously things that can really up your status if you're one of those guys that are looking to rise a little bit.
16:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And so we'll get into a little bit more specifics from him.
16:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Unfortunately, the bear has had a center last year and Drew Dalman decided to retire suddenly and so they had to replace that very quickly when in training for Garrett Bradbury.
17:07
[SPEAKER_01]: But it seems like a band-aid fix.
17:08
[SPEAKER_01]: It does feel like it's leaning towards the bear's drafting a center somewhere in this draft to have that center of the future.
17:14
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's why we're looking at this position group specifically, but I want to talk a little bit to start because I don't know how much my followers and my listeners watched Kansas State football last year.
17:25
[SPEAKER_01]: So just as a whole talk a little bit about that offense.
17:28
[SPEAKER_01]: I know a more mobile quarterback and every Johnson obviously.
17:31
[SPEAKER_01]: But chat a little bit about how it worked that offensive line was a good event offensive line and has been for a couple years now.
17:38
[SPEAKER_00]: It was a offensive line that did an amazing job for
17:42
[SPEAKER_00]: the situation of found itself, and Hect was about same as about the only guy that stayed healthy all year.
17:50
[SPEAKER_00]: So they ripped through tackles and moved guards.
17:53
[SPEAKER_00]: They were never stable along the line.
17:56
[SPEAKER_00]: By the seasons end, they were finding ways to run the ball pretty effectively.
18:00
[SPEAKER_00]: But there was not enough consistency around Sam Hect to really be the kind of offensive line case state.
18:07
[SPEAKER_00]: It's typically
18:08
[SPEAKER_00]: had in the past, but I'll tell you what, he did a tremendous job in the middle of that office of line, trying to keep the changing people around him all organized, so it's cohesive as possible.
18:23
[SPEAKER_01]: which, and that is hard to do.
18:24
[SPEAKER_01]: The bears, bears fans, bears media have watched that.
18:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Not last year last year was probably the most stable, the offensive line has been in a long time.
18:32
[SPEAKER_01]: The previous two years combined, there was 14 different line combinations that they went through between injuries and people getting benched and a lot of different situations going into that.
18:42
[SPEAKER_01]: And so it's rough.
18:44
[SPEAKER_01]: It's rough to try and get on the same page.
18:46
[SPEAKER_01]: The offensive line is so much about communication and being on the same page.
18:49
[SPEAKER_01]: So,
18:50
[SPEAKER_01]: know how important that is.
18:51
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's get into him a little bit more when it talks about Sam Hect.
18:55
[SPEAKER_01]: 6, 4, 3, 3, that's the measurables that are being put out there right now.
18:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Behind the starters, as you mentioned, those first two years, he was a backup to a lot of those guys had some playing time, but wasn't out there the majority of the time.
19:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And then you really saw that in 2024.
19:11
[SPEAKER_01]: him getting that starting role and take over pretty quickly.
19:13
[SPEAKER_01]: So what did you see just early on?
19:16
[SPEAKER_01]: And did you say there was a little concern if he was ready for that?
19:19
[SPEAKER_01]: How quickly he erased that in 2014?
19:20
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, um, very quickly.
19:22
[SPEAKER_00]: He is his physical progression was notable.
19:26
[SPEAKER_00]: He clearly wasn't big enough to play big 12 offensive line early in his career.
19:31
[SPEAKER_00]: He filled out.
19:32
[SPEAKER_00]: pretty well.
19:34
[SPEAKER_00]: It's interesting.
19:35
[SPEAKER_00]: He replaced the former walk on as Kansas State Center, who replaced the former walk on as Kansas State Center.
19:42
[SPEAKER_00]: So they've gone through this system of developing guys from the ground up into centers that really understand the offense and what to do.
19:51
[SPEAKER_00]: And the
19:52
[SPEAKER_00]: This offense didn't demand as much from the center as past ones, but in the past, they would not hesitate to use their center to pull.
20:01
[SPEAKER_00]: And we've seen that quite a bit.
20:04
[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen some guys move from case state into the NFL because they are so adept at pulling.
20:12
[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, number one would be Cooper BB at the Cowboys.
20:15
[SPEAKER_00]: And before that, Cody White here at the Bears.
20:23
[SPEAKER_00]: prepared to switch positions move around and do everything they need to do, but in Sam's case, he was a center from the get-go and they developed him as such.
20:33
[SPEAKER_01]: And do you think that helped in a sense of being behind other guys that were walk-ons and seeing kind of waiting for that opportunity, the patients that may take, but then getting your shot?
20:43
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I really do.
20:44
[SPEAKER_00]: It hadn't given them the guy that came before him.
20:46
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, was a walk on.
20:48
[SPEAKER_00]: He, he was valuable because he knew everything.
20:52
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, he'd learned it all.
20:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Whether it was the playbook or every role of every position on the line.
20:59
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's a good bar for Sam to try to be prepared for the entirety of what goes on the shoulders of an offensive center with setting blocking and all that.
21:10
[SPEAKER_00]: The advantage he had, he's got a lot bigger than his predecessor.
21:14
[SPEAKER_00]: He was definitely by the end of his career at NFL-sized guy and playing like it.
21:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it is funny to watch that progression sometimes.
21:24
[SPEAKER_01]: I talk I do a lot of these and you talk about when they came to college compared when they're leaving and the size sometimes position changes.
21:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I've talked to about some guys in this draft that in their rookie season were of.
21:35
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, a dual threat quarterback and then now we're linebackers by the end of their college career.
21:41
[SPEAKER_01]: So all sorts of different paths in that, but as you mentioned, you know, that 2024 season, you pretty much saw the media impact.
21:47
[SPEAKER_01]: A 140 offensive snaps that year, the line set of school record and rushing yards, they only allowed 13 sacs all year.
21:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And so when you talk about that, one of the things I see connected to him, obviously the sacs are numbers that people are going to look at first because you're like, how much does your quarterback
22:05
[SPEAKER_01]: penalties though, almost like that he penalty free for the most part for HECK, and that has to be a big thing to of what you like to see these players and not leadership side of things.
22:15
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, um, I don't think it means he doesn't hold.
22:18
[SPEAKER_00]: He's just smart about it.
22:20
[SPEAKER_00]: No, um, really, actually.
22:22
[SPEAKER_01]: Everybody's holding a little bit.
22:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, how could God do?
22:24
[SPEAKER_00]: Or you're not going to be drafted by the NFL.
22:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's put it on.
22:28
[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, he has avoided many penalties, which is remarkable one because he avoided it but two, he didn't call, get called for many useless stupid penalties that you're like, really, that happens all the time.
22:39
[SPEAKER_00]: You got to call it now.
22:40
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think part of that also is he had a lot of respect to the officials because he was doing things the right way and You know making it easy on him that he was an obviously holding on every play and they had to keep a eye on him I think he pulled a rep and they start staring at other guys at that point
22:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, we say it in the NFL certain guys like you know they're going to hold so then eventually they start getting called for those holds a little bit more as time goes I mentioned earlier at the top playing in front of every Johnson he used his legs quite a bit I think over 400 rushing guards this this season over 600 the season before
23:16
[SPEAKER_01]: 7 touchdowns, 8 touchdowns, that's the mobile side is something that is obviously going to be familiar in the sense of Chicago, Kail Williams.
23:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Lades the pocket, he'll use his legs to extend plays and so I do think and you share your thoughts on this too that having that familiarity of a quarterback that does move and you're used to kind of some of those things would be beneficial to bring a center and that's used to kind of seeing that type of QB.
23:41
[SPEAKER_00]: 100% and I think that's an area of the game that is under-appreciated by a lot of fans that as an offensive lineman you need to know what's going on behind you and if you got a pocket passer that's pretty easy he's standing behind you unless you totally blown your job but with the mobile quarterbacks all of a sudden they can be on the move and you almost have to be able to sense that
24:04
[SPEAKER_00]: that he's getting out of the pocket and getting away and follow that.
24:09
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think he's done a good job of that.
24:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Every is very mobile.
24:13
[SPEAKER_00]: They tried to bottom up in the pocket a little bit more the last two years, which I think was a mistake.
24:19
[SPEAKER_00]: But when he gets out and runs, good luck to his offensive line, trying to keep up with him.
24:23
[SPEAKER_00]: But Sam did a really good job with adapting to having a mobile quarterback and knowing where they're at and what needs to be done.
24:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it does feel like when the bears this new regime took over, they knew that Caleb Williams is the guy that's going to move around, so let's get some linemen who are yeah, big but athletic and that can move and kind of sense some of those things.
24:42
[SPEAKER_01]: So to you, I like I said, they got Gary Bradbury does feel like it's a band-aid fix, but I think the hope is that you're potentially bringing somebody in that could play.
24:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you see heft as a guy that could start right away on a NFL offense?
24:55
[SPEAKER_00]: Taylor, I've watched Sam Hacks since he arrived as a walk on that we couldn't understand why they gave him a walk on.
25:02
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, he's just developed, he's going to work and he's gotten everything done he needs to do, he's turned himself into this, I will never underestimate that young man.
25:13
[SPEAKER_01]: I love it.
25:14
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what we like to hear.
25:14
[SPEAKER_01]: I did want to ask you.
25:15
[SPEAKER_01]: That's the main one, but there are a couple other players obviously coming out of Kansas State of Vijay Payne, safety, a little deeper.
25:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You'd get him in the draft, but this is something that the Bears you talk about.
25:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Definitely NFL caliber size and speed and first it'll play or probably could play safety corner if you need it.
25:34
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm to move him around a little bit, but we're thoughts on him and just kind of his role he played there in case.
25:39
[SPEAKER_00]: incredible upside.
25:40
[SPEAKER_00]: Never found it all the way.
25:43
[SPEAKER_00]: Made a lot of mistakes, but you can't teach a kid to beat that fast.
25:48
[SPEAKER_00]: He ran the fastest speed according to catapult of anyone on the team a year ago, 23 miles an hour for a safety, a 6-1 safety that's built like him.
26:01
[SPEAKER_00]: That's moving.
26:03
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
26:04
[SPEAKER_00]: That's a guy that can move.
26:06
[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen him flip that on in a game and it's impressive.
26:09
[SPEAKER_00]: If we go back to the end of the Kansas Kansas State game in 24, it was in Manhattan, he made a decisive play closing on the quarterback from behind like a lightning bolt, forcing a fumble that case state recovered in one of the game.
26:28
[SPEAKER_00]: He's one of those guys.
26:31
[SPEAKER_00]: which are not quite sure what team is going to make it for.
26:34
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think with proper NFL coaching, I think in many ways the talent is so much better than NFL, but you have a better understanding of what's coming at you.
26:45
[SPEAKER_00]: There's less variety of different schemes and all those things.
26:50
[SPEAKER_00]: B.J.
26:51
[SPEAKER_00]: could be another one of the safety's come out of Kansas State, that has some success.
26:57
[SPEAKER_00]: Others were notable because they were hedgy players made all the right things.
27:01
[SPEAKER_00]: This was a freak athlete.
27:02
[SPEAKER_00]: And again, you can't coach that.
27:05
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think someone's going to take a chance on getting them into camp.
27:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you see him as a safety at the next level?
27:10
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, you know, we talked about his speed was good enough for corner, and yet Kansas State never tried him at corner.
27:16
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that was
27:19
[SPEAKER_00]: At times they were having a ton of corners, having success at the same time, you know, there were times when they could have used them, but they didn't.
27:28
[SPEAKER_00]: So I imagine they tried them out in practice and decided losing him as a safety and moving him to become a mediocre corner or two positions.
27:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that's how sometimes you have to weigh those options.
27:41
[SPEAKER_01]: We've seen it in reverse and the NFL, the Bears just signed a Kobe Bryant from Seattle and Kobe played, court, played corner in college, then got moved to nickel corner.
27:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And then now is a safety.
27:51
[SPEAKER_01]: So he's made the trajectory that way.
27:53
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think sometimes you just use your strengths and lean into that.
27:57
[SPEAKER_01]: But Tim, I really appreciate your time.
27:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I know the Bears Center talk is going to be a big one for this draft and Sam Hect is on.
28:02
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of people's big boards and draft boards for the bear, so we'll see if he ends up coming to Chicago, but I appreciate your time being.
28:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Amazing development for Sam.
28:10
[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of us didn't see this coming, but he, as I said, he's earned this.
28:13
[SPEAKER_01]: I love it.
28:14
[SPEAKER_01]: That's the stories we like to hear, appreciate your time and I hope you have a good rest of your week.
28:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, and we're finishing off the draft series.
28:21
[SPEAKER_01]: We finally made it a month long of covering a lot of prospects.
28:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Over 60 prospects have covered the last like 20 days or so.
28:27
[SPEAKER_01]: So a lot of names thrown out there.
28:29
[SPEAKER_01]: The bears Connor are used to picking in the top 10 and the sheer it's a little different.
28:34
[SPEAKER_01]: So you pivot when you're starting to go from hey, here's six guys that they could possibly draft to about 17 guys, but Connor and Neil joining me.
28:42
[SPEAKER_01]: public show at Deacon's Illustrated Covering Duke.
28:45
[SPEAKER_01]: ACC champions, so that's a cool storyline for this year coming in a little bit different.
28:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And that was a fun season.
28:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure for you guys and to be able to cover that team doing a lot of things good offensively.
28:55
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're we're here to chat a few of those Duke prospects tackle Brian Parker.
28:59
[SPEAKER_01]: The second who is a lot of people are saying a center at the next level after showing what he could do at the Stride Bowl.
29:06
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll talk a little bit about that.
29:08
[SPEAKER_01]: But I want to start with the Duke offense overall corner.
29:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that it was somebody when you talk about a
29:13
[SPEAKER_01]: What Mani Diaz did at Duke and then now Miami stole your guys's quarter back at Mani's previous stop But what men said was able to do was really fun to watch that offense was super efficient and a lot of ways Scoring the second most I think touchdowns and the ACC and then obviously winning the championship at the end of the season So just try to little bit about what went right on that offense and all of those good pieces that kind of clicked together last year
29:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, you know, when you talk about the future, it's a, it's a bitter, sweet subject for Duke, but when you talk about what last year looked like, it's not very bitter.
29:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Daryne Mensa came in and, and, and took their offense to the next level, they did win nine games the previous year, but that was a little bit in spite of quarterback play and their offense, Malik Murphy was not.
30:01
[SPEAKER_02]: the most mobile and in this stage of football, you have to be mobile as a quarterback, unless you're gonna put the ball on the money every single throw.
30:09
[SPEAKER_02]: So, Darian came in and their offense was a lot better last year, they struck a lot more balanced toward the end of the season.
30:19
[SPEAKER_02]: They kind of in part because of some defensive struggles, the last like three to four weeks of the regular season, and then the ACC championship game and their ball game,
30:30
[SPEAKER_02]: really had to lean on their running game a lot heavier than they had they had to shorten possessions they could not afford to put their defense on the field you know more than ten times in a game like they really wanted to limit the chances that their defense could give up explosive place to the past game so um... they they kind of shifted during the season to more of a ball control run the ball on first probably second maybe even third down type of offence um...
30:58
[SPEAKER_02]: and it worked.
30:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, it was, it was a weird season.
31:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I've never seen a seven and five team win an ACC championship.
31:05
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if anybody wants to see that again.
31:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't, I don't, I don't make the ACC wants to see that again to be honest with you.
31:11
[SPEAKER_02]: But that's the way it shook out.
31:13
[SPEAKER_02]: They went one and three in the noncon with three tough losses at Tulane to Illinois and then at Yukon.
31:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So it was a weird season, but ultimately you wound up with a couple championships when you factor in the bowl game too.
31:28
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah.
31:29
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that is interesting.
31:30
[SPEAKER_01]: And credit to the coaching staff, Connor, because like you said, having to pivot kind of midseason from what's working.
31:36
[SPEAKER_01]: So you don't always see that because the coach is kind of want to lean into what the strengths are, but sometimes when you do, the bears kind of went through that this last season, the defense, especially on the road was allowing like 35 points of game on the road for a while.
31:48
[SPEAKER_01]: So they were like, all right, well, let's just make sure they don't have to get on the field.
31:52
[SPEAKER_01]: You know what I'm saying?
31:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Let Caleb Williams just scores much as possible in the fourth quarter and hope you win some football games, and that's what happened.
31:58
[SPEAKER_01]: And obviously,
31:58
[SPEAKER_01]: with Duke 2 and Clemson having the down year and honestly a few down years compared to what we're used to seeing Clemson have and Miami losing to SMU and Louisville like there's some weird things happening in the ACC this last year and I'm sure that's part of it but been such a year point just shy of 4000 yards 34 touchdowns just six picks that he had this last season so for him it was really fun to kind of watch that product and then to your point being able to run the ball later in the season when they really needed to.
32:26
[SPEAKER_01]: kind of pivot to that and I'm sure you talk about the running backs and some of the things that they could do but you also talk about the offensive line and those circumstances and that's what leads us to the first prospect I want to talk to talk about Brian Parker.
32:38
[SPEAKER_01]: So you guys used him right tackle, he was your right tackle.
32:41
[SPEAKER_01]: He was one of those guys that I think from the start didn't get much time as a freshman and then worked his way into being a starter at Duke and then, you know, an all-American and shrine bowl and all of the things that kind of started to happen after that.
32:54
[SPEAKER_01]: So chat a little bit about him and just that progress at Duke that you saw from freshman year to this last year.
32:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so kind of the fun part, the fun anecdote here is I, I knew Brian Parker's name.
33:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I did not know much else about him and Duke was.
33:13
[SPEAKER_02]: off to a 4-0 start in 23.
33:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Mike Alco's second and what ended up being the final season he was there.
33:20
[SPEAKER_02]: They had the big Monday night, Labor Day, night, win against Clemson with, you know, that's the game where you're in the spotlight of college football.
33:29
[SPEAKER_02]: It's the only football game I wanted.
33:30
[SPEAKER_02]: It's the only time college football gets a Monday night game and then until the national championship game.
33:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, say, be Clemson, they rolled off three more wins and they had Notre Dame coming and it was game day.
33:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, Duke's first time ever hosting college game day.
33:48
[SPEAKER_02]: They were one of maybe five or six F, the, uh, P five programs that is never hosted.
33:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Um,
33:56
[SPEAKER_02]: and Graham Barton, who wound up being a, I believe he was a first round pick of a box.
34:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Right there.
34:03
[SPEAKER_02]: He was hurt.
34:04
[SPEAKER_02]: So all of a sudden Brian Parker is thrown in there.
34:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Believe it was his red shirt freshman year.
34:11
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's starting against Notre Dame.
34:12
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's kind of like, oh my God, how is this gonna go?
34:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Starting a guy for the first time, he's played maybe a handful of snaps, but no significant experience.
34:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's thrown in there.
34:24
[SPEAKER_02]: in one of the biggest games in Duke program history, at least regular season games in program history.
34:31
[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember looking down there like the second quarter, and it was like, they're not getting collapsed on the offensive line.
34:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, you would expect with the first time starter in there.
34:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, they're Brian Parker might be a dude here.
34:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, this is, this is really impressive.
34:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, and I remember talking to Mike Elco after that.
34:54
[SPEAKER_02]: How did he do?
34:56
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I'm not an offensive line coach.
34:59
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't pour in six hours of game tape after these things.
35:03
[SPEAKER_02]: You need the coaches to tell you and be honest with you.
35:05
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, go, it was just kind of like, he held up.
35:09
[SPEAKER_02]: He's gonna help us.
35:11
[SPEAKER_02]: So he got more experience like Graham Barton was an out for the rest of the year or anything.
35:14
[SPEAKER_02]: So Graham was back in there.
35:16
[SPEAKER_02]: But they made sure to bring Brian Parker along and get him the experience that he needed.
35:21
[SPEAKER_02]: And then when I'll go left, there was a little bit of a recalibration on the offensive line.
35:26
[SPEAKER_02]: And for the last two years, Brian Parker has been plugged in there at Wright Tackle.
35:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Duke has not had to worry about him at all.
35:33
[SPEAKER_02]: If I'm not mistaken, he started every single game the last two seasons for Duke until the bowl game.
35:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he was one of our guys that missed the bowl.
35:43
[SPEAKER_02]: But he's just been a stalwart on the right side of the line.
35:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Somebody you could always count on being there and not just the perfect attendance record, like you could count on him.
35:53
[SPEAKER_02]: winning a lot of one on one match up to be a count on not having to put a tight end on his side of the line to win a one on one and a third and longer anything like that so he was he was a luxury that Duke will miss very much so this next season, but you made all the sense in the world for him to go obviously he's he's going to be drafted.
36:14
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just a matter of when
36:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's not easy to do for an offensive line, and you see the shifts and the lines so much about cohesiveness and working together.
36:24
[SPEAKER_01]: So when you get thrown into a game like that in a moment, which by the way, that noted defense having a lot of draft picks and.
36:31
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, you talk about Xavier Watts and you talk about jet Kaiser and how we're cross still being, you know, being there.
36:36
[SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of guys on that defense that we're able to create pressure and do a lot of things and that's something that Elco is very familiar with in general from the time there and the now text say and him twice against Notre Dame.
36:46
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot of familiarity and so it's being able to hold up against that I think is a good sign.
36:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I do want to chat because I mentioned at the shrine ball he started at the shrine bowl he started taking snaps at center and that's when everyone was kind of like, oh.
36:59
[SPEAKER_01]: He can snap the ball like this is, is that something you guys already knew was there did he did you guys he practice that or is it just something that they try to shine won't work.
37:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, that's news to me, if so many were to tell me that he worked there at Duke it wouldn't surprise me because these offensive line coaches and colleagues they tend to move guys around all the time.
37:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, Graham Barton was was inside and then he was a tackle when he was actually playing and starting and then the buck's got him and moved him to center.
37:28
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think they bounced him around even when they're there.
37:30
[SPEAKER_02]: So,
37:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I think Brian has been on the outside for a while, but you know, you see these guys up close.
37:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he's a big guy.
37:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he has big arms, and then again, I fell when their feedback starts coming out, they're like, what are you guys going on?
37:50
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm like,
37:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, I didn't think they were short, but whatever your tape measure says is better than my, my eye test, I always go to yeah, I also cover Wake Forest and Zach Tom was was at Wake Forest and was a multi year starter and started at Center and then started at tackle and.
38:09
[SPEAKER_02]: the NFL all the NFL feedback when he was going through the draft process was his arms is too short he can't be a tackle and like three years later he's signing a 60 million dollar extension and it's I think it was the long the the best deal for an offensive line been with the most guaranteed money for all of like six days until somebody else signed one.
38:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes I think the NFL over thinks things and then other times it's like, well, it's a multi billion dollar industry.
38:33
[SPEAKER_02]: They're investing hundreds of millions of dollars in players.
38:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm sure they know how to evaluate guys better than what I look at their arms and think they're they're not that small so yeah.
38:44
[SPEAKER_01]: I think sometimes you do have to put just like put on the tape though and that's what you do with one of these guys we've seen.
38:50
[SPEAKER_01]: situations with offensive and defensive linemen in recent years, or it's like, oh, short arms, Cooper BB was one of the guys that's all we heard forever.
38:57
[SPEAKER_01]: And then Cooper BB has come in and been a pretty good player at the next level.
39:00
[SPEAKER_01]: So there is sometimes where you have to, like, yes, there are some probably analytics, since statistics when it comes to certain arm length.
39:06
[SPEAKER_01]: I know Ribbon Bane is a lot in that conversation too when it comes to his arm length and what that, how that may transfer.
39:12
[SPEAKER_01]: But John a little bit, who went, I'm trying to, who was the quarterback of four
39:17
[SPEAKER_01]: uh... milk murphy was the correct for a year and then the two years before that the two years under alco was Riley Leonard uh... yeah Riley our guy Riley i i i'm not a fan of i said i live right but so when you talk about that a little bit because whoever comes here we we have this conversation when we're talking about the offensive line in coming to Chicago because
39:36
[SPEAKER_01]: You're going to be blocking for Caleb Williams, too.
39:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Has proved that he can play in structure when needed, but he moves a lot.
39:42
[SPEAKER_01]: He does some of his best work outside of the pocket.
39:44
[SPEAKER_01]: There's he's a very mobile guy who's going to leave and Ben Johnson leans into that very heavily of, hey, these are his strengths.
39:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I've talked to a lot of, you know, through doing this prospects.
39:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And some of them have been in front of more mobile quarterbacks and there may be some benefits to that.
39:59
[SPEAKER_01]: But through that time of having the, you know, the multiple different quarterbacks that he has been in front of when you talk about Brian Parker.
40:04
[SPEAKER_01]: there has to be some benefit to that to like different styles here and there and being able to do a little bit of different things.
40:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so Riley obviously was a running quarterback very much so milk Murphy was the opposite.
40:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Milk Murphy, you know, there's there's probably an easy a nicer way to say this, but it's just the way I've been saying it for more than a year now.
40:27
[SPEAKER_02]: He has cement blocks on his feet.
40:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean,
40:33
[SPEAKER_02]: And then Mensa, Mensa is mobile, Mensa scramble to throw.
40:38
[SPEAKER_02]: That's something that we went through it constantly throughout your season.
40:44
[SPEAKER_02]: When he scrambleed, it was still keep reads one, two, and three alive.
40:49
[SPEAKER_02]: And he would scramble more.
40:51
[SPEAKER_02]: almost all the time he would scramble to throw it more than he would scramble to pick up rushing yards and that's what like toward the end of the season it was like oh my gosh he actually he actually tucked it and run with ran with it and like the double first down or two at Clemson I think that was the first game of November was when he actually like tucked it and ran for a few and I was like oh he he actually can't do that as well as scrambleing to keep
41:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so you have a guy then that's been in front of a very mobile quarterback, a not mobile at all quarterback and then one who can use his legs when he needs to, but more so to keep the play alive and extend the play, which kill Williams, I would put like he even said, I hate running.
41:32
[SPEAKER_01]: He can, he's so fast.
41:33
[SPEAKER_01]: So you know, he can do it, but he's like, I don't want to run.
41:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm a quarterback like I want to throw the football, but then you'll see him run for 40 yards in a touchdown.
41:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to now chat to the defense a little bit.
41:43
[SPEAKER_01]: The defense there were some issues in Duke.
41:45
[SPEAKER_01]: You just mentioned, you got to the point and the end of the season where you have to start running the ball to keep the defense off the field.
41:51
[SPEAKER_01]: So chat a little bit about that as a whole what went wrong and right when it comes to the defense because clearly you have a guy like Chandler Rivers, the cornerback who is getting talked about in that 80s range and the drafts so there's some good traits there at least.
42:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, it
42:05
[SPEAKER_02]: It was weird like you you talk about the individual talent on that defense and it was it was really high like Chandler rivers is going to be drafted I think Wesley Williams is probably going to be drafted to Vincent Anthony junior was a four year starter who I imagine would be a late round pick or a priority on drafted.
42:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Get some linebackers that that made plays.
42:29
[SPEAKER_02]: For one reason or other, like they were really young in the secondary, they were missing Terry Moore all season.
42:36
[SPEAKER_02]: He tore his ACL in the previous year's ball game against Ole Miss and it was like they were waiting for him to come back all year and he never made it back.
42:45
[SPEAKER_02]: And now he'll play a bonus season out of Ohio State next season, next year.
42:49
[SPEAKER_02]: But that hurt.
42:54
[SPEAKER_02]: And they just, they did not limit explosives.
42:58
[SPEAKER_02]: That was the main thing.
42:59
[SPEAKER_02]: Like, we went through the first season covering manny and they didn't give up explosives and they were tackled for lost monsters.
43:08
[SPEAKER_02]: And they just, they were excellent, defensively in manny's first season in 24.
43:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And I remember asking him like, if this is such a, if it's such a high risk or it's such a high reward, but low risk defense, why doesn't everybody play this like this is this is fantastic.
43:25
[SPEAKER_02]: This is great.
43:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Why, why, why can't every defense in the country look like this and he kind of explained that it wasn't it wasn't high risk.
43:34
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just everybody does their job and this year it was kind of.
43:40
[SPEAKER_02]: It's like, okay, this is, this is perhaps the reason when one guy doesn't do their job, like you can give up an 80 yard screen pass for a touchdown, you can give up a bunch of explosives down the field.
43:51
[SPEAKER_02]: And that really hurt them to the point where like we talked about earlier, they just, they had to come to grips with their defense not playing up to the, to the standard very often and limit the possessions that they were on the field.
44:05
[SPEAKER_01]: So, chat a little bit specifically about Chandler Rivers outside corner.
44:09
[SPEAKER_01]: for Duke this last year and so just where do you see him fit he is that outside corner you think of the next level too?
44:17
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think he's got some versatility.
44:19
[SPEAKER_02]: Duke the last the last two years with Mani's defense almost.
44:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I would say probably majority of the time, maybe 70 to 80% of third-down snaps.
44:30
[SPEAKER_02]: They would move him to the slot and put him in there at the nickel.
44:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Even though he's a smaller guy, they felt great about his run support, filling gaps.
44:41
[SPEAKER_02]: He's, for four years, he was an excellent open-field tackler, and you see a guy who, I think he's probably listed five, ten, one, eighty, or one, ninety, something like that.
44:54
[SPEAKER_02]: you see him in the open field and you think, oh my gosh, he's going to get trucked by running back and he's always, almost always been able to get that guy on the ground, which has just been one of the most impressive things about him.
45:06
[SPEAKER_02]: He's also a ball hawk, so.
45:09
[SPEAKER_01]: It's all seven interceptions in four seasons, so that's a number you like to see that
45:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, yeah, he gets after the ball.
45:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I think there's some more fumble force and fumble recoveries in there.
45:20
[SPEAKER_02]: He just he has a nose for the football and a nose for making plays and so they put him in the slot.
45:26
[SPEAKER_02]: You match up against a slot receiver.
45:28
[SPEAKER_02]: That was really valuable because it feels like in the ACC.
45:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Everybody has a dangerous slot receiver that they go to on third downs.
45:37
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that, I think his versatility is probably one of the reasons why he's being talked about as a second, third, fourth round type guy.
45:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that's what I think now especially we see so many defenses that don't technically have it's almost just like no position designation They just you see a lot of sub packages with the, you know, they do different things with safety's and corners.
45:57
[SPEAKER_01]: This last year we saw Seattle use even worry as like a linebacker at at times.
46:02
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's so much different when you get to that next level that these defenses have to disguise and do different things with so having a guy that you do feel like his personal I think is really important.
46:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I did want to ask just before I let you go a few of those you mentioned a couple of those other names that we may see events at Anthony Jr. who's a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a,
46:35
[SPEAKER_02]: I came away thoroughly impressed with his growth.
46:37
[SPEAKER_02]: He had a red shirt season.
46:39
[SPEAKER_02]: So we barely knew anything about him after the 22 year.
46:44
[SPEAKER_02]: And do cad some guys that played as true freshman in that 22 year, including VJ and Chandler.
46:50
[SPEAKER_02]: They were in there making a lot of plays.
46:52
[SPEAKER_02]: So going into the 23 season, when we started here in Wesley Williams and they came up, it was like, well,
46:58
[SPEAKER_02]: Why wasn't he helping you last year and it was just a matter of development like he had they had to get him in there and get him in the incubator in the weight room, but
47:07
[SPEAKER_02]: He had a decent 23 as a guy getting on the field for the first time.
47:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And then 24 and 25, he was, for my money, the best defensive line in the Duke had.
47:20
[SPEAKER_02]: He just, he was fantastic around the edge, both run and pass.
47:27
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think he's going to make an impact for somebody when he gets picked and like the fifth or sixth round.
47:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Wouldn't be surprised if he,
47:35
[SPEAKER_02]: creeps up the draft boards a little bit.
47:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Trying to think who else.
47:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, they're putting offence of, they've got some other offensive linemen that I imagine would be priority for agents to live chance to make rosters.
47:51
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm blankin' on names, though.
47:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, Bruno Fina was the left tackle.
47:58
[SPEAKER_02]: His dad was a member of the bills, John Fina back in the day.
48:03
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he played on at least a few of the teams that lost in Super Bowl, maybe all of them.
48:10
[SPEAKER_02]: And then, gosh, what can I think of their guard's name?
48:16
[SPEAKER_02]: It's going to drive me crazy.
48:20
[SPEAKER_01]: So they had a three you think between Brian Parker.
48:23
[SPEAKER_01]: The name you just mentioned and there's one other that all three you think maybe at least on drafted guys, but that people still could you, yeah, yeah, yeah.
48:36
[SPEAKER_02]: The reason I look at the lines of Duke and think that they're kind of bound for success is Duke's strength and conditioning coach David feeling might be one of the best in the whole country.
48:46
[SPEAKER_02]: And I probably sounds wild, but people that just start kind of casual observers of college football and think Duke doesn't play football at the highest level, he's been at Duke for four years.
48:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So he actually, he was,
49:00
[SPEAKER_02]: He was Mani's strength and conditioning guy at Miami, and then Mani got fired at the end of the 21 season and Elco hired him to Duke.
49:08
[SPEAKER_02]: So he was at Duke for the first two years with Elco, and then when Elco went to Texas A&M, Elco really wanted to bring him to college station.
49:17
[SPEAKER_02]: And then all of a sudden it was Duke was looking at hiring many BS, the guys, you guys former boss at Miami.
49:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So they were able to keep him, and that's really kind of the secret sauce to how Duke
49:28
[SPEAKER_02]: had a really successful coach for two years and had to replace him and has stayed at this level of really consistent play is having the same SNC guy for for four years and going on five because he's still there.
49:43
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I think a fan has kind of farming their their linemen and and turning them into legitimate prospects to play at the next level.
49:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's what we like to hear Ben Johnson obviously, Wayne's very heavily into his offensive line.
49:57
[SPEAKER_01]: The bears at the Caleb Williams went from being sacked almost 70 times to 24 and one season because of the moves that in granites, some of that is Caleb because he does have the escape ability and some of the schemes and stuff like that.
50:08
[SPEAKER_01]: But Ben Johnson's been very vocal about the offensive line and the importance in that, and obviously you saw that with the Detroit Lions too and And drafting Kinesu when they as high as they did and maybe some people criticizing, but I do think it's so beneficial for an offense like that when you have these big athletic offensive linemen that can move and do all of these emotions and stuff that impule and do all of the stuff that Ben Johnson asked.
50:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So I do think Brian Parker is he's been linked and like I said, he's been linked to even though being right tackled Ben Center that a lot of people are kind of pointing to.
50:37
[SPEAKER_01]: you got the other name.
50:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I just did it quick search.
50:41
[SPEAKER_02]: It's Justin Pickett is named.
50:43
[SPEAKER_02]: And he played guard and he played a little tackle when he had to.
50:47
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's a Midwest guy.
50:49
[SPEAKER_02]: He's from Indiana.
50:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, well, that works then.
50:52
[SPEAKER_01]: Might be the Indiana Bears.
50:53
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't know.
50:53
[SPEAKER_01]: We're still waiting to find that too.
50:56
[SPEAKER_01]: But all right, Connor, I really appreciate your time so much.
50:58
[SPEAKER_01]: If we'll see if any of these guys land on the Bears, it will be exciting to kind of see the strap now only a few days away.
51:05
[SPEAKER_01]: But thank
51:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks, Edward.
51:07
[SPEAKER_02]: Appreciate it.
51:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks.