Sports Krunch W/dkrom

1. Lions -With their first-round pick, the Lions began their draft theme of drafting guys that can “bite kneecaps off” with Oregon OT Penei Sewell. His addition arguably makes the Lions offensive line one of the most promising groups in the NFL. The Lions now have rock solid bookend tackles with Sewell at RT and Taylor Decker at left tackle. Inside, they have All Pro Frank Ragnow at center and Jonah Jackson, who had a very good rookie season in 2020, at one of the guard spots. Would you be surprised if the Lions OL becomes a top-10 unit at the end of this season, if not a top-five unit? -On day two, the Lions double-dipped at defensive tackle with Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill. Double-dipping at a position in the draft usually means (at least in terms of logic) that the two players have perfectly complimentary skill sets. How well (if at all) do Onwuzurike and McNeill compliment each other, and can you see them as the two starters at DT for the Lions at some point in the next few seasons? -With their

1. Jets -A month and a half before the draft, everyone was saying that the Jets would take Zach Wilson with the second overall pick, and that’s exactly what they did. Personally, I would have taken either Justin Fields or Trey Lance ahead of Wilson, but you’re a better evaluator of game tape than I am and you had Zach Wilson as the best of the three “non-Trevor Lawrence” QB’s in the draft. Why was Zach Wilson the right choice for the Jets to bet their long-term future on? -With their second first-round picks the Jets moved up nine spots and surrendered both of their third-round picks to select USC G Alijah Vera-Tucker. The night before the draft, I told someone that the Jets dream haul on Day 1 would be the QB of their choice (which was obviously Zach Wilson) and Vera-Tucker…and the dream came true. Still, some people I respect absolutely RIDICULED the Jets for surrendering both of their third-rounders to get somebody at a position that’s not as highly valued. Why are those folks dead wrong? -In the sec

1. Broncos -In a move that will be scrutinized indefinitely, the Broncos, like the Panthers and Lions before them, decided to pass on Justin Fields and instead used their first-round pick on Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II. Despite the metaphorical black eye that could result from this decision, Surtain is a high-floor/high-ceiling prospect. Based on the numbers he put up at his Pro Day, he profiles very similarly to Derwin James athletically. Just how high is Patrick Surtain’s ceiling? The Broncos have a pretty crowded corner room right now with Bryce Callahan, Kyle Fuller, and Ronald Darby. And yesterday, Vic Fangio said he plans to try Surtain out on the boundary and in the slot. Does he start Week 1, and if so, at which spot? -Just like his former team did in 2017 with Dalvin Cook, George Paton traded up a few spots in the second round to take a RB in Javonte Williams from North Carolina. Williams was considered to be THE best RB in this draft by Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield. Many believe you shouldn’t dr

1. Bengals Draft Class -The Bengals ignored the advice we gave them on our Dash To The Draft AFC North Preview show and went with Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell. That said, you can’t deny Ja’Marr Chase is a pretty special prospect and aside from his established chemistry with Joe Burrow, what does he bring to the Bengals WR room that Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd lack? -With their second round selection, the Bengals invested in additional protection for Joe Burrow. That said, many believe they reached by taking Jackson Carman, who may have protected Trevor Lawrence’s blindside at Clemson, but projects far better at guard at the NFL level. What do you think of Jackson Carman based on his film, and does he improve the Bengals offensive line even slightly? -In the third round, the Bengals addressed the defensive front with their selection of edge rusher/LB Joseph Ossai out of Texas. In free agency, the Bengals pass rush was downgraded, in the views of some, by losing Carl Lawson to the Jets and throwing big money

1. Barring an unprecedented last minute surprise, the Jets are heavily expected to take BYU QB Zach Wilson with the #2 overall pick. Some respected voices on Draft Twitter, however, believe the Jets are making a mistake by taking Zach Wilson over Justin Fields. Do you share that view? And if you do, for the sake of playing Devil’s Advocate, why do you think the Jets love Wilson more? 2. Speaking of Justin Fields, it may be the worst kept secret in the NFL that Bill Belichick has the hots for the Ohio State QB. It just seems inevitable to many, including myself, he will make a move up the board to either seven or eight and take him. Should these assumptions come to fruition, does Justin Fields immediately make the Patriots AFC East contenders again?  3.  The Miami Dolphins have a pretty tough decision at the sixth overall spot. As Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reported, they are debating between Jaylen Waddle and Penei Sewell. Although the Dolphins SORELY need more playmakers and the temptati

1. It is a VERY exciting time to be a Jacksonville Jaguars fan. Not only do the Jaguars possess the #1 overall pick in the draft (which they will use to select Trevor Lawrence, arguably the most coveted QB prospect since Andrew Luck), they have four picks in the top-50 alone. Should the Jags get two immediate contributors to go alongside Trevor Lawrence in this draft, could they contend for a wild card playoff spot (if not the AFC South title) this season? 2. Trevor Lawrence’s recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Michael Rosenberg has drawn quite some scrutiny. I personally disagree that the comments Lawrence himself made were a red flag, but if there was one small concern I had from Rosenberg’s piece, it was Joey King, Trevor Lawrence’s high school football coach, saying that Trevor Lawrence would “be fine” if he quit playing football tomorrow. If you’re the Jaguars, how much of a red flag, if any, would Coach King’s comments raise? 3.  The Houston Texans not only have the worst roster in the ent

1. The Lions begin yet another different regime with new GM Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell. And this roster has tons of pressing needs from top to bottom. So, the Lions have quite a difficult decision to make with that 7th overall pick. Given the unprecedented amount of uncertainty surrounding this draft, should they trade down and add even more future picks to their arsenal? Or if the last of the top four QB’s falls in their lap, do they stay put and take that QB and have him spend a year behind Jared Goff? And what if Penei Sewell and/or Ja’Marr Chase some how make it to seven? What should the plan of attack be for Campbell and Holmes?  2. This is a make or break year for Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer. And the Vikings have an OL and a defense in urgent need of upgrades. Which of those two areas should they prioritize with the 14th overall pick? 3.  If you think Spielman and Zimmer are facing such a make or break season, Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy are yelling “hold my beer” in Chicago. Pe

1.  Given how much Joe Burrow was hit last season plus the multi-ligament knee injury he suffered, many, if not most, believe that it is a no-brainer for the Bengals to take an OT with the fifth overall pick, whether that be Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater. However, recent buzz has the Bengals going with Joe Burrow’s favorite target at LSU Ja’Marr Chase. In your view, would it be a mistake for the Bengals to pass on the urgent need to protect Joe Burrow with their first round selection? 2. The Cleveland Browns have a top-10 NFL roster right now, at least in my opinion. And with them signing Jadeveon Clowney today, it opens up countless doors for them in the first round. They can still go EDGE (given Clowney’s deal is just for this year), but they can also go corner, WR, and as Benjamin Allbright said today, OL (especially considering the fact Jack Conklin’s contract expires after this season). What do you think is the best way for the Browns to start this draft? 3.  The Ravens also have one of the

1. With the first two picks essentially in sharpie (Trevor Lawrence to the Jaguars and Zach Wilson to the Jets), the 49ers will essentially begin this draft with the third overall pick, a selection for which they paid a heavy price to move up to. While we cannot be 100% certain which QB will be their choice (and we will get to Trey Lance and Justin Fields shortly), you and I seem to be in agreement that all the buzz around Mac Jones being the pick is a bunch of hooey. And one of the main tealeaves that gives me confidence that is the case is Benjamin Allbright’s report that several people in the 49ers organization believe Jimmy Garoppolo cost them Super Bowl LIV. And mortgaging your future to replace Garoppolo with essentially Andy Dalton 2.0 would be one of the dumbest moves in modern NFL history. What message do you have to 49ers fans and football fans everywhere who are still buying into the Mac Jones hype?  2. To me at least, in terms of whom the Niners actually do pick at three, it is a tossup betw

1. Just three years after winning Super Bowl LII, the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be in full rebuild mode. They have a very good chance at owning three first-round picks next year because of the Carson Wentz trade, and the trade with the Dolphins that saw them go from the 6th overall pick to the 12th. As a result, some believe the Eagles are 100% out on taking a QB in the first round. That said, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported over the weekend that many around the NFL still expect the Eagles to select a QB at some point in the draft. And we all know Howie Roseman has a penchant for making bold trades. Given all that, would you be surprised if the Eagles decided to use all the draft capital they’ve accumulated to trade back into the top-10 if a certain QB falls past the top-five?   2. When it comes to the Cowboys, most expect them to go defense early, particularly at cornerback. However, you also just paid a fortune to Dak Prescott and that once-heralded offensive line isn’t what it used to be. Travis Fr

1. Even before new GM George Paton arrived, the Broncos have quietly built a very promising young roster with talent on both sides of the ball. That said, the QB position remains a glaring hole of uncertainty five years after Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset. Based on the sample size so far, it would take the utmost of miracles for Drew Lock to become a franchise signal-caller. But based on where they currently sit at #9 overall, the only possible way for the Broncos to find a potential long-term answer at QB in this draft is to trade up. If they are unable to do so, should they trade back from nine and start to build a long-term war chest of draft capital so they can go after a QB in one of the next 2 or 3 drafts?  2. When it comes to the Chargers, this draft should be about building around their new franchise QB Justin Herbert. They began in free agency by upgrading their OL, most notably by signing Corey Linsley. That said, they still have some issues at tackle and the weapons around Herbert m

1. The draft arguably begins at #4 overall with the Atlanta Falcons. And they are sending mixed signals as to what their intentions are. Chris Mortensen reported that they may have their eyes on selecting Matt Ryan’s long-term replacement and the apple of new GM Terry Fontenot’s eye is believed to be Trey Lance. On the other hand, Adam Schefter reported today that the Falcons have received calls for the #4 overall pick and are open to moving down. Do you believe the Falcons best course of action is to either stay put and take a QB or trade down, with no Plan C? 2. Yesterday, the Panthers acquired QB Sam Darnold from the Jets in exchange for a sixth-rounder this year, and second and fourth-round picks in 2022. Moreover, they are also expected to pick up the fifth-year option on Darnold’s contract. Do you still see the Panthers trying to move up the board to draft a QB, or can we pretty much rule out QB in round one for Carolina? 3.  This is the first draft for the Saints in the post-Brees era. They would

1. How long have you been a football fan and what (or who) inspired you to work in the sports industry? 2. How did you get your start in the business and how did you get from then until now? 3.  This has been a monumental year for women in both sports and the non-sports world alike. We witnessed the election of the first woman Vice President of the United States (Kamala Harris), the first woman to play in Power Five conference college football game (Sarah Fuller of Wake Forest), the first woman to officiate in a Super Bowl (Sarah Thomas), and the first full-time female NFL coaches to win a Super Bowl (Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar). In terms of the NFL, what will be the next glass ceiling to be shattered (first female GM?, head coach?, player?) 4. You have a rather impressive list of clients, and one that stands out to me is Shelby Harris, who has played DT/DE for my Denver Broncos these past four seasons. Based on your experience working with him, what kind of person is he? Do you have an initial gues

1. Many people I know (if not most) believe that you should NEVER draft a running back in the first round, regardless of the talent. Do you agree or disagree with that school of thought? 2. Two RB’s that have a shot at going in the first round are Najee Harris of Alabama and Travis Etienne of Clemson. It’s a neck-and-neck race between them in terms of who is the top runner in this class. You currently have Etienne ranked above Harris. What is your reasoning for that ranking? Just for the sake of playing Devil’s Advocate, why do you think many people rank Harris as the best of the two? 3.  Something that goes against the grain in your RB rankings is you having Kenneth Gainwell of Memphis as the third best back of the bunch. Gainwell hopes to continue the promising trend of recent Memphis RB’s finding success in the NFL (Tony Pollard and Antonio Gibson to be exact). However, he’s only 195 pounds and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com sees his role in the NFL as merely a change-of-pace back. Moreover, an NFC scout

1. The consensus top interior OL prospect in this class is Alijah Vera-Tucker from USC. We discussed him on our OT special, and Nick Kendell of MileHighHuddle.com said he doesn’t see a place at tackle for Vera-Tucker at the pro level. When it comes to his prospects at guard, Dane Brugler believes Alijah Vera-Tucker has Pro Bowl potential. Would it surprise you if Vera-Tucker becomes the best guard in the NFL not named Quenton Nelson within the next 2-4 years? 2. Arguably the biggest riser up draft boards since January has been the man with the coolest midriff in America, Quinn Meinerz, center out of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Today, Daniel Jeremiah released his third Top 50 list, and he had Meinerz at 44. And this draft journey, at least so far, gives me flashbacks to when another small-school guard who, like Meinerz, saw his stock begin to skyrocket after dominating at the Senior Bowl. That small-school guard I’m talking about is Ali Marpet, currently with the Bucs and arguably a top 5 player at his position. Ar

1. Before we get to this OT class, let’s discuss the earthquake that shook the NFL a few days ago. And that earthquake was a blockbuster trade in which the Dolphins traded the #3 overall pick in the draft to the 49ers for the 12th overall pick (which Miami subsequently traded to the Eagles), first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 (the former of which the Dolphins also traded to Philly), and a third-round pick in 2022. It is clear that Kyle Shanahan wants his long-term answer at QB, especially one on a rookie deal that will extend the Super Bowl window of this extremely talented 49ers roster. And it is all but certain that the first two picks in the draft will be Trevor Lawrence at #1 to the Jaguars and Zach Wilson at #2 to the Jets. This means that the 49ers will be choosing between Justin Fields and Trey Lance at #3. If you were Kyle Shanahan, which of those two QB’s would you select, and why? 2. Around this time last year, many people were saying that Penei Sewell would be the “can’t-miss” prospect in the 2021

1. Today was the Penn State Pro Day and the consensus #1 linebacker in this draft Micah Parsons blew the roof off the facility with his freakish athleticism, most notably his sub-4.4. 40. But as you know more than anyone else, the tape matters FAR more than a Pro Day for any prospect. Based on the tape alone, why is Parsons the best LB in this draft class?  2. But as amazing as Parsons is on the field, he is, to put it mildly, a headache off the field. As my friend Erick Trickel of MileHighHuddle.com noted earlier today, Reuben Foster was considered a top-10 prospect in 2017, and character concerns nearly caused him to fall out of the first round altogether…and the red flags on Parsons are even worse. How far do you see Parsons falling? 3.  An increasing trend in the NFL these days is that of the so-called “position-less” defender. Last year, we had Isaiah Simmons, who was listed as a linebacker, even though he could also be a safety, part-time EDGE, ad boundary corner. This year, Notre Dame’s Jer

1. This has been a rather rough week for one of the top CB prospects in this draft class, Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley. This week, his draft stock may have taken a hit as he underwent a microdisectomy procedure on his back on Tuesday. This is the second back operation he’s had in 15 months (he underwent surgery due to a pinched nerve in his back in December 2019). Many analysts had him as the top corner on their boards prior to this latest news. Even though you weren’t one of those analysts, why do you think so many regarded him that way and still do? Assuming he’ll be ready for training camp, is he still worth a top 15-20 pick in your eyes or should his worrisome history of back problems make him fall further down the board in your opinion? 2. The top corner on your board at the moment is the guy who many had running neck-and-neck with Caleb Farley as the top-rated corner in this draft prior to these latest developments, and that is Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. The son of All Pro CB Patrick Surtain, Sr., Su

1. Not only the best pass-catcher in this draft, but arguably the best prospect period, is Florida TE Kyle Pitts. Daniel Jeremiah suggested that Pitts would be the overwhelming choice of folks around the NFL if they had to vote on which 2021 prospect is most likely to don a gold jacket. What makes Kyle Pitts so special and why is he worth a top-five pick despite playing a position that is less valued? 2. The WR class was arguably the centerpiece of the entire 2020 draft. Many, if not most, were pegging it as a generational crop. But some believe this year’s WR class could be even better. Do you share that belief, and if so, why? 3. The top WR on your board at the moment is the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner himself, Alabama’s Devonta Smith. And I can personally understand why you would have him there since it can be argued he is the best route runner and has the best hands of the bunch. However, some say he isn’t somebody who can absolutely dominate at the pro level and as he said himself today, he only weighs 17

1.   The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made it clearer than ever that they are hell bent on running it back and repeating. Last week, we saw Chris Godwin receive the franchise tag, Lavonte David sign a 2-year extension and Tom Brady agree to an extension via restructure that cleared $19 million in cap space. And yesterday, minutes after the legal tampering period began, star pass rusher Shaq Barrett re-signed with the team on a four-year deal worth up to $72 million. Just hours later, Gronk re-signed on a one-year deal and the Bucs currently are deep in talks to retain Antonio Brown, Ryan Succop, Ndamukong Suh and Leonard Fournette. At the moment, how do you feel about Tampa’s odds of making it back to the Super Bowl and who do you think is the greatest threat to them in the NFC? 2.   Arguably the biggest headliner of free agency so far is Tom Brady’s former team, the New England Patriots. As of this morning, according to Adam Schefter, the Patriots have doled out a WHOPPIN