Drive Time with Travis WingfieldDrive Time: Emory Hunt Details Dolphins 2025 UDFA Class and Offseason
What is up Dolphins And welcome to the Draft Time Podcast. I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and on today's show, I'm.
Just fired up to be here.
I'm fired up to be here because it's the Emery Hunt episode. He's gonna take us through the UDFA class. He has full reports on all these guys how he thinks they fit, and he has a theme that he thinks the Dolphins followed this offseason that I think you're gonna want to hear about. We're gonna talk to him about the entire UDFA class and the draft class and the Dolphins offseason.
Let's go ahead and get right to it.
From the Baptist Health Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex.
This is the Draft Time Podcast. It is that time of year again.
We usually get emvery Hunt on three times a year, and no offense to the pre combined position previews or the combined chat itself, but those are undercards compared to the main event. What we have today for you, Emory Hunt, CBS Sports HQ. The regulars know him.
Emory.
It's great to see your smiling face again, man, I wrote that down before. We didn't do video here for the chat, but I assume there's a big smile on your face.
Ma now man, good to see again.
Always Travis Man, Listen, there is a big spot on my face, man, because it's that time of year. Draft is done, guy was done, undrafted, freed is and now you know signing and now we get to really talk football.
It's the best part of the off season for me because you have this whole puzzle that you've put together over the course of the last few months, and now it's like, how does that puzzle actually perform on Sundays? And it's I mean, that's that's what we all look forward to the most. So let's go ahead and start here. Because I saw this great post the other day Emory about how you were the one who taught Ross Tucker about cam Ward back when he was playing at Incarnate Word and two dominant years on the Police Go Koog's and a Heisman finalist season this year with Miami.
That might be your mona. Lisa Emery like, that's.
That's getting way out in front of a first overall draft pick as a zero star recruit is pretty impressive. But I butter you up to ask you this because you replied to somebody saying that. He was saying, You're the only draft guy that's at literally every event you can picture, and you said, I try to be where the football is. So I was hoping you could just take us through that mindset and what it looks like for Emery Hunt from February through April, and how you're able to attend all these different events.
Man.
Man, It's It's funny because when you sit back and zoom out a little bit tea, you kind of realize how much you really do. And so for me, I embraced the role as a football analyst, right. I don't want to pigeonhole myself as college football, NFL, CFL, you know, all that stuff like that. It's just I am a football analyst, and if I'm doing right by the job, I'm gonna be where the football is, whether that's NFL games, whether the CFL, you know, trainee camps of mini camps wherever I'm at, or the different all star games. So during the actual fall football season, you know this, I call games. I'm a college football color analyst in addition to what I do at CBS Sports, where I'm covering the NFL and college football during the fall season, and the CFL as well, And so I really don't start doing draft stuff until December, when my college football slate slacks up. Well, I'm not calling games on the weekend, and I get to the first All Star game out the gate, which is the FCS Bowl down to Dayton on the Beach the first week of December, and then in January, I'm going the whole month. It's starting to get the College Go Down Showcase, then the Hula Bowl, then the Tropical Bowl, then the East West Shrine Bowl, then the Senior Bowl, and then in February you go to the HBCU Legacy Bowl before going to the Combine. So for me, if I'm going to do right by the job, like during the fall season, I'm locked in just breaking down film, watching NFL games, watching college games, get preparing for the broadcast, preparing for whatever CB show I'm on to break down whatever matchups they had me talking about. And if I'm transitioning from the fall season to the draft season, man, I'd rather be talking about the draft and rather have a knowledgeable foundation of what is going on.
So that's why I'm at all the All star games.
Plus is my chance to get a good eye on all the prospects in addition to, you know, really doing the work of a scout, because you know, a lot of people love to just scrape off the top. You know, right now everybody's talking about the same quarterback as their QB one in Francisco Mendoza, Fernando Mendoza, I'm like, man, like, how can people come about that one decision so quickly without really diving deep in? So that's why when I put my guide out, it is so vast, it is so deep because you're getting a well rounded view someone that has covered college football during the season, spent the last three months covering the drafts specifically and evaluating. So I'm not ready to talk you know, NFL, College, you know, CFL, UFL. That's why you get what you get in terms of an emory hunt to use a third person.
That's why I love this job, in this industry, in this entire craft that we you know, try to perfect. Because I was having this conversation with a friend the other day, like, you can't be as this process, you know, you can you can be as some folks, like if you're talking to a casual fan, you can be as your way through like oh, I watched this player and this and YadA YadA yah, but if you come to a real ball knower, you cannot be yes your way through this stuff. And that's why I wanted to kind of lay out your background in your story because as someone that also kind of, you know, really built my way into this industry, you know, from the ground floor, the way you did with the football game plan videos way back in the day, Like, I just have the utmost respect for it, man, and I wanted to kind of just lay out your credentials there before we get on here, because a lot of the listeners know who you are, but for those that are new to the show, I wanted to make sure that we had that on lock. And here's why you want to listen to Emory Hunt on these pods cast because over the last few years, you predicted the Julian Hill, Chris Brooks, Cater Kohu Brayln Sanders, and Robert Jones will all be udfas that made the Dolphins team out of camp and they I don't know if all those guys were in there right out of camp, but within the first month of the season, all those guys were on the active roster. So I count that in my opinion, and you know, nobody bats a thousand, but I'm pretty sure every UDFA that has made the team since we've been doing this was a guy that you talked about for us and for the what have you done for me lately?
Crowd?
You gave us five names last year, Emriot was Storm Duck who made the football team. It was Grayson Murphy who in my opinion, was going to make the football team until he got hurt on the opening series of the preseason. Isaiah Johnson, Mark Perry, and Jaquan Burton. Now Perry is elsewhere, Burton is as well, and then Murphy was on the ir obviously, and Isaiah Johnson is a guy that I think has a chance to really carve out a role on this year's football team after making the practice squad last year.
So just continue to establish the credibility there.
I want to go ahead and read off this list of names for you, Emory and turn it back over to you. And I got my coffee here. I'm just gonna kind of put my feet up and hand the show over to you, and you can tell us about this list of players and who you think breaks camp with the Miami Dolphins.
So you're ready for the list of names here.
Man, let's go.
I knew you would be running back Nate Noel from Missouri. Four wide receivers Andrew Armstrong from Arkansas, Theo Weiese junior from Missouri, Monaey Baldwin from Baylor, aj Hending from Northwestern previously of Michigan, Jalen Conyers from Texas Tech. Two offensive linemen Addison West from Western Michigan and Josh Preed from Michigan, Alex Huntley from South Carolina, Eugene Assante from Auburn, bj Adams from UCF, Ethan Robinson the corner from Minnesota, and then a safety John Saunders from Ole, miss and long snapper Neilan Hibbert from Alabama Emory. Go ahead, and if I pronounce any of those names wrong, feel free to correct me.
I will say this, this is an impressive haul collectively for the Miami Dolphins, and there's so many There's only so many spots, right, and so I'll say this too, just to put this out there as well.
It's a big reason why.
I am such a proponent of the UFL and you know, expanding that league to more teams because this is a lot of good football talent that the NFL only has so many spots on these rosters for these guys, right, So I'll start with THEO Weeks.
He was my number two inside receiver.
And when you talk about someone that plays a lot bigger than his size, he has a game with somebody that's sixty five two twenty, but he's six three, two hundred. You know, strong hands, the ability to go above the room and.
Make the play.
I believe he gives a Dolphins something that they don't have right now currently on the roster, a bigger body wide receiver that can go up and win above the room, kind of expand that catch radius for to a tongue of our lawyers, got good body control, good footwork, and you know, people talked a lot about Luther Burden, but forgot about THEO Weeks, another one of these big body receivers that can make plays. And Jalen Conyers the tight end, my number eight flex tight end. And so when you think about a flex tight end, we're talking about these guys that are bigger wide receivers that can kind of block, but really just glorified big body wideouts.
And now he carries his weight really well man.
He's two sixty three, but he has movement skills like a guy that's about two twenty.
He's a vertical threat in the passing game.
He has great route running skills, verse enough to play h back or in the slot as a flex tight end.
Had a really good week at the East West Ran Bowl.
I thought he was gonna be someone to get drafted, but surprised that he didn't get drafted. But I think he has a really good chance to make the team here. And when you look at Josh preeb Out of Michigan, first of all, you can't gow on the offensive lot for Michigan. He anchored really well in a run game, in passing prompts, sorry, it does almost instantly like he's able to sit in the chair right away and stop a ball rushing.
And when he's asked to get out around.
On polls or kickouts or you know why protection, he's able to take the sharp angles not give ground. So he helps expand your passing playbook in that regard. And we you know the reason why I brought up his movement skills because we know movement is you know, paramount in his Dolphins offense.
For an offensive lineman. Switching over to the defense side ball.
Eugena Sante was my number four outside linebacker. Terrific speed and acceleration. He's a classic running chase backer. He's able to smoothly sift through the trash, made the tackle on a running back.
Also not afraid to.
Play the boom, and I thought he popped up a lot on tape, in my opinion, was good at the Senior Bowl. Shocked that he was undrafted considering how you know the team teams are looking for guys that are really athletic, that can really run and chase, and you know, here's someone that fits that to a team play in the top tier conference and went undrafted.
His tape was impressive.
And BJ Adams also known as Brandon Adams was my number nine boundary corner. That's a guy that primarily can play over the X receiver on the out side, and I think he knows how to effectively play with length that he had.
Some guys have the length.
I know that was a big contention point of contention for you know, offensive lineman in this class, like who has an arm length?
You could have length and not play with length.
That's why I was a big fan of Will Campbell because if his arm length was a issue, it would have showed up on film consistently. It didn't, and Brandon Adams has the length and knows how to play with it, so he has solid press skills. He's able to quickly shoot his hands to the chester and receiver and time up at the line of scrimmage. And in a run game, he's a very solid EDS defender who could protect the gap to this side, not afraid to get in their tackle, and so he's either playing through the hands of the receiver on a deep row or using his offense the defending end breaking around. I think he has good technique. So another one that shocked that went undrafted had a really good Senior Bowl as well. And I think those guys that I mentioned have a great opportunity to make the team coming out of camp.
That is perfect, perfect setup for what I want to do next on the show. Here some names in there that I you mentioned. Jalen Conyers, and we're gonna talk about him. I cannot believe I thought he was like a fifth round pick at the lowest there for a while, So I'll come back and talk about that. I have a couple of followups for you in the receiver position, THEO Weis and talking about the other guys the Dolphins brought in. I definitely want to follow up on BJ Brandon Adams because he was a guy that really showed out to me on the tape as well. Let's go ahead and take a quick break, come back on the other side and get those follow ups there for Emory Hunt, my guest today on the Draft Time podcast brought to you by Auto Nation. All Right, so I was frantically scribbling notes down as Emory was talking us through his picks there off the UDFA crop, and I can't wait to measure this back next May and see who's who's making impacts for the Miami Dolphins in twenty twenty six and beyond. But I want to go with this question off the top, Emory, because you picked THEO Weese from Missouri, the receiver you talked about, and you know, watching him on tape, it was kind of obvious to me that Luthor Burden was the guy I once talked about. But man, when they had to get like when they had to get five or six yards, they throw him that hitch route and he was so consistent on that and then break a tackle and pick up some yards after that. But what I wanted to ask you was, I look at these four receivers they brought in between Armstrong from Arkansas, who kind of fits the bill you talked about from the big body perspective, Monterey Baldwin, who is a one hundred and sixty five pound receiver but runs a four to three, and then aj Henning is a short shuttle three cone guy that has you know, kind of that jitterbug punt returner skill set. I'm looking at this group and like I'm trying to figure out like what it means. You know, Like I know, undrafted rookies is not a great like indicator of what you want your football team to be from a theme perspective. But man, I can't help but look at this group and be like, they're trying to find someone in this group because they're all different types, and I think they're trying to, you know, hit one of those lottery tickets, which is a cheap, production, production, productive receiver.
He's enough for me to say, yeah, and here's the thing.
You know, last year when we talked about the receiver the drafted was like, Okay, It's clearly evident that they love speed. They wanted to be the fastest team out there, and so now when you look at this crappy Okay, we gotta find guys that can help us stay on the field. You know, the speed is great and dynamic, we all want it, but we need chain movers. And that's one thing I like about Andrew Armstrong out of Arkansas. I think he does a great job of knowing what the sticks are and so he's gonna, you know, get the first down.
Make sure you stay on the field.
He's a reliable option underneath passing game, big frame guy that plays like the possession receiver type. So I get why they went after him, and he had a lot of buzz too. Arkansas had a very good football team in terms of individual talent. They just didn't win a lot of games. But man, as I was putting together my draft gout, I noticed, like, man, this is a lot of Arkansas Razorbacks and I'm putting them in here, and I could see how it could be frustrating to be a Razorback fan if you didn't win a lot of games. I could say the same thing about Minnesota, same thing about Rutgers.
I just noticed that.
Man, I'm putting a lot of these prospects in here, so it shows you individually that have good talent. Aj Hinnington, he slot guy recognizes his own coverage rather well and is able to abruptly cut off his route to settle down a dead area and make himself available, which ties to the point of your three cone. But again, thinking about what I just said, recognize his own coverage, able to settle down, cut off the route, get and make himself open, right, possession guy got to move the sticks, got to stay on the field. To me, that's what the common theme was here. Even when you look at someone like Nate Noel, the running back out of Missouri, quickness, agility, good vision, doesn't waste time in the backfield, able to keep the the you know, the the run game on pace, we'll always find positive yards, doesn't kind of dance in the backfield. But that is kind of like the situation we're talking about, where hey, we are trying to stay on the field, We're trying to sustain drives, we're trying to chew up the clock. We're trying to find these guys that are good chain over. So that's the common theme I got from some of these undrafted free agent acquisitions when you think about Juck supposed to what they did last year.
Yeah, it's interesting, man, because you know last year they they did have that ball control style offense, and TUA went from the league leading a dot average depth of target to one of the lowest in the league. And that wasn't because of a referendum on the quarterback. It was because teams were just simply playing with those two and three high shells that prevented the ball from going over the top. And what do we see as a result of that. Devon Han and John Smith were like basically the top two targets for pretty big chunks of the season. Then we saw Tyreek Hill and Gilien Wadtill kind of see their targets dissipate as a result of that. Miami has to find a way to kind of marry those two concepts together. And that's what I'm seeing as well, Emery, because and you know, you get Nick Westbrook Akine in here, who I'm a huge fan of what he brings to the offense, not just for his pass catching, but for his his run blocking for sure. And you talk about both Armstrong and we se they to me look like, you know, if you're talking about like comparisons in terms of who you have in your roster, they would fit the NWI bill for me in terms of the big body build, blocking receivers. And then Monterey Baldwin kind of has a little bit of a reak and waddle to him where he's you know, smaller and faster and electric with a big play speed. And then to your point about the possession guys. Aj Henning, like Malik Washington was that guy for them last year, so it seems like there's kind of some satellite options there beyond the fold. And speaking of that man the tight end position, So I'm gonna throw a name to you that Dolphins fans will know and then like pretty much just Emery Hunt knows who this guy is because of your attendance at all the college All Star circuit.
Tanner' connor was a tight end a few years ago.
He actually came from my home state of Washington, and he's been a guy that made the roster out of camp or I always forget if it's out of camp.
If they get called up at mid season.
I think he got called up his rookie year to make his NFL debut and then injuries have kind of prevented him from taking a next step. And he's been a guy they've had in camp and he's been down here, just keeps getting hurt. And when I look at, excuse me, Jalen Conyers man the wildcat quarterback stuff, which was a big point of content for me and my affinity for Tyler Warren, but also nine point six yards after the catch after the catch, not per catch after the catch on average. And you know, you talk about like what George Kittle has been for the Niners, and with the two tight ends in Green Bay with Tucker Craft and Luke Musgrave have been there from Mike Lafleur or sorry, Matt Lafleur, and how the Dolphins now got Jonas Smith in the building and we're looking at this tight end group like to me, Conyers could be the next like Tanner Connor in terms of this guy can freaking hit twenty miles an hour on the GPS. He's a big, tough tackle down the field, and I just I can't say enough about his game. I cannot believe, not to reader at the point here Emory that he didn't get drafted, not just like on day three, but like early day three.
Right, because when you think about going back to my Scotty report on Tanna Connor, I had him great as an inside receiver, so kind of graded, you know, and grew into this flex tight end option.
So you're right, he has to be able to say healthy because.
He kind of thought they were gonna get a jail and Connors out of Tanner Connor, Conyors out of you know, Tanna kind of when you right, when they when they uh.
Signed them, you know what I mean.
So but when you think about Conyers man in that offense, I'm shocked that someone with the versatility to to you know, arc block and all all of those things would go undrafted, especially someone that had the level of productivity that he had and ability to catch the football. He has great hands to go above the rim or in you know, uh, you know, showing the grace to really contort his body to make a play. Now, granted, you know, route running can be a little bit. Look, there's room to get better there, but that's not enough to not say he shouldn't have been drafted.
It's almost like he.
Gets tied up a little bit at the top of the route and by that time the quarterback then moved on to another target. But you know, at the end of the day, man, you're you're looking for someone that and expand your offense, catch the football, get vertical, give you give yourself a chance. And he's you know, he's someone that can do that. And I you know, I just I was shocked that not only him, but the other tight end from Texas Tech, Mason Tharp, who's like six', nine both went, undrafted AND i was, like, Wow Textas tech had two good tight ends and what people is you, know known for you, know their receiving, corps but the tight ends are really dog one. Good so, yeah if he can go out there and just do what he did At Texas tech and just stay, HEALTHY i mean that that kind of puts him already ahead of the chains in terms of making this, group because again he's a flex. Guy you got you, know you got some age backs in, there guys that could play it a little bit in. Line But knyris gives you a little bit something different in my, opinion AND i think he has a legitimate chance and not only to you, know make the fifty, three but be a significant factor within the.
Offense, YEAH i would say With Farrell, Brown Julian, hill he's right in the mix to possibly to carve out a role for. Himself and to your, point all these players have room to. Grow is the case for every player and has ever played football. Before but for, sure a guy that goes on draft there's a reason that they didn't get, selected so they have a chance to work on that craft and become a player in this. League and speaking of guys that were hoping it becomes a player in this, league you mentioned the offensive lineman From. MICHIGAN i THINK i pronounced it incorrectly off the, top But Josh prebay was HOW i believe you pronounced.
It i'm gonna go with your word on that over. Mine for.
Sure you talked about his like comfort in the stance and the ability to play in the outside zone when you first mentioned. THAT i just did A Kenneth grant deep dive watching his film And i'm kind of blown away by HOW kg can play at that pad, level at that size and with that quickness that he plays At and that's the reason why he was a thirteenth pick in the. Draft AND i guess my thought or question was like those guys went up against each other in practice and he had a chance to kind of deal with someone like. That but you talk About michigan offensive lineman, man when you get to See Mason graham And Josiah stewart And Kenneth grant every single day in, practice it goes a long way to helping YOUR nfl profile a little bit.
There, absolutely it's no different Than baman There Hed andoria.
Currently you, know just the.
Byproduct if you've got great offensive, linemen your defensive lineman will be very good as a, result and vice. Versa so when you're going up against defensive lineman like, this your offensive lineman by proxy is going to be able to withstand either bull rushes or have a little bit more in their bag in terms of dealing with savvy pass rushers Like michigan. Has and so that's why you know he has done a good job up. FRONT i think a lot of times for, him it's just the, footwork you, know because he doesn't really get movement up. Front now he doesn't he doesn't give up, ground which is, fine but he's just maintaining the line of. Scrimmage so the footwork and the STRENGTH i feel like has room to get better because if he can move his feet a little bit better in terms, of you, know out on a move or what, now once he's, ENGAGED i do think he'll get more significant movement upfront as a. Whole like he's good in a downhill run game in terms of like you, know down blocking or base, blocking but in terms of getting you, know significant, movement he doesn't do, that AND i think that's partly tied to his. Footwork he'll, stonewall but he won't. READDIRECT i think that's where he has room to.
Grow, yeah that'll be a big point of contention For Butcher. Berry, here The dolphins offensive line coach who has in a hell of a job for the last couple of years getting this offensive line up and ready to.
Play a couple more guys. Here you Mentioned.
EMERY i want to talk about the Linebacker Eugenia sante BECAUSE i haven't really done a deep dive on him. Yet you talked about him with glowing, praise AND i guess the WAY i would frame the question is BECAUSE i think The dolphins linebacker room and this is An Anthey weaver impact one hundred percent in my, opinion they did it In. Baltimore he came down here and made the linebacker room to his vision With Jordan, brooks With Willy, gay WHO i just freaking love his, tape With Tyrel, dotson and THEN kJ. Britt they all kind of feature something a little bit, different But Jordan brooks kind of the head honcho in that. Room i'm curious if you could if if there is a play style among those four, GUYS kJ, Britt Willy, Gay Tyrel, dotson And Jordan. Brooks who do you Think asante most looks like in terms of his play, STYLE.
I would SAY kJ, brit you, know because he's a good running chase. Guy in my, Opinion, uh you, Know brooks has a great combination of it. All But britt and A sante play a lot, alike AND i feel like A. Sante that's WHY i was shocked that he went and drafted The. Sane to, me he has that type of speed and acceleration and coverage to turn and carry tight ends and run with backs as. Well so when you think about SOMEONE i, know Really gay kind of fits that. Too BUT i feel like his style of play and how he thumps in the run game sort of leans more toward brit in my, Opinion and Listen sante to, me you, know really pursues the ball rather well within the. Box he's able to sift through the, trash get to the, ball carry and then LIKE i said, earlier just lay the boom and pop upon. Contact, NOW i would like to see him get better fits in the run, game and that may have been a result of him being what two twenty, three but sometimes you gotta get you, know he'll make the play iff it's, there but he has to be, better a little bit more consistent at fitty to run game.
Like, so he's a good. Blitzer he does a lot of the speed.
Stuff, well it's the physical stuff that you want to see him be a little bit more consistent that in terms of the technical aspects of the, position which WHY i agreet him as AN houseI, linebacker but in parentheses always Designate, okay he's more of a weak sidebacker than a.
SAMBACKER i think that fits him to a.
T that does seem to be kind of the crux of linebacker play these. Days you have all these great, athletes but who's the big guy that can go in there and thump and make the plays like A Landon roberts use to do done. HERE i always use him as the fan of reference for big, thumpers big gap TO b gap run defenders when talking about setting the tone here In. Miami last GUY i want to talk about was a guy That i'm with.
YOU i THOUGHT i.
Heard about him coming here for a thirty visit AND i was, like that's a guy that we should circle on day three in the, draft and it's B J, Adams Brandon. ADAMS i don't, know do you know what does here have a preference emory that you.
Know OF Bj?
Adams, okay, cool coolod that's good to.
Know but he was a guy and the WAY i want to frame the question because, yeah, man that length his ability to press AND i was Watching jason mark tape to our fifth round draft pick of him just like fighting through a stack to still press the receiver they tried to get away from his, press And i'm looking at these guys they brought, in and you, KNOW i made the point on the podcast Like Will johnson And Jaday baron were great prospects THAT i was a big fan, of but they didn't really play a lot of, press and you, Know Jaday baron had the shorter, arms and folks were wondering if he could if he could play, Press and they passed on those guys For Kenneth, grant and they go back For Jason marshall, junior they come Get Bjay. Adams i'm thinking about this class and you Know Isaiah johnson last, year and you, know we see The lions play a lot of man coverage every single. Year but is the league maybe trending towards more man coverage here because it kind of seems like The dolphins might be thinking that way and it seems to be a little bit more in. Vogue i'm just curious how you feel about where we are in terms of like how defenses wanted to deploy coverage in twenty twenty five and What Bja adams has about.
That, well think about how teams are trying to attack defenses.
Now it's a lot of rpo, base a lot of timing. Base so they want to get the ball out.
Quickly best way to do is tie up the, receivers and the best way to tie up the receivers to have guys that are.
Press and so for.
Me when when you have these guys that are able to press don't just with their, hands but with their feet, too you, know in terms of like staying busy at the line of scrimmage not really allowing the receiver to get into his. Stem so you can press with both your hands and also your, feet but guys that press with their hands do it a little bit more physically in terms, of you, know getting their hands on the guy and forcing him to fight through, contact which a lot of his receivers they've been they've been getting fat out, there man, like in terms of like these free, releases so you put some you put some palls on, them and guys get get.
Flustered so that's where he had.
Success and, again if you're talking about a boundary, guy Which i'm kind of looding to, here he understands what the sideline, is so he knows how to use that as a health. Defender he does have some hip tightness and that can cause some issues when he's trying to cover inbreaking rotts when guys kind of give him a little bit of saluce at the top of the route and break. In he doesn't have that fluidy to open hiss hips and quickly close that. Gap but in terms of like playing down the sideline and you, know working a guy towards the, boundary that's where he. Thrives and, again if you have guys that are good with their hands and able to, PRESS i can kind of teach him to scale back a little bit to eliminate a little bit of the grabbiness at the top of the, route which we know is going to rack up all kind of legal contact penalties at the pro. Level rather than, say hey, man you got to be more. Aggressive so it's easy to say wall than to say sick of as the saying. Goes so he does have that type of, aggressiveness does have the type of. Ability and, again how does a, tall long corner of pressed skills goes and go?
Undrafted?
It but it shows you there's only so many, spots there's only so many draft, selections and the league either needs to expand rosters or we need to look at some of. These, uh there is a gap year THAT i tweeted this out the the day there's there is like a two year gap year from guys that's rookies to their third year in the. League and if guys aren't getting those those reps That i'm on task then a league like THE ufl becomes extremely.
Valuable so that's why we're seeing this could have.
Been this could just be THE covid the end of THE covid cycle where we have this influx of insane amount of talent because of the guys playing five and six years. Now but we also could see this being the case in, general where there's always been this amount of talent out there after the draft and we just don't have nowhere for these guys to play or you, know and fit on. Rosters so that's why you get UP Bj adams going. UNDRAFTED i love, it.
Man you've been talking about the minor league system for a long. Time now we have some version of that expanded practice squads as, well so hopefully we're getting closer and closer To Emory hunt's fever dream of what a perfect football calendar could look. Like, EMORY i want to take one last break and come back and ask you about The dolphins draft. Class we have about nine minutes left on our call, here so let's make that. Quick we'll come back on the other side Of my guest is Aay Emory hunt FROM Cbs SPORTS Hq Draft time, podcast brought to you By Auto. NATION i have a disclaimer to open up this segment with here because we did record this before the official announcement of THE udfa, signings so these are all reported. Signings if there is a name that changes here or, THERE i do apologize for that that did happen a couple of years. Ago just want to cover our bases here and make sure we have that all official and up to, date so they'll let you guys know when that becomes official for The Miami dolphins ahead of Rookie minnie camp which is today on This. Friday so the last THING i want to Ask emory here is to talk about the draft, class and you can just give us your general thoughts on the class as a. Whole Kenneth, Grant Jonah savoy And Nyah Jordan phillips out Of, Maryland Jason Marshall junior And Dante Trader. Junior both those guys the dbs From florida And. Maryland and then we go To Oli. Gordon i'm dying to hear your take On Ollie gordon the, Second Quinn, eewers And Zeke. Biggers what did you think Of miami's draft?
Class?
EMORY i love their draft class because it fit what they need on this football team and kind of stuck with what they do, well and it's, like, hey we draft for what we want in our, scheme WHICH i guess all teams, do but, MAN i Thought miami really nailed. It Like, savanaa the guard From arizona is a guard AND' i love that he played tackle because now he has tackle feet playing, inside which makes him arguably a very good guard. PROSPECT i grated him as a. GUARD i think that's where he could really have a huge. Impact Quin, YOURS i thought kind of in At Zach Wilson, mode WHO i thought was a very good signing BECAUSE i thought he had a really good preseason with The. Broncos And i'm excited to see how both of those. GUYS i think For yours it makes sense because he just his body just needs to. Rest LIKE i feel like if he could just get a situation where he doesn't play for a full, season, man he could stay. Healthy Number, one he could put on some good, weight some, muscle and when he gets out there to, play we will get the best version Of Queen yours as supposed to the banged up version we've been getting for like the past three to four. Years Oli gordon to me was Someone i've been kind of banging a drum for all all. Seasons you just don't forget how to rush for seventeen hundreds of the, yards you know What i'm. Saying, Like and people just stopped talking about him this year because their their team wasn't as.
Good you have you seen a list Of Dope Walker award, Winners LIKE i know you.
Have, Yeah it's like who's Who who's? Dope?
Right so With, Gordon i'm, Like, Man gordon still can. Play and what's underrated About gordon's, game which nobody talked, about is how good of a downfield receiver he. Is like he could literally line up in the slot and go, vertical and he's so comfortable and catching over the, shoulder over his, shoulder AND i think he gives him that, pounder that closer that we've talked about them trying to find to compliment what they have in these speed, guys and he gives them. That AND i thought that was a real good fit For. MIAMI i love The grant And Zeke. BIGGER i think those are two of the more dominant defensive tackles in the, Class and just to, clarify, Obviously Kenneth GRANT i had a high grade. On i'm looking at it. Now he's my number two nose tackled in eighty. Grade so this is a GUY i think it's gonna be A Pro bowl. Player Zeke, BIGGERS i was shocked lasted that. Long he's my number five nose tackle at six five three twenty. One he's consistently give balled off and leverage all of the things that you. WANT i do feel like there's A Jordan phillips coming out Of maryland every. Year LIKE i feel Like i've heard that name multiple dog on.
Times, well we drafted one From, Oklahoma like.
It's always A Jordan phillips in the draft, class right And trader it was another.
ONE i thought that was a really good.
Pick maryland was one of these programs that As i'm grading for the, draft guy like, man there's a lot Of maryland players and he was my number three free. Safety he takes really good angles to the. FOOTBALL i think that's an underrated aspect of grading these. Safeties people forget how important angles. Are he has great diagnosing and acceleration. Skills once he figures it, out in the run, Game he's able to get there, quickly good agility to jump on, routes and SO i think that's a really solid. Selection kind of replaces what they lost and the guy that went to The. Giants so In, MARSHALL i Thought marshall was a good one, too out Of. Florida it's funny because WHEN i was Grading marshall's tape and you're looking at how you Know florida, plays he's my number seven boundary. Corner so he's right there with WHAT i had WITH Bj. Adams you, know he's physical all throughout the, game like non stop physical play in man coveras he's consistently trying to hit you throughout the.
Rep he can annoy. Receivers he's a great press.
Corner so once again theme, here press, skills length and physicality is with the or after at the cornerback. Position AND i, thought SO i enjoyed how The dolphins put together this draft, class and now when you add the undrafted rookie free agents to, it it colors the picture in, perfectly, like, oh this is a very good of young prospects trying to make the.
TEAM i love that you mentioned the word theme because to, me the entire offseason had a whole theme going back To Farrow brown And Nick Westbrook, akine The dolphins had the most negative runs in THE nfl last, year and to me on the, tape it was because of inability to secure the. Edge and you get two of the best guys in that regard in the. League you, go you get you upgrade your guard position With sabon So andaya With James daniels as. Well you get bigger and. Tougher there you round out your running back. Room you have fast. Guys now you've Got Allie gordon And Alexander. Madison you talk about the press, Corners LIKE i just it all makes sense to me with this vision and through the same prism of like we want to get, bigger we want to get, smarter because all these guys are smart football, players captains didn't transfer for a lot of these draft picks tough. Players like it was almost like A Bill parcells. Draft get, bigger, smarter. Tougher SO i think it rounds out a team that has you, know that's what people have said for the last several, Years like they got a big, play more physical late in the, season and they gave themselves a chance to be able to do that with this draft class in this hall this. Offseason Emory, HUNT Cbs SPORTS hq At football Game play On Social emory got about four minutes on the. Call can you tell us what you're working? On SO i know there's no vacation for, you my.
Man, well we're getting ready for the you, know training camp. Circuit but also you, know IT'S ufl season for, me and then THE cfl season also kicks off In, july so we're still talking about football all year. Round and also The European league Of football kicks off In. May later this month and a couple of, Weeks i'm actually calling some games LIKE i did last year for The European league Of, football and that's again teams like The Ryan, Fire Barcelona, dragons you, Know Paris. Musketeers Ryan Fire action's head coach By jim Tom. Sula so there's a lot of players that we've seen kind of trickle over there to play get some reps. In so it's it's now we're turning the pace to the spring football season and diving deep into THE ufl. Content week six now coming. Up you, know we've GOT cfl previews but again people can still go and get the draft guide At football game plan dot com slash twenty twenty Five draft. Guid it's the largest draft guy out, there twelve over twelve hundred individual scouting. Reports we also had over FIFTY cfl draft scouting reports in there as, well so you get the, largest more vast draft guy out. There and the reason why it is the best draft got out. There this was something that was interesting and the lead up to THE Nfl, Draft so this is Like april. EIGHTH i want to Say Cole jones was a safety From North Carolina central who was in this draft, class but he just bypassed the draft process and just signed with THE Bc. Lions, Right we had a full scouting report on, him and the next draft guy everybody talks about only had his, name height and. Weight so there you, go like we had a full report on because we was at THE Hpcwo Legacy bowl where he, was and so not nine times out of ten we got a report on these guys more than any other draft guy out, there and that's a. Fact so it's over twelve hundred prospect. Reports this is the largest we've put out and if you've purchased my draft guy since twenty. Twenty right, now you'd have over fifty four hundred individual scattering poorts at your.
FINGERTIPS i, mean what else do you need to?
Hear so when The, dolphins when someone gets hurt in training camp and you sign somebody replace that, guy and you're wondering who is? That if you Have Emory hunch draft, guid you're gonna know who that. Is so you can always find different players across the entire twelve month calendar and get a full report on those. Guys emory, AGAIN i got less than a minute on the.
Call you got a heart.
Out let's get you out of. Here appreciate your time, today, man you said it. ALL i can't thank you.
Enough, thanks, dude Appreciates, Travis thanks Lap, man take care of.
It he told me he had a heart out at a certain, time AND i took him right up to that. Time SO i always appreciate his. Time we get smarter every time we hear From emory here on the. Show let's go ahead and call it a. Podcast ROOKIE mineu camp going on right now as you hear, this assuming you hear on the day it comes out On. Friday we'll recap that On, monday and then we have schedule lease next. Week so we're getting right into the thick of it here With OTA's around the corner as. WELL i have you covered for all of, that but until all of that gets, here you please be sure to subscribe to the, podcast.
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Review you can follow me on social at WINGFLE nfl and the team At Miami. Dolphins check out the Fish take podcast With seth And, juice the YouTube channel For DOLPHINS, hq drivetime, interviews media, availabilities and so much, more and last but not, Least Miami dolphins Dot. Com until next, time pins Up Caroline Cameron, Daddy he's coming.
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