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00:00Live right here on this Monday morning, recapping the weekend that was on the early line on SportsGrid.
00:06I said right before the break, NBA playoff recaps.
00:09That's next.
00:10Right now, we recap the finality of the 2025 NFL Draft.
00:15In DRS, we did not expect to say that on Saturday, we needed to recap where Shador Sanders was selected.
00:21I thought you and Joe would be doing that on Friday morning.
00:24Of course, the slide, unlike really we have ever seen in the history of the NFL Draft,
00:29comes to a close in round number five on Saturday afternoon.
00:34With pick number 144 overall, the Cleveland Browns draft, Shador Sanders.
00:39It took so much longer than anybody anticipated.
00:43But in the fifth round, the draft stock of Shador Slanders stopped slipping,
00:48and the Cleveland Browns make their determination.
00:50Donnie, there was multiple times throughout the 2025 NFL Draft that on Thursday, Friday, even Saturday,
00:57the Browns were the odds-on favorites to draft Shador Sanders.
01:01We just thought entering Friday night in night number two, it might have been in their first two picks
01:06in the opening four selections of that second round.
01:10What did you make on the draft slide that was for Shador Sanders to end up in a very jumbled
01:16and chaotic-looking quarterback room in Cleveland?
01:19It's pretty incredible.
01:20Now, understand this.
01:21Me, from a college football perspective, it's why I don't do the draft stuff.
01:24Like, I don't analyze these guys, I don't really bet the draft, but I do know what talent is when I see it.
01:29And the hype all through the season, again, to start the season with Shador Sanders
01:32possibly being the number one overall pick before the season started.
01:35He didn't have a bad season.
01:36He put up some really good numbers.
01:37So, the fall from everybody overdrafts quarterbacks to him dropping to the fifth round
01:41was pretty crazy.
01:42But let's understand this from a Cleveland perspective.
01:44They got a lot of good football players, and we were thinking that they might be taking Shador Sanders
01:48in the first round, or at least he was the mild favorite when we talked here on Friday morning
01:53at the FanDuel Sportsbook to be picked number 33.
01:55And he fell all the way down.
01:56So, I do think that the Browns may have gotten a gem right here, getting all the players they wanted,
02:01offensive backfield help, tight end help, which I absolutely love who they picked,
02:04and then also a stud defensive lineman to go on that defense that has a lot of capable pieces already.
02:10But the Shador drop was crazy to me.
02:11Like, I thought he should have been a first-round pick.
02:13I thought, wow, somebody's going to get value in the second round.
02:16For him to drop all the way that far, let's understand this, too.
02:18Because it isn't all about football talent.
02:20Because you'll see the haters online, and you'll see the people backing Shador.
02:23I think it was a combination of maybe his arm strength isn't that deep,
02:27but I want to know really what happened in some of these meetings.
02:29Was it where, like, the talk that we saw D on before the season,
02:32I'm not letting my son go to certain teams, and then saying,
02:35okay, son, when you go into an interview, or at least it's only a 10-minute interview,
02:39you know, maybe throw things a little bit out of whack so they don't think they can draft you
02:42because I have three teams circled I want you to go to.
02:44Well, when that circles around even to the teams that they want to go to,
02:47and Shador actually has a very good interview, let's just say,
02:50in the back of their mind going, like, if things don't work out our way,
02:53is he going to pull some shenanigans behind the scenes?
02:55That all goes into it.
02:56Let's understand this.
02:57It wasn't strictly about talent, him dropping to the fifth round,
03:00which we'll find out more because you'll get more of that behind-the-scenes talk.
03:03But for me, I thought he was going round number one.
03:06I did.
03:06Yeah, so DRS, I think there's so much, right, convoluted in this Shador Sanders scenario
03:11and why exactly did his draft stock take maybe the largest hit we have ever seen
03:16from a guy that exactly a week ago, when you and I were welcoming people to a Monday
03:20on the early line, saying, welcome to NFL Draft Week officially,
03:24Shador Sanders was minus 280 to be a top 10 pick, not just a first rounder,
03:31a top 10 selection.
03:33So to end up in round number five, not just round two, night two, round three,
03:39even by the end of Friday or early on Saturday, but number 144 overall
03:44is absolutely stunning and shocking and perhaps the largest draft slide we have ever seen.
03:51I think there's been so much reporting and so much information divulged
03:55about Shador Sanders and his NFL draft stock that we're not breaking any news here.
04:00I would say the summation that makes the most sense to me is what NFL Network's
04:04Tom Pellicero shared out on Saturday morning before the start of round number four,
04:09that it's not just the character or the bravado or the perceived cockiness
04:14for Shador Sanders, that maybe this guy is slightly a jerk.
04:18I think it is the way that he went about the draft process and DRS really getting rid
04:22of the opportunity to work out in front of draft scouts.
04:26They can watch his college tape from his time at Boulder all they want,
04:29but to without working out in front of their eyes, choosing only his Colorado pro day really
04:35to have that full examination when everything can be scripted,
04:39I think rubbed a lot of people the wrong way and maybe moved him down draft boards
04:43in ways we did not expect.
04:45I'm not saying it's correct.
04:47I am not saying it is fair.
04:48In fact, I would lean the opposite.
04:51But for me, that is the reason that Shador Sanders saw such a slid in his draft stock.
04:57And a guy that, Donnie, if you would have told me on Thursday night, hey, based on the talent,
05:01if you really watched the game film from his time in Boulder, he's not a first-round quarterback.
05:06In a weak quarterback draft class in 2025, I'd say okay.
05:11For how things played out on Friday, and then ironically enough, for Shador to go to the team
05:16where it was the most shocking draft pick at the time, Dylan Gabriel over Shador Sanders,
05:21to end up in that same rookie minicamp in quarterback room, that is the ironic thing.
05:27And that was the part that I think left all of us stunned.
05:30No, it did leave us stunned at that point because the expectations, again, we're oddsmen here.
05:34Like with the FanDuel Sportsbook, and if you have a heavy favorite going for a certain spot here,
05:39and this team in the Pittsburgh Steelers, no way he gets to 21.
05:41You might have to trade up to get him.
05:43For him to fall out of the first round, it's like, okay, teams may have not had him as high
05:46as we actually thought in the media than some of the scouts did, but for sure, again,
05:50the odds market reappeared on day number two and said, Shador is going to the Browns.
05:54We don't know if it's going to be the first overall pick.
05:55He's a minus-130, minus-140 favorite early in the morning, which again, shifted throughout the day,
06:00but there's no way he makes it past the fourth pick in the second round because once again,
06:03that's Cleveland.
06:04But understand this as well.
06:06If you would have told Cleveland Browns fans that you were going to get Shador Sanders,
06:09oh man, what do we have to trade up to get in the first round?
06:11For you to get him in the fifth round there and get stud players all the way through up to that,
06:16and if you now get it in angry Shador Sanders that, I mean, I don't think you need any motivation.
06:22The guy played very well in high school, very well early in his college career and in Colorado to say,
06:26I can't believe all these people picked over me.
06:28Let me really hone in and test my skills here.
06:31Maybe the Browns got the absolute steal of the draft here in Shador Sanders.
06:36We don't know that yet, but it's just the way that it might be heading towards that path.
06:39Listen, we've seen day three quarterbacks have some success right now.
06:43Dak Prescott is a starter, Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, a starter.
06:47When you think day three, you think round six, you think 199 overall, and you think Tom Brady.
06:54Of course, we're not putting Shador Sanders in that stratosphere just yet.
06:59You do wonder though, DRS, because now it's the time for the response.
07:03If your questions about Shador's character is his perceived cockiness,
07:06how does this humbling experience affect him?
07:10He does not come in now as the presumed starter by any means.
07:14He's battling for a spot in the quarterback room and on the 53-man roster.
07:18One final thought on the draft next.
07:21So one final thought on how the 2025 NFL draft played out with, I'm sure, many more looks throughout
07:27this week, but specifically here on the story of the draft, both round number one, night number
07:33one, and night number two, rounds two and three, continuing Donnie in an unexpected fashion
07:39until Saturday afternoon in round number five.
07:41Pick number 144 overall, Shador Sanders, selected by the Cleveland Browns.
07:46Here is how the Browns quarterback room looks for the upcoming 2025 NFL season.
07:52They traded for Kenny Pickett earlier this offseason from Philadelphia.
07:56Right now, is he the presumed number one starting quarterback?
08:00Perhaps.
08:01They bring back Joe Flacco, who led Cleveland to a playoff appearance in only five games
08:06as a starter in the regular season two years ago.
08:09Then you've got the guy, Dylan Gabriel, who was drafted 94th overall, stunningly in front
08:15of Shador Sanders.
08:16Sanders drafted in the fifth round.
08:18And of course, Deshaun Watson, who we do not expect to play this year.
08:22But Cleveland, of course, still heavily tied into all of those finances from the salary
08:27perspective.
08:29Donnie, when Miles Garrett was brought back by the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason
08:33for $40 million per year, Miles Garrett had expressed that he wanted to be traded because
08:39he wanted to play for a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
08:41So when Garrett was pushed on that idea, how do you feel the Browns can be a legitimate Super
08:46Bowl contender without a starting quarterback in place?
08:49He told the reporters, the Browns have told me they have a plan for the quarterback room.
08:57Is that it?
08:59Yeah, that looks like a great plan to me overall.
09:01And understand this, you were hoping to get a veteran guy and you did in Joe Flacco.
09:05Does that move the needle for me?
09:06No.
09:07Kenny Pickett comes over from the Philadelphia Eagles.
09:09Does that move the needle?
09:10No.
09:10But at least you got two competent starters, per se, that have started in the NFL.
09:14But the interesting part to me is Deshaun Watson is obviously just going to be scapegoated
09:18right out of town.
09:19And rightfully so.
09:19Don't even show up to camp.
09:20Here's your paycheck.
09:21Just hang out here.
09:23But is there animosity in that quarterback room?
09:25Because, you know, Kenny Pickett seems like a nice guy.
09:27Joe Flacco, you know he's a nice guy at this point.
09:29But Dylan Gabriel gets drafted ahead of Shadur Sanders.
09:32Like, what is that training camp roster looking like where the Browns say, well, we like Dylan
09:38Gabriel over you, Shadur.
09:39So he's going to get the majority of the snaps.
09:41Like, the quarterback room is really interesting and may be muddied at this point where I do
09:46competition always leads to success for me.
09:48So if you have four of those guys outside of Deshaun Watson competing for the job, may
09:52the best man win.
09:53So go ahead and do it.
09:54But what's the treatment of Dylan Gabriel to Shadur Sanders?
09:57Two rookies coming in.
09:58Because the reason I bring this up, if you remember the commanders back in the day with
10:01RG3, they drafted Kirk Cousins as well.
10:04But there was a clear path that's like, no, no, no.
10:05Now, RG3 is our starter.
10:07But we thought Kirk Cousins was really good.
10:09And on the board, he was the best value there.
10:11So we took him.
10:12Let's see how things work out.
10:13And it turned out that Kirk Cousins turned out to be the better quarterback who was RG3.
10:16Got some injuries there.
10:17But that's not what Cleveland did here.
10:19So I'm interested to see how Cleveland treats this situation right away.
10:22It's like, no, no, no, Shadur.
10:24You're fourth on the depth chart.
10:25That's where you're going to be.
10:26We're going to let Dylan at least spin this year to see if he can win the job.
10:30It's kind of crazy.
10:31And RG3, of course, was the second overall pick.
10:34And Kirk Cousins was a fourth-round selection.
10:37This is a late third-rounder in Dylan Gabriel.
10:40Kind of that bare minimum in terms of maybe competing for a starting job.
10:45But DRS, what is so interesting at some point in his career, not right away, for Dylan Gabriel,
10:50but what is so interesting about Cleveland being the franchise that ended up with Shadur Sanders,
10:55by the time we reached round number four, I really thought it would be some team we did not expect
11:00or even highlight in Shadur Sanders' conversations, either in the buildup to the NFL draft or on Thursday or Friday.
11:08Because the teams that we did, the Steelers, the Raiders, even the Browns, had passed on Shadur Sanders so many times already.
11:17And specifically for the Browns, how it had selected another quarterback in round number three in front of Sanders.
11:24So again, we can debate the why Shadur Sanders' draft stock took a big tumble.
11:31But the reality is that it did.
11:34So how does Shadur Sanders respond?
11:36Because he is not going to Cleveland now to be that day one starter.
11:40He is not going to Cleveland now, despite the notoriety that will always follow him,
11:45to become the starting quarterback at some point in 2025.
11:49DRS, Sanders is heading to the land to try to earn a spot, maybe on a practice squad
11:55or at all in that quarterback room as a second or third stringer.
12:01So how does that humble him?
12:03How does he respond in doing so?
12:05And will that competition be the key and the difference?
12:08That's what we await to see.
12:10We do.
12:11And also understand this, too, how players are built differently, right?
12:14Shadur is an alpha.
12:15How does he handle being the third or the fourth string quarterback?
12:18But we should put up a poll on this one.
12:20I'm telling you right now, Shadur Sanders is going to start at least one football game
12:24for the Cleveland Browns in 2025.
12:26There's no doubt in my mind.
12:27That quarterback room isn't strong enough where they're going to have a great season.
12:31Shadur will be starting at some point in the season.
12:33Will he be great?
12:34Will he be bad?
12:34I don't know.
12:34He will start a game in 2025.
12:36The weekend that was around the 2025 National Football League draft.
12:42He is Donnie.
12:43I am Ben.
12:43Recapping everything we saw on night number two and day number three.
12:48Of course, DRS and German Airy had you covered for the recap of the opening round on Friday
12:53morning.
12:53But we'll look at everything in the microcosm that was the 2025 NFL draft and a sensational
12:59weekend in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
13:01Of course, DRS, whether it's a loaded quarterback draft class or one that is not looked at all
13:06that favorably by NFL organizations and talent evaluators, QBs always move the needle more
13:13than most.
13:14Here were the results of the quarterbacks taken outside of the opening round.
13:18Only two in round number one, Cam Ward first overall, the Giants trading back in and at
13:2325th overall, drafting Jackson Dart.
13:26Tyler Shuck was the earliest QB to go on night number two, round two, pick eight, 40th overall
13:32to the New Orleans Saints.
13:3425 years old, turns 26 in September.
13:38Kellen Moore drafted a guy they hope can be that face of the franchise right away for the
13:43rookie head coach in the Big Easy.
13:45The two other QBs, DRS, we saw on night number two, both in round number three, Jalen
13:51Milrow, 92nd overall to Seattle and 94th overall, perhaps the most stunning quarterback to go in
13:58front of Shador Sanders.
14:00Now his teammate in Cleveland, Dylan Gabriel.
14:04DRS, what was your reaction to the three quarterbacks that went before Shador Sanders
14:08following round number one?
14:10Yeah, surprised they did.
14:12Because again, I thought, you know, just based on the odds and what I was hearing for the
14:15past couple of months that Shador Sanders, the only matter is, will he be top five?
14:18Will it be the Giants at three?
14:20Do the Giants trade back into the first round to get Shador Sanders?
14:22But there's no way Shador Sanders can get past the Pittsburgh Steelers at, let's just
14:26say, at 21 at that point.
14:27Well, he did all that and made it to round number five.
14:29But Tyler Shuck, for me, again, not watching a lot of football and breaking down film, seems,
14:34look, you know, NFL talent evaluators, and Kellen Moore included, understand what they're
14:38doing and they know the quarterback position.
14:40So you trust that it's the right move.
14:41If you'd like to get a kid that's 21 or 22 years old, figuring to have more.
14:45But at the quarterback position, these guys are playing into their prime well into their
14:48mid-30s.
14:49I'm not worried about that.
14:50But I do think an intriguing one there was to the Seattle Seahawks with Jalen Milrow.
14:54Because the fact is, you hope you have your franchise quarterback that you signed as a
14:59free agent in Sam Darnold.
15:00But if that doesn't work out, you have a pretty good plan B.
15:03But also understand this.
15:05Now, Jalen Milrow is an unbelievable athlete that you can use in certain packages.
15:09I love in the NFL, short-yarded situations, goal-line situations.
15:13He can help you out right away without having to learn the system on the fly and understanding
15:17the weight of being a franchise quarterback.
15:20In two to three years, he might be your franchise quarterback.
15:22In two to three years, you drafted him in the third round.
15:25You might be able to trade him for the second round or the first round, just depending on
15:28how things start to shake up.
15:29So I'm intrigued by the Milrow play because I love an athletic quarterback that can do multiple
15:33things like start for your team or just come in for packages and make a difference right
15:37away.
15:37The one was the head-scratcher, really is Dylan Gabriel.
15:41Because if you were a college football fan and you watch a lot of games, he put up big
15:45statistics, was a good runner, athlete, you know, all the way around.
15:49But it's just to me, I don't know where he fits in Cleveland or in the NFL picture.
15:52He's not a super strong guy, doesn't have the big-time cannon arm, but he is a winner and
15:57he has put up stats.
15:58So I think it makes sense for Cleveland, but if I had to say Shador Sanders and Dylan Gabriel
16:02in two years, who's still going to be on the Browns or at least be a starting quarterback,
16:06I'm still going Shador Sanders over that point, which makes it really weird that they went
16:10Gabriel, then Sanders, and then pit him against each other.
16:13You probably should have just went round three, Shador Sanders, and drafted another person
16:16in round number five that could help the football team out.
16:19It was interesting to me on what they did.
16:22That's what makes the actual selection of Shador Sanders, not where he slid and where he ended
16:27up all that much more fascinating, because it wasn't the first time the Browns could have
16:32drafted Shador, even outside of round number one.
16:36They passed on him so many times on night number two, and they drafted another quarterback
16:42who it was clear to the IRS by all reporting the Browns liked a ton more, whether you agree
16:48with that assessment or not.
16:51It was clear that Cleveland was infatuated with Dylan Gabriel and wanted to use a valuable
16:56third round selection on him, and then ended up with Shador Sanders at 144 overall on Saturday
17:02afternoon.
17:03I'm not so sure either guy will start a game for Cleveland this year or in their careers.
17:09Donnie has said Shador Sanders is going to start for the Browns this year.
17:12There's a chance that both of them start this year because the IRS, the Browns are not exactly
17:17a quarterback powerhouse either right now or of course in the last two and a half decades,
17:23but it's all very intriguing to see that Dylan Gabriel was selected by the same team.
17:28That was the most stunning decision of a quarterback in front of Shador Sanders for Sanders to end
17:33up in the same QB room.
17:35Let me get a quick point on this, Ben, because I want your opinion also after the break.
17:38Like, we talk so much about Shador Sanders and how he can be the starting quarterback,
17:41what happened to him.
17:42How's Dylan Gabriel's camp like this?
17:44Like, you drafted me in the third round, then you put Shador right behind me.
17:47Like, that doesn't sound like a lot of confidence, either me or what's supposed to happen for
17:50the Browns.
17:51Interesting.
17:52Completely agree, D.R.S.
17:54That's a great point that we'll discuss further next.
17:56Live right here on the Early Line on this Monday morning, recapping the 2025 NFL Draft.
18:02D.R.S., as we saw throughout the weekend, 13 quarterbacks in total selected at some point
18:08throughout the 2025 NFL Draft.
18:11Two in the opening round, three on night number two.
18:14And as we just discussed, Dylan Gabriel ahead of Shador Sanders.
18:18Now, you said something earlier, comparing not quite to the RG3 and Kirk Cousins selections
18:25back in, I think, 2013, 2012, whatever it was.
18:30But it's not necessarily that.
18:32Dylan Gabriel, the end of the third round, Shador Sanders in the fifth round.
18:36Neither guy expecting to be the starting quarterback for Cleveland at a point this year, but certainly
18:42not beginning in week number one.
18:43Neither guy seen as the face of the franchise.
18:46But you looked at it from the angle of Gabriel's camp.
18:49Hey, you drafted me because I was your guy in all the conversations that we actually had
18:54when I went to the senior bowl, when I went to the NFL combine, when I worked out in Indianapolis
19:00and for you guys on a top 30 visit, we seemed to jive very well.
19:05And yet you draft this other guy that, although he slid, is going to have all the attention
19:10and notoriety surrounding him.
19:12What gives?
19:13Am I not good enough?
19:14Do I not get my chance to prove it?
19:16It is that kind of weird dichotomy DRS, which makes the Brown selection of Sanders a little
19:22bit questionable to me as well.
19:24I really think from Shador's perspective, it's an interesting moment entering the National
19:28Football League.
19:29Obviously, at some point, Shador and his camp over-evaluated his talent stock, over-evaluated
19:36where he was going to land, because if he ends up in the top 10 or even in round number
19:41one, he goes in there expecting to be the starter early in his rookie season, whether
19:45that's week one or week seven at some point.
19:49Now, Donnie, as we had shared, from the football perspective, Shador Sanders is going to Cleveland
19:54to maybe, just maybe, earn a spot on the 53-man roster, or maybe, just maybe, hold on to
20:02a training camp invite or a practice squad spot at the end of it all.
20:08That's what happens when you're drafted in the fifth round, your name, your notoriety,
20:12or otherwise.
20:14He's got to make the team.
20:15There's no way he can make it to the practice squad.
20:17Somebody's going to snap him up at that point.
20:19Like, if there was a thing around the NFL, it's like, oh, we're going to show him, which
20:21I don't believe.
20:22Like, you know, the NFL general managers, owners, and coaches, they want to win football
20:27games.
20:27They're going to play the best player, even if it has a, you know, a character default on
20:32the player.
20:32We've seen bad characters come to the NFL and perform highly in players' play because
20:36they help you in football games.
20:37I don't think Shador Sanders is going to be a practice squad guy.
20:40He would be going in week number two once that contract isn't guaranteed at that point.
20:43But understand this, too.
20:44If you're looking from a Cleveland perspective, like, the room actually made some sense, right?
20:48You have the aging veteran in Flacco, if you can lean on, a good locker room guy.
20:52You have the younger veteran in Kenny Pickett.
20:54So my thought process would have been, okay, we're going to roll with Kenny Pickett as a
20:57starter.
20:58If something goes wrong, we have Joe Flacco that can just be there to add stability.
21:01But then we want to add a young quarterback to the mix.
21:03So you actually have a really good quarterback room.
21:05Now you throw a wrench into it by taking two young guys and having them challenge because
21:09they both think they should be starters.
21:11And then you have the older veteran and the younger veteran still in the room.
21:14I don't think it makes that much sense because understand this.
21:17Everybody's supposed to be professional, but people used to get mad at, all right, Brett
21:20Favre here.
21:21Well, I'm not going to help Aaron Rodgers out.
21:23You're supposed to do that and be a good teammate.
21:25That's your job.
21:25You're trying to groom him for it to take it from you.
21:27So when Dylan Gabriel and Shadour Sanders show up in the same room, they'll shake hands
21:32and witch each other well.
21:33And then immediately, once they're done doing that, they're like, I hope this guy stinks
21:36and I can beat him out here at this point.
21:37There's no helping those two guys.
21:39Oh, we're best friends as rookies here.
21:41So I do think it's a detriment to that quarterback room.
21:43But for me, I don't think Shadour Sanders is going to go to training camp and get cut from
21:47the Browns.
21:48And if he goes to the practice squad, he will be gone from that team, which makes it interesting,
21:52which is when I do a picket and Flacco, they're carrying four active quarterbacks on that
21:57roster.
21:57That's not going to happen.
21:59No, I don't think so, DRS.
22:01It's a really good point.
22:02But you do wonder if none of the other 31 NFL organizations, all with multiple opportunities
22:07to selection or Sanders didn't do so in the draft.
22:10Why would they take Cleveland scraps if it ends up being that case?
22:14Of course, DRS is right.
22:15They always want to win if the opportunity presents itself and it makes sense.
22:19Shadour Sanders will have a spot first and foremost, though, using what was, of course,
22:24a humbling experience to try to take advantage of his opportunity now with the Cleveland Browns
22:29because it might not have been in the first round or even in rounds two through four.
22:34But Sanders was drafted to the NFL, and that is an accomplishment in itself.
22:39Go out there and earn your spot.
22:41Kyle McCord, who led the nation in passing, set an ACC single season record this past year
22:47at Syracuse, drafted to his hometown team, a native of regional Philadelphia,
22:52heads to Philadelphia for the Eagles in round six.
22:55Will Howard, a Pittsburgh Steeler drafted in the sixth round as well.
23:01In DRS, what's really interesting here, a lot of conversation about the Shadour Sanders slide.
23:06Not enough about Quinn Ewers being drafted in the seventh round with the 15th pick in that seventh and final round.
23:14A lot of conversation about the NIL landscape in college football and taking that leap to the National Football League.
23:21There is no doubt that Quinn Ewers could have made more last season than he will make in the entirety of his rookie contract with Miami or elsewhere.
23:31But Quinn Ewers wanted to play in the National Football League.
23:34He will get his opportunity with the Finns.
23:37And I respect it.
23:38And some people will say, like, how could you pass up all that money?
23:40But sometimes in the point of your life where you've had your fill of a college experience, you have made some money.
23:45And you said, boy, I really liked it at Texas here.
23:47Now I'm ready to go pro.
23:48I just hope I get an opportunity, which the Dolphins will give him.
23:51Or you could have stayed at ground again to be around college peers for a couple million bucks
23:55and maybe to enjoy yourself because contrary to popular belief, money isn't everything to a lot of these athletes.
24:00Like the only thing I need is just to get paid and we'll see where it lines up.
24:03He thought the best evolution of his life was to go professional and try his ranks there.
24:07I don't have any problem with that.
24:09Some people look at it as foolish, should have took the money here.
24:11But he's ready.
24:12And if he's ready, let him go.
24:14And he earned a lot of money during his time in college.
24:17First at Ohio State and then, of course, with Texas.
24:20He is also a native of Austin.
24:21He always wanted to be with the Longhorns.
24:23He left a legacy with the Longhorns as well.
24:26Two consecutive college football playoff first, first conference championship that Longhorns had seen in 15 years back in 2023.
24:36Yes, he could have transferred somewhere as Arch Manning will have the job this year for Texas and made a lot of money.
24:42And you should always earn as much money as possible at any stage of your career, football or otherwise.
24:48But if you are the person that looks at these college athletes and makes fun of them or questions their integrity as they chase a bag and they're the same person that points and laughs to Quinn Ewers for passing up on that money, you are just a hater who cannot make your own bag in doing so.
25:05DRS, a couple of other quarterbacks drafted in between Will Howard and Quinn Ewers.
25:10Riley Leonard heads to Indianapolis.
25:13A lot of people have joked he's kind of like the merger of Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones in one.
25:18He'll be in that same quarterback room.
25:21Graham Mertz to the Houston Texans loved what Vegas did at the end of round six.
25:26Tommy Millat, who is the quarterback at Montana State, more than likely they say he will transition to a wide receiver in the NFL.
25:34But he played in the FCS National Championship game against North Dakota State's quarterback, Cam Miller.
25:40Who was drafted just a few picks later by the Raiders as well.
25:44And Curtis Rourke, who led Indiana to a college football playoff appearance a season ago.
25:49Seventh round draft pick.
25:51Those mean something in San Francisco at the quarterback spot.
25:55Yeah, just taking some flyers later on.
25:57Maybe you find gold and certainly with Brock Purdy.
26:00You say, hey, man, look at the seventh round picks and the Tom Brady's of the world.
26:02You might uncover some of those gems.
26:04But also, you do need quarterback arms in training camp.
26:07You just got these guys get looks.
26:09They'll stay on a practice squad.
26:10And every couple of years, those sixth and seventh round picks will rotate out of the quarterback positions.
26:15We'll find that to go.
26:16But of those, I don't know if you got a gem looking at it.
26:18But then again, we didn't think Brock Purdy would be a gem either getting drafted that late.
26:21Yeah, you've got some opportunities to earn a playing spot, to earn a spot on a roster.
26:27Why not go out there and try to do so?
26:30Do you have some other notable picks from the weekend?
26:32That one's the pair of Ohio State running backs go early in round two.
26:37Quinchon Jenkins to Cleveland.
26:39Travion Henderson to New England.
26:41Love that pick for the Pats, by the way.
26:43Will be very interesting to see where Henderson factors in to the running back room alongside Ramond Ray Stevenson.
26:49And I love Cam Scadaboo to the New York Giants.
26:53A little bit later than we expected in round number four.
26:56But Donnie, he is going to be a fan favorite if he can make an impact with the G-Men.
27:01No, I remember when Jeremy Shockey went to the Giants.
27:03I was upset about that being a Miami fan.
27:05He came in and took New York City by absolute storm right off the bat.
27:08I don't know if Scadaboo is going to do that, but he will be a fun player to watch.
27:12No doubt about it.
27:13What do they have in common?
27:15More on the early line up next.
27:17Live right here on this Monday morning on the early line on SportsGrid.
27:21Recapping the entirety of the 2025 NFL Draft.
27:24We'll talk some rookie of the year odds, both offensively and defensively, in just a moment as well.
27:31We talked about Cam Scadaboo right before the break, DRS.
27:34Early in round four to the New York Giants.
27:37Alongside with Tyrone Tracy in that backfield, they've got some dynamic players there for the G-Men.
27:43Luther Burden III goes to Chicago early in round number two.
27:47Harold Fannin Jr., the record setter out of Bowling Green, makes his way to Cleveland.
27:53And Mike Green, a talented edge rusher out of Marshall, who led FBS College Football in 2024 with 17 sacks,
28:00drafted by the Ravens at the end of round two.
28:03The reason, DRS, that Mike Green was on the slide is some personal character issues.
28:09Accused of sexual assault during his high school playing days.
28:13Originally signed at Virginia.
28:15Had to sign a zero-tolerance policy at UVA.
28:19Broke said policy with more sexual assault allegations during his time in Charlottesville.
28:23Charlottesville transferred to Marshall because of some of those character concerns slid later in the draft.
28:31The Ravens take a shot on him.
28:33You do hope that he has turned things around, but that's why he is not a first-round talent
28:39because of those very serious and significant allegations outside of the playing field.
28:45But you were a big Harold Fannin Jr. guy.
28:47Said he was your sleeper.
28:48He goes earlier than some presumed DRS, even if it was night two, but early in round number three.
28:54Yeah, I like that, too.
28:55By the way, quick comment on Mike Green.
28:57Like, you know, presumption of innocence, you get that, and you'll go through the legal, you know, trials and tribulations.
29:02But also understand this from a Ravens perspective.
29:04They're dealing with this from their kicker, too.
29:06And then to add on to that at the draft, look, there is something to say about his talent.
29:10Can you win a football game?
29:11Yes, but that's interesting for the Ravens who are just, like, you know, jumping right back into that arena for the wrong reason.
29:16We'll wish him well, and hopefully he gets his life together and has a good, productive career.
29:19But interesting for the Ravens, no doubt.
29:21Fannin Jr., love the kid.
29:23And by the way, with the Browns, like, I liked what they did because I do like the fact that until you get your quarterback, keep trying.
29:29So they get Gabriel, and they get Shador Sanders.
29:31We'll see if one of those two quarterbacks works out.
29:32Better to have two than one.
29:34But it was interesting to me that Quinchan Judkins, who I loved in college at Ohio State, went ahead of Travion Henderson.
29:41I just thought Henderson was like that perfect prototype back that Cleveland would have loved to have.
29:45And the fact that they passed on him and went to the Browns.
29:47So your opinion is right.
29:49Love what the Patriots did because that's a perfect guy to have in the backfield for your young quarterback in Drake May.
29:54But Howard Fannin Jr. going to the Browns to now, like, the two tight ends set.
29:58I love in the National Football League.
30:00Like, really, like, who's the originators of it?
30:02You could probably say the New England Patriots.
30:03But, boy, you have two super athletic tight ends on your roster for your young quarterbacks coming through.
30:09Now you add the running game with Quinchan Judkins.
30:12You already got, you know, some solid wide receivers.
30:14I like where Cleveland went here.
30:16I just thought it was interesting that Judkins went over Henderson.
30:18But Fannin Jr., you want to talk about a guy that doesn't block all that much?
30:22Nudo's Njoku.
30:23You got two wide receivers at tight end with big bodies out there, baby.
30:27I love it.
30:28Fannin Jr. probably going to play some sort of hybrid role.
30:32The reason he was not the first tight end, despite setting single season records for all FBS tight ends ever,
30:39is because he is not the greatest in-line blocker.
30:41A little bit smaller, but what an athletic freak that he is.
30:46DRS, Travion Henderson was the minus-money favorite around minus 400 right before round two started on Friday to be that first pick by the Browns.
30:54At number 33 overall, Cleveland does not take him with either of their top two picks in the first four of round number two.
31:02Henderson does not wait long to get snatched up early in that second round by New England.
31:07How about friends of the program here on the early line?
31:11We had the distinct pleasure of interviewing a couple of NFL draft prospects during the draft process.
31:17Ja Joyner, the edge rusher out of Minnesota, signs as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders.
31:23Big Mark, Marcus Harper II, signs with the Colts.
31:27One guy DRS, the mulleted man from Pittsburgh.
31:31The tight end, Gavin Bartholomew, a six-round pick out of Pittsburgh, headed to Minnesota.
31:37Congrats to all of them.
31:39They will get an opportunity at the next level in the NFL.
31:43Yeah, we'll follow them along there.
31:44And again, some people say Bartholomew only got drafted because of the swag that he has out there on the football field.
31:50Going to Minnesota in a good environment with a great play caller here.
31:53So we'll wish those kids well, certainly, on their journey into the NFL.
31:57Yeah.
31:58Certainly so, DRS.
31:59In the common denominator among all three of those NFL draft prospects now in the National Football League,
32:05Donnie mentioned his D3 playing days in college football to each and every one.
32:10Rookie of the year odds now, DRS.
32:12We start on the offensive side.
32:14Some interesting odds opening up.
32:16And we'll talk about Travis Hunter in just a second.
32:19Because of the fact he might split duty in Jacksonville, he is not the favorite for either offensive ROI or defensive ROI either.
32:30The favorite offensively, the sixth overall pick to Las Vegas, that would be Ashton Gentry at plus 270.
32:37Cam Ward, the number one overall pick, not the best price, a four-to-one number for Tennessee.
32:43Yeah, you're looking at Ashton Gentry being the starter from day number one, which means a few hundred touches.
32:49He should be the favorite for offensive rookie of the year.
32:51The question is, not Cam Ward, who's going to play all 17 weeks, but how efficient can he be and what that team is going to look like?
32:57And then you get to Travis Hunter at a plus 750 price.
33:00We don't technically know what he's going to do full-time.
33:03So if you say we're going to split some time on defense and offense, you know, that's going to affect the overall statistics that he has,
33:08catches that he can get on offense or interceptions on defense, per se.
33:12So Gentry does make a lot of sense because he'll be fun, and you could probably pencil him in for, what, double-digit touchdowns as a rookie right away?
33:18And if Cam Ward doesn't light it up, 4,000-plus yards, 28 touchdown passes, it probably will go to Gentry.
33:24But that true wild card here really is Travis Hunter because maybe you should just have rookie of the year,
33:29and he'd be a runaway favorite if he's playing both ways, like a Shohei Ohtani would be in baseball.
33:35Like, how do you not give this guy the award when he pitches and hits?
33:38And that is the distinction, though, offensive and defensive in the National Football League DRS.
33:44There is no doubt that maybe the most impactful rookie to begin will be Travis Hunter.
33:49To have 1,000 receiving yards in his rookie campaign, plus 230, not all that long of a price,
33:5675-plus catches and multiple interceptions, plus 250, 10 total touchdowns, 7-1.
34:04Total touchdowns, I would presume, includes the potential of a pick-six, five offensive touchdowns.
34:11It does not.
34:15No special teams.
34:16Thank you, Joe Friso.
34:17Five offensive touchdowns and at least a defensive score, 12-1, to win both rookie of the year awards, DRS, 50-1.
34:26We'll get your thoughts on Travis Hunter and his new role and his new home of Duval up next here on the Early Line.
34:36Welcome back to this Monday morning on the Early Line on Sports Grid.
34:39Travis Hunter traded up four by the Jacksonville Jaguars to draft him number two overall because he is seen as a unicorn.
34:47In fact, if you heard from 34-year-old GM for his first year in Jacksonville, James Gladstone,
34:54you would think that Travis Hunter is the most special talent the world has ever seen.
34:58And maybe that is the case, DRS.
35:00We showed the odds in the season specials for Hunter's rookie campaign in Duval County.
35:06Here is where they stand.
35:08Of all of those prices that you can bet on right here, right now on the FanDuel Sportsbook,
35:12which one looks the most intriguing or perhaps the most out of whack?
35:18Well, it's certainly not the 10-plus total touchdowns at a 7-1 price,
35:21which means, again, if you're not using special teams, you probably say,
35:24oh, no, he scores eight on offense and two on defense.
35:27And then you look one down and go five offensive touchdowns and one defensive touchdown is 12-1.
35:32It's almost double the price point.
35:33Like, why would you bet the 7-1 knowing that for him to get 10-plus touchdowns as a rookie wide receiver,
35:39he might be part-time.
35:40Why would you even go that direction?
35:41You know he's going to be playing defense at some point.
35:44And he is a defensive maven, which means that ball gets intercepted,
35:48he's electric in the open field.
35:50That's by far a better bet.
35:52Five offensive touchdowns and one defensive touchdown at 12-1.
35:55Who would go for the 7-1?
35:57Nobody.
35:57Take the 12-1.
35:58It's way better value.
36:00Yeah, such better value.
36:02I completely agree.
36:03By all indications, DRS, in Jacksonville,
36:06they are going to let him play on both sides of the football.
36:10How much, an even 50-50 split, is he going to be out there for 70-plus percent of the snaps on either side of the ball throughout 2025?
36:20Probably not.
36:21Again, he is still looked at as a wide receiver.
36:24First, corner, second.
36:25I'm not so sure that makes sense.
36:28I'll let a lot smarter football minds handle that than me.
36:31But, Donnie, it is really exciting to see him in Duval.
36:35Why?
36:36Liam Cohen, a very bright offensive mind, tasked with reinvigorating the career of his quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.
36:42They have Brian Thomas Jr. after a sensational rookie season of more than 1,000 receiving yards on one side,
36:48and Travis Hunter on the other, that should cause some optimism for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
36:54And by all indications, in Duval County, they believe in Travis Hunter above all else.
37:01So, I am really excited at the prospect of what Hunter is going to do as a Jag in his first year.
37:08Yeah, me too.
37:09I'm intrigued.
37:09The kid has a great head on his shoulders, was an unbelievable performer,
37:13doing things that we've never seen on the college football level,
37:16the Heisman Trophy winner, and it seems like he has a fantastic attitude.
37:19And every video you see, he's always having some fun with a big smile on his face.
37:23And he says he wants to play both ways, and I get that.
37:26But it's just going to be interesting to see how they actually deploy that,
37:29because you are talking about one of the better young rookie wide receivers
37:32we've seen in a couple years there in Brian Thomas Jr.
37:35He was phenomenal.
37:36You have a big, talented quarterback with a big arm to get Travis Hunter the football.
37:40I just think it's best, even if it's one of those splits where I'm going to play
37:43just about every single passing down on defense that we think it's going to be a passing down.
37:48And then on offense, when we need to go to our up-tempo pass game,
37:51I'll be in there and sort of ease them into the process.
37:53I think it makes the most sense.
37:54And we're looking at those buy points on where it would be.
37:56I do expect him to play a decent amount of defense and offense,
37:59and I do expect him to score a defensive touchdown,
38:01because he is great at jumping pass routes,
38:03and he's just said electric running with the football.
38:06Who'll score a defensive touchdown this year?
38:08And there's no doubt in my mind he's getting five touchdowns on offense,
38:10but 10 on offense when you're not truly full-time offense?
38:14That's hard to do.
38:15That's why I like that price point of 12-1 much better
38:18than the 7-1 price on the 10 total touchdowns.
38:21Plus 750 for Travis Hunter to win offensive rookie of the year.
38:25Again, Ashton Gentey is the favorite of plus 270.
38:28Not sure I love what the Raiders have in store for 2025.
38:31Not sure I love that price on Gentey,
38:33but it was the earliest we had seen a running back selected DRS.
38:36Sixth overall since 2018 when Saquon Barkley went second.
38:41Barkley the last running back to win offensive rookie of the year as well.
38:44Abdul Carter, third overall pick, the rightful favorite at plus 250
38:49to win defensive rookie of the year.
38:52I like that number.
38:53I think Abdul Carter is going to wreak some havoc from the very start
38:56in his National Football League playing days.
39:00DRS, not much of a change to the Super Bowl odds following the 2025 NFL draft,
39:05but the reigning champs remain the favorites, plus 650 for Philadelphia.
39:10Really, the changes we have seen prior to the draft,
39:13a shakeup among the trio of AFC teams, the Ravens and the Bills,
39:18both shorter prices than Kansas City.
39:21Yeah, well, then again, nothing's going to change.
39:23Also, keep in mind, this week, I believe, starts where you can start
39:26to make some of those changes to your roster by signing extra free agents
39:30because it doesn't count to the compensation factor anymore.
39:32So I look for some of these teams maybe to make some trades for next year,
39:35get some cuts and releases, and also some teams signing some talent here
39:39at that point.
39:39But we'll find this shakeout.
39:41We'll get a better feel for these teams as we start to approach May,
39:44which is this week, June and July.
39:45And by the way, July, we have a preseason game in July this year.
39:49July is football season officially, baby.
39:52We're almost there.
39:54Hour number three, our third and final next.
39:57At DRS, as we get started here in this third and final hour,
40:00one final question about Shador Sanders.
40:02We have given you our thoughts.
40:04The NFL, of course, gave you their thoughts on where he actually slots in
40:08to the 2025 NFL draft.
40:10Now with some retrospective, if you will,
40:13we look back on where Shador Sanders was selected
40:16and where you all think he should have gone in the NFL draft.
40:20That was the question and fade the public.
40:21When should Shador Sanders have been drafted?
40:33At Sports Grid on Twitter, that was the question.
40:37Round one, rounds two or three, rounds four through seven.
40:41Those were your three options.
40:43And basically, DRS, it's a pretty even split between round two and three.
40:48And then that third option, rounds four through seven.
40:51Rounds four through seven has actually taken the ever-so-slight lead,
40:54but about 44% now on rounds two or three, about 46% on rounds four through seven.
41:01Yeah, well, here's the interesting part, too.
41:03It's all when you're asking the question, like,
41:05hey, should Minnesota be up three to one with the Lakers?
41:08Like, yeah, they should be up three to one.
41:09Why?
41:09Because they're up three to one.
41:10If we ask the same question, where should Shador Sanders be drafted on Thursday
41:16before the draft started, it'd probably be the complete opposite
41:19because you're going with the odds.
41:20The odds said he should have been a first-round draft pick, which is the way I voted.
41:23Now, granted, I'm not in the film room.
41:25I don't watch a ton of Shador Sanders, but I'm just going by what people have watched him
41:29all season long with the mock drafts that had it.
41:31Nobody had him going fourth through seven.
41:34So 46% right now voting on that are liars at this point
41:37because they understand where he got drafted, and that's where I'm going to vote.
41:40Oh, I never thought he was going to be a top-three pick or a top-five pick
41:44or a top-three-round pick.
41:45Yes, you did.
41:46The oddsmakers were telling you that, and so was everybody else,
41:48which is the shock of the draft that he went into the fifth round.
41:51So this ball would be completely obsolete and backwards
41:54if we asked this same question on Thursday to the results we're getting right now.
41:58Round one, 9%.
42:00Stop it, people.
42:01Stop.
42:01Come on.
42:02Yeah, I completely agree, DRS.
42:05You can be revisionist as much as you would like.
42:07I thought the Shador Sanders narrative throughout the weekend was absolutely insane.
42:12It was a media narrative where we saw what often becomes of something so online,
42:18and I'll just say this.
42:19Shador Sanders and his father welcome and thrive on the attention.
42:24When that is what you do, this is the negative of it.
42:27This is the downside of it.
42:29You are thrust into the spotlight, and you need to take your serving of humble pie.
42:33But we had seen the narrative explode so much.
42:37Shador Sanders, conspiracy theories.
42:39Here is why the National Football League is passing on this guy time and again.
42:44To almost swing back the other way, for people to tell us he couldn't even start in the UFL
42:48is basically where it ended at the end of Friday night.
42:52It was ridiculous.
42:53Maybe the narrative on Shador Sanders was a little bit too high that he could be a round one talent.
42:59Here's where I stand on it, DRS.
43:01Was I overly surprised he was not a first-round pick?
43:05Yes.
43:05Was I shocked?
43:06Not necessarily, because throughout most of the draft process,
43:10the spot that seemed most likely was still the Pittsburgh Steelers at 21st overall
43:15for a quarterback class that I always thought, at most, had two QBs going in round number one.
43:21It just wasn't the second quarterback I expected on Thursday night.
43:25It was Jackson Dart instead of Shador Sanders.
43:28Am I stunned that it took him until the fifth round to get selected?
43:32Absolutely so.
43:34But the media narrative spun so far either which way that it was ridiculous.
43:39And when you have a media narrative like that,
43:42you basically open up the prospect for the public, as we are seeing here,
43:46to hate on that individual, to hate on his talent, to hate on his character.
43:52Last week at this time, he was minus 280 to be a first-round pick.
43:56If we put out this faith-to-public poll last week,
43:59and you can say that as revisionist history in its own place,
44:02it would have been 97% round one.
44:07So, yeah, the narrative around Shador Sanders is a little bit insane.
44:11The reality is now this.
44:13He was a fifth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns.
44:16His expectations to start his NFL career are so much more humble
44:21than we probably all anticipated at this stage a week ago.
44:25He is not going in expected to be the face of the franchise.
44:29He will not enter that Browns organization expecting to be a starter
44:34at any point in 2025.
44:37Might he?
44:38That's a different question.
44:39But the expectations, Donnie, are to try to earn a job
44:43for this Cleveland franchise as a quarterback,
44:47whether that be a reserve or a third stringer
44:49or, heck, even a practice squad member.
44:53That is the task for Shador Sanders.
44:56We will see what his resolve and resilience is about to be
44:59as he embarks on his NFL future.
45:01And 99% of the teams, when you show up to camp,
45:04will tell you, now it doesn't matter where you were drafted at.
45:07Now it's about competing on the field,
45:08knowing that the general manager will remind the coach
45:10where that player was drafted at
45:12and how they should play over said player
45:13who might be drafted behind.
45:15But also understand this.
45:16Dylan Gabriel was drafted in the third round.
45:18Shador Sanders in the fifth round.
45:19It's interesting how that is going to play out
45:22when the Browns told themselves the better quarterback is Gabriel,
45:26but now Shador's a talent.
45:27He's sitting out here.
45:28Do they get equal playing field?
45:30And again, I already tweeted out here on X.
45:32I do think Shador Sanders gets at least one game played next year
45:34because I don't think the Browns are going to be that great.
45:36Maybe you want to see what both of these quarterbacks have.
45:39But for that quarterback room to be shaping up
45:41where it could be a little bit toxic is very interesting to me.
45:44But again, getting back to the point and the premise
45:46of fading the public,
45:47where will he be drafted?
45:48Four rounds, four through seven.
45:50Absolutely incorrect at that point here.
45:51There's a reason why he fell,
45:53which we may never get that exact answer
45:55from the teams that passed on him
45:56because why would they spill the beans now
45:58if they were never going to take him?
45:59Those stories probably won't come out like they need to,
46:02but he was expected through the odds makers,
46:04particularly the FanDuel Sportsbook,
46:05and all of the people that analyzed the draft,
46:08mocked one in the first round,
46:09and even could he go to the Giants at number three
46:13or trade up back in that round?
46:14They got dark, they didn't get Sanders,
46:15and the fall was on at that point.
46:18There were people, DRS,
46:20saying that the book has not been closed
46:22on the G-men taking Shador Sanders at number three overall
46:25and then followed that up on Saturday morning
46:27by saying the Giants,
46:28what are you guys kidding me?
46:29They were never going to take Shador Sanders
46:31number three overall.
46:33Shut them.
46:34It's just like it's so crazy
46:35that you get both ends of that spectrum
46:37and the narrative trying to be correct in doing so
46:40and to make a statement for engagement.
46:42You're wrong, you've been wrong,
46:43and deal with the reality of the situation.
46:46It angers me because it's like
46:47we don't even like sports anymore.
46:49We just like the narrative around sports.
46:52We like the narrative around watching a sport
46:54more than we enjoy even watching the sport
46:57in the first place anymore.
46:59Also, in terms of the prank call thing,
47:02Jax Ulbricht discerns a little bit of hate,
47:05but he apologized.
47:06It was a dumb kid doing an ultra-dumb thing.
47:09That's it.
47:10That's done.
47:10We don't need to do these grandstanding acts there either.
47:15Disappointing weekend around the NFL draft
47:17if you ask me.